Big East Expansion Debate

[400SOAVE]

I know there is no debate going on about BE expansion. I believe there should be because the BE would be more powerful with 12 teams.

I was checking the Wichita State site and noticed they do not play football. They're in the Missouri Valley Conference which sent two teams to the NCAA this season. Would they move?

Now that there are several BE teams in the midwest, WS would seem like a great fit into the BE. That is provided they get a good team from the east to balance the geographical footprint and for unbalanced scheduling purposes.

Before somebody uses the word "never," which seems to be a favorite word here, think about the fact that not too many people would have figured that Butler and Creighton would be in the conference.

 

[JIMSOULS]

Wichita State would fit because of Creighton. It would instantly become one of the league's better rivalries. The two have played each other about 100 times since first meeting in 1946. I don't know what the exact record is, but at one point Creighton had a 52-44 lead in the series.

I believe they still play each other in most other sports, and Gregg Marshall is on record as saying he wants to renew the men's basketball rivalry. What better way to do it than be being in the same conference?

So your point is a valid, maybe even timely, one.

 

[radecicco]

The problem is what "eastern" team could be added that would bring the cache that WS would bring?

 

[shupat08]

Not same cache as WSU, but give me Richmond or Temple and I'm happy. Even though apparently Nova won't let us take Temple.

 

[400SOAVE]

As I always say, geographical exclusivity must be respected. That's what makes it difficult. Of course Villanova does not want another Philly team, just like we didn't like it when Rutgers got in the Big East. NJ should be for SHU. Philly is for Nova.

And it's very hard to stay within the Catholic profile. Where are the schools with that profile that are in a different market?

The school everybody mentions is Virginia Commonwealth.

How about UMass? The play football in the Mid-America, not the A10. That would take the BE deep into New England with a good academic school with a HUGE student body. That could be good rivalry for Providence. They are about 88 miles apart.

I believe the ACC does rotating scheduling while maintaining a yearly home-and-home with natural rivals. That's what the BE could do. SHU and St. John's, for example, would continue to play twice every season.

 

[SPK145]

I don't think the Big East wants any public schools.

Fox is not going to up their TV payments due to the very poor ratings.

Why split fixed TV money 12 ways instead of 10 ways?

 

[400SOAVE]

SPK, I'm sure there is the matter of an entry fee for each school, which would go to current members.

Would the new schools get a full share right away? Don't other conferences gradually increase TV revenue sharing for new schools?

In the long run I think you make more money and have more power by expanding to more markets and creating more interest. You also make more money if more schools are making the NCAA.

Yes, the ratings have been poor... for now. A lot may depend on SHU and SJ, two teams in the No. 1 market. If both get hot, that would help.

FOX is trying. They put SHU on FOX 5 in NYC twice this past season, including the game at SJ. It's too bad SHU was in a major downfall at that moment. That could have been a major interest late-season game.

 

[JIMSOULS]

Why not VCU? Their program doesn't end because Shaka Smart left. In fact, there's talk of filling the coaching position with someone from Smart's coaching tree (either a current assistant or one of the four former Smart assistants that are now DI head coaches). Like Xavier, they've done well with recent coaching hires: In the seven years under Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant, they were a combined 155-66 with three NCAA appearances. Smart (163-56) then kicked up a notch with five NCAA bids in six years, including a Final Four run. All told, that amounts to 318-122 over 13 years with eight NCAA appearances and no losing seasons. VCU has won at least 24 games in each of the last nine seasons, and no less than 18 games over the full 13 seasons (Capel's first season). Since the men's basketball program was founded, VCU is 868-486. So they've always been a winner.

There's no reason to think the Rams won't continue to be both good and fun to watch. They have excellent athletic director in Ed McLaughlin, and are willing to compensate the right coach well (Smart's base pay was a very non-Atlantic 10-like $1.56 million, and he would have gotten a significant raise if he wanted to stay).

 

[Piratz]

+1 to SPK

I think it's too early in the new league's development to expand. We're only in the second season. It's still an infant. The current 10 members need to maximize the TV deal share and build their programs up. It's a good sign that programs like Seton Hall and DePaul are significantly upgrading their facilities and programs.

The performance on the court took a big step forward with 6/10 teams in the Dance and 8/10 teams nationally ranked during the course of the season, but still need to do more. Especially in March where reputations and perceptions are earned. Cannot continue to lose so many teams on the first weekend. I think it's now 9 of 10 teams in two Tournaments.

I suppose if there's some cash cow out there it'd be a different story, but I do not see VCU (now post-Shaka Smart) or Wichita State as those at this point.


This post was edited on 4/4 7:34 AM by Piratz

 

[hallgrad80]

Build a solid foundation before you expand and the BE is not ready for expansion. The BE needs to improve its TV ratings, go farther in the Tourney , upgrade its OOC schedule across the board and start beating the name teams in its OOC schedule on a consistent basis so they attract a larger TV audience.

 

[Pirate64]

Our teams need to be better before our ratings go up. When that happens the league will be very attractive to potential new members.

Our first big step- Mullin to St John's. Wojo at Marquette too. These guys will produce exciting and winning teams.

And SHU must follow suit with Willards replacement.

 

[hallgrad80]

There is one other element that the BE needs to improve and that is it must get a higher percentage of the top 25, top 50 and top 100 players then it is now . People want to see the potential one and done kids and the BE has gotten some of the top 50 kids but not enough.

 

[lloyde dobler]

Virginia Commonwealth probably has an enrollment greater than at least half of the Big East schools combined.