Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[VU2014]

UWM gets way less coverage then the other programs. There is a pecking order and they are way down on the totem pole. It is what it is.

There were always rumblings surrounding Pearl.

[Mikovio]

Well of course they're further down the totem pole than those others but they still get more press in Milwaukee than Loyola did in Chicago (until now). There have been general rumblings surrounding Pearl since the 80s. If anything it probably put him under a bigger microscope.

[uniguy]

Murray vs. Wichita would be interesting. At least to the people on this board.

[isumvc1]

Golden writes tonight about the importance of adding Murray State.

http://www.tribstar.com/sports/todd-aar ... 9ae4e.html

[jsaluki080]

If the only reasons we don’t add Murray St. is because of “travel partners” and they’re scared of 11, I’m gonna be most disappointed. These 2 negatives are greatly outweighed by the positives as I see it. That article furthered solidified my view. And btw, the MVC had 11 members before.

http://www.tribstar.com/sports/todd-aar ... 9ae4e.html

[VU2014]

Two main major issues:

1) It would mess up the travel partner for women's basketball and volleyball

Option 1: Possible "solution": Mess with the scheduling for women's volleyball/basketball and don't play a double round robin with every team. It wouldn't be ideal but sometimes you need to make sacrifices to make things work. They'd have to go with this scenario till we find a suitable 12th member.
Option 2: Another option is to pass the extra costs onto Murray State. Negotiate it into the entrance fee/agreement and say if you want entrance into the league you will need to subsidize the other schools travel expenses for those 2 sports to accommodate your membership into the conference until we find a suitable 12th member for the league. Murray State needs the MVC more then the MVC needs them, as much as people like to think it's the other way around. We could use each other but it's important to remember the MVC is the one that has all the leverage. Possibly work something out in the entrance fee.

2) MVC Presidents would need to accept the idea of dividing the pie 11 ways instead of 10. The pie as it is isn't that large to begin with. I think adding Murray State could help strengthen the league but I don't think the league would automatically turn into a consistent 2-bid league just by adding Murray State. Murray State probably wouldn't have been a at-large bid this season even if they played in the MVC this season. You can make the case Loyola & Murray State should have been by eye test but under this committee neither would be.
https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status ... 8956389376


I'm for the idea of expansion and adding Murray State but there are legitimate hurdles to going to 11. I'm not for the idea of adding a less then ideal 12th member just to add Murray State.

[VUGrad1314]

I really wonder how recent events have affected the mindsets of Belmont and SLU, particularly Belmont.

[SMUfan]

I really wonder how recent events have affected the mindsets of Belmont and SLU, particularly Belmont.

How so?

[VUGrad1314]

MVC shows its strength post-Wichita by finishing 8th in RPI showing our conference is strong and vibrant

OVC finishes below 20th showing continued weakness

MVC tournament representative advances further raising the conference's profile and demonstrating strength

OVC Tournament representative loses handily showing once again that it's hard to win out of a weak conference

Belmont couldn't even make the NIT despite a strong record a tough nonconference schedule and a solid collection of wins. That same resume in the MVC is NIT worthy.

It becomes even more clear that there's much more money to be made in the MVC AND that the MVC has a higher ceiling AND floor This season should have shown Belmont the considerable risk of the "big fish\small pond" strategy and the damage you can do to your institutional profile by employing it

MVC Tournament Representative is new to the conference (fifth year) showing vibrancy and strength and has a similar institutional profile to Belmont This shows what's possible in the MVC

MVC tournament representative was nowhere near as strong a program as Belmont is right now when they joined five years ago again showing what's possible

Belmont has to know that their team can compete right away and that their presence along with that of Murray State will create what should be a surefire multibid league

[valleydays]

No knowledge of administrators' position on this but I can't see Murray State paying extra to get into the MVC, to cover odd-team travel costs. I'm worried though, with Kentucky state budget cuts looming, if Murray's window may have been last year. Again, just spit-balling, as the MSU administration mentioned that revenues should rise long-term with a move to a better conference. I would imagine the MVC is getting to be a tougher sell with Racer fans on the fence (there are some), due to Loyola getting only one seed better than the OVC champ and Elgin's satisfaction with keeping things at 10 schools. Those comments did damage, I'm afraid.

Still don't know who needs who more. Personally, I wouldn't put too much into Murray's NCAA tourney loss, as they advanced the last two times they were in. Just got a horrible draw to a team that should have been seeded higher in West Virginia. Don't know if Loyola could have gotten by the Mountaineers.

Adding Murray (and, if you must, Belmont) would raise the MVC, I believe, but making it a two-bid league would still be a long shot in today's college basketball world. Still better than no shot.