Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[Sactowndog]

The recent deal for Fox to broadcast half the B1G games should help the BE. It will put FS1 in more households. Those are households which have more than a passing interest in the BE since 8 of 10 BE members are in B1G markets.

Perhaps but the ratings I cited were on Fox. Fox was in plenty of homes yet the Big East was trailing the A10, MWC and ACC. The rating increase cited by many can easily be explained by moving from FS1 to Fox as opposed to any inherent increase in interest. If you can't out draw other minor conferences on Fox how will increase in FS1 viewership really make a difference.

[Sactowndog]

Groundhog Day repeat comment from me:

BE fanbases go beyond just the alums and student bodies. This is very very important to understand. This is true post-BE also with UConn and Syracuse as well.

If the fan bases are as deep as you claim why the poor rating on Fox OTA??

[Xavier4036]

Sactowndog - just go away.

You are talking about how "uncompelling" of a conference the Big East is - yet you are here posting on a Big East board.

Go watch Fresno St, Wyoming and San Diego State basketball games as you obviously find those programs/conferences "compelling"

[Vill]

Can't wait til v.2017

[TAMU Eagle]

Just want to get your guy's input on this. Who realistically, in your opinion and maybe why, are long term candidates for BIG EAST expansion? With the next round of realignment likely in 2023-2025 who has the capacity to force the BIG EAST to talk about them?

First let me be clear, I am not in favor of expansion that this point. I think the Big East has a great thing going right now and I see no need to mess with it.

That being said, to answer your question of who has the capacity to force the BIG EAST to talk about them down the road - the only answer that comes to mind for me is St. Louis. The reason being they are the only candidate mentioned here who checks off every box that isn't fixable.

- Private School? Check.
- Urban Location? Check
- Geographic Fit? Check.
- Major media (and excellent sports) market? Check.
- Big East Quality Arena? Check.
- Untapped Market for BE? Check.

School that's about to go bankrupt? Check
Terrible basketball program? Check
No fan base? Check

Big East doesn't care about schools being Private or Urban. They want quality basketball programs that will drive eyeballs to FS1 and schools with the finances to make investments in their athletics. There are currently no basketball only schools that fit this bill. Dayton and VCU might be the closest but are not expansion worthy at this time.

The college sport landscape will look very different 8 years from now. If UConn drops football, grab them. But other than that? Wait for the next round of realignment/lawsuits against football programs/safety concerns for football players to pass and see who is available. We are no rush.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

The only answer that comes to mind for me is St. Louis. The reason being they are the only candidate mentioned here who checks off every box that isn't fixable.

School that's about to go bankrupt? Check
Terrible basketball program? Check
No fan base? Check

SLU Report Details Challenges in Finances, Enrollment - St. Louis Public Radio – September 6, 2016

"Without implementing significant changes, an annual loss in the range of $10 to $20 million is projected through our bicentennial year (2018) and beyond. Cumulative financial losses over time constrain our ability to pursue strategic plans, address academic needs, invest in our people, and serve the St. Louis region. "

Enrollment, as measured by full-time-equivalent students, has dropped to its lowest level since 2010, at 11,500. At the same time, scholarships and grants as a percentage of tuition and fees is up sharply, to 34 percent last year from 27 percent in 2010, and federal government research grants and contracts are down to $29 million in 2015 from $40 million three years earlier. Financially, income is down while expenses are up; and compared with its peer institutions, such as Loyola of Chicago, Marquette, and Tulane, SLU does not fare well.

RPI # 314 Saint Louis (2-5) has not yet played an RPI Top 100 team, and has not yet beaten an RPI Top 300 team.

Saint Louis Billikens Average Home Basketball Attendance • 2013-14 • 2014-15 • 2015-16 • 2016-17: 8,428 • 7,032 • 6,757 • 5,874

10,600-seat Chaifetz Arena is looking a bit empty these days. And sad.

[DudeAnon]

SLU is an interesting case. If Majerus were still alive they would almost be a perfect pick. As it is though Jim Crews did a fine job tearing down everything Majerus had built up. So now they have Travis Ford who has done a ridiculously good job recruiting thus far. So their next few years will be interesting and important.

[stever20]

If Majerus was alive, I firmly believe that SLU would have been in rather than Creighton. Just closer in and I don't think they wanted to go past 10 at the start of things. But when Majerus passed, it made SLU a total and complete question mark- and as we later found out, for great reason.

The question for SLU will be if they get good, will Ford leave and not see it out, since they're in the A10?

[Hall2012]

Just want to get your guy's input on this. Who realistically, in your opinion and maybe why, are long term candidates for BIG EAST expansion? With the next round of realignment likely in 2023-2025 who has the capacity to force the BIG EAST to talk about them?

First let me be clear, I am not in favor of expansion that this point. I think the Big East has a great thing going right now and I see no need to mess with it.

That being said, to answer your question of who has the capacity to force the BIG EAST to talk about them down the road - the only answer that comes to mind for me is St. Louis. The reason being they are the only candidate mentioned here who checks off every box that isn't fixable.

- Private School? Check.
- Urban Location? Check
- Geographic Fit? Check.
- Major media (and excellent sports) market? Check.
- Big East Quality Arena? Check.
- Untapped Market for BE? Check.

School that's about to go bankrupt? Check
Terrible basketball program? Check
No fan base? Check

Big East doesn't care about schools being Private or Urban. They want quality basketball programs that will drive eyeballs to FS1 and schools with the finances to make investments in their athletics. There are currently no basketball only schools that fit this bill. Dayton and VCU might be the closest but are not expansion worthy at this time.

The college sport landscape will look very different 8 years from now. If UConn drops football, grab them. But other than that? Wait for the next round of realignment/lawsuits against football programs/safety concerns for football players to pass and see who is available. We are no rush.

Actually, the Big East does care about those things. They've made clear that they are interested in a conference of "like minded institutions." And if you would bother to read, you would see the discussion was about long term potential, not present viability. Also, if you look at my statements you cut off when you quoted me, you'd see that I said they'd need to bring their basketball program to a competitive level. It's an obvious qualification, but one they're in control of, and if they do that, the fan base will follow. The financial situation is also something that they can get under control.

The points you mention obviously make adding SLU today a poor choice. My point, however, is that the school is basically the only one that had all of the uncontrollable aspects that the Big East is interested in. So I maintain, if SLU can bring it's basketball program to a competitive level, it has the long term potential to force the Big East to consider it should the league choose to expand.

[Bill Marsh]

I think the thing before they make any move based on basketball struggling they would get rid of Ollie first- and see if it was just him.

What basketball struggles? UConn won a NC just 2 years ago and brought in a top recruiting class this year.

The struggles that have them at 2-4. Those struggles.

Big win over The Orange tonight. Record back to .500. Looks like those "struggles" are in the rear view mirror.