BET Attendance

[Groin_pull]

Not denying any of that. I have no idea how the B10 would handle games during that week. Seems like a recipe for disaster on their end. So what's the answer? Have the teams play more games in November and December? Move up conference play? Work non-con games into the January-February schedule? I don't know.

And maybe it's just me, but I view that 2026 date as fairly close. I know, it's a decade away, but all it takes is one good showing from the B10 or ACC for them to think "maybe we should hold off on a new deal". And whatever games are at MSG, it will be a big deal. You think Wall Street Brokers would scoff at going to see a B10 set of games featuring Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State, and Indiana? As long as it's quality teams that have alum in the area (and the B10 definitely does) the fans will be there.

The Big 10 (or is it 14? I can't keep track anymore) better draw the Wall St types, because just wait until those midwest farmers get a load of the prices in the Big Apple. Those sh*tkickers are in for serious sticker shock.

[The Lens]

There is a large contingent of Big Ten Conf Tourney fans who hate when it goes to Chicago, they just hate leaving Indy.  Yeah, they're going to love NYC.

BUT

You can't walk a block in a NYC with out finding a Big Ten bar.  Saturday's are packed for CFB.  Will be interesting to see if those 20 somethings in bars translate into ticket buyers.

[Groin_pull]

There is a large contingent of Big Ten Conf Tourney fans who hate when it goes to Chicago, they just hate leaving Indy.  Yeah, they're going to love NYC.

BUT

You can't walk a block in a NYC with out finding a Big Ten bar.  Saturday's are packed for CFB.  Will be interesting to see if those 20 somethings in bars translate into ticket buyers.

Yeah, that's a result of having a conference comprised of massive state schools...you have alums everywhere. I do enjoy the fact that so many Big 10 grads get the hell out while the ink is still wet on their diplomas. Can't blame them.

[GGGG]

Let's see how the ACC performs at Barclays next year.  I'm not sure it will draw the crowds that people think.

And neither the Big Ten nor the ACC are going to want to be at MSG permanently.  Too far away from their base. 

[Tugg Speedman]

Let's see how the ACC performs at Barclays next year.  I'm not sure it will draw the crowds that people think.

And neither the Big Ten nor the ACC are going to want to be at MSG permanently.  Too far away from their base.

Agreed.  Playing in NYC will be like European trips over the summer.  They will do it every four years so four year players get to participate in it once.

And while I'm not worried about the BE losing MSG for the BET, I am worried about over-saturation. 

* BET in MSG
* B1G in MSG the week before
* ACC in the Barclays Center
* A10 in the Barclays Center

How many conference tourneys can NY CBB fans buy tickets for at the same time?

[bradley center bat]

A10 tourney the next two years will not be in Brooklyn.

[Benny B]

And neither the Big Ten nor the ACC are going to want to be at MSG permanently.  Too far away from their base.

Such is why MSG is going to be the home of the BET for a long time.  MSG wants an annual commitment for selection weekend, not an every other or every four arrangement.

Alternatively, I could see something like the BE, B? and ACC putting together some sort of "timeshare" arrangement where each has rights to their own "home base" but would rotate and trade around every so often.  In other words, BE has rights to the Garden and B? has rights to UC and Conseco, but Val and Jimmy decide to "trade" for a year so B? goes to the Garden and BE goes to Chicago or Indy.  It probably wouldn't be a regular thing, but I could see benefit for both sides if done only ocassionally, and even though some of you are going to say "Benny, why the hell would we want to give up the Garden, even once a decade), frankly, it gives a little leverage to the BE in any negotiations they might want - or need - to have with the the B? (realignment, autonomy, pre-season, etc.) at some point because I'm sure the B? would want an opportunity at the Garden on Selection Weekend much more than the BE would want theirs at the UC or Conseco.

[Groin_pull]

Such is why MSG is going to be the home of the BET for a long time.  MSG wants an annual commitment for selection weekend, not an every other or every four arrangement.

Alternatively, I could see something like the BE, B? and ACC putting together some sort of "timeshare" arrangement where each has rights to their own "home base" but would rotate and trade around every so often.  In other words, BE has rights to the Garden and B? has rights to UC and Conseco, but Val and Jimmy decide to "trade" for a year so B? goes to the Garden and BE goes to Chicago or Indy.  It probably wouldn't be a regular thing, but I could see benefit for both sides if done only ocassionally, and even though some of you are going to say "Benny, why the hell would we want to give up the Garden, even once a decade), frankly, it gives a little leverage to the BE in any negotiations they might want - or need - to have with the the B? (realignment, autonomy, pre-season, etc.) at some point because I'm sure the B? would want an opportunity at the Garden on Selection Weekend much more than the BE would want theirs at the UC or Conseco.

Screw that. The Big East owns MSG. If the ACC or Big 10 want to invade our turf, they play by our rules. That means working around the Big East's schedule. I am dead set against rotating the BET to Chicago, Indy, Toledo, Akron, Fond du Lac, or any other midwest town. It belongs in NYC. That was proven this past weekend.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Screw that. The Big East owns MSG. If the ACC or Big 10 want to invade our turf, they play by our rules. That means working around the Big East's schedule. I am dead set against rotating the BET to Chicago, Indy, Toledo, Akron, Fond du Lac, or any other midwest town. It belongs in NYC. That was proven this past weekend.

This

[muwarrior69]

According to an analysis by USA Today of athletic programs during 2013-14, UConn had the third-highest deficit ($27.1 million) between total operating revenue and expenses. The only schools in the black came from the SEC, Big 10, Pac-12 and Big-12.

You and I (along with the current members of the Big East) see that as a fool's game, throwing good money after bad. But for UConn, it's about far more than its basketball programs. They see the future of their university tied to football — and the tens of millions of dollars they're putting into the program as an investment.

Will that change in the next 5-10 years with greater financial pressure and public scrutiny? It's possible. But UConn made this bet with a full awareness of the risks. Even with the odds stacked against them, they're not ready to walk away from the table yet.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2015/05/26/ncaa-athletic-finances-revenue-expense-division-i/27971457/

Just might be a bad bet. Who knows what football is going to look like in the next ten years. Flag football anyone?

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl-news/4698418-nfl-head-injuries-cte-concussions-link-football-brain-trauma-jeff-miller-safety

[Benny B]

Screw that. The Big East owns MSG. If the ACC or Big 10 want to invade our turf, they play by our rules. That means working around the Big East's schedule. I am dead set against rotating the BET to Chicago, Indy, Toledo, Akron, Fond du Lac, or any other midwest town. It belongs in NYC. That was proven this past weekend.

Hypothetically, let's assume that a few weeks after this year's Final Four the P5 is breaking off and starting their own basketball tournament in 2017 (grossly unlikely, but assume for a moment - for whatever reason - it does happen).   B? and ACC want to bring the BE along on one condition: if they can host their conference tourney at the garden once (each) per decade. 

Are you still going to tell the ACC and B? to piss off?  Or is 8-on, 2-off at the Garden worth the continued tournament affiliation with the other major conferences?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Hypothetically, let's assume that a few weeks after this year's Final Four the P5 is breaking off and starting their own basketball tournament in 2017 (grossly unlikely, but assume for a moment - for whatever reason - it does happen).   B? and ACC want to bring the BE along on one condition: if they can host their conference tourney at the garden once (each) per decade. 

Are you still going to tell the ACC and B? to piss off?  Or is 8-on, 2-off at the Garden worth the continued tournament affiliation with the other major conferences?

But when North Carolina & Virginia are in the Big10?

[Groin_pull]

Hypothetically, let's assume that a few weeks after this year's Final Four the P5 is breaking off and starting their own basketball tournament in 2017 (grossly unlikely, but assume for a moment - for whatever reason - it does happen).   B? and ACC want to bring the BE along on one condition: if they can host their conference tourney at the garden once (each) per decade. 

Are you still going to tell the ACC and B? to piss off?  Or is 8-on, 2-off at the Garden worth the continued tournament affiliation with the other major conferences?

Wow. That's quite a hypothetical.

[Marcus92]

Just might be a bad bet. Who knows what football is going to look like in the next ten years. Flag football anyone?

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl-news/4698418-nfl-head-injuries-cte-concussions-link-football-brain-trauma-jeff-miller-safety

UConn comparing itself to schools like Michigan or even Wisconsin or Virginia is just plain crazy, if you ask me.

The University of Michigan has 50% more undergraduates, a postgraduate program almost twice as large, and an endowment 20 times larger than UConn. You're also talking about the 10th largest state in Michigan (about 10 million people) versus the 29th largest in Connecticut (less than 4 million).

Even with all that going for it, Michigan's athletic department projected a $7.9 million operating deficit for fiscal year 2015. How does UConn realistically expect to raise its football program anywhere close to the same level, with only a fraction of the alumni base and resources?

For all the money flowing into college football, athletic programs are finding ways to spend it even faster. Seems like a terrible bet for UConn, whatever the future of the sport is.

[Tugg Speedman]

Hypothetically, let's assume that a few weeks after this year's Final Four the P5 is breaking off and starting their own basketball tournament in 2017 (grossly unlikely, but assume for a moment - for whatever reason - it does happen).   B? and ACC want to bring the BE along on one condition: if they can host their conference tourney at the garden once (each) per decade. 

Are you still going to tell the ACC and B? to piss off?  Or is 8-on, 2-off at the Garden worth the continued tournament affiliation with the other major conferences?

So they will intentionally blow up a billion dollar TV contract for the NCAA tourney , for what?

Worst idea every proposed

[forgetful]

UConn comparing itself to schools like Michigan or even Wisconsin or Virginia is just plain crazy, if you ask me.

The University of Michigan has 50% more undergraduates, a postgraduate program almost twice as large, and an endowment 20 times larger than UConn. You're also talking about the 10th largest state in Michigan (about 10 million people) versus the 29th largest in Connecticut (less than 4 million).

Even with all that going for it, Michigan's athletic department projected a $7.9 million operating deficit for fiscal year 2015. How does UConn realistically expect to raise its football program anywhere close to the same level, with only a fraction of the alumni base and resources?

For all the money flowing into college football, athletic programs are finding ways to spend it even faster. Seems like a terrible bet for UConn, whatever the future of the sport is.

And that is the operating deficit.  It does not include costs associated with scholarships.  That would add another $10-15M to their deficit. 

Athletics (Football) is losing a lot of these schools and taxpayers a small fortune.

[Coleman]

Agreed.  Playing in NYC will be like European trips over the summer.  They will do it every four years so four year players get to participate in it once.

And while I'm not worried about the BE losing MSG for the BET, I am worried about over-saturation. 

* BET in MSG
* B1G in MSG the week before
* ACC in the Barclays Center
* A10 in the Barclays Center

How many conference tourneys can NY CBB fans buy tickets for at the same time?

All three other conference tournaments have a rotating schedule. They will not be in New York every year. And I don't think there will ever be a year when all 4 are in New York at the same time. I think you're worried about nothing.

NYC metro area has over 20 million residents. I think they could support more than one college basketball tournament regardless.

[Benny B]

Wow. That's quite a hypothetical.

I'll take that as a "no."  Thank you.

[Herman Cain]

Agreed.  Playing in NYC will be like European trips over the summer.  They will do it every four years so four year players get to participate in it once.

And while I'm not worried about the BE losing MSG for the BET, I am worried about over-saturation. 

* BET in MSG
* B1G in MSG the week before
* ACC in the Barclays Center
* A10 in the Barclays Center

How many conference tourneys can NY CBB fans buy tickets for at the same time?

Attendance is a function of the 6 teams that can get to manhattan  without having to buy a hotel room. As long as a couple of those teams are doing well, the event will remain well attended.

As we saw this year, with Seton Hall doing well, the final was sold out. If the Johnnies and Georgetown get their act together again, the entire tournament will probably be sold out.

Also it is worth noting, in our new configuration the Big East Tournament has continued to be a quality competitive event. In many respect the BET over its life has essentially been the successor to the old NIT. This years final was a very good game.

As to over saturation, Big Ten tournament will be sold out to NY area alumni. ACC will be the same way. A-10 is close enough for day trips for many of their fan base.