Which of these team would you be okay with joining the MVC?

[IllinoisState]

I don't know, I guess I am just not smart enough to understand how a high school senior in Dallas wakes up thinking they would like to attend a MVC school, because he/she knows somewhere in Arlington there is a school, whose names escapes them, is a member of that league. Understand, I know there is a rational in looking at UTA, but I just don't get it. Further, how much does the "Missouri Valley Conference" brand actually mean? That is not a slam at all on a league that I love. Do you really have to have a team in Texas to recruit there students - how much does that really help??? I remember when I was graduating from high school in Evansville IN in the late 70's I was considering SIU and ISU-blue...they were close by and I heard of them and liked them both. They being in the MVC was of no consequence to me at all. I ended up staying at home.

It just seems if we as a league want name recognition I don't know of any better way than getting multiple teams in the NCAA tournament. You make money, play before a national audience, and we are all happy. Holding out on Murray State is just plain stupid....lots of Evansville kids attend there by the way. The Racers move the basketball needle, we all know that. Yeah, there are other considerations. But they have proven themselves on and off the court. I do understand the need for a Chicago presence, and I am fine with UIC coming on board. A new beginning with a school that has money can maybe change there fortunes.

I do like the earlier post about a mix of good basketball programs and playing in a viable market. Obviously there has to be a balance in all of this. Yes, college attendance for most places is going down and populations are trending up down south. Agree or disagree, I still think the smartest strategy in bringing in revenue is making the MVC the best mid-major basketball conference in the country - that is my goal for this league.

I agree. Get the best on the court product you can and put up a few billboards in select markets.

[RacerJoeD]

If you put the best product on the court possible, then the people who care about the "on the court product" will seek you out. The people who don't, won't either way.

[Drakey]

If you put the best product on the court possible, then the people who care about the "on the court product" will seek you out. The people who don't, won't either way.

They won't be able to avoid it if you are getting national press. Every school that has had sustained basketball success in this conference has grown, and then departed. They depart to paly with better teams which is why watering down the league will only cause more defections for anybody who is successful.

[TBS_20]

Then why not split the public and privates into two leagues and each can add 5 like minded teams worrying more about on court product. I'd rather have Murray's basketball and SDSU and NDSU football than UIC's location. If the privates want that location then feel free.

[RacerJoeD]

Something of that nature may happen someday, but is there a good reason why it need happen now? And what does football have to do with anything? Football put West Virginia into the Big 12 and Rutgers/Maryland to the Big 10.

[Drakey]

Then why not split the public and privates into two leagues and each can add 5 like minded teams worrying more about on court product. I'd rather have Murray's basketball and SDSU and NDSU football than UIC's location. If the privates want that location then feel free.

Because unfortunately the time for such a move has passed. All of the midwest privates who are interested in basketball have moved on to bigger better conferences. I think the same is basically true for publics. Belmont and Murray are about all that are left.

[squirrel]

Then why not split the public and privates into two leagues and each can add 5 like minded teams worrying more about on court product. I'd rather have Murray's basketball and SDSU and NDSU football than UIC's location. If the privates want that location then feel free.

Don't be so certain that isn't happening. I tend to think if we're moving to 14-15 for basketball, it's because something is likely happening on the football side-either expansion, or an exodus-there, that would likely make getting to 16 a necessity.

The end result of a split, then, would be a future Valley filled with schools like Northern Kentucky, UIC, Lipscomb, Bellarmine, Omaha, etc.

[mvfcfan]

Based on the info I've gathered here is my honest assessment of what I think will happen.

I think UT Arlington is probably going to get invited and I believe they are probably the #11 in this round of expansion. There's been interest on both sides since at least May when Matt Brown found the recorded email sent by former commissioner Doug Elgin. It seems that basically everyone in the MVC is at the very least, relatively close to an airport that offers flights to Dallas. The biggest negative for UTA is that I doubt most schools will fly their non-revenue sports to Dallas. I know for a fact that Indiana State busses the baseball team to DBU, and my assumption is that the other MVC baseball schools do too. Still I don't think there is an interest this long and that nothing happens here.

I tend to believe that going to 13 members is probably not likely due to it being a weird number and the fact that 11 was supposedly such a big issue last time. My firm belief is that UMKC is not going to happen. It seems like they can't get their arena situation fixed and there doesn't seem to be much of a desire to do so. No one has even talked about Omaha much. They are a hockey school and I don't see them getting an invite. The reason I say 13 won't happen is because I will be shocked if the MVC goes to 14 since I strongly doubt that Omaha and / or UMKC are invited. Seems to me there are only three realistic candidates here.

With that said I think the 12th spot is a coin flip between Murray State and UIC. Positives for Murray are obviously the basketball and the fan base. Negatives for Murray are their location and market (or lack thereof). You also have academicians making decisions here and I guess Murray's academics aren't as strong as some may like. The only positive for UIC is their market and perhaps their facilities. I think their academics are pretty good too, from what I've heard. Not much there as far as basketball is concerned though.

Probably leaning with Murray State getting that 12th spot, despite the negatives, because I think the MVC needs the basketball brand and the fan base. They are roughly 2 hours from Nashville and 2 hours from Evansville, both places that fly to / from Dallas. I don't think a 2 hour bus ride for some teams will keep them out. While Valparaiso is not in Chicago or Illinois, they are still within the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Kind of similar to the Big Ten and Rutgers being in the NYC metro even though they are actually in Jersey. The MVC will still have a presence in the Chicagoland region with or without UIC (and Loyola). One must also ask the question if UIC would still be a strong candidate if Loyola was not departing and any other MVC school was leaving.

So there you go; my prediction is that UT Arlington and Murray State get invited. My preference would be Murray State and UIC from the list of finalists though.

[Campbellproud]

Based on the info I've gathered here is my honest assessment of what I think will happen.

I think UT Arlington is probably going to get invited and I believe they are probably the #11 in this round of expansion. There's been interest on both sides since at least May when Matt Brown found the recorded email sent by former commissioner Doug Elgin. It seems that basically everyone in the MVC is at the very least, relatively close to an airport that offers flights to Dallas. The biggest negative for UTA is that I doubt most schools will fly their non-revenue sports to Dallas. I know for a fact that Indiana State busses the baseball team to DBU, and my assumption is that the other MVC baseball schools do too. Still I don't think there is an interest this long and that nothing happens here.

I tend to believe that going to 13 members is probably not likely due to it being a weird number and the fact that 11 was supposedly such a big issue last time. My firm belief is that UMKC is not going to happen. It seems like they can't get their arena situation fixed and there doesn't seem to be much of a desire to do so. No one has even talked about Omaha much. They are a hockey school and I don't see them getting an invite. The reason I say 13 won't happen is because I will be shocked if the MVC goes to 14 since I strongly doubt that Omaha and / or UMKC are invited. Seems to me there are only three realistic candidates here.

With that said I think the 12th spot is a coin flip between Murray State and UIC. Positives for Murray are obviously the basketball and the fan base. Negatives for Murray are their location and market (or lack thereof). You also have academicians making decisions here and I guess Murray's academics aren't as strong as some may like. The only positive for UIC is their market and perhaps their facilities. I think their academics are pretty good too, from what I've heard. Not much there as far as basketball is concerned though.

Probably leaning with Murray State getting that 12th spot, despite the negatives, because I think the MVC needs the basketball brand and the fan base. They are roughly 2 hours from Nashville and 2 hours from Evansville, both places that fly to / from Dallas. I don't think a 2 hour bus ride for some teams will keep them out. While Valparaiso is not in Chicago or Illinois, they are still within the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Kind of similar to the Big Ten and Rutgers being in the NYC metro even though they are actually in Jersey. The MVC will still have a presence in the Chicagoland region with or without UIC (and Loyola). One must also ask the question if UIC would still be a strong candidate if Loyola was not departing and any other MVC school was leaving.

So there you go; my prediction is that UT Arlington and Murray State get invited. My preference would be Murray State and UIC from the list of finalists though.

This is a solid analysis and a good observation that Valpo is part of the Chicago market (though I on the periphery to be sure). The UTA just makes no sense to me. Huge geographical outlier, commuter school, branch school, no basketball culture. Just weird. Murray should be a slam dunk at this point. I’ve watched some UIC games this year. Great arena, but it was pretty empty. They have money though and a new coach. I think they are about where Loyola was when they were added. My preference would be to add Murray and UIC and then be done for the foreseeable future unless we lose a member or two or someone of the caliber of SLU becomes available. These presidents have way more information and insight then we do, though. They exercised good judgment with Belmont. Let’s hope they do this round.

[SalukiWorld]

Rumor is unless Murray State finds another football conference, they won't be joining the MVC and even then they might not have the votes.