RoyalShock wrote:The numbers I got were from the Dept. of Ed and must have been at least a few years old since Fall 2011 show 11,700 undergrads (8361 full-time, 3368 part-time). Given that, I'd be even more confident they would have an "average" MVC profile within a few years of competition. That may not improve the "power" of the MVC, but it would add a little more stability, IMO. And it expands the MVC further east, which is usually a good thing, both for TV/revenue and recruiting.
It could also lay the groundwork to lure Butler (I just don't see a jump from Horizon to Big East).
Disclaimer: Butler fan here.
I honestly don't think there is a single school in the Horizon worth considereing for the MVC outside of Butler.
Cleveland St. - Honestly, one of the last options if pulling from the HL is the way you're trying to go. Fewer than 1,000 of CSU's 16k+ students live on campus. Epitome of an urban commuter school with no fanbase. Average 3k or less for MBB even when they're good. Decent basketball teams occasionally, but it doesn't have the bones of a good program.
Detroit - Tired university in a dead shell of a city. It has trouble recruiting student athletes based on location alone and doesn't pull fans from the city at all. Averaged <2,500 fans last year for MBB.
Green Bay - The most cash-strapped athetic department in the conference. Satellite campus with no unique identity or fan following. Averaged 3,007 last year for MBB.
Loyola - This is one in the league actually showing some promise. Brand new student athlete facilities, new AD, new MBB coach who should be familiar to Valley fans (Porter Moser), and a completely renovated Gentile Center. It's small (will seat ~4,800) and they still can't fill it (averaged 2,428 last year), but academically it's a good school and gives the Chicago alums of your other Illinois schools a chance to see their team on the road without leaving home.
Milwaukee - This is probably the best top-to-bottom athletic department in the conference outside of Butler. Consistently near or at the top for the all-sports trophy. MBB with some decent recent success. Main problem is they suffer the same lack of an identity with Green Bay in being a satellite campus and will always play second fiddle to Marquette in their home town. Big school (>30k), but it's an urban commuter campus with maybe 2k actually living in student housing. You'll probably see more Badger apparel when walking around campus than you will Milwaukee Panther gear. Attendance was 4,154 last year, but that was greatly inflated by the conference tournament games. It will typically be ~3k and was 2,883 the year prior.
UIC - Same as the two Wisconsin schools. Satellite urban school, commuter campus, no fanbase, no hope of ever being even a consistently average program. Attendance was 3,099 last year, but only because they give away tickets like they're Jolley Ranchers on Halloween.
Valpo - Evansville, but worse. Terrible facilities to boot. Attendance was 3,362 last year in their best year yet in the Horizon.
Wright State - If you want to pull a program from the Horizon, this is probably the one. It has a nice on-campus arena, solid athletic facilities, and is actually a more traditional campus with the vast majority of its student living in student housing or very close nearby. Attendance was 2nd in the conference at 4,792. Biggest problem is that it will always live in the shadow of Dayton.
Youngstown - They're a low-major athletic dept. propping up a MVFC team. Their other sports are pathetic across the board. Most of the HL membership would LOVE to see them gone.
