Dayton looks good.

[Mucrisco]

Would a good year change your perception that they are just a mid major? They get good fan support and would fill the Garden during Championship Week. (Yes, I know. The conference is in no hurry to expand. I think it's still worth discussing.)

[warriorfan4life]

I'd take Dayton over SLU in a heartbeat. Of course, expansion would ruin the perfect ten team, round robin, true league champion setup we currently have.

[Goose85]

Expansion only happens if those new teams added bring in more revenue than each team is currently getting. If all teams currently get $4 mil from the league, then to add a school like Dayton would mean they are able to bring in more than $4mil in revenue to the league.

[ValiantSailor]

Dayton lost. They will slip back into obscurity.

Don't be in a hurry to expand. The longer we can stay at ten teams, the better it will be for the Big East brand. Right now, stability is far more important than growth.

VS

[TheSultan]

The BE is perfectly stable. Where are teams going to go?

That being said, growth for growth's sake doesn't interest me. But growth that is good for the conference long term is fine at any time those who are wiser than me deem it worthy.

[MUMac]

The BE is perfectly stable. Where are teams going to go?

That being said, growth for growth's sake doesn't interest me. But growth that is good for the conference long term is fine at any time those who are wiser than me deem it worthy.

I did not read VS' comment the same way as you. I did not read of concern that anyone is leaving, but that stability in the BE is most important now. Get the foundation set, rivalries going, teams improving ... before you consider growth. Stability is more than just looking at teams (programs) staying or leaving.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I think you gotta evaluate programs on more than a one year basis. It's really hard to look at Dayton now when they are "riding high", I think you need to look at a little bit more than just a few games into the non conference schedule to evaluate. I mean hell if we were going to pluck mid majors after a good year or two then the Big East should have taken UWM when they went to back to back sweet 16's... I think you need to look at their overall commitment and if what they have is sustainable. I think Dayton and VCU have a more sustainable future than St. Louis... That is mostly based off of their coaches, fan support, and school commitment to their program.

[Mucrisco]

My three criteria has always been fan support. Administration support and cool or recognizable arena. Just curious if Dayton's good start would change people's mind about them. Watching them play, I think they will be a dangerous team. They share the basketball and they have four guys that can make shots.

By they way, as I said in my OP, this topic is about Dayton, not reasons against expanding.

[Mucrisco]

Also, in addition to your VCU and Dayton list, I would add that Wichita St is a better candidate than SLU or Richmond.

[Markedman]

You don’t make decisions that you have to live with forever based on a “good start”……. so my answer is no it hasn’t changed my mind.


'Just curious if Dayton's good start would change people's mind about them"

[Goose85]

Does Dayton bring anything extra from Fox (TV contract) or by way of annual NCAA tourney credits?
I'm not sure they do as they are 45 miles from Cincinnati (Xavier) and are not annual NCAA tourney participants.

Wichita St - Revenue from an NCAA tourney credit standpoint, but how much additional money would Fox pay the league for the Wichita market?

VCU / Richmond - VCU brings tourney expectations. Richmond not so much. I can see where the Virginia market might be of some value to Fox.

Bottom line - any new school added will need to increase overall conference revenue by an amount that is at least equal to or greater than each of the current schools current conference payout.

[TheSultan]

Not making this argument for them by any means, but Dayton and Cincinnati are different television markets. (As the crow flies, just a little closer together than Madison and Rockford.)

[Mucrisco]

I would still add Dayton.

[Gato78]

Didn't MU just join Georgetown in opposition to VCU's inclusion?

[IWB]

Didn't MU just join Georgetown in opposition to VCU's inclusion?

Great post.

[Nukem2]

Didn't MU just join Georgetown in opposition to VCU's inclusion?
Missed that...good thought...;)

[Litehouse]

Does that make us pro-Richmond now too? Just to help beat VCU in their local market.