Could Any Horizon League Teams Be On The Move In The Near Future?

[VU2014]

Then pull the 3 most consistant programs from the midmajor ranks and make a little big east.

I wish this could be done.

[VU2014]

I wish could make an ideal conference for Valpo from the mid-major conferences in the area, it would be:

-Valpo
-Belmont
-Dayton
-Wichita State
-Northern Iowa
-VCU
-Illinois State
-URI
-St. Johns
-UIC or Loyola (need a Chicago school take your pick)
-Oakland (Need a school from Michigan)
-Another Indiana school for In state rivalry (ball state or Indiana State)
-maybe a wisconsin team (unfortunately I can't think of a great mid-major program from there (maybe UWM...))

This is all hypothetical and not going to happen for so many reasons to count. Just thinking of what would make a good "Little Big East" conference
-

[a3uge]

I wish could make an ideal conference for Valpo from the mid-major conferences in the area, it would be:

-Valpo
-Belmont
-Dayton
-Wichita State
-Northern Iowa
-VCU
-Illinois State
-URI
-St. Johns
-UIC or Loyola (need a Chicago school take your pick)
-Oakland (Need a school from Michigan)
-Another Indiana school for In state rivalry (ball state or Indiana State)
-maybe a wisconsin team (unfortunately I can't think of a great mid-major program from there (maybe UWM...))

This is all hypothetical and not going to happen for so many reasons to count. Just thinking of what would make a good "Little Big East" conference
-

Add Butler, would love to be in the same conference again. Oh how about Duke?

[VU2014]

again, i don't think i could have emphasized the "This is all hypothetical and not going to happen for so many reasons to count," anymore.

[VULB#62]

This is from the PFL Fan Board posted by someone from Drake.  The focus is, of course the PFL, but ........

Could Realignment Affect the PFL?

The college basketball season is nearing an end, and there is talk of non-football expansion in the American Athletic Conference--possibly including Dayton. Of particular interest is Wichita State, currently a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. As you may know, the Valley operates the (nonscholarship) Pioneer Football League and the (scholarship) Missouri Valley Football Conference.

If Wichita State leaves the Valley, what's the chance of a divorce between the conference's scholarship football schools and the other members? Could the Drake-Bradley-Loyola-Evansville group not only break away, but also find four other like minded schools for a new conference? Or could they simply replace Valley-bound Dakota schools in the Summit?

More importantly for the PFL, would this be an opportunity for the PFL to ditch Patty V. and her St. Louis crew, in favor of new administrators (e.g. the Summit League)?

[hailcrusaders]

This is from the PFL Fan Board posted by someone from Drake.  The focus is, of course the PFL, but ........ Could Realignment Affect the PFL? The college basketball season is nearing an end, and there is talk of non-football expansion in the American Athletic Conference--possibly including Dayton. Of particular interest is Wichita State, currently a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. As you may know, the Valley operates the (nonscholarship) Pioneer Football League and the (scholarship) Missouri Valley Football Conference. If Wichita State leaves the Valley, what's the chance of a divorce between the conference's scholarship football schools and the other members? Could the Drake-Bradley-Loyola-Evansville group not only break away, but also find four other like minded schools for a new conference? Or could they simply replace Valley-bound Dakota schools in the Summit? More importantly for the PFL, would this be an opportunity for the PFL to ditch Patty V. and her St. Louis crew, in favor of new administrators (e.g. the Summit League)?

How many Valley-bound Dakota schools are in the Summit? To my knowledge, NDSU, SDSU, and USD (plus Western Ill.) are the only Summit teams with MVFC ties, and I'm not aware that any of them are leaving the Summit in any non-football sport. Or is that part of the speculation?

Even if that did work out, I don't know that Drake/Loyola/Evansville/Bradley are an appreciably better mix of programs than what we have in the HL. The basketball appeal in the MVC (at least to me) is Wichita State, Illinois State, UNI, Missouri State, all (hypothetically) with scholarship football programs.

[oklahomamick]

I know we are talking basketball but sure like Bradley drake Evansville and Loyola academics. 

Being from Oklahoma and telling people I went to valpo they ask who is in our conference.  I used to say butler, but I don't know of a HL program that has any clout in basketball or academics. 

[VULB#62]

The new Big East has demonstrated that a football-free league can make a go of it. The WCC is another one. The four mentioned plus Valpo and St. Louis U would be an excellent core of like minded private schools. The footprint is quite compact (which might entice SLU).  That league would need to lure 2 initially, eventually 4, similar schools.  Anybody want to play what if?

[oklahomamick]

Drake
Bradley

Loyola
Valpo

Evansville
St. Louis

Belmont
Lipscomb

[VULB#62]

BTW, I watched some of the WCC gig in Las Vegas.  First, both St. Mary's and Gonzaga looked really good (when I left the restaurant the Zags had a 10 point lead) but I was really impressed by the attendance. It was very, very good considering all teams and fans have to fly in -- kinda like Detroit (not). 

[a3uge]

Drake
Bradley

Loyola
Valpo

Evansville
St. Louis

Belmont
Lipscomb

Why on earth would SLU leave the A10 for that? Why would Valpo leave the Horizon for that?

[usc4valpo]

62 - the crowd was also great because you had 2 excellent rival teams facing each other. Gonzaga plays serious defense!

So back to the topic - I really hate to say this but recently  Valpo's stock has dropped a little to make a case to upgrade to a better conference. The other issue that has bothered me is the attendance and the bogus excuses for it such as the Greek system. You would not hear that excuse at Wichita St., UNI, Bradley, ISU,etc. If Valpo joined the Valley I would want them to be at least in the upper half.

[frontrowfan]

Watch the Summit League Championship game...I think the announcer said the overall attendance was greater than 9K for that game! 

[usc4valpo]

this is true but 2 things come to mind -

1. The proximity was very close for the South Dakota State fans.
2. What else is there to do in South Dakota in early March?

[oklahomamick]

Drake Bradley Loyola Valpo Evansville St. Louis Belmont Lipscomb

Why on earth would SLU leave the A10 for that? Why would Valpo leave the Horizon for that?

You think the HL is better than that spread? 

[crusaderjoe]

Drake
Bradley

Loyola
Valpo

Evansville
St. Louis


Belmont
Lipscomb

You're losing it, bro.

If we're talking about a hypothetical private school break away conference formed as a result of scholarship FCS football (as referenced by '62 above), you'd probably be more likely to see:

Valpo
Detroit
Evansville
Drake
Bradley
Loyola
Oral Roberts

This would take simultaneous movement from three conferences.  Won't happen.

[oklahomamick]

agreed, none of the conference realignments will happen. 

Belmont can't be happy its moving from Nashville to Evansville.  Statement from Evansville AD Mark Spencer in response to Evansville hosting the OVC tourney.   

"The University of Evansville is 100 percent committed to the Missouri Valley Conference and is not looking at other conference affiliations in any way, shape or form. UE is excited about a long future in the MVC."

[valpo84]

If AAC, MVC or others are needing members, do not forget that recent HL champ, NKU, has a new facility, excellent baseball park and 15000 students in a good TV market (Cincinnati).  Also, not sure what MVC provides Valpo.  It is likely a 1-bid league this year as Ill St hopes are fading off the bubble and it's record this year was nearly Valpo's and without the wins we had.  Travel costs jump.  The best team in the league is likely bolting so it brings all RPIs down.  And as to football, YSU might want to consider an alternative conference that gives them a better football conference if a Cincinnati moves up, although YSU would be best in the MAC. The HL is at a big fork in the road.  It is not stable and either needs to be aggressive with schools like Drake, Belmont, Duquesne, Bradley and add them to Detroit, Oakland, and any remaining HL teams and create a more "private-school" conference; or Valpo will need to be aggressive and find a stable home for all of its programs.  With the lack of leadership from LeCrone, we better take things into our own hands and have an exit strategy with the A10/14, Big East, and even the MVC.  If BYU leaves the WCC, maybe we should join that.

[oklahomamick]

Okay this is better.  Still dreaming. 


West
SLU
Dayton
Evansville
Bradley
Drake
Loyola
Valpo

East
Davidson
Richmond
LaSalle
St. Joe's
St. Bonaventure
Fordham
Duquesne

The football schools of the mvc would join with the football schools of the summit

Illinois State
Indiana State
Missouri State
North Dakota
North Dakota State
Northern Iowa
South Dakota
South Dakota State
Southern Illinois
Western Illinois

[VULB#62]

Actually, that ain't bad Mick.  Makes sense geographically for both FB and non-FB schools. 

The new "A-14" West footprint would include IN, IL, IA, Detroit, MI, and OH.  The longest spread would be about 600 miles (Drake to Dayton or UDM).  Drake to EU is 516 miles.  EU to Loyola/VU 290 miles. EU to Detroit is ~460 and to Dayton ~275.  St. Louis is 167 to E'ville, ~300 to Chicago/Valpo, Peoria 170, Detroit 550, Dayton ~350 and Drake 350.  Bradley's longest trip is to Detroit 420 miles.  From a basketball air travel standpoint all flights are under 2 hours (most 1 -1.5 hrs.)

The East footprint is slightly smaller: Pittsburgh north to Olean, NY (219) and east to NYC (371);  North Carolina north through VA and Philly to NYC (625). NC to Pittsburg 430, and Olean 640.

That begs the issue of divisional cross-over games, of course  (Drake vs. Fordham for instance). Sports other than BB could cross-over but those games could be scheduled with travel costs in mind i.e., Fordham would maybe cross-over to E'ville, UDM, Dayton, but hardly ever to St. Louis or DesMoines.

Of course the remnants of the HL and Summit are left in the dust.  And we are assuming Wichita State is off to a bigger and better universe.  The current A-10 will also become more of a public school (UMass, George Mason, VCU... ) conference -- we'll call it the Colonial Athletic Association.  Wait, there already is a CAA:
1. UNC Wilmington
2. College of Charleston
3. Towson
4. William & Mary
5. Elon
6. Northeastern
7. James Madison
8. Hofstra
9. Delaware
10. Drexel

Boy, this is a lot of scrambling in multiple leagues.  Maybe this is not that practical 

[valpo64]

Within  a year or so I think Ft. Wayne(IPFW) will no longer be a member of the SL .

[VULB#62]

Within  a year or so I think Ft. Wayne(IPFW) will no longer be a member of the SL .

And they will be going................?

[valpo64]

With the recent announcement of re-alignment of this regional campus, where Purdue will be in change and the school name will reflect as such, their athletic programs will really be in a state of flux.  A former, retired  coach of another sport at the school said he thought they wound end up in Div. 2 or 3, or perhaps in the NAIA once all the changes are completed.  According to a recent article in a FW newspaper, among the new names being mentioned is "Purdue Northeast".  Time will tell.

[bigmosmithfan1]

http://www.jconline.com/story/news/college/2017/02/24/ipfw-undergo-name-change/98270910/

http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/Challenges-plenty-for-athletics-as-IPFW-transition-looms

The chancellor didn't exactly commit to Division I with her answer here, either:

http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local/NEWS-SENTINEL-EXCLUSIVE--Part-II-of-Q-A-with-IPFW-Chancellor-Vicky-Carwein

[bbtds]

2. What else is there to do in South Dakota in early March?

Probably more to do than in Valpo but less than in Indy or Detroit.     Think about it.