The good ol' Ancient Eight. The Ivy League has been the same for how long? Amid all the realignment rumblings, I have heard nothing regarding the Ivyites (not that I have been listening very closely). Wasn't it nice when there was a rhyme and reason to conferences, and rivalries developed and flourished and stayed the same for generations? The only logic these days appears to be financial.

(01-10-2022 09:01 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  The good ol' Ancient Eight. The Ivy League has been the same for how long? Amid all the realignment rumblings, I have heard nothing regarding the Ivyites (not that I have been listening very closely). Wasn't it nice when there was a rhyme and reason to conferences, and rivalries developed and flourished and stayed the same for generations? The only logic these days appears to be financial.

There are very simple reasons why the Ivy League has kept the same membership for years. As you point out in many it’s all about money. That is not the case with the Ivy League. For starters, they do not offer athletic scholarships, although they do give financial assistance to qualified athletes. Then there is the fact that all of the Ivies have huge endowments that makes the pursuit of money from athletics less relevant. And finally, as the most prestigious universities in the country, the list of other universities that they would even consider associating with is pretty short.

(01-10-2022 09:35 AM)PTJR Wrote:  the list of other universities that they would even consider associating with is pretty short.

I doubt that they would ever make a move, but it would be interesting to know how many schools out there could even make the cut criteria-wise if they were to want to expand. Probably would have to be in the northeast. Private school. Old, with tradition. (Seven of the eight date from colonial days.) And, as you say, filthy rich. Not too many of those out there. It looks like the current membership was cemented in 1945 when the eight presidents signed an Ivy Group Agreement.

I have heard the University of Chicago lumped in that class academically, and their list of alumni is pretty impressive. But they are too far west, probably not old enough, and maybe not rich enough. And currently they are D-III.