Bilas says ACC should be at MSG

[ecasadoSBU]

I feel the perception of the league is important. If we were to get bounced out of the Garden after 35 plus years, it would be a blow to the image of the league. People in NYC really don't care much about the ACC. Tickets were going on stub hub for $5 for today's games, and the place was still a ghost town. But with 15 teams and traveling fan bases from UNC, Duke, Syracuse and Louisville, they will bring people once those teams begin play. I think it's important we have solid attendence ourselves, to avoid the perception we're getting outmuscled in what has always been a BE town. They even had their stupid mascots in Grand Central today, I hate having them here.

Getting back to the perception issue, the main story line after Sunday's selection show will be the ACC got 10 teams in while we and the B1G were next with 7. We all know we will get a higher percentage of teams in from the BE, but the story line will be that the ACC created separation from the rest of us, because they'll likely get 10. That's the perception the country at large will take from it all. Getting 7 teams in is probably a high water mark for us, since it seems nearly impossible to get 8 in from a 10 team conference. It's a reason why it's worth looking into the benefits of having say, a 14 team league. That would put us in the mix where 7-9 bids yearly should be a common result. And if somehow those additional teams were UCONN,VCU, Dayton, and whoever (St. Louis?) we would easily match the ACC in attendence,plus give the Garden an extra day of games. Again NYC people don't care much about UCONN, but those Connecticut people are crazy, and will fill the trains into the city, and make their presence known and felt at MSG.

One of the problems the BE had in the past, was totally inept and incompetent leadership that seemed to be wearing a "kick me" sign on his back (Marinatto) I hope the leadrship today is proactive in protecting what is important to us, and not destined to be reactive, after we get another hard body blow from the ACC and ESPN. If keeping the Garden is a priority, then a plan should be in place to ensure it remains ours. And finally, I will be doing my part tomorrow night, hoping to see the Johnnies extend their season for one more day. If only that damn team would start winning, that would go a long way to solving any ticket issue.

I agree for the most part. I just don't know if 14 is the right number yet. Perhaps we can explore 12 and check from there. Ultimately I think the teams are going to come from the A10... which is fine as long as we pick solid programs. I'm just afraid of diluting the brand. I would hate for people to start thinking of Big East as a mid major... and adding too many A10 teams at a time will cause just that. What we need first is for the recent additions (Creighton, Xavier) to breakthrough deep into the NCAA to shed that mid-major background. As the latest additions grow into big time programs we can continue to add from the A10. Obviously UCONN would be a HUGE add all around

Adding to this. Has anyone realized the dirty campaign being played by ESPN. It's impressive. Jay Bilas and Seth Greenberg are creating the perception that only 3 teams are in so far from the Big East... and that 4 need to play themselves in. It's crazy... It's almost as if ESPN realizes that so much is at stake for the ACC/ESPN and they need to suffocate the Big East/FOX. What worries me is the amount of clout that ESPN has over the entire college basketball landscape. They are able to set the narrative so well. Its impressive how dominant they continue to be even thought they feel threatened by FOX.

Regarding the narrative of the 7 bids. Even if the average fan doesn't realize that the Big East got 70% of their teams in... when you go out recruiting its nice to say "Hey we got the largest percentage of teams of any league into the NCAAs"... Recruits and basketball diehards still know the FACTS... and the fans of the respective schools will continue to follow their teams hard as long as we send a lot of them to the NCAAs... even if ESPN makes it all about the ACC...

What the league needs to do is send a few teams deep into the NCAAs this year. It would be nice if a few ACC teams fall at the hands of the Big East. That's the best way to compete and show whats up. When everyone's bracket get busted they will remember WHY it goes busted. That's exactly how Butler created that brand appeal. Continue busting brackets like Butler and Villanova (last year) and the attention is huge

[kayako]

The announced attendance of 7PM Pitt vs. GT game is 8,656. We'll see how it goes tomorrow with Syracuse and Duke.

[ecasadoSBU]

The announced attendance of 7PM Pitt vs. GT game is 8,656. We'll see how it goes tomorrow with Syracuse and Duke.

I think that's for all three games today which is very poor attendance.

[Xavier4036]

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I agree for the most part. I just don't know if 14 is the right number yet. Perhaps we can explore 12 and check from there. Ultimately I think the teams are going to come from the A10... which is fine as long as we pick solid programs. I'm just afraid of diluting the brand. I would hate for people to start thinking of Big East as a mid major... and adding too many A10 teams at a time will cause just that. What we need first is for the recent additions (Creighton, Xavier) to breakthrough deep into the NCAA to shed that mid-major background. As the latest additions grow into big time programs we can continue to add from the A10.

Xavier needs to shed the mid-major label? We need to "grow into a big time program"?

Since when has Xavier been a mid-major that is diluting the brand of the Big East? Xavier and Villanova are the only 2 teams in the Big East that have made it to the Sweet 16 since reconfiguration. Xavier was in the Top 10 for much of last year and was in the Top 25 for much of this year until losing our 3 best players and only scorers. In the last decade, Xavier has made 1 Elite 8 and 4 additional Sweet 16's.

[GumbyDamnit!]

Half the Big East is in the Mid-West. Why would those schools want a permanent tourney in NYC?

First, it's the same reason that the ACC and B1G want a piece of the action. NYC and MSG are special places. The energy of that little island smacks you in the face when you get off the train at Penn Station and stays with you the entire time you are there. Every conference craves the brightest of lights. We have it. They want it.

1/2 of the BE schools are within a 4 hour drive of NYC. Our BE HQ is in Manhattan. 3/14 of the B1G and 2/15 of the ACC are within that same radius. NC is the defacto hub of ACC hoops. The ACC HQ is in Greensboro. Duke, UNC, NC St, Wake. Indy is the defacto hub for Big10 hoops. The B1G HQ is in IL.

As already mentioned we have a solid contract for another 5+ years. When it comes due I just can't see the ACC or the B1G committing to a 10 year contract to have its tourney away from its core areas. I don't think we have anything to worry about.

[Bill Marsh]

I agree with Gumby. In addition, NYC is the #1 tourist destination in the country. That gives people more of a reason to travel to the tournament. Even if their team loses in the first round, there's plenty more for them to do. The trip becomes a mini-vacation. Ultimately that helps to boost attendance.

When a tournament is held in Winston-Salem, Indianapolis, or Hartford, it's just not the same draw as when it's held in Manhattan.

[EMT]

Why would the B1G not be interested in a yearly MSG tournament? Is travel really that big a deal? They sent their football champ to the Rose Bowl for one hundred years and didn't seam to mind the travel.

What affinity does NYC have to Midwest schools that they would want to permanently relocate their tournament ?

Half the Big East is in the Mid-West. Why would those schools want a permanent tourney in NYC?

Because those schools chose to join a league based on the East Coast with their conference tournament as part of the deal to join?

[Wizard of Westroads]

Speaking as a Midwesterner typing in his NYC hotel room, don't ever leave this town!

[DudeAnon]

MSG is pivotal to the identity of this conference. Big East should pay whatever it takes to keep it.

[CURx]

MSG is pivotal to the identity of this conference. Big East should pay whatever it takes to keep it.

I agree. And it seems to me that the powers making the decisions for the C7 were hell bent on keeping MSG when this all went down a few years ago. And to me, unless the ACC and/or Big 10 go nuclear with their negotiations, I have the feeling that the C7 powers would do everything in their power to match what is proposed. Maybe I am naive in that thought but it is still my hope. Also, how would Fox fit into this equation? They have put a lot into The Big East and it is good for them to have it's flagship basketball conference on the biggest stage as well. Would they help with negotiations? And I guess I am assuming that The Big East and Fox still have a partnership at that point.