Marquette on front page of ESPN NCAA BB

[StillAWarrior]

Sorry if it's been posted.

Discussing viability of BB only conference...I haven't even read the article yet.

[StillAWarrior]

From the article:

The final hurdle might be the most difficult, and that's finding the courage.

Tranghese believes that this is inevitable, that eventually those schools without football will have no other choice but to align.

But will they be pushed, or will they willingly jump?

"The group needs a leader," Tranghese said.

I think Marquette should "willingly jump" ... be that leader.  I don't think that we'll ever find any stability trying to align with the FBS schools.

[dwaderoy2004]

but, as pointed out in the article, we have to keep the big east name, for many reasons.  do we have enough clout to be the leader and wrestle the name from the football schools.  I think we would if we keep lock step with g'town, st. johns, providence, etc.  I still like the 10 team league idea.  balanced schedules, less schools to split revenues with, etc.  if we're in a conference with football, there will never be stability.

[brewcity77]

Has anyone archived the image? I won't see an actual computer terminal until 10 or later, would love to see it.

[Pakuni]

but, as pointed out in the article, we have to keep the big east name, for many reasons.  do we have enough clout to be the leader and wrestle the name from the football schools.  I think we would if we keep lock step with g'town, st. johns, providence, etc.  I still like the 10 team league idea.  balanced schedules, less schools to split revenues with, etc.  if we're in a conference with football, there will never be stability.

MU has not nearly enough clout.
But perhaps a combination of St. John's, G'Town, Providence and Seton Hall - four of the original seven - would have enough clout, and perhaps even a legal claim, to the name. Especially when two of the other founders, Syracuse and BC, would have no interest in it.

[StillAWarrior]

but, as pointed out in the article, we have to keep the big east name, for many reasons.  do we have enough clout to be the leader and wrestle the name from the football schools.  I think we would if we keep lock step with g'town, st. johns, providence, etc.  I still like the 10 team league idea.  balanced schedules, less schools to split revenues with, etc.  if we're in a conference with football, there will never be stability.

I was intrigued by the comments in an article earlier today that the B12 would want to be the surviving conference in a merger.  That could benefit us, maybe.  If the entire thing is going to blow up (which I think is increasingly likely), let the BEast football schools go into the B12, and retain the BEast name for the BB conference.  That is consistent with what the conferences are known for.

[Aughnanure]

Has anyone archived the image? I won't see an actual computer terminal until 10 or later, would love to see it.

Here you go.

[Bieberhole69]

but, as pointed out in the article, we have to keep the big east name, for many reasons.  do we have enough clout to be the leader and wrestle the name from the football schools.  I think we would if we keep lock step with g'town, st. johns, providence, etc.  I still like the 10 team league idea.  balanced schedules, less schools to split revenues with, etc.  if we're in a conference with football, there will never be stability.

10 teams, play everyone twice, all basketball, add Butler and Xavier.  If Notre Dame makes a move maybe GW, Dayton, or Richmond.  Keep the Big East name and the tourney in MSG.  Let's move on and create a conference and an identity, otherwise we're preventing the inevitable.

[Aughnanure]

MU has not nearly enough clout.
But perhaps a combination of St. John's, G'Town, Providence and Seton Hall - four of the original seven - would have enough clout, and perhaps even a legal claim, to the name. Especially when two of the other founders, Syracuse and BC, would have no interest in it.

Marquette, Georgetown and Nova are the Big three in this, St. John's is just now getting back into national prominence after years of doormat. Villanova needs to stop its pathetic effort to use its FCS program to jump into a football conference. Can't really blame them for trying, but they have to realize that ship left 25 years ago.

If the BIG XII survives, which it suddenly looks like it may (OU making demands of Texas to stay!), the Big East schools will jump over there (minus South Florida?).

This would solidify Notre Dame as part of this conference which is HUGE. Having Notre Dame, Nova, GTown, Marq, St. John's and Xavier secures conference legitimacy.


http://newsok.com/breaking-removal-of-big-12-commissioner-dan-beebe-among-ous-demands/article/3605958?custom_click=breaking_news

[StillAWarrior]

Let's move on and create a conference and an identity, otherwise we're preventing the inevitable.

Assuming you meant "prolonging" I agree.  

[Aughnanure]

10 teams, play everyone twice, all basketball, add Butler and Xavier.  If Notre Dame makes a move maybe GW, Dayton, or Richmond.  Keep the Big East name and the tourney in MSG.  Let's move on and create a conference and an identity, otherwise we're preventing the inevitable.

I agree, but the name Big East NEEDS to be the brand/identity.

[BubbaWilliams]

10 teams, play everyone twice, all basketball, add Butler and Xavier.  If Notre Dame makes a move maybe GW, Dayton, or Richmond.  Keep the Big East name and the tourney in MSG.  Let's move on and create a conference and an identity, otherwise we're preventing the inevitable.

Great first post Bieberhole69!

Thanks God we havea tenured AD at MU

[StillAWarrior]

I agree, but the name Big East NEEDS to be the brand/identity.

I agree with that too.  I'm not sure why any of the football schools would care too much about the Big East brand/identity.  It's always been a basketball brand.  I think it's just one more bargaining chip.

[Skatastrophy]

Here you go.

A little bit bigger resolution of just the pic.  It's a nice one of potential future conference compatriots

[Lennys Tap]

Honestly, if we came out of this with the Big East brand name and a lineup of MU, Notre Dame, Villanova, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Seton Hall, DePaul, Xavier and Butler I'd be ecstatic. Great conference and brand with stability.

[dw3dw3dw3]

I don't see the value in a bball school only conference and don't think a league centered around MU, Gtown, Nova, St Johns, Depaul, Xavier etc... could get much of a tv deal (since that's what this is all about).  The below values are for CUSA contracts and MWEST contracts which have football. The A-10/ESPN doesn't seem to have $ attached to it, just a minimum number of games shown (32 per year for the ENTIRE CONFERENCE).  Basically it comes out to less than 1 million per year for those mid tier football/bball conferences, so no real financial incentive except you have someone to play every week.

However logistically/naming this works would be debatable, but you would have 2 different leagues.
1. Baskeball/other sports league/ (Beast) - bball only schools, left over beast fball schools, left over b12 schools (20 teams) (4 regional pods for easier travel)
2. Football league (B12) - left over beast fball schools, left over b12 schools (12 teams)  -

Each league gets its own tv contract and splits it among all members.
Not sure how the values would would work out but I would think a bball conference with Kansas/GTown/Nova/MU/WVU/Ville/Cincinnati/St Johns/Depaul/KState/UConn(hopefully) would be worth considerably more than 2 times the 10 team basketball only conference. It would also be neck and neck with the ACC as top bball conference. Non-revenue sports could play more regional opponents to cut down costs.


According to this article (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/345357-big-east-to-split-or-not-to-split) the current split from the Big East is:
"Last year, West Virginia received $5,305,495 from the Big East conference for football and about $2 million for "non-football" sports. The football income includes $2 million in base revenue and a check deposited into the university's state account for $2,425,600 in bowl revenue. WVU received $2 million for winning the conference and participating in the Fiesta Bowl plus $200 per mile for traveling to and from the game."

So MU gets about $2 million a year for non-football sports. Matching that intake would take a 20 team * 2 million = $40 million dollar deal per year for one of the best 2 basketball conferences in America, seems fairly plausible. To get to $20 million dollars for a 10 team basketball league with limited markets and probably the 5th or 6th best bball league seems doubtful.

Any takers? I hope this is something they are thinking about. This is probably the same as the B12 joining the Beast, but without the fball overlap and different priorities. I can't see Kansas wanting to play in a conference with K state and Louisville as their marquee bball games. That league would probably rank somewhere from 4-5 (Acc, B10, Pac 12).



Mountain West

• Comcast/CBS College Sports/The Mtn.: Seven years, $82 million through 2013-14
Conference USA

• CBS College Sports: Six years, $45.8 million
• ESPN: Six years, $22 million through 2010-11
Exact terms for the MAC, WAC and Sun Belt could not be located.

[muhs03]

Honestly, if we came out of this with the Big East brand name and a lineup of MU, Notre Dame, Villanova, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Seton Hall, DePaul, Xavier and Butler I'd be ecstatic. Great conference and brand with stability.

Im beginning to think the BE and B12 survive. aTm goes to SEC. UL goes to B12. TCU replaces UL. Add any two of Army, Navy, ECU or UCF to the BE. If you add Army and Navy as football only members, the bball side picks up TWO MORE mirror games to help jump-start rivalries. Could be a lot worse.

[HoopsMalone]

Definite opportunity here.  I'll miss Louisville and Cincy every year back from the old CUSA days until now.  If we force Cuse and Pitt to stay 2 more years, we would have been in the BE for 8, which is hopefully enough.  

If we only had 10 teams, I'd worry about becoming a 4-5 bid conference.  Might want a big conference.  Consider SLU, Creighton, etc.  Wish there was a feasible way to include St. Mary's and Zags in this.

I like the idea of minimizing travel costs.  Good selling point for kids' parents.  Who wants their kid traveling from Austin, TX up to Oregon on a Tuesday all to participate in a mega football conference?

[bilsu]

From the article:


I think Marquette should "willingly jump" ... be that leader.  I don't think that we'll ever find any stability trying to align with the FBS schools.

It is a game of chicken. Who will jump first. Jump and you may owe the buyout. MU should wait it out. Since I do not believe a football conference will take Georgetwon and Villanova the only threat would be them jumping to Atlantic 10 and Atlantic 10 deciding they will take not take MU. I think any basketball schools jumping makes it easier for Big East and Big 12 to combine. I wonder if they wait a year to agree to combine, if they can force the buyouts to be paid. Otherwise I assume one of them has to disband and then the teams that left the disbanding conference get out of the buyout. I sure would hate to see Pitt and Syracuse get out without having a buyout and a waiting period. The Big East should remain together just to spite them.

[Logi4three]

If Big East survives w/football schools, aren't we in the same boat, i.e., stuck in a conference with the football schools having the only say (as illustrated by the fact the Big East meeting held tonight is w/o bball schools)?  Agreed that it would be great to keep the brand if a merger with Big 12 takes place and they want to be the surviving entity.  The Big East bball schools could waive the $5M penalty for the departing football schools and/or promise part of the penalty fees owed by Cuse and Pitt to them as well if needed, but if this doesn't happen (which it is sounding more like it won't), shouldn't MU be talking to other bball only schools about trying to setup such a bball only conference so that we don't get stuck in this situation every time some realignment starts happening (or at least so we are invited to the table to lend our voice re conference issues)?  What about hiring Tranghese as a consultant to get some discussion with the other schools started.