What 'Reqiuem'? How the Big East came back to life 10 years later

[TGW93]

This is an interesting read.

What 'Reqiuem'? How the Big East came back to life 10 years later

"So long as the Big East retains its core identity, it can never truly be dead. Yes, the names like Syracuse and Boston College and Louisville are not likely to return.

But while the conference may pine for the days of the rivalries they used to have, the ones they have now are sustaining it for the future.

'Dave Gavitt right now is still smiling. Because what he envisioned is now back into play,' Cooley said.

Sure, in the immediate years following its departure, the 'new' Big East could very easily be characterized as a zombie: a somewhat lifeless, directionless conference trudging through the mire of college basketball on the search for something to sustain its hunger for glory.

But these days, that would be inaccurate. The Big East is a phoenix: rising from the ashes to illuminate the darkness. Ten years on from the last original Big East Tournament, that heat and fire can still be felt through the passion of its players and fans which keep its flame glowing bright."



Even though Uconn lost last night, the tournament was great - for me, it became again what it once was.

 

[Luna]

The big east has turned special again… best conference in the country… there is something to be said about playing teams in your neighborhood… no other conference can say that… we have the east coast teams and the mid west teams…perfect

 

[GoConn]

The Big East has been awesome and could get even better if Pitino ends up at St Johns and if Georgetown can figure it out

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Drew]

I’ll be completely honest- I went to my first ever BET game last night for the UConn v Marquette game. It was definitely a good time but… I don’t really know what was supposed to be so “special” about it that differentiates it from any other conference tournament.

Can also say it’s a “regional” league but of the four teams that played last night only UConn is less than 150 miles from MSG…

UConn 137 miles
Xavier 637 miles
Marquette 881 miles
Creighton 1244 miles

Definitely was not a special enough event for all of our moron people on Twitter to be sending out tweets acting like everyone else was dumb for leaving and missing out on it. Again- crowd was good and game was tight but we should (and will) be looking to leave ASAP.

 

[Luna]

I thought money would rule… and if the acc or big 12 came a knocking…we would leave in a heartbeat… not sure anymore after this season…I think the big east will get paid… to much enthusiasm… sold out MSG this week… f$$$k the acc and big 12

 

[UConnJim]

I’ll be completely honest- I went to my first ever BET game last night for the UConn v Marquette game. It was definitely a good time but… I don’t really know what was supposed to be so “special” about it that differentiates it from any other conference tournament.

Can also say it’s a “regional” league but of the four teams that played last night only UConn is less than 150 miles from MSG…

UConn 137 miles
Xavier 637 miles
Marquette 881 miles
Creighton 1244 miles

Definitely was not a special enough event for all of our moron people on Twitter to be sending out tweets acting like everyone else was dumb for leaving and missing out on it. Again- crowd was good and game was tight but we should (and will) be looking to leave ASAP.

Funny take. I have been to 25+ Big East Tournaments and it is a special event. Last night's game was not as loud for UConn fans due to how the game was played as normally there are many more UConn chants during the game. If you had been at the BET during the 1990 dream season or the Ray Allen game winner against Georgetown in 1996, or Kemba's run in 2011 you would understand how magical the event is in MSG. Leaving the Garden through the tunnels with UConn chants, going out for hours drinking with other UConn fans after a win. I went to the Big East Tournament in Hartford and it wasn't comparable to MSG. Ask any Syracuse fan if they would rather watch their team play in Greensboro, NC or MSG?

As for distance to the arena, it doesn't matter for the Big East Tournament. Yes, UConn can get a ton of fans to scalp tickets for a game due to location, but almost all large schools have alumni in the tri state area. Lots of Marquette fans last night and I'm sure most of them didn't come from Milwaukee.

 

[Husky92]

The Big East is fine…for now. Until something better comes along. It’s more exciting than the AAC (by far actually) but I don’t believe our future is here. The Big East will never be elite again. It is merely a really good basketball conference.

 

[storrsroars]

I thought money would rule… and if the acc or big 12 came a knocking…we would leave in a heartbeat… not sure anymore after this season…I think the big east will get paid… to much enthusiasm… sold out MSG this week… f$$$k the acc and big 12

Money does rule. And for hoops-centric schools without D1 football, there's no bigger payday than being in the BE.

Unfortunately, UConn has D1 football and wants to compete.

 

[Drew]

Funny take. I have been to 25+ Big East Tournaments and it is a special event. Last night's game was not as loud for UConn fans due to how the game was played as normally there are many more UConn chants during the game. If you had been at the BET during the 1990 dream season or the Ray Allen game winner against Georgetown in 1996, or Kemba's run in 2011 you would understand how magical the event is in MSG. Leaving the Garden through the tunnels with UConn chants, going out for hours drinking with other UConn fans after a win. I went to the Big East Tournament in Hartford and it wasn't comparable to MSG. Ask any Syracuse fan if they would rather watch their team play in Greensboro, NC or MSG?

As for distance to the arena, it doesn't matter for the Big East Tournament. Yes, UConn can get a ton of fans to scalp tickets for a game due to location, but almost all large schools have alumni in the tri state area. Lots of Marquette fans last night and I'm sure most of them didn't come from Milwaukee.

Saying the BET from 2011 or 1990 was a special event I can buy. That doesn’t mean the 2023 version of the tournament is though. The game yesterday was more or less another version of the Charleston Classic.

 

[UConnJim]

Saying the BET from 2011 or 1990 was a special event I can buy. That doesn’t mean the 2023 version of the tournament is though.

Honestly, it is. I hadn't been to the BET since the last season in the Big East. It felt the same except few Syracuse fans this year. The train ride down to the game with UConn and other BE fans. Going out to dinner before the game and the bar was chanting UConn cheers. Commiserating with UConn fans after a loss. The buzz around the arena was great. In our hotel were PC, Marquette, UConn, Xavier, and Creighton fans, everyone going back and forth about their teams. I would have gone tonight if UConn had won.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[CL82]

It may have been “packed”, but tickets were
being dumped for 20 and $30 on StubHub. Contrasts that with the UConn Marquette semifinal game where tickets were being sold for over $2000 at the end.

 

[UConnJim]

It may have been “packed”, but tickets were
being dumped for 20 and $30 on StubHub. Contrasts that with the UConn Marquette semifinal game where tickets were being sold for over $2000 at the end.

The championship game is always priced less than the semis. The crowd for the championship was great. Compare it to other conference tournaments that didn't sell out.

 

[Luna]

The championship game is always priced less than the semis. The crowd for the championship was great. Compare it to other conference tournaments that didn't sell out.

Did any other conference sell out?

 

[John]

I thought money would rule… and if the acc or big 12 came a knocking…we would leave in a heartbeat… not sure anymore after this season…I think the big east will get paid… to much enthusiasm… sold out MSG this week… f$$$k the acc and big 12

Last night a a team from Wisconsin won the tournament; the NBE geographic footprint is as sprawling as the ACC or Big12, just without a respectable payout.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm glad I clicked. I was afraid it was linked to a Pat Forde article. Love reading international articles about US sports. There you get lines like "UConn and St. John's had won college basketball's version of the Europa League: the NIT."

 

[ElGreco]

I’ll be completely honest- I went to my first ever BET game last night for the UConn v Marquette game. It was definitely a good time but… I don’t really know what was supposed to be so “special” about it that differentiates it from any other conference tournament.

Can also say it’s a “regional” league but of the four teams that played last night only UConn is less than 150 miles from MSG…

UConn 137 miles
Xavier 637 miles
Marquette 881 miles
Creighton 1244 miles

Definitely was not a special enough event for all of our moron people on Twitter to be sending out tweets acting like everyone else was dumb for leaving and missing out on it. Again- crowd was good and game was tight but we should (and will) be looking to leave ASAP.

Ask Syracuse & BC fans and the administration if they miss BE basketball and rivalries. Maybe Pittsburgh as well. The ACC is a southern league with different culture than the NE and even the mid-west.

 

[huskymedic]

Last night a a team from Wisconsin won the tournament; the NBE geographic footprint is as sprawling as the ACC or Big12, just without a respectable payout.

Selection Show up, conference title games mixed

Viewership mostly declined for the major conference tournament title games, but a couple of mid-majors hit highs and the Selection Show inched up.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

“.. Other notable result include the Marquette-Xavier Big East Tournament final pulling a 0.53 and 980,000 on FOX — down 12% and 20% respectively from last year (Villanova-Creighton: 0.6, 1.22M) and the second-lowest for the game since it last aired on FS1 in 2015 (Villanova-Xavier: 414K).”

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Selection Show up, conference title games mixed

Viewership mostly declined for the major conference tournament title games, but a couple of mid-majors hit highs and the Selection Show inched up.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

“.. Other notable result include the Marquette-Xavier Big East Tournament final pulling a 0.53 and 980,000 on FOX — down 12% and 20% respectively from last year (Villanova-Creighton: 0.6, 1.22M) and the second-lowest for the game since it last aired on FS1 in 2015 (Villanova-Xavier: 414K).”

One of these years we gotta play in that game to see how many more eyeballs we'd bring.

 

[Slasher]

Selection Show up, conference title games mixed

Viewership mostly declined for the major conference tournament title games, but a couple of mid-majors hit highs and the Selection Show inched up.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

“.. Other notable result include the Marquette-Xavier Big East Tournament final pulling a 0.53 and 980,000 on FOX — down 12% and 20% respectively from last year (Villanova-Creighton: 0.6, 1.22M) and the second-lowest for the game since it last aired on FS1 in 2015 (Villanova-Xavier: 414K).”

A-10 outdrew the Big East champ game. Ouch.

 

[UConnJim]

A-10 outdrew the Big East champ game. Ouch.

Ratings depend on time slots, competition at the same time, quality of matchup, and network. Big East competed with other conferences in their time slot. The Sunday championships had no competition.

 

[CL82]

A-10 outdrew the Big East champ game. Ouch.

The public has rejected mid-western teams playing in the Big East championship. Duly noted.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Anybody know what the ratings were for us v. Marquette in the semi final game?

 

[Luna]

608,000 on fs1…