Non-Big East Conference Realignment Thread v. 2017

[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.

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

Their market is bigger than just Richmond. They have a statewide profile in a state of 8 million people. That's a pretty big market. And no pro teams in the entire state.

[Bill Marsh]

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?

Heckuva game at Draddy Gym tonight.

[billyjack]

Hockey Attendance:

Boston University, Agganis Arena, capacity 6,300:
vs Sacred Heart - 3,987.
vs Quinnipiac - 5,555.
vs Northeastern - 5,562.
vs UConn - 4,526.
vs Harvard - 4,556.
vs Providence - 4,578.
vs Yale - 3,892.
vs Union - 3,619.
vs UMass - 19,000 <---- at Fenway Park.

Boston College, Conte Forum:
vs Colorado College - 5,263.
vs Providence - 5,019.
vs New Hampshire - 3,028.
vs Arizona State - 4,440.
vs Minnesota - 5,154.
vs Northeastern - 3,777.
vs Providence - 19,000 <--- at Fenway Park.

Northeastern, Matthews Arena:
vs Bentley - 2,583.
vs Arizona State - 2,855.
vs Arizona State - 3,325.
vs Vermont - 1,568.
vs Boston University - 3,894.
vs Notre Dame - 3,511.
vs Notre Dame - 1,444.
vs Providence - 1,901.
vs Minnesota - 1,803.
vs Boston College - 1,920.
vs Clarkson - 1,762.

[H.U.S.T.L.E.]

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

Their market is bigger than just Richmond. They have a statewide profile in a state of 8 million people. That's a pretty big market. And no pro teams in the entire state.

Ehhhhhh...

As a life-long Virginia resident who grew up in Richmond and lives in Northern Virginia now, VCU having a "statewide profile" is a bit of a stretch. North of Fredericksburg on 95, there's just too much competition for them in the DMV to be top dogs in the state.

I live & work 10 minutes from George Mason's campus, and VCU certainly brings bigger numbers than most away teams when VCU plays GMU in Fairfax because there's a decent amount of VCU grads living in Northern Virginia's mass of humanity. But I'd say there's probably more VT, UVA, and Maryland grads in the region that drown out a VCU presence here.

All that being said, a fair amount of VCU games end up on the regional sports networks like CSN or MASN and that gives them a decent profile in the mid-atlantic region. Problem is, it's usually on the second-tier CSN and MASN channels.

I think it'd be an interesting test case to schedule a VCU/G'town home and home series - I think the game in DC would actually end up being one of the better crowds of the season for a Georgetown home game.

[ivet]

I think it'd be an interesting test case to schedule a VCU/G'town home and home series - I think the game in DC would actually end up being one of the better crowds of the season for a Georgetown home game.

Georgetown would never agree to that.

[sciencejay]

I also found it interesting that Val commented that travel costs were a concern with WSU/Gonzaga. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me because when the Jays head east for a Wed-Sat or Sat-Tues doubleheader, they just stay there between games. We have to travel everywhere, so it wouldn't matter if Gonzaga were added. But I get that the east coast schools would have significant additional travel than they have now, so those numbers must add up. Especially for the non-Men's BB sports.

[gosports1]

I also found it interesting that Val commented that travel costs were a concern with WSU/Gonzaga. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me because when the Jays head east for a Wed-Sat or Sat-Tues doubleheader, they just stay there between games. We have to travel everywhere, so it wouldn't matter if Gonzaga were added. But I get that the east coast schools would have significant additional travel than they have now, so those numbers must add up. Especially for the non-Men's BB sports.

I'm guessing thatwas directed more to Gonzaga than Wichita

[Bill Marsh]

I also found it interesting that Val commented that travel costs were a concern with WSU/Gonzaga. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me because when the Jays head east for a Wed-Sat or Sat-Tues doubleheader, they just stay there between games. We have to travel everywhere, so it wouldn't matter if Gonzaga were added. But I get that the east coast schools would have significant additional travel than they have now, so those numbers must add up. Especially for the non-Men's BB sports.

I'm guessing thatwas directed more to Gonzaga than Wichita

Frankly I don't get the issue re travel costs with Gonzaga either. The burden of travel would be on Gonzaga, not on the rest of the league. Gonzaga made. It clear from the beginning of the announcements that the C7 would form a new league that the travel cost is a burden they'd be willing to bear.

Smart scheduling for East Coast teams would piggy back a Gonzaga trip onto one to Creighton. The distance from Omaha to Spokane is the same as a return trip from Omaha back home would have been, so that's a flight cost they would have incurred anyway. The only extra cost would be the one way flight back home from Spokane. Compare that to a road trip to Miami in the old Big East. With no travel partner on that trip, the entire round trip is an extra cost. Financially, a road trip to Gonzaga would be no more expensive than a round trip to Miami was in the old days.

[BillikenFriar]

Basketball traveling isn't a big deal. Soccer, softball, women's lacrosse? Those are. The cost would really be astonishing when you consider the olympic sports having to schlep from Providence to Washington all year round.

[BEwannabe]

you folks that don't think travel is a big deal either a) don't know how far away the Pacific NW is or b) don't know any d1 non basketball/football student athletes. Relevant to point a, Spokane is further away from Omaha than Omaha is from NYC and travel from Pacific NW to East Coast is a lost day, so it doesn't in any sense come close to NYC to Miami FL which would leave you travel weary after a flight home from an evening game but you would be in your own bed that night. Relevant to point b, family friend played soccer for the Musketeers and the bus trips home is freshman year after games he didn't whiff a minute of playing time almost did him in. It''s something most have no clue but it's real long bus rides for young kids aren't fun and that bus trip was only from Univ of Virginia to Cincinnati.