Expansion: UAB to reunite with Marquette and DePaul in NBE?

[sarp]

L S E at zero are you sure that is not nil?

[NJRedman]

For the millionth and last time the East Coast schools will insist on one school from the East. There is no way on God's green earth they will allow themselves to be outnumbered. Never ever going to happen.

I'm sorry, but why wouldn't they bring in two mid-western schools? What are they afraid will happen if there are 7 mid-west schools and 5 east coast schools? They were already contemplating bringing in SLU and Dayton. Sop it doesn't seem like it scares them that much. I just don't get that train of thought. Marquette and DePaul have a stronger relationship with the 5 east coast schools right now then they do the 3 new ones from the mid-west.

[robinreed]

UAB has 1 sweet 16 in the last 40 years. 4 NCAA appearances since 2000. They are way outside our footprint and don't add much.

Schools more likely to join the BE (progressively more outlandish)
Every A10 team
Every AAC team
Gonzaga
BYU
Every MAAC team
Northwestern
The Ivy League
Cambridge
Oxford
London School of Economics

The London School of Economics would be a great add. UAB not so much.

[chicagojayfan]

UAB has 1 sweet 16 in the last 40 years. 4 NCAA appearances since 2000. They are way outside our footprint and don't add much.

Schools more likely to join the BE (progressively more outlandish)
Every A10 team
Every AAC team
Gonzaga
BYU
Every MAAC team
Northwestern
The Ivy League
Cambridge
Oxford
London School of Economics

The London School of Economics would be a great add. UAB not so much.

I don't see UAB being in the mix. I think the rough order of priority for finding a new BE school would be :

- Established basketball program with local and TV following in an area/city not currently covered by the BE. Exceptions made on location if a top rated program.
- Non-football program
- Similar goals and values (graduate kids, provide good education, clean programs), not necessarily a religious school, but of a similar mindset
- Quality AD and executive management of the program (good facilities or money and commitment for improvement to go with stability of staff and athletic department)

I don't know that private versus public is a big deal to expansion, but the above 4 aren't always a good fit with public (e.g., a lot of public universities are committed to a big time football program).

Through those filters, I don't see UAB being a good fit. In the end, the Big East needs to look at what they have as their brand and anyone invited to join needs to add rather than detract from that brand. While UAB has the potential to have a good basketball program, I don't think they stack up versus the other schools that are a possibility.

[Hall2012]

Was adding mediocre at best CUSA teams not the final nail that caused the C7 to split away from the "old" Big East? If UAB needs a new conference maybe they should apply to the AAC. If they're really dropping football then perhaps the A10.

[aughnanure]

For the millionth and last time the East Coast schools will insist on one school from the East. There is no way on God's green earth they will allow themselves to be outnumbered. Never ever going to happen.

Umm kindaaaa. I mean I don't think are going to start that fight if its Dayton and St. Louis (unless they reaeeallly want Richmond or VCU). Or St. Louis and Gonzaga. Plus, why the hell is anyone afraid of being outnumbered? This isn't the basketball-football split from the old BE. If anything these schools have soo much more in common. You can't just add an east coast school just for the sake of it. That's how you end up with Boston U or Duquesne.

[redmen9194]

If expansion occurs it should be limited to schools in the east or mid-west. That is our footprint and we should stick to it. There does not have to be a balance of east and mid-west, but that's where the league should look. Plenty of schools in those areas. We do not have to go into the deep south, nor should we. I like ten anyway.

[Professor_Bulldog]

This is such a weird thread

[muskienick]

Just the mention of adding UAB to the Big vEast is an insult to the Conference and what it hopes to achieve. (And I agree with the earlier poster who wants to know which of the three additions to get the Big East to 10 is supposedly lesser in quality to U freaking AB!!! That, in itself, discredits that poster's suggestion.

[TrueBlueJay]

Was yesterday April 1st?