Non-Big East Conference Realignment Thread v. 2017

[billyjack]

Meanwhile, just to get this down on paper, checking in with schools in Massachusetts, still a long hill to climb:

Attendance at home games:

Boston College, Conte Forum:
vs NC State: 3,904.
vs Syracuse: 7,226.
vs Providence: 5,266.
vs Sacred Heart: not listed.
vs Dartmouth: 3,188.
vs Towson: 2,163.
vs Stony Brook: 2,108.
vs Md Eastern Shore: 2,051.
avg: 3,700... aided by Providence and Syracuse fans.

Holy Cross, Hart Center:
vs UMass: 3,591 (this one game was at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester).
vs South Carolina State: 1,554.
vs Monmouth: 1,565.
vs Quinnipiac: 1,477.
vs Marist: 1,367.
vs Navy: 1,346.
vs Bucknell: 1,503.
vs Lafayette: 1,239.
avg: 1,705.

Boston University (Case Gym, not Agganis Arena):
vs Northeastern: 843 (first of a home and home).
vs Maine: 672.
vs LIU Brooklyn: 460.
vs Western New England (Div 2): 955.
vs New Hampshire: 321.
vs Holy Cross: 632.
vs Lehigh: 484.
vs American: 298.
avg: 583.

Northeastern Matthews Arena:
(note NU won at UConn, Michigan State, Vermont... and are winners of 8 straight)
vs Boston University: 2,287 (second of home and home vs BU).
vs Kent State: 701.
vs William & Mary: 960.
vs Delaware: 1,873.
vs James Madison: 1,354.
vs Drexel: 1,417.
avg: 1,432.

[cu blujs]

Val Ackerman was in Omaha to take in the CU-BU game Wednesday. She sat down with Tom Shatel of the Omaha World Herald. Below was her quote when asked about UConn: "I can't speak for UConn. They've made very clear their desire to pursue a serious football agenda. Would I shut the door if that were ever to change? No, I wouldn't. But, I can say there is no conversation going on at this point."

What about Gonzaga or Wichita State? "We have to be sensitive about travel. Football is one thing - that's once a week. But we're talking about more than one game. I think that would make that a difficult call. They are fantastic basketball schools, but that would make that difficult to do."

How about playing the Big East Tournament in Omaha? "Frankly, I think Creighton would be a good venue for it . . " Kidding -- that question was on locations for the women's basketball tournament.

You can read the rest of her comments at the Omaha world herald website if interested.

[Bill Marsh]

Meanwhile, just to get this down on paper, checking in with schools in Massachusetts, still a long hill to climb:

Attendance at home games:

Boston College, Conte Forum:
vs NC State: 3,904.
vs Syracuse: 7,226.
vs Providence: 5,266.
vs Sacred Heart: not listed.
vs Dartmouth: 3,188.
vs Towson: 2,163.
vs Stony Brook: 2,108.
vs Md Eastern Shore: 2,051.
avg: 3,700... aided by Providence and Syracuse fans.

Holy Cross, Hart Center:
vs UMass: 3,591 (this one game was at the DCU Center in downtown Worcester).
vs South Carolina State: 1,554.
vs Monmouth: 1,565.
vs Quinnipiac: 1,477.
vs Marist: 1,367.
vs Navy: 1,346.
vs Bucknell: 1,503.
vs Lafayette: 1,239.
avg: 1,705.

Boston University (Case Gym, not Agganis Arena):
vs Northeastern: 843 (first of a home and home).
vs Maine: 672.
vs LIU Brooklyn: 460.
vs Western New England (Div 2): 955.
vs New Hampshire: 321.
vs Holy Cross: 632.
vs Lehigh: 484.
vs American: 298.
avg: 583.

Northeastern Matthews Arena:
(note NU won at UConn, Michigan State, Vermont... and are winners of 8 straight)
vs Boston University: 2,287 (second of home and home vs BU).
vs Kent State: 701.
vs William & Mary: 960.
vs Delaware: 1,873.
vs James Madison: 1,354.
vs Drexel: 1,417.
avg: 1,432.

Give us the hockey attendance.

[Bill Marsh]

Val Ackerman was in Omaha to take in the CU-BU game Wednesday. She sat down with Tom Shatel of the Omaha World Herald. Below was her quote when asked about UConn: "I can't speak for UConn. They've made very clear their desire to pursue a serious football agenda. Would I shut the door if that were ever to change? No, I wouldn't. But, I can say there is no conversation going on at this point."

What about Gonzaga or Wichita State? "We have to be sensitive about travel. Football is one thing - that's once a week. But we're talking about more than one game. I think that would make that a difficult call. They are fantastic basketball schools, but that would make that difficult to do."

How about playing the Big East Tournament in Omaha? "Frankly, I think Creighton would be a good venue for it . . " Kidding -- that question was on locations for the women's basketball tournament.

You can read the rest of her comments at the Omaha world herald website if interested.

Her comment on travel is absurd.

[billyjack]

2016 Attendance Averages For Various Teams:

Again, just to get this down on paper:
I bolded any number at 5,000 or above.

What's the deal with Siena anyway? We walked their campus last summer. Really nice, north of Albany. Small campus. Small student body. Somehow they get 6k+ to the Times Union. UAlbany is closer to downtown and gets half that.

Big East: 9,595 - 5th.
Butler: 8,164.
Creighton: 15,941.
DePaul: 5,513.
Georgetown: 8,879.
Marquette: 13,308.
Providence: 9,703.
Seton Hall: 7,070.
St John's: 6,944.
Villanova: 8,119.
Xavier: 10,281.

A-10: 4,852 - 10th.
Davidson: 4,297.
Dayton: 12,941.
Duquesne: 1,832.
Fordham: 2,140.
George Mason: 4,300.
George Washington: 3,127.
La Salle: 2,492.
Rhode Island: 4,717.
Richmond: 6,435.
Saint Louis: 6,757.
St Bonaventure: 4,040.
St Joe's: 3,921.
UMass: 3,365.
VCU: 7,637.

MAAC: 2,032 - 22nd.
Canisius: 1,311.
Fairfield: 1,309.
Iona: 1,826.
Manhattan: 1,265.
Marist: 1,300.
Monmouth: 3,628.
Niagara: 1,197.
Quinnipiac: 1,473.
Rider: 1,491.
Saint Peter's: 479.
Siena: 6,269.

America East: 2,079 - 20th.
Albany: 3,160.
Binghamton: 2,540.
Hartford: 1,373.
Maine: 1,397.
UMBC: 970.
Lowell: 1,043.
New Hampshire: 788.
Stony Brook: 3,425.
Vermont: 2,126.

Patriot: 1,376 - 30th.
American: 771.
Army: 1,226.
Boston University: 700.
Bucknell: 2,770.
Colgate: 791.
Holy Cross: 1,611.
Lafayette: 1,603.
Lehigh: 1,307.
Loyola Md: 753.
Navy: 2,012.

Missouri Valley: 5,501 - 9th.
Bradley: 5,953.
Drake: 3,087.
Evansville: 5,147.
Illinois State: 5,199.
Indiana State: 3,672.
Loyola Chicago: 1,831.
Missouri State: 4,140.
Northern Iowa: 5,378.
Southern Illinois: 5,277.
Wichita State: 10,805.
.

[marquette]

I'm curious, given that for mid-majors the vast majority of their money comes from attendance, why Siena isn't the king of the MAAC. They have more than triple the attendance of most other MAAC schools.

[Bill Marsh]

2016 Attendance Averages For Various Teams:

Again, just to get this down on paper:
I bolded any number at 5,000 or above.

What's the deal with Siena anyway? We walked their campus last summer. Really nice, north of Albany. Small campus. Small student body. Somehow they get 6k+ to the Times Union. UAlbany is closer to downtown and gets half that.
.

I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that Siena plays its games at a downtown arena, providing one of the few entertainments in the downtown area after work. Walk to dinner at a downtown restaurant, walk to the arena. UAlbany plays on campus on the outskirts of town with no restaurants in walking distance.

I also suspect that it has something to do with the alumni base. UAlbany draws from all over the state. I suspect that it's alums head back to where they came from. Siena, even though smaller may have more of an alumni presence in that part of the state. Also, a lot of Irish Catholics in that part of Upstate NY. Those who are transplants and are hoops fans may be more likely to adopt Siena than an anonymous State U with little about its history or traditions to attract anyone who didn't go there.

[billyjack]

Thanks Bill, that's a good situation for Siena then.
As marquette said too, it's surprising that Siena can't completely dominate the MAAC with 3+ times more attendance numbers.

Late last summer we visited my wife's cousin, who lives on the west side of town near the College of Saint Rose. Working class area kind of like around PC or Pawtucket or North Providence. It was a Sunday morning, so pretty quiet. Some nice breakfast and sandwich shops.

Left cousin mid afternoon, drove up to Siena. Siena was only 10 minutes north of the city. Land kind of opened up by then, rural really at that point. Easy parking on campus. Very walkable campus, self contained. Very quiet and laid back. Noticed that it was very neat, no litter or overflowing garbage cans, grass perfectly manicured. Nice small quad area under big canopy of trees. School was just back in session i think.

The students were really friendly. We pestered several for directions to things and each was so nice and spoke at length when we asked them about their majors and where they were from. Got into the athletics building but couldn't get in the actual gym cuz we didn't want to interrupt the cheerleading team that was drilling in the foyer. My kids tossed a ball around while my wife did emails on her phone and i just chilled sitting on steps, very relaxing. Almost felt like i was at a monastery it was so chill.

Luckily i didn't come upon Jimmy Patsos cuz i hear he's a crazy dude.

On a side note, back in the late 90's my wife and i spent a day in the real Siena in Italy. It was the only day all vacation that it rained. Huge huge huge sloping piazza in the town center. Gorgeous town. Sat under restaurant awnings as torrential rain poured down. Pretty cool. I think the church of Saint Catherine is on the bottom of that piazza. Good times.

Got the DVR set to tape the Rider at Manhattan game tonight. I'll look for you in the crowd, cuz i know you usually go to Draddy. So, I'll look for the guy that looks like Ryan Gosling? Or Clooney? DiCaprio?

[Bill Marsh]

Thanks Bill, that's a good situation for Siena then.
As marquette said too, it's surprising that Siena can't completely dominate the MAAC with 3+ times more attendance numbers.

Late last summer we visited my wife's cousin, who lives on the west side of town near the College of Saint Rose. Working class area kind of like around PC or Pawtucket or North Providence. It was a Sunday morning, so pretty quiet. Some nice breakfast and sandwich shops.

Left cousin mid afternoon, drove up to Siena. Siena was only 10 minutes north of the city. Land kind of opened up by then, rural really at that point. Easy parking on campus. Very walkable campus, self contained. Very quiet and laid back. Noticed that it was very neat, no litter or overflowing garbage cans, grass perfectly manicured. Nice small quad area under big canopy of trees. School was just back in session i think.

The students were really friendly. We pestered several for directions to things and each was so nice and spoke at length when we asked them about their majors and where they were from. Got into the athletics building but couldn't get in the actual gym cuz we didn't want to interrupt the cheerleading team that was drilling in the foyer. My kids tossed a ball around while my wife did emails on her phone and i just chilled sitting on steps, very relaxing. Almost felt like i was at a monastery it was so chill.

Luckily i didn't come upon Jimmy Patsos cuz i hear he's a crazy dude.

On a side note, back in the late 90's my wife and i spent a day in the real Siena in Italy. It was the only day all vacation that it rained. Huge huge huge sloping piazza in the town center. Gorgeous town. Sat under restaurant awnings as torrential rain poured down. Pretty cool. I think the church of Saint Catherine is on the bottom of that piazza. Good times.

Got the DVR set to tape the Rider at Manhattan game tonight. I'll look for you in the crowd, cuz i know you usually go to Draddy. So, I'll look for the guy that looks like Ryan Gosling? Or Clooney? DiCaprio?

Funny thing you mention that because my wife's away & I almost went down to the game. But it was a 9:00 start and I have to be up early for a catscan. Manhattan games usually goes to whoever makes fewer turnovers. They have forced a lot of TOs this tear, but have committed even more. Hence, the bad record in what was expected to be a good season. But Masiello usually has them ready to do some damage in the conference tournament.

BTW, I agree with your observations about Siena. You'd think they'd have more success.

[Gopher+RamFan]

Val Ackerman was in Omaha to take in the CU-BU game Wednesday. She sat down with Tom Shatel of the Omaha World Herald. Below was her quote when asked about UConn: "I can't speak for UConn. They've made very clear their desire to pursue a serious football agenda. Would I shut the door if that were ever to change? No, I wouldn't. But, I can say there is no conversation going on at this point."

What about Gonzaga or Wichita State? "We have to be sensitive about travel. Football is one thing - that's once a week. But we're talking about more than one game. I think that would make that a difficult call. They are fantastic basketball schools, but that would make that difficult to do."

How about playing the Big East Tournament in Omaha? "Frankly, I think Creighton would be a good venue for it . . " Kidding -- that question was on locations for the women's basketball tournament.

You can read the rest of her comments at the Omaha world herald website if interested.

So still no overt, public exclamation of "no publics" by anyone. At least there's a chance.

VCU is in the largest market (46th MSA) without a pro team or an FBS football team..... Just saying