ESPN: Butler to the A10

[nelsonmuntz]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...atlantic-10-conference-all-sports-source-says

Smart move by the A10. As I said somewhere else, it feels like ESPN is preparing for a post-Big East world. With Butler, George Mason and VCU, the A10 becomes a pretty marketable league, albeit a large one, and guts some nearby competitors in the CAA and Horizon League. Losing Temple hurts, but they have 2 other Philly teams. Charlotte is not a big loss.

They are at 15, which means they are going to probably add another, or Fordham will drop out. I think Fordham leaving is unlikely, because the A10 will subsidize them to stay in New York and Fordham is a great academic school. My guess is Detroit, Drexel or Iona. I can't come up with a Chicago school.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

If BU got off their ass and made something of their basketball program, we'd be a great fit for the A-10. But alas, our basketball team largely blows.

 

[Dann]

If BU got off their ass and made something of their basketball program, we'd be a great fit for the A-10. But alas, our basketball team largely blows.

i have been saying this for a while. BU is a golden opp for a bball league that needs 1 more for a round #. the market doesn't watch bcu and harvard is trying. BU could make themselves a nice mid major easily. every says blah blah puck is king. thats fine, BU is actually a big school and can easily handle those 2 sports as a student/fan base.

 

[Dann]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...atlantic-10-conference-all-sports-source-says

Smart move by the A10. As I said somewhere else, it feels like ESPN is preparing for a post-Big East world. With Butler, George Mason and VCU, the A10 becomes a pretty marketable league, albeit a large one, and guts some nearby competitors in the CAA and Horizon League. Losing Temple hurts, but they have 2 other Philly teams. Charlotte is not a big loss.

They are at 15, which means they are going to probably add another, or Fordham will drop out. I think Fordham leaving is unlikely, because the A10 will subsidize them to stay in New York and Fordham is a great academic school. My guess is Detroit, Drexel or Iona. I can't come up with a Chicago school.

quinn, bu, siena come to mind. new haven, albany, boston markets.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

i have been saying this for a while. BU is a golden opp for a bball league that needs 1 more for a round #. the market doesn't watch bcu and harvard is trying. BU could make themselves a nice mid major easily. every says blah blah puck is king. thats fine, BU is actually a big school and can easily handle those 2 sports as a student/fan base.

While BU is a huge school of 30K+, because our population is so diverse, there is a very, very large portion who are nowhere near being a sports fan. That said, it would be possible to sustain a presence for hockey and basketball. Only issue would be, first, the team has to be good, and second, the arena was built specifically for men's hockey and is primarily used for all practices/strength training, and everything, so they'd have to figure out a way to get the men's bball team in there without taking away from hockey's ice time. I don't think many people would suddenly jump to BU basketball, college ball just isn't big here, but I think there'd be enough interest to sustain an A-10 program, provided the product on the court was worthy of following.

 

[kingdobbs]

I can't come up with a Chicago school.

Loyola or UIC. They both play in the Horizon League with Butler. Neither are fantastic candidates for the A10 but they're at least better than Fordham or GW.

quinn, bu, siena come to mind. new haven, albany, boston markets.

Siena's a good candidate. BU's basketball ain't worth competitively and Quinnipiac has virtually no name recognition outside of New Haven. Northeastern would be a better candidate for the A-10 than BU.

If the A-10 wanted to make a serious run at being a nearly major conference, I'd go after Creighton. They have a serious presence in KC-Omaha, and a fanatically rabid hoops fan base that outdraws the Cornhuskers by nearly 150%.

 

[Vowelguy]

With Butler, George Mason and VCU, the .

GMU & VCU still not confirmed.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Northeastern would be a better candidate for the A-10 than BU.

Northeastern is totally worthless. Outside of their students, to whom they give free tickets, virtually no one comes to any of their sporting events, hockey included. Plus, Matthews Arena is an old, decrepit place that is not suitable for the A-10, even with the new renovations. Sightlines are downright terrible, half of the lower bowl isn't usable for basketball, and it's not that big to begin with. While BU certainly doesn't have a generally large fan base, Northeastern's is significantly smaller.

 

[Vowelguy]

i have been saying this for a while. BU is a golden opp for a bball league that needs 1 more for a round #. the market doesn't watch bcu and harvard is trying. BU could make themselves a nice mid major easily. every says blah blah puck is king. thats fine, BU is actually a big school and can easily handle those 2 sports as a student/fan base.

The reason folks don't watch BC is that it's not a college sports town.

BC, being the most suburban, has the best opportunity to draw locals.
I don't see BU having much potential.

 

[CL82]

i have been saying this for a while. BU is a golden opp for a bball league that needs 1 more for a round #. the market doesn't watch bcu and harvard is trying. BU could make themselves a nice mid major easily. every says blah blah puck is king. thats fine, BU is actually a big school and can easily handle those 2 sports as a student/fan base.

You know if BCU improved their basketball team, they'd be good fit for the A-10 as well.