With the C7 splitting off I think now more than ever basketball also needs to be considered when making the conference expansion decisions.

How about this option that can create a strong basketball conference and offer a built in back up plan for future east / west defections. We all know the hybrid model doesn’t work so the conference should plan with that in mind and a goal of all teams all sports.

In the East add UMass for basketball only. Solid but not spectacular basketball program in a strong northeast media market the conference isn’t currently in, and already has a home for its football in the MAC.

Everyone has said that it’s only a matter of time before UConn, Cincy, or one of the Florida teams leave. If that’s the case at that time simply extend the invitation to UMass football and ECU basketball and the hole is filled without the need for outside additions.

On the western side offer an invitation to UNLV for basketball only, with the agreement that if Navy decides to back out they will be the football replacement.

If this was the case in basketball you would have the following conference:

EAST – UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, USF, UCF and UMass
West - Boise, SDSU, Tulane, Houston, SMU, UNLV, and #14 (BYU / Fresno / AFA or whoever)

Keep the Big East name for the auto bid and I can see this conference consistently getting 6 NCAA bids, potentially more.

Play everyone in your division twice home and home, and each team in the other division once for an 18 game conference schedule that will keep travel to a minimum.

On the football side it’s not perfect but I think the best we can hope for at this time.

EAST – UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, USF, UCF and ECU
West - Boise, SDSU, Tulane, Houston, SMU, Navy and #14 (BYU / Fresno / AFA or whoever)

It’s something that can be sold to the networks with a built in backup plan for eastern defections or Navy backing out. It can be sold to UMass because they have a home for football now in the MAC, the A10 is on the verge of extinction as soon as the C7 guts it, and they have a commitment for a football spot if one becomes available. Besides that let’s face it, the available eastern football teams are not great and bring even less to the table in basketball. It can be sold to UNLV because everyone feels confident that Navy will never play a down of football in the Big East so there is a pretty good chance they will be a full member before 2015.

It’s not perfect but I think it’s sellable and the best all sports conference we can hope for.

OK, let the bashing begin!

I think hybrid Bball is out the whazoo... it makes no sense on any and all levels.

All sports and football-only for western schools.

(12-27-2012 01:41 PM)RUScarlets Wrote:  I think hybrid Bball is out the whazoo... it makes no sense on any and all levels.

All sports and football-only for western schools.

All-Sports spots for all... this will secure the conference by giving the western schools more money to play with.

I think right now it a forgone conclusion that the Big East name is going to stay with the C7. But in order to keep the piece I will just call it the C7 or the "Football 11"

The football 11 have 9 teams, adding ECU dilutes what you have in the top half even more than Tulane, SMU, and Houston currently does.

UMASS would be a wonderful addition along with UNLV. I think UMASS even represents a way back into New England for football once UCONN leaves. The problem the Football 11 is going to have is that the sales pitch of "come play basketball with the Big Boys" (UCONN, UC, Memphis, Temple) is a hard sell b/c of the perception that UC, UConn are out the door.

A school like UMASS might find greener pastures by joining VCU in the C7 conference. I'm sure that both conferences will be competing for a few bball only's.

Good try my friend, but leave it to the professionals (like myself).

I like UMass right now as all Sports invite. You need rivalry games to make the conference interesting.

Basketball rivalry games: UMass-UConn, Temple-UMass, Cincinnati-Memphis, USF-UCF, Houston-SMU
Basketball's other top games: UConn-Cincinnati, UConn-Memphis, UConn-Temple, Temple-Cincinnati, Memphis-Temple, ( plus the potential for more depending on how good everyone is.

UMass would joint a solid middle groups of schools competing for the post season right away.

For football UMass, UConn, Temple, Navy, ECU, USF, UCF, and Cincinnati would keep the eastern part of the Big East close to it original footprint that included New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida. Heck Cincinnati shares some of the same qualities of Pitt too.

(12-27-2012 02:28 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  I like UMass right now as all Sports invite. You need rivalry games to make the conference interesting.

Basketball rivalry games: UMass-UConn, Temple-UMass, Cincinnati-Memphis, USF-UCF, Houston-SMU
Basketball's other top games: UConn-Cincinnati, UConn-Memphis, UConn-Temple, Temple-Cincinnati, Memphis-Temple, ( plus the potential for more depending on how good everyone is.

UMass would joint a solid middle groups of schools competing for the post season right away.

For football UMass, UConn, Temple, Navy, ECU, USF, UCF, and Cincinnati would keep the eastern part of the Big East close to it original footprint that included New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida. Heck Cincinnati shares some of the same qualities of Pitt too.

This is bearable i suppose...

For the love of god, just kick Tulane out already - enough messing around.

Best case scenario:

True E/W All-Sports, so Navy, which sucks at football anyway is gone also

East
UConn, Cincy, USF, UCF, Memphis, Temple, ECU,

West
Boise, BYU, SDSU, Fresno, Houston, SMU, UNLV

How to accomplish:
Concede both BSU and BYU home media rights, which retains BSU and attracts BYU. Offer all sports to Fresno and UNLV, which come running.

Result:
Some eastern teams cry because BSU and BYU get sweetheart deals, but then dry their tears as they realize the conference just became damn good and the TV deal = $$$.

Divisions are truly E/W and no school is in a Division it doesn't want. Non-FB/BB Oly's play within geographic division, so travel $ is fine.

Finally, MW is crushed and nBE gets auto bid every single year.

BB-Power
UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, SDSU, UNLV - others aren't terrible and getting better.

FB-Power
BSU, BYU, Cincy, UConn, Fresno, ECU - the rest are pretty good and will become better.

This, my friends, is a conference.

You can't have a basketball only team, nor can a team play other sports in the new conference and play football in another conference, since the new conference, whatever it's named, will sponsor football.

UMass isnt the Boston market, I thought it was the Springfield, Mass tv market. Yes I know they have a campus in Boston and tons of their alumni live in Boston but those people dont show up to the games in droves. Id love to know what their average attendance in basketball is.

(12-27-2012 02:37 PM)Jeffkills Wrote:  For the love of god, just kick Tulane out already - enough messing around.

Best case scenario:

True E/W All-Sports, so Navy, which sucks at football anyway is gone also

East
UConn, Cincy, USF, UCF, Memphis, Temple, ECU,

West
Boise, BYU, SDSU, Fresno, Houston, SMU, UNLV

How to accomplish:
Concede both BSU and BYU home media rights, which retains BSU and attracts BYU. Offer all sports to Fresno and UNLV, which come running.

Result:
Some eastern teams cry because BSU and BYU get sweetheart deals, but then dry their tears as they realize the conference just became damn good and the TV deal = $$$.

Divisions are truly E/W and no school is in a Division it doesn't want. Non-FB/BB Oly's play within geographic division, so travel $ is fine.

Finally, MW is crushed and nBE gets auto bid every single year.

BB-Power
UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, SDSU, UNLV - others aren't terrible and getting better.

FB-Power
BSU, BYU, Cincy, UConn, Fresno, ECU - the rest are pretty good and will become better.

This, my friends, is a conference.

I'd vote this....its the best alternative i've seen to date

(12-27-2012 02:37 PM)Jeffkills Wrote:  For the love of god, just kick Tulane out already - enough messing around.

Best case scenario:

True E/W All-Sports, so Navy, which sucks at football anyway is gone also

East
UConn, Cincy, USF, UCF, Memphis, Temple, ECU,

West
Boise, BYU, SDSU, Fresno, Houston, SMU, UNLV

How to accomplish:
Concede both BSU and BYU home media rights, which retains BSU and attracts BYU. Offer all sports to Fresno and UNLV, which come running.

Result:
Some eastern teams cry because BSU and BYU get sweetheart deals, but then dry their tears as they realize the conference just became damn good and the TV deal = $$$.

Divisions are truly E/W and no school is in a Division it doesn't want. Non-FB/BB Oly's play within geographic division, so travel $ is fine.

Finally, MW is crushed and nBE gets auto bid every single year.

BB-Power
UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, SDSU, UNLV - others aren't terrible and getting better.

FB-Power
BSU, BYU, Cincy, UConn, Fresno, ECU - the rest are pretty good and will become better.

This, my friends, is a conference.

Listen to this good man, especially about Tulane. I don't believe an all-sports conference will work, but that would be the best case.

(12-27-2012 02:42 PM)darkdragon99 Wrote:  UMass isnt the Boston market, I thought it was the Springfield, Mass market. Yes I know they have a campus in Boston and tons of their alumni live in Boston but those people dont show up to the games in droves. Id love to know what their average attendance in basketball is.

Boise is not ND

While NBE may deal to some degree with BYU,the degree they deal with Boise is a lot less.

There will no western division all sports with Houston and SMU

We actually could give up on the west and try this for all sports.

North:
Temple
UMass
UConn
Marshall
Memphis
Cincinnati

South:
ECU
USF
UCF
SMU
Houston
Tulane

Memphis was placed in the North to keep their rivalry with Cincinnati. A 16 game conference schedule for basketball allows schools the freedom to schedule outside of the league while providing mirror games for Cincinnati-Memphis, Cincinnati-UConn, Cincinnati-Temple, UMass-UConn, UMass-Temple, UConn-Memphis, UConn-Temple, USF-UCF, and Houston-SMU. Yes the South is weaker in basketball but probably stronger top to bottom in football while the North division would be crazy difficult in basketball each year.

In a lot of ways I like this better than the East-West league. Yes this is C-USA All Stars mixed in with northeast flavor but overall fans might like this league better.

(12-27-2012 02:51 PM)bearcatlawjd Wrote:  We actually could give up on the west and try this for all sports.

North:
Temple
UMass
UConn
Marshall
Memphis
Cincinnati

South:
ECU
USF
UCF
SMU
Houston
Tulane

Memphis was placed in the North to keep their rivalry with Cincinnati. A 16 game conference schedule for basketball allows schools the freedom to schedule outside of the league while providing mirror games for Cincinnati-Memphis, Cincinnati-UConn, Cincinnati-Temple, UMass-UConn, UMass-Temple, UConn-Memphis, UConn-Temple, USF-UCF, and Houston-SMU. Yes the South is weaker in basketball but probably stronger top to bottom in football while the North division would be crazy difficult in basketball each year.

In a lot of ways I like this better than the East-West league. Yes this is C-USA All Stars mixed in with northeast flavor but overall fans might like this league better.

Heck no

I think Jeffkills has THE single best proposal

Guys quit kicking schools out of the conference for your dream scenarios, figure out a way to make them work with the schools that have said yes. You're just creating animosity amongst member schools for no good reason.

(12-27-2012 03:27 PM)Lord2FLI Wrote:  Guys quit kicking schools out of the conference for your dream scenarios, figure out a way to make them work with the schools that have said yes. You're just creating animosity amongst member schools for no good reason.

Nah. Let the internet tough guys do as they wish.. They'll see soon enough.

(12-27-2012 01:33 PM)NYCTUFan Wrote:  With the C7 splitting off I think now more than ever basketball also needs to be considered when making the conference expansion decisions.

How about this option that can create a strong basketball conference and offer a built in back up plan for future east / west defections. We all know the hybrid model doesn’t work so the conference should plan with that in mind and a goal of all teams all sports.

In the East add UMass for basketball only. Solid but not spectacular basketball program in a strong northeast media market the conference isn’t currently in, and already has a home for its football in the MAC.

Everyone has said that it’s only a matter of time before UConn, Cincy, or one of the Florida teams leave. If that’s the case at that time simply extend the invitation to UMass football and ECU basketball and the hole is filled without the need for outside additions.

On the western side offer an invitation to UNLV for basketball only, with the agreement that if Navy decides to back out they will be the football replacement.

If this was the case in basketball you would have the following conference:

EAST – UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, USF, UCF and UMass
West - Boise, SDSU, Tulane, Houston, SMU, UNLV, and #14 (BYU / Fresno / AFA or whoever)

Keep the Big East name for the auto bid and I can see this conference consistently getting 6 NCAA bids, potentially more.

Play everyone in your division twice home and home, and each team in the other division once for an 18 game conference schedule that will keep travel to a minimum.

On the football side it’s not perfect but I think the best we can hope for at this time.

EAST – UConn, Cincy, Memphis, Temple, USF, UCF and ECU
West - Boise, SDSU, Tulane, Houston, SMU, Navy and #14 (BYU / Fresno / AFA or whoever)

It’s something that can be sold to the networks with a built in backup plan for eastern defections or Navy backing out. It can be sold to UMass because they have a home for football now in the MAC, the A10 is on the verge of extinction as soon as the C7 guts it, and they have a commitment for a football spot if one becomes available. Besides that let’s face it, the available eastern football teams are not great and bring even less to the table in basketball. It can be sold to UNLV because everyone feels confident that Navy will never play a down of football in the Big East so there is a pretty good chance they will be a full member before 2015.

It’s not perfect but I think it’s sellable and the best all sports conference we can hope for.

OK, let the bashing begin!

ECU is spending (now) $18m on its basketball complex, its present record is 10-3, signed a 6 year contract with Coach Lebo (Penn St. tried to hire him last year), beat all top dogs in present conference in bb.........why should ECU have to wait.......umass just beat us by less than 10 and if they came to ECU we would be favored (ask ncstate)
.......no one like to come to ECU, tough place to play!

It seems to me if we go to all sports, we should go to 16.
West: BSU, SDSU, FRESNO, UNLV, SMU, UH, TULANE, then UNM/BYU or AFA (football only) in '15.
East: UCONN, TEMPLE, ECU, USF, UCF, CINCINNATI, MEMPHIS and NAVY (football only) in '15.
That's a good BBall league with about half the conference in Top 30. And about the best we can do football-wise. Market-wise, pretty damn impressive.

(12-27-2012 02:42 PM)darkdragon99 Wrote:  UMass isnt the Boston market, I thought it was the Springfield, Mass tv market. Yes I know they have a campus in Boston and tons of their alumni live in Boston but those people dont show up to the games in droves. Id love to know what their average attendance in basketball is.

4,279 in 2011-2012
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketba...d/2012.pdf

If the National Conference wants football schools that can improve its basketball RPI, "go west, young man." San Diego St. has a great program and is top 30 in attendance. BYU, UNLV and UNM, all top 20 in national attendance.