Big East expansion exercise approaching 2025…

[MU in MKE]

does every BE school charter flights? there are definitely no direct flights to spokane from most of the airports the BE schools are closest to, hartford included. if i had to guess i'd say jfk and o'hare would be the only two. having to catch a connection from the northeast to washington during the winter months is NOT fun.

I think they all do, except in cases where it is easily drivable via charter bus. But to your point, it goes back to the Olympic sports. Most of them fly commercial. Same with a good number of the women's teams.

 

[bendm]

If you can find me a large school:

• with lots of alums in a Top 15 population state
• that has decent basketball history
• doesn't have strong competition in its media market and
• is within the Big East footprint,

Then add that school instead.

then we're adding VCU:

• over 20k students in the 12th most populous state
• much better basketball history than UMass
• no pro teams in virginia and richmond is a bigger market than springfield
• contiguous with the original BE core and much closer than the 5 midwestern schools

 

[Chuck]

There are at least 240,000 living UMass alums, many of them in the northeast. There is also no Big East team in Massachusetts, the 15th largest state in the country. There is only one other major conference program in Massachusetts, and that is the BCU dumpster fire. UMass is a rising program academically, only ranked a few spots below UConn in US News. Finally, UMass has been successful at basketball in the past.

If you can find me a large school:

• with lots of alums in a Top 15 population state
• that has decent basketball history
• doesn't have strong competition in its media market and
• is within the Big East footprint,

Then add that school instead.

You’re not wrong. Most of the arguments against UMass are the same ones made by our competitors (that were supposed to be our friends) in keeping us out of a P5. The main strike against UMass is that they’d eat into our pie. That’s an ok position, but you need to admit that it’s a BCU move.

 

[ASweet3781]

UMass? Liberty!? George Mason?!?!

Some threads were not meant to be bumped.

 

[gtcam]

Do we want to elevate UMass to our level? If they can't compete in the A-10 why would you think they can compete in the Big East?

I don't want UMass in the NBE but their A-10 league average record overall isn't worse than UConn's when in the AAC

 

[bendm]

I don't want UMass in the NBE but their A-10 league average record overall isn't worse than UConn's when in the AAC

yes it was...the AAC was still a better conference than the A-10

 

[dennismenace]

wut?

Sorry, my bad. I meant Duquesne.

 

[dennismenace]

Sir, Butler is in Indianapolis.

Sorry, my bad. I meant Duquesne.

 

[shizzle787]

So I did a simple analysis on all of the possible teams the Big East could ask:
Gonzaga
Temple
Wichita State
St. Mary's
Loyola
St. Louis
Dayton
UMass
VCU
URI
St. Joe's
GW
Richmond
Davidson

Memphis was not a candidate due to the Big East already coming out and saying they don't want them.
The Big East cannot poach the P5, MW, or any other AAC teams. The pool of candidates are WCC, AAC, and A-10 teams.

So here are the results:

Most NCAA appearance since 1985:
1. Temple-24
2. Gonzaga-23
3. VCU-14
4. Wichita State-12
5. Dayton/Davidson-10

Avg. NCAA seed since 1985:
1. UMass-4.4
2. Gonzaga-6.6
3. St. Joe's-7
4. Temple-7.8
5. Loyola-7.9

Most Sweet 16 appearances since 1985:
1. Gonzaga-11
2. Temple-5
3. UMass/WSU/Loyola-3

If Gonzaga can't come for whatever reason, IMO Temple is the school to go after. Philly is a big city-it can handle two teams in the Big East. It would also spare an OOC game for both Nova and Temple as they could rotate their Big 5 matchup in conference. If the Big East offered Temple, they would join. IMO, the holdup would be Nova but I think they would still be the big Philly fish.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Gross. Do nothing. Thanks. Enjoy the day.

 

[Vowelguy]

UMass - Some basketball history, Big East could use a school in Massachusetts, UMass has a big alumni base in the northeast, school is on the rise academically, this move would easily box the ACC out of any relevance in the northeast, and hopefully put another nail in the BCU abomination of an athletic program. UMass is one of the few available programs in the footprint that could help with a TV and streaming contract.

Also, if UConn ever wants to be called up to a P5 conference, it would help if Syracuse's and BCU's athletic programs were ground into dust.

In 70+ years, UMass has been in the NCAAs nine times, 5 of them under Cal and 2 in the first two after he left (ie with his players). In the 4 non-Cal years, they are 0-4.

Take out those 7 years and they've been to TWO NCAAs in 60+ years.

I like UMass, but where is the evidence that there is any potential there?

 

[Vowelguy]

I think they all do, except in cases where it is easily drivable via charter bus. But to your point, it goes back to the Olympic sports. Most of them fly commercial. Same with a good number of the women's teams.

Outside of MCBB, the only team in the Big East that would fly charter is UConn WCBB. All other WCBB and all other sports will be commercial.

 

[Vowelguy]

does every BE school charter flights? there are definitely no direct flights to spokane from most of the airports the BE schools are closest to, hartford included. if i had to guess i'd say jfk and o'hare would be the only two. having to catch a connection from the northeast to washington during the winter months is NOT fun.

Neither Chicago nor NYC has direct flights to Spokane (according to Orbitz). Generally thru MSP or SEA.

 

[KembaKek]

UMass? Liberty!? George Mason?!?!

Some threads were not meant to be bumped.

if anyone here legitimately thinks Liberty belongs in the big east i just don't know what to say. When would the Catholics EVER let a problematic Evangelical school in Virginia. Also I'm pretty sure they just joined C-USA

 

[bendm]

If Gonzaga can't come for whatever reason, IMO Temple is the school to go after. Philly is a big city-it can handle two teams in the Big East. It would also spare an OOC game for both Nova and Temple as they could rotate their Big 5 matchup in conference. If the Big East offered Temple, they would join. IMO, the holdup would be Nova but I think they would still be the big Philly fish.

youre wasting your time

 

[TeasenDonut]

Don’t dilute the product. No on everybody except Gonzaga if the logistics work. What is the reason we can’t poach and does that change anytime soon?

 

[bendm]

What is the reason we can’t poach and does that change anytime soon?

idk what he's talking about. if a school joins the BE their football team couldnt remain in a p5 conference but the power conference would never agree to that anyways so it's a moot point

 

[Samoo]

Neither Chicago nor NYC has direct flights to Spokane (according to Orbitz). Generally thru MSP or SEA.

Probably Denver as well.

 

[metsfan2323]

By far UMASS is the best add for the Big East and the upcoming television contract negotiations (flagship university, 7 million state population). Yes we hate UMASS and they hate UCONN but that is what great rivalries are made of.

Adding UMASS also makes BCU more irrelevant than they already are which is nice.

 

[NH Husky]

Too many fans look at short term success. It’s about eyes and markets. Boston is starving. New York / New England has a boatload of eyes and not too many teams to supply.
Again:
Holy Cross
St Bonaventure
St Joes
Fordham

 

[metsfan2323]

Too many fans look at short term success. It’s about eyes and markets. Boston is starving. New York / New England has a boatload of eyes and not too many teams to supply.
Again:
Holy Cross
St Bonaventure
St Joes
Fordham

What makes small school Holy Cross superior to flagship university UMASS? Is it just the fear that UMASS would eat our lunch in the long run or is there another reason?

Remember the reason we are adding a school is to add value to our TV contract.

and I agree recent short term success is way overrated.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Too many fans look at short term success. It’s about eyes and markets. Boston is starving. New York / New England has a boatload of eyes and not too many teams to supply.
Again:
Holy Cross
St Bonaventure
St Joes
Fordham

I love water, but I don't like watering the BE down.

 

[mikeinmanila]

Too many fans look at short term success. It’s about eyes and markets. Boston is starving. New York / New England has a boatload of eyes and not too many teams to supply.
Again:
Holy Cross
St Bonaventure
St Joes
Fordham

I like Holy Cross because it would sink BC even further to irrelevance, while enhancing UConn's profile in the Boston market. St. Bonaventure is interesting if they can capture upstate NY (over Syracuse). St Joes isn't happening (Villanova), nor is Fordham (St Johns).

 

[Richmondhsky]

then we're adding VCU:

• over 20k students in the 12th most populous state
• much better basketball history than UMass
• no pro teams in virginia and richmond is a bigger market than springfield
• contiguous with the original BE core and much closer than the 5 midwestern schools

VCU has >30,000 undergrads
Richmond is about the same as the Hartford to Springfield
VCU has sold out home games for something like ten years
Facilities are great, urban campus with a vibrant nightlife
Absolute rabid fan base

 

[Ricker]

I think a home and away round robin schedule should be valued more than it appears to be, even by the tv contract. Got to say I have no interest in anything that screws up that format.