Big East Bubble?

[GoldenWarrior11]

Being considered per Goodman:

The Big East and Big Ten are two conferences that have discussed using a bubble for basketball this season, per sources. However, it’s just one of multiple options that has been discussed.

Wonder what location would be utilized.  If no fans, they probably want to use a gym that a school owns/wouldn't have to rent?  Or maybe the would to create more spacing for entry/testing.  Have a difficult time envisioning the BE renting MSG for several months without fans. 

And that doesn't even cover the conversation regarding the student-athletes and coaches.

[asdfasdf]

I wonder if it would be possible for multiple conferences to use the same bubble.

[zcg2013]

I think this is the only feasible way to move forward with a season for this year, especially with the bubble success in NBA, NHL, MLS.

[brewcity77]

I still think conference-only will make the selection process a nightmare. How do you compare across conferences without a metric like the NET? That sort of metric is useless if there's no non-con play.

[WhiteTrash]

I wonder if it would be possible for multiple conferences to use the same bubble.

Big East v. ACC challenge? That would be fun. Any team that could go .500 versus an all BE & ACC slate would be a hell of a team.

[Coleman]

Being considered per Goodman:

The Big East and Big Ten are two conferences that have discussed using a bubble for basketball this season, per sources. However, it’s just one of multiple options that has been discussed.

Wonder what location would be utilized.  If no fans, they probably want to use a gym that a school owns/wouldn't have to rent?  Or maybe the would to create more spacing for entry/testing.  Have a difficult time envisioning the BE renting MSG for several months without fans. 

And that doesn't even cover the conversation regarding the student-athletes and coaches.

LOL at zero mention as to how these students go to school.

Also, if universities insist on in-person classes to collect room and board revenue for their everyday students but then allow student-athletes to participate in a bubble with 100% online classes, it would be the height of hypocrisy, completely about money.

[Nukem2]

I still think conference-only will make the selection process a nightmare. How do you compare across conferences without a metric like the NET? That sort of metric is useless if there's no non-con play.

If there is no NC play, so be it.  The NCAA would then have to select teams arbitrarily.  Just what it would be.

[Uncle Rico]

LOL at zero mention as to how these students go to school.

Also, if universities insist on in-person classes to collect room and board revenue for their everyday students but then allow student-athletes to participate in a bubble with 100% online classes, it would be the height of hypocrisy, completely about money.

The conferences don’t care about the classroom

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

LOL at zero mention as to how these students go to school.

Also, if universities insist on in-person classes to collect room and board revenue for their everyday students but then allow student-athletes to participate in a bubble with 100% online classes, it would be the height of hypocrisy, completely about money.

Well, classes for most students will be ending after Thanksgiving and will likely not start up again until February.

[Coleman]

Well, classes for most students will be ending after Thanksgiving and will likely not start up again until February.

Fair point. If the season could be condensed into that time, it could work.

[5DollarPitcher]

Big East v. ACC challenge? That would be fun. Any team that could go .500 versus an all BE & ACC slate would be a hell of a team.

Another year - another reason to be happy with a .500 record.  Admin really did a number on your expectations.

[DegenerateDish]

This idea is great, and the perfect spot is Wintrust, it almost makes too much sense.

Benefits of Wintrust:
-Marriott Marquis literally connected to the arena
-McCormick Place utilized for practices
-Teams that can bus in: MU, DePaul, NW, UW, Illinois, IU, Purdue, Butler, Iowa, Maybe on XU, MSU, UM, OSU, Minny

There isn't a better spot for this idea.

[wadesworld]

This idea is great, and the perfect spot is Wintrust, it almost makes too much sense.

Benefits of Wintrust:
-Marriott Marquis literally connected to the arena
-McCormick Place utilized for practices
-Teams that can bus in: MU, DePaul, NW, UW, Illinois, IU, Purdue, Butler, Iowa, Maybe on XU, MSU, UM, OSU, Minny

There isn't a better spot for this idea.

I would think it would make most sense to play at multiple locations as well.  So you could bus over to Northwestern or UIC or whatever on game day.  I'd think you'd want multiple games going on at the same time so everyone can play every other day or something.

[WhiteTrash]

Another year - another reason to be happy with a .500 record.  Admin really did a number on your expectations.

First, I've said before this could & should be Wojo's final year. What he has accomplished has not met my expectations.

Second, if MU could get to .500 against an all BE & ACC schedule, they would be a very good team deserving of an NCAA bid.

Nova, CU, Duke, UNC, Virginia would all expect better than .500 but it would be a grind for everyone else.

[DegenerateDish]

I would think it would make most sense to play at multiple locations as well.  So you could bus over to Northwestern or UIC or whatever on game day.  I'd think you'd want multiple games going on at the same time so everyone can play every other day or something.

I was thinking that too. If you played at Wintrust, let's say first game of the day is at 10:30am. I'll go with 2 and a half hours between games, so the next games are 1pm, 3:30pm, 6pm, 8:30pm, so there'd be 5 games per day, 10 teams playing each day at Wintrust, but with 25 teams, you would probably need one additional arena. UIC probably makes the most sense from a pure location standpoint. Northwestern and AllState are too far, I doubt that Reinsdorf/Wirtz would open up the UC for something like this.

I agree with you though, they could use UIC/Loyola/UC/Northwestern/AllState/Sears Center (the two latter one's if they only had to). Heck, they could use Moody Bible if they really wanted to.

[MU82]

Another year - another reason to be happy with a .500 record.  Admin really did a number on your expectations.

I think this is an excellent thread to try to start yet another Nojo vs Projo debate. We don't have quite enough of them on Scoop.

As for the actual topic ...

It's not easy for me to envision this succeeding, but I haven't heard any better ideas so I'll keep an open mind. And if it happens, I'll obviously enjoy watching the games.

[Coleman]

This idea is great, and the perfect spot is Wintrust, it almost makes too much sense.

Benefits of Wintrust:
-Marriott Marquis literally connected to the arena
-McCormick Place utilized for practices
-Teams that can bus in: MU, DePaul, NW, UW, Illinois, IU, Purdue, Butler, Iowa, Maybe on XU, MSU, UM, OSU, Minny

There isn't a better spot for this idea.

Not to mention McPier is desperate for cash after losing all of those conventions. I'm sure they'd cut a nice deal. Great idea Dish.

Would women's teams be included in the bubble?

[Coleman]

I was thinking that too. If you played at Wintrust, let's say first game of the day is at 10:30am. I'll go with 2 and a half hours between games, so the next games are 1pm, 3:30pm, 6pm, 8:30pm, so there'd be 5 games per day, 10 teams playing each day at Wintrust, but with 25 teams, you would probably need one additional arena. UIC probably makes the most sense from a pure location standpoint. Northwestern and AllState are too far, I doubt that Reinsdorf/Wirtz would open up the UC for something like this.

I agree with you though, they could use UIC/Loyola/UC/Northwestern/AllState/Sears Center (the two latter one's if they only had to). Heck, they could use Moody Bible if they really wanted to.

If you could play 5 games in a day, would you really need another location? Its not like teams would be playing every single day. Probably 1-2 days off between games, at a minimum. 

[Dawson Rental]

I wonder if it would be possible for multiple conferences to use the same bubble.

That sort of defeats the purpose of the bubble.

[Dawson Rental]

This idea is great, and the perfect spot is Wintrust, it almost makes too much sense.

Benefits of Wintrust:
-Marriott Marquis literally connected to the arena
-McCormick Place utilized for practices
-Teams that can bus in: MU, DePaul, NW, UW, Illinois, IU, Purdue, Butler, Iowa, Maybe on XU, MSU, UM, OSU, Minny

There isn't a better spot for this idea.

I really doubt that we’ll see bubbles with teams from more than one conference. What would happen to UConn and Rutgers while their conference mates are playing in Chicago?  Having 2 or more conferences involved multiples the coordination complications, as well.

[forgetful]

LOL at zero mention as to how these students go to school.

Also, if universities insist on in-person classes to collect room and board revenue for their everyday students but then allow student-athletes to participate in a bubble with 100% online classes, it would be the height of hypocrisy, completely about money.

Not really. All universities are at least offering the option of being 100% online. They are also offering in-person classes (as at least a hybrid model) for two reasons. 1) Revenue. 2) Students want the option of being in person.

What would essentially happen in these cases, is that athletes would transition to the online aspect of a hybrid class while in the bubble, no different than a student is quarantined because of possible exposure.

So it is not hypocrisy at all, provided they give athletes the option of participating or not.

[brewcity77]

I really doubt that we’ll see bubbles with teams from more than one conference. What would happen to UConn and Rutgers while their conference mates are playing in Chicago?  Having 2 or more conferences involved multiples the coordination complications, as well.

I still think it's necessary unless we are looking at a massive tournament. There are two ways it could work. Regionally you could have Marquette, Minnesota, Green Bay, Northern Illinois, Iowa State, Valparaiso, North Dakota, Eastern Illinois form a bubble, everyone gets tested rigorously going in, quarantine for a week, then play a round robin over 13 days so all 8 teams get 7 non-con games. Alternately, they could create it around the multi-team events, so Marquette could be grouped with UCF, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Albany, Lehigh, Long Island, and Quinnipiac and play the same round-robin format. If a team has to withdraw, so be it, everyone else gets one less game.

This would at least create a basis for NET to operate while completing non-con play in 3 weeks with everyone getting 6-7 games. And as everyone would be coming from a bubble that included testing (paid for by the universities involved along with the sponsors of the MTEs) they would be more secure going into a conference bubble directly from that with the rest of December and January to run through abbreviated conference schedules.

[DegenerateDish]

Not to mention McPier is desperate for cash after losing all of those conventions. I'm sure they'd cut a nice deal. Great idea Dish.

Would women's teams be included in the bubble?

I thought about that too about the women, I don't have a good answer, and there's a catch to why I don't. I don't think that they want the men and women in the same bubble, if you catch my drift. I don't know if that went into the NBA's thinking with the WNBA, but I don't think it's a coincidence they're in different bubbles.

[SaveOD238]

Not to mention McPier is desperate for cash after losing all of those conventions. I'm sure they'd cut a nice deal. Great idea Dish.

Would women's teams be included in the bubble?

I'm pretty sure Title IX would require it

[Coleman]

I'm pretty sure Title IX would require it

They wouldn't require they are in the same bubble.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

And I'm not necessarily sure it would be required that they bubble the women as well.  They may decide to do so for PR reasons, but I doubt the DOE files a suit against schools in this situation.

[Elonsmusk]

NCAA should just cancel all sports this year, and athletes don't lose a year of their eligibility.  For seniors, they could be given an optional free year of grad school.  If they want to opt out and begin their pro careers, that's their option.

Personally, I think it ruins the experience for the seniors of this year to have to potentially play in a bubble, without fans, and that March Madness would be a shred of the experience.

[WhiteTrash]

NCAA should just cancel all sports this year, and athletes don't lose a year of their eligibility.  For seniors, they could be given an optional free year of grad school.  If they want to opt out and begin their pro careers, that's their option.

Personally, I think it ruins the experience for the seniors of this year to have to potentially play in a bubble, without fans, and that March Madness would be a shred of the experience.

It's fun to spend other people's money.

What about scolorship limits?

[Dawson Rental]

I still think it's necessary unless we are looking at a massive tournament. There are two ways it could work. Regionally you could have Marquette, Minnesota, Green Bay, Northern Illinois, Iowa State, Valparaiso, North Dakota, Eastern Illinois form a bubble, everyone gets tested rigorously going in, quarantine for a week, then play a round robin over 13 days so all 8 teams get 7 non-con games. Alternately, they could create it around the multi-team events, so Marquette could be grouped with UCF, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Albany, Lehigh, Long Island, and Quinnipiac and play the same round-robin format. If a team has to withdraw, so be it, everyone else gets one less game.

This would at least create a basis for NET to operate while completing non-con play in 3 weeks with everyone getting 6-7 games. And as everyone would be coming from a bubble that included testing (paid for by the universities involved along with the sponsors of the MTEs) they would be more secure going into a conference bubble directly from that with the rest of December and January to run through abbreviated conference schedules.

Oh, the regional bubble is for noncon only — that I get. Still all schools would have to figure out is how to get out of current contracts for noncon in order to play other schools noncon. That will only be possible if everybody nationwide gets made whole with a tourney near them. In some areas of the South organizers will find that they have plenty of teams, but not enough good ones.

[brewcity77]

Oh, the regional bubble is for noncon only — that I get. Still all schools would have to figure out is how to get out of current contracts for noncon in order to play other schools noncon. That will only be possible if everybody nationwide gets made whole with a tourney near them. In some areas of the South organizers will find that they have plenty of teams, but not enough good ones.

Remove NCSOS as a metric for this year. The changes reported to NET operate more on efficiency, so the quality of the opponent matters less than simply having a result between conferences. It would be ideal to throw at least 2-3 high majors together, but if they had 45 bubbles with roughly 8 teams each all from different conferences, it would give enough comparative data to create a baseline and strength of opponent would be offset by margin of victory. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would be manageable.

[Hards Alumni]

I know the conferences would throw a huge fit, but maybe the solution is some serious outside the box thinking.

16 regional bubbles.
Lines for the regions are drawn based on where a workable bubble could happen.
No conferences
Games are played from mid Nov - Mid Jan... basically 60 days.
60 day bubble means about 23 games (per team) need to be played TO INCLUDE ALL TEAMS
Round robin each team in the region plays each time once.
Best winning % advances to the "Super 16"

Super 16 is the National Championship bubble set in late March that plays out like an early season tournament.

The only problem I could see would be that the bubbles would be unevenly matched... but I guess that could be fixed somehow, ooorrrrrrrrrr people just deal with it for a year.

[brewcity77]

I think that's a fine idea. Could even have a 4-team tournament in each bubble before they leave to approximate the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.

The problem I see is that this conference only adhesion. It guarantees leagues won't be on even footing. I suppose that's never the case, but in terms of a pandemic and a championship process that ultimately brings 350+ teams into a postseason with a theoretical chance at winning a national championship, you need to broaden the thought process beyond conferences.

[Coleman]

I know the conferences would throw a huge fit, but maybe the solution is some serious outside the box thinking.

16 regional bubbles.
Lines for the regions are drawn based on where a workable bubble could happen.
No conferences
Games are played from mid Nov - Mid Jan... basically 60 days.
60 day bubble means about 23 games (per team) need to be played TO INCLUDE ALL TEAMS
Round robin each team in the region plays each time once.
Best winning % advances to the "Super 16"

Super 16 is the National Championship bubble set in late March that plays out like an early season tournament.

The only problem I could see would be that the bubbles would be unevenly matched... but I guess that could be fixed somehow, ooorrrrrrrrrr people just deal with it for a year.

From a pure basketball perspective, this would work.

But what about conference TV revenue? Conference NCAA credits? Figuring out the money side of this would be a nightmare.

[Hards Alumni]

From a pure basketball perspective, this would work.

But what about conference TV revenue? Conference NCAA credits? Figuring out the money side of this would be a nightmare.

TV revenue could be that the networks that have deals with conferences get first option for broadcast rights.  If its B1G network or SEC network (as an example) they can outbid each other.   I see this as a problem that is something that TV networks and conferences can work together on easily.  Negotiate.  But I guess that makes the bubble impossible.

Maybe what it does is the various bubbles each get their own network (I know this is very pie in the sky!) to minimize contact even more.  Or alternatively, the conference networks license games from each other.  The crew for each bubble remains the same, but commentators, halftime programming is all done by conference or however.  I don't know, I think this is all stuff that they should already be considering.  Sure it would take some negotiating, but it's August already.  Madness is 70 days out.  It seems like everyone is waiting until the last second to negotiate or plan their seasons.

Conference NCAA credits don't exist this year.

[brewcity77]

From a pure basketball perspective, this would work.

But what about conference TV revenue? Conference NCAA credits? Figuring out the money side of this would be a nightmare.

Broker a new one-year deal between the NCAA and networks. How many networks currently broadcast games? Must be at least 10 or so. Everyone can get a handful of pods, revenue split equally. The big conferences take a hit, but the small leagues get a bigger than normal share that hopefully allows them to keep athletics on the whole afloat. Once you get to elimination play, NCAA shares as usual.

[#UnleashSean]

I was thinking that too. If you played at Wintrust, let's say first game of the day is at 10:30am. I'll go with 2 and a half hours between games, so the next games are 1pm, 3:30pm, 6pm, 8:30pm, so there'd be 5 games per day, 10 teams playing each day at Wintrust, but with 25 teams, you would probably need one additional arena. UIC probably makes the most sense from a pure location standpoint. Northwestern and AllState are too far, I doubt that Reinsdorf/Wirtz would open up the UC for something like this.

I agree with you though, they could use UIC/Loyola/UC/Northwestern/AllState/Sears Center (the two latter one's if they only had to). Heck, they could use Moody Bible if they really wanted to.

Why do we need these huge complexes? They could literally play in a rec center with 5 courts.

[WhiteTrash]

Why do we need these huge complexes? They could literally play in a rec center with 5 courts.

I think TV coverage and locker rooms. Just 2 that I can think of.

[DegenerateDish]

Why do we need these huge complexes? They could literally play in a rec center with 5 courts.

I don’t think you understand how a bubble works.

[4everwarriors]

College sports are doomed. For my part, you can throw professional sports off a cliff and I'd ever miss it, hey?

[#UnleashSean]

I don’t think you understand how a bubble works.

How is a bubble at a closed Rec center worse then bussing teams around between 4 different sites?

[SaveOD238]

How is a bubble at a closed Rec center worse then bussing teams around between 4 different sites?

To have a bubble means having both the athletic facilities and the hotels separated from the "outside world."  At a place like McCormick place that's easier to do.

[DegenerateDish]

How is a bubble at a closed Rec center worse then bussing teams around between 4 different sites?

Teams literally wouldn’t have to walk outside at the Wintrust/Marriott/McCormick Place setup.

Unless they are still making Holi-Domes.

[BallBoy]

It would be interesting if they got rid of conference for just one season and played a true elimination style event.

There are 350 D1 teams.  You would randomly assign them to a bubble. Could be random or some allocation based on conference. That would mean 16 teams could play in 22 Bubbles (2 would only have 15). They play each other round robin. Each team would play 15 games. That is non-conference. Top 8 from each bubble move to the right to play into NCAA or NIT tournament. Bottom 8 play for CBI invite.

Every team gets placed into the next bubble either random or a bubble bracket feed in. Probably the latter to worry less about spread. There would be 11 16 team bubbles on the NIt/NCAA and another 11 for CBI.

Those 16 teams play a round robin style.   Top 8 teams from each bubble move to the NCAA. Next 3 with one play in or 32 selected teams to NIT. These are the “conf bubbles.” As each team would play 15 games. That would make a 30 game season heading into the “tournament”. You would get the Bubble champion like a conference champion.

Selected 16 in the CBI side bubbles could play for the CBI or just call it a season.

That leaves 88 remaining teams that would play in the NCAA. Top 40 teams get byes and the remaining 48 play a first round single elimination playin game. We would then have 64 teams and would play the NCAA tournament. You could eliminate the round of 88 by also just taking Top 6 with two playin games.

That remaining 22 and the NIT bubble champions could be an alternative for the NIT versus what I mentioned earlier.  This is probably a better way of getting the best teams.

No question you would likely have the 64 best teams. Each region would be a bubble of 16 teams.  You could then seed line the tourney as well.

A member of your team tests positive you are eliminated. Team you would have played advances.

Players would take classes virtually like most colleges would do anyway.  Tutors could be a part of the bubble.

I think it would be fun but could never happen. Too much TV money wrapped into conferences.

[Hards Alumni]

It would be interesting if they got rid of conference for just one season and played a true elimination style event.

There are 350 D1 teams.  You would randomly assign them to a bubble. Could be random or some allocation based on conference. That would mean 16 teams could play in 22 Bubbles (2 would only have 15). They play each other round robin. Each team would play 15 games. That is non-conference. Top 8 from each bubble move to the right to play into NCAA or NIT tournament. Bottom 8 play for CBI invite.

Every team gets placed into the next bubble either random or a bubble bracket feed in. Probably the latter to worry less about spread. There would be 11 16 team bubbles on the NIt/NCAA and another 11 for CBI.

Those 16 teams play a round robin style.   Top 8 teams from each bubble move to the NCAA. Next 3 with one play in or 32 selected teams to NIT. These are the “conf bubbles.” As each team would play 15 games. That would make a 30 game season heading into the “tournament”. You would get the Bubble champion like a conference champion.

Selected 16 in the CBI side bubbles could play for the CBI or just call it a season.

That leaves 88 remaining teams that would play in the NCAA. Top 40 teams get byes and the remaining 48 play a first round single elimination playin game. We would then have 64 teams and would play the NCAA tournament. You could eliminate the round of 88 by also just taking Top 6 with two playin games.

That remaining 22 and the NIT bubble champions could be an alternative for the NIT versus what I mentioned earlier.  This is probably a better way of getting the best teams.

No question you would likely have the 64 best teams. Each region would be a bubble of 16 teams.  You could then seed line the tourney as well.

A member of your team tests positive you are eliminated. Team you would have played advances.

Players would take classes virtually like most colleges would do anyway.  Tutors could be a part of the bubble.

I think it would be fun but could never happen. Too much TV money wrapped into conferences.

lol I'm pretty sure I recommended this a few days ago

[BallBoy]

lol I'm pretty sure I recommended this a few days ago

Similar but different.

[GooooMarquette]

College sports are doomed. For my part, you can throw professional sports off a cliff and I'd ever miss it, hey?

I'm with you there 4ever. To me, the only purpose of pro sports is to keep players motivated to be as good as they can be, so we get a good college product. Unfortunately, it often causes players to be too motivated...to the point that they skip classes, leave early, and generally focus too much on sports and not enough on school.

On balance, I'd be perfectly happy if pro sports just fell off a cliff....

[GoldenDieners32]

I really hope we get to see DJ play in the blue and gold

[GB Warrior]

Nothing says student athlete like removing them from a traditional learning environment and popping them into a months long bubble.

Honestly, the only way I think this argument makes sense is if there are no students in campus. If students are there, 'student-athletes' belong there in the most suitable learning environment.

Either way, you lose some false pretenses trying to forge ahead with a season in this environment. As with CFB (though with differing risk patterns), I think the threat to the business model is bigger than tbe disease in the grand scheme of things.

[Johnny B]

I really hope we get to see DJ play in the blue and gold

i didnt feel much excitement for this season until he was good to go so yeah

[Coleman]

Nothing says student athlete like removing them from a traditional learning environment and popping them into a months long bubble.

Honestly, the only way I think this argument makes sense is if there are no students in campus. If students are there, 'student-athletes' belong there in the most suitable learning environment.

Either way, you lose some false pretenses trying to forge ahead with a season in this environment. As with CFB (though with differing risk patterns), I think the threat to the business model is bigger than tbe disease in the grand scheme of things.

As someone pointed out before, the bubble would happen during the extended winter break from Thanksgiving to February. Students will be home.

[Not A Serious Person]

This idea is great, and the perfect spot is Wintrust, it almost makes too much sense.

Benefits of Wintrust:
-Marriott Marquis literally connected to the arena
-McCormick Place utilized for practices
-Teams that can bus in: MU, DePaul, NW, UW, Illinois, IU, Purdue, Butler, Iowa, Maybe on XU, MSU, UM, OSU, Minny

There isn't a better spot for this idea.

They spot mentioned the most is the IMG Academy in Florida.  This is where the WNBA is bubbled now.

[Not A Serious Person]

Big East Is Among Multiple Leagues Considering Bubbles For Basketball Season; IMG, Omaha In Mix
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2020/08/12/the-big-east-is-among-multiple-leagues-considering-bubbles-for-basketball-season-img-omaha-in-mix/#2252b70b33c2

The Big East Conference — which does not have football and on Wednesday postponed all fall sports — is one of several leagues considering setting up bubbles for its men’s and women’s basketball seasons, multiple sources said.

“We’re considering it along with several scheduling alternatives,” one Big East source said.

Possible locations include the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, Neb. — Creighton’s home site — and IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. where the WNBA is currently playing in a bubble. Additional locations are also being considered, the source said. It remains unclear if men’s and women’s basketball in the Big East would be in the same or different bubbles.

It’s also unclear when conference games would be played in the bubbles and how they would work in relation to school calendars. The college basketball season is set to begin Nov. 10. Last year the 90-day Big East conference schedule began Dec. 30. The league’s main TV partner, Fox, would also have to be consulted but a Fox source said there have been no discussions as of yet.

[The Big East]

Big East Is Among Multiple Leagues Considering Bubbles For Basketball Season; IMG, Omaha In Mix
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2020/08/12/the-big-east-is-among-multiple-leagues-considering-bubbles-for-basketball-season-img-omaha-in-mix/#2252b70b33c2

The Big East Conference — which does not have football and on Wednesday postponed all fall sports — is one of several leagues considering setting up bubbles for its men’s and women’s basketball seasons, multiple sources said.

“We’re considering it along with several scheduling alternatives,” one Big East source said.

Possible locations include the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha, Neb. — Creighton’s home site — and IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. where the WNBA is currently playing in a bubble. Additional locations are also being considered, the source said. It remains unclear if men’s and women’s basketball in the Big East would be in the same or different bubbles.

It’s also unclear when conference games would be played in the bubbles and how they would work in relation to school calendars. The college basketball season is set to begin Nov. 10. Last year the 90-day Big East conference schedule began Dec. 30. The league’s main TV partner, Fox, would also have to be consulted but a Fox source said there have been no discussions as of yet.

Creighton Has a perfect setup for a bubble. The CHI health center is Directly connected to the Hilton Omaha which is a very large hotel . There is a overhead pedestrian walkway between the two locations so a player literally wouldn’t have to leave the bubble.

[warriorchick]

Creighton Has a perfect setup for a bubble. The CHI health center is Directly connected to the Hilton Omaha which is a very large hotel . There is a overhead pedestrian walkway between the two locations so a player literally wouldn’t have to leave the bubble.

Also, Omaha has fewer reasons to leave the bubble.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Knowing the historical base of the conference, I would investigate Mohegan Sun.  Also the Dunk has a hotel basically across the street that may work. 

[The Big East]

Also, Omaha has fewer reasons to leave the bubble.

The breakfast buffet at the Hilton is tremendous as well.

[warriorchick]

The breakfast buffet at the Hilton is tremendous as well.

In all fairness, Omaha is a pretty underrated town.  The Old Market is very cool.

[MU82]

Also, Omaha has fewer reasons to leave the bubble.

Teal was SO unnecessary, chickadee!

[WhiteTrash]

In all fairness, Omaha is a pretty underrated town.  The Old Market is very cool.

As a parent of Creighton student, I have to agree. While not Chicago or like wise, it's a good city. Home to 3 or 4 Fourtune 500 companies.

[warriorchick]

As a parent of Creighton student, I have to agree. While not Chicago or like wise, it's a good city. Home to 3 or 4 Fourtion 500 companies.

Good enough for Warren Buffet.

[wadesworld]

The little area down by the UNO basketball arena is pretty cool.

[Herman Cain]

Good enough for Warren Buffet.

Buffet has his office Christmas Lunch at The Hilton in the Private dining room in the back of the Restaurant . He has been seen occasionally at a Creighton game as well with The President of Creighton

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Buffet has his office Christmas Lunch at The Hilton in the Private dining room in the back of the Restaurant . He has been seen occasionally at a Creighton game as well with The President of Creighton

[MU82]

Buffet has his office Christmas Lunch at The Hilton

Is the food served buffett-style?

[tower912]

No, but come Monday, you get drunk and screw.

[MU82]

No, but come Monday, you get drunk and screw.

Only after I have changes in attitude and changes in latitude.

[Hards Alumni]

Buffet has his office Christmas Lunch at The Hilton in the Private dining room in the back of the Restaurant . He has been seen occasionally at a Creighton game as well with The President of Creighton

[The Big East]

Buffet has his office Christmas Lunch at The Hilton in the Private dining room in the back of the Restaurant . He has been seen occasionally at a Creighton game as well with The President of Creighton

https://omaha.com/business/local/omaha-s-megabillionaire-down-the-street-warren-buffett-set-to-celebrate-his-90th-birthday/article_52ccc925-378c-5094-8a1f-b57b3d3fb8bc.html

[brewcity77]

Oh FFS. Are you that desperate to be the next Chicos?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

From today's New Haven Register.

https://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/ODN/NewHavenRegister/Default.aspx

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Mohegan Sun open to hosting a bubble
By Doug Bonjour

As the NCAA continues to monitor COVID-19, including its impact on the college basketball season, officials at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville are hopeful they will be able to host games as planned this fall.

However, beyond the events that have been locked into place for months, such as the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase featuring UConn and Quinnipiac, the venue may also serve as a “bubble” site amid the pandemic.

“The NCAA is going to say whether you can start your season Nov. 10 or a different week,” said Dave Martinelli, chief marketing officer at Mohegan Sun. “The later they start that first game, the more prevalent a bubble could be. You’re going to have a lot of teams looking to play as many games as they can play.

“Once that decision is made on when the season will start, I think people will move extremely quickly.”

The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees are expected to propose a start date of Nov. 25 — the day after Thanksgiving — later this month, according to multiple reports.

To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, coaches and administrators have publicly floated the idea of trying something similar to the NBA and WNBA, where teams could play multiple games without having to worry about traveling from coast to coast.

Martinelli, who has been working in conjunction with the Basketball Hall of Fame, said numerous options are currently on the table, including 16 men’s or women’s teams playing four games each over the course of eight days in the main 10,000 seat arena. The Expo and Convention Center may also serve as a site.

“You could fit four courts down there and really churn through a lot of games,” Martinelli said. “This bubble option gives you an alternative, a more efficient way to fill out your non-conference schedule.”

Players, coaches and staff would be housed at the on-site hotel. All food and beverage service would be handled under the same roof.

“The bubble’s going to be as tight as the teams and conferences want it to be,” Martinelli said. “They could have floors of the hotel with only the basketball team, and they could go back-of-the-house to the arena or the Expo Center. But that’s going to be the team’s decision.”

A few early season non-conference tournaments are scheduled to be played there, including the Air Force Reserve Hall of Fame Tip-off, an eight-team men’s tournament (including Quinnipiac), on Nov. 21-22, the aforementioned Women’s Hall of Showcase the following weekend, and two tripleheaders in December.

Mohegan Sun, the longtime home of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, is also slated to host the Big East Women’s Basketball Tournament for the next three seasons. It was staged in Chicago six of the last seven years, with a brief stop in Milwaukee. This move coincides with UConn’s return to the conference.

There was a push for it to be played at Mohegan during the old Big East. But at the time, some of the league’s presidents didn’t like the optics of holding the event inside a casino. Apparently, the majority of feelings have changed.

“I think there was just a change in the way that gaming is viewed in our society,” Martinelli said. “Since the 10-plus years that decision was made, UConn and almost every other Big East school has played here in some sort of fashion, whether it’s a tournament or a one-off game. There’s a much better comfortability of playing here.

“I don’t know how the Big East voted. I just know they voted positively.”

dbonjour@ctpost.com ; @DougBonjour

[MU82]

From today's New Haven Register.

https://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/ODN/NewHavenRegister/Default.aspx

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Mohegan Sun open to hosting a bubble

I'd wager that would be quite a gamble.

[GooooMarquette]

I'd wager that would be quite a gamble.

I see what you did there....