[MJS Blog] Marquette in the Big Ten?

[hairy worthen]

I think Marquette actually makes up a decent sized portion of the Chicago market.  Not enough for the Big Ten to add us for that reason, but Marquette is very well represented in the Chicagoland area.

Without a doubt there are many MU alumni in the Chicago area. However, I am not sure how many people not affiliated with MU would be intrested in Marquette basketball over, Northwestern, Ilinois, DePaul, Notre Dame. There are many people in Milwaukee that will follow MU just because it is in Milwaukee, not so in chicago.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Without a doubt there are many MU alumni in the Chicago area. However, I am not sure how many people not affiliated with MU would be intrested in Marquette basketball over, Northwestern, Ilinois, DePaul, Notre Dame. There are many people in Milwaukee that will follow MU just because it is in Milwaukee, not so in chicago.

The MU following in Chicago is larger than you think. Of those schools you listed, ND is the only one with recent success similar to MU's. People follow local winners.

[GGGG]

Anybody with more than a 1,000 posts is a little dead inside. Amiright?

<sigh>  A-yup....

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

The MU following in Chicago is larger than you think. Of those schools you listed, ND is the only one with recent success similar to MU's. People follow local winners.

Might I add MU is closer to Chicago than ND

[hairy worthen]

The MU following in Chicago is larger than you think. Of those schools you listed, ND is the only one with recent success similar to MU's. People follow local winners.

Key word being local. Mu is not local to Chicago, sorry it just isn't.  I wouldn't follow Bear football, or DePaul if they started winning just because they are 90 miles south they are not local teams.

I respect your point of view but I think your perspective is skewing reality.

[Benny B]

Without a doubt there are many MU alumni in the Chicago area. However, I am not sure how many people not affiliated with MU would be intrested in Marquette basketball over, Northwestern, Ilinois, DePaul, Notre Dame. There are many people in Milwaukee that will follow MU just because it is in Milwaukee, not so in chicago.

If you give 1,000,000 "unaffiliated" college-basketball viewers in Milwaukee and Chicago the option of watching NC State vs. North Carolina on the ACC Network or Iowa vs. Nebraska on the BTN, what percent is going to opt for the ACC game?  Of course, BTN has a monopoly for those viewers today (since ACC doesn't have their own network), but if/when the ACC does launch their own network, it's already going to erode BTN's ratings in their largest TV market (Chicago) by virtue of ND, and some of the BTN's other strongholds might be at risk as well (Philly, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, etc.) if the ACC, Big12, or SEC decided to take on some basketball-only schools.

Unlikely?  Extremely... or at least that's what the B? is hoping for.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Key word being local. Mu is not local to Chicago, sorry it just isn't.  I wouldn't follow Bear football, or DePaul if they started winning just because they are 90 miles south they are not local teams.

I respect your point of view but I think your perspective is skewing reality.

Does ND command a portion of the Chicago market? Notre Dame and Marquette are effectively equidistant from Chicago.

[BallBoy]

But when you're talking Big Ten/SEC type money, don't all basketball-only schools have diminishing returns? And how does MU bring significant money to the table?  No.  Think of it this way if the Big Ten makes $20M a team for every football team then every additional team needs to be able to bring in $20M or more otherwise it cuts into the profits of the other schools...aka diminishing returns.  There aren't that many teams which can do that and once all of those teams get consolidated into 4-5 conferences then the upside is very little.  Conversely, if a similar agreement as the Big East is reached where football schools get a larger chunk of the money than non-football members then a non-football school only needs add to bring in $5M before it is diminshing returns.

We don't add a new TV market. We don't add a large alumni base. We don't add academic prestige. In what possible way does Marquette add ANY value to the Big Ten?MU brings a history and a reputation amongst basketball fans.  If you notice, ESPN, CBS, etc have semi-regular stories on MU.  It is better for business to offer up MU/Wisco, MU/MSU, MU/Purdue then anyone playing Minnesota, Northwestern, and Penn State.  The Big Ten is able to offer more content which is more appealing to the average basketball fan.  This drives up the price of that content.  There are enough basketball fans out there which will watch any good game versus just the SEC, ACC, or Big Ten.  Comparing to other schools, what school would be more attractive to the Big Ten that is basketball only.  SMU, Houston, Memphis, Georgetown, Seton Hall, St. Johns, DePaul, UWM, Butler, UIC.  There aren't that many and if the ACC, Big 12, SEC starts to grab them then it makes MU more attractive.

With that said does MU actually go to the Big 10, I don't know but there is a very compelling argument that they would provide value for both basketball and olympic sports. If MU can bring in more than $5M to the table then they have paid for themselves and created value

[Hards Alumni]

Do you have something to back that up, other than your arrogance

Wow, did someone hit your dog this morning or what?

My point is that people from Milwaukee overwhelmingly cheer for the Badgers.  You need not look any further than media.  Who gets more stories in the JS?  Who gets more TV time?  Check the ratings in Milwaukee for Marquette games versus UW@Madison games.

Marquette will always play second fiddle to UW in Wisconsin in terms of fans (short of winning an NCAA Championship).  But isn't that part of why we are who we are?  We are the smaller school; we don't have a football team; we are overlooked everywhere in this state and it gives us a chip on our shoulder.  We like it that way.

[hairy worthen]

Wow, did someone hit your dog this morning or what?

My point is that people from Milwaukee overwhelmingly cheer for the Badgers.  You need not look any further than media.  Who gets more stories in the JS?  Who gets more TV time?  Check the ratings in Milwaukee for Marquette games versus UW@Madison games.

Marquette will always play second fiddle to UW in Wisconsin in terms of fans (short of winning an NCAA Championship).  But isn't that part of why we are who we are?  We are the smaller school; we don't have a football team; we are overlooked everywhere in this state and it gives us a chip on our shoulder.  We like it that way.

Agree,

and no one hit my dog this morning, but that made me laugh because when I lived in Texas and came into work in a bad mood, they would say "who pissed in your post toasties this morning."  Buzz may use that one himself.

[Hards Alumni]

Agree,

and no one hit my dog this morning, but that made me laugh because when I lived in Texas and came into work in a bad mood, they would say "who pissed in your post toasties this morning."  Buzz may use that one himself.

lol

[hairy worthen]

Does ND command a portion of the Chicago market? Notre Dame and Marquette are effectively equidistant from Chicago.

You are comparing apples to oranges. My point for mentioning ND is because they have a bigger folowing in Chicago than Marquette ever will. They are Notre Dame, hate them or not, they have a huge following nationwide. They are not on NBC every week because no one follows them.

Look, I agree there are many MU alumuni in Chicago I get it, but does the city as a whole excluding MU alumuni view Marquette as a local team and have a rooting interest in them? No way.

[Hards Alumni]

You are comparing apples to oranges. My point for mentioning ND is because they have a bigger folowing in Chicago than Marquette ever will. They are Notre Dame, hate them or not, they have a huge following nationwide. They are not on NBC every week because no one follows them.

Look, I agree there are many MU alumuni in Chicago I get it, but does the city as a whole excluding MU alumuni view Marquette as a local team and have a rooting interest in them? No way.

Very true, but you could say the same about Milwaukee.  The local support for Marquette in Milwaukee is pretty small.

[hairy worthen]

Very true, but you could say the same about Milwaukee.  The local support for Marquette in Milwaukee is pretty small.

I will say this, local support is smaller in Milwaukee than it should be for sure, but there is still pretty many non alumuni that are fans. Especially when they win as someone pointed out earlier

[bilsu]

I will say this, local support is smaller in Milwaukee than it should be for sure, but there is still pretty many non alumuni that are fans. Especially when they win as someone pointed out earlier

That statement brings up the question, if MU was in the Big 10 would local support take a jump?

[Dreadman24]

That statement brings up the question, if MU was in the Big 10 would local support take a jump?

Interesting question....

[real chili 83]

Very true, but you could say the same about Milwaukee.  The local support for Marquette in Milwaukee is pretty small.

I disagree.  There are fans on both sides that yell very loudly at each other.  Very loudly.  They are the kind of people that want you to believe that their opinion is the only opinion because they yell the loudest.

I believe reality is that there are plenty of fans in wisc that pull for both teams.

[jsglow]

I disagree.  There are fans on both sides that yell very loudly at each other.  Very loudly.  They are the kind of people that want you to believe that their opinion is the only opinion because they yell the loudest.

I believe reality is that there are plenty of fans in wisc that pull for both teams.

I agree with Real.  The majority of folks who actively cheer against MU in MKE are Badger alums who can't bring themselves to cheer for the 'enemy' just like some of our folks can't support Badger football for some reason.  I'm convinced that the average southeastern WI guy pulls for both MU and UW hoops.  I personally know several 'unaffiliated' folks who are regular attendees at MU games because it is the local team, a good bargain, and a great time.

[hairy worthen]

Personally. i can not bring myself to cheer for the ugly rodent in any sport.  i would actually like to get behind the football team, but for .some reason i jiust cant do it

[MUfan12]

I agree with Real.  The majority of folks who actively cheer against MU in MKE are Badger alums who can't bring themselves to cheer for the 'enemy' just like some of our folks can't support Badger football for some reason.  I'm convinced that the average southeastern WI guy pulls for both MU and UW hoops.  I personally know several 'unaffiliated' folks who are regular attendees at MU games because it is the local team, a good bargain, and a great time.

Actually, the worst ones are the ones who went to UW Hyphen schools. The Madison alums I've encountered have been fine. There's banter, but nothing venomous. The ones who were too dumb to get in there are the worst offenders.