OT: The case for the Big East adding Gonzaga

[shizzle787]

As many of you know, I am a big proponent of the Big East adding Gonzaga.

Here is the case from both prospectives:

Gonzaga
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Big 12 no longer seems interested. This is a problem for Gonzaga as the BE is the only remaining major conference with any interest in the Zags.
It is not a secret that Mark Few wants his program in a power conference.
The WCC just added Grand Canyon and Seattle for the 25/26 season and Oregon State and Washington State are likely to leave after the 25/26 season (according to Norlander).
Grand Canyon is a solid pickup, but I have a feeling Seattle with be middle to lower end of the pack in the WCC. From what I have read, the WCC will expand to an 18-game schedule for 11 teams which can't be something Gonzaga is in favor of.
Also, Gonzaga for years has blackballed Seattle, which makes me think the Zags are out the door.
As far as travel, there have been several analysis on the cost for Gonzaga's athletic program traveling east and only four of their sports for each sex would have to do so. Big East tv contract money would more than cover the additional costs of travel.

The Big East
Villanova's star is fading and the league needs a huge #2 brand: enter Gonzaga. Gonzaga is one of the best TV draws nationally as well.
The other four power basketball conferences will all be at a minimum of 16 programs. The Big East is sitting at 11. It won't matter how good of a year the Big East has as the other four will almost always get more bids going forward due to their numerical advantage. This will create a perception problem as people will think if the ACC gets 7 bids it had a better year than a 6-bid Big East.
With the loss of both the Gavitt Games and the Big 12-Big East battle, several lower end Big East programs are losing their ability to get a home game against more than one P4 team a year.
12 teams playing a 20-game schedule = more bids than 11 teams playing a 20-game schedule. Math is math.
A 12-team league also means no more byes which is good in January and February.
A 12-team league also gives the league flexibility to go to a 22-game schedule in the future if the P4 elect to do so.
Grabbing Gonzaga would be the Big East's gain and the Pac-12/MW's loss.
Adding Gonzaga would help the Big East get more money in their next TV as the Zags are a huge brand and adding them also adds more inventory.

 

[UconnFanDC]

I like the Zags but I'm just not a fan of them in the Big East.

I'm not sure how the travel would impact them long-term with most games on the road and if that's attractive since we see how some schools out of territory have failed. Ie, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, BC, WV, etc..

On another topic from conversation and research, seems football is going to continue being a driver. I'm more interested in us getting a new home if we can benefit by keep football.

 

[Lynyrd]

Next

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

beating a dead horse .gif

 

[TRest]

Gonzaga will be Temple after Few retires.

 

[superjohn]

As many of you know, I am a big proponent of the Big East adding Gonzaga.

Here is the case from both prospectives:

Gonzaga
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Big 12 no longer seems interested. This is a problem for Gonzaga as the BE is the only remaining major conference with any interest in the Zags.
It is not a secret that Mark Few wants his program in a power conference.
The WCC just added Grand Canyon and Seattle for the 25/26 season and Oregon State and Washington State are likely to leave after the 25/26 season (according to Norlander).
Grand Canyon is a solid pickup, but I have a feeling Seattle with be middle to lower end of the pack in the WCC. From what I have read, the WCC will expand to an 18-game schedule for 11 teams which can't be something Gonzaga is in favor of.
Also, Gonzaga for years has blackballed Seattle, which makes me think the Zags are out the door.
As far as travel, there have been several analysis on the cost for Gonzaga's athletic program traveling east and only four of their sports for each sex would have to do so. Big East tv contract money would more than cover the additional costs of travel.

The Big East
Villanova's star is fading and the league needs a huge #2 brand: enter Gonzaga. Gonzaga is one of the best TV draws nationally as well.
The other four power basketball conferences will all be at a minimum of 16 programs. The Big East is sitting at 11. It won't matter how good of a year the Big East has as the other four will almost always get more bids going forward due to their numerical advantage. This will create a perception problem as people will think if the ACC gets 7 bids it had a better year than a 6-bid Big East.
With the loss of both the Gavitt Games and the Big 12-Big East battle, several lower end Big East programs are losing their ability to get a home game against more than one P4 team a year.
12 teams playing a 20-game schedule = more bids than 11 teams playing a 20-game schedule. Math is math.
A 12-team league also means no more byes which is good in January and February.
A 12-team league also gives the league flexibility to go to a 22-game schedule in the future if the P4 elect to do so.
Grabbing Gonzaga would be the Big East's gain and the Pac-12/MW's loss.
Adding Gonzaga would help the Big East get more money in their next TV as the Zags are a huge brand and adding them also adds more inventory.

You've made this post 87 times.

 

[Storrs South]

If the Big 12 no longer is interested that means there is no pressure to add them immediately affording the Big East the luxury of time. With time you can wait out what becomes of the program post Few and see how the rest of college landscape shakes out.

The worst thing is for them to become a Butler that has nice history but a shaky future except now it's 3,000 miles away; that cannot happen. Also Gonzaga needs to get serious and have an on campus arena that can fit more than 4,000 people. I get it when you're playing Loyola Marymount and San Francisco but that's just ridiculous for a Big East school.

Villanova will also be fine once they fire Neptune after this season.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

The rumor was that Gonzaga turned down a 2mil a year offer from the Big 12. No idea if that is true or fabrication. But if it is true then the Big East can’t really make a lowball offer especially when the travel is worse. Not sure I believe in the Zags post-Few to give them a full share. The fact that UConn makes the same as DePaul is annoying and we don’t want another mouth to feed with our (likely) paltry TV revenue. Like Storrs South said, you can sit and wait.

 

[Kolumbo]

The Big East vs MWC bid situation this year was bad, so I want to see what happens next year, if there is a bias to football conferences or not. How long will the orphaned WSU and OSU shack up with the MWC, who will be interested in the Zags, any movement to or from the AAC, the pending ACC implosion. I think the Big East needs to expand just for the numbers, but most importantly for the conference, Georgetown and SJU need to be ranked regularly and DePaul needs to show a pulse. Huskies, Hoyas, Blue Demons and Red Storm are the 4 largest schools in the conference. I agree with many who think Gonzaga will drop off after Few leaves so that seems like a risky gambit with so many unknown variables in play.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

It is very simple: if the Big East get more media money per year with Zags in the next media deal, you add the Zags along with another team like St Mary's or Santa Clara provided they can play at bigger arenas if there is a bigger game vs. BIG East opponents.

 

[Patman]

The rumor was that Gonzaga turned down a 2mil a year offer from the Big 12. No idea if that is true or fabrication. But if it is true then the Big East can’t really make a lowball offer especially when the travel is worse. Not sure I believe in the Zags post-Few to give them a full share. The fact that UConn makes the same as DePaul is annoying and we don’t want another mouth to feed with our (likely) paltry TV revenue. Like Storrs South said, you can sit and wait.

I don't see a reason for Gonzaga to get less than a full share.

 

[GoConn]

Agree Gonzaga is a must add

 

[UConnTrumbull]

I don't see a reason for Gonzaga to get less than a full share.

Which is why I vote for sit and wait unless FOX ponies up big for them

 

[Patman]

Which is why I vote for sit and wait unless FOX ponies up big for them

if we get into the broad scheme, i don't like it for them or us. I don't know why they wouldn't just stay in the west and go with the Mountain West. I think going into an east coast conference is net terrible for them and whatever money they get from basketball will brutalize them in every other sport. That being said, I think Gonzaga is worried about being odd man out but ultimately they have to ensure a certain amount of money to make it worth while.

I know I'm not really basketball focused and I don't really care about basketball, guilty... but being in sports and a sports person I don't see the mutual benefit. Sure, for the Big East they get another basketball school to shore up against the future winter but if it weren't for that, Spokane doesn't add a serious market... but maybe I underate their pull in Seattle... and adds a lot of travel.

 

[freescooter]

The Big East vs MWC bid situation this year was bad, so I want to see what happens next year, if there is a bias to football conferences or not. How long will the orphaned WSU and OSU shack up with the MWC, who will be interested in the Zags, any movement to or from the AAC, the pending ACC implosion. I think the Big East needs to expand just for the numbers, but most importantly for the conference, Georgetown and SJU need to be ranked regularly and DePaul needs to show a pulse. Huskies, Hoyas, Blue Demons and Red Storm are the 4 largest schools in the conference. I agree with many who think Gonzaga will drop off after Few leaves so that seems like a risky gambit with so many unknown variables in play.

Please stop with Georgetown and St John’s. Georgetown’s title was 40 years ago. St John’s was never. Neither has been relevant on the national scene for two decades. Georgetown’s last Final 4 was 2007. Before that there last Elite 8 was 1996. Johnnies haven’t been to a sweet 16 since the late 1990s and a Final 4 since 1985. Both have been surpassed by too many schools to count. Nobody cares about those schools any more. They are as relevant on the national scene as LaSalle and Holy Cross.

 

[UConnJim]

Gonzaga to the Big East makes no sense. Why?

1) Gonzaga is in Spokane, Washington that has a metro market of ~600k which is not a big market. It is almost 300 miles from Seattle which is the approximate distance between Hartford and Baltimore. And, there is only one Big East city that has a direct flight to Spokane, which is Chicago.

2) Gonzaga has 18 sports and the Big East sponsors 16 of them (no BE men's and women's rowing) so there would be significant travel for non revenue sports for both Gonzaga and the Big East schools.

3) Mark Few will be 62 in December. Gonzaga made 2 NCAA men's basketball tournaments before Few got there.

4) Their home arena holds 6k fans which would be the smallest arena in the Big East. (They do play about 1 game per year in the Spokane Arena which holds ~12.2k.)

5) The Big East "star" isn't fading. The Big East has one of the best lineups of head coaches which is the most important factor in college basketball. Georgetown and DePaul have hired better and proven coaches in the past 2 seasons. Providence just got a 5* to commit.

 

[Kolumbo]

Please stop with Georgetown and St John’s. Georgetown’s title was 40 years ago. St John’s was never. Neither has been relevant on the national scene for two decades. Georgetown’s last Final 4 was 2007. Before that there last Elite 8 was 1996. Johnnies haven’t been to a sweet 16 since the late 1990s and a Final 4 since 1985. Both have been surpassed by too many schools to count. Nobody cares about those schools any more. They are as relevant on the national scene as LaSalle and Holy Cross.

what's your point?

They are 2 of the biggest programs in 2 of the biggest markets. They also suffered from CR to some degree and coaching changes to a large degree. If you want to give up on them, then for God's sake let's get the H out of the Big East because there's not much meat to it.

 

[buddy]

Gonzaga will be Temple after Few retires.

Not even. They don't play football. At least Temple does.

 

[freescooter]

what's your point?

They are 2 of the biggest programs in 2 of the biggest markets. They also suffered from CR to some degree and coaching changes to a large degree. If you want to give up on them, then for God's sake let's get the H out of the Big East because there's not much meat to it.

My point is pining for the days when St Johns and Georgetown are major programs again is a fools errand. One wishes it was 1965 again. The other doesn’t much care and ought to go to the Patriot League.

And yes, we should be working on a better home 24/7.

 

[Kolumbo]

My point is pining for the days when St Johns and Georgetown are major programs again is a fools errand. One wishes it was 1965 again. The other doesn’t much care and ought to go to the Patriot League.

And yes, we should be working on a better home 24/7.

UConn and St. John's were huge rivals during the late 1990's and Georgetown tanked when Ewing took over.

I'm not pining for anything. I'm just saying those two programs need to get back to where they were for the Big East to continue to be successful. They both made major coaching changes and both will likely improve this year. The BE needs more than a few teams ranked. It can't rely on Butler and Xavier to fill the vacuum. Ultimately I think some reunion with SU and Pitt would be needed but since that is unlikely, yes, moving on to a football conference is needed.

 

[ZooCougar]

Let’s dilute our meager payout even further and make travel more difficult.

No. Pass.

There is no case.

 

[DFW HOYA]

Please stop with Georgetown and St John’s. Georgetown’s title was 40 years ago. St John’s was never. Neither has been relevant on the national scene for two decades. Georgetown’s last Final 4 was 2007. Before that there last Elite 8 was 1996. Johnnies haven’t been to a sweet 16 since the late 1990s and a Final 4 since 1985. Both have been surpassed by too many schools to count. Nobody cares about those schools any more. They are as relevant on the national scene as LaSalle and Holy Cross.

If you feel so strongly about this, ask for Georgetown to be voted out of the conference. See how many votes that will get.

 

[shizzle787]

Let’s dilute our meager payout even further and make travel more difficult.

No. Pass.

There is no case.

On what planet would adding Gonzaga dilute our payout? They would be an additive add financially.

 

[freescooter]

what's your point?

They are 2 of the biggest programs in 2 of the biggest markets. They also suffered from CR to some degree and coaching changes to a large degree. If you want to give up on them, then for God's sake let's get the H out of the Big East because there's not much meat to it.

The other point is if the New Big East needs Gonzaga and two programs that have been less relevant than Loyola-Chicago over the last 20 years, it really is in serious trouble. To me it is a nice little regional conference, that has had 2 great teams. Everyone else is mid-major. Some high mid-majors. Some low mid-majors, and 1 D-3. We and Villanova have basically saved this Conference. With Villanova falling back, it is pretty hard to see much of a future. Hoping 2 programs that haven’t been good for 20 years or more will somehow be great again is no solution.

 

[freescooter]

If you feel so strongly about this, ask for Georgetown to be voted out of the conference. See how many votes that will get.

I don’t care if they stay or go. I just don’t think pinning the hopes of the future of the NEWBIE on two teams that have had 20-30 years to be relevant and have failed is foolish wishful thinking.