Loyola’s Success

[BCPanther]

MissouriValleyUnite, I’m sure more ppl are talking about/interested in the MVC, especially up around Chicago, and buying more Loyola merchandise but will that translate into tv deals? Will the ncaa tourney committee be more respectful to MVC teams in terms of ranking/bids?

As I see it, one great scenario would be more Chicago area atheletes are willing to play for MVC team (hopefully Loyola doesn’t get them all)

It could certainly translate into a bigger ESPN deal, and ensure CBS stays on board. The MVCT final ratings were proof in the pudding. And at that time, Loyola fever hadn't even taken hold yet. More ESPN_ and CBSSN games and more money for them can't hurt.

Recruiting in Chicago gets easier.

Obviously, Chicago media is all over Loyola ATM. Will this increased coverage carry over? I think it might, esp if Loyola starts hot again next year. If they stumble though, they'll get buried. That remains to be seen. But no doubt their ceiling is so much higher than Wichiwho's.

Will the committee give us better seeds? Bradley's AD will make sure they don't forget this!

Totally disagree with that. This is one run after Loyola has been largely irrelevant for 30+ years. They are also spending right in line with the rest of the Valley. This isn't Wichita spending $6M annually on basketball.

Their ceiling is the same as everyone elses in the Valley. Cyclical with big upticks when they've got older guys. Just like UNI recently and SIU in the past. You suffer a down year or two to build to being really good for a 1 to 2 year window.

I take absolutely nothing away from Loyola and I hope they get two more Ws but the draw helped immensely. They ran into Nevada and KState in their regional. Similar UNI teams ran into Michigan State and Louisville and similar SIU teams ran into Kansas and UConn.

[Mikovio]

MissouriValleyUnite, I’m sure more ppl are talking about/interested in the MVC, especially up around Chicago, and buying more Loyola merchandise but will that translate into tv deals? Will the ncaa tourney committee be more respectful to MVC teams in terms of ranking/bids?

As I see it, one great scenario would be more Chicago area atheletes are willing to play for MVC team (hopefully Loyola doesn’t get them all)

It could certainly translate into a bigger ESPN deal, and ensure CBS stays on board. The MVCT final ratings were proof in the pudding. And at that time, Loyola fever hadn't even taken hold yet. More ESPN_ and CBSSN games and more money for them can't hurt.

Recruiting in Chicago gets easier.

Obviously, Chicago media is all over Loyola ATM. Will this increased coverage carry over? I think it might, esp if Loyola starts hot again next year. If they stumble though, they'll get buried. That remains to be seen. But no doubt their ceiling is so much higher than Wichiwho's.

Will the committee give us better seeds? Bradley's AD will make sure they don't forget this!

Totally disagree with that. This is one run after Loyola has been largely irrelevant for 30+ years. They are also spending right in line with the rest of the Valley. This isn't Wichita spending $6M annually on basketball.

Their ceiling is the same as everyone elses in the Valley. Cyclical with big upticks when they've got older guys. Just like UNI recently and SIU in the past. You suffer a down year or two to build to being really good for a 1 to 2 year window.

I take absolutely nothing away from Loyola and I hope they get two more Ws but the draw helped immensely. They ran into Nevada and KState in their regional. Similar UNI teams ran into Michigan State and Louisville and similar SIU teams ran into Kansas and UConn.

Well the $$$ is there if they want to spend it. $750 million endowment, alumni with deep pockets. Now that they've seen what is possible will they try to sustain it? UNI stepped up to the plate and paid Jacobson; SIU stepped up and paid Lowery (ok, bad example). I don't know if they will but they can, and that's why I say they have a high ceiling. And not only is the money there, but being in Chicago beats the hell out of Wichita as far as the TV networks are concerned.

[Rambler63]

Just a note from a Loyola fan-- Sincere thanks to all of our conference mates and opponents in the MVC, for (mostly, eventually) welcoming us into the league and for being such great opponents. We know that every game is going to bring your best, and no one can sleep on anyone in this league. You have all helped a lot in making us a much better program.

Almost every Loyola fan I know will tell you that joining the MVC was an essential step in reaching the Final Four. It helped our recruiting and our preparation, our toughness and our confidence. It's kind of awkward to say it, but all the Loyola fans I know (mostly the old-timers and die-hards) are absolutely proud and honored to be a part of this great conference. So here's to civility, and everyone working together to make the conference better and more prosperous for all.

Thanks!

[VUGrad1314]

Just a note from a Loyola fan-- Sincere thanks to all of our conference mates and opponents in the MVC, for (mostly, eventually) welcoming us into the league and for being such great opponents. We know that every game is going to bring your best, and no one can sleep on anyone in this league. You have all helped a lot in making us a much better program.

Almost every Loyola fan I know will tell you that joining the MVC was an essential step in reaching the Final Four. It helped our recruiting and our preparation, our toughness and our confidence. It's kind of awkward to say it, but all the Loyola fans I know (mostly the old-timers and die-hards) are absolutely proud and honored to be a part of this great conference. So here's to civility, and everyone working together to make the conference better and more prosperous for all.

Thanks!

Well stated. I know that the Valpo fanbase is beyond proud to be a member of this conference as well; and we, like the rest of the MVC, are darn proud of the Ramblers and what they accomplished this year. I hope that this year marks a new era of prosperity and success for the MVC and its programs and that the conference soars ever higher! May the Valley always send its best teams to the dance whoever they may be; May those teams continuously succeed in the tournament; and may this conference at long last receive the national respect it so richly deserves. If I may borrow Loyola's Twitter hashtag for a moment: #OnwardMVC

[BirdsEyeView]

Just a note from a Loyola fan-- Sincere thanks to all of our conference mates and opponents in the MVC, for (mostly, eventually) welcoming us into the league and for being such great opponents. We know that every game is going to bring your best, and no one can sleep on anyone in this league. You have all helped a lot in making us a much better program.

Almost every Loyola fan I know will tell you that joining the MVC was an essential step in reaching the Final Four. It helped our recruiting and our preparation, our toughness and our confidence. It's kind of awkward to say it, but all the Loyola fans I know (mostly the old-timers and die-hards) are absolutely proud and honored to be a part of this great conference. So here's to civility, and everyone working together to make the conference better and more prosperous for all.

Thanks!

Well stated. I know that the Valpo fanbase is beyond proud to be a member of this conference as well; and we, like the rest of the MVC, are darn proud of the Ramblers and what they accomplished this year. I hope that this year marks a new era of prosperity and success for the MVC and its programs and that the conference soars ever higher! May the Valley always send its best teams to the dance whoever they may be; May those teams continuously succeed in the tournament; and may this conference at long last receive the national respect it so richly deserves. If I may borrow Loyola's Twitter hashtag for a moment: #OnwardMVC

[glm38]

Just a note from a Loyola fan-- Sincere thanks to all of our conference mates and opponents in the MVC, for (mostly, eventually) welcoming us into the league and for being such great opponents. We know that every game is going to bring your best, and no one can sleep on anyone in this league. You have all helped a lot in making us a much better program.

Almost every Loyola fan I know will tell you that joining the MVC was an essential step in reaching the Final Four. It helped our recruiting and our preparation, our toughness and our confidence. It's kind of awkward to say it, but all the Loyola fans I know (mostly the old-timers and die-hards) are absolutely proud and honored to be a part of this great conference. So here's to civility, and everyone working together to make the conference better and more prosperous for all.

Thanks!

Well said. Your team was a pleasure to watch this year. Classy all down the line. I think better things are in store for the MVC in the near future.

[VUGrad1314]

Just a note from a Loyola fan-- Sincere thanks to all of our conference mates and opponents in the MVC, for (mostly, eventually) welcoming us into the league and for being such great opponents. We know that every game is going to bring your best, and no one can sleep on anyone in this league. You have all helped a lot in making us a much better program.

Almost every Loyola fan I know will tell you that joining the MVC was an essential step in reaching the Final Four. It helped our recruiting and our preparation, our toughness and our confidence. It's kind of awkward to say it, but all the Loyola fans I know (mostly the old-timers and die-hards) are absolutely proud and honored to be a part of this great conference. So here's to civility, and everyone working together to make the conference better and more prosperous for all.

Thanks!

Well said. Your team was a pleasure to watch this year. Classy all down the line. I think better things are in store for the MVC in the near future.

Couldn't agree more.

[Ricardo del Rio]

It's nice and it will certainly give Loyola a chance to increase interest and attendance next year, but without sustained success by both Loyola and other MVC teams , it'll be just a blip in a year or two. Remember other MM teams have done similar in the past decade; if they were able to parlay that into sustained success then they profited individually like Butler and WSU, but their conferences didn't. If they didn't sustain it, then a couple years later, who thinks about George Mason nationally ??? Remember the A-10 also had VCU make a run, so ask yourself, is the A-10 closer to being included with the Bigs, or closer to being raided for the few good teams and fading into obscurity.

The system is just too slanted towards the P-5+1[maybe 2] right now. It's extremely hard for an individual team to make inroads, but still possible; it's even more so for a conference.

A solid post.

[squirrel]

It's nice and it will certainly give Loyola a chance to increase interest and attendance next year, but without sustained success by both Loyola and other MVC teams , it'll be just a blip in a year or two. Remember other MM teams have done similar in the past decade; if they were able to parlay that into sustained success then they profited individually like Butler and WSU, but their conferences didn't. If they didn't sustain it, then a couple years later, who thinks about George Mason nationally ??? Remember the A-10 also had VCU make a run, so ask yourself, is the A-10 closer to being included with the Bigs, or closer to being raided for the few good teams and fading into obscurity.

The system is just too slanted towards the P-5+1[maybe 2] right now. It's extremely hard for an individual team to make inroads, but still possible; it's even more so for a conference.

A solid post.

While those are good points, the Valley is an outlier. Many different programs have had success and the league has been able to remain a top 10 DI league, almost every year for nearly 20 solid years now, even after the Tulsas, Creightons, and Wichitas walked away, and while adding schools that membership was quite underwhelmed with-even though the UNIs and Loyolas have more than proven their worth.

It's hard to argue that individual teams have benefited from the success, but the league has definitely benefited collectively from it, even programs that were not directly responsible for the success.