Twelfth Team to the Big East

[The Shot]

Give UMASS a Big East upgrade and they would be quite capable of doing what Houston did with a cheaper AAC upgrade. They are also the state flagship of a state with twice CT's population. Done correctly expansion should be about TV market potential, and don't give me the old BS that people in MASS don't care about UMASS. I remember the 90's UMASS basketball mania in that state too well to buy that crap.

FOX will be funding any expansion, pretend you work for them and are in charge of picking the 12th team. Nobody beats UMASS's market potential and they are a known rival for UCONN. UMASS wins in a landslide.

Do you live in Massachusetts? Because I do and there are far more UConn bumper stickers in the eastern half of the state than those for UMass. Northeastern received more coverage last year than them. No one cares about UMass or BC for that matter. The local sports coverage skips over them too. They have no market.

Now let’s look at their performance. They have not made the round of 32 since 1996. You know which teams have? Norfolk State, Middle Tennessee, Oral Roberts, Collin State, Hampton, and so many more.

The ENTIRETY of their history is from 1992-1996. That includes all of their NCAA accomplishments. That is a garbage resume.

Call UMass a rival is like saying the Washington Generals were a rival of the Globetrotters. It’s nonsense.

 

[nomar]

I'm the 10th person in this thread to say this, but that's just so many long trips for Gonzaga. Don't see it.

It's like putting a pro team (NBA, NFL) in Europe. Sounds cool but logistically it's too difficult.

 

[Get a Job]

Give UMASS a Big East upgrade and they would be quite capable of doing what Houston did with a cheaper AAC upgrade. They are also the state flagship of a state with twice CT's population. Done correctly expansion should be about TV market potential, and don't give me the old BS that people in MASS don't care about UMASS. I remember the 90's UMASS basketball mania in that state too well to buy that crap.

FOX will be funding any expansion, pretend you work for them and are in charge of picking the 12th team. Nobody beats UMASS's market potential and they are a known rival for UCONN. UMASS wins in a landslide.

This is literally the worst (non-covid) argument I've ever read on the Boneyard. Other posters have done an excellent job of explaining why your position is untenable. I only write this to plead that you reconsider your thoughts, and may god have mercy on your soul.

 

[dvegas]

Said it in another post. Buffalo aka UB, academically light years ahead of UMass and every MAC school except Miami. Crazy as it sounds, another large state school with good academics in the Big East, they would be a much better addition than UMass, and an annual football opponent? Plus might piss off Suckacuse

 

[husky429]

Said it in another post. Buffalo aka UB, academically light years ahead of UMass and every MAC school except Miami. Crazy as it sounds, an other large state school with good academics in the Big East, they would be a much better addition than UMass, and another annual football opponent? Plus might piss of Suckacuse

Definitely a better option academically and for basketball. But I'm not quite sure it's a great option overall. Their basketball is on the downhill, realistically. They're still riding that Nate Oats high, and I think in 5 years they'll be closer to Depaul than they are Nova.

Zags is not a realistic option.

Notre Dame maybe... but I don't see what's really in it for them.

If there were a "great" option out they, they already would have been invited to the Big East. There isn't a great option left. The great option was UConn.

 

[metsfan2323]

Said it in another post. Buffalo aka UB, academically light years ahead of UMass and every MAC school except Miami.

Have you checked the US news rankings for Buffalo and UMASS recently?

even if you don't like those rankings, it kind of defeats the argument that UB is significantly better than UMASS.

 

[metsfan2323]

Do you live in Massachusetts? Because I do and there are far more UConn bumper stickers in the eastern half of the state than those for UMass.

Ok, I'm defeated. I can't argue with the guy who claims to have counted the bumper stickers.

 

[dvegas]

Have you checked the US news rankings for Buffalo and UMASS recently?

even if you don't like those rankings, it kind of defeats the argument that UB is significantly better than UMASS.

Maybe not, but UB is an AAU member, UMass is not. I'd put more weight in that than rankings via a privately owned and managed publication.

 

[metsfan2323]

Maybe not, but UB is an AAU member, UMass is not. I'd put more weight in that than rankings via a privately owned and managed publication.

So in your opinion UB is way ahead of UCONN?

 

[crazyUCfan23]

Gonzaga or Notre Dame. Wouldn't be opposed to Temple, but they're a distant second choice

 

[Sky ball]

Eastern Washington State.

What part of the East is Gonzaga in exactly?

 

[Storrs South]

Gonzaga is too far, too reliant on Few's success, post-Few would have to think recruiting takes a dive findings kids willing to travel that far consistently for less proven coach. It would be fun for as long as Few is there but could see a significant nose dive thereafter. If you can guarantee Gonzaga is a perennial top 25 team in perpetuity then fine. But if you're adding a Butler or Marquette on the west coast long term that floats between top 50 to top 100, it ain't worth it.

Notre Dame literally cannot join the Big East based on agreement with ACC (or at least would require a lot of money to get out of said agreement) and makes no sense to them from $ standpoint

Temple adds nothing (big alumni base, but small fan base / poor fan engagement, Philly market already covered, doesn't move the needle nationally).

A-10 schools add nothing. I don't want UConn to have to travel to St. Louis or Dayton or Richmond, Virginia. Midwest and Mid-Atlantic are already covered from recruiting standpoint and the markets are small and fan bases are nice but nothing extraordinary that moves the needle.

Buffalo doesn't move the needle much. The high school basketball in the area is decent, but no one is getting excited to play Buffalo. So while it may be nice to tap a new market for recruiting I don't think they have the fanbase willing to engage with their program consistently. The arena only holds 6-7k which is really small. Any other school in conference like Nova with an arena that small plays in a large city based arena for bigger games, which Buffalo does not use currently. They could start playing games where Buffalo Sabres play hockey when necessary, but again I question fan engagement to be worthy of inclusion.

Unless Syracuse, Louisville, Pitt, and Notre Dame would like to be relevant in the sport of basketball again, no matter the cost, there are 0 good options.

 

[wheelerdog]

I know its not happening, but I miss Syracuse

 

[superjohn]

I came here to tell you that it’s incredibly stupid to invite Gonzaga given how reliant they are on Mark Few for their success.

But then someone suggested UMass and I lost my train of thought.

The Boneyard is like 25 years old and that was one of the top 25 dumbest things I have ever read here. It should be sold as an NFT.

UConn was incredibly reliant on Jim Calhoun but he created a huge national brand through all his success where they were set up for the future. Gonzaga doesn't have the hardware but they are always top 5 and always in the mix late in the tournament. Few will be there for a lot longer and they are set up for success when he retires, a move to the Big East makes being successful after Few much easier. From strictly a basketball perspective it's a no-brainer.

 

[McLovin]

I'm the 10th person in this thread to say this, but that's just so many long trips for Gonzaga. Don't see it.

It's like putting a pro team (NBA, NFL) in Europe. Sounds cool but logistically it's too difficult.

No doubt it would be a long trip but definitely not the same thing.

In the pros, the closest team to Europe would be ~6 flight hours and a 4+ hour time change, with most of the league being 8+ hours flight and 6+ hours time difference.

Gonzaga would have a 4.5 hour flight to its furthest opponent and half of the league only ~3 hours. How different is that than their current trips to southern CA for their WCC conference games?

Also, the travel burden would be 100% on Gonzaga. If they are up for it, then why not? Sure we have to go to Spokane once per year, but that’s no different than Nova flying out to UCLA for a non conference game or us going out to the PK80 or PK85 next season…

Hawaii is D1 in basketball and football and is a 4.5 hour flight from their closest conference member and much further to some others. If they can make it work, so can Gonzaga.

With WiFi and inflight entertainment (often live TV) 4.5 hours is really no big deal, especially on a charter.

 

[Get a Job]

No doubt it would be a long trip but definitely not the same thing.

In the pros, the closest team to Europe would be ~6 flight hours and a 4+ hour time change, with most of the league being 8+ hours flight and 6+ hours time difference.

Gonzaga would have a 4.5 hour flight to its furthest opponent and half of the league only ~3 hours. How different is that than their current trips to southern CA for their WCC conference games?

Also, the travel burden would be 100% on Gonzaga. If they are up for it, then why not? Sure we have to go to Spokane once per year, but that’s no different than Nova flying out to UCLA for a non conference game or us going out to the PK80 or PK85 next season…

Hawaii is D1 in basketball and football and is a 4.5 hour flight from their closest conference member and much further to some others. If they can make it work, so can Gonzaga.

With WiFi and inflight entertainment (often live TV) 4.5 hours is really no big deal, especially on a charter.

You forgot to mention studying.

 

[nomar]

No doubt it would be a long trip but definitely not the same thing.

In the pros, the closest team to Europe would be ~6 flight hours and a 4+ hour time change, with most of the league being 8+ hours flight and 6+ hours time difference.

Gonzaga would have a 4.5 hour flight to its furthest opponent and half of the league only ~3 hours. How different is that than their current trips to southern CA for their WCC conference games?

Also, the travel burden would be 100% on Gonzaga. If they are up for it, then why not? Sure we have to go to Spokane once per year, but that’s no different than Nova flying out to UCLA for a non conference game or us going out to the PK80 or PK85 next season…

Hawaii is D1 in basketball and football and is a 4.5 hour flight from their closest conference member and much further to some others. If they can make it work, so can Gonzaga.

With WiFi and inflight entertainment (often live TV) 4.5 hours is really no big deal, especially on a charter.

I didn't say it was the same thing. I was merely citing another example where, IMO, the upside is up against some serious logistical issues.

I agree it's on Gonzaga, not the rest of the BE. I just don't see them thinking it's worth it. Their travel schedule would be much worse. You can't compare the worst part of their current schedule to what would be the easiest part of their schedule in the Big East and say it's six of one, half dozen of the other.

Mind you, I wouldn't mind being wrong about Gonzaga's POV.

 

[Rocktheworld]

UMass. The Big East needs a team in Massachusetts.

5/10 trolling we’ll see what response this gets lol

 

[Rocktheworld]

I don’t get the obsession with Gonzaga. When Few is gone, they’re done. Just like how the AAC rashly added Wichita State, we would regret elevating that program and all the travel costs that come with. Matter of fact, the travel is probably the biggest reason Gonzaga will never join; who wants, in regional sports like college athletics, their closest conference mate to be 1500 miles away

 

[Rocktheworld]

Said it in another post. Buffalo aka UB, academically light years ahead of UMass and every MAC school except Miami. Crazy as it sounds, another large state school with good academics in the Big East, they would be a much better addition than UMass, and an annual football opponent? Plus might piss off Suckacuse

We have to remember we are in the company of a bunch of small private basketball-centric Catholics and frankly we should still be thanking our stars they took us in; and that’s with our long, long, illustrious history in the conference and with those teams. Idk how well Buffalo fits in with the crowd.

 

[Purple Stein]

What part of the East is Gonzaga in exactly?

The Big part.

 

[Waquoit]

Few was the 2nd guy at Gonzaga not the first. He wasn't the HC when we played in the 99 Dance.

 

[UC1995]

I love it when people call an idea dumb without explaining why or offering a better suggestion.

Your prefer some of the other ideas offered in this thread? How come you didn't call out Canisius or Memphis?

Only UMASS gets under your skin, perhaps because they are a rival.

They were a rival for 20 minutes in the 90's when Camby was paid to go there. They are irrelevant in all aspects as a rival.

 

[nomar]

Few was the 2nd guy at Gonzaga not the first. He wasn't the HC when we played in the 99 Dance.

Yeah the question is whether they can be the Boise State of college basketball, where they keep winning despite coaching changes. Not easy to do.

Then again, Few is "only" 58 and doesn't appear to be going anywhere.

I think it's a good risk to assume Gonzaga will be relevant for the foreseeable future. The trajectory is upwards.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Bring Cuse back.