OT: When is a Conference Too Big

[Goose85]

Two schools, UNC and Wake Forest, are not only in the same conference, but are also located in the same state.

Because of football scheduling in the ACC, after playing next season, they won't play again until 2022. Since 2004 they have played 4 times, or it will be 5 times in 18 years by the time 2022 gets here.

I"m not sure to what extent they are rivals, but to make sure they play, UNC and Wake have scheduled two non conference games against each other.

Another reason why I like the 10 team Big East.


http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/12230742/acc-rivals-north-carolina-tar-heels-wake-forest-demon-deacons-agree-nonconference-series

[IWB]

Teams in the same conference scheduling non-conference games against each other is one I never thought I would hear. Crazy.

[MayorBeluga]

A number of years ago, Indiana and Purdue played a non-conference game when they only played once in the Big Ten Network. I know it was back a while ago because they were still only Indiana and not yet II-II.

Sad commentary. Combine this with the demise of true home and home games due to neutral site games (including holiday tournaments) and it's the fans who buy tickets who suffer. The networks, on the other hand...

[MU/Panther]

I make fun of my Dad who is a UW football season ticket holder. I told him you better go when Michigan comes to Camp Randall in 2017 for the first time in years because the next they come again, you will be died. :p

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I think you will begin to see more of this, it really is sad, with every year that passes I lose more and more interest in college sports, what made it great is slowly being chewed away by greed.

[Mark Miller]

A conference is too big when it cannot play double round robin basketball games.

I realize Marquette was in the Big East when it had 16 teams and that is was a great, great conference.

But there is something truly special and rewarding about winning a league title when it's double round robin.

The Big East may expand again in the future, but for now, it's exciting to watch the league when everybody plays everybody else home and away.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Another reason why I like the 10 team Big East.

This a thousand times. Initially, I was really hoping we would go to 12, adding maybe VCU, Dayton, or St. Louis. But after a couple years of seeing this league in action, it's great to have every team play home and away. You know exactly who you will get and you make sure you build a rivalry. Hard to build rivalries when you sometimes only see a team every other year. That Wake/UNC thing is ridiculous since they are less than 80 miles up Tobacco Road from each other.

I just hope we can preserve this, because it really is a fantastically fun league, even when we're a bit down. It will only get better as we move back up to the top where we belong.

[Djgoldnboy]

Do hear me playing the worlds smallest violin for these conferences? You reap what you sow.

[TheSultan]

Do hear me playing the worlds smallest violin for these conferences? You reap what you sow.


They knew they were sacrificing tradition for money. My guess is if they had to do it all over again, they would make the same exact decisions for the most part.

What is great about the NBE is that it in some ways got more "traditional," yet also got more $$$.

[pbiflyer]

This a thousand times. Initially, I was really hoping we would go to 12, adding maybe VCU, Dayton, or St. Louis. But after a couple years of seeing this league in action, it's great to have every team play home and away. You know exactly who you will get and you make sure you build a rivalry. Hard to build rivalries when you sometimes only see a team every other year. That Wake/UNC thing is ridiculous since they are less than 80 miles up Tobacco Road from each other.

I just hope we can preserve this, because it really is a fantastically fun league, even when we're a bit down. It will only get better as we move back up to the top where we belong.

I agree. Was wanting 12, now hope we stay at 10. Something about being an exclusive group. I think we will grow in prominence again, maybe to the old level, but well respected by all.

[CaribouJim]

The round robin format leads to more rivalries too. You learn to hate (and respect as well) other schools the more you play them.

Watching the Xavier/G-Town game - Myles Davis reminds me of Vinnie Johnson. As I watch more BE games, the quality of talent continues to impress.