Big 12 going all in on basketball?

[Sean Miller Fan]

Apparently, they're new commish is a basketball guy and feels basketball is undervalued in TV contracts. The word is they are going to add Gonzaga and bid out basketball separate from football in the next contract in 5-6 years. Pretty interesting idea.

The new B12 Basketball league will be pretty good with or without Gonzaga

Blue bloods or close to it
Kansas
Baylor
Gonzaga

Solid programs
WVU
KSt
Iowa St
TCU
TT
OK St
Cincy
BYU
Houston

Hasnt done much in bball yet
UCF

They also announced they will be doing Big 12 Basketball Clinics at Rucker Park. Not sure how much any of this matters but I like these type of ideas. Ideas that the ACC never has.

 

[Pitt2009]

Apparently, they're new commish is a basketball guy and feels basketball is undervalued in TV contracts. The word is they are going to add Gonzaga and bid out basketball separate from football in the next contract in 5-6 years. Pretty interesting idea.

The new B12 Basketball league will be pretty good with or without Gonzaga

Blue bloods or close to it
Kansas
Baylor
Gonzaga

Solid programs
WVU
KSt
Iowa St
TCU
TT
OK St
Cincy
BYU
Houston

Hasnt done much in bball yet
UCF

They also announced they will be doing Big 12 Basketball Clinics at Rucker Park. Not sure how much any of this matters but I like these type of ideas. Ideas that the ACC never has.

Baylor and Gonzaga as blue bloods? Gonzaga made the tourny only once before Few arrived and they’ve never won a championship. Baylor made the tournament once in 60 years until Drew took over.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Baylor and Gonzaga as blue bloods? Gonzaga made the tourny only once before Few arrived and they’ve never won a championship. Baylor made the tournament once in 60 years until Drew took over.

"Close to it"

They are in the UVa category. Their league would be the Big 12 3 (Kansas, Baylor, Gonzaga) going to the NCAAT every year. B12 10 is 10 teams fighting for 6 bids.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

it's by far the best hoops conference and it looks like that isnt just a fad either.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Their league would be the Big 12 3 (Kansas, Baylor, Gonzaga) going to the NCAAT every year.

Just yesterday you called it the Big 12 1 and then all the rest. And then today you have promoted Baylor to the Big 12 3. Probably because of their big win last night, I assume.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Just yesterday you called it the Big 12 1 and then all the rest. And then today you have promoted Baylor to the Big 12 3. Probably because of their big win last night, I assume.

I was being sarcastic. Baylor is basically a blue blood as long as Drew is there. Similar to UVa, they are a HOF coach, not a "program." So they are with Kansas in the B12 2. If Gonzaga joins, its the B12 3.

 

[FrogmoreZeke]

Apparently, they're new commish is a basketball guy and feels basketball is undervalued in TV contracts. The word is they are going to add Gonzaga and bid out basketball separate from football in the next contract in 5-6 years. Pretty interesting idea.

The new B12 Basketball league will be pretty good with or without Gonzaga

Blue bloods or close to it
Kansas
Baylor
Gonzaga

Solid programs
WVU
KSt
Iowa St
TCU
TT
OK St
Cincy
BYU
Houston

Hasnt done much in bball yet
UCF

They also announced they will be doing Big 12 Basketball Clinics at Rucker Park. Not sure how much any of this matters but I like these type of ideas. Ideas that the ACC never has.

The great thing about this tournament is you know exactly how strong conferences are after the dust settles. This conference and the SEC are crazy strong. I think we spend too much time rooting against the Big Ten when we should be more concerned with our own house. If the rumors are true about Clemson and Fl St and possibly UNC and Miami bolting, we are in trouble.

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

5-6 years?!? Hmmm... I'd say they are optimistic on the longevity of their conference and probably college sports in its current format.

 

[SteelCityChamps]

I don't know why Gonzaga would do that. They're currently in a conference they can win most years and even if they don't they still probably get in the tournament. They already get elite recruits.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I don't know why Gonzaga would do that. They're currently in a conference they can win most years and even if they don't they still probably get in the tournament. They already get elite recruits.

There is this green stuff called "money" that college administrators really seem to like. They'd get more of it if they were in the Big 12 for basketball.

 

[SteelCityChamps]

There is this green stuff called "money" that college administrators really seem to like. They'd get more of it if they were in the Big 12 for basketball.

So who gets this money?
The AD?
Does it go into facilities? Aren't they good enough already?

The money wouldn't be going to the players.

My point is Gonzaga has a really good thing going on right now. They are penciled in for 20+ wins a year and probably get over seeded in the tournament. Just be careful thinking the grass is greener. Lots of Ls coming in the Big 12 and don't think that conference is always going to get 7+ teams in the Tournament.

 

[mo cheeks]

I would love the ACC to merge with the Big East for basketball. that would be the best league in the country. with no close second. How much fun would that be !

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

The great thing about this tournament is you know exactly how strong conferences are after the dust settles. This conference and the SEC are crazy strong. I think we spend too much time rooting against the Big Ten when we should be more concerned with our own house. If the rumors are true about Clemson and Fl St and possibly UNC and Miami bolting, we are in trouble.

I don't see it like that, necessarily. Is the Big East stronger because Creighton got to play Princeton in the Sweet 16? So much of this is matchups and who gets hot.

All that said, Pitt going to the Big 12 would not be the worst thing. Because the floor is going to fall out of the ACC at some point. The Big 12 seems way more proactive, while the ACC is the dog sitting in the fire. It's kind of throwing in the towel on the idea of staying in a super relevant football conference (not that the ACC has been that anyway, but I think there is hope for Miami, FSU, etc. to turn it around), but give me the cute nerdy chick who is always there for you as opposed to striking out with the hot cheerleader and having to settle for Bruce Jenner.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I don't see it like that, necessarily. Is the Big East stronger because Creighton got to play Princeton in the Sweet 16? So much of this is matchups and who gets hot.

All that said, Pitt going to the Big 12 would not be the worst thing. Because the floor is going to fall out of the ACC at some point. The Big 12 seems way more proactive, while the ACC is the dog sitting in the fire. It's kind of throwing in the towel on the idea of staying in a super relevant football conference (not that the ACC has been that anyway, but I think there is hope for Miami, FSU, etc. to turn it around), but give me the cute nerdy chick who is always there for you as opposed to striking out with the hot cheerleader and having to settle for Bruce Jenner.

The Big 12 reminds me of the Sun Belt. The ACC reminds me of CUSA in that whole realignment thing. CUSA was the better conference and had the teams the American wanted. Nobody wanted the Sun Belt teams. So when the American added FAU, UAB, UNT, UTSA, and Rice from CUSA, the remaining CUSA members couldn't backfill with Sun Belt members. The Sun Belt banded together and said, no, we arent going to your league. Instead, we are going to take USM and Marshall and eff you to WKU and LT who left our league.

The scenario out there is when UNC, FSU, Clemson, and Miami leave, the ACC wont be able to backfill with B12 programs since they are banded together and instead, the B12 will pick off a few ACC schools. The strength in the B12, like the Sun Belt, is nobody wants any of those outcast schools: Alt-Oklahoma, Alt-Iowa, Alt-Kansas, city schools, hillbilly schools, Mormon schools. Very odd unattractive mix.

The good news is for basketball, conference affiliation means nothing. Hire a good coach and you'll get players.

 

[HailToPitt725]

I don't see it like that, necessarily. Is the Big East stronger because Creighton got to play Princeton in the Sweet 16? So much of this is matchups and who gets hot.

All that said, Pitt going to the Big 12 would not be the worst thing. Because the floor is going to fall out of the ACC at some point. The Big 12 seems way more proactive, while the ACC is the dog sitting in the fire. It's kind of throwing in the towel on the idea of staying in a super relevant football conference (not that the ACC has been that anyway, but I think there is hope for Miami, FSU, etc. to turn it around), but give me the cute nerdy chick who is always there for you as opposed to striking out with the hot cheerleader and having to settle for Bruce Jenner.

Yeah, I think the past three years have ensured that if the ACC were to collapse, we likely get invited to the Big 12 (maybe with Louisville?). I don’t think there’d be a better remaining option on the east coast than us.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

The Big 12 reminds me of the Sun Belt. The ACC reminds me of CUSA in that whole realignment thing. CUSA was the better conference and had the teams the American wanted. Nobody wanted the Sun Belt teams. So when the American added FAU, UAB, UNT, UTSA, and Rice from CUSA, the remaining CUSA members couldn't backfill with Sun Belt members. The Sun Belt banded together and said, no, we arent going to your league. Instead, we are going to take USM and Marshall and eff you to WKU and LT who left our league.

The scenario out there is when UNC, FSU, Clemson, and Miami leave, the ACC wont be able to backfill with B12 programs since they are banded together and instead, the B12 will pick off a few ACC schools. The strength in the B12, like the Sun Belt, is nobody wants any of those outcast schools: Alt-Oklahoma, Alt-Iowa, Alt-Kansas, city schools, hillbilly schools, Mormon schools. Very odd unattractive mix.

The good news is for basketball, conference affiliation means nothing. Hire a good coach and you'll get players.

Yeah, ACC has a much more eclectic mix than the Big 12. Inevitably, that's going to lead to less unity.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

So who gets this money?
The AD?
Does it go into facilities? Aren't they good enough already?

The money wouldn't be going to the players.

My point is Gonzaga has a really good thing going on right now. They are penciled in for 20+ wins a year and probably get over seeded in the tournament. Just be careful thinking the grass is greener. Lots of Ls coming in the Big 12 and don't think that conference is always going to get 7+ teams in the Tournament.

I agree that Gonzaga has a good thing going now. And hey, we only have several decades worth of evidence that colleges will jump to a different sports league in their chase of ever larger piles of money. Maybe if Gonzaga gets invited they will be the one school to buck the trend.

But I wouldn't bet on it.

Chasing money has been the driving factor in college athletics since Penn State joined the Big Ten. Pretty much every school in the NCAA has joined in on the "fun". With everything that is going on now, there is no reason to think that's changing any time soon.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I agree that Gonzaga has a good thing going now. And hey, we only have several decades worth of evidence that colleges will jump to a different sports league in their chase of ever larger piles of money. Maybe if Gonzaga gets invited they will be the one school to buck the trend.

But I wouldn't bet on it.

Chasing money has been the driving factor in college athletics since Penn State joined the Big Ten. Pretty much every school in the NCAA has joined in on the "fun". With everything that is going on now, there is no reason to think that's changing any time soon.

They did decline a Mountain West invite. But I would agree that they wouldn't turn down the B12. Ultimately, I think they land in the Big East. The Big East moves up to 12 teams and the expense of flying to Philly or NYC isnt much greater than flying to Texas. Or maybe they can make a deal with the WCC to leave their olympic sports there if they promise to play 4 OOC games vs them or something like that.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

They did decline a Mountain West invite. But I would agree that they wouldn't turn down the B12.

Yeah, but those are differences of scale. The Mountain West is a small step up in money. The Big 12 would be a lot more money.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Here’s something else to ponder:

Although there have been no reports from legitimate outlets, there’s speculation that the Big 12 may look to add multiple Big East schools (think: DePaul, Georgetown, St. John’s, Villanova). Makes sense for multiple reasons:

- Commissioner is a New Yorker
- Conference is launching basketball clinics in the city to create presence there
- Would help their plan of splitting off basketball television rights from football
- Already considering other basketball-first schools (Gonzaga)

 

[pierre93]

Apparently, they're new commish is a basketball guy and feels basketball is undervalued in TV contracts. The word is they are going to add Gonzaga and bid out basketball separate from football in the next contract in 5-6 years. Pretty interesting idea.

The new B12 Basketball league will be pretty good with or without Gonzaga

Blue bloods or close to it
Kansas
Baylor
Gonzaga

Solid programs
WVU
KSt
Iowa St
TCU
TT
OK St
Cincy
BYU
Houston

Hasnt done much in bball yet
UCF

They also announced they will be doing Big 12 Basketball Clinics at Rucker Park. Not sure how much any of this matters but I like these type of ideas. Ideas that the ACC never has.

Yeah all those Big12 teams in the Final 4 this year are awesome.