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[Donoghus]

Peace out, Big East.

In your heyday, you were one heckuva basketball conference.

[TripleOT]

would be interesting to see if they combine with some Atlantic 10 basketball schools like URI, St Joe's, Xavier, Umass, St Louis.  Pretty good 12-team conference right there.

That would be a very good basketball conference, and should retain the Big East name and brand. As an added benefit, here'd be two great rivalries based on location:  Nova/St. Joes and URI/PC, 

The following could be call the Not East:

Cincinnati (full)
Connecticut (full)
South Florida (full)
Temple (full)
Central Florida (full)
Houston (full)
Southern Methodist (full)
Memphis (full)
Boise State
San Diego St.
Tulane (full)
East Carolina
Navy

[Rondo2287]

Cinci and Uconn are apparently threatening to form their own conference with other disenfranchised big east teams and Mountain West teams

[Donoghus]

Cinci and Uconn are apparently threatening to form their own conference with other disenfranchised big east teams and Mountain West teams

They can have fun with that.

[Rondo2287]

Cinci and Uconn are apparently threatening to form their own conference with other disenfranchised big east teams and Mountain West teams

They can have fun with that.

Proposed conference name, "The Island of Misfit Schools"

[Moranis]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

[nickagneta]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

[Moranis]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

I just can't see them adding a bunch of schools in Philadelphia.  Adds nothing to the conference from a financial standpoint.  They might just add 1 team aside from Xavier and that one team may be from Philadelphia, but a lot just doesn't seem plausible.

[nickagneta]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

I just can't see them adding a bunch of schools in Philadelphia.  Adds nothing to the conference from a financial standpoint.  They might just add 1 team aside from Xavier and that one team may be from Philadelphia, but a lot just doesn't seem plausible.

Of course its plausible. It will be a basketball only conference. These schools don't make any money from football so they HAVE to reduce travel costs to keep the programs operational. They also can form academic ties considering all are Catholic schools. It will also maximize their chances of getting a local television contract because the schools don't have the followings to pull of a national television contract by spreading schools all across the East. Regionalization, in these schools cases, makes the most financial, academic and competitive sense.

[slamtheking]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

I just can't see them adding a bunch of schools in Philadelphia.  Adds nothing to the conference from a financial standpoint.  They might just add 1 team aside from Xavier and that one team may be from Philadelphia, but a lot just doesn't seem plausible.

Of course its plausible. It will be a basketball only conference. These schools don't make any money from football so they HAVE to reduce travel costs to keep the programs operational. They also can form academic ties considering all are Catholic schools. It will also maximize their chances of getting a local television contract because the schools don't have the followings to pull of a national television contract by spreading schools all across the East. Regionalization, in these schools cases, makes the most financial, academic and competitive sense.

One other thing to keep in mind is that the Big East was founded based on schools with big markets.  The one obvious big market missing from this list is a school from Boston.  With BC out of the picture, they might try to pull in Northeastern (or UMass to at least have a presence in the state)

[Moranis]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

I just can't see them adding a bunch of schools in Philadelphia.  Adds nothing to the conference from a financial standpoint.  They might just add 1 team aside from Xavier and that one team may be from Philadelphia, but a lot just doesn't seem plausible.

Of course its plausible. It will be a basketball only conference. These schools don't make any money from football so they HAVE to reduce travel costs to keep the programs operational. They also can form academic ties considering all are Catholic schools. It will also maximize their chances of getting a local television contract because the schools don't have the followings to pull of a national television contract by spreading schools all across the East. Regionalization, in these schools cases, makes the most financial, academic and competitive sense.

all of the stories about them leaving link the 7 with other Catholic schools like Xavier, Dayton, Creighton, and some even mention Gonzaga and then non-Catholic schools like Butler and VCU.  Nothing about a bunch of teams in markets they have teams from.  So yeah travel costs will be less, but they still want to get on tv in as many markets as they can, because they will get so much more money with big time markets.   

[nickagneta]

So this is the 7

St. Johns (NYC)
Seton Hall (North Jersey)
Villanova (Philly)
Georgetown (D.C.)
Depaul (Chicago)
Marquette (Milwaukee)
Providence (R.I.)

It seems pretty clear they are going to go after Xavier (Cincinnati).  So the question is how many more do they try to add.  I think they should go to 12 for optimum value.  Given the markets those 8 have, I think they will go after Butler (Indianapolis), Charlotte, Creighton (IA), and St. Louis.

So they could do an East and West

West - Marquette, Depaul, St. Louis, Xavier, Butler, Creighton

East - Charlotte, Georgetown, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Villanova, Providence


Clearly they could target some other schools instead of St. Louis and Creighton so they could compact a bit more schools such as Dayton, Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth would all make sense.  UMass might as well but they just added a FBS football school so that might cause problems.

Besides Xavier, I think adding St. Joseph's, La Salle, Duquense and St. Bonaventura make the most sense and have the conference called the Catholic Conference.

I just can't see them adding a bunch of schools in Philadelphia.  Adds nothing to the conference from a financial standpoint.  They might just add 1 team aside from Xavier and that one team may be from Philadelphia, but a lot just doesn't seem plausible.

Of course its plausible. It will be a basketball only conference. These schools don't make any money from football so they HAVE to reduce travel costs to keep the programs operational. They also can form academic ties considering all are Catholic schools. It will also maximize their chances of getting a local television contract because the schools don't have the followings to pull of a national television contract by spreading schools all across the East. Regionalization, in these schools cases, makes the most financial, academic and competitive sense.

all of the stories about them leaving link the 7 with other Catholic schools like Xavier, Dayton, Creighton, and some even mention Gonzaga and then non-Catholic schools like Butler and VCU.  Nothing about a bunch of teams in markets they have teams from.  So yeah travel costs will be less, but they still want to get on tv in as many markets as they can, because they will get so much more money with big time markets.   

Except these are generally small schools with small followings. Generating ratings high enough to warrant a national contract will be nearly impossible. They will be better served keeping the conference regional and generating television interest by creating rivalries from teams that are situate close to each other. Attempting to create a conference of a larger proportion to get a larger amount of markets is a long term losing proposition for schools that generate zero money from NCAA football.

[Moranis]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20121221/catholic-7-future/?sct=hp_t2_a2&eref=sihp

How big will the Catholic 7 league become?

The most pressing question in the future of the Catholic 7 is how the league will shape up. Initially there was a debate about whether the league would go to 10 or 12 schools.

As of now, the answer is 12. Why? A favorite new buzz word of the realignment era -- inventory. If there are 12 teams, there will be 20-percent more conference games -- 216 vs. 180. That means 36 extra league games available, and that's quite a bit of content for programming-starved networks. (The total inventory will be much greater.)

The coaches, who have virtually no say in realignment, would prefer a 10-team league with a double round-robin. But inventory rules, so look for the league to go to 12 teams.
Who will be added?

The teams that will definitely be added to the mix are Xavier and Butler. Creighton and Dayton are the next two on the list, and should be considered near definite. (Dayton's biggest issue would be opposition from Xavier.)

That makes 11. From there, Saint Louis is a favorite for spot No. 12.

What makes the Billikens a strong candidate is their market, but it's important to remember that in this strain of realignment, markets shouldn't make a huge difference. Markets are critical for, say, the Big Ten, which has its own television channel, or the SEC, which is plotting one. The Catholic 7 have zero chance at having their own television channel. So they need programs like Dayton and Creighton with big arenas, rabid fan bases and winning traditions more than they do teams in big cities that command little attention.

Who else is in the running for slot No. 12? VCU has been bandied about, but they are neither private nor religious. They are light years ahead of Saint Louis as a program in terms of recent success and facilities infrastructure. VCU has proven through Jeff Capel, Anthony Grant and Shaka Smart that they are built to last.

Davidson is a sleeper option, as it's private but lacks a religious affiliation. Saint Joseph's could get a look, but they are unlikely because Villanova threw a fit when the Big East took Temple.

[Moranis]

It appears they are still going to be called the Big East and apparently are only adding Xavier and Butler for a 9 team conference.  First year they may have Notre Dame before its move to the ACC, but otherwise the Big East will have 9 teams.

Butler - Indianapolis
Depaul - Chicago
Georgetown - D.C.
Marquette - Milwaukee
Providence - Providence
Seton Hall - North Jersey
St. John's - NYC
Villanova - Philly
Xavier - Cincinnati

I still think they may eventually go to 12 teams with 2 divisions by adding VCU to the eastern division and two teams like Creighton and Dayton to the western division, but for now those are the 9.

[Moranis]

Looks like they will go to 10 for next year by adding Creighton along with Xavier and Butler.