If the Catholic 7 breaks from the Big East, who should be invited to join?

[🏀]

Let's assume a 12-team league, so vote for 5 teams.

[MU82]

FYI, Charlotte is starting a football program. It begins play in the lower division next fall and then moves to CUSA -- if there still is a CUSA -- for the 2015 season. As much as I'd love Charlotte in Marquette's league because it would mean I'd get to see them play in my new home state, it ain't gonna happen. Nor should it.

[🏀]

FYI, Charlotte is starting a football program. It begins play in the lower division next fall and then moves to CUSA -- if there still is a CUSA -- for the 2015 season. As much as I'd love Charlotte in Marquette's league because it would mean I'd get to see them play in my new home state, it ain't gonna happen. Nor should it.

Nice call, removed.

[Husker4MU]

Let's assume a 12-team league, so vote for 5 teams.

Why assume a 12 team league?  I would much prefer a 10 or 11 team league so we could play a full round robin and actually crown a champion.

Also, surprised by the early love for Creighton.  I would love to see MU play the Jays on a regular basis.

[Pakuni]

Picked Butler, Xavier, St. Louis, Gonzaga and Creighton.
Actually like VCU over St. Louis, but the latter provides a bit more of a geographical balance and puts the conference in another large market.

From there, I'd set two divisions, with home-and-home games against division rivals and one game against each member of the other division, for 16 conference games in all. Or could create a rotating system with home-and-homes with other division opponents once every three years for an 18-game schedule.

East
Georgetown
Villanova
St. John's
Providence
Seton Hall
Xavier

West
Marquette
DePaul
Butler
St. Louis
Creighton
Gonzaga

Yeah, Big East East and Big East West sound silly (and could be improved upon), but at least it's not Legends and Leaders.

[🏀]

Why assume a 12 team league?  I would much prefer a 10 or 11 team league so we could play a full round robin and actually crown a champion.

Also, surprised by the early love for Creighton.  I would love to see MU play the Jays on a regular basis.

Honestly, because there's five schools I'd like to add. Didn't want to leave one out.

[🏀]

Road trips to DePaul, Butler, SLU, Dayton and Creighton would be delightful.

[speri]

Xavier is a no brainer.
I'd invite ND first, if they decline then take Butler.
St. Louis vs Dayton is a toss up. If Xavier is already in the league I'd lean St. Louis (new market).
Cap it at 10.
Invite UConn, Memphis and UMass, but hey have to dissolve their football programs to join.

[lurch91]

With ND possibly interested, I'd invite them too.  As much as many hate Domers, their fan base brings a TON of eyes with the "Subway Alumni" and possibly extra exposure for a new league.

[🏀]

Every rational thinking fan would vote ND, so there was no reason not to include them.

[brewcity77]

I start by offering UConn, Cincy, USF, Temple, and Memphis the opportunity to stay for all sports except football. They can do whatever they like with their football programs, but I have to think staying would be a better option for them than joining C-USA, the MAC, or trying to make that unsightly Amalgamation Conference with ECU, SMU, and Tulane, among others.

After those 5 get their chance, you invite to get up to at most 16. If all five say yes, you invite three. If some say no, you add going down this list. Also, if you add Gonzaga, you must add a second western team. Not necessarily a travel partner, but a second destination so when East Coast teams have to go west, it's one trip that encompasses more than one game.

1) Xavier
2) Butler
3) Virginia Commonwealth
4) Gonzaga
5) Creighton or other western team (St. Mary's, BYU, Wichita State)
6) St. Louis
7) Dayton
8) UMass (They can park football)

Also, if Notre Dame wants in, they automatically get a spot. Bump everyone down one if it means we can bring the Irish back. But they aren't such a priority that you wait on it. They surprise us and say yes immediately, we take them. They say no as expected, move on without a second throught.

[Pakuni]

Road trips to DePaul, Butler, SLU, Dayton and Creighton would be delightful.

Dayton? Really?
For the life of me, I can't figure why some see Dayton as more attractive than Gonzaga. In every important measure - other than distance, which I don't see as being all that important - Gonzaga is better. Better team. Better national profile. Better coach. Better market (in that Gonzaga is the Catholic program in the Pacific Northwest).

[hairy worthen]

With ND possibly interested, I'd invite them too.  As much as many hate Domers, their fan base brings a TON of eyes with the "Subway Alumni" and possibly extra exposure for a new league.

Wait, is ND possibly interested?  Why would they leave the acc for this. If they are leaving the acc they would go to the big 10

[🏀]

Dayton? Really?
For the life of me, I can't figure why some see Dayton as more attractive than Gonzaga. In every important measure - other than distance, which I don't see as being all that important - Gonzaga is better. Better team. Better national profile. Better coach. Better market (in that Gonzaga is the Catholic program in the Pacific Northwest).

I don't think Gonzaga is realistic without adding more Westies. I would love to play Gonzaga every year if every sport didn't have to trudge out there. It's a five hour flight according to Priceline.

[🏀]

Wait, is ND possibly interested?  Why would they leave the acc for this. If they are leaving the acc they would go to the big 10

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/16971737-419/depaul-among-7-catholic-schools-set-for-big-east-exodus.html

[slack00]

Dayton? Really?
For the life of me, I can't figure why some see Dayton as more attractive than Gonzaga. In every important measure - other than distance, which I don't see as being all that important - Gonzaga is better. Better team. Better national profile. Better coach. Better market (in that Gonzaga is the Catholic program in the Pacific Northwest).

It might not be for Men's Basketball, but what about Women's Basketball, M & W Soccer, Volleyball, Track and Cross Country, M & W Tennis, etc.?  The additional travel costs for those sports isn't insignificant.

Also, Dayton is the 63rd ranked TV market, while Spokane is 73rd.

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

It might not be for Men's Basketball, but what about Women's Basketball, M & W Soccer, Volleyball, Track and Cross Country, M & W Tennis, etc.?  The additional travel costs for those sports isn't insignificant.

Also, Dayton is the 63rd ranked TV market, while Spokane is 73rd.

But how many people are gonna tune in to NBC sports network to watch Dayton v Georgetown?  Then ask the same question for Gonzaga v Georgetown?

[Pakuni]

I don't think Gonzaga is realistic without adding more Westies. I would love to play Gonzaga every year if every sport didn't have to trudge out there. It's a five hour flight according to Priceline.

Priceline is crazy. I've flown O'Hare to Seattle several times, and it's about four hours. Milwaukee to Spokane is a shorter flight.
The benefits of Gonzaga (over say, Dayton) outweigh a couple extra hours in the air once a year.

[hairy worthen]

I start by offering UConn, Cincy, USF, Temple, and Memphis the opportunity to stay for all sports except football. They can do whatever they like with their football programs, but I have to think staying would be a better option for them than joining C-USA, the MAC, or trying to make that unsightly Amalgamation Conference with ECU, SMU, and Tulane, among others.

After those 5 get their chance, you invite to get up to at most 16. If all five say yes, you invite three. If some say no, you add going down this list. Also, if you add Gonzaga, you must add a second western team. Not necessarily a travel partner, but a second destination so when East Coast teams have to go west, it's one trip that encompasses more than one gam

Also, if Notre Dame wants in, they automatically get a spot. Bump everyone down one if it means we can bring the Irish back. But they aren't such a priority that you wait on it. They surprise us and say yes immediately, we take them. They say no as expected, move on without a second throught.

Uconn, Cincy, Memphis, USF and Temple only if they drop football as a sport which they won’t. Why would you want to leave a conference because it is unstable only to start a conference that is immediately unstable?   Uconn, and Cincy are bolting in a second if they get an invite from one of the major conferences.  The major conferences are not finished yet until they all get 16. There are many more dominoes to fall.

[brewcity77]

Guys, why does Gonzaga have to be an all-sports member? Let them join for basketball only and keep their other sports in the WCC or wherever. As long as we have 10-12 core schools that aren't going anywhere (C7 + Xavier, Butler, VCU for example) we can get by with allowing them in strictly for what they bring on the hardwood.

[JWags85]

Besides the fact that VCU is a popular name because of Shaka Smart and their Final Four run, if I'm not mistaken, they've made substantial investments into the program (not least of which is Smart's contract), and its really become a focus.  That sort of attitude is important to the success of a conference like this.

[Pakuni]

It might not be for Men's Basketball, but what about Women's Basketball, M & W Soccer, Volleyball, Track and Cross Country, M & W Tennis, etc.?  The additional travel costs for those sports isn't insignificant.

Also, Dayton is the 63rd ranked TV market, while Spokane is 73rd.

Gonzaga's brand extends well beyond Spokane (see yesterday's post about Gonzaga's merchandise sales, which are higher than all but two C7 programs, including Marquette, and all A-10 programs). And Gonzaga puts the conference (and its network partners) in the Pacific Northwest market and gives them option for late-night games.
Dayton's brand does not extend beyond Dayton.

If travel times/costs for the other sports mattered at all, Marquette would have never left the MCC. The extra cost of a flight to Spokane vs a flight to Dayton is not that significant, not when you consider the other benefits of having the Zags.

[M@RQUETTEW@RRIORS]

Guys, why does Gonzaga have to be an all-sports member? Let them join for basketball only and keep their other sports in the WCC or wherever. As long as we have 10-12 core schools that aren't going anywhere (C7 + Xavier, Butler, VCU for example) we can get by with allowing them in strictly for what they bring on the hardwood.

+1

[warriorchick]

*Xavier*

[🏀]

Guys, why does Gonzaga have to be an all-sports member? Let them join for basketball only and keep their other sports in the WCC or wherever. As long as we have 10-12 core schools that aren't going anywhere (C7 + Xavier, Butler, VCU for example) we can get by with allowing them in strictly for what they bring on the hardwood.

I believe it should be all or nothing. No more partial membership bullcrap.