Big East conference is looking to add high profile games to non-league slate

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I came across this today.  FOX Sports may still be working on a Pac-12/Big East partnership in addition to the Big-10/Big East Tip-Off?


http://www.vuhoops.com/big-east-news/2014/6/9/5793972/big-east-conference-is-looking-to-add-high-profile-games-to-non

Big East conference is looking to add high profile games to non-league slate

The Providence Journal reports (link below) that Fox Sports 1 isn't pushing the Big East to expand, but will try to broker more high-profile non-conference games for the schools.

The first season of the new Big East Conference wasn't quite the power-conference season that most fans were used to under the more football-friendly former regime. That result, which saw four of the ten members earn a bid to the NCAA tournament, may not have been sufficient for fans who are used to a league that sent one or more teams to the Final Four in most seasons, but it wasn't disappointing enough to ignite a drive for expansion.

League leaders don't expect that 2013-14 will be the norm for this new conference. In fact, according to the Providence Journal's report, the league has tabled any discussions about adding strength-through-numbers. Their television partner, FOX Sports, meanwhile, isn't pushing for the league to start kicking the tires on Saint Louis or VCU, but they do have a plan in mind.

Fox Sports 1 is reportedly working to broker more early-season "challenge"-type arrangements for the Big East with major conferences, similar to the Gavitt Tipoff series that was arranged with the Big Ten. According to the Providence Journal report, the broadcaster has been working to broker a similar partnership between the Pac-12 and Big East.

For FOX, the reasoning is simple: by helping to arrange more high-profile opponents for the conference members in the early parts of the season, they increase the value of that portion of the schedule for advertisers. The television rights for the Big East home games in any arrangement will belong to Fox Sports. In effect, they are buying the rights to air games that will hold interest for fans of the "Big Five" conference teams as well as the existing bases of the Big East schools.

Adding strength to the November and December stretches of the college hoops season will add to the individual RPI and league RPI potential of the Big East teams. It will also fill up a number of non-conference slots that the programs might have to fill on their own.

With 18 games scheduled in the league round-robin for each team out of a 29-to-31 game slate (with 31 allowed only if a team plays a pre-season tournament). For Villanova, which has normally taken advantage of the pre-season tournament circuit, the non-conference slots are filling up fast. The Wildcats have four games against their Big 5 rivals locked in each season, leaving five slots, which will be reduced to four in years that they have a game in the Gavitt Tipoff, and perhaps further reduced if a Pac-12 deal is signed.

If the Wildcats had just two or three openings on their schedule, they would likely fill them with smaller-name opponents, with the need for big-time non-conference games mitigated by those tournament and challenge games.

In terms of expansion, the Big 12's season was considered a glowing success by observers, when they finished first in RPI and earned seven NCAA bids with just ten schools. The number also allows for a true round-robin schedule, which conference officials reportedly like.


http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/content/20140607-kevin-mcnamara-rhodys-instrastate-schools-maintaining-their-distance-in-basketball.ece

No Big East expansion

The Big East has tabled any expansion talk and clearly won’t be growing beyond 10 members anytime soon. The reasons are simple: 10 is the perfect basketball scheduling number, the 10-member Big 12 has shown that that number of schools can work splendidly in hoops, and TV partner Fox isn’t demanding any change in inventory.

What PC’s Driscoll says the league is planning on doing is juicing up Fox’s offerings in the nonconference portion of the season. The recently announced Gavitt Tipoff series with the Big Ten is a great start, and sources said Fox was working to broker a similar partnership between the Pac 12 and Big East.

“Instead of expanding, we want to emphasize playing more high-profile games that will help us with TV and get more teams into the NCAA Tournament,” Driscoll said.

The Big East isn’t too small to succeed in basketball. It just had a very average first season with only four teams — Villanova, Creighton, Xavier, PC — making the NCAA Tournament. But Georgetown and Marquette won’t stay down for long. The 10-school Big 12 offered the perfect template last season by finishing first in the RPI with seven top-50 teams and earning seven NCAA bids.

[GGGG]

Well unless Fox is pushing for it, there really is no reason to expand.

[MU82]

Unless the 2 that would bring it to 12 turn out to be ND and the Zags -- and it won't -- I like 10 very much.

[GoldenWarrior11]

What are the odds Marquette would get pared with California in the PAC-12/Big East challenge? 

Wojo better be prepared for The Revenge of Cuonzo Martin...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I too am content with 10 teams for now. Unless we could get the two MU82 mentioned, ND and Gonzaga, there is no clear candidates for the 11th and 12th spot. Every candidate has some sort of flaw.

[Texas Western]

The double round robin is a big asset for the conference. It helps build rivalries , student interest and spills over to the Olympic sports as a result as well. Creates our brand. I think the idea of Fox promoting a strong non conference schedule is appealing on many levels. You only get better by playing tough competition and over time it will help with recruiting.  It was unfortunate that the first year of the league was the year Georgetown and Marquette  were down, but on the other hand the other schools got some momentum which is to everyone's benefit . The BET was well received and will only get better. Year 2 will be very competitive.

[Jet915]

Our AD Rasmussen was on the Creighton radio show yesterday and also mentioned that the Big East is working on a scheduling agreement with the Pac-12.  Hopefully this happens.

[bilsu]

The double round robin is a big asset for the conference. It helps build rivalries , student interest and spills over to the Olympic sports as a result as well. Creates our brand. I think the idea of Fox promoting a strong non conference schedule is appealing on many levels. You only get better by playing tough competition and over time it will help with recruiting.  It was unfortunate that the first year of the league was the year Georgetown and Marquette  were down, but on the other hand the other schools got some momentum which is to everyone's benefit . The BET was well received and will only get better. Year 2 will be very competitive.

It makes for a poor conference tournament. The fifth and sixth seeds do not get a chance for a badly needed win against a lesser team. It will almost always limit the Big east to four or less NCAA bids.

[Avenue Commons]

I too am content with 10 teams for now. Unless we could get the two MU82 mentioned, ND and Gonzaga, there is no clear candidates for the 11th and 12th spot. Every candidate has some sort of flaw.

ND has no practical flaw. It'd be ideal. And I'm not a ND fan.

[chapman]

It makes for a poor conference tournament. The fifth and sixth seeds do not get a chance for a badly needed win against a lesser team. It will almost always limit the Big east to four or less NCAA bids.

From an entertainment standpoint, I also thought it took away from the appeal of the conference tournament when every game is the third matchup between the teams.  None of the "can't wait to get them at MSG!" after losing to a team on the road, or meeting in a tournament after not playing a team for two months and not knowing what to expect.  On the flip side, I loved the complete fracture of the schedule where they set it up so every team played each other once before playing anyone twice, that there were no new teams on the conference schedule after the first week of February - you get the complete picture of playing a team early and late in the conference season to really get two different situations time they came around.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

ND has no practical flaw. It'd be ideal. And I'm not a ND fan.

That's why I said except ND and Gonzaga 

[MUMonster03]

It makes for a poor conference tournament. The fifth and sixth seeds do not get a chance for a badly needed win against a lesser team. It will almost always limit the Big east to four or less NCAA bids.

This is completely false. Better results in non conference scheduling will get more teams in the tournament. We don't need more teams in the conference, so many were just mediocre this year at best. Look at the Big 12. They had 7 of 10 make the tournament with two of those being at .500 or worse in conference play but oth with 21+ wins.

We just need more teams to step up early on. You stay around .500 in conference play and win 21+ games you usually get in. St. John's was right there on the bubble but non conference wins kept them out.

[GGGG]

It makes for a poor conference tournament. The fifth and sixth seeds do not get a chance for a badly needed win against a lesser team. It will almost always limit the Big east to four or less NCAA bids.

I'm not necessarily sure that adding more teams so that a six seed can beat an 11 seed in the opening round of a conference tournament is really all that compelling.

[hoyasincebirth]

From an entertainment standpoint, I also thought it took away from the appeal of the conference tournament when every game is the third matchup between the teams.  None of the "can't wait to get them at MSG!" after losing to a team on the road, or meeting in a tournament after not playing a team for two months and not knowing what to expect.  On the flip side, I loved the complete fracture of the schedule where they set it up so every team played each other once before playing anyone twice, that there were no new teams on the conference schedule after the first week of February - you get the complete picture of playing a team early and late in the conference season to really get two different situations time they came around.

I disagree. I feel like because most matchups end in splits that you really look forward to the tie breaking 3rd game in MSG.

[Dawson Rental]

ND has no practical flaw. It'd be ideal. And I'm not a ND fan.

The ND flaw is availability.  They simply aren't, and there is no reasonable expectation that that will change.  

[ChicosBailBonds]

It makes for a poor conference tournament. The fifth and sixth seeds do not get a chance for a badly needed win against a lesser team. It will almost always limit the Big east to four or less NCAA bids.

It seems too much emphasis on that one extra win in the conference tournament.  If that is what a team needs to get into the dance, then they have had plenty of other issues during the season to put them in that spot.  We need to do better scheduling and win games that matter for NCAA consideration.

[Warrior Code]

ND has no practical flaw. It'd be ideal. And I'm not a ND fan.

ND would certainly be ideal, from our perspective. Football independent, high level non-revenue sports such as soccer and lacrosse, small Catholic university,  national name recognition, geographic location, top tier academics... but, alas, they are not basketball-centric.


I would like to see us play them every year though. Play them at home in the years we play Bucky in Madison and vice versa.

[SERocks]

But what about Dayton? 

[🏀]

But what about Dayton? 

Go fu#k yourself