Conference realignment discussion - v. 2015

[Gopher+RamFan]

I know you're also a richmond fan (but mostly X). VCU will not start a football program for the foreseeable Future.

This is very true. X first, Richmond in the A10.
So on a personal level, I'd love to see Richmond be in the BE if there is any expansion. If not, I'll root for them in the A10.

On a purely basketball level, looking at the formation of the BE in 2013, I would have thought VCU and Wichita State would have been no brainers. Marshall and Smart at the helms, only a few years from FF's, avid fan bases, new markets. The fact that they weren't included makes me think the institutional level concern is stronger than we think. Certainly the money was there for 12 teams.

As someone noted, the voting has changed. 3 new votes plus 2 new presidents. Who knows what's critical today...if anything. They may be happy with 10, think 6 is a reasonable NCAA pie to try and split each year, and are just focused on improving the brand.

The really big dollars are in football. That's not going to change. I don't think Conn is going anywhere while the chance of improving their football money is possible. I'm still surprised that VCU with its resources didn't try to get into football. Maybe it is too late now. But it's got as much going for it as Charlotte for example.

I don't know what the BE presidents want, this is all just good discussion. I'm curious though, when the 3 teams were added, people on here and other boards posted that VCU was essentially blocked by GT to protect recruiting in the VA beach/peninsula. It's a big hotbed, but outside of Weber, VCU hasn't receuited the area much. Georgetown cares so much about this region they scheduled ODU with either a 2-1 or H&H. With Shaka gone, maybe the GT won't feel too threatened. Of course if Georgetown had to voice this opinion that means there was some legitimate talk of VCU joining (ergo publics being okay?). Of course this is all just rumors on a message board.

R.E. Football: only 10 or so football programs operate in the green. That's some shady accounting, as most spend what they have - making it look like they're only breaking even or just short. I don't know what the true numbers are, but I'd wager football is not profitable for schools outside the P5 as a general rule. G5 schools are just hoping for exposure and making a good bowl, with a very outside shot at the new playoff. If VCU started a football program, they'd spend 6-8years FCS and BCS probation. More than likely CUSA membership hoping for a bid to the AAC. That's the top. I think VCU sees the Big East as the very top for the program. Not worth any of the $$ to start, and no donors have that kind of cash that want to start it themselves.

[stever20]

Dunno how to multi quote so....


_lh - who do you think #11 is if not dayton or VCu?

MUboxer - every fan base has an idiot poster or two but they don't make up the whole fan base. Even us dayton fans cant stand a few posters.

Army vet - i dont know who you follow but considering any teams for expansion a mid major is same as calling teams already in BE a mid major. These teams all have very similar profiles. These arnt blue bloods but not mid major

If and it is of course a huge if UCONN came back to the BE, there is no reason to add a 12th team if it is from a pool of UD/SLU/Richond/VCU.

If any of those 4 were so attractive to the BE, they could have been added already.

I hope the BE stays at 10 and only expands for a great addition(s).

There are reasons to go to 12 from 11. A team might not be good enough to expand with them alone- but way good enough to go from 11 to 12. The fact is there are major benefits to go from 11 to 12. Huge benefits. Dayton/SLU/Richmond/VCU would definitely be good enough to be #12.

I think the odds if UConn came back that the Big East would remain at 11 is slim to none.

[RDriesenUD]

Some UD fans are here, and only here posting ACTUAL FACTS, because posters like you keep making up crap about Dayton that isn't true and then calling UD fans trolls for actually posting TRUE FACTS.

You want facts? 1990-2000. No NCAA Tournament appearances. 6 losing seasons.

How did I know you wouldn't post any ACTUAL FACTS that had to do with what you ACTUALLY posted about. Your post has nothing to do with your original post or what I asked you.

[_lh]

Dunno how to multi quote so....


_lh - who do you think #11 is if not dayton or VCu?

MUboxer - every fan base has an idiot poster or two but they don't make up the whole fan base. Even us dayton fans cant stand a few posters.

Army vet - i dont know who you follow but considering any teams for expansion a mid major is same as calling teams already in BE a mid major. These teams all have very similar profiles. These arnt blue bloods but not mid major

If and it is of course a huge if UCONN came back to the BE, there is no reason to add a 12th team if it is from a pool of UD/SLU/Richond/VCU.

If any of those 4 were so attractive to the BE, they could have been added already.

I hope the BE stays at 10 and only expands for a great addition(s).

There are reasons to go to 12 from 11. A team might not be good enough to expand with them alone- but way good enough to go from 11 to 12. The fact is there are major benefits to go from 11 to 12. Huge benefits. Dayton/SLU/Richmond/VCU would definitely be good enough to be #12.

I think the odds if UConn came back that the Big East would remain at 11 is slim to none.

Expanding just to get a 12th team makes no sense, especially if the 12th team would be from a pool of UD/SLU/Richond/VCU.

UCONN is only going to join the BE if they have to so it is a huge if and one that is years away from happening, if it ever does. I don't see the B12 showing any interest in current American teams for B12 expansion and that would be one thing that may prompt UCONN to move.

Outside of UCONN and Notre Dame, there is no program out there that does much for the BE or it is too far away (Gonzaga).

[stever20]

There is a lot of sense to expand just to get up to 12 if you have 11. There are a LOT of benefits going from 11 to 12. The fact that the teams in play for #12 are good enough makes it even more of a no brainer.

The Big 12 could be forced into expansion if the CCG proposal doesn't pass(or passes but doesn't allow a 10 team conference still to hold a CCG). The Big 12 has to get to have a CCG to be competitive. If the Big 12 does expand, the AAC would likely lose 2 teams.

[Bill Marsh]

There are reasons to go to 12 from 11. A team might not be good enough to expand with them alone- but way good enough to go from 11 to 12. The fact is there are major benefits to go from 11 to 12. Huge benefits. Dayton/SLU/Richmond/VCU would definitely be good enough to be #12.

I think the odds if UConn came back that the Big East would remain at 11 is slim to none.

Expanding just to get a 12th team makes no sense, especially if the 12th team would be from a pool of UD/SLU/Richond/VCU.

UCONN is only going to join the BE if they have to so it is a huge if and one that is years away from happening, if it ever does. I don't see the B12 showing any interest in current American teams for B12 expansion and that would be one thing that may prompt UCONN to move.

Outside of UCONN and Notre Dame, there is no program out there that does much for the BE or it is too far away (Gonzaga).

Realignment boards are all abuzz with rumors that the Big Ten is actively considering further expansion and others that UConn is the top candidate, with some apparently solid sources providing the leaks for both rumors. Even if the B1G doesn't take UConn, any movement by them would open up spots in another P5 conference, which would create another opportunity for UConn.

With that kind of hope out there, there is nothing that UConn will do other than to continue to invest in football in hopes that they can take the B1G step up to the next level. Therefore, they will not be a candidate for the BE any time in the near future.

Gonzaga doesn't think they're too far. Since they're the only ones on whom travel would have any major impact, it seems foolish to me to dismiss them based on geography. But that's just me, and I don't have a vote.

[handdownmandown]

I would be sympathetic to Dayton getting in, but their fans on here make me dead set against them. They have a full complement on here already and are in full blown hair trigger mode - on someone else's board. I can't imagine what life would be like on here if they were legitimately given the run of the place.

Boggles the mind, it does.

[_lh]

I don't have a vote either and obviously everyone here is just speculating but I doubt the B10 expands anytime soon but who knows. Either way, I agree with you about UCONN.

I can't imagine the travel costs for the tennis team to travel from Spokane to the east coast regularly. I think Gonzaga joining the BE is a huge pipe dream.

Gonzaga is able to get very good exposure nationally and great seeds out of their current conference so I don't see why they would even consider it.

[hoyahooligan]

There are reasons to go to 12 from 11. A team might not be good enough to expand with them alone- but way good enough to go from 11 to 12. The fact is there are major benefits to go from 11 to 12. Huge benefits. Dayton/SLU/Richmond/VCU would definitely be good enough to be #12.

I think the odds if UConn came back that the Big East would remain at 11 is slim to none.

Can you back up these claims of huge benefits?

What is the huge benefit of going from 11 to 12?

It might actually cause there to be less inventory for fox. You could potentially do a 20 conference game home and home schedule with 11 teams, but 12 teams would be too much to retain the home and home scheduling so you'd likely have an 18 game conference schedule like we do now getting 6 teams home and home and 6 teams once.
Which would result in 4 less games. It's possible to do a 20 game conference schedule with 12: 8 home and homes 4 teams only once, but I feel like coaches would be less willing to give up OOC games if they're not preserving the true home and home nature of the conference anyway.

[stever20]

There are reasons to go to 12 from 11. A team might not be good enough to expand with them alone- but way good enough to go from 11 to 12. The fact is there are major benefits to go from 11 to 12. Huge benefits. Dayton/SLU/Richmond/VCU would definitely be good enough to be #12.

I think the odds if UConn came back that the Big East would remain at 11 is slim to none.

Can you back up these claims of huge benefits?

What is the huge benefit of going from 11 to 12?

It might actually cause there to be less inventory for fox. You could potentially do a 20 conference game home and home schedule with 11 teams, but 12 teams would be too much to retain the home and home scheduling so you'd likely have an 18 game conference schedule like we do now getting 6 teams home and home and 6 teams once.
Which would result in 4 less games. It's possible to do a 20 game conference schedule with 12: 8 home and homes 4 teams only once, but I feel like coaches would be less willing to give up OOC games if they're not preserving the true home and home nature of the conference anyway.

The coaches would NEVER go for 20 conference games. Absolutely NEVER. That's pie in the sky type of stuff..... If we are at 11, it'd be like what the AAC had with you playing 8 teams home and home and then 1 team only at home and 1 other team only away.

If we go to 12, you would have 7 teams played 2 times and then the other 4 played once.

The benefits are:
1- everyone can play every rotation. no weekend off days.
2- more inventory for Fox- and also a better selection(since there would be 6 conference games each time).
3- conference tournament would be able to have 2 sessions on the 1st day rather than 1. This gets an extra 15k tickets which is worth alone about 750k at least.

the weekend off days gone and more/better inventory for Fox are huge.

bottom line- if UConn came to the Big East, it's a 99% chance I think that we go 12 instead of 11.