Other dominos that might fall...

[Hawk]

http://www.caahoops.com/2010/04/the-future...-3-realignment/

I know we are all tired of talking about the possibility of conference realignment until it actually happens. I found this interesting article about the possibility of the CAA expanding several teams, which includes taking Charlotte and Richmond from the A-10... Really have to wonder where we will fall when all this goes down.

[kshoe]

http://www.caahoops.com/2010/04/the-future...-3-realignment/

I know we are all tired of talking about the possibility of conference realignment until it actually happens. I found this interesting article about the possibility of the CAA expanding several teams, which includes taking Charlotte and Richmond from the A-10... Really have to wonder where we will fall when all this goes down.

I don't pretend to know much of anything about the CAA, but why the author believes RI, UMass, Richmond and Charlotte would jump from the A-10 to the CAA is beyond me. The only way I could see something like that happening is if the Big East implodes and half of the A-10 joins up with the basketball only schools from the Big East and those four schools have nowhere else to go.

As for SLU, there really are too many scenarios to guess at but I think its clear that we want to be in the best basketball conference possible and if everything breaks against us (i.e. there is some break-up or weakening of the A-10) we will fall back to the MVC.

[slu72]

http://www.caahoops.com/2010/04/the-future...-3-realignment/

I know we are all tired of talking about the possibility of conference realignment until it actually happens. I found this interesting article about the possibility of the CAA expanding several teams, which includes taking Charlotte and Richmond from the A-10... Really have to wonder where we will fall when all this goes down.

This is a good subject, because something's going to happen, it's the offseason, and we can only have so many posts about how great next year's going to be. Not to say this CAA expansion article will come to be, but no doubt conference shakeups are in our (and just about everyone else's) future. If this CAA did occur, the A-10 would be losing 4 schools. 4 schools which represent our longest travel points by the way. So what does the A-10 do? Nothing. The most important factor for the A-10 schools is what happens to the Beast? If they start losing FB schools to other conferences, which seems almost a certainty at this point, do the Beast BB schools stay put and add teams such as X, Dayton, and SLU? Or do they look to the A-10 as a safe harbor, thereby eliminating that stupid NCAA waiting period for a new conference being eligible for the dance, and the Beast just fades away ala the Metro and Great Midwest? The Beast's future depends upon FB schools. They can't exist as a 5 or 6 team only FB conference. Which leaves the remaining FB schools with a choice, do they leave as well, or do they raid other conferences to try and make a 10 or 12 team FB conference? It won't be easy finding 5 or 6 FB schools that make sense from either a geographical or philisophical standpoint. What makes the most sense is that the BE FB schools all seek new conferences. Say CT and RUT to the ACC, SYR and PITT to the big 10 (which appears is going hard after Missouri), UL and UC to big 12, WVU and USF to the SEC. Then the remaining BE 8 bb only schools fold in X, Dayton, SLU, and St. Joes to make a 12 team BE conference w/ an East and MW division. That would be a tremendous conference and we'd all be pinching ourselves if it ever came to pass.

[cheeseman]

This is a good subject, because something's going to happen, it's the offseason, and we can only have so many posts about how great next year's going to be. Not to say this CAA expansion article will come to be, but no doubt conference shakeups are in our (and just about everyone else's) future. If this CAA did occur, the A-10 would be losing 4 schools. 4 schools which represent our longest travel points by the way. So what does the A-10 do? Nothing. The most important factor for the A-10 schools is what happens to the Beast? If they start losing FB schools to other conferences, which seems almost a certainty at this point, do the Beast BB schools stay put and add teams such as X, Dayton, and SLU? Or do they look to the A-10 as a safe harbor, thereby eliminating that stupid NCAA waiting period for a new conference being eligible for the dance, and the Beast just fades away ala the Metro and Great Midwest? The Beast's future depends upon FB schools. They can't exist as a 5 or 6 team only FB conference. Which leaves the remaining FB schools with a choice, do they leave as well, or do they raid other conferences to try and make a 10 or 12 team FB conference? It won't be easy finding 5 or 6 FB schools that make sense from either a geographical or philisophical standpoint. What makes the most sense is that the BE FB schools all seek new conferences. Say CT and RUT to the ACC, SYR and PITT to the big 10 (which appears is going hard after Missouri), UL and UC to big 12, WVU and USF to the SEC. Then the remaining BE 8 bb only schools fold in X, Dayton, SLU, and St. Joes to make a 12 team BE conference w/ an East and MW division. That would be a tremendous conference and we'd all be pinching ourselves if it ever came to pass.

I agree with your BB thoughts but I find it difficult to think that the SEC would expand or even the B12. I guess if MO left the B12 would need to pick up another team and that would probably be AK - now that would create the SEC having to pick up a replacement but probably only one. If the PAC10 expands and CO leaves then the B12 would have to add another one there.

[bsheldon]

72--I would love to see that scenario come to pass--that would be fan-fricken-tastic.

As much as I would love to see that happen, I don't think it would come to pass. It is just the pessimist in me. The only thing that is for sure is that ther is going to some sort of shake ups. Probably some major ones like the one you describe.

Some of rumors and theories I have heard and seen speculation on are:

The Big East Scenario you described in various forms (footbal revenue driven)

The Pac-10 expanding and absorbing several schools from B12--TX, TT, A&M and CO have all been rumored

B-10 expanding to 16 schools (where and who is a mystery, but MO is a rumored possbility)

Now the CAA article which steals 4 A-10 schools

Entirely new conferences being formed from a Jesuit conference, to various other midwest all basketball leagues

etc.

Again all specualtion, but it is fun to dream a bit about where our beloved Bills may end up. There are tons and tons of variables. I for one am very pleased with the A-10 as it stands now, of course it could be better. What ever happens I just hope we don't have to settle for a lesser conference. It is going to be an interested several years for sure.

[cheeseman]

Can someone tell me why any of the A10 schools would leave for the CAA? Apparently I am missing something here - why would you leave a conf ranked 6th for one ranked lower?

[kshoe]

Can someone tell me why any of the A10 schools would leave for the CAA? Apparently I am missing something here - why would you leave a conf ranked 6th for one ranked lower?

Because some dude in his basement has a blog and says it so...

[bsheldon]

Can someone tell me why any of the A10 schools would leave for the CAA? Apparently I am missing something here - why would you leave a conf ranked 6th for one ranked lower?

Yeah that seems like a hard sell to me. Again, though, this guy who wrote the article is truly just speculating about what he hopes will or can happen. He seems to be a fan of the CAA. I would bet he isn't an insider at any of the major colleges nor privy to conversations that are truly going to dictate these shake ups. I am very doubtful any of it will shake out like anyone expects at this point.

A major shake up IS going to happen, but who, what, where, why and how are a total guess at this point. There way too many variables to each and every school's decision--all of them taken as a whole and you have literally thousands upon thousands of real issues that would have to worked out.

Oh yeah, on top of all it is that little thing about the billions of dollars that are stake in transactions of this magnitude. TV rights for the B10, B12, Pac10, and BE? Forget about it. Billions; Plural, and with a "B." And that is just the start. That doesn't take into account the dozens of other conferences that are going to effected--including the SEC and ACC also. Again, just about every conference, outside of perhaps the ivy league, is going to have some sort of shake up. Some will probably dissolve, others will be created, and some won't look anything at all like their former selves even if only half of the rumors turn out to be true.

At the very least it will be interesting.

[billiken_roy]

i just hope that unlike when the last shakeup occurred, that saint louis university is more proactive and is one of the head movers and shakers trying to make things happen instead of sitting back and being left behind.

all signs would seem to point that we have been working on cementing an alliance of sorts with dayton and xavier. hopefully that is true.

[willie]

i just hope that unlike when the last shakeup occurred, that saint louis university is more proactive and is one of the head movers and shakers trying to make things happen instead of sitting back and being left behind.

all signs would seem to point that we have been working on cementing an alliance of sorts with dayton and xavier. hopefully that is true.

I would hope an alliance would be the case but what signs are you seeing?

[bsheldon]

I would hope an alliance would be the case but what signs are you seeing?

+1

I don't know of any signs other than just hope on this board that if a major A-10 implosion happens--that we go with the priemier teams from that conference--who just coincidentally happen to make pretty good geograiphical sense for sticking together. Other than that pure specualtion and hope, I don't know of any. But I don't know much. So...what signs are you referring to?

[slu72]

i just hope that unlike when the last shakeup occurred, that saint louis university is more proactive and is one of the head movers and shakers trying to make things happen instead of sitting back and being left behind.

all signs would seem to point that we have been working on cementing an alliance of sorts with dayton and xavier. hopefully that is true.

Not to sound too negative, but we formed an alliance with MU, DePaul, and Charlotte a few years back. How'd that work out?

[MB73]

You are all dreaming.