It's time for the Big East to add Gonzaga.

[shizzle787]

With the B1G and SEC both going to 16 teams, that means more bids for both. We can't be sitting at 11 when the other power leagues are at 16, 16, 15, 12, 10+.
I do think if we were to add Gonzaga, getting to 12 would help numerically and in prestige. It would also help our TV deal. I think the calculus has changed for Gonzaga in the last few days. They are looking around and realizing college basketball is consolidating as well. As far as UConn, I have gamed out the scenarios and the tea leaves suggest ND is staying with its status quo, which means the ACC stays put. The realignment dominoes are the Pac-12 vs. the Big 12 in a fight to the deal (AKA not our problem). What is our problem is getting as many bids as possible into the NCAA tournament.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Uh no...

Conference realignment has literally (and I mean that in the literal not figurative sense) nothing to do with basketball

 

[buddy]

With the B1G and SEC both going to 16 teams, that means more bids for both. We can't be sitting at 11 when the other power leagues are at 16, 16, 15, 12, 10+.
I do think if we were to add Gonzaga, getting to 12 would help numerically and in prestige. It would also help our TV deal. I think the calculus has changed for Gonzaga in the last few days. They are looking around and realizing college basketball is consolidating as well. As far as UConn, I have gamed out the scenarios and the tea leaves suggest ND is staying with its status quo, which means the ACC stays put. The realignment dominoes are the Pac-12 vs. the Big 12 in a fight to the deal (AKA not our problem). What is our problem is getting as many bids as possible into the NCAA tournament.

Big East is not a power league. Needs to be a temporary home for UConn, not a permanent residence. The Big East will become an afterthought with the development of the new super leagues.

 

[shizzle787]

Uh no...

Conference realignment has literally (and I mean that in the literal not figurative sense) nothing to do with basketball

It will ultimately affect basketball like it did us 10 years ago.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Uh no...

Conference realignment has literally (and I mean that in the literal not figurative sense) nothing to do with basketball

It doesn't but it does.

More teams in conference means more bids. Ecentually bids will turn in to wins and credits. Yea, more mouths to feed and distribute those credits but eventually quantity becomes a quality.

 

[HooperScooper]

 

[huskiesNhoos]

It will ultimately affect basketball like it did us 10 years ago.

Completely different scenarios...10 yrs ago we got left behind as everyone chased...wait for it...football $. In a basketball only conference the only team that can/would go anywhere now is us (if we're so lucky)

@Chin Diesel 's comment is the only way it eventually affects us, but even then there's 1 maybe 2 if Kansas was possible (likely not) teams that'd be a slight net positive...by the time we're chasing qty for bids it'll be a losing battle against the 20+ team super conferences

doomed

 

[Punkbo]

No offense, but the Ivy League is the only remaining athletic league which understands how athletics fit into a broader academic curriculum. Athletics, driven by regional athletic rivalries, can help to develop young people into superior individuals, both on and off the field. The concept of adding a team from the state of Washington to an eastern conference to add to the college experience is completely misguided. Please feel free to tell me how great it will be that our university will make some inconsequential incremental revenue from the addition. I won’t be convinced.

 

[CashewCrew]

No…. it’s not. Big East doesn’t need Gonzaga and Gonzaga doesn’t need the Big East.

 

[navery12]

I mean, sure, adding Gonzaga is a nice band-aid and helps the Big East. But the idea that adding Gonzaga is going to help the keep up in the arms race with the football power conferences is laughably ignorant

 

[BlueMAB]

Gonzaga would be a no brainer if it wasn’t literally on the other side of the country.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Please no. They don't do anything for the Big East except consume some revenue and add a lot of travel cost. Net negative for every other program. It would be great for Gonzaga perhaps.

 

[buddy]

Big East is not a power league. Needs to be a temporary home for UConn, not a permanent residence. The Big East will become an afterthought with the development of the new super leagues.

The superconferences will take the NCAA tourney bids and the Big East will be a one bid conference. Big East schools will be unable to compete with schools paying the players more than the Big East schools make. The move to the Big East may have saved basketball, but again, it is a temporary fix.

 

[Storrs South]

The Big East is going to do whatever FOX tells them to do. Considering Gonzaga is currently in the WCC under ESPN, it's a no brainer for FOX to want to steal them from a competitor. It probably hasn't happened already because the Big East deals runs out in 2025 and don't want to commit to this to early before they need to with how much everything is moving around.

At the same time, the Big East needs to worry about the Power Conferences stealing the NCAA tourney for themselves. The more they bolster themselves with big name basketball properties, the greater the likelihood they won't be left out, but not guarantee.

It's a silly move for a multitude of reasons already discussed in the dozens of other threads that have brought this up, but will probably happen for reasons 1, 2 and 3 that probably FOX wants it, but the Big East leadership probably wants it too for the additional exposure, branding, money, and prestige. There is a lot of risk involved with Gonzaga but it's one I think they are willing to take for reasons above.

And Gonzaga, despite the travel hurdles, will oblige because I am sure whatever ESPN pays the WCC is pennies compared to a FOX / Big East deal. ESPN's only counter would be to tell the PAC to take them on as member.

 

[SeattleHoop]

The superconferences will take the NCAA tourney bids and the Big East will be a one bid conference. Big East schools will be unable to compete with schools paying the players more than the Big East schools make. The move to the Big East may have saved basketball, but again, it is a temporary fix.

Sad but true

 

[SeattleHoop]

My question is what happens to the Gonzaga’s and Villanova’s (basketball only juggernauts) 15-20 years from now?

Do they have their own separate league? Are they still competing with the power conferences at all?

 

[SubbaBub]

BE doesn't have to do a darn thing but wait to see which premier basketball schools become available now that their FB programs have to go independent.

Gonzaga, please.

 

[ThabeetDown]

Even if Gonzaga was in Seattle let alone Spokane it wouldn't be worth it. Heck, if they were in Denver still not worth it. No team should ever be added to the Big East from farther away than Omaha (Creighton) unless they're Kansas.

Mark Few ain't going to be there forever. Will they be worth it with him gone? Hard to tell -- but not worth adding to the BE regardless.

 

[Northbound]

No.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I’ll never get why UConn fans wouldn’t want it.

It’s not going to hurt or effect us. It’s all on Zaga.

 

[uconnfan68]

Sad but true

Why will it be true? I know I won’t be spending a nickel to watch “super” conferences.

 

[metsfan2323]

Remnants of the PAC 12 will go hybrid and add Gonzaga, a much better fit for the Zags than the Big East.

 

[buddy]

Why will it be true? I know I won’t be spending a nickel to watch “super” conferences.

As long as you have cable and sports packages, you will be spending more than a nickel on them. As long as you pay cable for ESPN and Fox you will be paying for them. My comment is simply that the super conferences will get all the money, the leftovers of the current P5 will get a middle amount, and the non football midmajors, like the Big East, will get even less.

 

[businesslawyer]

Even if Gonzaga was in Seattle let alone Spokane it wouldn't be worth it. Heck, if they were in Denver still not worth it. No team should ever be added to the Big East from farther away than Omaha (Creighton) unless they're Kansas.

Mark Few ain't going to be there forever. Will they be worth it with him gone? Hard to tell -- but not worth adding to the BE regardless.

Geography much? Lawrence, Kansas is closer to the rest of the Big East than Omaha, Nebraska. Not further.

 

[Hondo 77]

The Big East is going to do whatever FOX tells them to do. Considering Gonzaga is currently in the WCC under ESPN, it's a no brainer for FOX to want to steal them from a competitor. It probably hasn't happened already because the Big East deals runs out in 2025 and don't want to commit to this to early before they need to with how much everything is moving around.

At the same time, the Big East needs to worry about the Power Conferences stealing the NCAA tourney for themselves. The more they bolster themselves with big name basketball properties, the greater the likelihood they won't be left out, but not guarantee.

It's a silly move for a multitude of reasons already discussed in the dozens of other threads that have brought this up, but will probably happen for reasons 1, 2 and 3 that probably FOX wants it, but the Big East leadership probably wants it too for the additional exposure, branding, money, and prestige. There is a lot of risk involved with Gonzaga but it's one I think they are willing to take for reasons above.

And Gonzaga, despite the travel hurdles, will oblige because I am sure whatever ESPN pays the WCC is pennies compared to a FOX / Big East deal. ESPN's only counter would be to tell the PAC to take them on as member.

You think adding Gonzaga will stop the power conferences?

 

[HooperScooper]

Geography much? Lawrence, Kansas is closer to the rest of the Big East than Omaha, Nebraska. Not further.

Eh, relatively about the same. Check out a U.S. map. Omaha is actually 16 miles closer to Storrs than Lawrence is if you're driving.

 

[Storrs South]

You think adding Gonzaga will stop the power conferences?

Not stop, just make the case that if they tried to take it away from the NCAA that the Big East would make the cut.

This is way off and honestly you hope it never comes to fruition but it is certainly in the cards that the biggest schools either make so only P5 or whatever can play OR that non P5 can play but need to jump through extra hoops to qualify / add limitations for how many non P5 can make it etc.

The more elite programs in the Big East, the harder it would be to exclude from the "cut line."

I hope the NCAA Tournament never changes but you need to be prepared in case those with the power try to.

 

[Hondo 77]

Not stop, just make the case that if they tried to take it away from the NCAA that the Big East would make the cut.

This is way off and honestly you hope it never comes to fruition but it is certainly in the cards that the biggest schools either make so only P5 or whatever can play OR that non P5 can play but need to jump through extra hoops to qualify / add limitations for how many non P5 can make it etc.

The more elite programs in the Big East, the harder it would be to exclude from the "cut line."

I hope the NCAA Tournament never changes but you need to be prepared in case those with the power try to.

If that’s your hope you are in for a rude awakening.

 

[alphasigko]

Simple reaponse: NOT!

 

[uconnfan68]

As long as you have cable and sports packages, you will be spending more than a nickel on them. As long as you pay cable for ESPN and Fox you will be paying for them. My comment is simply that the super conferences will get all the money, the leftovers of the current P5 will get a middle amount, and the non football midmajors, like the Big East, will get even less.

That was my point… I’d drop them. They won’t get my money, and you’ll be surprised at how much legal action will take place to support me. Every state left out will make sure they aren’t contributing.