2017-18 VU Schedule

[covufan]

I'm pretty sure that reads that the league teams collectively have averaged .6 home games per year against P6 teams. AKA, MVC teams as a whole host 3 P6 teams every 5 years.

If it said "The MVC has averaged..." I would agree.  Where are the lawyers?  Help me.  I are an engineer.

We need a home and home with Illinois State, if possible. 

[VU2624]

Also a pretty telling stat from the MVC and I'm sure its worse for the Horizon League.

Mid majors have little bargaining power at the conference level and almost none individually. I was recently criticized for suggesting this same approach. BUT!!!! WE ARE THE MAJORITY! WE HAVE TO UNITE. Its time to get mad and I mean REALLY MAD and start making things happen. There is a prevalence of the boot-licking, yes sir boss, mentality on this board. For those of you with that mindset I ask that you just get out of the way.

I've already booked a flight to Durham to kick some Mike and Roy butt!

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/846444520501919744
https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/846439545533071361
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/846446562842755072
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/846446735115390976
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/846446735115390976

[VUOR63]

Why do we have to make a return trip to Vanderbilt? 

[valpo84]

Also a pretty telling stat from the MVC and I'm sure its worse for the Horizon League.

Mid majors have little bargaining power at the conference level and almost none individually. I was recently criticized for suggesting this same approach. BUT!!!! WE ARE THE MAJORITY! WE HAVE TO UNITE. Its time to get mad and I mean REALLY MAD and start making things happen. There is a prevalence of the boot-licking, yes sir boss, mentality on this board. For those of you with that mindset I ask that you just get out of the way.

I've already booked a flight to Durham to kick some Mike and Roy butt!

Not sure Mike and Roy are the issue.  Valpo had a 2 for 1 series with both UNC and Duke in the mid-2000s.  The Valpo "home" games were at the United Center and we should do that again for the right situation, e.g. Northwestern (if they had any guts), Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue or Indiana.

[VU2014]

Interesting. Both ML and Mario Mercurio Xavier's Basketball Director of Administration, like the tweet. Potential future out of conference opponent? Would be cheap & easy travel for both teams. Its a stretch but maybe it gets ML and Mario talking ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
https://twitter.com/pwillll/status/846356808038072321

[crusadermoe]

Xavier does sound great. 

While we're dreaming a bit, my hunch is that only Wisconsin would even consider the United Center idea.  honestly, I think they are the only fan base among Purdue, Illinois, IU, or Indiana that would draw enough ticket sales at the United Center.  They are riding high and have a really appealing team. 

But given that's true, they might also want to leverage that to play Notre Dame there or a similar name school. That's actually a dream match up for them and UND at a neutral location near thousands of alumni.

[Pgmado]

Xavier does sound great. 

While we're dreaming a bit, my hunch is that only Wisconsin would even consider the United Center idea.  honestly, I think they are the only fan base among Purdue, Illinois, IU, or Indiana that would draw enough ticket sales at the United Center.  They are riding high and have a really appealing team. 

But given that's true, they might also want to leverage that to play Notre Dame there or a similar name school. That's actually a dream match up for them and UND at a neutral location near thousands of alumni.

I'm not sure we're going to see Valparaiso play in the United Center again. Maybe I'm wrong, but the college basketball landscape has changed a bit since those Notre Dame, Duke and North Carolina games. Duke and North Carolina used those games as a way to get into Chicago and appease their Midwestern alums. Now Power 6 schools regularly play these showcase games at NBA arenas. Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Kansas play in the Champions Classic every year and they've done it in Chicago, Indy and New York recently. The big schools just don't worry about geography anymore when they travel to play these games. Where they once had to rely on a Valparaiso to get them into Chicago, now they've got another top five team they can play and make it a destination game for their fans.

I'm just thinking outloud here, but that's my take on why the United Center stuff isn't a reality anymore in my mind.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Probably a bigger reason is that the UC raised their price for the building rental, so where the break-even point used to be 7 or 8K fans for VU with tickets in the reasonable $20-$35 range, I've heard it's now around 11 or 12K to break even at that price. Or you'd have to make tickets $50 with a smaller crowd.

A game at the UC going from "solid bet to make a profit" to "high risk of taking a financial bath" probably has more to do with it than any issues with finding a team to play. Rumor has it that *Illinois* has lost money on their annual UC game for a while now, but they have $20M+ in annual Big Ten TV revenue to help cover any shortfalls.

[usc4valpo]

Santa Clara followed by a trip to Figueroa St. to face SC!

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/847993913600352256
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/847994193628758017

[VU2014]

I would love to see an alliance form between MidMajors for scheduling.

The NCAA clearly only cares about the P6s and their bottom line.

https://twitter.com/enthusiadams/status/848202856670920704

[StlVUFan]

I would love to see an alliance form between MidMajors for scheduling.

The NCAA clearly only cares about the P6s and their bottom line.

https://twitter.com/enthusiadams/status/848202856670920704

Now this was a part of the interview that I really thought was excellent.

[M]

Safe to assume that one of those big ten teams is IU or Purdue I'd imagine.

[Valpo13]

Northwestern must have been the Big Ten team Mark LaBarbera referenced.

[VU2014]

Northwestern must have been the Big Ten team Mark LaBarbera referenced.

Pretty smart scheduling by Northwestern.

With them playing their home games at the All-State Arena in Rosemont it may be tough to pack the building. The All-State Arena is awful. Just a very unenjoyable place to see a game, imo. They know Valpo has a relatively "large" Chicago Fanbase for a small school and we're a quality mid-major opponent.

Wish Chris Collins would have the guts to schedule a home-and-away game... but thats the nature of the P5 scheduling realities in the NCAA.

[Valpo13]

I believe Valpo and Northwestern have had closed door scrimmages in recent years...I'm sure NW was just waiting for Alec to leave to schedule a game. 

[VU2014]

I believe Valpo and Northwestern have had closed door scrimmages in recent years...I'm sure NW was just waiting for Alec to leave to schedule a game. 

Very good point. I'm sure the P6 schools will be more willing to schedule Valpo now that we don't have Alec anymore and they know we'r in a bit of "reload" mode. But Valpo still brings the "name-brand" Mid-Major opponent name.

Would be a big win for Valpo if we could take down Northwestern. Would be a nice little PR boost in the Chicago media. Pretty pumped for this game. I know I'll be there for sure!

[covufan]

Based on this past years rankings, I'd like to see a few of these teams, especially if we can get home-and-home:

Princeton
UCF
UT Arlington
ETSU
Monmouth
Bucknell
BYU
New Mexico State
Belmont
College of Charleston
Richmond
Akron
CS Bakersfield
St Bonaventure
Boise St
San Diego State
FL Gulf Coast
Davidson
Winthrop
Fresno St
Memphis
Louisiana Tech

and for my own selfish purposes, at Colorado or Colorado St.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/856692587373232128

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/856681538725048320

[VUOR63]

Apparently Princeton is at hinkle Nov 12. They might be looking for another game in the area.

I think Valpo is considered the Princeton of the Midwest.  That would be a match made in heaven.

[crusadermoe]

I think you meant that Princeton calls itself the "Valpo of the mid=Atlantic."  Good to have goals.

[covufan]

Apparently Princeton is at hinkle Nov 12. They might be looking for another game in the area.

I think Valpo is considered the Princeton of the Midwest.  That would be a match made in heaven.

I think you meant that Princeton calls itself the "Valpo of the mid=Atlantic."  Good to have goals.

I believe it was John Lithgow while speaking at Valparaiso University, said that "Valparaiso is the Harvard of the Midwest". 

[covufan]

Apparently Princeton is at hinkle Nov 12. They might be looking for another game in the area.

I think Valpo is considered the Princeton of the Midwest.  That would be a match made in heaven.

I think you meant that Princeton calls itself the "Valpo of the mid=Atlantic."  Good to have goals.

I believe it was John Lithgow while speaking at Valparaiso University, said that "Valparaiso is the Harvard of the Midwest". 

Or that Harvard considered itself the "Valparaiso of New England".

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/film-actor-helps-vu-celebrate-years/article_3985294f-89d5-5ef9-894f-230437dd97d1.html

[bbtds]

Apparently Princeton is at hinkle Nov 12. They might be looking for another game in the area.

I think Valpo is considered the Princeton of the Midwest.  That would be a match made in heaven.

I think you meant that Princeton calls itself the "Valpo of the mid=Atlantic."  Good to have goals.

I believe it was John Lithgow while speaking at Valparaiso University, said that "Valparaiso is the Harvard of the Midwest". 

Apparently Princeton is at hinkle Nov 12. They might be looking for another game in the area.

I think Valpo is considered the Princeton of the Midwest.  That would be a match made in heaven.

I think you meant that Princeton calls itself the "Valpo of the mid=Atlantic."  Good to have goals.

I believe it was John Lithgow while speaking at Valparaiso University, said that "Valparaiso is the Harvard of the Midwest". 

Or that Harvard considered itself the "Valparaiso of New England".

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/film-actor-helps-vu-celebrate-years/article_3985294f-89d5-5ef9-894f-230437dd97d1.html

Bingo! When Lithgow, a Harvard grad, heard the Valpo slogan, Harvard of the Midwest, he said, jokingly, at a huge Valpo event held on a reconstructed Brown Field, that he considered Harvard the Valpo of New England.