Conference realignment discussion - v. 2015

[gosports1]

St Louis and Richmond (yes im throwing them back in the mix)

[Gopher+RamFan]

St Louis and Richmond (yes im throwing them back in the mix)

Hard to take Richmond seriously when they're at most 3rd in their market, sellout mostly 2 times a year, little on court success (NCAAs and regular season), offer buy one get one free tickets to fill their arena.

SLU brings in the Saint Louis market (but doesn't deliver it), great facilities and decent success. Dayton brings in on the court success (recently), traveling fanbase.

If the Big East brings in a school with 4 NCAA appearances in the last 25 years, 3rd in their market (behind VCU, UVA and maybe even Tech), who can't sell out consistently, doesn't travel at all and gets no national exposure - then the Big East is worse off than I thought.

[_lh]

St Louis and Richmond (yes im throwing them back in the mix)

Hard to take Richmond seriously when they're at most 3rd in their market, sellout mostly 2 times a year, little on court success (NCAAs and regular season), offer buy one get one free tickets to fill their arena.

SLU brings in the Saint Louis market (but doesn't deliver it), great facilities and decent success. Dayton brings in on the court success (recently), traveling fanbase.

If the Big East brings in a school with 4 NCAA appearances in the last 25 years, 3rd in their market (behind VCU, UVA and maybe even Tech), who can't sell out consistently, doesn't travel at all and gets no national exposure - then the Big East is worse off than I thought.

That's why I hope the BE never adds in SLU/UD/Richmond/VCU. They offer very little the BE doesn't already have.

[Gopher+RamFan]

St Louis and Richmond (yes im throwing them back in the mix)

Hard to take Richmond seriously when they're at most 3rd in their market, sellout mostly 2 times a year, little on court success (NCAAs and regular season), offer buy one get one free tickets to fill their arena.

SLU brings in the Saint Louis market (but doesn't deliver it), great facilities and decent success. Dayton brings in on the court success (recently), traveling fanbase.

If the Big East brings in a school with 4 NCAA appearances in the last 25 years, 3rd in their market (behind VCU, UVA and maybe even Tech), who can't sell out consistently, doesn't travel at all and gets no national exposure - then the Big East is worse off than I thought.

That's why I hope the BE never adds in SLU/UD/Richmond/VCU. They offer very little the BE doesn't already have.

I don't think the Big East has to expand anytime soon. I am a VCU fan, and believe VCU offers a 32k student base, as well as another 20k in employees. Couple that with a fanbase that is proven to travel to NYC for their conference tournament, as well as actually delivers their market. All that said, VCU doesn't add anything (beyond sheer fanbase numbers) that the Big East doesn't have - thankfully none of the other candidates do either, nor do they have anywhere near the numbers VCU does.

[Bostonspider]

I would say that the Richmond market is more fluid than VCU posters would have you believe. If one looks at basketball attendance for the last 30 years, the schools are somewhat similar with Richmond out drawing VCU 18 years, and VCU out drawing Richmond 12 years. Now VCU has most definitely been a better draw in recent years. But when UR is good, they hold the attention of the market just as easily as VCU does, irrespective of the two universities' sizes. VCU is just as susceptible to a downturn of performance as any other school, and their new "fans" will sadly be just as fickle as any other school's. This is why I think that the Presidents appear to be placing a greater emphasis on institutional fit than the fans on message boards do. Personally I think SLU and Dayton "fit" the best, but I understand the desire of schools like GU and VU for another eastern school. If Duquesne had ever got their act together they would have been a great fit, but I would never see that happening. As I said Richmond's President Ayers claimed to me personally that it was between SLU, UD and UR for the final two spots, 18 months ago. But he was not sure when expansion would be happening.

plus UR's arena looks like this, a modern yet classic college arena



VCU's looks like this, an over grown HS gym, LOL (Just kidding Ram fans)

[James]

There are only two teams that would realistically improve our conference long term.

1. Gonzaga
2. Dayton

[Dew]

There are only two teams that would realistically improve our conference long term.

1. Gonzaga
2. Dayton

Give it up Archie.. It's a lost cause.

[billyjack]

So, is this not the right time to say I want Holy Cross...?

bump.

[Bill Marsh]

There are only two teams that would realistically improve our conference long term.

1. Gonzaga
2. Dayton

Bingo.

[BEX]

Great League. Stay @ 10.