Per the SHU AD Pat Lyons

"This new league is a home run. We (Big East AD's) are really excited about adding Xavier, Butler and Creighton. Any time you're able to add three teams who have recently spent significant time in the top 25 to your conference, you should be pleased. Two more teams will be added to the Big East, we are certain of that, but right now those two teams haven't been decided - but it will be a 12 team conference. We'll have home and home games, and that's really going to create great rivalries - renewed rivalries. The AD's and Presidents of each school are excited about the direction of the new Big East and the continuation of having the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. We're all aware of how tenuous things were for a while last year, but it really couldn't have worked out better. "

http://www.southorangejuice.com/201...th...-lyons-q-a

Neat, except this thread will end up being a VCU thread again.

Haha, no doubt...where is stever? Before it becomes one though, I think SLU is the no-brainer and then it's between Dayton and Richmond, two teams I don't think are unanimous picks by any means...

B-b-b-ut it was gonna be 10 for years to come. Where's my favorite Bulldog? :)

I think SLU is a slam dunk.

Let the speculation begin! I agree SLU is number 11. (at least i hope so)

linky no worky

Can I throw out....

Kidding.

I do wonder what he means about having home and homes? Does that mean they are planning a 22 game League schedule?

You have two paths right now, though who knows what will open up in the future:

1. SLU + Dayton/Richmond
2. VCU + Wichita State

#1 is more likely at this point (I'd say SLU is automatic and Dayton leads Richmond by a little). The candidates in #2 would have to be added as a group. You've heard the arguments for both sides, no need to bring them up again in this thread.

(04-25-2013 05:44 PM)ivet Wrote:  Neat, except this board will end up being a VCU board again.

fify

I think SLU is a lock for #11.

#12 spot is more interesting. You have VCU, Dayton, and Richmond- I just think Wichita too far out there most likely. I think if Dayton shows a pulse they likely get it. But if they continue to flounder VCU has to be much more of a possibility. I don't see Richmond just because why add a team that is already 2nd rate in their own city? I was in Richmond this past weekend and there is a lot of VCU stuff around the city but almost nothing for Richmond.

(04-26-2013 01:21 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I just think Wichita too far out there most likely.

Omaha to Wichita = 256 miles. Omaha to STL = 357 miles.

WSU is 12-11 all-time, and 6-3 in the last 10 years.

SLU is 5-9 all-time, and 2-2 in the last 10 years.

Going from 0 publics to 2 publics may make the add seem "too far out there", but in terms of location, recent tourney success, and coaching talent, it makes sense to take both rather than just the one. Not saying that makes either joining likely, but there's some sense in being in for a penny in for a pound.

(04-26-2013 01:55 PM)thegalen Wrote:  

(04-26-2013 01:21 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I just think Wichita too far out there most likely.

Omaha to Wichita = 256 miles. Omaha to STL = 357 miles.

WSU is 12-11 all-time, and 6-3 in the last 10 years.

SLU is 5-9 all-time, and 2-2 in the last 10 years.

Going from 0 publics to 2 publics may make the add seem "too far out there", but in terms of location, recent tourney success, and coaching talent, it makes sense to take both rather than just the one. Not saying that makes either joining likely, but in for a penny in for a pound.

The problem isn't the distance between Omaha and either Wichita or St Louis, it's the distance between Wichita to Chicago/Milwaukee, etc.

(04-26-2013 02:02 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The problem isn't the distance between Omaha and either Wichita or St Louis, it's the distance between Wichita to Chicago/Milwaukee, etc.

Granted but only Depaul and Butler are realistically within driving distance. At most you're looking at a marginally longer charter for all but two schools, with Creighton getting a driveable opponent and familiar rival. It's also easier to squeeze together Creighton+WSU on the road than Creighton+SLU.

This doesn't account for the other Olympics that don't charter, but on balance it seems like a wash at worst.

(04-26-2013 01:21 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I think SLU is a lock for #11.

#12 spot is more interesting. You have VCU, Dayton, and Richmond- I just think Wichita too far out there most likely. I think if Dayton shows a pulse they likely get it. But if they continue to flounder VCU has to be much more of a possibility. I don't see Richmond just because why add a team that is already 2nd rate in their own city? I was in Richmond this past weekend and there is a lot of VCU stuff around the city but almost nothing for Richmond.

I've kind of warmed up on VCU, but it seems like Georgetown specifically is blocking them. My impression is that this is the conversation going on between Georgetown and Marquette (who seem to be the ones driving a lot of the discussions):

GEORGETOWN: We've been adding a lot of freaking Midwestern teams. Let's get an East Coast school in here.

MARQUETTE: No problem! VCU rules. Their coach is awesome and they'll be filling up the stands.

GEORGETOWN: Errr... we're not really into VCU. [Mutters something unintelligible under breath.] Let's keep it to institutional fits, like Richmond.

MARQUETTE: Dude, if you want an institutional fit, we might as well add Dayton. At least their fans show up.

GEORGETOWN: But they're in the Midwest again! SLU is one thing because there are some good Italian restaurants out that way, but we can't sell Dayton on top of them to our fans.

MARQUETTE: Well, we can't sell Richmond to our fans. Dayton fans will show up here and drink Wisconsin beer en masse if we invite them. If we're going to east, we need a draw like VCU.

And that's my guess as to why there's been a stalemate.

(04-26-2013 02:18 PM)thegalen Wrote:  

(04-26-2013 02:02 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The problem isn't the distance between Omaha and either Wichita or St Louis, it's the distance between Wichita to Chicago/Milwaukee, etc.

Granted but only Depaul and Butler are realistically within driving distance. At most you're looking at a marginally longer charter for all but two schools, with Creighton getting a driveable opponent and familiar rival. It's also easier to squeeze together Creighton+WSU on the road than Creighton+SLU.

This doesn't account for the other Olympics that don't charter, but on balance it seems like a wash at worst.

VCU is a public school with at least a chance for the Big East (albeit still an uphill battle). I don't think there's any realistic scenario where Wichita State gets an invite. SLU is almost a perfect institutional and demographic fit with a large market that Fox cares about, to boot. They're getting in without question if there's an expansion to 12. It's all about the last school.

(04-26-2013 02:18 PM)thegalen Wrote:  

(04-26-2013 02:02 PM)stever20 Wrote:  The problem isn't the distance between Omaha and either Wichita or St Louis, it's the distance between Wichita to Chicago/Milwaukee, etc.

Granted but only Depaul and Butler are realistically within driving distance. At most you're looking at a marginally longer charter for all but two schools, with Creighton getting a driveable opponent and familiar rival. It's also easier to squeeze together Creighton+WSU on the road than Creighton+SLU.

This doesn't account for the other Olympics that don't charter, but on balance it seems like a wash at worst.

How is DePaul driving distance but not Marquette? It's probably only an extra 20 minutes drive (bypass Chicago with I43).

(04-26-2013 03:46 PM)JackMort Wrote:  How is DePaul driving distance but not Marquette? It's probably only an extra 20 minutes drive (bypass Chicago with I43).

I get 4.5 hours for the former and 5.5 hours for the latter using Google Maps. I capped driving time at around the 4 hour mark. VCU took a bus to Charlotte and (maybe) Temple last year, but other than that we chartered everywhere. Can't imagine the BE teams not doing the same, especially in Wisconsin and Chicago around winter time.

(04-26-2013 03:26 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  SLU is almost a perfect institutional and demographic fit with a large market that Fox cares about, to boot.

Sure, but if you're going to break the seal on that precious institutional fit, why not "whole ass" it and get the most bang for your buck? There's a symmetry to it, geographically, and you get another FF team with a far better track record. Oh, and another of the nation's brighter coaches who's already mostly proven.

As for Fox, SLU hoops has less than nothing to do with FS1 carriage in STL (or MO for that matter). They've got it more than covered. As far as viewership goes, I'm dubious that either SLU or WSU has a clear structural advantage when it comes to drawing eyeballs. Seems like a tossup, tilting towards the larger school.

I43 into Milwaukee is a much smoother drive than any highway going into the heart of Chicago, though. St. Louis to either is probably much closer than an hour difference, unless it's in the middle of the night. I'd expect both to be over 5 hour trips. Based on what you'r saying, yo might want to throw DePaul out, too.