How a 32-team basketball mega conference could make non-power conferences competitive
This is an idea that essentially consists of combining the best teams from a large number of conferences to form one very large, nationwide conference with divisions to reduce travel. It isn't very feasible, and I'm not going to pretend it is likely or even necessary an option. But I think the possibilities are endlessly interesting.
Here are the teams I am envisioning, along with possible alternatives:
East: Connecticut, Temple, VCU, Richmond, Siena, Duquesne, Saint Joseph's, Saint Bonaventure
West: Brigham Young, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Saint Mary's, UNLV, New Mexico, Utah State, Nevada
North: Cincinnati, Northern Iowa, Tulsa, Akron, Wichita State, Illinois State, Ohio, Indiana State
South: Memphis, George Mason, UTEP, Belmont, Southern Miss, Murray State, Oral Roberts, Missouri State
Alternates: Rhode Island, Central Florida, Boise State, Middle Tenn, Bucknell, Detroit, Bradley, Houston, Denver, Lehigh, Louisiana Tech
This conference would have an average RPI around 77, high enough to put it in conversations as a top four conference despite its size (it would be the fourth ranked conference by RPI). Every single team has a 5 year RPI in the top 150, and the divisions are designed so at least one team could be dominant (Connecticut, Gonzaga, Cincinnati, and Memphis).
You can make an 18 game schedule fairly easy with such a set-up, with 9 divisional games and 3 games in each other division. 4 of those 18 games would be protected H&H games played every year. From what I've seen, the conference would promote a schedule in the 20-60 range without any OOC scheduling, with the potential for a very strong schedule if desired.
What is the benefit of having such a large conference? It does three things:
1. Create a large network of media markets
2. Huge inventory, and massive tournament (31 game tournament)
3. Kill off at-large competition in about 6 leagues, and lower the number of automatic bids
So you have a fairly strong conference, with most of the major media markets, and over 600 games in the inventory (counting the tournament). That gives you a huge TV playout, potentially enough to offset some of the funding advantage that the football conferences have and the new Catholic "Big East" will have. Additionally, I think the tournament would be a huge money generator, and good for the teams involved.
A 32 team conference sounds extreme, but I think it is the biggest selling feature of the conference. Everyone knows college basketball is a post-season sport, and this gives these schools the closest thing to the NCAA tournament before the NCAA tournament. In order to win the super-conference tournament, you have to go through 5 games. The winner would get a huge amount of media publicity, and tournaments inflate win/loss and RPI numbers (potentially win up to 5, but can only lose 1).
Finally, imagine what the NCAA tournament would look like with this type of conference in existence. Out of maybe 40 possible at-large bids (with the removal of the A-10, Big East, MWC, and MVC automatics), 15 could go to super conference teams. That means that nearly half the bubble talk and pre-tournament speculation would go to the super conference. When the tournament actually starts, you would have super conferences teams in 10-15 of the 34 games.
I think this sort of thing could even work with football and non-revenue sports. I can go into more detail if needed.
TL;DR: A 32-team conference could dominate media coverage in the post-season, be competitive with power conferences, and potentially be attractive enough to get a better media deal than the conferences could by themselves.
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