Xavier AD says expanding to 12 schools within 5 years

[Dave]

It's seems that fans who believe Uconn (ie...an unquestioned, disgruntled realignment loser) is not attractive to to the BE & Fox seem to be minimizing the risk of how the league is perceived by advertisers in the first few years. Regardless of whether the BE gets half it's teams in the NCAA, recruits "well", and is much better than the A-10 (the 2nd best non fb conf) if the conference is viewed a a mid-major this venture won't be successful. Fox is paying $300M-$400M for a high-major bball conference which the old BE was. If it's viewed that the conference needs a significant boost from 11 & 12 to close the deal on high-major status then the parties may not have a choice but to make a big splash. I don't know what Uconn future motivations will be except, stable $$ flow, which Fox could be compelled to provide.

I agree with everything Dave said about the BE being strong enough to have 1 potential flight risk in the next 10 years or so...It wouldn't be only the BE, every conference except the B1G, the PAC12 & the SEC have potential flight risks over that same time. And if it happens that Uconn would leave after a few years then the teams being named as "likely" now WILL STILL BE THERE.

Amen. And I am not a UConn fan by any stretch. But as a Big East fan, we are a better conference with them. They are head and shoulders above any of the other candidate schools. If we could not land UConn, and increase the status of our conference, I'd prefer to just stay at 10. The other candidates match better with the bottom third of our conference, and just average the conference down.

[DanofXav76]

I think the NBE is in a great position in that getting it right with the original ten and getting the Fox TV deal will allow the league to take it's time to do it right with the inevitable expansion that will come down the road. The ten we have right now will allow the league to deal from a position of strength and the add teams will make sense on all levels. I know I'm going to enjoy the true round robin schedule until then.

[marquette]

And clearly Temple is not the powerhouse it was in the 90s, but it's still lightyears ahead of UW-Milwaukee.

That was a comparison, meant to make a point. It was not a suggestion. Milwaukee is the annoying public school across town that fancies itself our rival due to a brief run they had almost a decade ago.

[TheHall]

If Uconn, or Cincy for that matter, had made it into a P5 conference like RU, Loui, or WVU did then I would say there's no chance...but they didn't so they still have to plan a future not just accept one they've been stuck with or unhappily wait for one (that won't be coming anytime soon, if ever.) and that's where the opportunity lies.

[TheHall]

....I can't imagine that Cincy or Temple have any interest either. But even if they did, why would the BE put a 2nd team in Villanova' and Xavier's back yards?

It's not apples to apples but I bet the BE & Fox would be perfectly happy with cuse as a 3rd team in the NYC market even though SJU & SHU are already present.

[redmen9194]

Syracuse is not in the NYC market. Did you see the football game last weekend at Metlife stadium?

[TheHall]

Syracuse is not in the NYC market. Did you see the football game last weekend at Metlife stadium?

That WAS hard to type....

[Bill Marsh]

Don't disagree, but I can guarantee you that UConn is not coming. They have zero interest. I can't imagine that Cincy or Temple have any interest either. But even if they did, why would the BE put a 2nd team in Villanova' and Xavier's back yards?

This 2 teams in 1 market is made into a negative issue in these discussions, when actually it is not a negative at all. Rivalries make conferences. Close geography enhances rivalries. In the Philly market, for example, Temple would not detract from Nova. Their games would only be bigger if they were in the same conference. Nothing to fear with Temple.

I am not sold on the "no interest guarantee". For UConn it's the best of all worlds. They keep the best FBS affiliation, and money, that is available to them. They upgrade their basketball revenue. Non-rev sports have a more regional home. And they have a better academic affiliation.

I agree with you about 2 teams in one market. They make for great rivalries and rivalries are the lifeblood of any conference. But the Big East has always been opposed to it. Go figure.

Some of the greatest programs in college basketball history share the same market - North Carolina & Duke, Kentucky & Louisville.

[Bill Marsh]

It's seems that fans who believe Uconn (ie...an unquestioned, disgruntled realignment loser) is not attractive to to the BE & Fox seem to be minimizing the risk of how the league is perceived by advertisers in the first few years. Regardless of whether the BE gets half it's teams in the NCAA, recruits "well", and is much better than the A-10 (the 2nd best non fb conf) if the conference is viewed a a mid-major this venture won't be successful. Fox is paying $300M-$400M for a high-major bball conference which the old BE was. If it's viewed that the conference needs a significant boost from 11 & 12 to close the deal on high-major status then the parties may not have a choice but to make a big splash. I don't know what Uconn future motivations will be except, stable $$ flow, which Fox could be compelled to provide.

I agree with everything Dave said about the BE being strong enough to have 1 potential flight risk in the next 10 years or so...It wouldn't be only the BE, every conference except the B1G, the PAC12 & the SEC have potential flight risks over that same time. And if it happens that Uconn would leave after a few years then the teams being named as "likely" now WILL STILL BE THERE.

I don't know if you're talking about me, but Inam simply posting information. I live in the greater Hartford area, half an hour from the UConn campus and am a basketball season ticket holder. UConn basketball would be great for both the BE and for UConn program. I wish it weren't so, but UConn is simply not interested in moving in that direction. Anyone can argue all day about it, but it's not happening any time soon. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but don't shoot the messenger.

[Bill Marsh]

If Uconn, or Cincy for that matter, had made it into a P5 conference like RU, Loui, or WVU did then I would say there's no chance...but they didn't so they still have to plan a future not just accept one they've been stuck with or unhappily wait for one (that won't be coming anytime soon, if ever.) and that's where the opportunity lies.

Good sound thinking. But that's not the way they think. They still have illusions of grandeur and they're going to hang onto their delusions even if they don't serve them well. They hope and expect that the ACC or the Big Ten or someone else will come knocking before this is all over. They will keep themselves positioned for that until all hope is gone or even beyond that point.

I'm constantly amazed at how deluded the fan base is at the AAC schools is. They actually believe that they can successfully compete in football with the schools of the P5. They are inspired by the rise to prominence of Boise, TCU, and Louisville over the past decade. They all believe that they can do the same and that the AAC as a conference can as well.