Another Expansion/Realignment Thread

[squirrel]

You are all assuming the Big East stays intact. It won't in this scenario.

Read any national or ACC-based article from the past week about the possible ACC-Big East merger.

Not one single mention of the Midwest schools, Seton Hall or Providence. That's because they're not seriously in the ACC picture.

And those schools can beg all they want, but it's not going to stop St John's, Nova, UConn and Georgetown from leaving.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

You are all assuming the Big East stays intact. It won't in this scenario.

Read any national or ACC-based article from the past week about the possible ACC-Big East merger.

Not one single mention of the Midwest schools, Seton Hall or Providence. That's because they're not seriously in the ACC picture.

And those schools can beg all they want, but it's not going to stop St John's, Nova, UConn and Georgetown from leaving.

The problem with your scenario (and what others are pointing out) is SHU/PC willingly dropping out of the Big East to the A-10. Schools don't just willingly give up higher prestige/tv money/leftover NCAAT units -- SHU/PC doing that would be unprecedented in the modern era. (Also, SHU/PC would be paying millions in exit fees *on top of* downgrading in prestige/tv money/leftover NCAAT units.)

SHU/PC would save themselves millions and just stick with the 5 midwest Big East schools. Those 7 would go to the tv networks and ask who the biggest ratings or biggest value schools left on the table are -- Dayton/VCU and probably Saint Louis. Those 7 would also look into which schools have the biggest MBB budgets left on the table -- that's Dayton/VCU/Saint Louis. That trio also has the biggest fan bases on the board and Dayton/VCU have had the longest sustained programs. There's your rebuilt Big East. If Memphis or Temple were willing and available (they'd need a top G6 to accept them for FB-only), then Saint Louis would be swapped out for them.

[Mikovio]

FBS schools like NIU which have football affiliate memberships would join the Valley. Joining the Mountain West for all sports was cost prohibitive. I could see Toledo or MTSU following suit with either the MWC or Pac 12, in which case they’d have good basketball programs looking for a home.

[squirrel]

You are all assuming the Big East stays intact. It won't in this scenario.

Read any national or ACC-based article from the past week about the possible ACC-Big East merger.

Not one single mention of the Midwest schools, Seton Hall or Providence. That's because they're not seriously in the ACC picture.

And those schools can beg all they want, but it's not going to stop St John's, Nova, UConn and Georgetown from leaving.

The problem with your scenario (and what others are pointing out) is SHU/PC willingly dropping out of the Big East to the A-10. Schools don't just willingly give up higher prestige/tv money/leftover NCAAT units -- SHU/PC doing that would be unprecedented in the modern era. (Also, SHU/PC would be paying millions in exit fees *on top of* downgrading in prestige/tv money/leftover NCAAT units.)

SHU/PC would save themselves millions and just stick with the 5 midwest Big East schools. Those 7 would go to the tv networks and ask who the biggest ratings or biggest value schools left on the table are -- Dayton/VCU and probably Saint Louis. Those 7 would also look into which schools have the biggest MBB budgets left on the table -- that's Dayton/VCU/Saint Louis. That trio also has the biggest fan bases on the board and Dayton/VCU have had the longest sustained programs. There's your rebuilt Big East. If Memphis or Temple were willing and available (they'd need a top G6 to accept them for FB-only), then Saint Louis would be swapped out for them.

You're assuming the Big East will continue to have a TV deal. No TV network will give the BE remants a deal without more inventory. There is literally no market value at the national level for those that will be left out.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

First in a rumored wave out of D1 has fallen and it’s a March Madness team:
https://pacathletics.org/news/2025/3/25 ... rence.aspx