03-10-2012, 11:10 PM
With Temple leaving the A10 is at 13. 10 are private (8 of which are catholic) while 3 are public. There are 8 northeastern, 3 midwestern, 2 southern universities composing the conference.
There are a lot of different directions the A10 could go so I wanted to get a full list of likely universities on the short list to replace Temple. I will break them down by region
Midwest:
1. Butler - Private school in a major market. Expands the A10's tv territory and has an exceptional basketball program, which would help replace the loss of Temple
2. Loyola Chicago - Private school in major market. Expands the A10 tv territory. Would not be viewed as great of a pickup as Butler, but if Butler cannot find the financial incentive to move or just did not want to move and the A10 wanted to expand west, they would be a solid backup.
3. Detroit - Private school in major market. Same as Loyola
Butler would be playing with natural rivals St. Louis, Xaiver, and Dayton, but would giving up a lot of guaranteed money to join the A10. It would be a high risk, possible high reward scenario. The others might see the A10 as an opportunity to step out of Butlers shadow into a more high profile conference, or they might see it as too costly. It wouldn't really make sense for a large public midwestern to join so I did not include any of them as options
South:
1. VCU - Major market (although duplicate of currently covered market) and a Large public school, like the school they would be replacing. Like Butler, Basketball success and commitment to success makes them attractive pick. Would they want to come alone? Does the A10 want to expand my more than 1?
2 GMU - Large public school in a duplicate market, Come Alone??? same as VCU
3. ODU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone??? Like GMU and VCU w/o the final 4 run. Have a football program they have to worry about too
4. JMU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone?? Football?? Like ODU w/ smaller market
With the A10 not being a football league ODU and JMU are likely out by default unless they are interested in pursuing the UMASS model for
football, which I don't believe to be the case. VCU and GMU don't really fit in with a bunch of private religious schools and if the A10 only wants 1, are unlikely to abandon natural rivals for an unnatural fit. Towson (who would give the A10 and foothold in Baltimore) would probably get a look to if they had a stronger hoops program
Northeast: There are a ton of northeastern expansion candidates. I will try to think like the A10 and rank them in terms of attractiveness
1. Boston U - Private School in major market. Solid hoops that would likely improve in the higher profile A10. With UMass looking more and more like Temple in terms of A10 commitment, this would allow the A10 to maintain a foothold in a vital market should Umass leave.
OTHER NEW ENGLAND OPTIONS: Northeastern (Backup Boston if Boston U not interested), Hartford (Private school in major market) New Hampshire and Maine (2 State public schools in the mold of UMass and URI)
2. Hofstra - Private school in a major market that is already covered. However, New York is huge and if any market could afford 2 schools its New York. Solid hoops school
OTHER NEW YORK OPTIONS: Stony Brook (If Public New York school wanted they would be ideal) Iona/Manhatten (Both Private religious schools in major media market with solid hoops programs)
Delaware and Drexel duplicate the already 2x covered Philadelphia market so I did not consider them serious candidates. Plus Delaware has the football problem.
So my guess for A10 expansion is either Butler or Boston U. I see the A10 being interested in getting the league focused on major market private schools, as public schools seem to cause problems with their football programs. I just don't see the A10 being able to get GMU or VCU to bite. If the A10 cannot get Butler interested I see them adding Boston U in preparation for a UMass departure. The A10 just does not seem to interested in further New York expansion which is unfortunate for a willing, able and qualified Hofstra.
THOUGHTS????
There are a lot of different directions the A10 could go so I wanted to get a full list of likely universities on the short list to replace Temple. I will break them down by region
Midwest:
1. Butler - Private school in a major market. Expands the A10's tv territory and has an exceptional basketball program, which would help replace the loss of Temple
2. Loyola Chicago - Private school in major market. Expands the A10 tv territory. Would not be viewed as great of a pickup as Butler, but if Butler cannot find the financial incentive to move or just did not want to move and the A10 wanted to expand west, they would be a solid backup.
3. Detroit - Private school in major market. Same as Loyola
Butler would be playing with natural rivals St. Louis, Xaiver, and Dayton, but would giving up a lot of guaranteed money to join the A10. It would be a high risk, possible high reward scenario. The others might see the A10 as an opportunity to step out of Butlers shadow into a more high profile conference, or they might see it as too costly. It wouldn't really make sense for a large public midwestern to join so I did not include any of them as options
South:
1. VCU - Major market (although duplicate of currently covered market) and a Large public school, like the school they would be replacing. Like Butler, Basketball success and commitment to success makes them attractive pick. Would they want to come alone? Does the A10 want to expand my more than 1?
2 GMU - Large public school in a duplicate market, Come Alone??? same as VCU
3. ODU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone??? Like GMU and VCU w/o the final 4 run. Have a football program they have to worry about too
4. JMU - Large public school in a new market. Come Alone?? Football?? Like ODU w/ smaller market
With the A10 not being a football league ODU and JMU are likely out by default unless they are interested in pursuing the UMASS model for
football, which I don't believe to be the case. VCU and GMU don't really fit in with a bunch of private religious schools and if the A10 only wants 1, are unlikely to abandon natural rivals for an unnatural fit. Towson (who would give the A10 and foothold in Baltimore) would probably get a look to if they had a stronger hoops program
Northeast: There are a ton of northeastern expansion candidates. I will try to think like the A10 and rank them in terms of attractiveness
1. Boston U - Private School in major market. Solid hoops that would likely improve in the higher profile A10. With UMass looking more and more like Temple in terms of A10 commitment, this would allow the A10 to maintain a foothold in a vital market should Umass leave.
OTHER NEW ENGLAND OPTIONS: Northeastern (Backup Boston if Boston U not interested), Hartford (Private school in major market) New Hampshire and Maine (2 State public schools in the mold of UMass and URI)
2. Hofstra - Private school in a major market that is already covered. However, New York is huge and if any market could afford 2 schools its New York. Solid hoops school
OTHER NEW YORK OPTIONS: Stony Brook (If Public New York school wanted they would be ideal) Iona/Manhatten (Both Private religious schools in major media market with solid hoops programs)
Delaware and Drexel duplicate the already 2x covered Philadelphia market so I did not consider them serious candidates. Plus Delaware has the football problem.
So my guess for A10 expansion is either Butler or Boston U. I see the A10 being interested in getting the league focused on major market private schools, as public schools seem to cause problems with their football programs. I just don't see the A10 being able to get GMU or VCU to bite. If the A10 cannot get Butler interested I see them adding Boston U in preparation for a UMass departure. The A10 just does not seem to interested in further New York expansion which is unfortunate for a willing, able and qualified Hofstra.
THOUGHTS????