Mid-Major Scheduling

[VUGrad1314]

Why are mid-major leagues just passively accepting what the P5\BE are doing instead of banding together to fight against it? We have enough good teams among our various leagues to get several at larges among our ranks if we all had the fortitude to challenge each other and play each other out of conference. Playing the bottom of your own conference more isn't going to help. We need to group together and play more quality games among ourselves. But instead we get this...


CUSA going to divisions

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250489640882241539

MAC expanding its conference schedule to 20 or 22 games...

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250485377602912256

Meanwhile Furman can't get quality opponents even among other mid majors.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250419595476963328

Upper tier mid major leagues need to stop passively accept the P5 BS and FIGHT. Have some pride. It can still be done but the want to has to be there.

[VUGrad1314]

This is actually a positive for leagues like ours because we might be able to win a handful of these. I've been an advocate for taking more buy games and punching P5 teams in the mouth on their home floor if they don't have the courage to play a road game. Take the fight to them and beat them on their turf. I hope we take several of these this year because I really think we can win.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250565230301773828

[SanityLost17]

So the the math starts over every year for NET/RPI... 

If mid major leagues TRADITIONALLY 9-20 refused to play anyone from leagues TRADITIONALLY 1-8...   

Theoretically.   Both the traditional 9-20 leagues and the traditional 1-8 leagues would play amongst themselves in addition to games against leagues traditionally 21-32. 

So wouldn't the computers find it impossible to find a distinction between the 2 as long as mid majors held their own against 21-32 leagues and beat up on each other just like likes 1-8 beat up on each other and beat up on 21-32?   Ok Ok...  Maybe the mid majors would lose some of those games to leagues 21-32..BUT would play more road games where as teams 1-8 would play no road games, so that make break pretty close to even due to the emphasis on road games....   

Just thinking creatively here.   Just refuse to play them, play each other and beat up on the soft leagues.   Basically do EXACTLY what the 1-8 leagues do except have to go on the road more against those bottom leagues.   OR... For 1 year only just throw a bunch of money at it and buy all home games that year too.   Just to   with the system....     Then the computer wouldn't be able to tell the difference at all.    traditionally 1-8 leagues played only each other and bought games against leagues 21-32.   Leagues traditionally 9-20 did the exact same thing.    Computer shouldn't be able to tell a difference right?   

Yeah... So just one year... Everyone save up money, and overthrow the system.   

[EddieCabot]

This is actually a positive for leagues like ours because we might be able to win a handful of these. I've been an advocate for taking more buy games and punching P5 teams in the mouth on their home floor if they don't have the courage to play a road game. Take the fight to them and beat them on their turf. I hope we take several of these this year because I really think we can win.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250565230301773828

This is interesting.  I heard Mike Brey say a few weeks back that he expected ND to have fewer home buy games next season due to lost revenue from cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tourney.  We'll see what happens (if ANYTHING happens). 

[wh]

I'll be happy if all we accomplish is a schedule devoid of non D-1 opponents. Baby steps.

[VUGrad1314]

Well Elgin has already told ADs and presidents to cut the non D1s so hopefully the schools will listen. Isn't it better to take a big check from a P5 school rather than pay a non D1 $20-30K for a game nobody goes to or cares about? Plus the buy game is an opportunity to get a meaningful win plus the pay day. I'd take a buy game on the road over a home non D1 any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[VUGrad1314]

This is actually a positive for leagues like ours because we might be able to win a handful of these. I've been an advocate for taking more buy games and punching P5 teams in the mouth on their home floor if they don't have the courage to play a road game. Take the fight to them and beat them on their turf. I hope we take several of these this year because I really think we can win.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250565230301773828

This is interesting.  I heard Mike Brey say a few weeks back that he expected ND to have fewer home buy games next season due to lost revenue from cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tourney.  We'll see what happens (if ANYTHING happens). 

You're right though. We need to make sure we even have a season first and foremost. But I still think it would be a great idea for Valpo to take several buy games against regional P5\BE members. If we can steal 2 or 3 of those (and I think we can this year assuming we have a season). we'll be in pretty good shape if we have a good year in conference.

[VUGrad1314]

Both Indiana State and Evansville have scheduled games at Mackey arena. I think we should follow suit. With Purdue losing Haarms to transfer and coming off the year they had where they were very mediocre they might be somewhat vulnerable. Also with Stefanovic and Brandon Newman on their roster we should seriously consider talking to them about a 2 for 1 where they come to the ARC. Painter has been one to grant those in the past (they came while I was a student when Robbie Hummel was on their roster).

[VALPO LI]

This is actually a positive for leagues like ours because we might be able to win a handful of these. I've been an advocate for taking more buy games and punching P5 teams in the mouth on their home floor if they don't have the courage to play a road game. Take the fight to them and beat them on their turf. I hope we take several of these this year because I really think we can win.

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1250565230301773828

This is interesting.  I heard Mike Brey say a few weeks back that he expected ND to have fewer home buy games next season due to lost revenue from cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tourney.  We'll see what happens (if ANYTHING happens). 

You're right though. We need to make sure we even have a season first and foremost. But I still think it would be a great idea for Valpo to take several buy games against regional P5\BE members. If we can steal 2 or 3 of those (and I think we can this year assuming we have a season). we'll be in pretty good shape if we have a good year in conference.

Your not far off but I would want to beef up our home schedule first.  What is known for our 2020-21 schedule. (nothing is guaranteed)
3 Home games
3 Away games
Possibly 3 neutral games with a 4th Home or Away game tied to the MTE.
That leaves Valpo with 3 games left.  For me I would want to think ahead first and guarentee a Home game for next year so pick up another Home/Home on the road near Nashville. (Belmont, Lipscomb, Austin Peay, W Kentucky) are all great choices. Now we would need at least 2 more home games to get us to 5 for the season.  A Home/Home and a buy game would probably be the way to go. That leaves us with a full non conference schedule.

[vu84v2]

My guess is that many (if not all) non-conference schedules are going to look very different. First, you don't know if fans will be allowed to go to games in November and December, and whether they would if they were allowed. Second, every university is going to face significant financial hits and cutting expenses related to sports is very likely to happen. You may see some teams cancel their non-conference or even their entire schedule for 2020-2021. You may see non-conference schedules become a series of regionally based tournaments without fans. You may see a lot of Thanksgiving holiday tournaments cancelled because fans won't travel to the tournaments. Like everyone, I have no idea what will actually happen - but the college basketball season (and any other college sports season) transpiring as it normally would seems very unlikely.

[VALPO LI]

Yup a lot of "ifs" and "unknowns" in our future!

[FWalum]

Throwing another monkey wrench into this business... Talked last night to the owner of the Fort Wayne Komets ECHL Hockey team.  He told me that there will be seating restrictions in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at the start of next season. Attendance will be capped at 4,500 people with seats only sold 6 feet apart. I had heard that something like this might be enforced on the College football venues. If something like this is enacted for CBB then this would definitely affect buy games, reducing game revenue significantly.  What would the capacity of the ARC be under these restrictions? Does the number of Season Ticket Holders increase or decrease under this scenario? Does the "boomer crowd" stay away because of the expected October second wave and the health concerns that might bring? All of this could dramatically affect scheduling.

[4throwfan]

Throwing another monkey wrench into this business... Talked last night to the owner of the Fort Wayne Komets ECHL Hockey team.  He told me that there will be seating restrictions in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at the start of next season. Attendance will be capped at 4,500 people with seats only sold 6 feet apart. I had heard that something like this might be enforced on the College football venues. If something like this is enacted for CBB then this would definitely affect buy games, reducing game revenue significantly.  What would the capacity of the ARC be under these restrictions? Does the number of Season Ticket Holders increase or decrease under this scenario? Does the "boomer crowd" stay away because of the expected October second wave and the health concerns that might bring? All of this could dramatically affect scheduling.

This raises a lot of interesting questions.  One that came first to my mind was: if you have a venue (in any sport) like the ARC and the entire lower bowl is season ticketholders that typically renew every year, how do you tell half to two-thirds of them that they cannot renew their season tickets?  For basketball and hockey, may have to say: "no season tickets until 1/1/21" or, "no season tickets at all for 2020/2021".  For CFB and NFL, may look a little different. 

[FWalum]

This raises a lot of interesting questions.  One that came first to my mind was: if you have a venue (in any sport) like the ARC and the entire lower bowl is season ticketholders that typically renew every year, how do you tell half to two-thirds of them that they cannot renew their season tickets?  For basketball and hockey, may have to say: "no season tickets until 1/1/21" or, "no season tickets at all for 2020/2021".  For CFB and NFL, may look a little different. 

I was thinking that Season Ticket Holders would get some sort of priority. My wife and I normally get one of the smaller game packs siting in the chairbacks because it is difficult to attend weekday games and getting one of the packages we can pick weekend games. We like the chairbacks because there is more room per seat, but if things were spread out we could sit on the other side.  Season ticket holders would have to be spread out and should get some sort of priority so season ticket holders shouldn't be told they can't have tickets but may be required to sit in different seats than normal.  I could understand if some do decide to stay home, my concern is that many season ticket holders are older and may decide to stay home and not purchase ticket to reduce exposure if no vaccine is available and a second wave starts in October.

[humbleopinion]

This raises a lot of interesting questions.  One that came first to my mind was: if you have a venue (in any sport) like the ARC and the entire lower bowl is season ticketholders that typically renew every year, how do you tell half to two-thirds of them that they cannot renew their season tickets?  For basketball and hockey, may have to say: "no season tickets until 1/1/21" or, "no season tickets at all for 2020/2021".  For CFB and NFL, may look a little different.

I was thinking that Season Ticket Holders would get some sort of priority. My wife and I normally get one of the smaller game packs siting in the chairbacks because it is difficult to attend weekday games and getting one of the packages we can pick weekend games. We like the chairbacks because there is more room per seat, but if things were spread out we could sit on the other side.  Season ticket holders would have to be spread out and should get some sort of priority so season ticket holders shouldn't be told they can't have tickets but may be required to sit in different seats than normal.  I could understand if some do decide to stay home, my concern is that many season ticket holders are older and may decide to stay home and not purchase ticket to reduce exposure if no vaccine is available and a second wave starts in October.

I have thought about whether or not I would feel comfortable attending games next year, but I figure that I'll buy a season ticket to keep my seats for subsequent years and to support the team. I worry as I would qualify as high risk, but when I think about those who sit around me in the chairbacks, I can't think of many who would be lower risk than myself.

[valpo84]

Based on attendance at the Cleveland Cavs games this year (where we are season-tix holders), we had already started social distancing at the beginning of the season.... 

[bbtds]

Throwing another monkey wrench into this business... Talked last night to the owner of the Fort Wayne Komets ECHL Hockey team.  He told me that there will be seating restrictions in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at the start of next season. Attendance will be capped at 4,500 people with seats only sold 6 feet apart. I had heard that something like this might be enforced on the College football venues. If something like this is enacted for CBB then this would definitely affect buy games, reducing game revenue significantly.  What would the capacity of the ARC be under these restrictions? Does the number of Season Ticket Holders increase or decrease under this scenario? Does the "boomer crowd" stay away because of the expected October second wave and the health concerns that might bring? All of this could dramatically affect scheduling.

I not so sure this is true at every CBB venue. If you already have an arena/gym that is oversized for the crowds that you draw (1/3 of capacity) then you will still be able to get the same size crowd into the facility.

[VUGrad1314]

The move to the HL is the best thing that could have happened to Fort Wayne. Not only will they save a fortune on travel costs, they will also be playing much more recognizable teams for the local fanbase. I expect a nice increase in attendance at athletic events (especially basketball) going forward.

[FWalum]

The move to the HL is the best thing that could have happened to Fort Wayne. Not only will they save a fortune on travel costs, they will also be playing much more recognizable teams for the local fanbase. I expect a nice increase in attendance at athletic events (especially basketball) going forward.

Yes, they should be able to save a ton on travel costs.  The only issue is that I am sure the HL stipulates all games to be played in the Allen County Memorial Coliseum. This will cost some more money, but they might not have been able to play in the Gates Center anyway if the social distancing guidelines are in place at the start of the CBB season, there would not be enough room in Gates to spread out.

[valpo64]

It doesn't make sense to me....seating at the campus is around 1,800 I think ...the Coliseum , even with reduced seating area is still around 8,000(?).   They average  around 1,000 per game with many times it being around 800. Wow.