Val bursts into your office, WE HAVE TO CHOOSE TODAY!

[Xudash]

Xudash - you're a hater, sorry about that but that's the reality. UD is a great school as is XU, but your hatred

of UD is really scary and you should really seek some help.

Good grief. Vitriol. Hatred. I know it burns you to have been left out, but UD was not considered for the BE.

I hope the BE holds at 10. And UD, specifically, would not move the needle.

[gosports1]

Can someone help me understand the attraction to Gonzaga? I just dont get how they fit. I have a hard time getting over the location and Im not convinced they would be as successful as they have been if they were in a more competitive league
If the BE for some reason had to go to 16 and form a super conference stretching from coast to coast (a best of the rest) to remain competitive with the P5 then i would understand. Just not as #11 or #12

[gavitspeaks]

We should hold at 10 and not take UD or SLU or Davidson or anyone else.....unless ND wants in. Hold at 10 and split the NCAA shares that the 3-5 teams get us every year among just the 10 of us. This boils down to $$$$$$. Let's not forget that please!!

[Bill Marsh]

Can someone help me understand the attraction to Gonzaga? I just dont get how they fit. I have a hard time getting over the location and Im not convinced they would be as successful as they have been if they were in a more competitive league
If the BE for some reason had to go to 16 and form a super conference stretching from coast to coast (a best of the rest) to remain competitive with the P5 then i would understand. Just not as #11 or #12

I don't get why you think their location is a problem for anyone but them. And they're on the record as saying that they're ready to step up to the next level and make it work. It's one long road trip a year for everyone else.

As for the attraction:

- 16 straight NCAa tournament bids. Remarkable consistency regardless of the level of play.
- 9 times ranked in the final AP poll, including #1 in 2013
- 5 Sweet 16's + 1 Elite 8
- high level of institutional support
- excellent facilities
- excellent coach who isn't going anywhere for a long time
- home games consistently sell out & there's a waiting list

Why couldn't they continue to be successful? If they move up to the Big East, it's not like everything else about their program will remain the same. Although the schedule will become more difficult, their recruiting options will improve. The difficult schedule cuts both ways. While it might knock them out of the tournament some years, it will also better prepare them for the tournament. As a result, they have a better chance to advance deep into the tournament once they get there than they do under their current circumstances.

[Bill Marsh]

We should hold at 10 and not take UD or SLU or Davidson or anyone else.....unless ND wants in. Hold at 10 and split the NCAA shares that the 3-5 teams get us every year among just the 10 of us. This boils down to $$$$$$. Let's not forget that please!!

It boils down to $$$$$$ as long as the existing contract with fox lasts. What then?

[TheBall]

We should hold at 10 and not take UD or SLU or Davidson or anyone else.....unless ND wants in. Hold at 10 and split the NCAA shares that the 3-5 teams get us every year among just the 10 of us. This boils down to $$$$$$. Let's not forget that please!!

It boils down to $$$$$$ as long as the existing contract with fox lasts. What then?

We are in year two of a decade Long contract.

Here is why you can't jump the gun:
The brands of both fox sports and the big east are building
Look at the exposure we are getting, those individual commercials, the fox national ore-games. That's going to help out recruiting big time.
We really won't see the benefit of this effort for another few years.

Year two is not the year to make major changes. Let's see where we are in year five and assess.

And I'm all for gonzaga if it can be worked out. But it hasn't hallened yet, so there are obviously some concerns and it is not as simple as just calling them up.

[gavitspeaks]

We should hold at 10 and not take UD or SLU or Davidson or anyone else.....unless ND wants in. Hold at 10 and split the NCAA shares that the 3-5 teams get us every year among just the 10 of us. This boils down to $$$$$$. Let's not forget that please!!

It boils down to $$$$$$ as long as the existing contract with fox lasts. What then?

If the FOX contract runs out, then the league scrambles for more teams to cover a greater geographic area and more market share. Either that or the league splits up with teams like Villanova and Georgetown being gobbled up.

Hopefully, the $$ doesn't dry up.

[GibsoniaPA]

Interesting discussion, unfortunately it is all about the money isn't it? I'd hate to see the BE chase the dollar, jump into bed with any program that has the elusive "market share" allure. There is no market available that will be a game changer.

One man's opinion- The Big East need not lose its soul. The unique branding of a group of like minded private Catholic universities need not be abandoned. Great private universities offering world class education are not confined to market based geography. In comparison to public schools your alumni are national if not global. My advice- stick with what created the BE. It's easy to say stop chasing the $$, so I wont. But don't lose your soul. Keep your unique identity, brand the fact that you are made up of the world's great Catholic Universities. I'd not be surprised if Notre Dame BB at some point joins you if you remain true to your identity.

Do Not try to become "everything to everyone" or the "best of the rest" to chase the Fox dollar. The current BE conference quality and branding will ensure that a media suitor will pay a fair price to show your product. The casual BB fan would tune in to watch your excellent product with a clear and consistent brand.

The Big East today is a collection of private faith based basketball schools that are the envy of others. You have pearls in Dayton, SLU, and many others waiting to join. Don't forget who you are. It's your most valuable commodity.

[gavitspeaks]

Interesting discussion, unfortunately it is all about the money isn't it? I'd hate to see the BE chase the dollar, jump into bed with any program that has the elusive "market share" allure. There is no market available that will be a game changer.

One man's opinion- The Big East need not lose its soul. The unique branding of a group of like minded private Catholic universities need not be abandoned. Great private universities offering world class education are not confined to market based geography. In comparison to public schools your alumni are national if not global. My advice- stick with what created the BE. It's easy to say stop chasing the $$, so I wont. But don't lose your soul. Keep your unique identity, brand the fact that you are made up of the world's great Catholic Universities. I'd not be surprised if Notre Dame BB at some point joins you if you remain true to your identity.

Do Not try to become "everything to everyone" or the "best of the rest" to chase the Fox dollar. The current BE conference quality and branding will ensure that a media suitor will pay a fair price to show your product. The casual BB fan would tune in to watch your excellent product with a clear and consistent brand.

The Big East today is a collection of private faith based basketball schools that are the envy of others. You have pearls in Dayton, SLU, and many others waiting to join. Don't forget who you are. It's your most valuable commodity.

Well said GibsoniaPA. Don't change your identity is so true. Those on the inside know that it is inevitable and a sure thing that UD and SLU are coming. That's old news. Would be nice to bring ND hoops and other ND sports as well (unlikely). Important to keep the east of the Mississippi footprint too. Much of it comes back to what universities and athletic departments are willing to fund at high levels $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Who can build facilities and pay coaches like Villanova has paid Jay Wright? How many BE schools are paying their coaches the way O Purnell and Jay Wright are being paid? How many schools are pumping money into and funding their programs well enough to keep up with the football powers?

[gosports1]

Can someone help me understand the attraction to Gonzaga? I just dont get how they fit. I have a hard time getting over the location and Im not convinced they would be as successful as they have been if they were in a more competitive league
If the BE for some reason had to go to 16 and form a super conference stretching from coast to coast (a best of the rest) to remain competitive with the P5 then i would understand. Just not as #11 or #12

I don't get why you think their location is a problem for anyone but them. And they're on the record as saying that they're ready to step up to the next level and make it work. It's one long road trip a year for everyone else.

As for the attraction:

- 16 straight NCAa tournament bids. Remarkable consistency regardless of the level of play.
- 9 times ranked in the final AP poll, including #1 in 2013
- 5 Sweet 16's + 1 Elite 8
- high level of institutional support
- excellent facilities
- excellent coach who isn't going anywhere for a long time
- home games consistently sell out & there's a waiting list

Why couldn't they continue to be successful? If they move up to the Big East, it's not like everything else about their program will remain the same. Although the schedule will become more difficult, their recruiting options will improve. The difficult schedule cuts both ways. While it might knock them out of the tournament some years, it will also better prepare them for the tournament. As a result, they have a better chance to advance deep into the tournament once they get there than they do under their current circumstances.

You make valid points. However their location is a problem for everyone, not just them. We all will have to travel there for multiple sports. I guess in the grand scheme of things that isnt a deal breaker just inconvenient.
for me it boils down to a couple of points

1. What candidate would you prefer to still be associated with should they tank in BB.
2. Im also not in favor of a conference that stretches from coast to coast. In the case of the BE I think Omaha is far enough

if Gonzaga was in Boston, Atlanta, Detorit, Pittsburgh or Minneapolis i would be more in favor. Im sure im in minority but if schools such as Stanford, USC and UCLA dropped FB tomorrow I wouldnt want them either due to their west coast location

All that said, if Gonzaga did get an invite I wouldnt be angry about I just wouldnt vote YES if i was a league president