Independent

[kryza]

Honestly, I'd rather go independent and try to score some kind of ESPN/CSN/FSN TV contract for basketball than go to a conference that's not one of the big 4. Instead of taking a hit to our reputation with downgrade in conferences, we could start a Norte Dame kind of thing and improve our status.

How would we do that?

Stream every single sport we play in (obviously a focus on bball). It's instant national exposure. Not only that, it's the future. Sooner than later these big 4 conferences will have to start some kind of ESPN3 service, and they will be late to the game. I say we take this whole situation and turn it into a opportunity.

As someone that has owned a streaming video company since 2006, I can tell you that right now, advertisement rates and viewership is exploding. It's only a matter of time before it beats TV. These conferences are restructuring around the wrong things (TV), we can use that to our advantage.

[GOO]

Problem.  Who do we schedule during conference season.  Very difficult to set up non-conference games, especially at home.

[TallTitan34]

I wish all schools would just go independant and ends conferences once and for all!

You just get paid for whatever games you have on tv.

The money from conference networks will never allow this to happen though.

[mugrad2006]

Marquette has ~ 2k grads per year.  Lets say 50% are diehard basketball / athletics fans which is being generous.  So each year you're adding 1K viewers.  With 25 years of fan base you're only talking about 25K potential viewers of MU athletics, or 100K if you include all eyes in an average household.  

Before you get all up in arms, you have to realize that MU isn't a national draw and trying to push a contract won't create national interest.  No way something like that is gonna fly.  

[Tribby]

Sometimes I'm stunned at how little perspective MU fans have of where the program fits in the grand scheme of things.

[kryza]

Sometimes I'm stunned at how little perspective MU fans have of where the program fits in the grand scheme of things.

I know Marquette isn't a national draw right now. But, it would be foolish to stay that it will never be. There's a difference between planning for the future and planning for right now.

[Tribby]

I know Marquette isn't a national draw right now. But, it would be foolish to stay that it will never be. There's a difference between planning for the future and planning for right now.

You know, I was about to say sarcastically, "You're right, screw it, Marquette should just go independent and launch the Golden Eagle Network," but then I realized that's exactly what you're suggesting. So, I don't really have a rebuttal to that, because your scenario is as absurd as anything I could come up with sarcastically.

[Warriors10]

Again, is this really a thread?!?

[Hards Alumni]

You know, I was about to say sarcastically, "You're right, screw it, Marquette should just go independent and launch the Golden Eagle Network," but then I realized that's exactly what you're suggesting. So, I don't really have a rebuttal to that, because your scenario is as absurd as anything I could come up with sarcastically.

+1.

This would never ever in a million years work.

Can you imagine a SINGLE network not laughing MU right out the door?

[GGGG]

I can see Buzz in a recruit's living room right now.

"No Mr. and Mrs. Recruit, we are never on television.  But we stream every game online!!!"

[kryza]

You know, I was about to say sarcastically, "You're right, screw it, Marquette should just go independent and launch the Golden Eagle Network," but then I realized that's exactly what you're suggesting. So, I don't really have a rebuttal to that, because your scenario is as absurd as anything I could come up with sarcastically.

No, that would be dumb. For starters, in my perfect world, it would be called the Warriors Network. What I was suggesting is something a little more absurd than what your were thinking. Again in my perfect world, I would start dropping TV and adopting streaming video.

There are literally millions of people each day trying to find sports online and there all pretty much left in the dark and have to turn illegal sources to satisfy their demand. Check out this chart of people searching for sports online (http://www.google.com/trends?q=watch+sports+online&ctab=0&geo=us&date=all&sort=0). In short, there is a very small supply of legal sports online, and there is enormous demand (bigger than any TV contract could offer).

Obviously, this whole situation will probably never happen, but if we were to position ourselves correctly, right now, we could reach more people than any of us could ever imagine.

[chapman]

How would we do that?

We move to Austin and rename ourselves The University of Texas.  Then the current one goes away.  Then since it's so impractical for them we get an NCAA exemption to be able to dump all our other sports.  Last, we call Centenary up for a home and home in early February.

[brewcity77]

This thread is kooky talk.

[MerrittsMustache]

It's pretty obvious that Marquette should join an existing basketball-only conference: the NBA Eastern Conference. Just think of how that would help recruiting! Instead of playing UConn, Syracuse and Georgetown, MU would play the Heat, Celtics and Bulls!

[Bocephys]

It's pretty obvious that Marquette should join an existing basketball-only conference: the NBA Eastern Conference. Just think of how that would help recruiting! Instead of playing UConn, Syracuse and Georgetown, MU would play the Heat, Celtics and Bulls!

This actually makes more sense than going independent and has a higher likelihood of happening. 

[bilsu]

This actually makes more sense than going independent and has a higher likelihood of happening. 

Makes more sense, but has a lesser likelihood of happening.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

[Brewtown Andy]

Honestly, I'd rather go independent and try to score some kind of ESPN/CSN/FSN TV contract for basketball than go to a conference that's not one of the big 4. Instead of taking a hit to our reputation with downgrade in conferences, we could start a Norte Dame kind of thing and improve our status.

How would we do that?

Well, to follow Notre Dame's model, we need to win 7 national championships before the popularization of television.

[nathanziarek]

I know we're all just going to make fun of kryza, because that's what you do on message boards, but the truth is, he has a point. Marquette is a little slice of nothingness in the world of sports, and it will never grow past that playing on someone else's terms.

Might a streaming-only content deal be a spectacular disaster? Probably. Is it preferable to a slow death from an insignificant conference? Maybe. At least it'd be proactive.

[bamamarquettefan]

but the truth is, he has a point.

I am sorry, he really doesn't.  I'm not making fun because I appreciate anyone who cares enough about MU to get on this board.

The top ranked independent in pomeroy this year was Seattle, ranked as the 265th best D1 team.  It would be instant death with a hundred people streaming the game while 7.4 million in New York have access to whatever comes out of the Big East.

[mu_hilltopper]

I am sorry, he really doesn't.  I'm not making fun because I appreciate anyone who cares enough about MU to get on this board.

The top ranked independent in pomeroy this year was Seattle, ranked as the 265th best D1 team.  It would be instant death with a hundred people streaming the game while 7.4 million in New York have access to whatever comes out of the Big East.

Hmm .. but porn does well on the internet.  Naked cheerleaders would help our numbers.

Alllll nude.  'Cause that's important.

[GGGG]

Might a streaming-only content deal be a spectacular disaster? Probably. Is it preferable to a slow death from an insignificant conference? Maybe. At least it'd be proactive.

"We may be headed in the wrong direction, but at least we have our foot on the gas."

Again, this preaching for proactivity simply ignores the realities that exist.

[MUMac]

Hmm .. but porn does well on the internet.  Naked cheerleaders would help our numbers.

Alllll nude.  'Cause that's important.

Marquette's?

[MerrittsMustache]

"We may be headed in the wrong direction, but at least we have our foot on the gas."

Again, this preaching for proactivity simply ignores the realities that exist.

It doesn't matter if MU is going the wrong way as long as they get there fast!

Reminds me of the inverse of Lou Holtz sarcastically saying that he likes slow defenders on his team because if the guy goes the wrong direction he's not as far out of position as a fast player would be.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Hmm .. but porn does well on the internet.  Naked cheerleaders would help our numbers.

Alllll nude.  'Cause that's important.

So does gambling....the All Sin Network is born.  Since not on FCC controlled TV, MU can take cigarette and alcohol ad revenue as well. The BC can be renamed the "Craig's List Message Arena".

"All Sin, All the Time".