HL expansion and conference challenge

[crusaderjoe]

Could you imagine what the HL would do if they had to replace valpo?

I don't think it would be that big of a deal:

West

NDSU
SDSU
USD
UNO
UMKC
UWGB
UWM

East

WIU
UIC
DET
OU
CSU
YSU
WSU

or just stay at nine with an NKU add, or move to a ten team league with an ORU/NKU add, or move to a ten team league with a NKU and Drexel/Robert Morris add.  We're replaceable, IMO, as is every team in this league.

Fortunately, Valpo is not going anywhere and has no chance of going anywhere, unless the MVC moves to 12 and then we might have a small opening, so none of this is likely.

[oklahomamick]

No doubt, everyone is replaceable.  However, would that finally put enough pressure for the presidents fire LeCrone?  After the Big 12 lost so many schools, they finally pulled the plug on the commissioner.  LeCrone would lose Butler, Loyola and Valpo.  That should be enough for him to lose his seat. 

The solution to the HL if they lost another big player is a merger between the summit and HL.   

[FWalum]

The more I look at NKU the better it feels.

New coach, new and spacious facilities, 7 miles from downtown Cincinnati and logistically a near perfect HL fit. From their standpoint travel should be 3 times easier in the HL than for the A-Sun. Ok we know the downside. Public commuter school with no history of D-1 success (because of no D-1 history).

We all know there are no perfect fits but the risk-reward for them as a HL addition look to be compelling. If they come aboard we may have no need of an 11th and 12 team unless something falls into our lap that we can not refuse. For mens basketball Oakland was a solid addition and NKU could work out even better.

Just don't see it.  The main reason in my opinion to add a team is to enhance the possibility of making the HL a 2 bid league.  I am not interested in waiting 5-10 years for NKU to develop a consistent winning pedigree.  We need someone that meets that requirement NOW. LeCrone needs to pick up the pace in this area and also minimum scheduling requirements, the two things that affect the number of bids and also seeding.

[justducky]

Just don't see it.  The main reason in my opinion to add a team is to enhance the possibility of making the HL a 2 bid league.  I am not interested in waiting 5-10 years for NKU to develop a consistent winning pedigree.  We need someone that meets that requirement NOW. LeCrone needs to pick up the pace in this area and also minimum scheduling requirements, the two things that affect the number of bids and also seeding.

Finding one team that can meet that requirement NOW looks to be a hopeless pursuit but I just came up with another hair brained scheme that might be worthy of further discussion.

Imagine a 12 team conference with floating memberships for the two six team divisions. Say that early in August of each year all the powers, experts, coaches and AD's meet for the purpose of determining the top 6 teams (who will play home and away that year as a division for an each team total of 10 games). The bottom 6 teams would then be assigned to the other division and would also play each other twice. The members of each division would also play one game against their opposite division counterparts with the league determining which of these games will be home vs road. So 16 total conference games but an improved SOS (for the top group) by more push from the strong and less drag from the weak. Would this help the top RPIs enough to make at large bids the norm rather than the exception? Yes I know it would largely depend on the 3 teams that were added but? Also every year could require different travel partners, new scheduling nightmares, and the arguments for division assignment could be intense. But?

I have been onboard for the league imposed minimum scheduling requirements for some time and I suspect that the HL might be so late getting to this table that most of the best seats have already been taken but there may still be many benefits from this for the long term. 

[justducky]

Imagine a 12 team conference with floating memberships for the two six team divisions. Say that early in August of each year all the powers, experts, coaches and AD's meet for the purpose of determining the top 6 teams (who will play home and away that year as a division for an each team total of 10 games). The bottom 6 teams would then be assigned to the other division and would also play each other twice. The members of each division would also play one game against their opposite division counterparts with the league determining which of these games will be home vs road. So 16 total conference games but an improved SOS (for the top group) by more push from the strong and less drag from the weak. Would this help the top RPIs enough to make at large bids the norm rather than the exception? Yes I know it would largely depend on the 3 teams that were added but? Also every year could require different travel partners, new scheduling nightmares, and the arguments for division assignment could be intense. But?

I threw out this idea a month ago and this topic has been viewed about 750 times since then but as of yet without any comments.

With NKU now in could the addition of 2 more quality HL members make my thinking something that might be workable? 

[valpo64]

The way this expansion and "neutral tourney" site things have been handled by the HL office is just more evidence that League members should be calling for LeCrone's departure.  I'm not sure he could handle the Summit League.  The way he performs his duties tells me he is more qualified to be a member of the NCAA staff instead of the HL.  Did I say that?