CR Impact: Move to ACC Hasn't Helped BC Basketball

[UConnJim]

My biggest concern with CR is the loss of traditional rivals and its impact on a college program. Look at BC, as the move to the ACC hasn't helped the popularity of BC basketball. The first few years in the ACC, BC basketball was respectable as they went to the conference tournament championship game their first year (2005/2006) and finished with a 28-8 record and a spot in the Sweet 16. They also went to the NCAA tournament in 2007 and 2009. But, the first year in the ACC was BC's peak in popularity based on attendance:

2005/2006: 7213 (28 wins - NCAA tourney)
2006/2007: 6916 (21 wins - NCAA tourney)
2007/2008: 5778 (14 wins)
2008/2009: 5548 (22 wins - NCAA tourney)
2009/2010: 5317 (15 wins - Al Skinner fired)
2010/2011: 5324 (21 wins - NIT tourney)
2011/2012: 4699 (9 wins)
2012/2013 (so far): 3902 (9-11 so far)

There are many factors that caused attendance to drop including the introduction of seat licences with the move to the ACC, and declining win totals, but most ACC teams, with the exception of UNC and Duke (and Maryland, especially with Gary Williams as coach) do not excite the fan base. Add in that the ACC basketball has been somewhat down since BC joined. But, it doesn't help that BC also schedules a horrific out of conference slate of home games (this year's opponents: FIU, Auburn, Bryant, Harvard, St. Francis, UNH, Providence, Holy Cross, and Dartmouth).

UConn basketball needs to learn from BC's mistakes as we transition to a new conference. I am more hopeful for UConn as we don't accept poor performance, we have hired a good young coach, and we have had a more solid fan base than BC over the years. But, UConn needs to change the scheduling strategy as the new conference will have fewer strong teams. Thus, I hope the out of conference home slate becomes much more difficult in the future to offset the weaker conference slate.

 

[uconn_jack]

This is why, as cool and as better for football as it might be to be in the B1G, a part of me hopes we end up in the ACC for basketball rivalry reasons (assuming of course its not totally gutted). As great as it would be to play MSU, IU, UM, and OSU in bball every year, I don't see developing the kind of rivalry we have had/would continue to have with SU and Pitt, and even Duke, Ville, UNC, and (shudder) BC. I think we would be viewed as the red-headed stepchild in the B1G (albeit a formidable one in hoops), but I think we would fit quite nicely in the ACC, once they got over it.......

 

[UCFBfan]

This is why, as cool and as better for football as it might be to be in the B1G, a part of me hopes we end up in the ACC for basketball rivalry reasons (assuming of course its not totally gutted). As great as it would be to play MSU, IU, UM, and OSU in bball every year, I don't see developing the kind of rivalry we have had/would continue to have with SU and Pitt, and even Duke, Ville, UNC, and (shudder) BC. I think we would be viewed as the red-headed stepchild in the B1G (albeit a formidable one in hoops), but I think we would fit quite nicely in the ACC, once they got over it.......

Even if the ACC is gutted, all the former Big East teams, minus possibly Louisville, will still be in the ACC. The B1G or Big-12 isn't going to take Syracuse, BC, Pitt, or even ND. Actually ND won't join any of them most likely....so I think we'd be ok even in a gutted ACC since we'd still be playing the likes of Duke along with former BE mates. Yes the football would be weaker but it would still be better than the NBE. If we're going to be in a weak conference I'd at least like to play teams we have a rivalry or some history with.

 

[Marty Jackson]

This is why, as cool and as better for football as it might be to be in the B1G, a part of me hopes we end up in the ACC for basketball rivalry reasons (assuming of course its not totally gutted). As great as it would be to play MSU, IU, UM, and OSU in bball every year, I don't see developing the kind of rivalry we have had/would continue to have with SU and Pitt, and even Duke, Ville, UNC, and (shudder) BC. I think we would be viewed as the red-headed stepchild in the B1G (albeit a formidable one in hoops), but I think we would fit quite nicely in the ACC, once they got over it.......

depends.... I think we are a perfect profile for the ACC. If the ACC weren't going to lose anyone, I would hope Uconn could be #15 or #16.

But depending on what the Big does next, if Uconn and UVA were the next adds, having PSU, Rutgers, UVA, and UMD as regional partners isn't too shabby. We'd be the big dog for BB, but that would be a great league as well.

 

[pj]

Crazy to favor the ACC over B1G just for basketball. Wouldn't be a surprise if UNC, Duke, and ND end up in the B1G. Then we're playing UNC, Duke, ND, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana on a regular basis. We can play Syracuse, Georgetown, etc out of conference. That would be fantastic. Meanwhile without UNC and Duke, ACC basketball might wither on the vine. A basketball schedule of BC, Wake Forest, FSU, Miami, just isn't that exciting.

 

[Oxford Bob]

BC never scheduled very well even when in the BE. It's nice to have the local schools to fill in the schedule, but because they don't challenge themselves with a better OOC schedule they haven't developed any out of region rivals. While we play more powerhouses, they play lower level schools in power leagues. No matter the conference we will still play tough OOC games.

 

[Pudge]

My biggest concern with CR is the loss of traditional rivals and its impact on a college program. Look at BC, as the move to the ACC hasn't helped the popularity of BC basketball. The first few years in the ACC, BC basketball was respectable as they went to the conference tournament championship game their first year (2005/2006) and finished with a 28-8 record and a spot in the Sweet 16. They also went to the NCAA tournament in 2007 and 2009. But, the first year in the ACC was BC's peak in popularity based on attendance:

2005/2006: 7213 (28 wins - NCAA tourney)
2006/2007: 6916 (21 wins - NCAA tourney)
2007/2008: 5778 (14 wins)
2008/2009: 5548 (22 wins - NCAA tourney)
2009/2010: 5317 (15 wins - Al Skinner fired)
2010/2011: 5324 (21 wins - NIT tourney)
2011/2012: 4699 (9 wins)
2012/2013 (so far): 3902 (9-11 so far)

There are many factors that caused attendance to drop including the introduction of seat licences with the move to the ACC, and declining win totals, but most ACC teams, with the exception of UNC and Duke (and Maryland, especially with Gary Williams as coach) do not excite the fan base. Add in that the ACC basketball has been somewhat down since BC joined. But, it doesn't help that BC also schedules a horrific out of conference slate of home games (this year's opponents: FIU, Auburn, Bryant, Harvard, St. Francis, UNH, Providence, Holy Cross, and Dartmouth).

UConn basketball needs to learn from BC's mistakes as we transition to a new conference. I am more hopeful for UConn as we don't accept poor performance, we have hired a good young coach, and we have had a more solid fan base than BC over the years. But, UConn needs to change the scheduling strategy as the new conference will have fewer strong teams. Thus, I hope the out of conference home slate becomes much more difficult in the future to offset the weaker conference slate.

OMG ... that is a horrible trend. I knew they were troubled; but, that is just not good.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I don't know if there are plans or anything for Conte Forum, but I believe that is seats at capacity for basketball something like 8,000 - similar to what Gampel held at capacity when it was new, and before they filled in the upper tier over the doorways.

I know that UConn, hasn't been selling out basketball games regularly, but I'm pretty sure that we're not under 50% capacity on average.

Anyway - show of hands.....who thinks that UConn v. BC (in either football or basketball) wouldn't be a sell out?

 

[uconn_jack]

Crazy to favor the ACC over B1G just for basketball. Wouldn't be a surprise if UNC, Duke, and ND end up in the B1G. Then we're playing UNC, Duke, ND, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Indiana on a regular basis. We can play Syracuse, Georgetown, etc out of conference. That would be fantastic. Meanwhile without UNC and Duke, ACC basketball might wither on the vine. A basketball schedule of BC, Wake Forest, FSU, Miami, just isn't that exciting.

If the ACC lost those teams, I would agree, but my scenario the ACC pretty much stays intact. Even if it lost UVa to the B1G and FSU to Big12, I would prefer the ACC from a hoops perspective. Football would be better in the B1G, of course, but it would be fine in a stable ACC (as long as it wasn't shut out of a BCS defection from the NCAA).

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[UConnJim]

BC basketball attendance is not getting better after I started this thread:

vs. Clemson 5278
vs. Duke 6709
vs. Wake Forest last night 2867

What does BC bring to the ACC?

 

[tzznandrew]

BC basketball attendance is not getting better after I started this thread:

vs. Clemson 5278
vs. Duke 6709
vs. Wake Forest last night 2867

What does BC bring to the ACC?

BC never made sense by themselves--and that destroyed them.

Had BC come with Syracuse and UConn, I don't think they have a problem. But for years they didn't play anyone they had history against. Their closest geographic rival was Maryland--so they didn't interact (and therefore grow to hate) opposing fans.

The first couple of years, they were successful playing BE ball in the ACC. They won big games in basketball and football. But local recruits would prefer to play teams they knew. And once they stopped winning, there wasn't much of a reason to watch them.

I don't think Syracuse will wither in the ACC. But I do worry about UConn (in football, really) given that, after Temple, we have to go far to care about another team...

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

In terms of building long-term rivalries, I think there are several elements that propel them: in bball, playing against your conference mates for all of your confernece tourney marbles, having said conference tourney close to your fanbase or even in the local market (think of what the Hartford Civic Center hosting the early Big East tourney did to build up fan focus and what our proximity to MSG does), and then having the chance to bump into your conferecne mates in an NCAA game; or for non-conference adversaries having multiple and frequent NCAA tourney battles (i.e. Duke-UCONN). In football, it would seem as though it simply is about geographic closeness (ahem, borders touching or nearly touching) or for the conference championship and a trip to a big bowl. I think either way the cookie crumbles for UCONN in CR (ACC or B1G) it will be a good outcome, though it may take some time in the B1G versus the ACC if/when it comes to that.

 

[The Funster]

I think Syracuse will wither in the ACC but not solely because they are moving to the ACC. I think their market, the lack of a cohesive presence in the northeast and the impending retirement of Boeheim will all contribute to them receding.

If Swofford were smart, he'd look at UConn and see us as the lynchpin that brings the northeastern schools in the ACC together.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

My biggest concern with CR is the loss of traditional rivals and its impact on a college program. Look at BC, as the move to the ACC hasn't helped the popularity of BC basketball.

Well, conference realignment also did not prevent BCU's football (practice facility) from collapsing for the second time in a mere four years. Luckily, UConn has its collective ship in a heckuva lot better working order. The Huskies simply need a formal invitation to escape the current NNBE island.

 

[uconNYC]

I think Syracuse will wither in the ACC but not solely because they are moving to the ACC. I think their market, the lack of a cohesive presence in the northeast and the impending retirement of Boeheim will all contribute to them receding.

If Swofford were smart, he'd look at UConn and see us as the lynchpin that brings the northeastern schools in the ACC together.

The ACC's biggest mistake was not taking UConn and RU along with SU and Pitt in one shot and sealing the East Cost from Boston to Miami. Had that happened Notre Dame would have been forced to find a conference and the B1G would be the likely destination. With ND onboard, B1G would not have gone after MD and RU.

 

[uconndogs]

BC mens and womens hoops are full fledged disasters. And it's well beyond performance and talent, which are abysmal. Conte is an absolute morgue. I would not be surprised in BC women's hoops has a fan base of a few hundred.....and I'm not being sarcastic. It's like going to a division three game. The men have more of a following of course, but it's scant. Remember, that was a forum that essentially served as an extra UCONN home game.

The ACC made a terrible choice taking BC on an island and I don't think Orange basketball carries them anywhere.