Conference realignment discussion - v. 2015

[BEwannabe]

you've hit on the 1 unpredictable aspect, that being you can't predict what a Texas, Oklahoma or even a Kansas might do given signs of weakness and based on reports there has been some heated exchanges on direction. What does BigXII expansion do for these 3? Not a damn thing but staying in a BigXII that falls further and further behind monetarily doesn't treat them any better. So if I'm them then I'm looking for new opportunities and those opportunities have to be out there and at some point something will pop.

[stever20]

I think to say there was never even the remotest chance of expansion is frankly moronic. If the Big East had followed up 2014 with 2 more years similar to that, while the A10 and AAC had maintained where they were in 2014, the pressure to expand would be extreme right now. But the Big East has improved quite a bit, while the AAC and A10 have fallen off.

[Jet915]

I think to say there was never even the remotest chance of expansion is frankly moronic. If the Big East had followed up 2014 with 2 more years similar to that, while the A10 and AAC had maintained where they were in 2014, the pressure to expand would be extreme right now. But the Big East has improved quite a bit, while the AAC and A10 have fallen off.

Stever coming around?

[TBC Alum]

[stever20]

I think to say there was never even the remotest chance of expansion is frankly moronic. If the Big East had followed up 2014 with 2 more years similar to that, while the A10 and AAC had maintained where they were in 2014, the pressure to expand would be extreme right now. But the Big East has improved quite a bit, while the AAC and A10 have fallen off.

Stever coming around?

maybe...

The biggest reason though why I want the AAC and A10 to be good is if they aren't, who is going to pick up the slack? 9 times out of 10, it's going to be the P5. That doesn't help the Big East out at all IMO. I'd much rather see a Tulsa or a St Bonnie's in the tourney instead of say a Michigan.

[GumbyDamnit!]

I think the BE wants to realistically be the single best BB conference in the country. Think on a level like the B12 this year. 7 tourney teams, 5 in the top 25, 2-3 top 10. That should be our goal. And that goal is absolutely possible. Our messaging is resonating with recruits, our coaches are a great mix of youth and experience (esp when compared to the coaches in conferences like the ACC), and we have a unique / aggressive media partner. I think we will see at least 3 different programs make a FF in the next 5 years.

Conversely, I think the A10 and AAC strive to be #7. Truly. The problem with the A10 is that they have a large handful of programs that just will never be at the same level of the BE programs consistently. LaSalle and St Joes will never be Nova. Fordham will never be SJU. URI will never be PC, etc. One year out of 10, maybe. But never consistently. They can be a decent conf but probably a top heavy conference. Just too much dreck on the bottom half of that league. And the AAC is focused on FB. Once proud programs like Memphis, Temple and UCONN are struggling. Long term I don't think there is a single conference on less stable footing than the AAC. EVERY single program has one eye on the conference and another at the door. Can't collectively thrive with that and you can't maintain rivalries when one team is in CT, another in So FL and a 3rd in Houston. Just too diverse geographically.

[GreatDaneAttorney]

Some really good discussion in this thread. On that note, maybe we need another thread since we're already in March of 2016 in a 2015 thread?

Anyhow, I think Gumby's right about conference ambitions. I just do not see that the AAC legitimately wants to be the best hoops conference; they have their sights set on parity with the P5 in football while also wanting to hold serve in basketball. However, if they were truly committed to basketball, I wonder why they added Tulane and ECU (both great candidates, I don't want to knock either program, but historically neither has had much of an emphasis on or success in basketball).

I also 100% want the A-10 and AAC to succeed, just like stever. Their success is potentially of strategic importance even to the Big East; strong programs outside of the P5 provide possible expansion candidates for the Big East, and furthermore, strong mid-majors mean less power and control for the P5.

[stever20]

Some really good discussion in this thread. On that note, maybe we need another thread since we're already in March of 2016 in a 2015 thread?

Anyhow, I think Gumby's right about conference ambitions. I just do not see that the AAC legitimately wants to be the best hoops conference; they have their sights set on parity with the P5 in football while also wanting to hold serve in basketball. However, if they were truly committed to basketball, I wonder why they added Tulane and ECU (both great candidates, I don't want to knock either program, but historically neither has had much of an emphasis on or success in basketball).

I also 100% want the A-10 and AAC to succeed, just like stever. Their success is potentially of strategic importance even to the Big East; strong programs outside of the P5 provide possible expansion candidates for the Big East, and furthermore, strong mid-majors mean less power and control for the P5.

I think a big mistake the AAC has made is not going to 12 for basketball with one of the stronger non football programs around.

ECU I understand as they have a pretty good football program. Tulane made no sense for anything. NONE. Not football or basketball. If they had taken even say a UMass instead of Tulane, the league is a lot different IMO. UMass would have been able to keep progressing after last year with better exposure.

[DudeAnon]

One of the possibilities thrown out in the conference realignment rumor mill is Wake Forest being left out in the cold and having to choose between the AAC or the Big East.

So that being said, how realistic do you think this is? And if so, who else might join them?

https://twitter.com/MHver3/status/703756178770272256

[DeltaV]

One of the possibilities thrown out in the conference realignment rumor mill is Wake Forest being left out in the cold and having to choose between the AAC or the Big East.

So that being said, how realistic do you think this is? And if so, who else might join them?

https://twitter.com/MHver3/status/703756178770272256

Now, I know if a displaced ACC team came knocking, we'd probably take them (and I've always been a fan of moving into North Carolina)...but they kinda suck...2 NCAA appearances in the last 10 years, and they're 2-16 in conference this year. They were good in the 90's...They are a good academic school though, looks like good undergrad institution, which is in line with the values of the conference, and less money being dumped in football could give basketball a little more love.

Hasn't there also been talk that Vanderbilt might also be interested in 'downgrading'? A quick search showed they're kinda a rival with Wake. Basketball has been a bit better recently, their football isn't up to the caliber of the rest of the SEC.

I know hand-egg is a bit of a sore subject here...but is there a point where forming a FCS football league might make sense?