Val Ackerman on Big East Expansion: “Is 11 Teams Enough In This Environment?”

[freescooter]

This board has had lots of posts about expansion of the NEWBE. People have thrown around Dayton, VCU, St Louis as if those are great adds. Then there is Gonzaga. But the problem with them is location. I think my proposal addresses that problem plus, in an era when most major conferences are moving to a national model, it gets the NEWBE in on the game. I think an expansion is going to happen. This would be a more interesting plan than adding a bunch of A10 schools and you’d get at least 1 national program. VCU, Dayton and St Louis ain’t that. But postman is right that no expansion is an option. I just don’t think it is a long term one.

 

[John]

This board has had lots of posts about expansion of the NEWBE. People have thrown around Dayton, VCU, St Louis as if those are great adds. Then there is Gonzaga. But the problem with them is location. I think my proposal addresses that problem plus, in an era when most major conferences are moving to a national model, it gets the NEWBE in on the game. I think an expansion is going to happen. This would be a more interesting plan than adding a bunch of A10 schools and you’d get at least 1 national program. VCU, Dayton and St Louis ain’t that. But postman is right that no expansion is an option. I just don’t think it is a long term one.

It'll be a sad day for UConn athletics when Dayton, VCU or St Louis roll into town as a conference game.

 

[Hamms30]

If the Big East was the long play, the conference shouldn't be chasing Daytona and VCU. It should be going back to the former Big East members in the ACC and playing the card that, look you guys left us and your sports all became immediately irrelevant. If things really come to a head with FSU and Clemson and the ACC blows up, we have a plan. Come back Cuse. Come back Pitt. BC, we'll tolerate you and remember what the effect of having a northeast presence and rivalries actually meant to the success of yours and our programs. While you're at it, put in a good word with Duke and Virginia, because they'll be worthless to the SEC or B1G and they're athletics will be cellar dwellers vs. competing with some of the best basketball schools in the country in a new conference which will now have some of the top academic programs and with enough schools to now have a football conference. If that's not the play for the Big East, then UConn is leaving the first chance it gets.

The C7 don't have to play football if they don't want to. The conference can split the revenues of football vs. basketball/others. But the Big East can't clutch its pearls about UConn always trying to leave and at the same time, sit there and do nothing to try and advance the conference

Going after VCU, Daytona and St. Louis or Gonzaga is only going to isolate UConn further.

 

[CL82]

This board has had lots of posts about expansion of the NEWBE. People have thrown around Dayton, VCU, St Louis as if those are great adds. Then there is Gonzaga. But the problem with them is location. I think my proposal addresses that problem plus, in an era when most major conferences are moving to a national model, it gets the NEWBE in on the game. I think an expansion is going to happen. This would be a more interesting plan than adding a bunch of A10 schools and you’d get at least 1 national program. VCU, Dayton and St Louis ain’t that. But postman is right that no expansion is an option. I just don’t think it is a long term one.

 

[ZooCougar]

It'll be a sad day for UConn athletics when Dayton, VCU or St Louis roll into town as a conference game.

Worse than the AAC.