I'm not convinced that the C-7 would draw better than the NBE either.
From a television perspective the top to bottom name brands and basketball will be better in the C-7. I don't think there is any doubt about that.
However, the vast majority of years the top 4 of the NBE in UConn, Temple, Memphis and Cinci are going to be playing Friday and Saturday. Those games will sell out.
The C-7 have not been the reason why MSG has been a hot ticket in recent memory. UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville, West Virginia and ND are the programs driving ticket sales at MSG.
I'm sure having a Georgetown/Nova/St.John's on Friday/Saturday would do well ticket wise, but at the end of the day these are all small catholic schools that don't have a big following even though they are obviously more local.
I ultimately think Aresco/Football teams sell the name (I hope they don't) and I think MSG ends up doing a deal with the C7, but I don't think it's as big of a home run as everyone makes it out to be.