If the Big 12 expansion raids the AAC to free UConn, would you...

[Mr. Nielsen]

Unfortunately for UConn I think their ship has sailed as long as they play FBS football and the ACC has no interest. Unfortunately being that far east and north limits your options.

Plus, being in Hartford.

[brewcity77]

Poll should have an option to add UConn only and stay at 11 teams. UConn becoming available doesn't mean we should lower our standards for the other options.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Big Ten was at 11 schools for about 20 years, why not the Big East.

[wadesworld]

Big Ten was at 11 schools for about 20 years, why not the Big East.

Because basketball drives the Big East while football drives/drove the B1G.  You can't play a double round robin schedule with 11 teams.  You can with 10.

[brewcity77]

Because basketball drives the Big East while football drives/drove the B1G.  You can't play a double round robin schedule with 11 teams.  You can with 10.

Why not? The Sun Belt does it. No reason you can't have a 20-game conference season. It would reduce the number of non-con games by two, but two games with UConn for the entire league would be more valuable than any non-con games that could be scheduled.

[wadesworld]

Why not? The Sun Belt does it. No reason you can't have a 20-game conference season. It would reduce the number of non-con games by two, but two games with UConn for the entire league would be more valuable than any non-con games that could be scheduled.

Not necessarily.  There's a reason major conferences don't play 20 game conference seasons.

[MU82]

UConn is not dropping football. I would take UConn if they go independent.

I definitely agree with this.

I'd take UConn tomorrow if it would go independent for football and if it signed a commitment containing $eriou$ penaltie$ for pulling the rest of its sports out of the Big East. I'd probably consider the same about BYU, although geographically that isn't as attractive.

[GooooMarquette]

I voted stay at 10, but I can be convinced to one of the other options if UConn drops football.

Same also goes for Vanderbilt or Wake Forest, FWIW.

+1 on UConn.

The odds of Vandy or Wake dropping football are about as good as the odds of MU adding D1 football (i.e., not gonna happen).

[Mr. Nielsen]

Because basketball drives the Big East while football drives/drove the B1G.  You can't play a double round robin schedule with 11 teams.  You can with 10.

Who said we need to do a double round robin. Stay at 18 conference games with 11 schools.

[barfolomew]

Big Ten was at 11 schools for about 20 years, why not the Big East.

Because the "11" doesn't fit as easily into the negative space of the Big East logo...
 

[Mr. Nielsen]

Because the "11" doesn't fit as easily into the negative space of the Big East logo...
 

  I was waiting for that.

[forgetful]

It's not.
Revenue generated by football is a reason not to drop football.

NVM

[forgetful]

In order of probability (most to least likely):

1. Lawsuits (the concussion & CTE type, not the Sandusky & assault variety)
2. Dilution of talent (fewer kids playing football, lesser quality/quantity of competition on the field)
3. Revenue shortfalls / rising expenses in athletic programs
4. Reduced state funding to colleges
5. Declining enrollment / fee revenue
6. Title IX
7. Resurgence of NFL-Europe or another minor league football system

Not saying that this is the case today, but these are the reasons that would be cited over the next decade or two if FBS schools start dropping football.

This says it all.

[Benny B]

Not necessarily.  There's a reason major conferences don't play 20 game conference seasons.

And the reason is this:

RPI

Once conference play starts, RPI is essentially a zero-sum game within the conference... OWP and OOWP cancels out because everyone is playing everyone else.  So when everyone is essentially beating up on each other, RPI has a tendency to smooth out.  So if you want to have a conference with multiple bids, your conference members need to enter conference play with higher non-con RPIs, and the way you do that is by playing (and winning against) non-conference opponents.

In other words, imagine that "potential RPI" is measured in marbles... at the beginning of the season, every team starts with the same number of marbles and every time you win, you take a certain number of marbles away from your opponent based on the quality of said win.  Once conference play begins, no more marbles are being added to the conference... all that's happening is that they start shifting around.

So if you want to maximize your conference's potential on the whole, you have to maximize the number of marbles won during non-con play... and more non-con games typically means more marbles for the high-major teams.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

If anyone here reads the Boneyard (a UConn fan forum), an overwhelming majority of their posters have absolutely zero desire to be a part of the Big East in any fashion.  They believe, however right or wrong, that a power conference invite (as a full-member) will come one day.  That could come in the coming months with the Big 12, or in a decade with the B1G or ACC.  They view the current Big East as "mid-major" (not unlike the current incarnation of the American) and have no desire to make a lateral move out of desperation. 

Just for that, I hope they rot in the AAC now. Their fans are so delusional if they think they deserve/expect a power 5 bid. Their football team would get trashed in the Big 12 and would never be able to recruit.

[wadesworld]

And the reason is this:

RPI

Once conference play starts, RPI is essentially a zero-sum game within the conference... OWP and OOWP cancels out because everyone is playing everyone else.  So when everyone is essentially beating up on each other, RPI has a tendency to smooth out.  So if you want to have a conference with multiple bids, your conference members need to enter conference play with higher non-con RPIs, and the way you do that is by playing (and winning against) non-conference opponents.

In other words, imagine that "potential RPI" is measured in marbles... at the beginning of the season, every team starts with the same number of marbles and every time you win, you take a certain number of marbles away from your opponent based on the quality of said win.  Once conference play begins, no more marbles are being added to the conference... all that's happening is that they start shifting around.

So if you want to maximize your conference's potential on the whole, you have to maximize the number of marbles won during non-con play... and more non-con games typically means more marbles for the high-major teams.

Yup.

[wadesworld]

Who said we need to do a double round robin. Stay at 18 conference games with 11 schools.

I would just prefer not to give up a steady format for the chance to add one school that will leave at the first opportunity it gets to and be back to square one.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Just for that, I hope they rot in the AAC now. Their fans are so delusional if they think they deserve/expect a power 5 bid. Their football team would get trashed in the Big 12 and would never be able to recruit.

I scan the Boneyard occasionally too.  I think GoldenWarrior11 may have partially misread.  The Boneyard consensus to me seems to be that it would be very super dumb to make their football independent or stick it someplace like the MAC and then join the Big East for everything else.  Better to stay where they are.  But if they get a P5 invite for football only then they would be on board. 
The consensus is they want their Tier 3 TV rights back because they get more $ then they get sharing with the AAC. 

Don't forget that UConn is in the NYC & the Hartford/New Haven TV markets, which no other on t BigXII expansion list can beat.

[The Lens]

We would be signing up another ND and ND did not bring down the Big East.  What brought down the Big East was recruiting Miami, West Va and Va Tech; becoming a Football Conf; trying to appease the Big East football schools. 

Recruiting those three really tipped the scales:

NON FOOTBALL
Gtown
Nova
Seton Hall
Providence
St John's

FOOTBALL
Cuse
Pitt
BC
UConn
Rutgers

It made those Bottom 5 the Powerful 8 and completely derailed the mission of the conference.  Adding UConn would not do that because UConn would have their Football house secure.  The only fear would be if they left for full membership in the ACC / Big Ten.  Or if half our conference launched football.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Someone posted this link on the Boneyard.
"The Big 12 laid out its checklist for new members, so here's how the candidates stack up."

Ranking 8 candidates for Big 12 expansion by the conference's stated criteria
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/7/20/12232064/big-12-conference-realignment-candidates-byu-cincinnati-uconn-houston-ucf

[GGGG]

I would just prefer not to give up a steady format for the chance to add one school that will leave at the first opportunity it gets to and be back to square one.

You wouldn't be going back to square one.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

And the reason is this:

RPI

Once conference play starts, RPI is essentially a zero-sum game within the conference... OWP and OOWP cancels out because everyone is playing everyone else.  So when everyone is essentially beating up on each other, RPI has a tendency to smooth out.  So if you want to have a conference with multiple bids, your conference members need to enter conference play with higher non-con RPIs, and the way you do that is by playing (and winning against) non-conference opponents.

In other words, imagine that "potential RPI" is measured in marbles... at the beginning of the season, every team starts with the same number of marbles and every time you win, you take a certain number of marbles away from your opponent based on the quality of said win.  Once conference play begins, no more marbles are being added to the conference... all that's happening is that they start shifting around.

So if you want to maximize your conference's potential on the whole, you have to maximize the number of marbles won during non-con play... and more non-con games typically means more marbles for the high-major teams.

I am not very good at math, so forgive me if I am clueless. Since RPI also factors in the D1 winning percentage of the opponents of your opponents, wouldn't it be better for the conference to have every team get a UConn level opponent twice in that category instead of two low majors?

[brewcity77]

And the reason is this:

RPI

Perfectly fine reason, but with all the RPI criticism and the recent announcements that the NCAA is looking into a replacement, I think that will be less of an issue. I don't think leagues are holding off on a 20-game schedule because of RPI. I think 18 is just sort of the accepted number right now. Everyone has gone to an 18 despite it not being necessary for many leagues.

Right now, the motivating force would be quality content. Adding UConn would give a legitimate, national title contending quality opponent twice a year and viable content to drive negotiations. There aren't many schools in the country we would look at that do that. I think it'd be a mistake to dismiss a school like that outright, even if they have football. Again, only because the football would be in a higher league. If it's in the AAC, CUSA, or MAC, it's a non-starter.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Why do we care so much about "stability?"  Conferences have never really been stable.  If UConn joins the B12 football only, and then joins the BE for other sports, that would be a great move.  So what if they leave in a decade when the B12 decides to take them in all sports.  That would be a nice decade.

EXACTLY!

You don't turn down Kate Upton just because you know she might leave you in a year. You say yes and have yourself an amazing year.

[brewcity77]

I am not very good at math, so forgive me if I am clueless. Since RPI also factors in the D1 winning percentage of the opponents of your opponents, wouldn't it be better for the conference to have every team get a UConn level opponent twice in that category instead of two low majors?

Playing UConn would almost certainly be better than two low majors. The odds are those low majors would have a sub-.500 record while UConn is likely to have a winning record, and the opponent's opponents factor would certainly favor UConn.

However, you also have to consider who would come off the schedule if UConn was added. Looking at our schedule, would it be Houston Baptist and SIUE, or would it be Georgia and Vandy? A mix of both? I'd guess most Big East teams, if UConn were added, would look to fill their 11 games with 4 in an exempt tourney, 2 high-major games, and 5 buy games. Now those second two categories would fluctuate, so sometimes it'd be 1 high-major, sometimes 3, maybe even 4 (and correspondingly 5, 4, or 3) but it would certainly change the ratio.