from the National Catholic Reporter on the new league:
All-Catholic conference 'never part of the plan'
Fascinating tidbit is that the reporter indicates that expansion is not on the table and when the league does decide to expand, the search will not be limited to Catholic schools like SLU and Dayton.
wow, great find.
I just wonder if we'll see the expansion talk heat back up in July/August time frame after the conference is operational.
If it doesn't, A10 is going to become a very interesting conference. basically in 2 years have traded Xavier and Temple(along with Charlotte) for VCU and George Mason. Would really have to see if Wichita St joins as well if that was the case.
I think it comes down to this on adding new schools:
1) Will their addition make us more money per school?
2) How much travel cost will they add to each existing member?
3) Will their image hurt the conference.
I think expansion is looking like a dead issue for the foreseeable future.
Oh well, back to regularly scheduled programming.
(04-12-2013 01:43 PM)LouPower Wrote: [ -> ]I think expansion is looking like a dead issue for the foreseeable future.
Oh well, back to regularly scheduled programming.
That would honestly be a bit disappointing and I'm not quite buying that it's truly "off the table" considering that every reporter following the formation of the league kept repeating that 2 more schools would be added for 2014. Richmond is certainly a non-Catholic school under consideration. I still think SLU is a lock for this league unless there's something personal (e.g. if the Big East presidents don't like SLU's president for some reason, which I'm not saying is the case, but you never know) getting in the way - they are a perfect market and institutional fit for the league. It's still about who ought to be school #12. I'm not a fan of waiting for the sake of waiting since (1) it's not as if though there's going to be some type of surprise school coming out of nowhere in a year and (2) the league should know the A-10 while it's down instead of allowing them to regroup with better-than-expected additions if the Big East leaves the Midwestern schools there (e.g. Wichita State).
(04-12-2013 02:41 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not a fan of waiting for the sake of waiting since (1) it's not as if though there's going to be some type of surprise school coming out of nowhere in a year and (2) the league should know the A-10 while it's down instead of allowing them to regroup with better-than-expected additions if the Big East leaves the Midwestern schools there (e.g. Wichita State).
I get your point, but you frequently say we need to think like a college president. In this case, if you put on the white collar, are you as cutthroat as a priest as you would be in business in general? Do the presidents really want to devastate the A-10, even if it is in their best interests?
But 12 really doesn't do much for the conference. It add a few games for Fox and it will probably reduce the travel costs for some schools (e.g adding SLU and Dayton would reduce the travel time and costs for the midwest schools). Otherwise, there is no huge advantage to going to 12. This conference doesn't play football. Plus, any school available now will be available in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. Its not like a BCS conference is dying to scoop up SLU, Dayton, VCU or Richmond.
I like 10 teams, everyone playing everyone in a home-home. But, that is just me.
(04-12-2013 04:56 PM)MU88 Wrote: [ -> ]It adds a few games for Fox
A 20% increase, right?
Quote:and it will probably reduce the travel costs for some schools
Is that really so insignificant?
Quote:Its not like a BCS conference is dying to scoop up SLU, Dayton, VCU or Richmond.
Point taken, so far as "BCS conferences" are concerned. But I think the AAC will grab one non-football school to even out at 12. I'm a little surprised that BE wouldn't want them for itself.
A ten member league seems kind of small when the major conferences around us (ACC, BIG TEN and SEC) will all have at least 14 members. Why not expand to 12 or 14 schools with the likes of St. Louis, Dayton, VCU and Wichita State? We would go from a 4-5 bid league to a 6-7 bid league (which brings in additional revenue each year as well as bragging rights). The A-10 would be down to 10 schools at that point (and would no longer have a Midwestern presence) but could add names like Siena and Davidson.
Pretty much everyone in authority claims that expansion "isnt being actively discussed" or that they are focusing on other key league issues. Lolw and behold expansion still happens. Who was it a few weeks ago that released a statement asking people to tone down the expnasion talks to help restore stability?
Im not convinced its over although i am less sure that 12 is definite. Creighton being kind of like an island gives me hope that st louis will get the nod. They would make a great fit and a bridge from Creighton to the rest of the BE.
Time will tell
(04-12-2013 11:47 AM)MU88 Wrote: [ -> ]from the National Catholic Reporter on the new league:
All-Catholic conference 'never part of the plan'
Fascinating tidbit is that the reporter indicates that expansion is not on the table and when the league does decide to expand, the search will not be limited to Catholic schools like SLU and Dayton.
I find it interesting they cite Butler as the non-catholic school. I think it is far more likely that people will think Butler is Catholic than people will think it is not a CYO league. Something about the if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck......
Adding 3, then adding additional schools right away never made the slightest bit of sense. Of course this is what's going to happen.
In a few years or as worthy schools become apparent, you address the problem in due course. Or you just stay at 10, if everyone likes the dynamic.
If sportswriters had a little common sense, they might of sat back and asked themselves "what exactly would be the motivation for what I'm writing?
(04-13-2013 06:28 PM)Title Wrote: [ -> ]Adding 3, then adding additional schools right away never made the slightest bit of sense. Of course this is what's going to happen.
In a few years or as worthy schools become apparent, you address the problem in due course. Or you just stay at 10, if everyone likes the dynamic.
If sportswriters had a little common sense, they might of sat back and asked themselves "what exactly would be the motivation for what I'm writing?
I agree with Title.
And I'm not even drinking.
I think the question becomes did we just get the 3 to get enough for 2013-14 and then after the schools got the league set up for the 2013-14 season, they would revisit things and add more schools for the long term.