The Biggest Loser?

[rlh04d]

Kinda surprising that someone would want their team in the MVC, and there's backlash.

Don't mean it as backlash. Just that you went a bit crazy there.

I'd love to have Saint Louis in the MVC, without a doubt. And you've absolutely been put on an island in the A-10 ... but I think that's almost certainly because you're heading to the new Big East. Even if not, I think Saint Louis as a university has clearly decided that they're more interested in being connected to the east coast than they are in remaining united with midwestern teams. I believe that's mostly due to academic applications.

If Saint Louis can't get into the Big East, I think it's more likely that MVC teams join the A-10 than Saint Louis joins the MVC.

[rally]

Colonial is #1, A-10 is #2.

Colonial has been abused by the Atlantic 10 of late.

A-10 not only subs in George Mason for 4 teams, they more or less constructively evict two more with the Mason add. If it wasn't for the flow of CAA teams to the A-10, the A-10 would stand alone as the biggest loser in the realignment game.

Nice work trading Butler, Xavier, Temple, and Charlotte for George Mason. And to top it off, the commissioner got an extension for it!

If you take a step back and look at the big picture, the A10 replaced Xavier, Temple and Charlotte with VCU, George Mason, and Davidson. The took a hit, but it's hard to consider them one of the biggest losers until the Big East decides what they are doing.

[Mikovio]

The A-10 lost Butler too. I'd say they're far and away the biggest loser. Soon, they may lose UMass to the MAC as well.

The travel costs have to skyrocket for Dayton and SLU (especially) with the loss of all their midwest conference mates. SLU has an $850MM endowment and maybe they can afford to bleed money from their AD but the pressure is increasing. I suppose it's still possible for the A-10 to add a bunch of midwest schools and form a superconference with 2 divisions, but the easiest solution looks to be joining the Valley if they don't feel confident a NBE invite is coming soon. And maybe they don't-- the NBE commish just said they're happy at 10 schools and the A-10 deadline to withdraw for the 2014-15 season was yesterday. Adding Dayton and SLU would be quite the coup for the Valley, and more than make up for the loss of Creighton.

[rally]

The A-10 lost Butler too. I'd say they're far and away the biggest loser. Soon, they may lose UMass to the MAC as well.

The travel costs have to skyrocket for Dayton and SLU (especially) with the loss of all their midwest conference mates. SLU has an $850MM endowment and maybe they can afford to bleed money from their AD but the pressure is increasing. I suppose it's still possible for the A-10 to add a bunch of midwest schools and form a superconference with 2 divisions, but the easiest solution looks to be joining the Valley if they don't feel confident a NBE invite is coming soon. And maybe they don't-- the NBE commish just said they're happy at 10 schools and the A-10 deadline to withdraw for the 2014-15 season was yesterday. Adding Dayton and SLU would be quite the coup for the Valley, and more than make up for the loss of Creighton.

It's more like they never even had Butler. Costs aren't skyrocketing from two years ago because Xavier is now gone. There probably even more manageable with the money from their new TV contract. The Valley really isn't an option for either of them.

[rlh04d]

the A-10 deadline to withdraw for the 2014-15 season was yesterday.

Very interesting. Didn't realize that.

I had assumed Saint Louis would join the NBE for that season rather than right away to avoid the larger A-10 buyout fee.

[Lou_Valley]

the A-10 deadline to withdraw for the 2014-15 season was yesterday.

Very interesting. Didn't realize that.

I had assumed Saint Louis would join the NBE for that season rather than right away to avoid the larger A-10 buyout fee.

It's not a deadline as much as a money saver. 1M for 1 years notice, 2M for less. I don't think SLU would get hung up over money.

[rlh04d]

the A-10 deadline to withdraw for the 2014-15 season was yesterday.

Very interesting. Didn't realize that.

I had assumed Saint Louis would join the NBE for that season rather than right away to avoid the larger A-10 buyout fee.

It's not a deadline as much as a money saver. 1M for 1 years notice, 2M for less. I don't think SLU would get hung up over money.

I wouldn't think so, either, especially given the difference in TV revenue. But I wasn't really sure any other reason that would explain why the NBE wouldn't have just started with 12 teams from the get-go.

[Lou_Valley]

I didn't get it either. If the idea was 12 for Fox, why didn't they start with that? Theories very wildly.

If not the Big East, I want my squad in the Valley. But I don't think that's going to happen.