Anyone see any new news or read any new articles? I've been busy all week and haven't seen any articles when i did a quick google search. There has to be someone somewhere discussing whats going on.

Very impressive job by the University Presidents of keeping all of this under wraps. Nothing is leaking out.

(12-29-2012 11:24 PM)LJay Wrote:  Very impressive job by the University Presidents of keeping all of this under wraps. Nothing is leaking out.

Or they are having a holiday break. Just saying.

All the reports said they would talk in January about whom to invite.

I imagine the ADs in the C7 called about 12 potential candidates and said "please provide us with the following info on your school/athletics program by Jan 15" and then took off for a two-week holiday vacation.

Something like that is actually a great way of seeing who's got their [stuff] together. There was an article I read last year about Pacific and the WCC (it's behind a pay-wall, so I can't get at it now).

Apparently, Pacific had been periodically saying "We're ready to comeback whenever you'll have us" ever since UOP dropped football in the 90s. The WCC's stance had been "yeah, we know. Don't call us, we'll call you." And when the WCC added BYU, Pacific reached out again and got the same response.

But once their nine-team WCC basketball schedule came out, three groups of three (So Cal, NorCal, and Portland-Gonzaga-BYU) does not make scheduling easy. Everyone started to complain about the travel and adding a school was kicked around (with Denver, Seattle or Pacific being the only potential candidates). The WCC called in December and did virtually exactly what I described above.

UOP immediately said "Attached is a powerpoint presentation (that contains most of the requested information). Enjoy that while until our final report arrives… by the end of the week."

They delivered the full report within days, not weeks. Plus all kinds of bonus materials like photo presentations of all their facilities, "Why Saint Mary's and Pacific would be ideal travel partners," and "The WCC could sponsor softball now" and "our backyard is prime men's soccer recruiting territory so it will be easy to start a UOP men's soccer program that will gut your future rosters."

UOP blew the WCC away with how prepared they were. The story wasn't really privy to anything between the WCC and Seattle or Denver; but it made it sound like they never had a prayer.

As silly as it sounds, stuff like that DOES matter. Not that Saint Joe's could steal a spot from Xavier by being more prepared, but if VCU says "we can probably get most of that to you by January 15" and Creighton says "It's going to arrive tomorrow at your office and your home, should we send a copy to another location as well?" it's going to be a factor. It's going to tell the C7 who happens to be a good fit versus who's been shaping themselves to fit perfectly.

(12-29-2012 11:13 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  Anyone see any new news or read any new articles? I've been busy all week and haven't seen any articles when i did a quick google search. There has to be someone somewhere discussing whats going on.

Nothing to report on our front. Nothing really to report on the active fronts outside the C-7 either.

Closest thing to a development is that Blaudschun has soured a bit on the C-7, deciding he likes UConn, Memphis, Temple and Cincy better. (He talks to Aresco a lot, so I'm not shocked.)

I would hope that "unofficial" conversations have already happened between the c7 and the potential candidates. They must already know what school(s) are interested and if they are onboard. Just a question of providing the answers to some concerns (conference name, tv deal, number of teams in conference, startup date etc) I doubt someone like xavier will say no because school "x" was invited and not school "y".
Once the ducks are in a row the word will start to leak, followed shortly by an official announcement. Not that sure we will have a real answer until spring. Biggest holdup being negotiating a departure from the BE.

I get that no info is coming out because of the holidays, I was just curious if any writers wrote anything up on us lately. I know the presidents aren't talking but maybe some sports writers had some predictions or had some inside info they got about what the thinking is when they all broke.

Hard to go from news all day to nothing. I think i'm in withdrawal.

(12-30-2012 10:53 AM)NJRedMan Wrote:  I get that no info is coming out because of the holidays, I was just curious if any writers wrote anything up on us lately. I know the presidents aren't talking but maybe some sports writers had some predictions or had some inside info they got about what the thinking is when they all broke.

Hard to go from news all day to nothing. I think i'm in withdrawal.

Ajerseyguy made some predictions, either right before or right after the holidays. Not super-well-thought out ones, but he crapped out a blog article.

I think they're all preparing to go over the fiscal cliff.

I think things will start heating up the next few weeks. I'd say if by any chance it happens for 2013-14, we'd hear something by end of January, along with specific teams. Remember, Butler and VCU left for the A10 in like May for the current year, so it can happen.

If it's for 2014-15, we'd see more time, but still even then, I'd look for things to be done by end of June.

I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

(01-02-2013 03:40 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

lol great analogy.

Only difference is there doesn't appear to be any desire for dating, just trying to get the divorce finalized so the 2nd wedding can happen.

(01-02-2013 03:40 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

Not really, you can plan a wedding just as long as the divorce is finalized by the wedding day all is gravy.

They wont formally invite anyone until they have their exit date set in stone but that doesn't mean they arent having conversations with potential new members and new staff. They need to see who is interested in being the commish, the TV negotiation firm, the TV partners, the site of the BBall tournament etc...

The question is since there is no conference yet, are schools like Butler and Xavier who are locks to join allowed to have a say in the process of setting up this league?

(01-02-2013 03:53 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 03:40 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

Not really, you can plan a wedding just as long as the divorce is finalized by the wedding day all is gravy.

They wont formally invite anyone until they have their exit date set in stone but that doesn't mean they arent having conversations with potential new members and new staff. They need to see who is interested in being the commish, the TV negotiation firm, the TV partners, the site of the BBall tournament etc...

The question is since there is no conference yet, are schools like Butler and Xavier who are locks to join allowed to have a say in the process of setting up this league?

Yeah, but some stuff like "where to hold the conference tourney" requires financial negotiations, which you don't want to enter into until you know "how much money you're going to have to spend."

(01-02-2013 08:47 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 03:53 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 03:40 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

Not really, you can plan a wedding just as long as the divorce is finalized by the wedding day all is gravy.

They wont formally invite anyone until they have their exit date set in stone but that doesn't mean they arent having conversations with potential new members and new staff. They need to see who is interested in being the commish, the TV negotiation firm, the TV partners, the site of the BBall tournament etc...

The question is since there is no conference yet, are schools like Butler and Xavier who are locks to join allowed to have a say in the process of setting up this league?

Yeah, but some stuff like "where to hold the conference tourney" requires financial negotiations, which you don't want to enter into until you know "how much money you're going to have to spend."

I don't think they spend money for the conference tourny. These places WANT to host them. When the ACC was talking about bringing it's tournament to NYC it was said that neither MSG or Barclays submitted a bid. That means they bid to get them. They make a fortune on concessions and ticket sales. It's a week long event thats televised nationally and sells out every session.

(01-02-2013 09:05 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 08:47 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 03:53 PM)NJRedMan Wrote:  

(01-02-2013 03:40 PM)JPSchmack Wrote:  I think they have to deal with their departure from the Big East first. They haven't really started negotiations yet because of the holiday; once they get rolling on that, they can move forward on the new league.

But they need to see how that's going, how much startup capital they will have, how their name factors in with TV negotiations, etc.

You really need to have your divorce be final before you can plan a wedding.

Not really, you can plan a wedding just as long as the divorce is finalized by the wedding day all is gravy.

They wont formally invite anyone until they have their exit date set in stone but that doesn't mean they arent having conversations with potential new members and new staff. They need to see who is interested in being the commish, the TV negotiation firm, the TV partners, the site of the BBall tournament etc...

The question is since there is no conference yet, are schools like Butler and Xavier who are locks to join allowed to have a say in the process of setting up this league?

Yeah, but some stuff like "where to hold the conference tourney" requires financial negotiations, which you don't want to enter into until you know "how much money you're going to have to spend."

I don't think they spend money for the conference tourny. These places WANT to host them. When the ACC was talking about bringing it's tournament to NYC it was said that neither MSG or Barclays submitted a bid. That means they bid to get them. They make a fortune on concessions and ticket sales. It's a week long event thats televised nationally and sells out every session.

One thing on that- it won't be a week long any more. Will lose 1 day off of it, making only 4 days now- lose 2 sessions actually. instead of 8 sessions, only 6.

There is no way this happens for 2013-14. Rushing causes conferences to make mistakes such as the Big East Commissioner ramrodding Tulane over the objections of the C7 when he should have stepped back to survey the landscape instead of scurrying to have a press conference a day before the ACC.

The C7 has one chance to get this right so they need to take enough time to make longterm decisions leading to a conference that will last for the next few decades. Grabbing schools which don't fit just because they currently have good basketball teams would be a mistake. Institutional fit matters a lot.

Their best bet in regard to the current Big East is to ink a one-year basketball contract extension with ESPN for the 2013-14 season, and then everyone goes their own separate ways on July 1, 2014. The football programs and basketball schools can do their own thing from that point forward. Hybrid over.

Step 1: find a leader
Step 2: establish exit date
Step 3: decide on formal membership
Step 4: negotiate deal
Step 5: decide on name
Step 5 can happen anytime and shouldnt hold up the other steps. Step 4 includes tiurnwy site