DePaul Purchasing Riverfront Property

[The Equalizer]

I think these are ridiculous assumptions.  Yes, the Big East is more lucrative than the Horizon and yes you could probably sell tickets at a higher price.  However, you theory seems to be that conference affiliation can lift any program from the doldrums and thrust them into the top level of college basketball.  

Seems to me that we were in exactly in those doldrums at one time. And moving up-market in conference affilliation (from GMC to CUSA to Big East) propelled our success.  We didn't spend $10 million a year when we were in the MCC--we had to get to the Big East first.

Did Conference affilliation alone change us?  No.  But I seriously doubt that we would have made the commitment we did if we didn't have invitations to move up-market.

It doesn't work that way.  DePaul is part of the Big East BECAUSE it has dedicated to spend $6.4 million on basketball.  Yeah, some of that is provided by their membership, but mostly its because it allocates the resources to do so.  Loyola, for whatever reason, doesn't want to make that commitment.  Perhaps it doesn't have the resources...perhaps it doesn't feel its in its mission to do so...perhaps their constituents don't really care.

No, it doesn't work your way.  DePaul has $6.4 million to spend on basketball BECAUSE they are in the Big East.  No school can spend money they don't have and expect to stay in business.  

Even if Loyola would decide tomorrow that they WANT to spend $10 million on their program, where are they going to get it?

--The Horizon league TV payout?  Hah!  
--Ticket sales to games agininst Wright State and Youngstown State?  Hah!  
--Donors making four and five and six figure donations to the athletic fund to get access to courtside seats to see Wright State and Youngstown State?  Hah!

We chose to spend $10 million only after it became obvious that we had $10 million in revenue.  And that revenue is a direct result of being part of the Big East.

I mean, according to your theory, UWM could be substituted for MU in the Big East, and the two schools would simply trade places.

Not "simply trade places" no.  But over time, good chance it happens.

If we were in the Horizon, would we still land top athletes from across the country who come to us to play in the Big East?  No.  If UWM were in the Big East, would they improve recruting?

If we were in the Horizon, would we attract players who wanted to see themselves on TV nearly every game, or is the once-a-year Braket Buster game just as good?   Would UWM get more attention if they were on TV every game?  

If we didn't have a season ticket plan that included Notre Dame, UConn, Villnova, Georgetown, etc, would we still be able to get the donations that fund our program so that people have access to lower-bowl seats?  No.

Take those advantages from us and give them to UWM, and slowly their recruiting would suprass ours, fans engagement and national attention would be sure to follow.

[Lennys Tap]

Since this thread is now 3 pages deep, can we get anymore information about this "strong source." Under what circumstances is this person is this person qualified to be giving information. 

Who wants to talk about a new, near the campus facility for longtime rival and fellow Big East member De Paul when there's a chance (if we play our cards right) that mighty Loyola U (Chicago) could be lured from the Horizon to the Big East?

[MarsupialMadness]

More like Loy-LOL-La

[Avenue Commons]

Since this thread is now 3 pages deep, can we get anymore information about this "strong source." Under what circumstances is this person is this person qualified to be giving information. 

No. You're not in a position to demand verification of a source or a story. Check out my history on this board, particularly in regards to this specific issue. I gave the information available to me and qualified it as such. The source is definitely a strong source for the information and that is all that would be fair to say on an internet message board. If you wish to verify the info you are free to call Morton Salt Co. and/or DPU for comment and report back. I trust what I've been told and thought others would be interested. Do with the info what you see fit.

[Blue Horseshoe]

No. You're not in a position to demand verification of a source or a story. Check out my history on this board, particularly in regards to this specific issue. I gave the information available to me and qualified it as such. The source is definitely a strong source for the information and that is all that would be fair to say on an internet message board. If you wish to verify the info you are free to call Morton Salt Co. and/or DPU for comment and report back. I trust what I've been told and thought others would be interested. Do with the info what you see fit.

So basically you are just starting rumors with out presenting any real information, data, facts, hard evidence, or paper trail. Just checking.

[GGGG]

So basically you are just starting rumors with out presenting any real information, data, facts, hard evidence, or paper trail. Just checking.

It's a message board.  Posters build their reputation over the course of time, and its up to you to choose to believe it.  I appreciate that he is willing to share it, and only time will tell if he is accurate or not.

But if people keep ripping those who claim to have information because they don't have rock hard proof, it will become a dull message board. 

[Coleman]

However, there is talk of renovating the area north of Wrigleyville up to the Loyala area (Edgewater, Rogers Park, Andersonville).   That would take a while, but Loyola could have a chance if it happened

Umm...that is an area covering 1/4 the north side with 200,000+ residents. Who would renovate 3 entire neighborhoods?


As for Loyola joining the Big East, that would be an absolute joke. I went to grad school there. No one cares about basketball, and their arena seats <5,000.

A fun non-conference cupcake maybe, but NOT Big East material. Doesn't have a fraction of the tradition, fanbase, or exposure that DePaul does. Anyone who argues that Loyola has BEAST potential doesn't know what they are talking about. Period.

Does anyone with inside scoop know the address of where the Depaul arena would be built?

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Avenue Commons has one thing going for him...he's much more reliable than his cousin, MU Avenue.   

That said, AC seems solid with info.

[Coleman]

Let's just say there's a 90% chance of this happening.

[MarsupialMadness]

I believe we're all talking about this location:

1357 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

[StillAWarrior]

But if people keep ripping those who claim to have information because they don't have rock hard proof, it will become a dull message board. 

This.  Based upon how people react whenever anyone posts something citing an anonymous source, I can't imagine why anyone would ever post good inside information on this board.  It's just not worth the hassle.  It bears repeating:  those who reveal their inside sources, lose their inside sources.

[MU82]

Hey, you brats ... do I have to pull this car over RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?

[Coleman]

I believe we're all talking about this location:

1357 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

That's really not THAT close of a walk from the metra...especially in cold weather.

I was hoping it'd be a bit further north.

[Benny B]

I believe we're all talking about this location:

1357 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

That's the Morton building you see from the Kennedy, but that doesn't seem like an idea location.  I was thinking Morton may own something a bit further north, i.e. Cortland & Elston maybe?

[strotty]

All this thread needs is and update on if Davante's jersey in the team suitcase.

[Blue Horseshoe]

All this thread needs is and update on if Davante's jersey in the team suitcase.

I heard from a strong source that one of the managers is close to packing it for the BE Tournament.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

It seems to me that any poster that resorts to name-calling cheapens only his degree from MU.

I apologize if I offended anyone by calling Equalizer the dumbest person on this board.

For those who may be interested in this illustrious program that has been proposed for Big East membership:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyola_Ramblers_men%27s_basketball

For those interested in Loyola great on-campus facilities:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_J._Gentile_Arena

[Tugg Speedman]

That's the Morton building you see from the Kennedy, but that doesn't seem like an idea location.  I was thinking Morton may own something a bit further north, i.e. Cortland & Elston maybe?

You're thinking of the Finkl steel company on Cortland and Southport. Finkl is relocating to the very side-side of Chicago and their 14 acre property is for sale.  That would be perfect ... two blocks from the west end of campus and two blocks east of the Kennedy and Metra stops,

This was the rumor last year.  What happened here?

[icheights]

Loyola, seriously? That they are even being mentioned is a joke.

So what are the specifics of this so called reliable information?  I would think if this was a legitimate idea that Depaul would be mentioning it to the alumni as they would have to be raising money right?  Would they really buy the property before seeing if they have the pledges to build a new arena?  Any Depaul alumni on here hearing any whispers about this?

[Coleman]

Guys, I heard Cardinal Stritch is looking to get in on the conference realignment carousel. Once they join, they'd eventually be big east caliber.

[Lennys Tap]

I apologize if I offended anyone by calling Equalizer the dumbest person on this board.

For those who may be interested in this illustrious program that has been proposed for Big East membership:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyola_Ramblers_men%27s_basketball

For those interested in Loyola great on-campus facilities:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_J._Gentile_Arena

Four winning seasons in the last 24 and an on campus facility that holds less than 4500 fannies. Throw in the fact that it's in a crappy neighborhood and the administration and fanbase (such as it is) don't give a crap and you've got a program fortunate to be in the Horizon.

[Avenue Commons]

You're thinking of the Finkl steel company on Cortland and Southport. Finkl is relocating to the very side-side of Chicago and their 14 acre property is for sale.  That would be perfect ... two blocks from the west end of campus and two blocks east of the Kennedy and Metra stops,

This was the rumor last year.  What happened here?

Finkl Steel deal fell through. The current property is owned by Morton Salt. It was described to me as being the "dome shaped" building on the river.

[GGGG]

No, it doesn't work your way.  DePaul has $6.4 million to spend on basketball BECAUSE they are in the Big East.  No school can spend money they don't have and expect to stay in business. 

No it actually does work that way.  Schools don't go from spending $1.7M to $6.4M overnight just because they are in a new conference.  DePaul didn't just get there over night.  It has been building that overtime, and in part because of that dedication of resources, earned a BE membership.

For Loyola to get to that level, they would have to completely change their approach to basketball and to athletics.  They would have to dedicate more resources and turn around a fan-base that doesn't care. 

This is a process that would take decades.  Honestly, the best analogy is probably Gonzaga....and they still are in the same conference they were 20 years ago.  Loyola has YEARS of work ahead of them even to get to the Zags level.

Just thrusting Loyola into the BE doesn't change the nature of their program.  It is an absurd argument.

[The Equalizer]

No it actually does work that way.  Schools don't go from spending $1.7M to $6.4M overnight just because they are in a new conference.  DePaul didn't just get there over night.  It has been building that overtime, and in part because of that dedication of resources, earned a BE membership.

All I can say is that you quite obviously weren't following DePaul in the early 2000's if you think they were dedidcated to building their program in advance of joining the Big East.

Go back and read the Chicago Tribune at the time of the hiring of Dave Leitao, a couple years prior to the BE invitation:
http://bit.ly/w8E7BV
"It is apparent that DePaul has made the decision to operate its basketball program on a smaller, more midsized level."

Doesn't sound like the words used to describe a program dedicated to improving itself, does it?

And no matter what you claim, DePaul wasn't spending anywhere close to $6.4 Million before they were in the Big East.  No matter what you claim, they didn't commit to spending first, the hope that they would someday maybe get into the Big East.  

When did they ramp up spending?  Not when they hired Dave Leitao.  Not even when they hired Jerry Wainwright--in 2005, when they KNEW they would be a member of the Big East the next year.  Even then, they STILL weren't willing to spend to land a quality coach--they still took a guy they could get cheap.    

Face facts: they didn't commit to ramping up their spending until they replaced Wainright with Oliver Purnell--AFTER they had been a member of the Big East for several years and AFTER the BE money was rolling in.

For Loyola to get to that level, they would have to completely change their approach to basketball and to athletics.  They would have to dedicate more resources and turn around a fan-base that doesn't care. 

This is a process that would take decades.  Honestly, the best analogy is probably Gonzaga....and they still are in the same conference they were 20 years ago.  Loyola has YEARS of work ahead of them even to get to the Zags level.

Yes, of course they would have to change.  Who said otherwise? The question is whether any program would do so without a committment from a BCS conference to offer them membership.

And your 20 year estimate is pure fiction.  Baylor has gone from irrelevance to a top 10 rank in less than 7 years. Of course, Baylor has the advantage of being in a BCS conference.

Just thrusting Loyola into the BE doesn't change the nature of their program.  It is an absurd argument.

Are you saying that the nature of MU would not change if we were thrust into the Horizon tomorrow?  That's absurd--of course a BCS conference membership is a program-changing consideration.

The only question is what would a school do with it.  

[Ellenson Guerrero]

I feel that this debate has reached its logically conclusion Equalizer... one that should have been reached without a debate.