Add Dayton and VCU

[GoldenWarrior11]

Duke lost tonight. Only one ACC team made the Sweet 16. Virginia, Notre Dame, Duke, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Miami, Wake Forest and Florida State all failed to make the Sweet 16.

By the same logic, the ACC needs to look at adding UConn, Cincinnati, Rhode Island and VCU in order to elevate the strength of the league.

[Hoya Hoya Hoya]

No reason to add either

[Hall2012]

So the issue we're looking to fix is a tendency to have teams crash out in the first weekend of the tournament, right?

How exactly does adding teams that also crashed out in the first weekend (as all of Dayton, VCU, and Wichita did) fix that?

[DudeAnon]

So the issue we're looking to fix is a tendency to have teams crash out in the first weekend of the tournament, right?

How exactly does adding teams that also crashed out in the first weekend (as all of Dayton, VCU, and Wichita did) fix that?

There is no definite science too it, I simply believe that UD, WSU and VCU are all great programs that would make the league more competitive.

Also, after watching the AAC burn out of the tourney yet again I wonder if UCONN and UC are so disgruntled with the conference that they might want to force the AAC to accept a football-only membership. UC's football brand is probably the best in the league and UCONN's isn't great but its still better than the bottom half of the league.

These are just ideas. I am trying to think of ways to improve the league. Our 4 year stint so far has been good, but we could be better.

[Savannah Jay]

Since a decision like this rests with university presidents, can anyone actually envision the presidents of Georgetown and Villanova (I use them as probably the most prestigious academic institutions in a league with very, very good academic institutions) accepting Wichita as an academic peer? I can't...as far as their athletics, prior to Marshall they went through a 25 year period where they made 1 NCAA tournament.

I am all for keeping the universities collective "eyes open" for ways to make the conference even better. I've not seen anyone adequately articulate how adding any of the available schools make our conference better.

I don't see very many fans of the big conferences raving about how awesome it is to have a conference with 14 or 15 schools, or how cool it is to get to play a certain school (with unbalanced scheduling they can't even guarantee a home game every year against the "marquee" programs). I wonder if Michigan and Ohio State are happy that Rutgers is part of the Big 10? That's hardly the only example of "expansion for the sake of expansion" and I have not heard any fans or read any well-written articles about how awesome it is to be in a super conference.

As I live in SEC country (the oldest of the super conferences, I think), there are no new rivalries or "it's awesome we get to play A&M, or Missouri, or Arkansas sometimes" among the fans in GA. The best rivalries will always be the old conference mates and only when those new schools are really, really good does anyone get even a little bit excited about them coming to town. Maybe part of the issue is that new schools haven't been competitive enough (I am not motivated to check, but has any of the additions ever won a conference championship in basketball or football?).

[Bill Marsh]

Since a decision like this rests with university presidents, can anyone actually envision the presidents of Georgetown and Villanova (I use them as probably the most prestigious academic institutions in a league with very, very good academic institutions) accepting Wichita as an academic peer? I can't...as far as their athletics, prior to Marshall they went through a 25 year period where they made 1 NCAA tournament.

I am all for keeping the universities collective "eyes open" for ways to make the conference even better. I've not seen anyone adequately articulate how adding any of the available schools make our conference better.

I don't see very many fans of the big conferences raving about how awesome it is to have a conference with 14 or 15 schools, or how cool it is to get to play a certain school (with unbalanced scheduling they can't even guarantee a home game every year against the "marquee" programs). I wonder if Michigan and Ohio State are happy that Rutgers is part of the Big 10? That's hardly the only example of "expansion for the sake of expansion" and I have not heard any fans or read any well-written articles about how awesome it is to be in a super conference.

As I live in SEC country (the oldest of the super conferences, I think), there are no new rivalries or "it's awesome we get to play A&M, or Missouri, or Arkansas sometimes" among the fans in GA. The best rivalries will always be the old conference mates and only when those new schools are really, really good does anyone get even a little bit excited about them coming to town. Maybe part of the issue is that new schools haven't been competitive enough (I am not motivated to check, but has any of the additions ever won a conference championship in basketball or football?).

Before or after entering the conference?

[ArmyVet]

Since a decision like this rests with university presidents, can anyone actually envision the presidents of Georgetown and Villanova (I use them as probably the most prestigious academic institutions in a league with very, very good academic institutions) accepting Wichita as an academic peer?

I've made this same point on here. It's just not going to happen despite what fans might want.

[Hall2012]

So the issue we're looking to fix is a tendency to have teams crash out in the first weekend of the tournament, right?

How exactly does adding teams that also crashed out in the first weekend (as all of Dayton, VCU, and Wichita did) fix that?

There is no definite science too it, I simply believe that UD, WSU and VCU are all great programs that would make the league more competitive.

Also, after watching the AAC burn out of the tourney yet again I wonder if UCONN and UC are so disgruntled with the conference that they might want to force the AAC to accept a football-only membership. UC's football brand is probably the best in the league and UCONN's isn't great but its still better than the bottom half of the league.

These are just ideas. I am trying to think of ways to improve the league. Our 4 year stint so far has been good, but we could be better.

I guess, but I think this league is already as competitive as any league in the country and it's been steadily improving. I agree that those schools have good teams at the moment, but I think one of the best things our league has is its identity and I don't agree with selling out on that just for some presently good teams. Nothing about any of them says "Big East" to me.

[Bill Marsh]

Since a decision like this rests with university presidents, can anyone actually envision the presidents of Georgetown and Villanova (I use them as probably the most prestigious academic institutions in a league with very, very good academic institutions) accepting Wichita as an academic peer? I can't...as far as their athletics, prior to Marshall they went through a 25 year period where they made 1 NCAA tournament.

I am all for keeping the universities collective "eyes open" for ways to make the conference even better. I've not seen anyone adequately articulate how adding any of the available schools make our conference better.

I don't see very many fans of the big conferences raving about how awesome it is to have a conference with 14 or 15 schools, or how cool it is to get to play a certain school (with unbalanced scheduling they can't even guarantee a home game every year against the "marquee" programs). I wonder if Michigan and Ohio State are happy that Rutgers is part of the Big 10? That's hardly the only example of "expansion for the sake of expansion" and I have not heard any fans or read any well-written articles about how awesome it is to be in a super conference.

As I live in SEC country (the oldest of the super conferences, I think), there are no new rivalries or "it's awesome we get to play A&M, or Missouri, or Arkansas sometimes" among the fans in GA. The best rivalries will always be the old conference mates and only when those new schools are really, really good does anyone get even a little bit excited about them coming to town. Maybe part of the issue is that new schools haven't been competitive enough (I am not motivated to check, but has any of the additions ever won a conference championship in basketball or football?).

Before or after entering the conference?

Off the top of my head, Texas won a NC in football after the Big 8 incorporated 4 schools from the old Southwest Conference to form the Big 12. Forty years ago, the PAC 8 expanded by adding Arizona and ASU. Arizona later won a NC in basketball. After the SEC originally expanded with South Carolina and Arkansas, the Razorbacks won a NC in basketball.

[Bill Marsh]

So the issue we're looking to fix is a tendency to have teams crash out in the first weekend of the tournament, right?

How exactly does adding teams that also crashed out in the first weekend (as all of Dayton, VCU, and Wichita did) fix that?

There is no definite science too it, I simply believe that UD, WSU and VCU are all great programs that would make the league more competitive.

Also, after watching the AAC burn out of the tourney yet again I wonder if UCONN and UC are so disgruntled with the conference that they might want to force the AAC to accept a football-only membership. UC's football brand is probably the best in the league and UCONN's isn't great but its still better than the bottom half of the league.

These are just ideas. I am trying to think of ways to improve the league. Our 4 year stint so far has been good, but we could be better.

I guess, but I think this league is already as competitive as any league in the country and it's been steadily improving. I agree that those schools have good teams at the moment, but I think one of the best things our league has is its identity and I don't agree with selling out on that just for some presently good teams. Nothing about any of them says "Big East" to me.

The issue is TV revenue. There is no other reason to expand. The Fox contract is good for another 8 years, so there's no rush. Since TV dollars are the life blood of any of these leagues to stay competitive, they must be able to command a similar or better contract. So far, the ratings aren't what will be needed.