Fanning The Flames - Big East Expansion

[RenoZag]

FWIW: Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson gave a radio interview to Boise's KTIK - FM in which he said "Conversations with Gonzaga basketball are not dead." Theo Lawson posted that tid bit on his twitter feed.

The interview is archived here: https://www.ktik.com/2021/10/15/crai...ga-basketball/

[229SintoZag]

100% this. To be fair it seems like Few has cut down on OOC travel a lot recently anyway; weren't people griping this season how the team has no true OOC road games?

No. People were griping that the team has only one true OOC home game (Texas) but that’s another topic.

[zagamatic]

Am I the only one who is thinking about how joining the BE would likely change tipoff times for a significant portion of the schedule which would quite possibly make it difficult for a lot of working fans to watch the games live? Sure, you can record it and watch it later. Bit that is not very appealing for the networks as most people fast forward through their revenue generating commercials. Plus, there's just nothing like watching it as it unfolds.

[strikenowhere]

FWIW: Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson gave a radio interview to Boise's KTIK - FM in which he said "Conversations with Gonzaga basketball are not dead." Theo Lawson posted that tid bit on his twitter feed.

The interview is archived here: https://www.ktik.com/2021/10/15/crai...ga-basketball/

With all indications pointing to Boise St & SDSU looking for the first P5 offer to jump ship I really just don't see this happening anymore. It is Big East or bust.

[HenneZag]

With all indications pointing to Boise St & SDSU looking for the first P5 offer to jump ship I really just don't see this happening anymore. It is Big East or bust.

Yep the WCC is more appealing if that's the case.

[Bogozags]

With all indications pointing to Boise St & SDSU looking for the first P5 offer to jump ship I really just don't see this happening anymore. It is Big East or bust.

I think that BSU and SDSU are not research schools; subsequently, the P-12 would not be picking them up...IF SDSU was a research school, then they would have been snapped up years ago and before UTAH as San Diego is a much larger TV market than SLC. The B12 would not have any interest in BSU but SDSU could have been but they were not chosen in their most recent additions...imo

[Kiddwell]

On my earlier list,...

...forgot the East Coast's sixth school, UConn. If we joined the Big East, we'd balance out the "westerly schools" as their division's sixth school.

The more I read this thread, the more I like membership in the Big East. Still a little skittish about several long hauls all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, but if (as suggested) we play a lot of nearby OOC opponents (please -- SMC, Pepp, USF, and BYU) then overall flying distance (yearly) may not be objectionable.

One question: Though not being the Big East's official network, doesn't ESPN still broadcast some Big East home games? (Thinking about the Big East's upcoming tv negotiations.)

:]

[strikenowhere]

I think that BSU and SDSU are not research schools; subsequently, the P-12 would not be picking them up...IF SDSU was a research school, then they would have been snapped up years ago and before UTAH as San Diego is a much larger TV market than SLC. The B12 would not have any interest in BSU but SDSU could have been but they were not chosen in their most recent additions...imo

I believe there is actually a decent amount of interest in Boise St from the B12, at least based on what is rumored. You are right though about the Pac-12 not wanting SDSU; both schools would head towards that B12.

[bdmiller7]

Boise St has been talked about with Memphis as the most likely next 2 teams for the Big 12, but I definitely can see Boise St being passed over again. They are not the perennial top 10 team they were a decade ago. Now they are in and out of the polls, usually in the 20’s, and not off to a good start this year with a new coach. While Boise is growing, it still is a fairly small market and in Idaho. The stadium would be one of the smallest, if not the smallest stadiums in the Big 12. Memphis fits better geographically and has had recent success in football and is definitely hot right now in basketball. South Florida would be the other school I’d see as a threat for Boise St’s spot. Large school in a bigger market in a state everybody wants to recruit in. Natural rival for UCF. They are planning to build a new on campus stadium, meanwhile playing in the Buccaneers home. In a couple years I see them as being a more appealing expansion option than Boise St. If the Big 12 adds 4 teams then I could see BSU and SDSU being next in line.

[AztecDen]

Yeah the MWC would be a good fit; the problem is you can't trust league stability right now. It is quite possible that San Diego St. & Boise St. are gone the next time the bigwigs start poaching teams. I used to be a big proponent of going to the MWC but it would be bad for the Zags if the conference identity was constantly shifting. The Big East checks all the boxes - stability, quality opponents, increased revenue, University mission fit - except travel/logistics, but I am sure that that can be ironed out.

That is, indeed, a possibility. I have heard that the B12 could take 3 western teams to take travel pressure off of BYU. The conference is getting better and hopefully the coaching hires at UNLV, UNM and SJSU get those programs performing better. If y'all don't leave the WCC I'd love to see you schedule a home and away MWC team each year on a rotating basis with the better performing teams to replace the BYU games.

[AztecDen]

I think that BSU and SDSU are not research schools; subsequently, the P-12 would not be picking them up...IF SDSU was a research school, then they would have been snapped up years ago and before UTAH as San Diego is a much larger TV market than SLC. The B12 would not have any interest in BSU but SDSU could have been but they were not chosen in their most recent additions...imo

SDSU is a Tier II research school. With our west campus addition we hope to improve on that. Still, even if we were a Tier I school I doubt the California schools would want a CSU affiliate in their club. If the Big10 were to poach some PAC teams then it is possible that we'd get a look.

[Bogozags]

SDSU is a Tier II research school. With our west campus addition we hope to improve on that. Still, even if we were a Tier I school I doubt the California schools would want a CSU affiliate in their club. If the Big10 were to poach some PAC teams then it is possible that we'd get a look.

When the PAC was the Pac-8, they passed on San Diego State which I thought was a shame...UCLA and UC Berkeley are state schools as well, so don't think that had anything to do with it...I do believe SDSU was not a research school and also maybe because there wasn't a traveling partner school at the time, which is why they picked ASU and UA...good traveling partners...jmho

[jazzdelmar]

When the PAC was the Pac-8, they passed on San Diego State which I thought was a shame...UCLA and UC Berkeley are state schools as well, so don't think that had anything to do with it...I do believe SDSU was not a research school and also maybe because there wasn't a traveling partner school at the time, which is why they picked ASU and UA...good traveling partners...jmho

There’s a San Andreas Fault gap in every institutional metric between UCLA and Cal vs SDSU; then, now, forever.

[Bogozags]

There’s a San Andreas Fault gap in every institutional metric between UCLA and Cal vs SDSU; then, now, forever.

jazz, I don't disagree but back in the day, when ASU and UA were picked SDSU was just as good a school athletically as was SDSU... and since all the other schools (except WSU) in the PAC8 were on the west coast, it would seem to the novice that SDSU would have been a good choice but alas little did I know then about the academics...something I was not too familiar with when I was in school at Freeport U by the Zoo...

[jazzdelmar]

jazz, I don't disagree but back in the day, when ASU and UA were picked SDSU was just as good a school athletically as was SDSU... and since all the other schools (except WSU) in the PAC8 were on the west coast, it would seem to the novice that SDSU would have been a good choice but alas little did I know then about the academics...something I was not too familiar with when I was in school at Freeport U by the Zoo...

I’ve been here in paradise 30 years. Not a week goes by when someone with an SDSU affiliation doesn’t rue the barrier to PAC 10 entry that the Aztecs live with. Even the cute new stadium and campus expansion won’t lower that even an inch, IMO.