Big East Conference Changed Basketball for it's Members

[UConnJim]

Since UConn is not in the dance this year and the BE as we knew it is over, I spent some time looking back at the basketball performance and attendance of the BE schools over the years. Dave Gavitt was right. It is amazing how the BE grew as a conference.

First, look at Final Fours. In the 10 years before the BE was formed, 3 future original members made the Final Four. In the 10 years after the BE was formed, 8 members made the Final Four, including a record 3 schools in 1985.

Before the BE Conference was formed, basketball attendance for the original members was not very high. The Big East changed everything.

Here is the attendance for the early BE members in 1978 and each's schools national rank:

1978

32. Providence 9,168
37. Syracuse 8,605
98. St. John's 4,627
106. UConn 4,419
136. Pitt 3,520
161. Georgetown 2,898
171. BC 2,567
182. Villanova 2,361
192. Seton Hall 2,231

average = 4,488

Within 10 years, attendance was exploding in the BE:

1988

1. Syracuse 28,826
37. Providence 10,006
39. UConn 9,510
41. Georgetown 9,172
45. St. John's 8,686
50. Pitt 8,315
55. Villanova 8,120
81. Seton Hall 6,219
108. BC 4,776

average = 10,403

Ten years later, the BE basically held the gains:

1998:

2. Syracuse 21,124
23. UConn 13,007
36. Providence 10,198
38. Georgetown 10,030
56. St. John's 8,168
59. Seton Hall 7,790
76. Pitt 6,762
>100. BC 5,009

average = 9,120 (impacted by SU decline)


Unfortunately, it's over.

 

[Carl Spackler]

No, it's time to START OVER.

 

[Adios]

No, it's time to START OVER.

No way, we've already started. Two biggest turning points in UConn athletics, the 1924 football team and the Jim Calhoun/Geno Auriemma basketball era. Have to keep rolling. The future can be as bright as it can get.

 

[Waquoit]

What was the percent of capacity for UConn in 1978? 95% or so?

 

[Husky25]

College Basketball in general exploded with the popularity of Cable TV. Back in the 80's there were only a few basketball games on the networks and it was typically the NBA Some pro teams had local contracts with UHF channels, but they were still pro teams (i.e. the Celtics on Channel 56, and the Red Sox and Bruins on TV-38). The only college sport of consequence was football. College basketball was an after thought, but once cable was became widely available, channels had to come up with content. By each team playing 25 games a year, college basketball was a logical partner. Besides given the popularity of the reborn NBA, fans wanted to see who the next great talent was before they were the next great talent.

 

[UConnJim]

What was the percent of capacity for UConn in 1978? 95% or so?

I would think you are correct. I should have remembered, but I think UConn's attendance figures were skewed lower by the Hartford Civic Center collapse in 1978.

 

[Waquoit]

I would think you are correct. I should have remembered, but I think UConn's attendance figures were skewed lower by the Hartford Civic Center collapse in 1978.

IIRC, the 1st game in the HCC after the collapse was in 1979. They called it "UConn Night in Hartford". The drinking age was still 18 so you could forget getting into a bar unless you got there early. It was so crowded downtown that even Arthur Treacher's had a line out the door. We ended up at The Skillet, thrilled that they sold pitchers.

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Ahhhh yes the 1924 UConn football season. Still brings a tear to my eye every time I remember those glorious games...

 

[AZHuskiePop]

No way, we've already started. Two biggest turning points in UConn athletics, the 1924 football team and the Jim Calhoun/Geno Auriemma basketball era. Have to keep rolling. The future can be as bright as it can get.

Don't underestimate the 2012/2013 mens's basketball team.
The 2013 football team is also going to be huge. (final BCS year)
The have and will have significant potential in altering the dimished reputation of the schools athletics.