Ackerman: "Expansion isn't even on our plate"

[Dew]

Fox should want 10. There are a couple of schools that will get disproportionate amount of coverage. I assume they will want to Georgetown and St. John's on TV as often as possible, so adding St. Louis and Richmond only lessens how often the more desirable schools would be shown.

[yorost]

Why do you think that? If Fox want to air every available Georgetown game, it doesn't matter if it's a 10 or 12 or 20 team conference. They'll make sure they can and will make sure the schedule allows it.

[DudeAnon]

There was $100 million extra for two teams, reportedly. If that's still there, and a report of unknown reliability from yesterday or today said it was, it doesn't dilute payouts. If Fox wants them to go to 12, I would guess they either already have it in the contract or they will have to add the necessary money to make it happen.

Ok, that changes things significantly.

[BillikensWin]

The escalator was talked about early in the process.

Without it, you're right that there would be less than zero reason to expand.

[BillEsq]

Fox should want 10. There are a couple of schools that will get disproportionate amount of coverage. I assume they will want to Georgetown and St. John's on TV as often as possible, so adding St. Louis and Richmond only lessens how often the more desirable schools would be shown.

Thats the nuttiest thing i've ever heard. Fox is going to be playing 100s of college basketball games on potentially 4 tiers of stations. Many of them buy games from weaker conferences, of course Fox would rather have St. Louis and Richmond. They would rather have first rights to the St. Louis/Richmond games then have to pay for the Liberty v. VMI game. Whether the league stays at 10 or expands to 24 it won't effect how many GTown or St. Johns games are on TV.

[admin]

Not that there was any realistic chance of it happening following the comments of the past few weeks, but July 1 came and went without any movement in terms of schools notifying the A10 of their plans to leave. Looks like the Big East will be at 10 for at least a few years and maybe longer.

[redmen9194]

I know it goes back and forth on here, but I really like ten teams for this league. A round robin schedule with what should be a solid conference RPI every year. The ability to get at least half of the teams dancing each year. Geographically balanced between the East and Mid-West. Easier scheduling for the non-revenues. More opportunity for national television games. Everyone talks about the 11 NCAA bids the Big East got in 2011 - which was very much an incredible number. But in the early 90's, the league got 7 bids out of 9 teams. That is something I think this league can get close to accomplishing.

[yorost]

Five bids is far from a guarantee.

Not that there was any realistic chance of it happening following the comments of the past few weeks, but July 1 came and went without any movement in terms of schools notifying the A10 of their plans to leave. Looks like the Big East will be at 10 for at least a few years and maybe longer.

Why? Realignment has shown schools are more and more willing to make moves happen immediately. It makes no sense to sit around in a conference for a dead year just to save an exit fee you could have recouped with an extra year in a conference. You have to make the transition and lose previous credits some year, anyways, so that's more or less a wash whether or not you leave one year or the next. Nothing has changed from last week. Do you expect if St. Louis and VCU got invites in March they would not find a way to be in next year?

[redmen9194]

I don't think the July 1 date passing means anything either. Creighton, Xavier and Butler left their respective leagues on four month's notice. Seems not to be a problem.

[aughnanure]

I know it goes back and forth on here, but I really like ten teams for this league. A round robin schedule with what should be a solid conference RPI every year. The ability to get at least half of the teams dancing each year. Geographically balanced between the East and Mid-West. Easier scheduling for the non-revenues. More opportunity for national television games. Everyone talks about the 11 NCAA bids the Big East got in 2011 - which was very much an incredible number. But in the early 90's, the league got 7 bids out of 9 teams. That is something I think this league can get close to accomplishing.

I like 12 with Gonzaga and St. Louis even better.