BE7 Future Conference

[JMM28]

I struggle with this one as well. Particularly the concept of let's go to 10 and then move to 12 shortly thereafter. Why make the other 2 schools wait and suffer through those years.

There is a chance that everyone is misunderstanding what "expanding shortly" really means. Here is a scenario.

The BE7 schools invite 3 schools in January and announce the league will begin play for the 2014-2015 season. The league wants to go to 12 teams but cannot because 2 of the target schools have 2 year windows to leave their conference/high exit fee/financial reasons for waiting until 2015.

Or

The BE schools announce the first 3 teams, set to begin play in 2014. They test the field on a tv deal, and leave the 2 remaining slots open for opportunities to slot attractive-to-the-networks schools in there. They slot those 2 teams in, and they still begin play in 2014 as a 12 team league.

[kshoe]

There is a chance that everyone is misunderstanding what "expanding shortly" really means. Here is a scenario.

The BE7 schools invite 3 schools in January and announce the league will begin play for the 2014-2015 season. The league wants to go to 12 teams but cannot because 2 of the target schools have 2 year windows to leave their conference/high exit fee/financial reasons for waiting until 2015.

Or

The BE schools announce the first 3 teams, set to begin play in 2014. They test the field on a tv deal, and leave the 2 remaining slots open for opportunities to slot attractive-to-the-networks schools in there. They slot those 2 teams in, and they still begin play in 2014 as a 12 team league.

I can't say I really buy either of those.

For point 1, none of the basketball only schools have high exit fee costs and/or restrictions. The only schools that could possibly be in that situation are Butler in VCU because they just joined the A10, but I doubt it.

For point 2, the tv networks can tell them right now, what they want as far as teams. There's no reason to go public with 10 teams, solicit bids and wait for the t.v. networks to suggest another 2 teams. Just tell the t.v. networks these are the 10 and ask them to solicit a bid for 10 if you added 2 more to the list to make 12. Why turn anything into a public display?

[BillikenFriar]

Overheard in Providence from a reliable sort. Not much new but of interest.

Spent the morning with a Marquette Athletic Dept exec

Visiting family over XMas, I met a friend of theirs who is quite senior at Marquette's athletic development office. She said Butler, Dayton, and Xavier are a done deal. Maybe SLU and Creighton.

Confirms what everyone else has been saying.

Also says they really don't want to promote the whole "Catholic" angle too highly - that's not what this is about and they don't want to make it a religious thing.

[WestCoastBilliken]

Overheard in Providence from a reliable sort. Not much new but of interest.

Spent the morning with a Marquette Athletic Dept exec

Visiting family over XMas, I met a friend of theirs who is quite senior at Marquette's athletic development office. She said Butler, Dayton, and Xavier are a done deal. Maybe SLU and Creighton.

Confirms what everyone else has been saying.

Also says they really don't want to promote the whole "Catholic" angle too highly - that's not what this is about and they don't want to make it a religious thing.

My gut feeling is that I think we are going to be left out of this new conference. If that is the case, I think SLU Basketball will forever be mediocre.

[cgeldmacher]

_{This article cites Peter Thamel of Sports Illustrated as its source saying that Xavier and Dayton are locks and that Dayton and Creighton are next in line. Thamel says that the 12th spot is "up for grabs," but that "Saint Louis would be the favorite for the final spot."}

_{http://www.sbnation....reighton-dayton}

_{I'm not all that familiar with Peter Thamel, so I don't know if he has credible information or if he is just providing an educated prediction.}

I meant to write that the story said Xavier and Butler were locks with Dayton & Creighton next in line.