National Conference Realignments

[crusaderjoe]

Notre Dame will not leave the Big East until at least 2014:  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130207/mike-brey-notre-dame-big-east.ap/

I suppose this can be interpreted many different ways depending on how the Tarot cards read:

ND is staying put for one year because the C-7 won't break off on its own until 2014 anyway;

ND is staying put for one year to try and align with the C-7 as an Olympic sports only member;

ND is staying put for one year so it can see what happens to Maryland and the ACC lawsuit on exit fees;

ND is staying put for one year so it can see if Virginia is heading to the B1G as speculated or whether any schools will be moving to the BIG 12 (FSU, Miami, etc.) from the ACC over the next year or so;

ND is staying put because of the ease on next year's sports scheduling (yeah, right);

ND is staying put so it can keep an eye on how much money the C-7 commands on their TV deal during the interim and then make a decision from there; or

By staying in the Big East for at least the next year, ND really believes that the ACC is vulnerable to losing more members in the future.

Who knows what the reason(s) really are...but it is fun to speculate.

[bbtds]

Notre Dame will not leave the Big East until at least 2014:  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130207/mike-brey-notre-dame-big-east.ap/

I suppose this can be interpreted many different ways depending on how the Tarot cards read:

ND is staying put for one year because the C-7 won't break off on its own until 2014 anyway;

ND is staying put for one year to try and align with the C-7 as an Olympic sports only member;

ND is staying put for one year so it can see what happens to Maryland and the ACC lawsuit on exit fees;

ND is staying put for one year so it can see if Virginia is heading to the B1G as speculated or whether any schools will be moving to the BIG 12 (FSU, Miami, etc.) from the ACC over the next year or so;

ND is staying put because of the ease on next year's sports scheduling (yeah, right);

ND is staying put so it can keep an eye on how much money the C-7 commands on their TV deal during the interim and then make a decision from there; or

By staying in the Big East for at least the next year, ND really believes that the ACC is vulnerable to losing more members in the future.

Who knows what the reason(s) really are...but it is fun to speculate.

Wouldn't Notre Dame's other sports (minus football, hockey, lacrosse, any others that aren't in the Big East) fit nicely in the Catholic 7?

[valpotx]

Wouldn't that be a coup for the C-7?  Wow, I truly never even thought that could be a possibility.  It still may not be, but fun to speculate

[crusaderjoe]

Good article and insight about the C-7 and where its headed with respect to expansion:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/catholic-7-schools-including-georgetown-charting-a-new-yet-familiar-path/2013/02/16/f1eaa870-7876-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_story.html

Looks like no ND?

[valpotx]

March will be interesting, as I am sure that is when conferences will make some more announcements.  Interesting that the article you attached mentions Siena???  I understand that they are in upstate NY and apparently play in a 15,500 seat arena, but Siena?  They have been to a few NCAAs, yes, but you would have to figure that they would go with a better team.  I still see it as Butler, Dayton, Xavier, SLU, and possibly Richmond now.  I can see the argument that Creighton might be too far west.  We'll see what happens with Detroit, but I still think that they have a few years before getting such consideration.  If the 4 teams leave the A-10, I am sure Detroit might get an invite to that league.  But, do they take it with the diminished talent in the conference, and a lot more travel since the west teams will be gone?

[Pathfinder]

Detroit to C-7? Don't see it happening. The Horizon is a nice place - Butler's loss aside, it's been very stable. The budding Valpo-Detroit rivalry is great, and while losing Butler was a big PR hit, lots of people are beginning to notice that the Horizon didn't fall a bit in conference rankings. After all, Detroit and Valpo were 5-0 against Butler last year. I'd like to see the league add Belmont and Evansville, as has been rumored. That would give the league a better core of academically rigorous, smaller, private schools to go with UD, Valpo, and Loyola. Then who knows. If Creighton goes C-7, Wichita State will be desperately trying to get an invite to the Mountain West. And if that happens other MVC teams (I'm thinking Bradley) might be very interested in the Horizon.

[vu72]

Detroit to C-7? Don't see it happening. The Horizon is a nice place - Butler's loss aside, it's been very stable. The budding Valpo-Detroit rivalry is great, and while losing Butler was a big PR hit, lots of people are beginning to notice that the Horizon didn't fall a bit in conference rankings. After all, Detroit and Valpo were 5-0 against Butler last year. I'd like to see the league add Belmont and Evansville, as has been rumored. That would give the league a better core of academically rigorous, smaller, private schools to go with UD, Valpo, and Loyola. Then who knows. If Creighton goes C-7, Wichita State will be desperately trying to get an invite to the Mountain West. And if that happens other MVC teams (I'm thinking Bradley) might be very interested in the Horizon.

Or Drake.

[zvillehaze]

Detroit to C-7? Don't see it happening. The Horizon is a nice place - Butler's loss aside, it's been very stable. The budding Valpo-Detroit rivalry is great, and while losing Butler was a big PR hit, lots of people are beginning to notice that the Horizon didn't fall a bit in conference rankings. After all, Detroit and Valpo were 5-0 against Butler last year. I'd like to see the league add Belmont and Evansville, as has been rumored. That would give the league a better core of academically rigorous, smaller, private schools to go with UD, Valpo, and Loyola. Then who knows. If Creighton goes C-7, Wichita State will be desperately trying to get an invite to the Mountain West. And if that happens other MVC teams (I'm thinking Bradley) might be very interested in the Horizon.

Or Drake.

Or you could see some current Horizon teams heading to the MVC and some heading to the A-10.  I think everyone is positioning right now and waiting to see who the C-7 add before they start making moves.

As for Detroit heading to the C-7, I'll believe it when I see it.  They already have enough mediocre programs to go with Georgetown, Marquette and Villanova ... they need to add some teams that will improve their basketball profile or they can forget about that big TV deal.  No one wants to see Providence or Seton Hall play at Detroit.   

[a3uge]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/191910991.html Marquette didn't like that Wash Post article.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Here's an interesting look at one of my alma maters who will NOT be invited to the C-7

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2013/basketball/nba/wires/02/13/2030.ap.bko.catholic.s.surge.1st.ld.writethru.1032/

but in another world, could've!...Nice to see them mention the 2001 D3 national title...went to a game that year and started a riot and not even a student there at the time.  But that's a story for another day.

[zvillehaze]

Another day, another perspective on the "C-7".  http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=5238

If they do just go to 10 teams and only take two of the four midwestern A-10 teams, it could lead to further shakeouts.  I assume the two left behind would either want to add more midwest teams to the A-10, or choose to look for another home.  Either scenario could impact the Horizon, IMO.

FWIW, I heard John Thompson III refer to the group as "The Non-Football 7" and he was very clear the move was not being made for any religious reasons. 

[VULB#62]

 

BB gurus please help me out.  Why isn't Duquesne and the metro Pittsburgh market even in this discussion (besides the fact they are not Jesuit or from Indianapolis)? 

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY[
Population (2011)[4][5]
• City   307,484 (62nd)
• Density   5,540/sq mi (2,140/km2)
• Urban   1,733,853 (27th)
• Metro   2,359,746 (22nd)
• CSA   2,450,281 (19th)
• GMP   $115.8 billion (22nd)

Motto:   Spiritus est qui vivificat (Latin) [Duh!]
Motto in English   It is the Spirit that gives life.
Established   October 1, 1878
Type   Private
Religious affiliation   Roman Catholic (Spiritan Fathers)
Endowment     $171 million (2011)[1]
Students   10,363
Undergraduates   5,858
Postgraduates   4,505
Location   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Campus   Urban, 49 acres
Colors   Red and Blue
Athletics   NCAA Division I
Decent history of college BB success.  A-10. 

No Pro BB team.

VERSUS RICHMOND
Population (2011)
• State Capital   205,533 (103rd)
• Density   3,211/sq mi (1,239.8/km2)
• Metro   1,269,380 (44th)
Questionable BB pedigree

Motto   Verbum Vitae et Lumen Scientiae (Latin) [Duh again!)
Motto in English   Word of life and the light of knowledge
Established   1830
Type   Private university
Endowment    US$1.87 billion (June 30, 2012)[1]  [Holy crap!}
Students   4,250[3]
Undergraduates   2,767 (2,735 full-time, 32 part-time)[3]
Postgraduates   650 (543 full-time, 107 part-time)[3]

They play Basketball?

VERSUS CREIGHTON
Motto:   Willing to Lead (they don't speak Latin in Nebraska)
Established   1878
Type   Private
Research Coeducational
Religious affiliation   Jesuit (Roman Catholic)
Endowment   US $375.2 million[1]
Students   7,730[2]
Undergraduates   4,153
Postgraduates   3,577
Location   Omaha, Nebraska

Population (2010)[3]
• City   408,958 (43rd)
• Estimate (2011[4])   415,068
• Density   3,217.9/sq mi (1,242.4/km2)
• Metro   877,110

AND WHY ARE ALL THESE SCHOOLS INTO RED AND/OR BLUE   

[vuweathernerd]

duquesne plays second fiddle to pitt and the big east in pittsburgh.

[vu72]

Indianapolis)? 

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY[

Indianapolis)? 

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY[

Another day, another perspective on the "C-7".  http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=5238

If they do just go to 10 teams and only take two of the four midwestern A-10 teams, it could lead to further shakeouts.  I assume the two left behind would either want to add more midwest teams to the A-10, or choose to look for another home.  Either scenario could impact the Horizon, IMO.

FWIW, I heard John Thompson III refer to the group as "The Non-Football 7" and he was very clear the move was not being made for any religious reasons. 

Looks like another "Shelvin Mack" moment.  Georgetown has a football team.

[zvillehaze]

Another day, another perspective on the "C-7".  http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=5238

If they do just go to 10 teams and only take two of the four midwestern A-10 teams, it could lead to further shakeouts.  I assume the two left behind would either want to add more midwest teams to the A-10, or choose to look for another home.  Either scenario could impact the Horizon, IMO.

FWIW, I heard John Thompson III refer to the group as "The Non-Football 7" and he was very clear the move was not being made for any religious reasons. 

Looks like another "Shelvin Mack" moment.  Georgetown has a football team.

I guess I didn't do my homework.  It appears that Georgetown plays FCS football as an associate member in the Patriot League (who knew, other than vu72?).  The Patriot League will begin allowing football scholarships next season (15 equivalents) and Georgetown has not yet determined if they will grant scholarships or not. 

Georgetown and the other members of the "Catholic 7" do not participate in BCS football.  I went back and listened to the JT III comment on the ESPNU podcast, and what he said was "the Basketball 7 schools, and I want to say that again, the Basketball 7, I didn't bring religion into it".  In regards to religion, he stated "well because that's not the common thread."  He then blamed ESPN and other media for pushing the religious aspect of the new league. 

Read into that what you will.  I think that the non-FBS football schools being Catholic/Jesuit schools was somewhat of a coincidence.  Based on comments that have leaked from various sources (Marquette, Xavier), I'm sensing that Catholic/non-Catholic won't be a deciding factor for new members.  On the other hand, I'd be very surprised if they added a public school.  The latest reports of adding Richmond instead of VCU seem to confirm that. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

who knew, other than vu72?

me for one.  and i don't know if we can trust what's coming out of georgetown at the moment on the topic, based on Feinstein, Marquette, etc.  especially their coach, who seems to me like the lawyer from Seinfeld.

now, if JT*II* said it, there's a voice we can trust.  got a funny story about him I'll have to bring up when it's more apropos.

[zvillehaze]

who knew, other than vu72?

me for one.  and i don't know if we can trust what's coming out of georgetown at the moment on the topic, based on Feinstein, Marquette, etc.  especially their coach, who seems to me like the lawyer from Seinfeld.

now, if JT*II* said it, there's a voice we can trust.  got a funny story about him I'll have to bring up when it's more apropos.

Would love to hear it.  I really like JT III and Big John ... I have no idea what happened to Ronny, because he's a toolbox.

I agree that it's really hard to decipher all the "information" that's  floating around out there.  What I do know is that Fox, NBCSports or anyone else lining up to sign a TV deal better know who's being added before they ink a deal.

[VULB#62]

duquesne plays second fiddle to pitt and the big east in pittsburgh.

So we're assuming that they (The 'Basketball' 7) would prefer not to go head-to-head with either Big East or ACC cities/schools.   

[vuweathernerd]

duquesne plays second fiddle to pitt and the big east in pittsburgh.

So we're assuming that they (The 'Basketball' 7) would prefer not to go head-to-head with either Big East or ACC cities/schools.   

my point was that there probably isn't a very sizable population within the pittsburgh area, outside of the school itself, that follows duquesne. i don't know - i've never spent enough time in pittsburgh to know. so why try to grab a school like that instead of a school that doesn't have any direct competition or has a significant fanbase in the area.

[VULB#62]

It must be something like that, cuz no one's even whispering DU.   

[zvillehaze]

Latest speculation on the C-7.  http://ajerseyguy.com/?p=5365  Earlier today, ESPN.com reported the A-10 exit fee was $2 million, but indicated the C-7 would probably cover that for anyone joining.  They also reported the new TV deal for the C-7 would be in the $40 million per year range.  Big dollars being thrown around.

In any case, it looks like things could be shuffling next summer.  Will be interesting to see if this impacts Horizon expansion plans in any way.

[valpopal]

Latest from ESPN: Catholic 7 to keep Big East name and add both Xavier and Butler as early as this fall:

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/77650/sources-catholic-7-keep-big-east

[valpotx]

Well, they originally said that our expansion plans would be announced in March 2013 as well, so it will play out sooner than later.  Hopefully the HL comes out of it unscathed...unless we are the one leaving, for say, the MVC (no A-10) 

[zvillehaze]

Well, they originally said that our expansion plans would be announced in March 2013 as well, so it will play out sooner than later.  Hopefully the HL comes out of it unscathed...unless we are the one leaving, for say, the MVC (no A-10) 

I think you're spot on.  If the ESPN report is accurate, the A-10 will no longer have a midwest presence, which makes sense since the "Atlantic" is nowhere close to Ohio, Indiana or Missouri.  The wild card is Creighton, as that could open a MVC spot for someone in the Horizon.  I don't expect all of this to significantly impact the Horizon, but I assume LeCrone is on top of all scenarios.  A potential positive might be that any A-10 team left behind (X, Butler, SLU, Dayton) could be looking for a new/old home in the midwest.

[zvillehaze]

And yet another report ... http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21787349/catholic-7-looking-at-nine-schools-might-stop-there