Assuming Tulsa joins for all sports...


I think that if a high RPI program that makes geographic sense was added it would benefit the conference formerly known as the Big East. Two big reasons:

NCAA Tournament Credits:
Each pays out 1.2mm (might be an old and low figure) over 6 years. 200k annually. This would be roughly the most this league would pay a non-fb member and if a team earned the league just ONE extra tourney bid in 6 years they pay for themselves. If they earn more then the league profits from it. It doesn't have to be THAT TEAM making it, they just have to elevate the RPI to where a league gets an average of more than 1 more bid per 6 year period to make sense.

Travel Cost:

Adding an additional team would allow the league to reduce travel cost if they chose a team that was in the right place. Splitting in divisions would allow teams to make more frequent trips to closer locations and less frequent cross country trips. This would allow for significant cost reduction.

Who makes sense?

VCU or Richmond- If they are left out of the Big East BB league they would be the class of the A-10. Probably a long shot but no doubt the Aresco league would love to pair them in as ECU's travel partner if they decided to go the non-fb route for #12.

Wichita State- The Mo Valley is probably a 1 bid league without Creighton. WSU was arguably the clear #2 in that league and has a 5 year average RPI of 93 and 3 year average of 32. They would add a boost and are a regional fit in a Western division. They are a 2.5 hour drive from Tulsa and would add a strong program with solid fan support that might be interested in coming.

Belmont or Murray State- OVC members would have a hard time leaving a bus league but each adds decent RPI and would be in the geographic center of the league.

College of Charleston- Would make a good geographic partner for ECU and the Florida Schools. RPI of 89 over the last 3 years would help.

Oral Roberts- Tulsa may or may not like having a cross-town team in their league. If they are ok with it ORU brings solid baseball and an RPI around 100.

Longshot- UT-Arlington- Probably not enough of an RPI boost but ideal travel partner for SMU. Also 3-5 hours from Tulsa, UH, and Memphis.


Thoughts?

It's not entirely far-fetched, but it may depend on Navy joining as planned. With Navy (and Tulsa for that matter), there are 12 football schools and 11 for other sports. Rounding out the other sports makes some sense.

(03-19-2013 06:16 PM)S11 Wrote:  Assuming Tulsa joins for all sports...


I think that if a high RPI program that makes geographic sense was added it would benefit the conference formerly known as the Big East. Two big reasons:

NCAA Tournament Credits:
Each pays out 1.2mm (might be an old and low figure) over 6 years. 200k annually. This would be roughly the most this league would pay a non-fb member and if a team earned the league just ONE extra tourney bid in 6 years they pay for themselves. If they earn more then the league profits from it. It doesn't have to be THAT TEAM making it, they just have to elevate the RPI to where a league gets an average of more than 1 more bid per 6 year period to make sense.

Travel Cost:

Adding an additional team would allow the league to reduce travel cost if they chose a team that was in the right place. Splitting in divisions would allow teams to make more frequent trips to closer locations and less frequent cross country trips. This would allow for significant cost reduction.

Who makes sense?

VCU or Richmond- If they are left out of the Big East BB league they would be the class of the A-10. Probably a long shot but no doubt the Aresco league would love to pair them in as ECU's travel partner if they decided to go the non-fb route for #12.

Wichita State- The Mo Valley is probably a 1 bid league without Creighton. WSU was arguably the clear #2 in that league and has a 5 year average RPI of 93 and 3 year average of 32. They would add a boost and are a regional fit in a Western division. They are a 2.5 hour drive from Tulsa and would add a strong program with solid fan support that might be interested in coming.

Belmont or Murray State- OVC members would have a hard time leaving a bus league but each adds decent RPI and would be in the geographic center of the league.

College of Charleston- Would make a good geographic partner for ECU and the Florida Schools. RPI of 89 over the last 3 years would help.

Oral Roberts- Tulsa may or may not like having a cross-town team in their league. If they are ok with it ORU brings solid baseball and an RPI around 100.

Longshot- UT-Arlington- Probably not enough of an RPI boost but ideal travel partner for SMU. Also 3-5 hours from Tulsa, UH, and Memphis.


Thoughts?

I think VCU is a no brainer. Personally, I 'd add 2 or 3 basketball schools just to bump up the conference RPI.

By stategically adding good locations and good basketball, you can lower travel costs (maybe even have the conference break into divisions for non-revenue sports) and increase the league reputation in one of the two high profile revenue sports.

After whats happened over the last 6 months, many in Conference-Fill-In-The-Blank are vehemently against the hybrid concept. Personally, given where we are in the conference hierchy and starting from absolute ground zero in conference name recognition---anything we can do to enhance the performance, reputation, and prestige of the conference should be done. Take some chances. Utilize what advantages you have to build the best conference that can be built with the materials at hand.

(03-19-2013 07:01 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-19-2013 06:16 PM)S11 Wrote:  Assuming Tulsa joins for all sports...


I think that if a high RPI program that makes geographic sense was added it would benefit the conference formerly known as the Big East. Two big reasons:

NCAA Tournament Credits:
Each pays out 1.2mm (might be an old and low figure) over 6 years. 200k annually. This would be roughly the most this league would pay a non-fb member and if a team earned the league just ONE extra tourney bid in 6 years they pay for themselves. If they earn more then the league profits from it. It doesn't have to be THAT TEAM making it, they just have to elevate the RPI to where a league gets an average of more than 1 more bid per 6 year period to make sense.

Travel Cost:

Adding an additional team would allow the league to reduce travel cost if they chose a team that was in the right place. Splitting in divisions would allow teams to make more frequent trips to closer locations and less frequent cross country trips. This would allow for significant cost reduction.

Who makes sense?

VCU or Richmond- If they are left out of the Big East BB league they would be the class of the A-10. Probably a long shot but no doubt the Aresco league would love to pair them in as ECU's travel partner if they decided to go the non-fb route for #12.

Wichita State- The Mo Valley is probably a 1 bid league without Creighton. WSU was arguably the clear #2 in that league and has a 5 year average RPI of 93 and 3 year average of 32. They would add a boost and are a regional fit in a Western division. They are a 2.5 hour drive from Tulsa and would add a strong program with solid fan support that might be interested in coming.

Belmont or Murray State- OVC members would have a hard time leaving a bus league but each adds decent RPI and would be in the geographic center of the league.

College of Charleston- Would make a good geographic partner for ECU and the Florida Schools. RPI of 89 over the last 3 years would help.

Oral Roberts- Tulsa may or may not like having a cross-town team in their league. If they are ok with it ORU brings solid baseball and an RPI around 100.

Longshot- UT-Arlington- Probably not enough of an RPI boost but ideal travel partner for SMU. Also 3-5 hours from Tulsa, UH, and Memphis.


Thoughts?

I think VCU is a no brainer. Personally, I 'd add 2 or 3 basketball schools just to bump up the conference RPI.

By stategically adding good locations and good basketball, you can lower travel costs (maybe even have the conference break into divisions for non-revenue sports) and increase the league reputation in one of the two high profile revenue sports.

After whats happened over the last 6 months, many in Conference-Fill-In-The-Blank are vehemently against the hybrid concept. Personally, given where we are in the conference hierchy and starting from absolute ground zero in conference name recognition---anything we can do to enhance the performance, reputation, and prestige of the conference should be done. Take some chances. Utilize what advantages you have to build the best conference that can be built with the materials at hand.

I was thinking one team but perhaps 3 is the way to go if you can land the right ones. If the right combo are left out of the Big East perhaps a grouping out of Richmond, VCU, George Mason could be very beneficial.

It just depends how many it takes to make the money work or not work.

Perhaps bringing 5 in with modified voting rights to prevent power struggles would work. Ideally it would allow 16 teams and 4 pods. I would avoid northeast teams as you can't count on UConn remaining in the league.

If this place is going to go the hybrid route again and keep Navy as a a football only, it would make sense to bring in a non-football to even out all the other sports. Richmond/VCU are probably the best two candidates considering location/basketball. Neither is located close enough to ECU to be considered a travel partner, but they would fill in a gap between Temple and the rest of the league.

I don't think you will see a non football member in this league...it is strong enough in basketball that it doesn't need that...and it needs to be a football conference. Plus you have schools from CUSA that will be able to move up if they succeed. The Aresco League can just add more all sports members as the market allows...the goal is to have a league that grabs that nBCS slot more times than not, so it can poach CUSA as teams emerge.

(03-20-2013 06:55 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I don't think you will see a non football member in this league...it is strong enough in basketball that it doesn't need that...and it needs to be a football conference. Plus you have schools from CUSA that will be able to move up if they succeed. The Aresco League can just add more all sports members as the market allows...the goal is to have a league that grabs that nBCS slot more times than not, so it can poach CUSA as teams emerge.

The issue with simply adding more football playing members is the economics- it divides up the tv revenue even more and doesn't help the bottom line much. So you say they can "add more all sports members as the market allows" but the market has indicated it likely won't allow it.

My idea is to use the NCAA tournament credits and travel cost savings to make the league benefit in the end from the move.

If the addition of the right team or teams can get the league additional tournament berths it will pay for a non-fb tv slice of the pie. I don't see a football member doing that.

Since VCU isn't going to get a slice of the revenue sharing I'm not sure what's in it for VCU to move from the A10 to the Aresco League.

(03-20-2013 09:12 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Since VCU isn't going to get a slice of the revenue sharing I'm not sure what's in it for VCU to move from the A10 to the Aresco League.

VCU would get a slice of the TV revenue. My point is that the football money is 80% of the deal and therefore the hurdle for a football member is larger. A hoops member makes less than 1mm and a football member makes around 2mm. Very different benchmarks to clear.

IIRC the A-10's tv deal is 312k per team. The ESPN hoops deal for 2013 (6mm for all 10) is 600k per hoops school and doesn't include the CBS hoops deal which would add at least 1-200k per team if my numbers are corrrect.

Add in tournament credits shares that will likely be larger in the Aresco league and the money is larger. Is it enough to offset travel cost? That would be TBD but if it is it makes sense.
- More money
- Better RPI
- Better Exposure

(03-20-2013 09:12 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Since VCU isn't going to get a slice of the revenue sharing I'm not sure what's in it for VCU to move from the A10 to the Aresco League.

VCU gets a slight raise and they don't have to play in a greatly weakened A-10 that has lost Temple, Butler, and Xavier. They instead see an upgrade with UConn, Cinci, Temple, and Memphis on the schedule. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if divisions are formed after 2015 in the Aresco league for the non-revenue sports to minimize travel costs.

Marshall reporter saying Tulsa will be announced next week. Link above in realignment articles.

(03-19-2013 06:16 PM)S11 Wrote:  Assuming Tulsa joins for all sports...


I think that if a high RPI program that makes geographic sense was added it would benefit the conference formerly known as the Big East. Two big reasons:

NCAA Tournament Credits:
Each pays out 1.2mm (might be an old and low figure) over 6 years. 200k annually. This would be roughly the most this league would pay a non-fb member and if a team earned the league just ONE extra tourney bid in 6 years they pay for themselves. If they earn more then the league profits from it. It doesn't have to be THAT TEAM making it, they just have to elevate the RPI to where a league gets an average of more than 1 more bid per 6 year period to make sense.

Travel Cost:

Adding an additional team would allow the league to reduce travel cost if they chose a team that was in the right place. Splitting in divisions would allow teams to make more frequent trips to closer locations and less frequent cross country trips. This would allow for significant cost reduction.

Who makes sense?

VCU or Richmond- If they are left out of the Big East BB league they would be the class of the A-10. Probably a long shot but no doubt the Aresco league would love to pair them in as ECU's travel partner if they decided to go the non-fb route for #12.

Wichita State- The Mo Valley is probably a 1 bid league without Creighton. WSU was arguably the clear #2 in that league and has a 5 year average RPI of 93 and 3 year average of 32. They would add a boost and are a regional fit in a Western division. They are a 2.5 hour drive from Tulsa and would add a strong program with solid fan support that might be interested in coming.

Belmont or Murray State- OVC members would have a hard time leaving a bus league but each adds decent RPI and would be in the geographic center of the league.

College of Charleston- Would make a good geographic partner for ECU and the Florida Schools. RPI of 89 over the last 3 years would help.

Oral Roberts- Tulsa may or may not like having a cross-town team in their league. If they are ok with it ORU brings solid baseball and an RPI around 100.

Longshot- UT-Arlington- Probably not enough of an RPI boost but ideal travel partner for SMU. Also 3-5 hours from Tulsa, UH, and Memphis.


Thoughts?

Oral Roberts?

what are you smoking

2012 ave. attendance of teams they could go after
Dayton 12,154
Wichita St 10,391
SLU 7,757
Bradley 7,640
VCU 7,622
Missouri St 7,050
Siena 6,509
Ohio 6,177
Richmond 5,660