Rutgers in Talks With Big Ten!!!

[Brian H.]

I agree that it flat-out stinks, but we might not have a choice here.

If UL leaves for the ACC, Boise and SDSU will probably back out. Also, the Catholic schools may leave the BE to form their own conference. Even if it's UConn to the ACC, UL might go to the Big 12 with BYU. In that case the Catholic schools will definitely break away.

We would be forced to choose between the MAC and a conference with only UCF, UConn, USF, Navy, SMU, Memphis, Houston, and Temple. Who would we add to bolster that BE lineup? ECU? Marshall? Tulsa? There are no good options, and we'd need 4 of them just to get to 12 and have a viable conference for smaller sports. The MAC would arguably be a better lineup of schools, and Temple and UConn would probably join too.

Rather than join the MAC for all sports, a better option might be to join the MAC for fb-only. Then we could join an all-sports league with the Catholic BE leftovers, Xavier, Dayton, VCU, Butler, Temple, and UConn. That would be a solid basketball conference, even if UConn isn't in it.

It would be a tough pill to swallow to be in the same conference as Xavier, but if UL leaves then we're running out of options.

UC is a top 50 BB school and based on size alone is not going to play sports in a conference with a bunch of schools half their size. Playing football in a conference that includes USF,UCF, Houston and SMU is going be way better long term than the MAC, those warm weather Texas and Florida schools are going to grow and football will only get better. The MAC is going nowhere other than Wed. night games on the Ocho.

[Rational Cat]

UC is a top 50 BB school and based on size alone is not going to play sports in a conference with a bunch of schools half their size. Playing football in a conference that includes USF,UCF, Houston and SMU is going be way better long term than the MAC, those warm weather Texas and Florida schools are going to grow and football will only get better. The MAC is going nowhere other than Wed. night games on the Ocho.

True, but if UConn and UL go, the Catholic basketball schools hold the majority and can literally dissolve the conference, freeing them up to leave without paying a penalty, and go ahead and form their own (BB only) conference, where they will have much more control.

That's the real danger of 2 more FB schools leaving- not UC playing in the MAC, but being orphaned and without a conference at all.

To avoid the MAC (I don't think any of us really want to go there), we might need to re-apply to CUSA.

We really need to get into the ACC.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-bas...gonzaga-butler

[CaptainProbasco]

We really need to get into the ACC.

Agreed.

If the rumors on UL boards are true, then FSU has told the ACC that if they don't add UL, then FSU is gone. If that's true, it means that could literally be ACC or MAC for us (unless the B12 steps in and rescues us, but I doubt that).

A watered-down C-USA is simply a worse option than the MAC. UConn and Temple would also join the MAC, and it would probably be fb-only anyways. All other sports in a conference with UConn, Temple, the Catholic schools, and the cream of the A-10.

['nati streets]

OK- the fact that this discussion is ongoing is absurd.

Lets just start with the fact that the difference between a BCS school and the MAC is huge. For example UC pays Coach Jones over 3x what the average MAC coach makes.
On investments alone UC does not compare to a MAC team. This should be the end of the discussion.
But in case you do not get it... which A LOT of you seem to really not get it.
We have a new AD and a New President who value their jobs and their prestige. They are going to work so incredibly hard so as not to be mentioned in the same breath as Buffalo, Toledo, or Miami (OH) in ANYTHING (sports or otherwise).
The past 20-30 years at UC have transformed the school, building a prestigious brand and building upon a rich history. UC is a MAJOR institution, from academics to sports. I would be annoyed/insulted to have any part of the UC name associated with schools that do not share the same research goals or ambition that I believe UC has.

[Rational Cat]

OK- the fact that this discussion is ongoing is absurd.

Lets just start with the fact that the difference between a BCS school and the MAC is huge. For example UC pays Coach Jones over 3x what the average MAC coach makes.
On investments alone UC does not compare to a MAC team. This should be the end of the discussion.
But in case you do not get it... which A LOT of you seem to really not get it.
We have a new AD and a New President who value their jobs and their prestige. They are going to work so incredibly hard so as not to be mentioned in the same breath as Buffalo, Toledo, or Miami (OH) in ANYTHING (sports or otherwise).
The past 20-30 years at UC have transformed the school, building a prestigious brand and building upon a rich history. UC is a MAJOR institution, from academics to sports. I would be annoyed/insulted to have any part of the UC name associated with schools that do not share the same research goals or ambition that I believe UC has.

Agree with all you say, but the BCS itself, about a month ago, put the Big East at the same level as the MAC- took away the AQ status. Thus the frenzied shuffling and musical chairs that is going on right now.

By the way, MAC schools ARE in the BCS as well. They do not have AQ status- until a month ago, when the BCS threw in them the pot with the Big East, MW, WAC, SunBelt, and said that only the highest ranked conference champ of all those conferences can get one single spot.

Agree with all you say, but this is about one thing, and one thing only, and maybe some here don't quite realize it (maybe because it is so absurd) - it's about the number of cable boxes in your area and how many folks watch college football.

That's all. That's it. That's all it's about. More eyes watching TV = more revenue = more chance your school winds up in a better conference.

Let's hope we get into the ACC.

[longtimefan]

[QUOTE=Rational Cat;214450]True, but if UConn and UL go, the Catholic basketball schools hold the majority and can literally dissolve the conference, freeing them up to leave without paying a penalty, and go ahead and form their own (BB only) conference, where they will have much more control.

The source of that rumor was a Providence newspaper, and the idea has already been refuted numerous times. To pull off the dissolution, they would need the support of all the BB only schools, but they do not have the votes to pull that off. Georgetown has firmly said that they will not support that idea, and St. John's, Villanova, and Marquette are also not likely to support the idea of dissolution. That leaves Providence, Seton Hall, and DePaul, not very much to start a new league. As long as Georgetown is adamantly opposed, the idea of dissolving the league is a non-starter.

BTW, lets drop the MAC nonsense already, it is not going to happen, and quite frankly it is ridiculous to even mention it.

[bearcatbret]

I wished that I had copied the link of an article that I had read speculating about the realignment of major conferences. However, one point from that was that the Big East may dissolve because basketball schools out number the football schools and they could vote prior to the new schools joining in July. But the writer said that the frenzy going on right now is about football revenues and TV money. He said that the religious institutions may be looking at a mega, cross-country basketball league picking up the likes of Gonzaga, X, Butler, Dayton, St. Louis, etc. However, he pointed out that the money for basketball only conferences is not there and it would be difficult for across the Country travel. It really comes down to the ACC or Big 12 for UC.

['nati streets]

Agree with all you say, but this is about one thing, and one thing only, and maybe some here don't quite realize it (maybe because it is so absurd) - it's about the number of cable boxes in your area and how many folks watch college football.

That's all. That's it. That's all it's about. More eyes watching TV = more revenue = more chance your school winds up in a better conference.

Let's hope we get into the ACC.

You are very correct and CINCY has the 35th largest TV market and Dayton is the 63th (many times Cincy can take part if not all of Dayton's market). Pushing Cincy into the top 30; 21st if you count all of Dayton. And that is A LOT of market value.
For reference Toledo 75th, Louisville 50th, Hartford 30th (and does not benefit from adjacent markets)
Neilsen PDF for reference: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...3Bz5KM8lNJIsNg

[shadyo]

You are very correct and CINCY has the 35th largest TV market and Dayton is the 63th (many times Cincy can take part if not all of Dayton's market). Pushing Cincy into the top 30; 21st if you count all of Dayton. And that is A LOT of market value.
For reference Toledo 75th, Louisville 50th, Hartford 30th (and does not benefit from adjacent markets)
Neilsen PDF for reference: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...3Bz5KM8lNJIsNg

Hartford ranks 30th only when you include New Haven which is the same distance from Hartford as Dayton is to Cincinnati.

[#41]

UC is a top 50 BB school and based on size alone is not going to play sports in a conference with a bunch of schools half their size. Playing football in a conference that includes USF,UCF, Houston and SMU is going be way better long term than the MAC, those warm weather Texas and Florida schools are going to grow and football will only get better. The MAC is going nowhere other than Wed. night games on the Ocho.

Once the division occurs between the "Power 5" and the "Group of 5" it's not going to matter which of the lesser conference you play in -- they'll all get an equal share of nothing for TV money, they'll all play on weekday nights to accommodate television schedules for the "big boy" conferences, and they'll all be below the national radar 99 times out of 100.

So the question REALLY becomes: Do you want to pay for your non-revenue sports to fly around the country to play SMU, Houston, etc.?

[bobestes]

Once the division occurs between the "Power 5" and the "Group of 5" it's not going to matter which of the lesser conference you play in -- they'll all get an equal share of nothing for TV money, they'll all play on weekday nights to accommodate television schedules for the "big boy" conferences, and they'll all be below the national radar 99 times out of 100.

So the question REALLY becomes: Do you want to pay for your non-revenue sports to fly around the country to play SMU, Houston, etc.?

Well, no; but the most likely outcome is that the schools which can flee the ACC do so, creating a spot for us. All that matters in that scenario is our standing versus schools like Memphis, Central Florida, USF, etc, which is pretty good.

I am talking FSU, NC, NCState, Georgia Tech; leaving behind schools like Duke, Wake Forest, Pitt, Syracuse and Boston College.

Now, is that as good as being in the Big 12 with Louisville? Of course not. But it's basically an upgrade of the 2005 Big East, which should equal status quo.

I mean, we're never going to get that $15mil per year gravy train, but it's probably silly to ever think we would.

[bobestes]

Well, no; but the most likely outcome is that the schools which can flee the ACC do so, creating a spot for us. All that matters in that scenario is our standing versus schools like Memphis, Central Florida, USF, etc, which is pretty good.

I am talking FSU, NC, NCState, Georgia Tech; leaving behind schools like Duke, Wake Forest, Pitt, Syracuse and Boston College.

Now, is that as good as being in the Big 12 with Louisville? Of course not. But it's basically an upgrade of the 2005 Big East, which should equal status quo.

I mean, we're never going to get that $15mil per year gravy train, but it's probably silly to ever think we would.

Also: I am much more concerned with a solid landing spot for basketball at this stage, as that is our brand and our identity. And a diminished ACC is still pretty friggin good.

Whatever money we raise should go to a kickass basketball arena, it's pretty obvious that people around here don't really give a hoot about semi-major college football.

[shadyo]

Also: I am much more concerned with a solid landing spot for basketball at this stage, as that is our brand and our identity. And a diminished ACC is still pretty friggin good.

Whatever money we raise should go to a kickass basketball arena, it's pretty obvious that people around here don't really give a hoot about semi-major college football.

Football is where the money comes from. Hard to see how MBB funds the entire athletic program unless we become Duke, UNC, UK or KU.

[Bearcat1996]

Football is where the money comes from. Hard to see how MBB funds the entire athletic program unless we become Duke, UNC, UK or KU.

It is tough to see football expanding in the future with all this uncertainty surrounding the coahing staff and conference. Basketball, on the other hand, has made huge strides since entering the Big East and throughout the conference realignment fiasco. This, at a time when it was left for dead thanks to Nancy. I think the ACC is the only way to save football for the long term.