Any news on possible expansion for the big east anytime soon?

[uconn5013]

The major power conferences will be adding new members to there league starting as early as next year. Is there any talk when the big east will or might expand to add a university/school? Potential schools such as St. Louis, Dayton and VCU would be ideal teams to choose from. Anyone have any thoughts on what schools they would love to see added to the big east and if they think there is a realistic target date when we might see this happen?

 

[Ha Who]

20 minutes

 

[NowInStorrs]

If they add St Louis, VCU, and Dayton, then I hope someone else is adding UConn.

 

[UConnJim]

The major power conferences will be adding new members to there league starting as early as next year. Is there any talk when the big east will or might expand to add a university/school? Potential schools such as St. Louis, Dayton and VCU would be ideal teams to choose from. Anyone have any thoughts on what schools they would love to see added to the big east and if they think there is a realistic target date when we might see this happen?

None of those schools are ideal. How do any of those schools move the revenue needle? If the Big East were smart, they would wait until the ACC gets picked apart and grab a couple schools.

 

[shizzle787]

If Gonzaga is off the table, I hope we stay at 11. My bet is that if the league does expand, it goes to 12 with Saint Louis.

 

[CL82]

None of those schools are ideal. How do any of those schools move the revenue needle? If the Big East were smart, they would wait until the ACC gets picked apart and grab a couple schools.

Lol, how?

 

[Hondo 77]

Other than Gonzaga, which is all the way across the country, no other school moves the needle either economically or interest wise.

 

[XStorrsion]

If the ACC breaks apart, then the Big East loses UConn... No scenario where they gain.

Atlantic 10 is the only path for expansion sans Gonzaga.

 

[Tfoyle]

If the AAC blows up and the rev isnt there, would Memphis make sense?

 

[Luna]

If the AAC blows up and the rev isnt there, would Memphis make sense?

I’ve read somewhere the big east would never take Memphis

 

[Platt81]

If the AAC blows up and the rev isnt there, would Memphis make sense?

I’d take Wichita St first and hope they get good again before I’d take Memphis.

 

[Hoophound]

Memphis is a much better choice than Wichita. However, Memphis is a tough sell for most conferences. No one trusts them to play fair, the academics are brutal and for the Big East anyway, Memphis is far away.

I just don’t see Memphis as a Big East prospect. At the same time, Memphis>St Louis in terms of public perception. So, who knows?

 

[Storrs South]

I don't see the appeal of Saint Louis. They draw worse than VCU attendance wise despite having an arena 33% larger playing the same schedule, I don't believe it has a noteworthy recruiting area. It just happens to be close-ish to DePaul, Butler, Marquette, and Creighton.

Playing Saint Louis doesn't move the needle at all. Neither does VCU frankly but I see them as a more "viable" candidate but no school in the A-10 possesses much value other than additional inventory.

At least VCU has a rabid fanbase, further expands Big East recruiting areas in the DMV, and provides a traveling partner of sorts for Georgetown that doesn't have a single bus ride opponent in the conference. They also are just more often then not a better team on the court. But I wouldn't add them, just if I had to it would be VCU.

 

[Hoophound]

I don't see the appeal of Saint Louis. They draw worse than VCU attendance wise despite having an arena 33% larger playing the same schedule, I don't believe it has a noteworthy recruiting area. It just happens to be close-ish to DePaul, Butler, Marquette, and Creighton.

Playing Saint Louis doesn't move the needle at all. Neither does VCU frankly but I see them as a more "viable" candidate but no school in the A-10 possesses much value other than additional inventory.

At least VCU has a rabid fanbase, further expands Big East recruiting areas in the DMV, and provides a traveling partner of sorts for Georgetown that doesn't have a single bus ride opponent in the conference. They also are just more often then not a better team on the court. But I wouldn't add them, just if I had to it would be VCU.

VCU over Memphis? I don’t know. I’d rather just stay where we are. If the money is that much better with expansion, then just ask the networks who to add to maximize it. It’s probably Memphis if we do that. (if Gonzaga isn’t an option). Even then, Memphis is probably a better long term addition than Gonzaga.

 

[Storrs South]

VCU over Memphis? I don’t know. I’d rather just stay where we are. If the money is that much better with expansion, then just ask the networks who to add to maximize it. It’s probably Memphis if we do that. (if Gonzaga isn’t an option). Even then, Memphis is probably a better long term addition than Gonzaga.

I wouldn't touch Memphis with a 10 foot pole.

Gonzaga is too far.

 

[Ldandy]

Wait for The ACC to get pick pocketed and then get in line immediately for membership in the reformed league. ESPN more than owes you one at this point. It might be a little AACish, but if it still has some actual brands in it, and they maintain a viable football component then you run there as fast as possible.

The Big East can only ever be viewed as a holding pattern for a school the size and scope of UCONN. Somewhere to be until something better comes along. You have zero in common with any program currently in that league.

Anyone fantasizing about The Big East of Thompson, Louie, Rollie, Pitino and Calhoun is deluding themselves. The Big East of today is a hodgepodge of afterthought East Coast and Midwest Privates thrown together out of necessity. The resource gap will not allow these schools to ever be relevant again. Don’t add to that Frankenstein. as soon as possible.

 

[Luna]

The big east started off as a basketball conference and turned into one of the best basketball conferences in the country…and today are one of the best basketball conferences in the country… uconn is in a good place… just need some more magic from Mora

 

[Hoophound]

Wait for The ACC to get pick pocketed and then get in line immediately for membership in the reformed league. ESPN more than owes you one at this point. It might be a little AACish, but if it still has some actual brands in it, and they maintain a viable football component then you run there as fast as possible.

The Big East can only ever be viewed as a holding pattern for a school the size and scope of UCONN. Somewhere to be until something better comes along. You have zero in common with any program currently in that league.

Anyone fantasizing about The Big East of Thompson, Louie, Rollie, Pitino and Calhoun is deluding themselves. The Big East of today is a hodgepodge of afterthought East Coast and Midwest Privates thrown together out of necessity. The resource gap will not allow these schools to ever be relevant again. Don’t add to that Frankenstein. as soon as possible.

This isn’t a fair look at the Big East. Big East fans look at it through a different lens. It’s a northeastern league. A Big Ten guy can’t appreciate it. At the same time, many of us have never really thought the Big Ten was a great bball league. For a long time the Big Ten was a paper tiger other than Mich St.

It also isn’t a hodgepodge. Many original members remain and the additions are Catholic private schools with great basketball tradition.

 

[billybud]

I think an ACC with Duke, UNC, Miami, Virginia, Notre Dame, playing basketball agaiinst the additions of UConn and Memphis might make interesting match ups...and If Cuse and FSU would improve...a pretty nice BB conference.

 

[ElGreco]

Memphis is a much better choice than Wichita. However, Memphis is a tough sell for most conferences. No one trusts them to play fair, the academics are brutal and for the Big East anyway, Memphis is far away.

I just don’t see Memphis as a Big East prospect. At the same time, Memphis>St Louis in terms of public perception. So, who knows?

St Louis (huge market, Catholic, no other college competitors, perfect geographic fit and long time BB tradition) and VCU will be the first. Davidson might be next in my mind.

 

[Hoophound]

St Louis (huge market, Catholic, no other college competitors, perfect geographic fit and long time BB tradition) and VCU will be the first. Davidson might be next in my mind.

That’s lame. Sit tight. People here are making St. Louis out to be something it just isn’t. No one cares.

 

[Rufus]

I think an ACC with Duke, UNC, Miami, Virginia, Notre Dame, playing basketball agaiinst the additions of UConn and Memphis might make interesting match ups...and If Cuse and FSU would improve...a pretty nice BB conference.

The problem is most of those schools won’t be in the conference when UConn gets an invite.

 

[CL82]

For whatever that’s worth.

 

[pepband99]

For whatever that’s worth.

That handle screams Edward R Murrow.

 

[ElGreco]

That’s lame. Sit tight. People here are making St. Louis out to be something it just isn’t. No one cares.

Agree to disagree but it’s a huge market, newer arena and perfect geographic fit and as I noted has a very long basketball history.