Non-Key Tweets

[Husky25]

Boston U might make sense for all sports.

Notre Dame is complaining about being a Midwest school with a hockey program in the east because there are no close-by rivals, and the current thinking is that BU, an eastern school without the benefit of prominent revenue generating sports, would pony up similar money to play a bunch of Midwest schools? Without FBS Football, BU Athletics is more than content in a bus league.

 

[MattMang23]

It's a ridiculous premise he's presenting. Only way I see it is if B1G gets BC for all sports and gets BU to tag along as hockey-only. But that's not happening. I'd bank on ASU+NoDak hockey-only if anything.

North Dakota is a legit possibility as none of their other sports are D1. ASU is a legit possibility, although makes as much geographic sense as Huntsville being in a league with Anchorage, just because of the PAC12 not having hockey but having a relationship with the B1G.

Knowing nothing about these other schools except their names, but perhaps Colorado College, Air Force, Michigan Tech or even Miami U would be options just based on the same premises- either other sports not being D1 or having allegiance to D1 conferences that don't sponsor hockey?

 

[TruDomGopher]

Thinking out loud. I'd never considered Boston U until I saw someone mention it and then I saw possibilities.

Let's say I'm B1G leadership. I have a goal to reach and in the process I have to satisfy academics, get research dollars, keep the alumni happy, keep athletics happy, and now basically program and run a TV network. My strategic objective is fairly clear (barring some major outside influence.)

Let's say, hypothetically, that I already know that I've got VTech and UConn in my pocket for 16 football (all sports) schools and I have a pretty solid TV block running through the Midwest to the east coast.

What I don't have is a solid grasp on New England televisions. The region is bb first and the football has suffered from benign for 100 years and nobody watches it anyway. They're aren't any schools that are worth trying to build up and besides, half the B1G presidents are convinced football has to change while the other half doesn't think it can be changed and will be relegated to the history books and the deep south within 50 years.

Someone mentions Boston U. Suddenly it looks like a B1G school from 50 years in the future: Deep academic and research powerhouse and athletics is a geographic area I want to exploit for cash. TV numbers for hockey in the region are better than expected and they have hockey. I have a stated goal to build lacrosse in the region, they have that, too. They might be a touch nut to crack--worse than Maryland. Doable? Worth it?

So, what are the possibilities? What if they were added? Would they even be interested? How deep would my television penetration be and how much could I get per subscriber? How much would it increase ad revenue? How deeply into New England could the entire package B1G package capture and command? Only the Boston DMA, the entirety, or something in between?

The package would then be 16 football, eight hockey, and 17 bb. Would it be best to 18 bb? Would still like to nail the NYC market. Anyone available as an 18 for bb? How much money would it take to get NYU up from DIII to D1? Would they be interested? Games in the city sandwiched between Rutgers and UConn. How much could I get per subscriber? How much exposure?

Q: How many people does it take to change a light bulb?
A: The same as last time.

No...Johns Hopkins changed the rules. It isn't about the same as last time, it's about the geography I want to exploit, the conference I want to brand, and how much money I can make doing it. I'm not ruling out anything that might fit the criteria I've established.

 

[woomba]

I'm sure B1G would be interested in BU but I don't really see the benefit to BU in this situation.

Johns Hopkins was unique in its circumstance in that it was a Lacrosse independent and had close ties with Maryland going in. There's very little shared history between BU and any Big Ten schools

 

[Husky25]

If Big Ten advocates are poo pooing Connecticut as a noncontiguous state, remind me again with which Big Ten state Massachusetts share a border? Just stop it, already.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

North Dakota is a legit possibility as none of their other sports are D1. ASU is a legit possibility, although makes as much geographic sense as Huntsville being in a league with Anchorage, just because of the PAC12 not having hockey but having a relationship with the B1G.

North Dakota is D1 in all sports now (Big Sky Conference) except for football (D1-AA/FCS). What they lack, though, is a nickname.

 

[MattMang23]

North Dakota is D1 in all sports now (Big Sky Conference) except for football (D1-AA/FCS). What they lack, though, is a nickname.

Oh ok. Didn't realize they moved up. I stand corrected.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

North Dakota is a legit possibility as none of their other sports are D1. ASU is a legit possibility, although makes as much geographic sense as Huntsville being in a league with Anchorage, just because of the PAC12 not having hockey but having a relationship with the B1G.

Knowing nothing about these other schools except their names, but perhaps Colorado College, Air Force, Michigan Tech or even Miami U would be options just based on the same premises- either other sports not being D1 or having allegiance to D1 conferences that don't sponsor hockey?

None of those schools have big enough followings, facilities, or brand names in the sport to be real considerations.

 

[pj]

I'm sure B1G would be interested in BU but I don't really see the benefit to BU in this situation.

Johns Hopkins was unique in its circumstance in that it was a Lacrosse independent and had close ties with Maryland going in. There's very little shared history between BU and any Big Ten schools

The B1G could give enough money to compensate for the travel (university decision-makers don't necessarily care about the players if they can get extra money) and if BU leadership sees academic-side gains to being associated with the B1G, they could pull the trigger.

But, I'm not sure I see BU as an all-sports (sans football) invite. That would be a major strategic change of direction for BU, to invest in other sports besides hockey. It would be hard to build up their facilities to B1G standards given the urban location and scarcity of land (and high land values).

Unless the B1G goal is to further marginalize BC and the ACC, I don't see the sense in it. Raising BU to primacy in Boston in basketball and other non-football sports, while also adding UConn in all sports, would be a dagger at the ACC. But it would be expensive and probably a poor return on investment.

 

[Husky25]

The B1G could give enough money to compensate for the travel (university decision-makers don't necessarily care about the players if they can get extra money) and if BU leadership sees academic-side gains to being associated with the B1G, they could pull the trigger.

But, I'm not sure I see BU as an all-sports (sans football) invite. That would be a major strategic change of direction for BU, to invest in other sports besides hockey. It would be hard to build up their facilities to B1G standards given the urban location and scarcity of land (and high land values).

Unless the B1G goal is to further marginalize BC and the ACC, I don't see the sense in it. Raising BU to primacy in Boston in basketball and other non-football sports, while also adding UConn in all sports, would be a dagger at the ACC. But it would be expensive and probably a poor return on investment.

BU is associated with the Big Ten academically. They are an AAU school along with 13/14 of the Big Ten.

 

[Ldandy]

You are acting like the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, trying to maintain the appearance of a draw after your arms and legs have been chopped off. Buffalo will not help in metro New York COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER SCHOOLS because it is beyond irrelevant in Metro New York. The state line is meaningless -- no one in Metro New York cares or even believes that they are in the same state as Buffalo. New York is not Michigan or Alabama or Utah.

Sometimes, you just need to walk away from a statement and not think you are defending yourself by defending the statement. Please trust me -- this is one of those times.

I'm not sure why you are hammering the idea of relevance to metro NYC? No one, including myself, believes that they resonate in NYC. What they are is an AAU School situated nicely between two top 60 media markets. I never claimed that they were some kind of lock to get an offer, or that they would suddenly jump to the forefront of potential candidates simply because they played around with their name. Realistically they are long way from this level. That said if The B1G truly wants to expand someday, and The Big 12 and ACC stand pat, they could become a viable candidate.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

The B1G could give enough money to compensate for the travel (university decision-makers don't necessarily care about the players if they can get extra money) and if BU leadership sees academic-side gains to being associated with the B1G, they could pull the trigger.

But, I'm not sure I see BU as an all-sports (sans football) invite. That would be a major strategic change of direction for BU, to invest in other sports besides hockey. It would be hard to build up their facilities to B1G standards given the urban location and scarcity of land (and high land values).

Unless the B1G goal is to further marginalize BC and the ACC, I don't see the sense in it. Raising BU to primacy in Boston in basketball and other non-football sports, while also adding UConn in all sports, would be a dagger at the ACC. But it would be expensive and probably a poor return on investment.

Problem with this premise is BU itself does not have a desire to raise the profile of non-hockey sports to the level necessary for the B1G. There are many in the administration/board of trustees who do not want the university to be known for athletics.

 

[Kolumbo]

Nothing would surprise me. Sure BU is a big fish in a small hockey pond. BC and ND are two other bigger fish but they also get to stink it up in a much bigger ACC pond. Why wouldn't BU want in the B1G where it might play for the B1G Hockey prize at MSG?

 

[Ldandy]

I can see the attraction of trying to add BU as a hockey only member from The B1G's perspective, but I can't fathom any reason, outside of being offered 10x what they currently make in Hockey East, why BU would even pick up the phone.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Nothing would surprise me. Sure BU is a big fish in a small hockey pond. BC and ND are two other bigger fish but they also get to stink it up in a much bigger ACC pond. Why wouldn't BU want in the B1G where it might play for the B1G Hockey prize at MSG?

I will bet you my BU diploma that BU never plays in a B1G Hockey tournament at MSG, and that the B1G tournament never comes to MSG.

 

[Kolumbo]

I will bet you my BU diploma that BU never plays in a B1G Hockey tournament at MSG, and that the B1G tournament never comes to MSG.

I'll take that bet. What do you think attendance will be like at MSG for Michigan-Penn State next January?

 

[pj]

I can see the attraction of trying to add BU as a hockey only member from The B1G's perspective, but I can't fathom any reason, outside of being offered 10x what they currently make in Hockey East, why BU would even pick up the phone.

There would have to be some kind of academic-research synergies that the B1G institutions extend to conference mates. Universities will sacrifice athletic interests to elevate academics -- especially BU, which explicitly focuses on the research mission and has downgraded athletics (except hockey).

 

[Husky25]

Nothing would surprise me. Sure BU is a big fish in a small hockey pond. BC and ND are two other bigger fish but they also get to stink it up in a much bigger ACC pond. Why wouldn't BU want in the B1G where it might play for the B1G Hockey prize at MSG?

Seriously? For a non-revenue generating sport, which one of these road trips (Other than South Bend IN) require air travel? Hockey East is a more prestigious hockey conference than the Big Ten.

Away Games
Boston College - 4 miles
Providence College - 54 miles
UConn - 98 miles (XL Center)
Maine - 246 miles
Massachusetts - 91 miles
UMass-Lowell - 32.5 Miles
Merrimack College - 26.8 Miles
New Hampshire - 69 miles
Northeastern - 1.9 miles
Notre Dame - 887 miles
Vermont - 218 miles
TD Garden (Beanpot) - 3.2 miles

Conferences first came into vogue to make athletic scheduling easier. Now it's about money, but BU is far more focused on academics and it's not close.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I'll take that bet. What do you think attendance will be like at MSG for Michigan-Penn State next January?

Less than any of the previous four BU-Cornell games , and less than the previous Cornell-Penn State and Cornell-Michigan games in the past couple years that were predominantly attended by.....Cornell fans.

Also, it's not an even comparison since the Michigan-PSU game will be a doubleheader with basketball earlier in the day, so it's not a standalone event.

 

[Kolumbo]

Seriously? For a non-revenue generating sport, which one of these road trips (Other than South Bend IN) require air travel? Hockey East is a more prestigious hockey conference than the Big Ten.

Away Games
Boston College - 4 miles
Providence College - 54 miles
UConn - 98 miles (XL Center)
Maine - 246 miles
Massachusetts - 91 miles
UMass-Lowell - 32.5 Miles
Merrimack College - 26.8 Miles
New Hampshire - 69 miles
Northeastern - 1.9 miles
Notre Dame - 887 miles
Vermont - 218 miles
TD Garden (Beanpot) - 3.2 miles

Conferences first came into vogue to make athletic scheduling easier. Now it's about money, but BU is far more focused on academics and it's not close.

BU is more focused on academics than the B1G?

 

[Kolumbo]

Less than any of the previous four BU-Cornell games

I'll take that bet too!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

BU is more focused on academics than the B1G?

His point was that the school focuses more on academics than athletics. Which is true, athletics is a distant priority for very, very large segments of BU, as compared to other B1G schools.

 

[Husky25]

BU is more focused on academics than the B1G?

BU is more focused on academics than athletics.

 

[MattMang23]

I imagine the B1G tournament would be placed either at the Joe in Detroit or in the United Center in Chicago.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I imagine the B1G tournament would be placed either at the Joe in Detroit or in the United Center in Chicago.

I would expect to see it on a rotation between these two sites and St. Paul on a quite permanent basis.