Why Not 14?

[GoldenWarrior11]

Fox needed inventory back then. St. Louis was also a better team back then. I feel if they were that strong a candidate they'd already be in.

I have no insider knowledge, but I feel one (of the many) components for not inviting SLU and/or UD in 2013 was the fear in perception that the C7 had in raiding three-to-five teams from the A10. During the football divorce, one of many scenarios included the C7 joining the A10 (which naturally upset and worried many fans, coaches and administrators). However, in taking a number of teams from the A10, how would this version of the Big East be better off than the 2005 Big East or the 2012 Big East, when both entities raided Conference USA? It ended up being viewed as a watered-down product, that became the laughing stock of the power leagues. Take the AAC today: it is a Conference USA rebrand, along with UConn and Temple. Perceptions matter tremendously in the eyes of the media and fans. Taking Creighton, who was from the Missouri Valley, was a positive perception-wise, because it was viewed as the C7 selecting the best geographic non-football schools, who were also like-minded members, around.

Now, today - five years later, Butler and Xavier are full-fledged Big East members. Both have experienced tournament success under the banner, and have utilized their new-found financial resources towards improving and elevating their programs. The Big East is by no means considered an A10-raider, nor is it at any threat of being poached by other leagues. SLU and UD are both still in the A10, obviously. However, taking one, or both, of them now, or moving forward, is much different than taking both of them in 2013.

[FriarJ]

These threads of delusion always crack me up. The Big East is not going to go away from the round robin schedule, period. That is why they just signed the long term alliance with the Big 12 because neither are they. They would consider going to 11 but the list of potential adds is very very short. UConn or Gonzaga. That's it.

[DudeAnon]

These threads of delusion always crack me up. The Big East is not going to go away from the round robin schedule, period. That is why they just signed the long term alliance with the Big 12 because neither are they. They would consider going to 11 but the list of potential adds is very very short. UConn or Gonzaga. That's it.

"Long term alliance with the Big 12"? The agreement was for 4 years, right when the next round of conference realignment likely happens.

[ProprietyofLeyluken]

Fox needed inventory back then. St. Louis was also a better team back then. I feel if they were that strong a candidate they'd already be in.

I have no insider knowledge, but I feel one (of the many) components for not inviting SLU and/or UD in 2013 was the fear in perception that the C7 had in raiding three-to-five teams from the A10. During the football divorce, one of many scenarios included the C7 joining the A10 (which naturally upset and worried many fans, coaches and administrators). However, in taking a number of teams from the A10, how would this version of the Big East be better off than the 2005 Big East or the 2012 Big East, when both entities raided Conference USA? It ended up being viewed as a watered-down product, that became the laughing stock of the power leagues. Take the AAC today: it is a Conference USA rebrand, along with UConn and Temple. Perceptions matter tremendously in the eyes of the media and fans. Taking Creighton, who was from the Missouri Valley, was a positive perception-wise, because it was viewed as the C7 selecting the best geographic non-football schools, who were also like-minded members, around.

Now, today - five years later, Butler and Xavier are full-fledged Big East members. Both have experienced tournament success under the banner, and have utilized their new-found financial resources towards improving and elevating their programs. The Big East is by no means considered an A10-raider, nor is it at any threat of being poached by other leagues. SLU and UD are both still in the A10, obviously. However, taking one, or both, of them now, or moving forward, is much different than taking both of them in 2013.

Jeremy, With all due respect, how can the AAC be viewed as a Conference USA rebrand if it doesn’t have Marquette and DePaul?
Besides the fact that there is still a Conference USA playing today.
I love the new Big East but these posts that point the finger at others, while suggesting the Big East isn’t subject to the exact same perceptions are delusional.

[FriarJ]

These threads of delusion always crack me up. The Big East is not going to go away from the round robin schedule, period. That is why they just signed the long term alliance with the Big 12 because neither are they. They would consider going to 11 but the list of potential adds is very very short. UConn or Gonzaga. That's it.

"Long term alliance with the Big 12"? The agreement was for 4 years, right when the next round of conference realignment likely happens.

I don't care if it's 4 days or 4 years this conference is not expanding and if it did it's only going to be one of the teams I mentioned. And nobody is being kicked out, ever.

[DudeAnon]

These threads of delusion always crack me up. The Big East is not going to go away from the round robin schedule, period. That is why they just signed the long term alliance with the Big 12 because neither are they. They would consider going to 11 but the list of potential adds is very very short. UConn or Gonzaga. That's it.

"Long term alliance with the Big 12"? The agreement was for 4 years, right when the next round of conference realignment likely happens.

I don't care if it's 4 days or 4 years this conference is not expanding and if it did it's only going to be one of the teams I mentioned. And nobody is being kicked out, ever.

Ok. Since being wrong seems to not matter anymore. In that case, the Big East has already decided to add Dayton and SLU. I said it so it must be true.

[gtmoBlue]

These threads of delusion always crack me up. The Big East is not going to go away from the round robin schedule, period. That is why they just signed the long term alliance with the Big 12 because neither are they. They would consider going to 11 but the list of potential adds is very very short. UConn or Gonzaga. That's it.

"Long term alliance with the Big 12"? The agreement was for 4 years, right when the next round of conference realignment likely happens.

I don't care if it's 4 days or 4 years this conference is not expanding and if it did it's only going to be one of the teams I mentioned. And nobody is being kicked out, ever.

Well! Me and AD Bruce Ramussen were just discussing packing up Creighton's undefeated football team (since 1948) and moving to the ACC. We are appalled at the lack of respect football gets around here in the BE. Besides my bud, Coach K is sorta lonely with the lack of academic respect the other ACCers have shown. University of No Classes, cheatin' _ss S'Cuse, poor Pitt, ND (no defense), Wake (me up when the season's over) Forest, and the rest. Me and ol' K...toddlin' blue tea n cussin' up a storm! The good life. (not to mention the $20+ Mill a year...)

[handdownmandown]

Do we have some sort of internet Batsignal that goes up, attracting argumentative fans of other (lesser) conferences?

Because this board sure has a knack for it!

[GoldenWarrior11]

Jeremy, With all due respect, how can the AAC be viewed as a Conference USA rebrand if it doesn’t have Marquette and DePaul?
Besides the fact that there is still a Conference USA playing today.
I love the new Big East but these posts that point the finger at others, while suggesting the Big East isn’t subject to the exact same perceptions are delusional.

Jeremy???

Well, let's see here...

When the Big East lost Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia, the league acquired UCF (C-USA), Memphis (C-USA), Houston (C-USA) and Memphis (C-USA). When Louisville and Notre Dame bolted, they then added Tulane (C-USA) and East Carolina (C-USA). After the C7 took the Big East name and MSG, they then added Tulsa (C-USA). In taking a new conference name, they took the name "American", and used the exact same color scheme - red, white and blue. The league beat its chest and shouted on the top of rooftops that they should be considered a power conference, yet they took the exact same branding as the mid-major conference a majority of the league was immediately poached from. That can absolutely be categorized under Bad Marketing Decisions 101.

Marquette and DePaul were founding members of C-USA, yes. However, so was Louisville. TCU was also a part of it as well. C-USA 1.0 was a very strong basketball league, one of which I have fond memories of. It simply was not as strong in football, which was where a majority of the realignment dollars were/are.

The sad thing is that in just two short years, both Cincinnati and USF will have been in the American longer than the Big East, and be perceived in a G5 conference longer than the power conference they were in under the Big East for football.

[Gopher+RamFan]

The fact of the matter now, is that SLU stands with VCU and Dayton as an exception to the rest of the A10 in terms of schools that could afford player stipends if that day comes, and they know that they need to surround themselves with peers who agree with that mentality and willingness to foot the bill for college athletics.

VCU, Dayton and SLU are the clear class of programs in the A10 - but VCU already pays player stipends in all scholarship sports.

I've posted years before on here, but I'll just summarize in one post (no need to go back and forth - we all know pretty much where we stand).

- VCU "brings Richmond, yawn." VCU, being a state university, brings in more than just "Richmond." With 32,000 students and another 15,000 employees - VCU brings a lot to the table. It also brings new recruiting areas for BE teams to dip into (Richmond, VA Beach, where a bunch of players have come from)
- Media Rights: VCU has a current 10 year contract for its media rights, at $2 Million/year (if we're trying to gauge program's media value, at least there's a hard number). This does not count any other Conference media revenue, etc....
- SJU and NYC based BE fans can tell you that VCU travels well. MSG would have another fanbase show up every year.
- VCU has an endowment of $1.84 Billion (yes, with a B).

VCU is on it's 5th coach since Jeff Capel (who left for OK in 2006). We've had one "bad" year since - which was last year at 19-14. As Rhoades continues to lay his foundation, things are looking up thankfully.

I doubt VCU gets added, because of its public status and the western BE fans don't seem to be for it (at least on here - where our proponents seem to be SJU, Nova and SHU fans). Either way, I think VCU needs to leave the A10, hopefully for the AAC to join Wichita State, Memphis and UConn. Ideally, it'd be BE or bust.