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Creighton and the new Catholic 7 league

thefish7 said:
I can hardly blame them. If we were in scope, we'd be hoping for it too.
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I agree. Their average attendance more than doubles everyone else in the league other than Wichita State, and they've made 13 NCAA/NIT appearance since 1998. Arguably, they've been in a league of their own for going on 15 years.
 
Old Coach said:
I agree. Their average attendance more than doubles everyone else in the league other than Wichita State, and they've made 13 NCAA/NIT appearance since 1998. Arguably, they've been in a league of their own for going on 15 years.
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But does moving to a new conference necessarily make things better for them? The fact that they have 13 NCAA/NIT appearances in the previous 15 years tells me they have done very nice being the "king of a small hill", even though they have had some good competition over the years (SIU in the early 00's, several teams in 2005 and 2006, and Wichita State these past two years).

Sometimes new surroundings aren't always the best thing.
 
Pretty easy decision for Creighton. They deserve their reward from their success. Good for them on their upcoming decisions (if invited to one or two conferences). A higher profile conference, if that is the case, gives them improved brand recognition, $$$$$$$, quality teams coming in to play every event (almost). Isn't this what Bradley is after, to improve all parts of the university?
 
Bravesfan said:
But does moving to a new conference necessarily make things better for them? The fact that they have 13 NCAA/NIT appearances in the previous 15 years tells me they have done very nice being the "king of a small hill", even though they have had some good competition over the years (SIU in the early 00's, several teams in 2005 and 2006, and Wichita State these past two years).

Sometimes new surroundings aren't always the best thing.
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It's working out well for Butler and VCU in the A10 this year.
 
stevebu91 said:
Pretty easy decision for Creighton. They deserve their reward from their success. Good for them on their upcoming decisions (if invited to one or two conferences). A higher profile conference, if that is the case, gives them improved brand recognition, $$$$$$$, quality teams coming in to play every event (almost). Isn't this what Bradley is after, to improve all parts of the university?
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It definitely is a better brand recognition, money, quality opponents, etc. But that doesn't always guarantee NCAA Tournament bids. Maybe I'm coming from a different angle here, but why can't we build a higher profile conference from within just like the Mountain West Conference did? I think the Valley has been right on the verge of this on and off for the past six or seven years. No reason why a couple of more programs can't step up and make this a real deep conference. But losing Creighton and Wichita State would kill any chances of that happening, even if we did inherit the Dakota teams from the Summit Conference in the future.
 
Bravesfan said:
It definitely is a better brand recognition, money, quality opponents, etc. But that doesn't always guarantee NCAA Tournament bids. Maybe I'm coming from a different angle here, but why can't we build a higher profile conference from within just like the Mountain West Conference did? I think the Valley has been right on the verge of this on and off for the past six or seven years. No reason why a couple of more programs can't step up and make this a real deep conference. But losing Creighton and Wichita State would kill any chances of that happening, even if we did inherit the Dakota teams from the Summit Conference in the future.
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This is not a game of wishful thinking. This is truly a highly profitable business and we need to treat it as such. The schools in the better conference can create a brand in which TV contracts are bigger and better. Yes getting to the NCAA is the objective of these schools but not making it every so often is OK as long as those TV dollars continue to come in consistently. I'm betting the C7 will expand to at least 16 team conference the next 5 years. Right now they want to maximize their own coffers before considering the next jump. BTW...I can't see WSU moving to the A-10. That is wishful thinking for the A-10.
 
There is already a lot of money on the table for the media rights for the new Catholic 7 conference- even before they decide which other schools to add-
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8932681/sources-big-east-catholic-7-close-reaching-media-rights-deals

It's likely that the additional 3 or 5 schools won't get as much of this money as the Catholic 7 schools will get, since they have already negotiated the deal with NBC by themselves, but it will still be enough to entice them to jump conferences.
 
John Feinstein has a new article, with inside information from university presidents, about the direction the Catholic 7 schools are looking to go, and it is not good news for Creighton-
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...eaa870-7876-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_story.html


According to several people with knowledge of the situation, the group that has come to be known as college basketball??™s ???Catholic 7??? will eventually grow to 12 ??” perhaps not all of them Catholic ??” when they formally begin play as a conference.

In all likelihood, four schools are virtual locks to be invited: Dayton, Xavier, Saint Louis and Butler. The first three are Catholic schools...

The conference leaders want six eastern and six western ??” really, midwestern ??” schools. The eastern division of the league will consist of Georgetown, St. John??™s, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence and either Richmond (also a non-Catholic school) or Siena ??” a late entry but a potentially appealing one because it??™s a Catholic school that (more importantly) plays in a 15,500-seat arena in Albany, N.Y.

The western conference would consist of Marquette, DePaul, Saint Louis, Xavier, Dayton and Butler. If Butler decides not to leave the Atlantic 10 ??” which it joined only this season ??” or if the presidents decide to go with Catholic schools only, the University of Detroit Mercy would come into the picture. Creighton, another Catholic school considered a potential candidate, is considered too far west (Omaha, Neb.) for teams in non-revenue sports to travel.
 
Here's an article about how the top leaders at Georgetown have become unofficially the leaders of the pack of the Catholic 7..
these are the guys leading the drive to organize and succeed with a new 10,12, or more-member conference that's mainly basketball schools.
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/...eorgetown-basketball-basketball-program-hoyas
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/...1_catholic-school-big-east-schools-new-league

They are looking at a HUGE, lucrative media deal.....bigger than the Big East deal...
http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2013...portedly-worth-more-than-big-east-rights.html

This story notes that legends like John Thompson and Georgetown President Jack DeGioia have become some of the most influential leaders ..
BUT - so has Lee Reed, the highly successful Athletic Director at Georgetown...who has helped raise $125 million for athletic facility renovation.
Reed came to Georgetown from Cleveland State where he'd been a fixture for much of the past 3 decades - even playing guard there from 1980-84 and grad asst. from 1984-86..

But they are looking at adding a few more schools - Creighton's been mentioned, Richmond, Dayton, Detroit, Butler, etc.. - not all are Catholic...
Would it be good for us to get into this league if we can???
 
Great find Tornado...

Interesting reading your attached articles....

This may leave a potential bitter pill to swallow for Creighton or a wagon load of sour grapes. If I were Creighton, I would continue the fight for C7 inclusion through less of a revenue take (as a subsidy for other conference members travel costs to Omaha). Your golden if your in.....

Otherwise, I don't feel they will be particularly happy in the MVC going forward. They were/are this close to the big league. Millions of $$$ versus hundreds of thousands and national recognition means alot.

I believe that Creighton and Wichita State will continue to look for higher conference alternatives. Still feel that less than a full share in the B12 may be a surprise alternative for these two someday.
 
I hear Bradley has done some work to try to get affiliated with this Catholic 7, or possibly other leagues. We may never know what has happened, since it mostly gets done privately.

BTW, the Georgetown AD Lee Reed, who was a star guard at Cleveland State played for 1 1/2 years in the same backcourt as Jim Les. I understand they remain close friends.
 
Right - Jim Les was at Cleveland State during Reed's junior season and they had a very good team even tho they were relatively new to D-I, that knocked off Penn State, Xavier, and some other good teams..
Unfortunately - the next year with Les gone - they dropped to 8-20 & that cost Ray Dieringer his job and he never coached again..
 
Da Coach said:
The latest- the Catholic 7 are reportedly planning on adding just 2 other schools initially- Xavier and Butler, then will add Creighton, Dayton, and St. Louis in 2014-
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...name-new-league-next-season-according-sources
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The ESPN article says most likely Creighton is expected to join with Dayton & St Louis. Have heard another source saying that it's going to be 10 teams in 2014-15 with Creighton as #10 (and Dayton/St Louis not in).
 
Da Coach said:
I hear Bradley has done some work to try to get affiliated with this Catholic 7, or possibly other leagues. We may never know what has happened, since it mostly gets done privately...
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Dave Reynolds confirms this in his column today-
http://www.pjstar.com/bradleyhoops/x1037517801/Reynolds-Thursday-night-in-the-Valley?zc_p=0

Check page 2-
BU SHOPPING? A source has told me that Bradley has made overtures to the Catholic 7 schools who are forming their own version of the Big East Conference.

Bradley athletics director Mike Cross would not comment on the potential development, directing any realignment questions to the Valley office. But Cross did speak on the subject.

I wonder if Dave's "source" is the same as mine? :)
 
The key point in Cross' shopping for BU in my opinion is not his overture seeking membership in the C7, but instead hearing the names of who else is calling the C7. The foundation and college names which he may or may not have known may create a nice private conference with our same academic standards. Hmmmm.
 
stevebu91 - I'd like it if we can create or get into a basketball centric conference with like minded institutions that regard academics as much as we do. You would have to believe if CU leaves the Valley and WSU splits as well it will be in BU's best interest if they can't get into the new Big East that they should consider an alignment with the A-10, Horizon and Valley private institutions to form a 2 division conference.
 
SFP said:
stevebu91 - I'd like it if we can create or get into a basketball centric conference with like minded institutions that regard academics as much as we do. You would have to believe if CU leaves the Valley and WSU splits as well it will be in BU's best interest if they can't get into the new Big East that they should consider an alignment with the A-10, Horizon and Valley private institutions to form a 2 division conference.
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Right. We would be "second tier" to the Big East, but still could be a formidable conference similar to what the A-10 is right now.

I think a conference consisting of Bradley, Drake, Detroit, Valparaiso, Dayton, Xavier, Temple, and a few others would be pretty decent. Obviously travel will be the biggest issue here, so it won't be as easy as some would make this out to be. And I know I'm missing other schools here, so maybe there are more in the midwest that can be added before the likes of Temple.
 
Bravesfan said:
Right. We would be "second tier" to the Big East, but still could be a formidable conference similar to what the A-10 is right now.

I think a conference consisting of Bradley, Drake, Detroit, Valparaiso, Dayton, Xavier, Temple, and a few others would be pretty decent. Obviously travel will be the biggest issue here, so it won't be as easy as some would make this out to be. And I know I'm missing other schools here, so maybe there are more in the midwest that can be added before the likes of Temple.
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Bravesfan, Temple is a public, state university in Philadelphia with nearly 40,000 students. IMO they do not fit with your other choices (all smaller private schools).


Here is a list of all the Division I schools, and their affiliations-
http://www.rpiratings.com/schoolaffiliations.php

There just are not many private universities other than in the eastern states. Perhaps ORU, Belmont, or Denver would be the next best options if a private school is desired.
 
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