More conference realignment talk

[The Sultan]

It's Gonzaga and at this point I'm guessing it's 70/30 happening.

My bet is Basketball Only (NCAA rules are made to be broken) and the WCC is made whole by an exit penalty 6-7 times higher than currently required. 

If the Zags don't happen, nothing happens.

Why would the WCC allow them to do this?  It is illogical to think they would be able to retain membership in all sports but the one that actually earns revenue.

[The Lens]

Why would the WCC allow them to do this?  It is illogical to think they would be able to retain membership in all sports but the one that actually earns revenue.

💰💰💰

I think FOX d/b/a The Big East will make it worth their while. 

It's 2021, everything is on the table.   

[The Sultan]

Looks like the AAC is gutting the CUSA by adding UAB, Charlotte, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.

[The Sultan]

Looks like the AAC is gutting the CUSA by adding UAB, Charlotte, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.

Wonder if adding Temple would move the needle for the BE media partners?  Because they can't be happy as geographic outliers in this conference.

[Billy Hoyle]

Looks like the AAC is gutting the CUSA by adding UAB, Charlotte, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.

Are those additions or who they're targeting?

Either way, it's definitely not enough to convince SMU to not jump to the MWC.

[tower912]

Wonder if adding Temple would move the needle for the BE media partners?  Because they can't be happy as geographic outliers in this conference.

Villanova might have an opinion.

[The Sultan]

Villanova might have an opinion.

They might.  But they are clearly the big dog in the city and if it's good for the conference, I am sure they will come around.

[JWags85]

Villanova might have an opinion.

St John's and SHU get by just fine.  Philly is a big enough market for both and Nova is a monster

[Uncle Rico]

St John's and SHU get by just fine.  Philly is a big enough market for both and Nova is a monster

Temple isn't giving up football

[The Sultan]

Temple isn't giving up football

Could they take it independent?

[Dr. Blackheart]

💰💰💰

I think FOX d/b/a The Big East will make it worth their while. 

It's 2021, everything is on the table.

WCC is ESPN. The Zags put the BE into three time zones. Nova vs. Zags will get East and West Coast viewers. Portland vs. Zags gets you ESPN+. 

#eyeballs

[Uncle Rico]

Could they take it independent?

I suppose.  If expansion is being driven by tv, I just don't see another Philly school being considered.  I like the idea of Temple basketball in the Big East far more than St. Louis but I don't think they're in the discussion

[Billy Hoyle]

WCC is ESPN. The Zags put the BE into three time zones. Nova vs. Zags will get East and West Coast viewers. Portland vs. Zags gets you ESPN+. 

#eyeballs

Nova v. Zags would have to be on a weekend every year then, because the time difference would mean late tips out east (depressing viewing numbers) or early tips out west (depressing viewing numbers).

Besides, the Zags are already on ESPN for every conference game. They're getting more money from the deal than other teams in the conference, and they take a larger share of tourney units. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Looks like the AAC is gutting the CUSA by adding UAB, Charlotte, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.

That's quite the response to the CUSAs realignment proposal, lol

[Mr. Nielsen]

Being picky here but every Gonzaga conference game is not on ESPN. Many are not even on national TV. Some started to be on CBSSN last season. Still with that every game is still not on national tv.

[Herman Cain]

Looks like the AAC is gutting the CUSA by adding UAB, Charlotte, UTSA, Rice, North Texas and Florida Atlantic.

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1450235477022449665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1450235478532308992%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdknation.draftkings.com%2F2021%2F10%2F18%2F22733565%2Famerican-conference-expansion-plan-14-teams-fau-charlotte-north-texas-utsa-rice-uab-applications

These are good moves by the AAC. Their conference is starting to take better shape geographically. Now they have two teams in Florida, Two in North Carolina, 4 in Texas and

One positive thing about the ESPN relationship with the AAC, is they put some of their football games on ABC. Lots of people see those games.

[Herman Cain]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Here is an article from Rice student newspaper pounding the table for Rice to join AAC. Gives a very nice history of Rice sports and the old Southwest Conference.

https://www.ricethresher.org/article/2021/09/conference-realignment-is-on-its-way-rice-cant-afford-to-miss-out

[Nukem2]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Here is an article from Rice student newspaper pounding the table for Rice to join AAC. Gives a very nice history of Rice sports and the old Southwest Conference.

https://www.ricethresher.org/article/2021/09/conference-realignment-is-on-its-way-rice-cant-afford-to-miss-out

Good stuff, but Rice is kinda an outlier in all this.  Good luck on the AAC, but rather doubt it....?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Nova v. Zags would have to be on a weekend every year then, because the time difference would mean late tips out east (depressing viewing numbers) or early tips out west (depressing viewing numbers).

Besides, the Zags are already on ESPN for every conference game. They're getting more money from the deal than other teams in the conference, and they take a larger share of tourney units.

But they'll be on Fox not ESPN. Bidding war between the two.
#WCC dead

[The Sultan]

Good stuff, but Rice is kinda an outlier in all this.  Good luck on the AAC, but rather doubt it....?

Doubt that they will be joining?  It's being widely reported that they are.  Doubt they will be successful?  You are probably right.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

It all kind of sounds like this.  No definite yeses like the UConn return. 

Notre Dame - Not happening.

Gonzaga - Yes - Can they overcome the distance to the rest of the Big East?  We'll see soon enough what the BE & Fox & GU can work it out.

Kansas, Cincinnati, West Virginia, BYU - If they went independent in football they could make interesting additions (despite a Cincy overlap)?  Maybe, but the Big 12 seems very stable with the four additions and none of these schools will be going this route.  Definitely not an option.

Memphis - If they went independent in football?  Sounds like with all the baggage that comes with Memphis this will never happen no matter how much money FOX Sports or FedEx throws at the BE.

Temple -  If they went independent in football?  As already stated despite the Philly overlap, would be an interesting addition of a legacy Top 25 basketball university.  No smoke or tea leaves mentioning this so doesn't seem likely.

Saint Louis, VCU, Dayton - They expand geographically and they don't hurt, but they don't really help the BE either.  Not sure how "new markets" any fit the FOX Sports plans?  And ABD.

Denver - Already in the Big East.  They add a market if that's important to FOX & the BE.  They know how to run championship programs.  But, absolutely no history in basketball.  Absolutely no cachet in basketball.  Can they move to the Nuggets arena and do to basketball what they do in lacrosse & hockey?  Does them being a lacrosse member allow them to ask for more or else threaten to move their lacrosse program or something like that?  There ar eno rumors of this happening?

St. Thomas - Minneapolis.  Yeahhh, OK riggghhhtt!?

[Billy Hoyle]

It all kind of sounds like this.  No definite yeses like the UConn return. 



Denver - Already in the Big East.  They add a market if that's important to FOX & the BE.  They know how to run championship programs.  But, absolutely no history in basketball.  Absolutely no cachet in basketball.  Can they move to the Nuggets arena and do to basketball what they do in lacrosse & hockey?  Does them being a lacrosse member allow them to ask for more or else threaten to move their lacrosse program or something like that?  There ar eno rumors of this happening?

Denver moved from their own hockey arena to play in their 2500 seat gym and averaged 990 per game in 2019-20. How the hell would they move Ball Arena?  They're a WCC possibility but that's still a stretch.

Also, while they pay their hockey coach and MSOC coach over $250k, the basketball search last year was hampered by the salary being offered around $150k. Their WBB coach is under $100k. DePaul went cheap wth $1.5 million for MBB. Do you think all of a sudden they're going to increase their coaching salaries?

[The Lens]

Don't overthink this.  Val is going shopping and she's not looking at Macy's (Temple) or Kohl's (SLU) or Walmart (Dayton) .

She'll visit Barney's (Notre Dame) and Bergdorf Goodman (Kansas) and end up buying at Sak's (Gonzaga)

#DoneDeal.

[muwarrior69]

Yikes! Gonzaga in the BE; another 2 losses in our schedule.

[The Sultan]

Don't overthink this.  Val is going shopping and she's not looking at Macy's (Temple) or Kohl's (SLU) or Walmart (Dayton) .

She'll visit Barney's (Notre Dame) and Bergdorf Goodman (Kansas) and end up buying at Sak's (Gonzaga)

#DoneDeal.

I have no idea what any of this means.