BE Commissioner: Expansion Possible Before 2024

[Fishy]

People have an awful lot of confidence in Gonzaga going forward - feels risky to me.

It’s a small school with 4,900 undergrads in a state where everyone is a Washington or Washington State fan. Few is 60 years old….one bad hire kills Gonzaga dead.

 

[uchusky32]

People have an awful lot of confidence in Gonzaga going forward - feels risky to me.

It’s a small school with 4,900 undergrads in a state where everyone is a Washington or Washington State fan. Few is 60 years old….one bad hire kills Gonzaga dead.

One coach makes small time school very good. Then what? Wichita State.

 

[Greedo]

People have an awful lot of confidence in Gonzaga going forward - feels risky to me.

It’s a small school with 4,900 undergrads in a state where everyone is a Washington or Washington State fan. Few is 60 years old….one bad hire kills Gonzaga dead.

I agree, it would obviously pay short term dividends, but I worry about the long term addition of Gonzaga. The previous comparisons of schools like Duke and UConn before Coach K and Calhoun don't hold for me. Duke was good before Coach K, but Coach K was there for so long with so much success that he made Duke a massive brand. They will continue to be successful after him because of that brand. Duke probably has the largest following of non-alums of any college basketball team. UConn is a major public university in the northeast. It doesn't need Calhoun to draw eyes and build success.

Gonzaga is neither of these. Few has not elevated them to the level of Duke, and is unlikely to. I have met one Gonzaga fan in my life. People watch them because of their present success, but would not continue to watch them if they drop off after Few. Also, like Fishy said, Washington and Washington State are the large public universities in Washington. Gonzaga doesn't have that benefit that UConn has beyond Calhoun.

 

[superjohn]

It’s a small school with 4,900 undergrads in a state where everyone is a Washington or Washington State fan. Few is 60 years old….one bad hire kills Gonzaga dead.

Yep and everyone in North Carolina is a UNC or NC State fan.

 

[xclamations]

Gonzaga and St Mary's
(or Stanford if the pac 12 dies )

 

[ConnHuskBask]

What happens to UConn when Calhoun retires, Duke when K retires, Nova when Wright retires?

Would you add Gonzaga if Few announced he was retiring at the end of the season?

 

[SubbaBub]

People have an awful lot of confidence in Gonzaga going forward - feels risky to me.

It’s a small school with 4,900 undergrads in a state where everyone is a Washington or Washington State fan. Few is 60 years old….one bad hire kills Gonzaga dead.

So, Butler.

There are zero viable BB programs that would add value to the BE. Gonzaga included. It's fine to want to add reliable tourney teams but we currently have every non-P5 programs north of DC and east of Chicago that fits any workable definition of viable which is defined as an increase in per team media money that doesn't come with a bunch of hassles, including implosion of the BB program in question.

If you told me we could add Syracuse today, I'd say no. They are so far along on their journey to post-Boeheim oblivion that they might arrive while Boeheim is still around. In contrast, Nova will be fine because of Philly. Cuse will soon be fighting with Iona and losing so long as Pitino decides to hang around.

 

[CL82]

What happens to UConn when Calhoun retires, Duke when K retires, Nova when Wright retires?

I think the point is that Gonzaga is as big a geographic outlier as you can have and still be in the continental United States. Perhaps that’s tolerable while they are a decent basketball team. It would not be after they are not.

 

[superjohn]

I think the point is that Gonzaga is as big a geographic outlier as you can have and still be in the continental United States. Perhaps that’s tolerable while they are a decent basketball team. It would not be after they are not.

I think they're better than a decent basketball team and I think they will remain better than a decent basketball team especially with Big East membership. Geography doesn't matter anymore we're way past that point. Other conferences are flying across the country, Big East can certainly have one team that's all the way across the country if it makes the basketball in the conference better and brings a better payday.

 

[superjohn]

Would you add Gonzaga if Few announced he was retiring at the end of the season?

Yes but he's not retiring at the end of the season.

 

[CL82]

I think they're better than a decent basketball team and I think they will remain better than a decent basketball team especially with Big East membership. Geography doesn't matter anymore we're way past that point. Other conferences are flying across the country, Big East can certainly have one team that's all the way across the country if it makes the basketball in the conference better and brings a better payday.

Disagree regarding geography. Do you remember have the coaches and players used to talk about the grind of being in the American? Of course it’s worse for Gonzaga everyone else. It would have to be a very significant payday increase to make it worthwhile.

If I were them, with all the instability in the Pac 12, I would hold tight and see what the future holds. There is likely to be a more geographically sensible alternative for them.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yes but he's not retiring at the end of the season.

If you're reasoning is get the most bang for your buck over the next 5 or so years, then so be it. I can understand that position and you may be right given how in flux realignment has still proven to be.

The moment Few steps out of that gym they become just another program that had great success under one coach. Almost nobody outside of Kentucky, Kansas, and UNC (remains to be be seen with Duke) can match that consistent excellence through coaching changes.

 

[NJHusky]

What happens to UConn when Calhoun retires, Duke when K retires, Nova when Wright retires

What happens to UConn when Calhoun retires, Duke when K retires, Nova when Wright retires?

When Wright retired UConn still has a 3.5 hr drive to Philly if they r good or bad.. If Gonzaga flops u still have. 5 hour charter flight…. For every sport

 

[NJHusky]

I think they're better than a decent basketball team and I think they will remain better than a decent basketball team especially with Big East membership. Geography doesn't matter anymore we're way past that point. Other conferences are flying across the country, Big East can certainly have one team that's all the way across the country if it makes the basketball in the conference better and brings a better payday.

I don’t think u can financially compare UCLA or USC playing B1G schools to Gonzaga playing BE schools. The odds of Gonzaga crashing after Few are a lot higher than USC falling off the sports map. Them joining the b1g added 30 mill per team. How much is Gonzaga adding to each big east Team?

 

[CL82]

I don’t think u can financially compare UCLA or USC playing B1G schools to Gonzaga playing BE schools. The odds of Gonzaga crashing after Few are a lot higher than USC falling off the sports map. Them joining the b1g added 30 mill per team. How much is Gonzaga adding to each big east Team?

Especially on a net basis after factoring in the additional travel costs.

 

[businesslawyer]

With the SEC and B1G going to 16 teams and likely getting 8+ bids a year going forward, even if we get 6/11 teams in the field every year, we are disadvantaged perception-wise nationally by only getting six teams in even if our league may actually be better. That is why at a minimum you need to add Gonzaga so that we can get 7 bids a year consistently.

Utterly bizarre take. You really think anyone whose perception matters is so friggin stupid that they will conclude that a large conference that gets half its members in is better than a not so large conference that gets half its members in? Please.

 

[pepband99]

Utterly bizarre take. You really think anyone whose perception matters is so friggin stupid that they will conclude that a large conference that gets half its members in is better than a not so large conference that gets half its members in? Please.

Exhibit A, counselor: The A&W Third Pounder Failed Because People Didn’t Understand Fractions

Judgement - people are stupid.

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

I would love Gonzaga, wonder what Mark Few’s opinion is on a big east move though? Obviously, we would need Mark Few to invite Gonzaga, so he definitely has a big say in all of this. From his standpoint, I could see him not wanting to move. I mean, he’s built up a national powerhouse in that conference and has been able to do so consistently. Who knows what moving to the big east will do (ie. Wichita state to the AAC)? And does he personally want to travel that much? I guess he already assumedly travels to Europe many times a year and it’s on the way, but regardless even more travel is never what anyone wants.

 

[Luna]

Can’t see how Gonzaga would increase are media deal much to offset the travel expenses and hassle of flying cross country… we have a nice league right now.. hopefully we make more money next tv contract

 

[tzznandrew]

Good points. But what happens when Few retires? I don’t recall anyone talking about them 15 years ago. Remember when DePaul was a better bball school than Gonzaga?

Then you have a bad memory. They have been relevant nationally since 1999.

That doesn't mean the BE should add them, to be clear, but they've been very good for a very long time.

 

[Jbirdp5]

You can certainly make the argument it makes sense for the big east, it’s one trip for each team out west, no big deal. Gonzaga can probably get similar money and stay more geographically stable in a number of other leagues. I don’t see the pull for them to say yes. Mark few getting older makes me think they would be less interested in such rigorous travel.

 

[superjohn]

If you're reasoning is get the most bang for your buck over the next 5 or so years, then so be it. I can understand that position and you may be right given how in flux realignment has still proven to be.

The moment Few steps out of that gym they become just another program that had great success under one coach. Almost nobody outside of Kentucky, Kansas, and UNC (remains to be be seen with Duke) can match that consistent excellence through coaching changes.

I'm not saying they're assured to remain a top 5 program, I can't really say that for any program who loses a top coach but I don't think they'll just become a regular program or an also ran when Few retires. I also don't see that for UConn, Duke, Cuse...

 

[superjohn]

I don’t think u can financially compare UCLA or USC playing B1G schools to Gonzaga playing BE schools. The odds of Gonzaga crashing after Few are a lot higher than USC falling off the sports map. Them joining the b1g added 30 mill per team. How much is Gonzaga adding to each big east Team?

If I was comparing Big East money to Big 10 money I would've compared Big East money to Big 10 money.

 

[MJ1]

I would love Gonzaga, wonder what Mark Few’s opinion is on a big east move though? Obviously, we would need Mark Few to invite Gonzaga, so he definitely has a big say in all of this. From his standpoint, I could see him not wanting to move. I mean, he’s built up a national powerhouse in that conference and has been able to do so consistently. Who knows what moving to the big east will do (ie. Wichita state to the AAC)? And does he personally want to travel that much? I guess he already assumedly travels to Europe many times a year and it’s on the way, but regardless even more travel is never what anyone wants.

If Gonzaga gets paid well enough, Few will be on board. It all about the money!

 

[NJHusky]

If I was comparing Big East money to Big 10 money I would've compared Big East money to Big 10 money.

You were talking about schools flying across the country. They are doing it for a reason. $$$. They aren’t doing it for points. How much extra $$ does Gonzaga add to the BE? I don’t think it’s enough to justify the risk