Big East should stay at 10 teams

[xu95]

The A-10 also has a history or raising exit fees. They did the exact same thing last year after Temple and Charlotte declared they were leaving, so i see no reason why they would not do it again. Heck in this environment most top end conferences are increasing their exit fees, the A-10 would be dumb if they didn't.

I am aware that they have raised exit fees in the past. However, if the rumor that the Big East only took two schools now because they were trying to help out the A10 (I'm going on record as saying that rumor is absolutely not true) it would be very CAA and Horizon league like to raise the exit fees on the two schools that weren't picked. Wouldn't happen.

Now the good news is that there is no gentlemen's agreement between the Big East and the A10 and the reason only two were taken now is because the Big East has no idea who the other two are going to be, so the A10 wouldn't be doing anything shady by increasing exit fees.

[xu95]

Granted in realignment stranger things have happened but there is no Gonzaga approach. There is a better chance of a FBS school dropping FBS football than Gonzaga joining the BE. Both scenarios are so cost prohibitive and in Gonzaga's circumstance logistically prohibitive that you have to place them in the red herring category. The only possible FBS school in play is ND. They are the only one who can support the independent FBS and has any appeal to the BE.

The BE will have to make some decision by July 1. They either have to add full time members, add associate members or scramble and get their non-revs into other conferences. I agree with you on most of your other points but i do want to point out that many fans do prefer a 12 team league. Bigger leagues come with more prestige and you get that nice two division split that some fans really like. but at that point we are debating aesthetics and i fully appreciate that some fans might think otherwise. My point is here that not all fans want 10 and many prefer 12 (especially for those who also follow non revs and not just basketball) so to allude that all fans want 10 might be a misstatement.

Bill, you seem like a reasonable guy. I am not sure why you are latching on to every rumor that might point towards two more teams being picked in the next two months but completely ignoring every single one of them that states the opposite.

[BillikensWin]

There is absolutely no truth to the rumors that the A10 told SLU and Dayton they are banned from the tournament next year. None whatsoever. As for the exit fees, I believe it was Sports Illustrated that said that discussion didn't happen either.

If and it is a big IF, the Big East made a deal with the A10 to not take all the teams at once (I don't buy that either, but the people holding on to the hope that all 12 teams are known already believe it) than the A10 absolutely would not raise the exit fees on the people not announced first. Thurnaat would be in very poor taste and say what you want about the A10, they have stayed pretty classy through everything going on over the last few years.

Hope you're right if SLU is going to play in the A-10 this season and any following. Although I don't think being banned from a conference tournament is that big a deal. So what, you can't sweep the RS and Tournament?

[BillEsq]

There is absolutely no truth to the rumors that the A10 told SLU and Dayton they are banned from the tournament next year. None whatsoever. As for the exit fees, I believe it was Sports Illustrated that said that discussion didn't happen either.

If and it is a big IF, the Big East made a deal with the A10 to not take all the teams at once (I don't buy that either, but the people holding on to the hope that all 12 teams are known already believe it) than the A10 absolutely would not raise the exit fees on the people not announced first. Thurnaat would be in very poor taste and say what you want about the A10, they have stayed pretty classy through everything going on over the last few years.

Hope you're right if SLU is going to play in the A-10 this season and any following. Although I don't think being banned from a conference tournament is that big a deal. So what, you can't sweep the RS and Tournament?

LOL its more of a big deal then you think. It would effect other sports as well including Soccer and Baseball. A post season ban in this circumstance essentially forces all your teams to have to make any NCAA post season as an at large. It also affects seeding in postseason tournaments. Lost revenue- downward spiral- not good in any way.

I personally don't think the A-10 will go through with a tourney ban on any leaving teams. All the sources i remember seeing said there was a heated meeting, and its possible that such a scenario was mentioned but not moved on. The A-10 has had several testy meetings over the past few years between the larger and the smaller schools. This meeting also would have included what direction the A-10 would be heading. Which right now is back east. This is also contentious. It is imperative for Slu to either have midwest partners or to join the Big East soon. It will easily cost a million a year for Slu to keep playing in the A-10 in all sports not to mention the detrimental effect of having to travel to the East Coast every week in travel. The $350,000 in TV revenue just won't cut it. Slu may jump this year BE or no...

[BillikensWin]

There is absolutely no truth to the rumors that the A10 told SLU and Dayton they are banned from the tournament next year. None whatsoever. As for the exit fees, I believe it was Sports Illustrated that said that discussion didn't happen either.

If and it is a big IF, the Big East made a deal with the A10 to not take all the teams at once (I don't buy that either, but the people holding on to the hope that all 12 teams are known already believe it) than the A10 absolutely would not raise the exit fees on the people not announced first. Thurnaat would be in very poor taste and say what you want about the A10, they have stayed pretty classy through everything going on over the last few years.

Hope you're right if SLU is going to play in the A-10 this season and any following. Although I don't think being banned from a conference tournament is that big a deal. So what, you can't sweep the RS and Tournament?

LOL its more of a big deal then you think. It would effect other sports as well including Soccer and Baseball. A post season ban in this circumstance essentially forces all your teams to have to make any NCAA post season as an at large. It also affects seeding in postseason tournaments. Lost revenue- downward spiral- not good in any way.

I personally don't think the A-10 will go through with a tourney ban on any leaving teams. All the sources i remember seeing said there was a heated meeting, and its possible that such a scenario was mentioned but not moved on. The A-10 has had several testy meetings over the past few years between the larger and the smaller schools. This meeting also would have included what direction the A-10 would be heading. Which right now is back east. This is also contentious. It is imperative for Slu to either have midwest partners or to join the Big East soon. It will easily cost a million a year for Slu to keep playing in the A-10 in all sports not to mention the detrimental effect of having to travel to the East Coast every week in travel. The $350,000 in TV revenue just won't cut it. Slu may jump this year BE or no...

I don't think one year of not being allowed to play in a conference tournament would matter if SLU knew the following year would be in the Big East. If that was the case, I'd burn every bridge to the A-10 as quickly as possible. Either way, get it over with.

[DeltaV]

I know this is crazy talk...but why not eleven? That is about the length of the season, so only one weekend to schedule an OOC per team, and play a twenty game season.

[BillEsq]

I know this is crazy talk...but why not eleven? That is about the length of the season, so only one weekend to schedule an OOC per team, and play a twenty game season.

Odd teams just won't work you have a team getting an off day every weekend. your just leaving too much money on the board. It also becomes a scheduling nightmare. Odd numbers just don't work in a TV powered world.

[Xudash]

Granted in realignment stranger things have happened but there is no Gonzaga approach. There is a better chance of a FBS school dropping FBS football than Gonzaga joining the BE. Both scenarios are so cost prohibitive and in Gonzaga's circumstance logistically prohibitive that you have to place them in the red herring category. The only possible FBS school in play is ND. They are the only one who can support the independent FBS and has any appeal to the BE.

The BE will have to make some decision by July 1. They either have to add full time members, add associate members or scramble and get their non-revs into other conferences. I agree with you on most of your other points but i do want to point out that many fans do prefer a 12 team league. Bigger leagues come with more prestige and you get that nice two division split that some fans really like. but at that point we are debating aesthetics and i fully appreciate that some fans might think otherwise. My point is here that not all fans want 10 and many prefer 12 (especially for those who also follow non revs and not just basketball) so to allude that all fans want 10 might be a misstatement.

I agree with you about Gonzaga. There may be more in play on the football side than just ND, but who knows, and, assuming other programs could be in play, the odds of pulling from that side are slim.

The overall point is that the conference is under absolutely no duress to add teams. We'll have to disagree on the idea that the conference "will have to make some decision by July 1."

Otherwise, I had no intention of alluding to the idea that ALL fans want a 10 team conference. I made a general statement about fans wanting that, if for no other reason than to build stronger rivalries, but I didn't mean to imply that 100% of fandom think that way.

[BillikensWin]

Granted in realignment stranger things have happened but there is no Gonzaga approach. There is a better chance of a FBS school dropping FBS football than Gonzaga joining the BE. Both scenarios are so cost prohibitive and in Gonzaga's circumstance logistically prohibitive that you have to place them in the red herring category. The only possible FBS school in play is ND. They are the only one who can support the independent FBS and has any appeal to the BE.

The BE will have to make some decision by July 1. They either have to add full time members, add associate members or scramble and get their non-revs into other conferences. I agree with you on most of your other points but i do want to point out that many fans do prefer a 12 team league. Bigger leagues come with more prestige and you get that nice two division split that some fans really like. but at that point we are debating aesthetics and i fully appreciate that some fans might think otherwise. My point is here that not all fans want 10 and many prefer 12 (especially for those who also follow non revs and not just basketball) so to allude that all fans want 10 might be a misstatement.

I agree with you about Gonzaga. There may be more in play on the football side than just ND, but who knows, and, assuming other programs could be in play, the odds of pulling from that side are slim.

The overall point is that the conference is under absolutely no duress to add teams. We'll have to disagree on the idea that the conference "will have to make some decision by July 1."

Otherwise, I had no intention of alluding to the idea that ALL fans want a 10 team conference. I made a general statement about fans wanting that, if for no other reason than to build stronger rivalries, but I didn't mean to imply that 100% of fandom think that way.

The argument of a Year 1 10-team league makes more sense to me the more I read it. I don't particularly like it, but getting everybody into every arena off the bat makes a lot of sense.