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Bradley and all MVC teams will see a change in their league schedules. In an attempt to reduce travel and lower risks during the Covid pandemic, the MVC is adopting a similar format to what other conferences have adopted.
"The Conference will continue to play an 18-game format in which most MVC teams will face one another in a two-game series on back-to-back days at the same site. Each institution will play four road series and four home series and will also face their designated 'travel partner' in a single-game, home-and-home series. All Conference play begins after Christmas."
http://mvc-sports.com/news/2020/11/2...vember-20.aspx
The schedule will be released in early December. This new schedule will mean that each team will play 4 MVC opponents only at home (2 games on back-to-back days), and 4 opponents only on the road (for 2 games on back to back days). Plus they will play their "travel partner" home & home. I'd guess that Bradley's travel partner will be Illinois State.
Some teams are currently planning on having fans in attendance (Missouri State, and the Iowa schools and possibly the Indiana schools). That would likely give them a much bigger home court advantage than schools that don't allow fans. If those teams with bigger home court advantage happen to be a top teams like UNI, it could give them an unfair advantage toward winning the MVC. OTOH, because Loyola and Bradley are located in Illinois, where attendance at sporting events may not be allowed, that diminishes any home court advantage. The MVC should level the playing field in regards to anything that affects home court advantage. IMO, if some schools cannot have fans, then the MVC should ban fans for all MVC arenas.
Let's hope Bradley gets UNI and Loyola as two of the teams they play only at Carver Arena.
"The Conference will continue to play an 18-game format in which most MVC teams will face one another in a two-game series on back-to-back days at the same site. Each institution will play four road series and four home series and will also face their designated 'travel partner' in a single-game, home-and-home series. All Conference play begins after Christmas."
http://mvc-sports.com/news/2020/11/2...vember-20.aspx
The schedule will be released in early December. This new schedule will mean that each team will play 4 MVC opponents only at home (2 games on back-to-back days), and 4 opponents only on the road (for 2 games on back to back days). Plus they will play their "travel partner" home & home. I'd guess that Bradley's travel partner will be Illinois State.
Some teams are currently planning on having fans in attendance (Missouri State, and the Iowa schools and possibly the Indiana schools). That would likely give them a much bigger home court advantage than schools that don't allow fans. If those teams with bigger home court advantage happen to be a top teams like UNI, it could give them an unfair advantage toward winning the MVC. OTOH, because Loyola and Bradley are located in Illinois, where attendance at sporting events may not be allowed, that diminishes any home court advantage. The MVC should level the playing field in regards to anything that affects home court advantage. IMO, if some schools cannot have fans, then the MVC should ban fans for all MVC arenas.
Let's hope Bradley gets UNI and Loyola as two of the teams they play only at Carver Arena.
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