Big East may sell name to C-7

[Montana Warrior]

Check this out:

http://tracking.si.com/2013/02/26/big-east-name-change-tv-deal-espn-realignment/?sct=uk_t2_a8

It would be great to kick off our new league brand with our old name.  It's got to be part of the masterplan.

[Brewtown Andy]

Paying for it? No thank you.

[TallTitan34]

Paying for it? No thank you.

If its cheap definitely buy it.

[Brewtown Andy]

If its cheap definitely buy it.

No thanks. I can do without a running "The Big East, well, kind of" commentary for the rest of time.

[Groin_pull]

No thanks. I can do without a running "The Big East, well, kind of" commentary for the rest of time.

And I can do without some crappy name like "Conference USA." That was a disaster. No thanks. The Big East name still carries weight—and is closely associated with urban hoops schools. While tarnished...it still has cache.

Who's going to rip on it? Big 10 backers??? Who gives a damn...they call themselves the Big 10 and will soon have 14 teams.

[GGGG]

I would buy it if it were cheap...but new names and new brands can be developed.  What's most important is that they play high-level, quality basketball.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I think taking the Big East name would be a huge mistake.

[MUMountin]

If its cheap definitely buy it.

Raises the question--what's the right price for us.  I think the brand is worth something--especially as we might be seen as "saving" it from becoming associated with a crappy all-sports conference and keeping it to its roots.  

But, what is the price of that?  Is it worth sacrificing any chunk of the exit fees from the other schools?  NCAA tournament credits?  Some other measure?

We've heard a lot about the name being for sale, but I wonder just what price tag they are putting on it.

[keefe]

I would buy it if it were cheap...but new names and new brands can be developed.  What's most important is that they play high-level, quality basketball.

Launching a new Brand is one of the most difficult challenges in business. Repositioning a Brand is even more difficult. Without looking at the research I would say the Big East name has considerable residual value and is worth keeping. Given the presence of so many original east coast members this is less of a repositioning than it is a rejuvenation proposition. Lots of grist to play with, in that case.

[chapman]

I don't care about it.  But five of the seven schools do a whole lot.  I'm sure if we were in the Big East for the past 25+ years we'd care more.

[akmarq]

Launching a new Brand is one of the most difficult challenges in business. Repositioning a Brand is even more difficult. Without looking at the research I would say the Big East name has considerable residual value and is worth keeping. Given the presence of so many original east coast members this is less of a repositioning than it is a rejuvenation proposition. Lots of grist to play with, in that case.

Agreed

Keep in mind that it's not a choice between the cost of the Big East name and a $0 cost to develop a new name. Choosing to create a new brand is going to incur some VERY high costs (advertising, development, market research) and also come with a bit of a lag time before it becomes 'common parlance.' If the Big East isn't being ransomed for some ridiculous sum (I won't put a number to this without more specifics) then you pay for it and save a lot of headaches.

[MU82]

Agreed

Keep in mind that it's not a choice between the cost of the Big East name and a $0 cost to develop a new name. Choosing to create a new brand is going to incur some VERY high costs (advertising, development, market research) and also come with a bit of a lag time before it becomes 'common parlance.' If the Big East isn't being ransomed for some ridiculous sum (I won't put a number to this without more specifics) then you pay for it and save a lot of headaches.

Excellent point.

[Les Nessman]

I don't necessarily consider us a new brand. We'll be a new brand by name, but the conference will be made up of a collection of already highly regarded brands that are doing something that hasn't been done before. I'd like to see them go in fresh with a new conference name and logo and utilize the value of each school's individual brand to create the gestalt of the new conference.

[Montana Warrior]

I think taking the Big East name would be a huge mistake.

I think the C-7 should take the old name, invite Butler and maybe Xavier to join, and believe it or not, invite UC and UConn, into the league for all sports except football.  If they leave later then we cann replace them with these other schools (Creighton, Dayton, St. Louis, etc.).  That would be a truly elite league.  UC and UConn may leave if they get an ACC,SEC, or B1G invite but lets stick the bread in the gravy while its still hot.

[Tugg Speedman]

Let me get this straight ... this board is populated by a lot of people that saw their head explode of going from Warrior to Gold and now you could care less about the name Big East?  (For the record Gold would have been a MUCH BETTER name than Golden Eagles)


You guys underestimate the brand of the Big East, and the records, conference tourney (I assume also the MSG tourney contract) and the automatic bid.  It has value where some made-up name has no value.

Buy it and pay for it.  It will go a long way to establishing the C7 than calling the "The Acme Conference" or some other random made up name.

[klyrish]

New Coke Conference

[MU82]

Let me get this straight ... this board is populated by a lot of people that saw their head explode of going from Warrior to Gold and now you could care less about the name Big East?  (For the record Gold would have been a MUCH BETTER name than Golden Eagles)

Oooh ... oooh ... oooh! I can't wait to see all the folks coming out of the wordwork to agree with you on this.

[klyrish]

Oooh ... oooh ... oooh! I can't wait to see all the folks coming out of the wordwork to agree with you on this.

Should've just changed it to the Marquette University Marquette Universities since the school basically plays down the golden eagles mascot at every opportunity. It could be like when the Thunder had been announced and nothing much was known about them other than Toby Keith was an owner and this came out.

[Stronghold]

Oooh ... oooh ... oooh! I can't wait to see all the folks coming out of the wordwork to agree with you on this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nda_OSWeyn8

The guy at 1:35 clearly states, "I want the gold."

[akmarq]

I don't necessarily consider us a new brand. We'll be a new brand by name, but the conference will be made up of a collection of already highly regarded brands that are doing something that hasn't been done before. I'd like to see them go in fresh with a new conference name and logo and utilize the value of each school's individual brand to create the gestalt of the new conference.

It would be a new brand. You don't see it as new because you already follow all these schools and have a lot of experience with their rivalries, style of play, history, etc.

When I say 'Big 10' I bet you immediately think of lots of associations (OSU-UM, slow basketball, great defense). When you say 'Catholic 7' to the average (non-Big East) fan, they don't have any associations there. When you say 'Big East' they already know what you're talking about.

Outside of Georgetown and MU (though only more recently) none of the C7 has a highly known brand outside of BE fans.

[Windyplayer]

You guys underestimate the brand of the Big East, and the records, conference tourney (I assume also the MSG tourney contract) and the automatic bid.  It has value where some made-up name has no value.

I'd love to retain the Big East name. To carry on a legacy that has so much history and tradition would be an honor, and it would mean a lot to those alumni of Nova, G-town, Seton Hall, and Providence EDIT: and St. Johns (yikes, bad miss) who have been in the league for a lot longer than us.

That being said, I'm not sure that by retaining the name we keep the contract at MSG. Rest assure there are provisions in the contract that will void it if the make-up of the conference changes to a certain degree.

Also, we'll already have the automatic bid regardless of name.

[Tugg Speedman]

I'd love to retain the Big East name. To carry on a legacy that has so much history and tradition would be an honor, and it would mean a lot to those alumni of Nova, G-town, Seton Hall, and Providence EDIT: and St. Johns (yikes, bad miss) who have been in the league for a lot longer than us.

That being said, I'm not sure that by retaining the name we keep the contract at MSG. Rest assure there are provisions in the contract that will void it if the make-up of the conference changes to a certain degree.

Also, we'll already have the automatic bid regardless of name.

MSG is a space available for rent.  As long as our rental checks clears, we are in.  Now if we leave, or change, that gives MSG the opportunity to shop that rental to anyone else who wants that week ... be it the ACC, A-10 or a rich upper west sider that wants to throw a bar mitvah.

[Les Nessman]

MSG is a space available for rent.  As long as our rental checks clears, we are in.  Now if we leave, or change, that gives MSG the opportunity to shop that rental to anyone else who wants that week ... be it the ACC, A-10 or a rich upper west sider that wants to throw a bar mitvah.

That'd be one hell of a bar mitzvah.

[akmarq]

MSG is a space available for rent.  As long as our rental checks clears, we are in.  Now if we leave, or change, that gives MSG the opportunity to shop that rental to anyone else who wants that week ... be it the ACC, A-10 or a rich upper west sider that wants to throw a bar mitvah.

This is true, but it's a totally seperate issue from retaining the BE name. I'm almost certain that if the composition of the conference changes then the agreement bewteen MSG and the Big East can be/is voided.

The 'new BE' (C7+) could negioate a new contract with MSG, but whether we retain the name and whether the tournament is at MSG are totally seperate issues (unless retaining the name is a positive step toward a new contact with MSG).  

[Groin_pull]

I think the C-7 should take the old name, invite Butler and maybe Xavier to join, and believe it or not, invite UC and UConn, into the league for all sports except football.  If they leave later then we cann replace them with these other schools (Creighton, Dayton, St. Louis, etc.).  That would be a truly elite league.  UC and UConn may leave if they get an ACC,SEC, or B1G invite but lets stick the bread in the gravy while its still hot.

Let's try this one more time....NO MORE FOOTBALL!

Screw UConn and Cincy. They're on their own. They're both trying like hell to get into the ACC...which would continue if they were members of the C7. Who needs that? We've finally unhitched our wagon from football. Keep it that way.