Belmont to Missouri Valley

[smidge34]

When we went through this a few years ago I tried to go to the Belmont message board. I found nothing, not even a reddit focused on sports.

They have a free CSN board that used to see some action years ago and that’s it, nothing in years. Their announced home attendance figures like EVERY other OVC program but Murray is made up BS lol. Their student section is usually ok but they bring next to nobody to away games or the conference tournament.

[Drakey]

When we went through this a few years ago I tried to go to the Belmont message board. I found nothing, not even a reddit focused on sports.

They have a free CSN board that used to see some action years ago and that’s it, nothing in years. Their announced home attendance figures like EVERY other OVC program but Murray is made up BS lol. Their student section is usually ok but they bring next to nobody to away games or the conference tournament.

Who brings fans to away games? Other than UNI nobody brings fans to Drake other than the 50 or 60 people associated with t e program. I assume they are staff and players families. The goal would be to have no tickets available for visiting fans.

[smidge34]

When we went through this a few years ago I tried to go to the Belmont message board. I found nothing, not even a reddit focused on sports.

They have a free CSN board that used to see some action years ago and that’s it, nothing in years. Their announced home attendance figures like EVERY other OVC program but Murray is made up BS lol. Their student section is usually ok but they bring next to nobody to away games or the conference tournament.

Who brings fans to away games? Other than UNI nobody brings fans to Drake other than the 50 or 60 people associated with t e program. I assume they are staff and players families. The goal would be to have no tickets available for visiting fans.

Murray State does on the regular. We turn opponents’ gyms into homecourt advantage. Granted we have several conference road games under 5 hour drives and programs with crappy home attendance who actually have one price they charge for the Murray game and then one for everyone else lol. Totally different animal in OVC.

[jsaluki080]

Some interesting news articles are already making the rounds.
I personally enjoyed this one.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bustingbra ... rence/amp/

[tribecalledquest]

When we went through this a few years ago I tried to go to the Belmont message board. I found nothing, not even a reddit focused on sports.

They have a free CSN board that used to see some action years ago and that’s it, nothing in years. Their announced home attendance figures like EVERY other OVC program but Murray is made up BS lol. Their student section is usually ok but they bring next to nobody to away games or the conference tournament.

Who brings fans to away games? Other than UNI nobody brings fans to Drake other than the 50 or 60 people associated with t e program. I assume they are staff and players families. The goal would be to have no tickets available for visiting fans.

Until the recent run of success Loyola home games were 40-50% Bradley fans for those games.

[Roberts Stadium]

I've never been a fan of adding Belmont in terms of geography. Even with the close proximity to the southern teams in the conference, it still seems far away from the conference's Midwest image, but times are a lot different and they are certainly much closer than all of these other teams way out west. None of that matters really because Belmont is a perfect fit for the Valley. Its nice to add a team that will actually improve the quality of basketball and not just be a warm body to keep the league from folding.

I am surprised this news broke separate from any other school announcement. Hopefully the next step is Murray as #12 and not a school like Missouri State leaving or a current valley team leaving Div I which I'm really surprised didn't happen after so many schools took a huge hit from Covid.

[BCPanther]

I like Murray for the MVFC because they're shitty. An extra win for everybody when 70% of the league is a Top 20 type program will be very welcome.

I just can't imagine they aren't a package deal and the Belmont news just happened to break first.

[goramblers2011]

To be fair, Loyola didn't have much of a fan following either, prior to joining the Valley. They averaged 2277 in 2012 and are only about 3200 now. But their fans do travel now. There's a difference between travelling for a one-and-done scenario when you've been there before, and when you expect to make a run, as well.

Definitely true, but I don't think that's a fair comparison. Loyola was brutal when they had their low attendance. Conference affiliation didn't matter--if they continued to suck, attendance would continue to be embarrassing. Belmont has been good for a while and still has super low fan support. I am not sure how switching to the MVC will change that, but I'd love to be proven wrong. Still think they are the best (realistic) add for us.

[municup14]

If Murray joins the MVC for football too,wouldn't that be a downgrade for football.
Also if Murray joins the MVC that would definitely increase Evansvilles home games
attendance when they play the Racers.A lot of people from Evansville attended Murray.

[jsaluki080]

If Murray joins the MVC for football too,wouldn't that be a downgrade for football.

I don't care much for football so perhaps my take is incorrect but I'd imagine as long as the MVFC continues producing multiple top ranked teams, 1 clunker shouldn't have much of an impact. Anyways, it's FCS. It's not like we would lose a major TV deal over the "downgrade".