Possible Missouri Valley Conference Expansion

[VUGrad1314]

I think the MVC was absolutely going in a markets-based direction at one point in this process and that point was prior to Loyola's departure to the A-10. Back when they were operating under the assumption that Loyola was sticking around with Belmont also in tow I think the MVC felt pretty good about its overall basketball strength and did not feel it necessary to make the basketball first play with Murray State. They probably felt like they could bet on a UTA or a UMKC and still be okay because of the quality the league had at the top. Jackson's comments about their being no set number for the MVC gave some hope that Murray State would also be involved and that would only make the market plays even more palatable because it would have meant even more quality at the top but of course it is no guarantee that Murray State would be invited in this scenario given the reported hesitancy on the part of the presidents for whatever reason.

However, with Loyola's departure, the calculus changed fundamentally. The MVC has realized that without Loyola they are largely banking on what they hope Belmont can bring to the league which is a less safer bet than having Loyola's already established power alongside as we wait for Belmont to reach its potential. Now they feel like they have to go in a basketball centric direction in order for the league to stay in the position it currently enjoys. I don't think those rumors that the presidents were less hesitant on Murray State after Loyola's departure was announced were an accident. I think Murray State is definitely in now and it's possible they will be the only add to create a 20 game schedule as has been rumored. I think we're just waiting on an announcement with football for Murray State which will hopefully come shortly. Markets become less important when the success and viability of your league hangs in the balance and I think Loyola leaving definitely shifted the priorities likely in our (the fans') favor.

Once the MVC establishes a new power base with hopefully Belmont Murray State and potentially others working out as planned then the league can go ahead and worry about adding markets to attract students and potentially grow the media deal by putting the product in front of more eyeballs. But right now we need to secure the league's future in the post-Loyola world and I think the presidents understand this. I would like to see the league if it is intent on expanding beyond 11 continue this trend by adding South Dakota State to add yet another consistent top 100 program that would also add elite women's basketball (like Belmont does) to the league. That would be a killer 12 team league that would be good TV for regional sports networks and would be a draw if we were to add a couple teams in big markets to get on more regional sports networks though of course with the potential success of those 12 teams that wouldn't even be necessary. Our product would speak for itself and we would get many more games on TV just because of who we already have.

[crusadermoe]

St. Thomas is a nice fit long-term.  But no brand recognition yet.  Minnesota is home to 1,000,000 Lutherans as well as 10,000 lakes.

They also make sense with easy airport and branch off to Northern Iowa, which is about a 3-iron from Minnesota.

[usc4valpo]

Tap in to the Texas market and get 2 teams - UTA, SFA or Incarnate Word (San Antonio is a great city!). Make the I35 and I45 traffic even worse! As Bill Walton would agree, avoid adding more truck stop schools like Murray State and the Dakotas as we need some culture and beauty!

[Just Sayin]

When you previously mentioned SFA I thought you were talking about San Francisco. The comparison I did was San Francisco. Now I see in this post you were always referring to Stephen F. Austin. 
My bad.

[elephtheria47]

While not trying to get political or scientific, I'm curious about population moves in the next 10 years with global warming/drought/etc. South Dakota, Idaho, West Virginia, Oregon, and Vermont were 5 of 10 states with the highest increases of incoming residents from a report I saw online today (but it was a subscriber exclusive). Basing decisions off market sizes seems a little shortsighted and easy way out, but again who knows what the NCAA looks like 5 years from now. Whether they like it or not, MVC is known as a basketball league. Get the best basketball brand you can regardless of market or league balance or whatever.

[VUGrad1314]

Tap in to the Texas market and get 2 teams - UTA, SFA or Incarnate Word (San Antonio is a great city!). Make the I35 and I45 traffic even worse! As Bill Walton would agree, avoid adding more truck stop schools like Murray State and the Dakotas as we need some culture and beauty!

We need basketball schools first and foremost right now regardless of location. Belmont is a good start in this phase of expansion but as of right now they are a maybe as far as the MVC is concerned. It's easy to take gambles when you have an established bellwether at the top of the conference like we had in Wichita State and subsequently Loyola but without that in place we need schools that can step in and give this conference the depth it needs to survive as a multibid league. SFA could but I just don't see them moving again right now and really only Murray State and South Dakota State fit this definition as schools we could potentially get right now. This is who we should be targeting.

[Just Sayin]

Pick schools with excellent basketball programs as the main criteria. Might just prevent some of the better teams in the MVC from jumping to a better conference. Don't settle for mediocrity just so you can be in a huge market area. That makes no sense. Build a stronger conference by adding stronger teams with a history of winning.
If you build it, they will come.

[usc4valpo]

San Antonio is a beautiful city and Incarnate Word is growing fast. SFA is growing in the Piney Woods. We should tap into Texas non truck stop schools. Also Texas has gas stops like Buc-ees, a Mecca of true joy, which is not in the truck stop mentally that Bill Walton wants humanity to avoid.

[may know]

I have no idea which suggestion is more absurd - NW Missouri St or Incarnate Word. Ironically, both were made by the same poster.

[VUGrad1314]

Here's something that's decidedly not absurd!

https://twitter.com/liamniemeyer/status/1478849373358505988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1478849373358505988%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=&fbclid=IwAR0qr1kU7HKHlrWzoGVc0ZmQD9MhBVMaXz8RCkqNnMLw8G63F8s8VjuQiRo

Yeah baby!

I think this is for an MVC invite. If they weren't coming we would have heard way more about UIC and UTA and it probably would have already been done. Or we would have heard some rumor and scuttlebutt that Murray State was either staying or looking to go in a different direction with possible alternatives being thrown out. The fact that none of this has happened and neither party has said anything points to a long overdue union finally being consummated between Murray State and the MVC. As a poster on MVCFans pointed out the fact that this board of regents meeting takes place after the presidents meeting is very encouraging. I'm going to wait until we have official confirmation before I celebrate but I am very optimistic and happy about these developments! I just hope they're the only one out of this list and we either play with 11 for awhile or look for other strong programs like SDSU as I mentioned before. If we're looking for a twelfth that's the way to go and our target should be Summit League schools first and foremost.

[usc4valpo]

NW Mo St won D2 last year, and believe me they had a better team than Valpo last year. D1 teams are avoiding them.
I just dont get the love for Bill Murray St.

[cornonthe]

CBS Sports is reporting this, as of five minutes ago, Murray State to the MVC is a done deal...to be reported officially on Friday.

[valpopal]

CBS Sports is reporting this, as of five minutes ago, Murray State to the MVC is a done deal...to be reported officially on Friday.

Yep, it's not a head fake: Murray State is in!

[VUGrad1314]

NW Mo St won D2 last year, and believe me they had a better team than Valpo last year. D1 teams are avoiding them. I just dont get the love for Bill Murray St.

Not that it matters since they're (finally) in but here's why we're excited. Murray State since 2010:


3 Tournament wins


2 NBA lottery picks


2 All Americans


2 Top 25 rankings


NIT Quarterfinal


CIT Champions


Need I say more? What school that the MVC could realistically add regardless of how great the food or gas stations or markets are can match that resume?

[RacerJoeD]

Well, the time has finally come for MURRAY State and Valpo to be conference mates, and I have to say I'm extremely excited. I look forward to seeing you all when it comes time for a trip south. As always, if you have questions about Murray, our team, or anything, I'm here to help.

Here is to a multibid MVC!!

[usc4valpo]

CIT champions? You actually list that?
In reality, Murray St. is a good addition, but let's chill and have some fun. Sports is the toy department of life.
The MVC needs to add some scenery and not over populate with truck stop schools.

[vu84v2]

CIT champions? You actually list that?
In reality, Murray St. is a good addition, but let's chill and have some fun. Sports is the toy department of life.
The MVC needs to add some scenery and not over populate with truck stop schools.

Murray State is not a truck stop school...there are no interstates within 40 miles of Murray. And with the Land between the Lakes, it adds far more scenery than any place in Texas.

As I have said in other posts, Murray, KY seems to have a lot of really nice people - at least that was my impression from doing some work-related stuff there in 2015. It is much more remote than any other MVC program - fly to Paducah and drive 45 minutes or fly to Nashville and drive two hours. Two hour drive from Carbondale.  For the size of Murray, KY, they have a large (8600 seat) and pretty modern stadium and they have filled it. Of course, it was mostly funded by the state. Beyond the list above, four players from Murray teams in the last eight years have played in the NBA.

Overall, despite being remote (and that will be an issue for MVC teams in other sports) this is a very good add for the MVC.

[vu72]

fly to Paducah and drive 45 minutes

Or fly to Chicago and drive an hour and a half to Valpo!  Let's face it, a 45 minute drive is really nothing unusual.

[VUGrad1314]

fly to Paducah and drive 45 minutes

Or fly to Chicago and drive an hour and a half to Valpo!  Let's face it, a 45 minute drive is really nothing unusual.

Exactly. Who are we to be complaining about Murray State's shortcomings as a program like location market size etc. when their overall resume dwarfs ours by a good margin and we have done nothing of note in five years in the MVC outside of volleyball and women's soccer which have had solid results? We need to remember that we are a lot like them and need to remember where we came from and how the rest of the MVC reacted pretty negatively to our being added as well. It remains to be seen if Murray State can keep it going and become a credit to the Valley but I believe in them at least as much as I believed Valpo would at the time we were added. I hope they do a better job than we have with the opportunity.

[VUGrad1314]

According to Matt Brown UTA cheaped out on the entrance fee to the MVC. We don't need programs like that in our league regardless of how great the market or gas station food is. Good luck in the WAC.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-935663-page-22.html

[VALPO LI]

fly to Paducah and drive 45 minutes

Or fly to Chicago and drive an hour and a half to Valpo!  Let's face it, a 45 minute drive is really nothing unusual.

Teams will probably fly from their regional airport into Murray-Calloway County Airport.  A 6,200 ft asphalt runway just about 4 miles from Campus.

[usc4valpo]

1314 - a trip to Buc-ees will be a relief after a bad Valpo loss. it is a happier place than Disney World!!

https://www.producebluebook.com/2020/12/08/see-buc-ees-the-worlds-largest-convenience-store/

hopefully Murray St. has a good place to stop after a Valpo loss...

[crusadermoe]

Quite impressive.  And I thought Family Express was impressive back in 1997 when they had plants in their restrooms. Convenience stores until then had meant slurpees, tobacco, and air fresheners. Everything is bigger in Texas!!

[usc4valpo]

insane kolaches, jerky, pecans, potato chips, breakfast brisket tacos, beaver nuggets, t-shirts, brisket sandwiches, and much much more!!!  Better than the Iowa I80 Truck stop off mile 284 sponsored by UNI.

[RacerJoeD]

United has flights nonstop from O'Hare to Paducah

Or you can hop your private plane and land in Murray.

It's only a six hour drive.

Not too bad for the 44th best program in college basketball.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/the-greatest-college-basketball-programs-ever-ranking-the-top-teams-of-all-time-nos-50-26/