Would Gonzaga ever be considered a possibility for expansion? I realize the huge logistical issue with being 3 time zones away, but they have to be sick of playing the Pacifics and Pepperdines of the world. If the AAC could find a way to add WSU, Dayton, VCU, the Zags, and maybe BYU we are now talking about being one of the top 5 Basketball conferences. There has to be some financial incentives for becoming so much more competitive to overcome the travel issues. This move would have to be Basketball only, as there is no way a private school can justify sending the women's tennis team to New Orleans, Houston, Orlando and Tampa every year
(03-20-2017 01:12 PM)jarr Wrote: [ -> ]Wold Gonzaga ever be considered a possibility for expansion? I realize the huge logistical issue with being 3 time zones away, but they have to be sick of playing the Pacifics and Pepperdines of the world. If the AAC could find a way to add WSU, Dayton, VCU, the Zags, and maybe BYU we are now talking about being one of the toperimeter 5 Basketball conferences. There has to be some financial incentives for becoming so much more competitive to overcome the travel issues. This move would have to be Basketball only, as there is no way a private school can justify sending the women's tennis team to New Orleans, Houston, Orlando and Tampa every year
Why in the world would they even consider such a thing? I think they have made the NCAA tourney like 18 or 19 years in a row.
(03-20-2017 01:12 PM)jarr Wrote: [ -> ]Wold Gonzaga ever be considered a possibility for expansion? I realize the huge logistical issue with being 3 time zones away, but they have to be sick of playing the Pacifics and Pepperdines of the world. If the AAC could find a way to add WSU, Dayton, VCU, the Zags, and maybe BYU we are now talking about being one of the toperimeter 5 Basketball conferences. There has to be some financial incentives for becoming so much more competitive to overcome the travel issues. This move would have to be Basketball only, as there is no way a private school can justify sending the women's tennis team to New Orleans, Houston, Orlando and Tampa every year
I hear you, but it won't happen. Gonzaga, unlike a BYU (for example) draws most of their students from the west coast. Similarly, their alums live up and down the west coast. When they play at Portland, for example, they probably have 2,000 to 3,000 fans in attendance. They also create fundraising opportunities for the university around many of their games.
The WCC, while not top notch, is generally in the top 10 in RPI. That's probably enough for Gonzaga. I look for the WCC to expand and add Denver and Seattle. They have similar profiles as other WCC schools, and each have invested heavily in athletics (Denver, in particular).
Gonzaga, Dayton and VCU don't have football teams ... were's the value? And if you mean Wright State, they also have no football team. There is already a rumor concerning Wichita State.
They are a classic "Catholic Seven" profile much like UC's former Big East conference mates. About 7,000 total students, 5,000 undergraduates, and a 6,000 seat arena. A perfect fit for the new Big East if they weren't stuck in Spokane. In my mind, a bridge too far for any eastern or central U.S. conference.
We'll see how far they advance this season but so much for all the arguments about needing P5 affiliation, a better conference, a bigger, better arena. It's all about recruiting and coaching and Few has done a fine job.
(03-20-2017 01:41 PM)OKIcat Wrote: [ -> ]They are a classic "Catholic Seven" profile much like UC's former Big East conference mates. About 7,000 total students, 5,000 undergraduates, and a 6,000 seat arena. A perfect fit for the new Big East if they weren't stuck in Spokane. In my mind, a bridge too far for any eastern or central U.S. conference.
We'll see how far they advance this season but so much for all the arguments about needing P5 affiliation, a better conference, a bigger, better arena. It's all about recruiting and coaching and Few has done a fine job.
Gonzaga is a one seed because they went out and beat people, racked up good wins out of conference, great efficiency numbers and dominated their conference. UC should aspire to do the same.
I have said this elsewhere, but I think the logistics of having a conference that spans 3 time-zones is daunting and argues against the AAC (or the BE for that matter) expanding with Gonzaga.
If a conference were going to expand with Gonzaga, it would be the MW, and that makes ZERO sense.
Not to mention the WCC is PERFECT for Gonzaga and could well be a western compliment of the BE. All it would take is a media contract to match the BE's...and with BYU now in the conference, that could happen.
Really dumb concept. I doubt few have ever been to Spokane. I have and it is a trip too far. Why would they want to be in a league where the nearest opponent is two time zones away in Tulsa OK and many are 3 time zones away (UC, UConn, UCF, ECU, USF).
you can forget the Zags....as people have said, three time zones away is insane, esp for olympic sports
If the AAC wants to add Olympic sports they need to look at teams like Wichita St, VCU, Dayton, Rhode Island, Old Dominion, etc.
I would like to see the AAC get really aggressive and add:
Army fb only
Boise fb only
AF fb only
maybe BYU all sports?
Wichita St offset Navy
VCU offset Army
Dayton offset Dayton
Rhode Island offset AF
(03-20-2017 07:22 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote: [ -> ]you can forget the Zags....as people have said, three time zones away is insane, esp for olympic sports
If the AAC wants to add Olympic sports they need to look at teams like Wichita St, VCU, Dayton, Rhode Island, Old Dominion, etc.
I would like to see the AAC get really aggressive and add:
Army fb only
Boise fb only
AF fb only
maybe BYU all sports?
Wichita St offset Navy
VCU offset Army
Dayton offset Dayton
Rhode Island offset AF
Dayton football is so bad it offsets itself.
(03-21-2017 04:38 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote: [ -> ] (03-20-2017 07:22 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote: [ -> ]you can forget the Zags....as people have said, three time zones away is insane, esp for olympic sports
If the AAC wants to add Olympic sports they need to look at teams like Wichita St, VCU, Dayton, Rhode Island, Old Dominion, etc.
I would like to see the AAC get really aggressive and add:
Army fb only
Boise fb only
AF fb only
maybe BYU all sports?
Wichita St offset Navy
VCU offset Army
Dayton offset Dayton
Rhode Island offset AF
Dayton football is so bad it offsets itself.
lol oops