Non-Big East Conference Realignment Thread v. 2017

[Edrick]

Speaking of Wichita State, what ever happened to that Shocker super fan who joined here, basically, Day 1 with the Butler fan cover? (sadly he didn't know one thing about Butler so that didn't work too well). Then his name took on the meaning of Fresno State Bulldogs (because why not?). He was fun. Not James Bond, but fun.

[Savannah Jay]

Speaking of Wichita State, what ever happened to that Shocker super fan who joined here, basically, Day 1 with the Butler fan cover? (sadly he didn't know one thing about Butler so that didn't work too well). Then his name took on the meaning of Fresno State Bulldogs (because why not?). He was fun. Not James Bond, but fun.

"Not James Bond, but fun." This made me laugh out loud.

[Barley]

Shockers packing their bags. It will be interesting to see what the valley does to replace them. No slamdunk options, but when Creighton left they added Loyola and their average attendance of 1500. Huge step down. Likely the valley is a perpetual one bid league going forward.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Wichita State's pending addition to the American is a huge add to the conference. Not only does it add a strong basketball program to the likes of UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, Temple and Tulsa - all regular competing for tournament bids - it also (and most importantly) helps nullify the bottom of the league (historically) in Tulane, East Carolina, USF and, until recently, UCF. With the addition, they could realistically be looking at 4-6 tournament teams in next year, as long as they win out of conference.

With that in mind, you really only have the ACC, Big 12, B1G, SEC, PAC-12, Big East, American and A-10 as the only realistic multi-bid conferences remaining.

Hypothetically speaking, if the Big East/American snatched the top of the A-10, by institutional fit, then there would only seven multi-bid conferences. That would be a huge change in landscape in a ten-year period.

[CPJays]

Shockers packing their bags. It will be interesting to see what the valley does to replace them. No slamdunk options, but when Creighton left they added Loyola and their average attendance of 1500. Huge step down. Likely the valley is a perpetual one bid league going forward.

My short list for ideal additions to the Valley would be Belmont, Valparaiso and Oral Roberts. One or two of the Dakota programs might make sense too, NDSU has a great fan base.

[BEwannabe]

Wichita State's pending addition to the American is a huge add to the conference. Not only does it add a strong basketball program to the likes of UConn, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, Temple and Tulsa - all regular competing for tournament bids - it also (and most importantly) helps nullify the bottom of the league (historically) in Tulane, East Carolina, USF and, until recently, UCF. With the addition, they could realistically be looking at 4-6 tournament teams in next year, as long as they win out of conference.

With that in mind, you really only have the ACC, Big 12, B1G, SEC, PAC-12, Big East, American and A-10 as the only realistic multi-bid conferences remaining.

Hypothetically speaking, if the Big East/American snatched the top of the A-10, by institutional fit, then there would only seven multi-bid conferences. That would be a huge change in landscape in a ten-year period.

So the sidebar in all of this of course is the VCU-UD to AAC. I believe this was a case of 2 stories developing simultaneously. Story #1 was Wichita State contemplating football and moving to AAC and we now know at least part of that scenario has played out. I believe UD was tied to the story because UD's athletic director has been the driving force behind an OOC initiative involving some of the AAC schools. It's an agreement to schedule 2 games per year within the group of what is now 8-12 schools Dayton for sure from the A10, Cincinnati, UCONN, SMU, and Memphis I think from AAC, Wichita St formerly MVC and St.Mary's and Zags from West Coast.

It has to be a development the Big East has to keep an eye on. I'm sure these games will all be ESPN or ESPN2 games. Why does the Big East need to keep an eye on the development? It's just how relationships are built. The games are played and they prove to be popular with the fan bases and ESPN then walls start breaking down. What walls? I'm a wall. I don't want UD to AAC. AAC commish doesn't want a group of basketball only schools. The Cincinnati Bearcats not playing UD wall apparently has already been knocked down.

[admin]

Per Jon Rothstein:

The Missouri Valley Conference is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday in Saint Louis with its respective athletic directors and presidents to likely discuss a plan for Wichita State’s expected exit to the American Athletic Conference, multiple sources told FanRag Sports.

FanRag Sports reported earlier on Tuesday that members of the American Athletic Conference were preparing for the Shockers to join the league next season as a basketball only member.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Wichita State’s reported conference change makes sense, but is still risky - SB Nation - April 4, 2017

It would make a lot of sense for the AAC to look to add another strong basketball program. Since Navy is only an AAC member for football (it competes in the Patriot League in other sports), AAC basketball only has 11 teams, an awkward number for scheduling.

Another strong program would help its overall RPI, potentially give the conference additional revenue-sharing from the NCAA tournament, and give UConn, a program that has been rumored to be considering leaving for the Big East, another reason to stay.

With the addition of the Shockers, the AAC would further establish itself as a strong, multibid conference, with UConn (which won a national title in 2014), SMU, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Temple.

[Dwon]

The league would become a loaded basketball conference that would include VCU, Wichita State, Dayton, UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati, SMU, Houston, Temple as well as Tulsa, ECU, South Florida, Central Florida and Tulane.

[DudeAnon]

The league would become a loaded basketball conference that would include VCU, Wichita State, Dayton, UConn, Memphis, Cincinnati, SMU, Houston, Temple as well as Tulsa, ECU, South Florida, Central Florida and Tulane.

Dayton is in full rebuild mode, UCONN is suffering a transfer epidemic and SMU still hasn't won an NCAA tournament game in like 30 years or something. Have fun.