Will our scheduling change now that we have a new coach?

[mugrad99]

Reason, I ask, the former coach's comments on the Indystar.com page:

A: "A few of the non-conference games. There's a couple of decisions we still have to make schedule wise. We met on that two days ago. And that was good. Tim Fitzpatrick has done an excellent job. Really, I like the setup because we have the same setup at Marquette where our senior deputy and I worked together on the schedule.

Courtesy of Terry Hutchen's blog

[1990Warrior]

For next year, I would not expect anything but cupcakes besides the WI, Tenn and Chi invitational.  It will be interesting to see what he does for 2009 to replace Tenn and the Chi invitational. Hopefully, a pre-season tourny and a home-home with someone good - we will find out during next season I guess.

[4everwarriors]

Depends whether Buzz wants to pad his winning percentage resume like the now departed limp richard coach or whether he wants to be a man about scheduling and build a solid program.

[Tugg Speedman]

Depends whether Buzz wants to pad his winning percentage resume like the now departed limp richard coach or whether he wants to be a man about scheduling and build a solid program.

The BE could send as many as 10 teams to the tourney next year.  Once January 1 hits, BE schools will race up the SOS ranking as they play top teams every week.

See 'cuse.  They have missed the tourney two year running.  Had they played a weaker non-conference schedule and racked up more wins, they might have made it to the big dance.

As long as the BE is this tough, who MU plays during winter break makes no difference.  Just don't go overboard and schedule MSOE and Cardinal Strict.

[Tribby]

See 'cuse.  They have missed the tourney two year running.  Had they played a weaker non-conference schedule and racked up more wins, they might have made it to the big dance.

They could just join the MEAC and they'd win the auto berth outright every season.

You make sacrifices by playing in the best conference in America, but it's worth it.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Depends whether Buzz wants to pad his winning percentage resume like the now departed limp richard coach or whether he wants to be a man about scheduling and build a solid program.

Yeah because we didn't have a solid program before?   


Please take a look back at the last 19 years and tell me how many times we didn't play 16 home games.  If you don't want to look, the answer is twice and there were reasons for both of those years having to play 15.

The only way I see that changing is if the administration (not MU Athletics, but Wild / Kliebahn, etc) decide to take a risk on revenues for that 16th game and go to a 15 game home schedule.

I will be SHOCKED if they do.  Absolutely shocked.  The risk / reward is not there as it relates to getting into the post season, additional revenue, etc. 

It has NOTHING to do with being a man or anything else, unless you're saying Rick, Bob, Kevin, Mike were all limp as well. 

[1990Warrior]

How much revenue does a home game generate?

[Tugg Speedman]

MU averaged over 16,000 per game last year.  What is the average tix price?  If $20, than $320,000

[THEGYMBAR]

They will continue to play crap games to generate revenue. This is a major problem at MU. No other sport carries their weight and men's bball is stuck holding the bill.

Their schedule is and I am afraid will remain a joke. I would rather they charge more money for tickets and play tougher non conference schedule.

[mugrad99]

Just maybe the quality of those teams.  I really don't know much about trying to schedule, but aren't there better teams that don't require a return game? Would every Horizon or MAC team require one?

[StillAWarrior]

I propose a home and home with Cleveland State.  Or Akron.  Kent?  Please!

[mugrad99]

Please re-read my post...I asked for one's that don't require a home game

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just maybe the quality of those teams.  I really don't know much about trying to schedule, but aren't there better teams that don't require a return game? Would every Horizon or MAC team require one?

Not many and you only have about 80 to 100 teams trying to get those same guys on their schedule.  If folks want to see a better non-conference schedule, get out of the Big East into a smaller league with less conference games and less tough games overall.

Otherwise, MU will play the nonconference schedule they play so they have a chance to make the NCAA tournament and will not offset revenue. 

It's a simple mathematical numbers game.  Most of that 16K per game is season tickets which are going to renew whether you have 16 games against great competition or a mixed bag (i.e. soft non-conference and great conference).  Those are practically fixed revenues at this point from season ticket holders.  So the question becomes is it worth sacrificing $320K (to use the figure above), most of it from season ticket holders and suite holders you get anyway, to play 15 games and hope you get an attractive enough ONE GAME back EVERY OTHER YEAR to make up the difference.  And the math doesn't work.  In that one game you might get 19,000 people, 3000 over the average.  The tickets they will be buying are the cheapest seats, let's just say on average $13....so you made an incremental $39000 for that one game, every other year but you gave up $320K in revenue.

It doesn't work.


Now, Indee is suggesting games that don't require a home and home, that's great in theory but very very very difficult in reality.  Almost all of the A-10, MAC, Missouri Valley want a return game or such a hefty payment that it makes it not very worthwhile.

Unfortunately for MU fans and ticket holders, they do a terrible job of truly going through the numbers and explaining the scheduling process and the financial realities to fans, including the huge incoming dollars for making the NCAA tournament, which isn't even factored in above.  You have to give your school a fighting shot to get into the tournament for any number of reasons, including the reward money.  Or you can schedule like DePaul, not go to the tournament every year, start going into more and more losing seasons, have attendance drop off because of the W-L's and then you're really screwed.

Stillawarrior....the Akron AD is a former MU guy...send him a letter....but I'd bet dollars to doughnuts the answer is no without a return game.  Just look at their schedule this past year (or Kent's)....mostly home games and their away games were against no high majors.

http://www.kenpom.com/sked.php?team=Akron

[MUPig]

As much I we would like to see a better schedule, it wouldn't benefit the program all that much, other than the fans would be happier.  Most of the top teams have a primarily a cupcake schedule (with the possible exception of Memphis - which has a cupcake conference schedule).  I doubt if MU will change their philosophy all that much - a quality preseason tourney (which will give you 2-3 good games), Wisconsin, one other major program and Savannah State 10 times.  The conference schedule alone should raise the SOS for the rest of the year. 

I'll have to look up and see what the lowest SOS was in the BEast.

[Niv Berkowitz]

Chicos, excellent points. If only MU put out some powerpoint on their AD website that explained the process for people and people would understand.

MU must play a min. and max. number of home games. Like Chicos said, their season tix holders will be there in mid-December vs. Savannah State, or vs. Tennessee. You will get that extra 3-6,000. And while it may not cost a lot more in dollars to bring in Tenn than someone else, it would most likely require a return trip there (and a potential loss).

Consider that mens hoops is MU's cash cow. The more post-season success it has, the more interest the program builds. The more tix that are sold. While I would love to see them play tougher people in non-conference - just like most would like to see tougher football games too at premier D-1 schools - the fact of the matter is that in today's economic climate and budgets, it's not financially responsible of MU to trot out a difficult non-conf season.

The risks are just far too great.

As for getting tougher games to MU, I always go back to my sports mktg class at MU and how difficult putting a schedule together is. Many people complain about, "well, why don't you bring in Duke or Florida or Kansas." The answer for the uber-premier teams is simple - they can pick and choose ANYONE they want. And, if you are a KU, Duke, whatever, why would you take a chance to travel to MU and possibly lose, when you can just as easily schedule a game vs. Alcorn State, stay home, and guarantee a win? And, if Duke or whoever wins at MU, it's expected. Where as, if MU wins, it makes their year. Flip that around...again, why would Duke or whoever want to play a tough game at home vs. MU when it can just as easily play some terrible team and get a guaranteed win.

We may not like it, but that's just how it is today for MU...especially now that we play in the toughest conference in the country. I'd just say, deal with it and enjoy the fact that seven of our nine BEast games are usually outstanding. Who else can say that about their conference?

[Tums Festival]

Niv, I agree. It's good for us when traditional opponents like Wisconsin are also highly ranked. Several years ago during the KO era, we had a brutal non-conference schedule and we didn't come out too well. The BE provides plenty of quality opponents for us.