Reports from Milwaukee paper say Butler and X are in the new league

[Orangemen]

This is shaping up really well for the C7. Look at the markets they've got:

NYC (x2)
Chicago
DC
Philly
Cincy
Indy
Milwaukee

Add in lesser, but decent, Providence, potentially add in St. Louis.

That is a strong footprint. If these guys started a network, you've gotta think there are some profits to be had. It may not be feasible without football, but if any conference can make it work, it's a conference with these cities in its back pocket.

i think they'd even want to consider, if only for a second, adding in a Boston school, if only for the market. Northeastern and BU would be long shots, clearly, but having Boston on your list of cities wouldn't be so bad.

 

[pearl31]

gonna be a heckuva league.
probably 3rd best behind acc and b1g.

 

[billsin01]

Is it wrong to say I like that league way better than the ACC? Teams I care more about, locations closer to my house and cooler venues to see away games. Probably still have their tourneys in cool cities as well. Love that league. NYC/Philly/DC are great, provi is more fun that one would expect and I love Chicago.

 

[Noexcuse]

Is it wrong to say I like that league way better than the ACC? Teams I care more about, locations closer to my house and cooler venues to see away games. Probably still have their tourneys in cool cities as well. Love that league.

Definitely a good league, and I can see myself watching a game here and there, but the reality for me is that unless it's the league that SU is in and the games mean something for SU (ie league standings) it's just not that compelling. I mean thats just me, but most of these are small schools with relatively small followings, and I'm not sure there will be that much of a national appeal.

 

[billsin01]

Definitely a good league, and I can see myself watching a game here and there, but the reality for me is that unless it's the league that SU is in and the games mean something for SU (ie league standings) it's just not that compelling. I mean thats just me, but most of these are small schools with relatively small followings, and I'm not sure there will be that much of a national appeal.

True, but I think national appeal is way overrated (though the BE had both). I mean, Duke/Carolina fine. UK vs. whomever, fine. I'd say the cuse is national appeal type of team at least at this moment, but there really isn't many of those around. Plus, there are still plenty of brand name teams in there. Nova, g'town, xavier, butler, marquette, cincy and st. john's aren't having trouble getting in recruits doors these days.

Plus, it's cool that there is something really strong binding these teams together -- their position as hoops onlies will make this a pretty tight conference and actually afford them some cohesion, which I doubt any league, ACC included, will have the next decade.

I don't know, that's a fun league IMO. Nothing like a big hoops game in a cool city at noon on a saturday.

 

[OttoMets]

Is it wrong to say I like that league way better than the ACC? Teams I care more about, locations closer to my house and cooler venues to see away games. Probably still have their tourneys in cool cities as well. Love that league. NYC/Philly/DC are great, provi is more fun that one would expect and I love Chicago.

I was thinking the same thing; figured I'd get roughed up for even suggesting it.

Unless things change dramatically (and the ACC game doesn't directly affect our place in the standings), I'll watch St. John's-DePaul over North Carolina State-Clemson any Saturday afternoon.

 

[billsin01]

I was thinking the same thing; figured I'd get roughed up for even suggesting it.

Unless things change dramatically (and the ACC game doesn't directly affect our place in the standings), I'll watch St. John's-DePaul over North Carolina State-Clemson any Saturday afternoon.

I agree. Although I suppose it's a small price to pay for all the five-star football recruits, shiny new players lounges and football national championships we'll be seeing in coming years.

 

[OttoMets]

I agree. Although I suppose it's a small price to pay for all the five-star football recruits, shiny new players lounges and football national championships we'll be seeing in coming years.

Haha, one can wish. And if the football team can get people in the seats, stay well above .500, and go 10-2 once every four years, we'll be golden. No complaints with our move; we had to.

 

[billsin01]

Haha, one can wish. And if the football team can get people in the seats, stay well above .500, and go 10-2 once every four years, we'll be golden. No complaints with our move; we had to.

I agree, I was just being a pr!ck b/c I'm still mad about not getting to go to G'town/Cuse games the tourney in MSG every year. But I will say, this is a really cool league and the idea that the bball onlies are dead for some bizarre reason is crazy. In fact, G'town is probably thrilled that we won't be playing within 5 hours of Baltimore anymore. The might actually get the next Donte Greene.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

Is it wrong to say I like that league way better than the ACC? Teams I care more about, locations closer to my house and cooler venues to see away games. Probably still have their tourneys in cool cities as well. Love that league. NYC/Philly/DC are great, provi is more fun that one would expect and I love Chicago.

You can like that league, but it doesn't mean it's a good fit for Syracuse. The ACC offers far more for Syracuse Athletics.

Also Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Pitt > Butler, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Xavier

 

[OttoMets]

I agree, I was just being a pr!ck b/c I'm still mad about not getting to go to G'town/Cuse games the tourney in MSG every year. But I will say, this is a really cool league and the idea that the bball onlies are dead for some bizarre reason is crazy. In fact, G'town is probably thrilled that we won't be playing within 5 hours of Baltimore anymore. The might actually get the next Donte Greene.

As long as Autry's on the staff, that'll be one more way we can stick it to them. Every recruit east of Rock Creek Park belongs to Syracuse.

 

[billsin01]

You can like that league, but it doesn't mean it's a good fit for Syracuse. The ACC offers far more for Syracuse Athletics.

Also Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Pitt > Butler, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Xavier

Both true. But as far as a fan experience goes, particularly for someone in my situation (just north of DC), it's crazy to think I'd have to drive 3 hrs to charlottesville (charlottesville? seriously?) to see my team play hoops. And that, outside of Boston I guess, the coolest city to see a game in our new league is, what, Atlanta? Raleigh? Chapel Hill? greensboro? Charlottesville? Blacksburg? Tallahassee? Ouch. Those are rough choices.

 

[Bornorange]

i think they'd even want to consider, if only for a second, adding in a Boston school, if only for the market. Northeastern and BU would be long shots, clearly, but having Boston on your list of cities wouldn't be so bad.

Not Boston, but perhaps Holy Cross would like to join the reconstituted Big East.

 

[Noexcuse]

Not Boston, but perhaps Holy Cross would like to join the reconstituted Big East.

They had their chance once. I bet they would do it this time.

 

[moqui]

yeah, it looks good now, but it will be a short-lived glory run. by the end of the decade, the FBS schools in the power conferences will exit the NCAA ,set up their own governing body, pay the players in revenue sports, and create their own national championship tournament. they will draw all of the talent and coverage, and the basketball onlies will become the equivalent of D3 basketball.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

You can like that league, but it doesn't mean it's a good fit for Syracuse. The ACC offers far more for Syracuse Athletics.

Also Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Pitt > Butler, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova, Xavier

I think that's right. I like that league too, but it's not the league where Syracuse belongs.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I was thinking the same thing; figured I'd get roughed up for even suggesting it.

Unless things change dramatically (and the ACC game doesn't directly affect our place in the standings), I'll watch St. John's-DePaul over North Carolina State-Clemson any Saturday afternoon.

St. John's vs Depaul might be stretching the point.

 

[OttoMets]

St. John's vs Depaul might be stretching the point.

I went out of my way to choose the least attractive member. And, yeah, that's stretching it a little.

 

[PoppyHart]

If good teams are playing each other, I'll watch it. I don't care what league they're in.

 

[OrangeAl]

yeah, it looks good now, but it will be a short-lived glory run. by the end of the decade, the FBS schools in the power conferences will exit the NCAA ,set up their own governing body, pay the players in revenue sports, and create their own national championship tournament. they will draw all of the talent and coverage, and the basketball onlies will become the equivalent of D3 basketball.

That might be the point at which I say "I'm out."

 

[longtimefan]

Both true. But as far as a fan experience goes, particularly for someone in my situation (just north of DC), it's crazy to think I'd have to drive 3 hrs to charlottesville (charlottesville? seriously?) to see my team play hoops. And that, outside of Boston I guess, the coolest city to see a game in our new league is, what, Atlanta? Raleigh? Chapel Hill? greensboro? Charlottesville? Blacksburg? Tallahassee? Ouch. Those are rough choices.

How about Miami?

 

[StopCoolio]

It looks like a fun league, nice potential rivalries(will take time), nice cities, etc., but I’m pumping the brakes on them competing with the big boys long term:

-It’s not like they were going to compete financially with the big 5 attached to the football schools anyway but consider a crap hoops school like Wake Forest or something, they make, what? $25 million dollars off TV? Georgetown makes, what, 2? Is that sustainable for GU? If a coach does really well at let’s say Seton Hall, does Rutgers eventually just double his salary? This is before a potential loss of tournament credits(past and future) as well. And if ESPN is paying us 25 and them 2, who do you think gets the prime timeslots?

-Do they get MSG? Probably initially but looking at those fanbases, I doubt it lasts long term. PC, Georgetown, Xavier, SHU, Nova, St. John's, there’s a reason we take over the arenas of all these schools, because they don’t really have a ton of fans, and its easier to spot a unicorn at the BET than one of these schools' fans.

-How does recruiting shake out? Do you fire up a NYC/DC/Baltimore/Philly/Boston high school kid by saying, ‘we’re playing at SHU, Providence, Xavier, Marquette, Georgetown, Butler, St. Joes and St. John’s next year?’ I would say no. How about Boston College saying, ‘we’re playing UNC, Duke, Syracuse, Georgia Tech, Pitt, NC State, etc.’? Does the Big Priest ever win that recruiting battle for a stud looking to go to the NBA in a year or two even with BC, let alone us, Duke, UNC, etc.?

-What is the marquee matchup you’d ideally see in a conference tourney final? Georgetown vs. Butler? Yawn. They played in MSG as recently as 2009 and the attendance was pathetic.

I’d be curious to hear others opinions on this one, but to me it appears as if they’ve guaranteed themselves mid major status, locking themselves in to playing small games in big cities(worst combination as there’s plenty else to do). There seems to be a lot of pats on the back going around that they finally had the guts to do it but it just feels like a whole lot of ESPN3 and SNY games to me.

 

[realorange]

Both true. But as far as a fan experience goes, particularly for someone in my situation (just north of DC), it's crazy to think I'd have to drive 3 hrs to charlottesville (charlottesville? seriously?) to see my team play hoops. And that, outside of Boston I guess, the coolest city to see a game in our new league is, what, Atlanta? Raleigh? Chapel Hill? greensboro? Charlottesville? Blacksburg? Tallahassee? Ouch. Those are rough choices.

Rough choices? How much meaningful time have you ever spent in any of these cities? Personnally I'd rather go to most of those places rather than NYC to see a game.
Also, many of us have driven a lot further than 3 hours to see Syracuse play. It will be terrific for the large number of us in the Carolinas and nearby states to be able to see the Orange when they start ACC play.

 

[billsin01]

Rough choices? How much meaningful time have you ever spent in any of these cities? Personnally I'd rather go to most of those places rather than NYC to see a game.
Also, many of us have driven a lot further than 3 hours to see Syracuse play. It will be terrific for the large number of us in the Carolinas and nearby states to be able to see the Orange when they start ACC play.

Yeah, but dude, if you live in the carolinas it makes sense that you have to drive a long distance to see the cuse play. you live a long ways away from syracuse. Being north of dc, I'm borderline northeast. It seems very strange that a northeast team with a northeast identity won't be playing in the northeast very often.

I guess you make a valid point on what cities you'd like to see. Been to blacksburg -- will only go back for work. Been to charlottesville -- like it, it's nice. Not a destination. Been to Chapel Hill, which is nice but not a destination, for me anyway. Been to Tallahassee and it was f-ing awful. I hate florida for them most part. But I guess that's where you and I differ. NYC is a city I love.