Dana O'Neil says Drexel is party to talks among the Philly-area ADs aimed at reinvigorating the Big 5.

https://theathletic.com/3979345/2022/12/...asketball/

Quote:The group, including Drexel, has been meeting for months, trying to find a way to resuscitate the Big 5. But certainly, the coaches and administrators feel the heat for a call to action even more following the disappointing doubleheader.

Quote:Drexel ... is not an original Big 5 member but has been welcomed in as part of the City 6 and will be included in any scheduling going forward.

Thanks. I can't read this article, but I saw something similar reported in the Inquirer. I remember when they used to have the 2 admission Big Five tripleheader, that they should maybe have a one admission Big Five tripleheader at the Wells Fargo Center. This idea seems like it would be a 2 or 3 day event.

The Inquirer article stated that The Palestra would be the preferred destination, but the Wells Fargo Center would be an option as well. Without rehashing my opinion of the Palestra, I do think this type of event needs to be at the WFC, as it could generate a ton of more revenue and allow everyone to be included. Making it a "hot ticket" in the Palestra, also means limiting attendance.

Ah, yes. Here's that Inquirer column by Mike Jensen.

He mentions the possibility of two teams getting byes, two games on campus sites and then a 4-team tourney. You could do those first two games at the Palestra and then move to the WFC. (Among many other possibilities.)

I wonder how the Big 5 purists would handle any changes. Both stories make it pretty clear that Drexel will be a part of this, whatever it ends up being.

If people dont care and relish rivalries then it doesnt matter where you put games, you will have the same issues you have now. Move it to the WFC and it just means more money bled trying to force something that is clear many dont want (unfortunately)

Let's be clear here: The Big 5 schools themselves are partly to blame for whatever fan apathy exists. The crap attendance at the recent doubleheader could definitely be laid -- at least partly -- on the administrations. They didn't bring bands. They didn't even make it easy for their own fans to get tickets. (Penn apparently didn't give blocks to tickets to the other 3 schools for student sections, for example.) They played the thing at 6p on a Wednesday for crying out loud.

I just looked up the 2022 Beanpot finals attendance: It was 17,000. A Big 5/City 6 final might not match that, but there is no reason it couldn't fill the Palestra. The schools have to want it and actively manage for it.

I agree it doesn't help that Villanova was so ridiculously dominant for so long, and that SJU and La Salle have fallen off so much. But those things aren't constants, at least not yet.

My point is even a bad team can have strong rivalries that draw their crowds. There are plenty of matchups across sports where it doesnt matter how good or bad a team is, and it can be a big showing. The schools are 100% to blame, IMO

The Big 5 is dead. It was founded in a world where local players and kids went to local schools that weren't part of conferences and there weren't big money national TV contracts and you didn't need a PhD to schedule to appease various ranking formulas. Even if we join, the whole NCAA structure may be upended in a few years making it all moot anyway.

But if they want us: (1) drop the name and come up with a new one, and (2) we get to claim at least part of the 2006-07 title. Otherwise I'm fine with playing 2-3 every year and letting them fight amongst themselves to not piss off their older alumni by officially killing it.