Unless they can pick off a school like SLU or Dayton, I'd rather stay at 11 that pick up a small school like Belmont, UIC, or Valpo.

The MVC would be taking a huge gamble on UAB, as it is increasingly apparent that the UAT board wants UAB to go to a non-FBS conference to effectively kill any FBS plans UAB boosters have to resurrect football. Belmont would have to be taken to give UAB a travel partner. Belmont also maintains the private-public balance in the MVC and brings in a big market..

here is what the MVC schools average in basketball attendance, vs the teams they could add. (2014 numbers) It's fallen off pretty hard in recent years and I'm wondering if bringing in some better teams like UAB, Dayton, etc would strengthen attendance around the league back to where it used to be. Bradley used to average 9k-10, MSU used to average 7.5k, SIU- 8k, plus Creighton's at 17k was a big loss to the average but they also drew bigger crowds for road games. Plus Evansville/Drake used to average around 5.5k a few years ago too.

Wichita St. 10,732
Bradley 6,608
Indiana St. 5,946
Southern Ill. 5,223
Missouri St. 5,217
Illinois St. 4,842
UNI 4,693
Evansville 4,546
Drake 3,726
Loyola Chicago 1,928

-----------------------
Dayton 12,316
Saint Louis 8,428
UAB 4,304
Belmont 2,719
Ill. -Chicago 3,010
UMKC 1,677
Valparaiso 2,833
Murray St. 3,428
UALR 3,229

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)msu_bears Wrote:  here is what the MVC schools average in basketball attendance, vs the teams they could add. It's fallen off pretty hard in recent years and I'm wondering if bringing in some better teams like UAB, Dayton, etc would strengthen attendance around the league back to where it used to be. Bradley used to average 9k-10, MSU used to average 7.5k, SIU- 8k, plus Creighton's at 17k was a big loss to the average but they also drew bigger crowds for road games. Plus Evansville/Drake used to average around 5.5k a few years ago too.

Wichita St. 10,732
Bradley 6,608
Indiana St. 5,946
Southern Ill. 5,223
Missouri St. 5,217
Illinois St. 4,842
UNI 4,693
Evansville 4,546
Drake 3,726
Loyola Chicago 1,928

-----------------------
Dayton 12,316
Saint Louis 8,428
UAB 4,304
Belmont 2,719
Ill. -Chicago 3,010
UMKC 1,677
Valparaiso 2,833
Murray St. 3,428
UALR 3,229

Why would St Louis and Dayton give up the Big East dream, or even leave the A10? The A10 has much more financial strength and media coverage and is a deeper league. The MVC only has WSU and UNI that have been at large bids, while the recent at-large teams from the A10 are half the league. Much easier to make the Big Dance from the A10.

Do not see very many MVC posters here.Would like to see what they think of adding UAB.
(no offense to other posters-lets hear from MVC people )




P.S.-Does anyone have a link to the most active MVC messageboard ??

(05-02-2015 02:36 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Do not see very many MVC posters here.Would like to see what they think of adding UAB.
(no offense to other posters-lets hear from MVC people )




P.S.-Does anyone have a link to the most active MVC messageboard ??

http://mvcfans.com/viewforum.php?f=2

Valpo would be a good add.

Thanks for the MVC link!

Why do people keep thinking teams might leave the A10 for a conference that's not the Big East? The only team that would do that is UMass for football reasons.

If I were UAB I would try to package deal with Belmont into the Southern Conference.

Low travel costs and a conference they can dominate.

The MVC has done well over the years by staying patient and only taking schools when they absolutely have to with backfill in their territory. Keeping the league tight at 10 schools prevents requiring too much reloading.

So when the day comes and Missouri State or Illinois St moves on the MVC could go after UMKC from the WAC that will have positioned themselves hopefully by that point as a credible Missouri Valley entrant. Or even Illinois Chicago to double down in the Chicago market.

UAB would certainly save on travel:

2.5 hrs to Belmont
2 hrs to Chattanooga
3 hrs to Mercer
3 minutes to Samford

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)NoDak Wrote:  The MVC would be taking a huge gamble on UAB, as it is increasingly apparent that the UAT board wants UAB to go to a non-FBS conference to effectively kill any FBS plans UAB boosters have to resurrect football. Belmont would have to be taken to give UAB a travel partner. Belmont also maintains the private-public balance in the MVC and brings in a big market..

No proof of any of your claims. Don't buy the propaganda being put out by the more conspiracy addled UAB fans.

The rumors I've heard are Belmont or Murray state in addition to UAB.

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)msu_bears Wrote:  here is what the MVC schools average in basketball attendance, vs the teams they could add. (2014 numbers) It's fallen off pretty hard in recent years and I'm wondering if bringing in some better teams like UAB, Dayton, etc would strengthen attendance around the league back to where it used to be. Bradley used to average 9k-10, MSU used to average 7.5k, SIU- 8k, plus Creighton's at 17k was a big loss to the average but they also drew bigger crowds for road games. Plus Evansville/Drake used to average around 5.5k a few years ago too.

Wichita St. 10,732
Bradley 6,608
Indiana St. 5,946
Southern Ill. 5,223
Missouri St. 5,217
Illinois St. 4,842
UNI 4,693
Evansville 4,546
Drake 3,726
Loyola Chicago 1,928

-----------------------
Dayton 12,316
Saint Louis 8,428
UAB 4,304
Belmont 2,719
Ill. -Chicago 3,010
UMKC 1,677
Valparaiso 2,833
Murray St. 3,428
UALR 3,229

That is why Wichita State is looking for a new conference. They have the fan base in basketball over the rest. They have been looking to join the MWC. The only draw back is if they want MWC? They need to re-start football, and then get the invite from MWC. They have the stadium that is FBS ready which they are one of the few schools in FBS that have stadiums that can be FBS.

(05-02-2015 06:07 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)NoDak Wrote:  The MVC would be taking a huge gamble on UAB, as it is increasingly apparent that the UAT board wants UAB to go to a non-FBS conference to effectively kill any FBS plans UAB boosters have to resurrect football. Belmont would have to be taken to give UAB a travel partner. Belmont also maintains the private-public balance in the MVC and brings in a big market..

No proof of any of your claims. Don't buy the propaganda being put out by the more conspiracy addled UAB fans.

The rumors I've heard are Belmont or Murray state in addition to UAB.

If so that is foolish on the part of the MVC.

What makes the MVC desirable is its a pure Midwestern conference in an area with not a lot of other non-power conferences. There is some overlap with the MAC and Horizon League but the conference owns Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas at that level.

With UMKC, UIC, UWM, UNO and the Dakota schools there are still quality schools out there before having to venture outside of their footprint for members. The conference has done well by rebuilding slowly so there is no reason to mess with a formula that worked before.

(05-02-2015 06:14 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)msu_bears Wrote:  here is what the MVC schools average in basketball attendance, vs the teams they could add. (2014 numbers) It's fallen off pretty hard in recent years and I'm wondering if bringing in some better teams like UAB, Dayton, etc would strengthen attendance around the league back to where it used to be. Bradley used to average 9k-10, MSU used to average 7.5k, SIU- 8k, plus Creighton's at 17k was a big loss to the average but they also drew bigger crowds for road games. Plus Evansville/Drake used to average around 5.5k a few years ago too.

Wichita St. 10,732
Bradley 6,608
Indiana St. 5,946
Southern Ill. 5,223
Missouri St. 5,217
Illinois St. 4,842
UNI 4,693
Evansville 4,546
Drake 3,726
Loyola Chicago 1,928

-----------------------
Dayton 12,316
Saint Louis 8,428
UAB 4,304
Belmont 2,719
Ill. -Chicago 3,010
UMKC 1,677
Valparaiso 2,833
Murray St. 3,428
UALR 3,229

That is why Wichita State is looking for a new conference. They have the fan base in basketball over the rest. They have been looking to join the MWC. The only draw back is if they want MWC? They need to re-start football, and then get the invite from MWC. They have the stadium that is FBS ready which they are one of the few schools in FBS that have stadiums that can be FBS.

Seems like UALR makes sense as a travel partner.
A bridge to the other schools and decent support.
Less successful than Belmont or Murray St with equal support.
They probably average five thousand in the Valley .

Anything new on MVC expansion?

(05-02-2015 10:39 PM)MJG Wrote:  

(05-02-2015 06:14 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(05-02-2015 02:20 PM)msu_bears Wrote:  here is what the MVC schools average in basketball attendance, vs the teams they could add. (2014 numbers) It's fallen off pretty hard in recent years and I'm wondering if bringing in some better teams like UAB, Dayton, etc would strengthen attendance around the league back to where it used to be. Bradley used to average 9k-10, MSU used to average 7.5k, SIU- 8k, plus Creighton's at 17k was a big loss to the average but they also drew bigger crowds for road games. Plus Evansville/Drake used to average around 5.5k a few years ago too.

Wichita St. 10,732
Bradley 6,608
Indiana St. 5,946
Southern Ill. 5,223
Missouri St. 5,217
Illinois St. 4,842
UNI 4,693
Evansville 4,546
Drake 3,726
Loyola Chicago 1,928

-----------------------
Dayton 12,316
Saint Louis 8,428
UAB 4,304
Belmont 2,719
Ill. -Chicago 3,010
UMKC 1,677
Valparaiso 2,833
Murray St. 3,428
UALR 3,229

That is why Wichita State is looking for a new conference. They have the fan base in basketball over the rest. They have been looking to join the MWC. The only draw back is if they want MWC? They need to re-start football, and then get the invite from MWC. They have the stadium that is FBS ready which they are one of the few schools in FBS that have stadiums that can be FBS.

Seems like UALR makes sense as a travel partner.
A bridge to the other schools and decent support.
Less successful than Belmont or Murray St with equal support.
They probably average five thousand in the Valley .

Yeah. UALR also have an FBS stadium to play football. The only reason why UALR can't have football is because Arkansas played at War Memorial Stadium. UAPB plays one special home game there the past few years.
Since Arkansas is moving all their home games to Fayetteville, WMS do not have a home team to play there. That is why there is strong support from Little Rock, business leaders, students, alums and even some Hogs fans for UALR to restart football. Then in the future, you could get Arkansas coming in to play UALR.