Valley Expansion

[CubbieBear]

I say we just bring football back to the hilltop and stop all this talk.

C'mon, Bradley back on the gridiron would be AWESOME!

Man...would that be awesome or what!! A football team absolutely makes a university a special place to be in the fall...I love the atmosphere of campus on game day, the tailgating smells, the band, and all the fun. Sure wish we could get a football team here on the hilltop--but I don't think it will ever happen

[thefish7]

Also the football cost issue could be alleviated by new conference revenue. If a megaconference came and said we'd like to have you in our conference but you have to add a football program within 5 years-- btw conference payouts are $16M per year, then your answer can become "yes, we'll add football, thanks much."

I think that's unlikely but the only way I can imagine a BU football program outside of a billionaire alum deciding he wants one.

[squirrelgotdead]

Football would never be able to make a go of it at Bradley.

Football was canned largely due to economic reasons, chief among them being not enough of a fan base, despite respectable but not great teams until only the last very few years.

While there would be some novel interest, the Peoria market is already committed elsewhere on Saturdays: Illinois, ISU, WIU, Knox, Monmouth, Eureka, etc. And fewer would attend if Notre Dame, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa or Missouri were on TV.

They would also not have an adequate facility.

After the first few games, it would be a disaster.

[thefish7]

Yeah I agree squirrel. I think bradley's best to focus on other sports... Unless we HAD to have football.

[BUBrave28]

1. Do we have a billionaire alumni? Not sure if Markin is or not, but other than him?

2. My head hurts.

3. For some reason, I don't know why, I don't see all of the dominos falling this summer. Maybe it's just blind hope. I think the East Coast conferences may wait and see how this shakes out in the West. Then, either go with a similar/identical model or see what issues and problems arise and then go with their own plan once they get a feel for what their member schools are likely to want.

4. We need to look at schools with good basketball and no/mediocre football programs (Gonzaga, Nova, Georgetown, Butler, etc.). We're not going to get into a bball only conference with them most likely BUT we can see their approach and try to get in on a basketball "focused" league positioned right behind an east coast basketball power conference.

5. How are other MVC members affiliated for football currently? I think I have a great idea/solution we could explore, but it's important to know what they do for football now.

[thefish7]

1. Do we have a billionaire alumni? Not sure if Markin is or not, but other than him?

2. My head hurts.

3. For some reason, I don't know why, I don't see all of the dominos falling this summer. Maybe it's just blind hope. I think the East Coast conferences may wait and see how this shakes out in the West. Then, either go with a similar/identical model or see what issues and problems arise and then go with their own plan once they get a feel for what their member schools are likely to want.

4. We need to look at schools with good basketball and no/mediocre football programs (Gonzaga, Nova, Georgetown, Butler, etc.). We're not going to get into a bball only conference with them most likely BUT we can see their approach and try to get in on a basketball "focused" league positioned right behind an east coast basketball power conference.

5. How are other MVC members affiliated for football currently? I think I have a great idea/solution we could explore, but it's important to know what they do for football now.

MVC teams with football are either in the Missouri Valley Football Conference or the Pioneer League, both FCS organizations. The MVFC is a pretty good FCS league, while the Pioneer League is comprised of teams that have no scholarships for their football players. Basically the MVFC ones are serious and the Pioneer programs are not.

MVFC - Illinois St, Indy St, Missouri St, Northern Iowa, SIU, and then non-MVC members North Dakota State, South Dakota St, Western Illinois, and Youngstown St.

Pioneer - Drake, and I thought Evansville.. But it turns out E'ville already got rid of football. Pioneer btw also has teams from "interesting schools" Butler, Dayton, and Valpo.

[BUBrave28]

OK, found the info I was looking for. Here's what I propose we do:

1. Disband Valley football -- so Youngstown St., WIU, ND St, SD St. are gone.

2. We are left with SIU-C, UNI, ISUred, ISUblue, DU, and MoSt as members with football, for now.

3. Evansville -- gone for now, but could fit back in (at step 6), depending on who we could pull in.

4. MVC is left with 9 teams -- 3 basketball only (BU, CU, and WSU -- as far as I know no football for any of those schools) and 6 with football (SIU-C, UNI, ISUred, ISUblue, DU and MoSt).

5. Expand MVC from there to 16 schools. First, add at least 4, at most 7 football schools as full members. This way we have at least 10 football schools and possibly 12 if they want to do a conference championship game. In a dreamland you get Kansas, KSt, IA St., Cincy, Memphis, Butler, or Dayton. More likely you could add teams like W.Kent, Valpo, Mid Tenn St. Basically, we have a lot of upper FCS teams and new/lower FBS teams. Any other ideas for football members we could add that fit this profile?

6. Then MVC adds 2 basketball only schools from a list that could include SLU, Xavier, Marquette, DePaul, and Butler. Again, none likely especially if there is an east coast super basketball conference. More likely to add from Horizon, MAC, CUSA or A10 leftovers . Any specific ideas on basketball only members?

7. Split the MVC into two 8-team divisions for every sport except football.

8. In the scenario on page 2, the A10 is down to six teams. Maybe 4 go to CUSA. CUSA has 16 teams. MWC picks up B12 leftovers Kansas, KSt, Baylor, and IA ST and takes Fresno St., Boise St. and Nevada from WCC to get to 16.

The 16-team MVC is then positioned behind the Big16, SEC, ACC, Pac16, MWC and a 16-team east coast basketball superconference. A10 would be gone. We would then be battling a 16-team CUSA to be the 7th best basketball conference.

This way we can hold on to conference relevancy in basketball. We also keep all football members happy. Maybe we get football members to all go to FBS or they all go FCS and we are the premier FCS football conference.

The more I think about it, the more this would make sense (although I would of course much prefer to be in the basketball super conference if possible).

[SFP]

Little OT but I've been on a few ESPN threads commenting how KU is in big trouble between the Feds and the conference realignment. Plenty of Jayhawk fans who are in complete denial.

[abraveforlife]

It is inevitable.......

Bradley needs to get with the Missouri Valley and send out all inquiries to other mid major conferences. This "super conference realignment" is football driven, but is going to have a major effect on mid major/small schools seat at the basketball table. When there are 4 super conferences, they will dictate to the NCAA, not the other way around. This is very alarming. For one, it is clear that Kansas is out. They will be in the Mountain West. Whether that will have any effect on there history remains to be seen.

Basically, Bradley and all the schools in the Missouri Valley need to build a stronger conference or get ready to join a new one in order to remain somewhat strong in the wake of what is happening. I don't believe we will ever see football at Bradley. I fear that our basketball will be irrelevant when these enormously powerful conferences form their own post season tournament. They will dictate.

Also, aren't these "student athletes"...... student athletes!!! I have seen a few articles written and some commentary on television, but more has to be said about the greed of Delany and all the other conferences AD's who are going to follow through on making serious $$$$. I know its business, but this is ridiculous. Millions off the backs of unpaid (some are paid) athletes.

Sorry for the length, haven't posted in sometime. Go Braves.

[Dallas Brave]

Like that of the Big 12, the time of the MVC is over.

Now is the time for Bradley leadership to be bold and at least attempt to shape its future in the midst of the upheaval that is starting. The MVC needs to be blown up.

If I was JG, I would:

(1) reach out to Drake, Creighton, and Butler and discuss the benefits of coordinating as a group

(2) propose establishing a pre-eminent mid-western conference of private schools. Use the conference re-alignment to create a conference of like-minded academic institutions.

(3) Play the Jesuit card and try to join the Catholic schools who are also trying to determine their future … those schools being Marquette, DePaul, Xavier, Dayton, St. Louis, Creighton, and Detroit.

(4) Add Drake, Bradley, and Butler to the mix and you have accomplished two things.

Firstly, you have created a mid-west conference that can market itself, similar to the Ivy League, to attract high caliber students, strengthen endowments, and establish themselves as an attractive alternative to going east or attending a large state school with top-notch academics like Michigan or Illinois.

Secondly, a very strong mid-west basketball conference located in major metropolitan areas that has strong TV marketing would be created. Practically contiguous TV markets from Cincinnati to Omaha and Milwaukee to St. Louis has been created. While some pooh-pooh Peoria, it sits at the intersection of the two axes. The new league would have no trouble selling content to Fox Sports Network and ESPN.

(5) Add lacrosse. Key sports become Fall: Soccer, Winter: Basketball, Spring; Lacrosse then baseball. Baseball is nice, but it is dominated by southern schools. Lacrosse needs to be added as soon as possible.

[BUBrave28]

DB, from a marketing standpoint this makes a ton of sense, ESPECIALLY for Bradley. With the current branding problems BU is focused on attempting to resolve, affiliation with a conference like this would be amazing. We also have an AD from the Ivy League who could lead this up.

[BUFanatic]

I still think we should keep UNI and do something about ISUred. That ISUred series has been what our program has been made out of since the 80s

[SFP]

I still think we should keep UNI and do something about ISUred. That ISUred series has been what our program has been made out of since the 80s

ISU red should not have an impact on what BU should do. period. We can still play them once a year regardless. I also believe our reach will need to extend a bit further with an alliance with some schools which will also be searching for answers. I can see the Big East imploding in the near future and there is no time like now to reach out and explore possibilities. Our best bet is if there is a big split that there becomes an east coast and mid-west basketball only super conference. Throw in the possibility of the west coast schools like Gonzaga and St. Mary's group together with others for a similar conference and then you can create enough PR and media power to overcame the Super conferences that are being built for football. Football concerns can be over come for basketball. First of all BU needs to put itself within the right team of schools to over come any type of realignment. It starts with CU and Butler IMO.

[BUFanatic]

I agree they shouldn't affect our decision. Heck, if we could get that same rivalry going with Butler, I wouldn't have a problem leaving ISUred behind. I'd like to see an Illini-BU rivalry too, if possible after the re-alignment.