The Biggest Loser?

[matter_of_fact]

With all the confirmed realignment changes that will take place from 2012-13 to 2013-14, which of the following mid-major basketball conferences do you think was the biggest loser? The biggest winner? (List does not include changes to take place effective July 1, 2014) Yes, I am including the former Big East as a mid-major for next season.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC (old Big East) -
ADDED: Central Florida, Houston, Memphis, S.M.U. and Temple
LOST: DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse and Villanova

ATLANTIC 10 –
ADDED: George Mason
LOST: Butler, Charlotte, Temple and Xavier

BIG EAST (new) –
ADDED: Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova and Xavier
LOST: None/New Conference

CONFERENCE USA -
ADDED: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Old Dominion, and Texas-San Antonio
LOST: Central Florida, Houston, Memphis and S.M.U.

MISSOURI VALLEY –
ADDED: Loyola-Chicago
LOST: Creighton

MOUNTAIN WEST –
ADDED: San Jose State and Utah State
LOST: None

WEST COAST –
ADDED: Pacific
LOST: None

[TheAsianSensation]

The Colonial is by far the biggest loser. They were already down VCU, now down their two other biggest names (GMU, ODU). That combined with their catastrophic '12-13 season, means they've lost everything. They were building to be a top 10 conference and are now locked into the bottom 15, maybe bottom 10.

Certain members of the AAC (UConn, Cincy) are obvious losers. UConn in particular. 20 years ago there was no football program which would've meant partnership in the new Big East. Now because of marginal football, they're isolated from their basketball friends. But everyone else in that conference won (Temple got a home for all sports, Memphis upgraded at least, etc).

CUSA loses for losing their last piece of relevancy on a national stage, but they definitely have enough resources to build into a mid-major power.

A-10 loses, but everyone knew they were going to lose big-time on this going into it.

MVC loses, not necessarly just because of Creighton, but because they're in danger of losing the lead draft of the conferences. Same with Mountain West and WCC.

Horizon is the other big loser; they've got to work hard to keep pace with the other top mid-major conferences.

SoCon is another obvious loser.

About the only conferences that came out ahead outside of the Big 5 are the MAAC (added a couple teams and could keep entire core), the Ohio Valley (added Belmont and kept their core), and the MAC (without doing anything, narrowed the gap between them and the top mid-majors).

[rlh04d]

I don't like counting the AAC as anything other than a new conference. There were ten schools there ... 7 went to the Big Priest, 3 to the AAC. But the Big Priest is the new conference? The AAC deserves that label far more.

The CAA and Conference USA have both become completely irrelevant.

[LJay]

It ain't over:

"This new league is a home run. We (Big East AD's) are really excited about adding Xavier, Butler and Creighton. Any time you're able to add three teams who have recently spent significant time in the top 25 to your conference, you should be pleased. Two more teams will be added to the Big East, we are certain of that, but right now those two teams haven't been decided - but it will be a 12 team conference. We'll have home and home games, and that's really going to create great rivalries - renewed rivalries. The AD's and Presidents of each school are excited about the direction of the new Big East and the continuation of having the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden. We're all aware of how tenuous things were for a while last year, but it really couldn't have worked out better. "

http://www.southorangejuice.com/2013/4/25/4266172/a-conversation-with-seton-hall-athletic-director-pat-lyons-q-a

[RoyalShock]

Missing from the OP is Tulsa, leaving C-USA and joining the AAC.

[pafan]

But at least the Colonial has a great TV deal with NBC Sports Network that will prevent them from becoming wholly irrelevant.

My top 3 biggest losers:
1) Old Big East/AAC
2) Colonial
3) A10

[IllinoisState]

But at least the Colonial has a great TV deal with NBC Sports Network that will prevent them from becoming wholly irrelevant.

My top 3 biggest losers:
1) Old Big East/AAC
2) Colonial
3) A10

4. MVC

[matter_of_fact]

Missing from the OP is Tulsa, leaving C-USA and joining the AAC.

East Carolina, Tulsa and Tulane are all leaving C-USA for the AAC but not until July 1, 2014, after next season

[Chuck A]

Most of the conferences are indeed losers, and I'll venture to say there is more than one "Biggest Loser".

Biggest Losers
1. AAC- At the moment a revamped Conference USA. Could be above average, but will never have the stature of the original basketball-based Big East. Some seasons will come close to "Big 6" status, but not enough strong programs to grow this league into a national power

2. CAA- Has become an irrelevant eastern league

3. Horizon League- If the President's don't do something quick, will become a "just-above-low-major" conference

[siufan4life]

I am shocked no one has brought up the WAC which only has I think 1 or 2 of its before realignment members. Before realignment the WAC was a solid 1-2 bid league now it has become a conference of Great West castoffs, D2 call ups, and teams so bad that they left better conferences to join the weak WAC.