Gonzaga needs to join the Big East

[shizzle787]

Hi all. This is my first post on the board. I support UConn so I am an outsider but here goes:
The Big East media deal is up in 2025 in a little over three years. All of the other power basketball leagues will have at least 12 teams by that point. Val Ackerman has suggested the league is considering expansion. Leagues who aren't raided usually only expand at the top-end (see the SEC). I believe the Big East wants to add Gonzaga. I believe FOX wants to add Gonzaga. I have to believe that Gonzaga is at least considering it.


Back to Gonzaga: the main issue is travel. But I don't think it's as big of a deal as everyone makes it out to be. Gonzaga currently has 8 men's and 8 women's sports. The NCAA only requires 7/7 men's/women's or 6/8. Also, you only have to play six sports in your main conference.

Therefore, the travel issue could be mitigated by the following:
A) Cutting M/W tennis
B) Either keeping M/W rowing in the WCC or some other Western league (as the Big East doesn't sponsor it)
C) Combining trips so that they only make 5 trips per year east for M/W basketball
D) Continue to schedule western-based teams OOC in Olympic sports

This would leave the following sports in the Big East:
M/W basketball (5 trips per year east for each)
M/W soccer (3 trips per year east for each)
M baseball (4 trips per year east)
W volleyball (5 trips per year east)
M/W golf (1 trip for Big East championship)
M/W track and cross country (1 trip east for Big East championship)

When you look at it when people talk about Gonzaga bringing their Olympic sports across the country, you're really only talking about soccer, baseball, and volleyball in addition to basketball. It's not that bad.

Ultimately, I think the Big East, Gonzaga, and FOX all realize this and get it done.

P.S. Your floor in the Big East is much cushier than in the WCC post-Few.

[strikenowhere]

Hey shizzle787,

We've already squeezed the juice out of that turnip a couple of months ago:

http://guboards.spokesmanreview.com/...p-the-Big-East
http://guboards.spokesmanreview.com/...East-Expansion

To sum it up - a lot of people, both fans & media talking heads - agree with it. The only big - and I mean BIG - concern is the travel issue, for non-basketball sports. I personally didn't see it as a deal-breaker, especially if the new TV contract that the Zags would participate in makes up for the new costs. Plus games in Philly/NYC/Newark means I get to see the team play a few times each year! However I'm just a lowly fan that doesn't get paid the big bucks to make these decisions. All in all, though, I think it gets done in the end. Talk has cooled down since the season has started, but that TV contract renewal date is approaching and I highly doubt Gonzaga is going to view one up-year for the WCC as a good enough reason to stand-pat and turn down a Big East offer, especially with BYU leaving the fold soon.

[Kiddwell]

Hi, Shizzle. Welcome to GU Boards.

Yes, leaving the WCC for the Big East is a lively subject over here. This fan (early reluctant) has been won over to the idea, though the logistics still bother me. If the Big East would think in terms of adding, say, three or four "westerly" teams, don't know who (not necessarily West Coast), then divide the expanded conference into East and West Divisions, with limited play between out-of-division teams, maybe our flying east would be akin to our present flights down to LA and San Diego.

Would love to see GU somehow tie in with the Big East and Big 12. Villanova, UConn, Baylor, and Kansas every year would be fun.


:]

<Would miss our annual tussles with San Francisco, Pepperdine, and St. Mary's though.>

[jazzdelmar]

There's no will, so there's no way. WCC is too much of a comfort zone and an EZ pass to the NCAAs and a sterling W-L percentage.

[Bogozags]

I do think that travel is the main obstacle to any deal between GU and BE. It is a concern for GU but I think even more so for the BE teams having to fly out too Spokane for "one" game and then fly back.

There would have to be two divisions and call them what you like east-west or ... but travel for BE teams would be such an expense and not sure the tV money in the new contract to add GU would be worth it...

Two or three non-football schools would have to be added and not sure from where they would come (SMC, USF, SCU, Portland, Denver or...)? Don't see SMC, USF or SCU EVER leaving the WCC...they are the "anchor schools" of the WCC...

Right now GU is getting to become "King of the West" and as stated by Jazz, "with an EZ Pass to the NCAA" with very a limited increase in operating costs.

Not sure it will help with recruiting, if so then Butler, with its run to BTB FF's would be a consistent Top 25 school.

Kansas, Butler and other B12 schools will not join a BB only conference as Football is the money maker and BB is just along for the ride at these schools...no matter how many FF's these schools might win...

I just don't see it happening...I see GU moving to the MWC first before the BE deal would materialize...

Remember...IMO...this isn't about competition but rather dollars and cents and I don't see the rewards being high enough to make the move to the BE "IF" GU would even get an invite...

I just think it isn't a "win-win" financially for the BE.

[jazzdelmar]

I do think that travel is the main obstacle to any deal between GU and BE. It is a concern for GU but I think even more so for the BE teams having to fly out too Spokane for "one" game and then fly back.

There would have to be two divisions and call them what you like east-west or ... but travel for BE teams would be such an expense and not sure the tV money in the new contract to add GU would be worth it...

Two or three non-football schools would have to be added and not sure from where they would come (SMC, USF, SCU, Portland, Denver or...)? Don't see SMC, USF or SCU EVER leaving the WCC...they are the "anchor schools" of the WCC...

Right now GU is getting to become "King of the West" and as stated by Jazz an easy trip to the Dance with very a limited increase in operating costs.

Not sure it will help with recruiting, if so then Butler, with its run to BTB FF's would be a consistent Top 25 school.

Kansas, Butler and other B12 schools will not join a BB only conference as Football is the money maker and BB is just along for the ride at these schools...no matter how many FF's these schools might win...

I just don't see it happening...I see GU moving to the MWC first before the BE deal would materialize...

Remember...IMO...this isn't about competition but rather dollars and cents and I don't see the rewards being high enough to make the move to the BE "IF" GU would even get an invite...

I just think it isn't a "win-win" financially for the BE.

Yup, and you might have bolded the EZ pass to the NCAAs, that's where the money is for GU and for the WCC, the deal GU made w the devil.

[Bogozags]

Yup, and you might have bolded the EZ pass to the NCAAs, that's where the money is for GU and for the WCC, the deal GU made w the devil.

Sorry for changing the quote but did make the correction...lol

[jazzdelmar]

Sorry for changing the quote but did make the correction...lol

No problem, Boswell.

[zagfan1]

I personally think if some more teams move around to other conferences closer to the end of the Fox contract and if the financial proposal is great to lure Gonzaga in it could happen. Ideally, if Gonzaga was added to the Big 12 as a non football school that would be best from a travel perspective. However, not sure the Big 12 would do that. It’s most likely stay in the WCC or go to Big East. Mark Few is a competitor and a national recruiter. If recruits don’t want to come to play in the WCC because BYU is leaving that would need to be considered. Posters on here definitely have discussed this topic and there are differing opinions for sure.

[ZagsObserver]

If GU got an invite, they’d be in the Big East. They haven’t gotten an invite.

And since when has Few and GU ever been about the easy path??

[zagfan08]

Welcome, I agree!

[strikenowhere]

If GU got an invite, they’d be in the Big East. They haven’t gotten an invite.

And since when has Few and GU ever been about the easy path??

To be fair the Big East's TV contract doesn't expire until 2025. Likely that there are at least 1-2 more years before the Zags would be formally extended an invite.

[willandi]

To be fair the Big East's TV contract doesn't expire until 2025. Likely that there are at least 1-2 more years before the Zags would be formally extended an invite.

Isn't it possible that serious talks are ongoing,an invite has been made ( and maybe even accepted), but all parties are being mum until closer to the time?

[strikenowhere]

Isn't it possible that serious talks are ongoing,an invite has been made ( and maybe even accepted), but all parties are being mum until closer to the time?

Oh yeah that is certainly possible; just making the point that if there was a move it wouldn't be for a while so the lack of any news isn't an indication that the Zags aren't being invited.

[gu03alum]

meh