bauman Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Big article on The Athletic about the Big East expanding with quotes from the BE Commissioner which make it seem like is will be happening. In the Comments section after the article, SLU and UD are the schools most often mentioned! A timetable based on the FOX TV contract is also mentioned and the Commish seems to downplay the addition of Gonzaga based on travel expense. It is behind a paywall so you need to be a subscriber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierPal Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauman Posted October 18, 2022 Author Share Posted October 18, 2022 Athletic article is by their well respected CBB writer, Dana O'Neil. It paints a different picture than the twitter input from Norlander. I'm not quoting anything but the Headline indicates that they are not going to stay at their present number and in the articles itself it is mentioned that any expansion would likely be pre Feb 2024. The most important factor is basketball investment and in a backward manner the Commissioner says geography is important due to travel costs associated with around 15 sports. Further the Commish indicates that this discussion isn't going away in the near future. This article certainly paints a different picture of BE expansion than the Norlander tweets, at least as I read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikenbooster Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 This is huge for SLU!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLURadioBoy Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Here is more information that’s not behind a paywall: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10052815-big-easts-val-ackerman-on-expansion-conference-wont-stay-at-11-forever Dana O’Neil has been reporting on the Big East for a long time. Her reporting on the conference is always very solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauman Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 Radio Boy, this is almost exactly what I read with the same quotes. I 'm glad you were able to find this in bleacher report. It sure sounds different than the Norlander tweets. SLURadioBoy likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Time to start lobbying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Norlander and O'Neil both have good reputations. I believe they are both accurately reporting what they have been told. Sounds like a tug of war is going on in the Big East. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgeldmacher Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 18 hours ago, bauman said: Athletic article is by their well respected CBB writer, Dana O'Neil. It paints a different picture than the twitter input from Norlander. I'm not quoting anything but the Headline indicates that they are not going to stay at their present number and in the articles itself it is mentioned that any expansion would likely be pre Feb 2024. The most important factor is basketball investment and in a backward manner the Commissioner says geography is important due to travel costs associated with around 15 sports. Further the Commish indicates that this discussion isn't going away in the near future. This article certainly paints a different picture of BE expansion than the Norlander tweets, at least as I read it. If the factors are basketball investment and geography, that bodes very well for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Elrond Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Is there any other conference besides the Big East that anyone sees as a step up for SLU over the A10 that we could reasonably join? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 4 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said: Is there any other conference besides the Big East that anyone sees as a step up for SLU over the A10 that we could reasonably join? There are no other basketball-only conferences besides the Big East that are a step up from the A-10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauman Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 1 minute ago, cgeldmacher said: If the factors are basketball investment and geography, that bodes very well for us. I would think that SLU or Dayton would be a lock if the BE just adds one school, UD has more basketball tradition and even support, but SLU adds much more from a media market addition standpoint. If they add 2 or 3 schools, it would seem that we would both be locks-good facilities (especially for BB and soccer), geography, sports, (especially MBB), academics, and similar traditions to most BE schools (private and with a religious affiliation). A poster on The Athletic points out how adding SLU and UD could actually save significant travel expense by dividing the Conference into 2 divisions with the west having Creighton, Depaul, Butler, Marquette, Xavier, SLU and Dayton. Many of these division pairings could be handled with bus trips if div. rivals played each other twice a year and the other div members once per year. (Basketball only) In the nonrevenue sports, travel costs could be saved by only playing regular season games w/in your division then having an eight team (4 from each division) tournament to determine the conf champion (this is an example only but show the possibility of holding down expenses) If they were really interested is travel costing less, they could have the 4 teams from each div play to determine a div winner then have those two teams play each other. Obviously, there are many other ways to do this to be cost effective. While soccer is not a driver in these decisions, it is certainly a sport, both mens and womens, which is more than just along for the ride. You might say it's riding shotgun. Again SLU and to a lesser degree UD have excellent teams, attendance and facilities for this sport. Our new sports-supporting facilities can be what helps get the ball across the goal line, so it is a great time to be making that investment ! This is a real opportunity for the SLU leadership so don't blow it. Bay Area Billiken, Tonka, Slu let the dogs out? and 1 other like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Compton Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 16 minutes ago, bauman said: I would think that SLU or Dayton would be a lock if the BE just adds one school, UD has more basketball tradition and even support, but SLU adds much more from a media market addition standpoint. If they add 2 or 3 schools, it would seem that we would both be locks-good facilities (especially for BB and soccer), geography, sports, (especially MBB), academics, and similar traditions to most BE schools (private and with a religious affiliation). A poster on The Athletic points out how adding SLU and UD could actually save significant travel expense by dividing the Conference into 2 divisions with the west having Creighton, Depaul, Butler, Marquette, Xavier, SLU and Dayton. Many of these division pairings could be handled with bus trips if div. rivals played each other twice a year and the other div members once per year. (Basketball only) In the nonrevenue sports, travel costs could be saved by only playing regular season games w/in your division then having an eight team (4 from each division) tournament to determine the conf champion (this is an example only but show the possibility of holding down expenses) If they were really interested is travel costing less, they could have the 4 teams from each div play to determine a div winner then have those two teams play each other. Obviously, there are many other ways to do this to be cost effective. While soccer is not a driver in these decisions, it is certainly a sport, both mens and womens, which is more than just along for the ride. You might say it's riding shotgun. Again SLU and to a lesser degree UD have excellent teams, attendance and facilities for this sport. Our new sports-supporting facilities can be what helps get the ball across the goal line, so it is a great time to be making that investment ! This is a real opportunity for the SLU leadership so don't blow it. All good points, including on travel costs, but I think "locks" is a strong term. They might bring different factors to the table, but I'd think UMass, VCU and/or Richmond, and possibly Wichita State would also at least be in the conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 It makes sense for them to expand by 3 teams to get to 14 and have 2 divisions; East and Midwest. Midwest would be X, Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Marq, UD and SLU). They could really cut down on travel costs, important in inflationary times, especially for the non rev sports. As for hoops you could have 12 division games and 6 games outside div, so you’ve got a full conf schedule, ie everyone plays everyone at least once. Plus you’ve got some great geography rivalries. I don’t see any great rivalry’s for the MW schools as things stand today, but add SLU and UD you’ve got them. Again, let the lobbying begin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauman Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 3 hours ago, Compton said: All good points, including on travel costs, but I think "locks" is a strong term. They might bring different factors to the table, but I'd think UMass, VCU and/or Richmond, and possibly Wichita State would also at least be in the conversation. I could see Richmond or possibly VCU as the 7th East div. team but both are kind of like Dayton, in that they are separate medium-sized media markets which have an overlap with existing schools-Dayton with Xavier and Richmond and VCU with Georgetown. Richmond's advantage over VCU is it's similar size to BE schools, no football team and I think it is private, but I'm not sure of that. UMASS also overlaps with 2 separate media markets---UCONN and Providence so it adds little to the equation. The Boston media market is already divided with many schools to follow and it is likely that any UMASS games are already televised by other outlets. Wichita is further out of the geography than SLU and UD and frankly has lost its fastball - a good MBB program, so it basically has nothing going for it anymore. Yes "locks" is a strong term for SLU and Dayton if BE expansion adds 2 or 3 schools but I'll stick with it for all the reasons in my earlier post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouthBilliken Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 If and when it happens we all know it will be Dayton billiken_roy likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Elrond Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 Found this from a Marquette website: https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2021/10/15/22727130/marquette-golden-eagles-big-east-conference-expansion-ackerman-gonzaga-kansas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Richmond plays football .... right in there with James Madison, Bill & Mare, Fordham, Duquesne, Villanova, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlarry Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 Of course they are looking. In todays NCAA if you are a conference commissioner and not looking into expansion or at least keeping an open mind to the idea, you aren’t doing your job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 While I’m sure Mqtte fans would love to add KU and Zaga, I.can’t see it. Especially for KU. They have FB and while it may not be much are they going to go independent? No. They have to be in a conf to get FB money. I could see them going to the Pac12 instead of the Beast. KU’s a pipe dream. As for Zaga, Few’s gonna leave someday. And what if they can’t match the success in the Beast they have had in the WCC? They’re stuck playing a lot of their games 2-3000 miles from home in a different time zone. Not to mention the cost of schlepping their non rev sports across the country. Doesn’t make sense to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Elrond Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 What I found interesting was how they dismissed anyone from the A10 From the article: No one in the Atlantic 10 makes the Big East notably better or deeper, nor do they inspire television executives to throw money around like confetti. Yes, that includes Dayton, VCU, Saint Louis, and what the heck, yes, even Davidson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierPal Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 20 minutes ago, slu72 said: Especially for KU. They have FB and while it may not be much are they going to go independent? No. They have to be in a conf to get FB money. I could see them going to the Pac12 instead of the Beast. KU’s a pipe dream. Last month Kansas announced a $350 million renovation project for their football stadium. Enough said. CBFan likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 1 hour ago, Lord Elrond said: What I found interesting was how they dismissed anyone from the A10 From the article: No one in the Atlantic 10 makes the Big East notably better or deeper, nor do they inspire television executives to throw money around like confetti. Yes, that includes Dayton, VCU, Saint Louis, and what the heck, yes, even Davidson. If you give the new A10 coaches 3 years to build their programs, I think the A10 will be very close to the Big East in terms of performance. cgeldmacher, wgstl, NoCoBillsFan and 1 other like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 9 hours ago, 3star_recruit said: If you give the new A10 coaches 3 years to build their programs, I think the A10 will be very close to the Big East in terms of performance. I agree.Still, we could clear out some deadwood and upgrade with a Belmont. bauman likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettJollyComedyHour Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 13 hours ago, BigMouthBilliken said: If and when it happens we all know it will be Dayton I could see this happening and it's already fuoking with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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