Conference carousel to start spinning again?

[nuts4xu]

I demand an end to wars and barking dogs this year.

Please no more barking, that's about as bush league as it gets. I never liked the barking and really hope the "kills" board left with Travis Steele.

[xudash]

This home and away series would just involve Xavier and Gonzaga. Is there an appetite to send Providence’s tennis team to WA? We don’t need Gonzaga for anything. They would be good for basketball but the distance is just too great.

The BE has no reason to expand right now or ever but if people are wanting games against Gonzaga, a regular non conference match up fits the bill.

Is there an appetite to send Providence’s tennis team to WA? Yes, if the money is worthwhile.


We don’t need Gonzaga for anything. I agree. But let's say UCONN and the BE's success to-date moves us from $4 million per team up to $7 million per team per year in our media agreement in a couple years. Let's further imagine that the network involved pitches the addition of Gonzaga to take us to $10 million per team per year. Numbers like this have been bantered about, though we don't know with any certainty how our next media rights negotiation will work out. So, I agree: we don't need them for anything, but there is a scenario where they just might come in handy, at least financially.


They would be good for basketball but the distance is just too great. If the distance turns out to be too great, it will turn out that way primarily for Gonzaga. They'll be the program that has to do most of the heavy lifting in that department. In the meantime, a little West Coast exposure can't hurt us, especially if we find a way to mix in another opponent in some kind of OOC "one off" while we're out there (not sure if that is possible or not), or at the very least bridge the away Gonzaga game with an away Creighton game coming or going.


The BE has no reason to expand right now or ever. I agree that the BE has no reason to expand right now. But as the old saying goes - never say never. "Ever", especially in college athletics realignment, is a long time.

This remains a black and white issue for me. Either the BE leadership, presidents and ADs find it viable and valuable to bring them into the conference, or let Gonzaga figure out its own long term survival plan out there. They're in a very good and unique place as a program right now, but they're on a rather fragile island when it comes to their conference affiliation.

[Seven Eighths]

I personally like to see the following happen. The PAC adds Gonzaga and BYU and negotiates with the ACC in some kind of rumored partnership. The ACC adds WVU. This weakens the B12 who is actively trying to kill the PAC.

The PAC has 11 for football and 12 for all other sports. It doesn’t off set the losses of USC and UCLA but no available program does. It weakens the other conference vying for survival and helps both the PAC and ACC stay in the Big 4 until 2036.

This puts Kansas in play for joining the BE and I’d rather add Kansas as the 12th team to the BE over Gonzaga.

Of course no one knows what’s going on or going to happen.

If this played out, it would really hurt UC so that’s an added bonus.

[sirthought]

Kansas will never join the Big East. Not gonna happen. If XU were going to be in a league with them, it would mean the current conferences would blow up somehow and reconfigure completely.

[Seven Eighths]

Kansas will never join the Big East. Not gonna happen. If XU were going to be in a league with them, it would mean the current conferences would blow up somehow and reconfigure completely.

People said the same thing about UCONN.

[UCGRAD4X]

If Oregon does go to the B12, I'd be curious to see how UC approaches their track program to compete moving forward. They've had a couple olympians over the past 10-15 years, but Oregon is a major player, from what I've seen.

These geographic distances are crazy. I guess if the B10 knows they are getting a huge pay day, adding two programs from the LA media market could cover the expenses for transportation. But the B12 and other conferences don't have that knowledge. And the idea that even an enhanced conference like that could force the media outlets to pay up is a big gamble. I mean, there's only so much money before we watch nothing but commercials and no games at all!

I expect Al Gore to eventually get involved.

[sirthought]

People said the same thing about UCONN.

No. A very different situation with UCONN and the Big East. They had significant history with the brand, and they weren't doing anything with the AAC. They were in a desperate situation to not fall further from relevance.

The B12 is going to be a desirable basketball conference and have the potential to be a good football conference. If more realignment happens it's likely to be more attractive for KU to stay where they are. And although they haven't had a great football program, the administration there are fully on board with the investments they've made to support that sport.

[Seven Eighths]

I disagree. Many said UCONN would never return to the Big East and they did.

If WVU and BYU leave the B12, that conference is really struggling. Any additions would be weak. They already had to compromise with the addition of UCF and UC.

Kansas would be smart to make the same decision UCONN made before it’s too late.

Now, I agree KU is not leaving if the B12 stays pat but my scenario is contingent on them losing WVU and BYU.

[JTG]

Kansas is not coming to the Big East. Even though in football they are "guaranteed win day " for any Power 5 school they play, except IU , in which case it would be a tie. What's left of the BIG 12 will still get more money than the BE, and Kansas has enough students to milk to prop up their crapola football.

[muskiefan82]

An annual Jesuit Jam with one or two Big East teams and another Jesuit college. Maybe Gonzaga vs. Xavier and Loyola (Marymount, MD, or ILL) vs. Creighton in year one. Other teams would be St. Louis, San Francisco, Boston College (I think), St. Peters, etc. Counts like a regular game, but is way more fun.