Possible Missouri Valley Conference Expansion

[oklahomamick]

I remember making an effort to listen to the senior speeches.  I couldn't tell who the seniors are now.  And it's very rare that the seniors were at VU for all 4 years.  A lot of that is the way the NCAA is right now.  A lot of that is the way valpo is right now

[VUGrad1314]

Not even remotely directly related to the MVC but strap in because this is a seismic shift that could have a profound effect on A LOT of conferences. I think the MVC will be largely safe and unaffected except that it will be even harder to grab those last few bids unless the tournament expands. Even then, with a bunch of quality programs coalescing around each other in more prestigious homes it will still be a lot harder. Hopefully there are moves we can make to stay relevant in this chase. Maybe Wichita State and Loyola are forced to come back based on what the other leagues do. Maybe we can get South Dakota State and at least one other really good program. The MVC will remain a strong league but will it matter in the chase for at large bids? We'll see.

https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1542559346453729281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1542559346453729281%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-949912.html

https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1542562446535282689

https://twitter.com/RossDellenger/status/1542578600012120064?cxt=HHwWgIC8vYrEq-gqAAAA

https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/1542583902182703105?cxt=HHwWgoCw3dr4regqAAAA

[VUGrad1314]

The plot thickens... More PAC 12 schools to the Big 10? Notre Dame? (Probably not ND yet but I had a feeling there would be more than just these two added from the PAC...

https://twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/1542597968296964096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1542597968296964096%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-949912-page-10.html

Also here's this:

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1542599158057406465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1542599158057406465%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-949912-page-10.html


"Super Conferences" probably aren't good for the sport at large and seems to suggest a D1 breakup is becoming inevitable which is something ND's AD discusses here:

https://www.si.com/college/2022/04/23/notre-dame-jack-swarbrick-division-1-change#:~:text=SOUTH%20BEND%2C%20Ind.%20%E2%80%94%20Notre%20Dame%20athletic%20director,date%20on%20that%20seismic%20change%20as%20the%20mid-2030s.

For the sake of the MVC I hope the last two pieces of this aren't true. Arizona ASU Colorado and Utah to the Big XII would be very bad for the MVC because it would mean that the Big XII is not poaching from the AAC anymore which would probably keep the Shockers right where they are in addition to strengthening big time an already tough conference in the Big XII leading to more bids for them. I don't want a D1 breakup but I suppose the silver lining of that would be that the MVC could become one of the premier leagues in the second level and compete for championships which would be very exciting.

[vu84v2]

Two thoughts:
1. If there is a D1 breakup, with the major conference teams going to their own national association with their own tournament, it will be very bad for the teams in the remaining conferences. Coverage (and thus dollars) associated with the tournament for the remaining teams will be similar to coverage for the NIT or worse.
2. I have said all along that a D1 breakup outside of football is extremely unlikely and I will continue to make that argument. There are about 360 teams in D1. If 80 leave to form their own association, the remaining 280 will band together and sue for anti-trust violations. If the new association loses those anti-trust cases, they'll either be forced to disband or will be forced to pay taxes–including for football. They get away with it, to some extent, in football because of the differences in physical size. That does not hold in any other sports and, even in football, they need agreements with the non-Power 5 conferences to avoid major legal action.

[78crusader]

The irony in all of this conference realignment nonsense is that it will only serve to accelerate the diminishing fan interest in big time college football and basketball.

Paul

[usc4valpo]

USC and UCLA had to make the move as Conference of Champions leadership was inept for the past decade and now these LA schools may have finally gotten their ducks in a row.

I can imagine what Bill Walton is thinking right now.

[historyman]

USC and UCLA had to make the move as Conference of Champions leadership was inept for the past decade and now these LA schools may have finally gotten their ducks in a row.

I can imagine what Bill Walton is thinking right now.

I think they threw out the ducks and now have Gophers, Hawkeyes, Boilers, Wildcats, 'Huskers, Hoosiers, Illini and possibly some on the eastern side IN A ROW. Will they really make them travel to the east coast of the new Gigantic Coast to Coast 100 Conference?

[NotBryceDrew]

1314 why would Wichita st staying in AAC be bad?

[usc4valpo]

stay tuned, the realignment is far from over.

[may know]

I'd be underselling this video if I didn't say it's greatest realignment analysis I've ever seen:

[VUGrad1314]

1314 why would Wichita st staying in AAC be bad?

For the MVC specifically remaining viable as a potential multibid league in this new landscape adding a program like Wichita State back into the league would certainly help a lot. If the Big XII which is already the NET champion adds Arizona and other solid if unspectacular programs like Utah Colorado and ASU to further deepen the conference then it could be the end of that dream as we know it. I'm not even sure the A-10 or MWC (unless they can somehow get Gonzaga but I think they would be Big East bound in this scenario anyway) can be any more than a one bid league in this new climate. There are still so many ways this could go but none of them are good for the MVC fighting for at large bids. As much as I want South Dakota State as part of this conference for the quality of their program I don't even think that helps move the needle for us even though I think it would be wise for the MVC to take the Dakota schools regardless as they are state flagships with solid overall athletics programs even if they are in low population states. I think it would have to be offset by some private school additions to get everyone on board fortunately there are options in that regard as well in St Thomas (good market lots of potential) Bellarmine (good market solid performance so far in men's basketball would help out the MVC in any negotiations with Bally Sports Southeast as well) or Oral Roberts (if we can get past the obvious cultural issues there). It really is a shame that UDM is so small and doesn't or can't invest very well because if they could ever get their program rolling they would be a nice private school candidate.

[VUGrad1314]

stay tuned, the realignment is far from over.

I absolutely agree. The only question is whether the PAC will survive all of this.

[NotBryceDrew]

I don't see it that way. The big 12 pillaging the PAC12 who knows maybe American, makes Wichita more likely to consider other options since the big 12 won't be picking up a non football school. If the BE wanted them it would have been done a long time ago... they don't, A-10 maybe. Outside that there are no other options.

[VUGrad1314]

I don't see it that way. The big 12 pillaging the PAC12 who knows maybe American, makes Wichita more likely to consider other options since the big 12 won't be picking up a non football school. If the BE wanted them it would have been done a long time ago... they don't, A-10 maybe. Outside that there are no other options.

It all depends on the MWC. I believe Wichita State flirted with them in the past but the MWC wanted them to restart football in order to join. The Shockers declined and found an Olympics only deal in the AAC. If the Mountain West holds together they become a very strong contender for Wichita State but if SMU and Memphis especially stay in the AAC WSU may see enough reason to stay where they are. What Gonzaga does may figure into that position as well. I agree that the BE and A-10 aren't viable for WSU but the MWC and remaining in the AAC are depending on how this all shakes out. Apparently Colorado has called a meeting of its board of regents. It is said that nothing will be decided at this meeting but I have to think this will be discussed and some kind of a recommendation made to be ratified as a formal decision at another meeting soon. Feels like the CU Utah Arizona and ASU to the Big XII has a lot of steam. Another rumor has Fresno State reaching out to the PAC 12. Not sure how that will go but the PAC 12 might not be in a position to be picky about who it adds. On Brand name alone they could probably pick at will from the Mountain West especially if they aren't completely ripped down to the studs. A lot still depends on how aggressive the Big 10 wants to be and that will not be decided until we hear a formal decision from Notre Dame who it seems is committed to Independence right now at least for the time being. As I said there's too much to be decided at higher levels for us to know for sure the impact on the MVC and leagues like it or the best steps forward for the league in the new landscape but with even more basketball power condensing into even fewer leagues one can only see this as an outcome that leads to more bids for those conferences and more isolation between the power leagues and the upper tier mids even if the tournament potentially expands and a few conferences collapse in light of this.

[78crusader]

From the Wall Street Journal, July 1, 2022:

"A century plus of tradition, and a basic understanding of United States geography, is flying out the window...Yes, there's a grain of DNA to the move - the Pac 12 is the historic rival to the Big Ten, and I've heard supporters say "It'll be like a Rose Bowl every week!" But there's a reason you don't have a Rose Bowl every week, and it's the same reason you don't eat friend Double Stuff Oreos for breakfast.  Too much of a good idea is a bad idea, and the novelty will be tarnished within months."

Paul

[usc4valpo]

There are several Big 10 and Conference of Champions (at least for now) teams that you should never associate with a Rose Bowl.

[vu84v2]

There are several Big 10 and Conference of Champions (at least for now) teams that you should never associate with a Rose Bowl.

I, for one, am looking forward to Fresno State against Rutgers in a future Rose Bowl.

[justducky]

There are several Big 10 and Conference of Champions (at least for now) teams that you should never associate with a Rose Bowl.

I, for one, am looking forward to Fresno State against Rutgers in a future Rose Bowl.

I can hardly wait! Just the anticipation of such a future event is making me sleepless. 

[VULB#62]

There is a relatively new theme to the MVC Expansion thread on MVCFans:  EU and Valpo to the Horizon. Lot of hostility about not carrying our weight and not updating our "gym" after promising it would get done.

http://www.mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6021&sid=ded5104edd7cb9f9b

[usc4valpo]

in reality it is true. Valpo has to eventually step up and quit nickel and diming to stay legit in the MVC.

[wh]

There is a relatively new theme to the MVC Expansion thread on MVCFans:  EU and Valpo to the Horizon. Lot of hostility about not carrying our weight and not updating our "gym" after promising it would get done.

http://www.mvcfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6021&sid=ded5104edd7cb9f9b

Valpo has been freeloading off of tournament shares earned by someone else in the MVC for 6 straight years. It's hands down embarrassing, especially for a program with our storied history. That said, 6 of the other 8 MVC programs in the league during the same 6 years have been consistent freeloaders themselves, including:

Southern Illinois - 16 year dry spell
Illinois State - 25 year dry spell
Indiana State - 12 year dry spell
Missouri State - 24 year dry spell
Northern Iowa - 7 year dry spell
Evansville - 23 year dry spell

Only Drake (2 appearances) and Bradley (1 appearance) have actually made money for the league in the past 6 years.

Moral of the story - Anyone who supports these 6 perennial boat anchors who wants to complain about Valpo can kiss my a$$.

[vu84v2]

In regards to the other schools hating the ARC and the promise of Coach Powell and the program he will create over time, as well as leveraging a quote from Ted Lasso:

They're really going to hate it when we (Valpo) start winning conference titles.

[valpotx]

Agreed.  It's the same elitism that the top Horizon League schools used to exhibit towards Valpo over the first few years, until we started kicking their a$$es on a routine basis.  No one can complain about our contribution, when the majority of the conference hasn't helped