ESPN: A-10 Open To Expanding To 21, Taking The BE BBall Schools

[Hards Alumni]

Can we call it something else, please?

[hairy worthen]

A great scenario, so Marquette does not get left out to dry, would be for these seven schools to join the A-10. Within a few years it will be behind the ACC in terms of best basketball conference. It would have 21 teams with each playing each other once (10 home, 10 road). The conference tourney wouldn't have good old MSG, but it'd still be in NYC, but at the brand new Barclays Center. It's really not that bad of a situation when you truly look at where the Big East is headed in terms of basketball... Tulane...

A scenario yes, but not a great scenario.  I would hate to see this. It would be settling from a position of weakness instead of dictating from a position of strength.  A watered down 21 team conference is not a good thing. Lots of crappy games in that conference season.
 
Behind the ACC, are you serious?  We would be playing teams like St Bon., st joes., Fordham, rhode island. Not exactly a power house of names that we would be associated with.  I realize options are limited, but there has to be a better solution than this.

[bilsu]

A scenario yes, but not a great scenario.  I would hate to see this. It would be settling from a position of weakness instead of dictating from a position of strength. team c A watered down 21 onference is not a good thing. Lots of crappy games in that conference season.
 
Behind the ACC, are you serious?  We would be playing teams like St Bon., st joes., Fordham, rhode island. Not exactly a power house of names that we would be associated with.  I realize options are limited, but there has to be a better solution than this.

I am not arguing it is a good thing, but essentually by going to a 20 game conference schedule you are dropping two non-conference games, which often are going to be against bottom feeder teams anyways.

[hairy worthen]

I am not arguing it is a good thing, but essentually by going to a 20 game conference schedule you are dropping two non-conference games, which often are going to be against bottom feeder teams anyways.

Right, but with non conference games at least you have a choice of who you play.

[T-Bone]

From the Philly Inquirer article (Sultan posted):


"ESPN.com reported Tuesday that the A-10 has discussed the possibility of inviting some or all of the Big East non-football schools. "The seven Big East schools have no interest in that at all," a Big East source said."

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=34789.0

[brewcity77]

From the Philly Inquirer article:


"ESPN.com reported Tuesday that the A-10 has discussed the possibility of inviting some or all of the Big East non-football schools. "The seven Big East schools have no interest in that at all," a Big East source said."

http://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=34789.0

That literally made me laugh out loud. And I'm relieved to see it's not a consideration.

[Hards Alumni]

That literally made me laugh out loud. And I'm relieved to see it's not a consideration.

Thats awesome, and flies directly in the face of that insignificunt Dayton op-ed writer.

His crap isn't the SS Carpathia, its a fishing boat with salty sailors ready to jump ship.

[Dr. Blackheart]

That literally made me laugh out loud. And I'm relieved to see it's not a consideration.

+1.  A10 ain't shitz for a merger...but for cherrypicking their hoops cream, yes.

[Warrior3211]

Good to see we can most likely stay in Big East and poach the top of the A10.

Side note though, St Bonnie's isn't the worst. Made the tourney and had a player drafted 19th last season. Probably can't sustain success, but whatever

[Aughnanure]

Creighton's not in the A-10.

Yup, just thought you were including schools that should be considered. Duh.

[🏀]

Humorous TWIIITA TRACCCKA


Pete Thamel ‏@SIPeteThamel
Some Big East knowledge today: The A-10 wanting to take in Big East hoops teams = Sun Belt wanting Florida and Bama.

[Blackhat]

Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's should be running things and have other b-ball schools like Dayton, St. Joe's, etc. begging to get in our new conference.

[slingkong]

I like Creighton for more than just current quality. It gets us into another state and I like the idea of giving St. Louis a geographical pairing for road trips. It's another Jesuit school and makes more sense than Wichita State or SIU. Dayton is a virtual suburb of Cincy and I'm guessing with Xavier we might be able to get on their cable package without adding UD. That definitely wouldn't be the case for any of Nebraska without Creighton.

Plain and simple, people have to get away from caring whether a school has a Catholic affiliation or not.  It simply doesn't matter.  The quality of Creighton's athletics should be what's judged along with whether it would pull in more viewers (maybe, maybe not - Omaha is a pretty small market and I doubt their draw is widespread).  The same goes for SLU.  Aside from their soccer history, their sports program is poor.  Basketball sucks, notwithstanding last year's Majerus miracle, and any upside is minor.  And they draw zip in the STL market.  They were never, ever on TV when I lived there oh those many blah years.  A focus on Catholic schools over quality programs will make for a poorer league and less TV money.

[slingkong]

Nobody's going to complain that we are adding Creighton, Xavier, etc for religious purposes.

Why give a rip one way or the other about religious affiliation, though?  There's simply no good reason to emphasize that over quality of the program.  A religious affiliation is not lead to a higher quality program.  Just focus on quality programs and the TV money and tournament rewards will follow.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Plain and simple, people have to get away from caring whether a school has a Catholic affiliation or not.  It simply doesn't matter.  The quality of Creighton's athletics should be what's judged along with whether it would pull in more viewers (maybe, maybe not - Omaha is a pretty small market and I doubt their draw is widespread).  The same goes for SLU.  Aside from their soccer history, their sports program is poor.  Basketball sucks, notwithstanding last year's Majerus miracle, and any upside is minor.  And they draw zip in the STL market.  They were never, ever on TV when I lived there oh those many blah years.  A focus on Catholic schools over quality programs will make for a poorer league and less TV money.

Creighton is top 10 in attendance annually, and could draw decent numbers across the state, not just in Omaha.

Now, Nebraska isn't Chicagoland, but they have to watch SOMETHING in the winter. Give them a good product and they will watch.

[Avenue Commons]

Divide their contract by 21 teams, no way.

Ding Ding Ding.

MU will be in the "new" Big East or an altogether new league. A10 isn't even in consideration. Or so I've been told. Take it for what it's worth.

[boyonthedock]

and I am open to blow jobs from models.

[Avenue Commons]

Not so sure about that. Leave stability for uncertainty? A-10 is just fine right now. As Buzz says, don't mess with happy.

If UCLA, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas and Duke were starting a league would you want to join them? Or would you not want to mess with happy?

[dgies9156]

Most of you are missing the point.

Of course the A-10 is open to expanding to 21 members. It's because they know what is coming.

Of course the Catholic 7 aka the Fisheater Conference, is coming. They know Butler, Xavier, St. Louis, VCU and Dayton are at risk. That's like the Catholic 7 losing Georgetown, Villanova and Marquette. Their boards -- assuming they have boards -- are screaming Hiroshima because they see the Enola Gay is circling overhead.

Two years from now, the Bonnies, who are in upstate New York south of Buffalo, will be the star of that conference. They'll be down there with Loyola and UWM. Meanwhile the cream of the A-10 will be playing with Georgetown, us, Gonzaga, Villanova, St. John's etc.

That's the facts Jack!

[esotericmindguy]

I think you're missing the point as well, it's all about money. How obvious can conferences make it? The A-10 contract pays each team $250K in television revenue, it they were to join this league they'd likely get 1.0 to 1.5 million annually. No brainer, it's not even a question, the 7 can choose any team they'd like from mid-major land.

[dgies9156]

I think you're missing the point as well, it's all about money. How obvious can conferences make it? The A-10 contract pays each team $250K in television revenue, it they were to join this league they'd likely get 1.0 to 1.5 million annually. No brainer, it's not even a question, the 7 can choose any team they'd like from mid-major land.

No sh*t Sherlock!

Of course it's money. Lose the teams I mention and millions go away. Align with us and the mid-majors don't stay mid-majors very long.

Is Georgetown a mid-major? Not with the investment and results they have? Are we? For chrissakes, I hope not! Not at our level of investment and investment return.

As a side note, I am interested in Buzz's thoughts on what's happening.

[brewcity77]

But by the same token, we need to pick the right schools to get the contract we're hoping for. Georgetown and Marquette are great names, but we will only play twice per year, three times if we meet in the conference tourney. 'Nova's down at the moment. St. John's is hopefully on their way back, but along with Providence, Seton Hall, and DePaul, haven't done much this last decade.

When it comes to television rights, we have to think in a "what have you done for me lately" mindset. You don't just add Dayton and SLU because they are Catholic and would be happy to join. We need the name value of schools like Xavier, Butler, VCU, and Gonzaga. I still think either adding three of those four or taking Creighton as well and going to 12 would be the best idea. I get that some people aren't fans of the 2-division plan, but we need to build a league that will deliver on top-tier basketball quality. Without adding some names that are on par with Georgetown and Marquette, that's not going to happen for awhile.

[esotericmindguy]

No sh*t Sherlock!

Of course it's money. Lose the teams I mention and millions go away. Align with us and the mid-majors don't stay mid-majors very long.

Is Georgetown a mid-major? Not with the investment and results they have? Are we? For chrissakes, I hope not! Not at our level of investment and investment return.

As a side note, I am interested in Buzz's thoughts on what's happening.

I guess I didn't understand the point of your previous post. I think it has less to do with playing Georgetown as it does making money. With the DC, Philly, Chicago, Milwaukee, Providence, and New York markets the TV revenue should be solid. The Big Ten didn't add Rutgers for it's football tradition.

[dgies9156]

I guess I didn't understand the point of your previous post. I think it has less to do with playing Georgetown as it does making money. With the DC, Philly, Chicago, Milwaukee, Providence, and New York markets the TV revenue should be solid. The Big Ten didn't add Rutgers for it's football tradition.

But there will come a time, greed being greed, when the "big" football powers (and I don't mean those living in the Leaders and Legends Division alone) decide they don't want to be affiliated with the trash coming over from the Big East and, sorry to say, ACC. At some point, the football powers in the USA will create their own athletic association and carve up the money based on their own formula of excellence.

That's why UConn, Cincinnati and places like Tulane are on the outside looking in. That's also why the ACC is desperate for Notre Dame. Without UND, the ACC is college football backwater and eventually will get cut out, especially if Brian Kelley is a one year phenom.

[slingkong]

Creighton is top 10 in attendance annually, and could draw decent numbers across the state, not just in Omaha.

Now, Nebraska isn't Chicagoland, but they have to watch SOMETHING in the winter. Give them a good product and they will watch.

That's more or less exactly what I'm saying.  That Creighton is religious doesn't matter.  They put butts in the seats are trending up.  Those are the reasons to add Creighton.  Also, Omaha is a nice city as far as cities of that size go.