More conference realignment talk

[Coleman]

Seth Davis reporting Gonzaga to the Big XII has picked up some steam and may happen as soon as next season.

If it happens, it happens. I would have rather the Big East have picked them up, but I'd also rather the Big XII go after Gonzaga than take UConn from us. 

[MUbiz]

If it happens, it happens. I would have rather the Big East have picked them up, but I'd also rather the Big XII go after Gonzaga than take UConn from us.

I would guess that if the Zags go to B12, that would open the door for Uconn to follow.  Yormark wants to assemble teams for a basketball only TV contract by end of decade.

[Uncle Rico]

I would guess that if the Zags go to B12, that would open the door for Uconn to follow.  Yormark wants to assemble teams for a basketball only TV contract by end of decade.

Yup.  Always dominoes falling.  Also, I'm at 50/50 the tournament as we know it is dead sooner than later and the days of non-power schools being invited are over

[WhiteTrash]

I would guess that if the Zags go to B12, that would open the door for Uconn to follow.  Yormark wants to assemble teams for a basketball only TV contract by end of decade.

They will be diluting the football money if they add UCONN. The Fox deal only pays more for adding existing P5 schools. Seems unlikely to me, but so does Cal and Stanford in the ACC.

[Uncle Rico]

They will be diluting the football money if they add UCONN. The Fox deal only pays more for adding existing P5 schools. Seems unlikely to me, but so does Cal and Stanford in the ACC.

I'd put UConn to the Big XII at about 90% likely

[MUbiz]

They will be diluting the football money if they add UCONN. The Fox deal only pays more for adding existing P5 schools. Seems unlikely to me, but so does Cal and Stanford in the ACC.

Yormark has publicly stated during the next round of TV deals, he wants 2 separate contracts: 1 for football and 1 for basketball. This would open the door for schools like Gonzaga and other basketball only schools. In this scenario, there is no diluting of football money.

[MU82]

If UConn and Gonzaga go to the B12, and if the BEast is looking like it's even possibly on shaky ground in the ensuing 5-10 years, I hope we can join several other top BEast hoops schools in whatever basketball-centric thing the B12 would be putting together.

[MUbiz]

If UConn and Gonzaga go to the B12, and if the BEast is looking like it's even possibly on shaky ground in the ensuing 5-10 years, I hope we can join several other top BEast hoops schools in whatever basketball-centric thing the B12 would be putting together.

There is also the possibility of the BE merging with the ACC in 10 years or so. Which would be much better geographically sans Stanford and Cal.

[WhiteTrash]

Yormark has publicly stated during the next round of TV deals, he wants 2 separate contracts: 1 for football and 1 for basketball. This would open the door for schools like Gonzaga and other basketball only schools. In this scenario, there is no diluting of football money.

Anything is possible 6 years from now.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Wonder who will be paying increased $$$ - ESPN or Fox or both.  Fox could save money, and hurt ESPN, by just paying Gonzaga to be part of the BE/Fox deal.  Despite the BE currently in ongoing negotiations with Fox, surprised it hasn't been floated.

Gonzaga to the Big East, and UConn to an all-sports league, make a ton of sense from a long-term perspective. We will see.

[Hards Alumni]

Four Big East schools play football. They could use more rivals.

Ah, but zero Big East schools play meaningful football.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Wonder who will be paying increased $$$ - ESPN or Fox or both.  Fox could save money, and hurt ESPN, by just paying Gonzaga to be part of the BE/Fox deal.  Despite the BE currently in ongoing negotiations with Fox, surprised it hasn't been floated.

Gonzaga to the Big East, and UConn to an all-sports league, make a ton of sense from a long-term perspective. We will see.

I get the impression from reading Val's interview, that there wasn't much mutual interest in the Zags joining the BE.

[WhiteTrash]

I get the impression from reading Val's interview, that there wasn't much mutual interest in the Zags joining the BE.

Saw an article (don't have the link) that multiple B12 presidents said Gonzaga ain't happening.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Saw an article (don't have the link) that multiple B12 presidents said Gonzaga ain't happening.

Yeah honestly I don't understand their commissioners fascination with it.

[MUbiz]

Saw an article (don't have the link) that multiple B12 presidents said Gonzaga ain't happening.

I saw Matt Norlander tweeting out that it is not happening as well: https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1711764584854393243

[MUbiz]

Norlander also says UCONN is off the table in a different tweet: https://twitter.com/MattNorlander/status/1711770030264778865

Probably good for the pending TV deal.

[StillAWarrior]

Yeah honestly I don't understand their commissioners fascination with it.

I'm personally not a fan of Gonzaga to the BE...but at least I can understand why that might appeal to some. Gonzaga has a great MBB program. The BE is a great MBB conference. Gonzaga offers what the BE values most. 

But Gonzaga doesn't offer what the B12 values most. I don't know why B12 would take them. As much as it pains me to say it, UConn to the B12 makes more sense to me than Gonzaga to the B12 -- at least they have football.

[MUbiz]

I'm personally not a fan of Gonzaga to the BE...but at least I can understand why that might appeal to some. Gonzaga has a great MBB program. The BE is a great MBB conference. Gonzaga offers what the BE values most. 

But Gonzaga doesn't offer what the B12 values most. I don't know why B12 would take them. As much as it pains me to say it, UConn to the B12 makes a lot more sense to me than Gonzaga to the B12.

Big 12 wanted to add UConn as a bball member only - this is a non starter for Uconn due to finances. My guess is, at this point, Uconn waits to ACC implosion and gets full membership there.

[StillAWarrior]

Big 12 wanted to add UConn as a bball member only - this is a non starter for Uconn due to finances. My guess is, at this point, Uconn waits to ACC implosion and gets full membership there.

I suspect you're right.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Yeah honestly I don't understand their commissioners fascination with it.

I think Yormack has accepted that the B12 will forever be the "third" power football conference, far behind the B1G/SEC. I think he sees value in cementing the B12's status as the top basketball conference, invest in the conference's strength so to speak.

I have no idea if his idea will work (right now it's not financially feasible without the B12's current members taking a paycut). However, I think he is the biggest threat to the Big East's future. If the P3 start taking basketball only schools....I don't see the BEast surviving.

[Shooter McGavin]

I think Yormack has accepted that the B12 will forever be the "third" power football conference, far behind the B1G/SEC. I think he sees value in cementing the B12's status as the top basketball conference, invest in the conference's strength so to speak.

I have no idea if his idea will work (right now it's not financially feasible without the B12's current members taking a paycut). However, I think he is the biggest threat to the Big East's future. If the P3 start taking basketball only schools....I don't see the BEast surviving.

Agreed.  This would be a huge problem for the Big East.  Wouldn't blame schools that left and would hope MU was one of them.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I think Yormack has accepted that the B12 will forever be the "third" power football conference, far behind the B1G/SEC. I think he sees value in cementing the B12's status as the top basketball conference, invest in the conference's strength so to speak.

I have no idea if his idea will work (right now it's not financially feasible without the B12's current members taking a paycut). However, I think he is the biggest threat to the Big East's future. If the P3 start taking basketball only schools....I don't see the BEast surviving.

I just don't think it will be financially feasible.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I just don't think it will be financially feasible.

It's not now. But eventually the Power 3 will reach saturation in football. My guess is that they won't be content there and will search for other ways to increase their power and revenue. I could see many ways that this plays out, one of them being expanding in basketball only. I think a basketball conference can take on more teams than football before reaching saturation. No idea if this will come to pass, but I think Yormack is interested in making it happen.

[Tyler COLEk]

Yormark has publicly stated during the next round of TV deals, he wants 2 separate contracts: 1 for football and 1 for basketball. This would open the door for schools like Gonzaga and other basketball only schools. In this scenario, there is no diluting of football money.

We keep going in circles on this point: UConn is excited about the prospect of a full B12 membership; the Big 12 is excited about the prospect of UConn as a basketball-only member. Neither party is excited about the same potential outcome.

We don't have any evidence that jumping to the Big 12 on a non-football deal makes any sense for UConn, financially or otherwise, especially given their exorbitant Big East exit fees. We're all conditioned to assume that any non-P3 school would come running to the SEC/B10/B12, but that logic only holds when an invitee gets a piece of the football pie.

Furthering the same point, I don't see the logic in assuming the Big East is dead if the P3 starts adding basketball-only schools. Are P3 conferences going to pay a premium for the top basketball schools to draw them away from the Big East? Why would that even be appealing for P3 schools; isn't the theoretical motivation that they want to make and keep more money? If a UConn would give them a media deal bump, but they'd have to distribute that extra revenue directly to UConn to lure them in the first place, what's the point of making the add?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

We keep going in circles on this point: UConn is excited about the prospect of a full B12 membership; the Big 12 is excited about the prospect of UConn as a basketball-only member. Neither party is excited about the same potential outcome.

We don't have any evidence that jumping to the Big 12 on a non-football deal makes any sense for UConn, financially or otherwise, especially given their exorbitant Big East exit fees. We're all conditioned to assume that any non-P3 school would come running to the SEC/B10/B12, but that logic only holds when an invitee gets a piece of the football pie.

Furthering the same point, I don't see the logic in assuming the Big East is dead if the P3 starts adding basketball-only schools. Are P3 conferences going to pay a premium for the top basketball schools to draw them away from the Big East? Why would that even be appealing for P3 schools; isn't the theoretical motivation that they want to make and keep more money? If a UConn would give them a media deal bump, but they'd have to distribute that extra revenue directly to UConn to lure them in the first place, what's the point of making the add?

Eliminating a rival conference, consolidating power, and mostly because ESPN or FOX tells them to.

If the P3 start adding basketball only schools, it will be because it makes sense for them to do so. It doesn't right now, so they haven't. Will that always be the case? I don't know.