More conference realignment talk

[1SE]

Thanks to Shaka, I don't have any fear we'd be left behind in a P3 basketball-only move. Had we stuck with Wojo who knows. The Shaka hire might end up being the single best decision MU ever made.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It's not now. But eventually the Power 3 will reach saturation in football. My guess is that they won't be content there and will search for other ways to increase their power and revenue. I could see many ways that this plays out, one of them being expanding in basketball only. I think a basketball conference can take on more teams than football before reaching saturation. No idea if this will come to pass, but I think Yormack is interested in making it happen.

I have been hearing phrases like "reach saturation in football" for years now - maybe even decades.  And if anything, football seems to be driving the bus more and more.  College football viewership is through the roof.  The marginal value that a basketball-only schools going to bring one of these conferences seems so miniscule to me that its not worth the effort.

Right now regular season college basketball has a limited audience. Networks have a ton of inventory. And if the networks want to see the Zags more, its probably just easier to ask Kansas, Duke, etc. to just go schedule them non-conference.

[WhiteTrash]

I have been hearing phrases like "reach saturation in football" for years now - maybe even decades.  And if anything, football seems to be driving the bus more and more.  College football viewership is through the roof.  The marginal value that a basketball-only schools going to bring one of these conferences seems so miniscule to me that its not worth the effort.

Right now regular season college basketball has a limited audience. Networks have a ton of inventory. And if the networks want to see the Zags more, its probably just easier to ask Kansas, Duke, etc. to just go schedule them non-conference.

I think (I maybe wrong) the reference to 'saturation point' means number of schools in a conference or P3. That has played out with OSU and WSU being kicked out. Additionally, I believe the writing is on the wall for a number of ACC institutions.

[Scoop Snoop]

Eliminating a rival conference, consolidating power, and mostly because ESPN or FOX tells them to.

If the P3 start adding basketball only schools, it will be because it makes sense for them to do so. It doesn't right now, so they haven't. Will that always be the case? I don't know.

Unfortunately, I think your take is spot on. ESPN happily eliminated the original BE and produced "A Requiem for the Big East". It was like a mafioso taking out a rival and then sending a massive amount of flowers to his funeral.

It was not that long ago that scoopers laughed at conference realignment, smugly confident that we were safe and could grab a bag of popcorn and watch it all unfold.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Unfortunately, I think your take is spot on. ESPN happily eliminated the original BE and produced "A Requiem for the Big East". It was like a mafioso taking out a rival and then sending a massive amount of flowers to his funeral.

It was not that long ago that scoopers laughed at conference realignment, smugly confident that we were safe and could grab a bag of popcorn and watch it all unfold.

They took out the BE because of football though.

I think (I maybe wrong) the reference to 'saturation point' means number of schools in a conference or P3. That has played out with OSU and WSU being kicked out. Additionally, I believe the writing is on the wall for a number of ACC institutions.

Even then, I don't understand the value of adding basketball only schools.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Thanks to Shaka, I don't have any fear we'd be left behind in a P3 basketball-only move. Had we stuck with Wojo who knows. The Shaka hire might end up being the single best decision MU ever made.

I don't think Shaka has much to do with any of this.

[muwarrior69]

Thanks to Shaka, I don't have any fear we'd be left behind in a P3 basketball-only move. Had we stuck with Wojo who knows. The Shaka hire might end up being the single best decision MU ever made.

I hope you are right.

[Uncle Rico]

I hope you are right.

Marquette will join the A-10

[Scoop Snoop]

They took out the BE because of football though.

True, and I believe it is also true that, for now, Yormark's bball contract idea is not going anywhere. My point is that this could change. 

[MU82]

Marquette will join the A-10

That Dayton yahoo said we'd be rejected by the A-10.

[Coleman]

Big 12 wanted to add UConn as a bball member only - this is a non starter for Uconn due to finances. My guess is, at this point, Uconn waits to ACC implosion and gets full membership there.

Yep. UConn will be first in line when one of the P3 raids the ACC. It is what it is. Hopefully that is well after we a sign a lucrative, long-term TV deal.

[WhiteTrash]

Even then, I don't understand the value of adding basketball only schools.

I totally agree. I think Yormark is doing his job (well) and exploring all ideas. He is going to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks. I wouldn't be surprised if Val has had some ideas that once vetted seemed not so good.

In the current landscape both UCONN and Gonzaga to the B12 don't seem like very good ideas.

While UCONN in the BE is great, we all know from actual history, the BE is great without UCONN. 

[Viper]

Thanks to Shaka, I don't have any fear we'd be left behind in a P3 basketball-only move. Had we stuck with Wojo who knows. The Shaka hire might end up being the single best decision MU ever made.

the hiring of Al McGuire and Crean getting DWade eligible might rank higher, imo...but I hear ya.

[Galway Eagle]

the hiring of Al McGuire and Crean getting DWade eligible might rank higher, imo...but I hear ya.

Ok but what if we don't get Wade but keep Dameon mason, make the sweet 16 in 03 and make it again in 04?

[Coleman]

Ok but what if we don't get Wade but keep Dameon mason, make the sweet 16 in 03 and make it again in 04?

What if Tom Crean built the soccer stadium?

[WhiteTrash]

What if Tom Crean built the soccer stadium?

What if Freeway was on Dancing with the Stars?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

What if Freeway was on Dancing with the Stars?

Still wouldn't watch.

[rgoode57]

It is very clear that conferences will have different tv contracts for football and basketball in the future. That will happen the next time a major conference contract comes up for renewal. It makes too much sense for everyone. The only question is when, not if. The other question is what happens after that becomes reality. Yes, theoretically, it does open up the P3 for basketball-only schools. But, just like those conferences can only handle so many football schools, they can also only handle so many b'ball schools - or so I would think.

[WhiteTrash]

It is very clear that conferences will have different tv contracts for football and basketball in the future. That will happen the next time a major conference contract comes up for renewal. It makes too much sense for everyone. The only question is when, not if. The other question is what happens after that becomes reality. Yes, theoretically, it does open up the P3 for basketball-only schools. But, just like those conferences can only handle so many football schools, they can also only handle so many b'ball schools - or so I would think.

Not that I disagree, but if the contract split is, as you suggest, set in stone, what happens to the non-revenue sports that have been forced on networks to get the football/basketball deals?

[Coleman]

What if Freeway was on Dancing with the Stars?

Now we're cooking with gas!

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Sacred Heart, Merrimack to Join Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Next Season
Billy McGuire  October 25, 2023

http://fairfieldmirror.com/sports/sacred-heart-merrimack-to-join-metro-atlantic-athletic-conference-maac-next-season/




Also, it looks like Army football only to the AAC is official.

[WhiteTrash]

Sacred Heart, Merrimack to Join Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Next Season
Billy McGuire  October 25, 2023

http://fairfieldmirror.com/sports/sacred-heart-merrimack-to-join-metro-atlantic-athletic-conference-maac-next-season/




Also, it looks like Army football only to the AAC is official.

Big East V. MAAC Challenge?

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

So how do you pronounce MAAC?

Assuming that the MAC is "mack," does that mean the MAAC is "make?"  Or do you elongate the a-sound like "Maaaack?"

And if the answer is "just like the MAC," then that's just stupid and they need to rebrand.

[MurphysTillClose]

So how do you pronounce MAAC?

Assuming that the MAC is "mack," does that mean the MAAC is "make?"  Or do you elongate the a-sound like "Maaaack?"

And if the answer is "just like the MAC," then that's just stupid and they need to rebrand.

What a great question. My fiancé was on the swim team at Marist College and they all pronounce the MAAC as "mack", which confuses me to this day being from the midwest and pronouncing MAC the same way.

[Uncle Rico]

What a great question. My fiancé was on the swim team at Marist College and they all pronounce the MAAC as "mack", which confuses me to this day being from the midwest and pronouncing MAC the same way.

The Midwestern MAC is MAC Attack or Maction, never just MAC.  So, NE MAAC can be Mack