MVC Expansion

[Seven]

Matt Brown is reporting 5 schools will make 90-minute presentations to the MVC on December 19: Murray St, UTA, UIC, UMKC, & UNO.

The current most important school in conference realignment is...UT Arlington.

Here's what we're hearing about the MVC, OVC, Sun Belt and more:

www.extrapointsmb.com

I watched this video and highly suggest it. It's 23 minutes long, but you can skip the first 4-5 minutes on the A10. He breaks down all the stuff that matters to university presidents - enrollment demographics, alumni demographics, budgets, revenues, etc. His UIC slide is the best case I've heard for UIC. You'll get a lot more out of watching 20 minutes of this than reading 300 pages of nonsense on MVCFans.

 

[jwa123]

It’s a very good video. Everyone has their opinion on this but personally I don’t like the direction the Valley seems to be going. Catering to the private schools to be in large markets is something I have a hard time wrapping my arms around. Especially when one looks at some of the schools being considered.

This is just me but it seems the Valley is becoming even less of an institution fit for ISU. I envy NIU being in a conference with similar schools.

 

[Adunk33]

Murray and UIC feel like the way to go. Gotta keep some presence in Chicago.

 

[isuquinndog]

Its hard for fans, but you have to remove basketball as being the only criteria. Remember the decision is made by presidents, not ADs. I'm sure the AD is in the president ear but there are other things to consider.

Not to mention the other sports the conference has.

 

[ILSTU11GRAD]

It’s a very good video. Everyone has their opinion on this but personally I don’t like the direction the Valley seems to be going. Catering to the private schools to be in large markets is something I have a hard time wrapping my arms around. Especially when one looks at some of the schools being considered.

This is just me but it seems the Valley is becoming even less of an institution fit for ISU. I envy NIU being in a conference with similar schools.

I heard a lot of this when we brought Loyola in and now Loyola has kept our conference relevant for a few years now. The key is to find the other Loyola's out there that need the right conference to flourish to bring the Valley back to the glory days of the mid 2000's. Also, we should focus more on why ISU is not consistently dominating the conference before we start to worry about the worthiness and fit of the other school's in the conference.

 

[ISU86]

I heard a lot of this when we brought Loyola in and now Loyola has kept our conference relevant for a few years now. The key is to find the other Loyola's out there that need the right conference to flourish to bring the Valley back to the glory days of the mid 2000's. Also, we should focus more on why ISU is not consistently dominating the conference before we start to worry about the worthiness and fit of the other school's in the conference.

At this rate the MVC will be kicking the tires on Chicago State come 2031.

 

[jwa123]

My co

I heard a lot of this when we brought Loyola in and now Loyola has kept our conference relevant for a few years now. The key is to find the other Loyola's out there that need the right conference to flourish to bring the Valley back to the glory days of the mid 2000's. Also, we should focus more on why ISU is not consistently dominating the conference before we start to worry about the worthiness and fit of the other school's in the conference.

What I am addressing is instituional fit not sports records. As for these schools being the next Loyola. Yes maybe but then again maybe not. I’m not hanging my hat on the Loyola example.

Like I said, though, everyone has their opinion. I just expressed mine - that’s all. Nothing more than that.

 

[Aggie]

It appears to me that ISU has more in common with South Dakota State and North Dakota State then many private schools. Murray State should be included. Lots of ag kids from Illinois have gone there instead of Illinois schools. And, I would ad just not ag students, lots of Illinois kids going to Murray. Really taking a bite out of Carbondale.

Illinois State should be in a conference with other public institutions from the Midwest IMHO.

 

[ISUBird]

I heard a lot of this when we brought Loyola in and now Loyola has kept our conference relevant for a few years now. The key is to find the other Loyola's out there that need the right conference to flourish to bring the Valley back to the glory days of the mid 2000's. Also, we should focus more on why ISU is not consistently dominating the conference before we start to worry about the worthiness and fit of the other school's in the conference.

Loyola has private school money and had been doing way better than UMKC is and probably better than UTA. We can make sure we're bringing in the best teams at the same time as trying to improve our program.

 

[Dmills]

 

[Dmills]

Important follow up tweet

 

[CB2K]

The Valley has always thrived with the mix of public/private institutions and I applaud the success of their model. Can this be maintained going forward and are both types being benefited? That can only be answered by each individual school and ultimately the conference.

This video was excellent and included a whole lot of factors of school evaluation criteria for inclusion/exclusion and there are probably lots more cuts and slices of data that schools look at as well. Truly sports is one facet that can keep a university relevant with support, enrollment, invested interest and even revenue. The video stated that there is not another Loyola type out there for various reasons and perhaps that shouldn't be the target. I mean, come on, this school was at the right place at the right time and got hot at the right time after years of horrid results and bottom feeding. They were totally irrelevant in the Horizon league and as has been stated often in this forum it was quite the disappointing thud for most of us when announced they would join. Porter came into his own and got lucky with an overlooked and surprising Krutwig and solid role players along with a few last minute buzzer-beaters and off they go to greener pastures. It will be interesting in 10 years if they have maintained this kind of success -- but they are Chicago.

I agree with others and the video proposals that Murray State and UIC make sense from a purely men's basketball perspective but also for a future market presence as well. A Texas school would be a welcome addition just for capturing some market capability as well and maybe Arlington is a way to go for that. At any rate I think it shows initiative from the conference leadership that they are trying to be proactive in replacing Loyola but also maintaining the conference strength and optics especially if they want CBS to re-up on another contract. Those dollars are a must and sports drives those dollars.

Belmont was a very good addition and if they snagged Murray State that would be another solid men's basketball member. This would make the Valley even more competitive. The Valley is a survivor all the way back from the beginning when it has lost teams like Kansas and Cincinnati all the way up to more recently with Creighton and Wichita State. The college sports landscape has changed so much over the years and it will change some more with the P5 probably forming their own Larry Huggins-type suggested association and being completely independent with the absolute autonomy of keeping out all the rest which means not sharing any dollars with upset-minded non-P5 teams in their lucrative year end sport tournaments (football, basketball).

 

[gobirds85]

Murray and UIC feel like the way to go. Gotta keep some presence in Chicago.

I like this.

 

[Dmills]

I believe Matt Brown is probably the most reliable source as rumors continue to swirl.

 

[DWRedbird]

I believe Matt Brown is probably the most reliable source as rumors continue to swirl.

I hope it stays a rumor. UMKC would be a bad add. Being in a metro area is really their only redeeming quality in my opinion, and without it, they wouldn't even be sniffing the MVC.

I'm hoping they add Murray St at least in the expansion as they would bring quality basketball and some name recognition to the Valley (albeit small and largely tied to Ja Morant). And then if I had to choose another team from the list presented I would go with UIC, which keeps the Valley in the Chicago market and has some potential to be good basketball wise.

 

[gobirds85]

Considering the amount of Redbird alums in Chicago and our active Alumni Assoc. we need to keep a footprint in the Chicagoland area. Maybe even reach out to DePaul to gage any interest there in re-starting a relationship.

UIC fits geographically and academically. I also like the possible addition of Murray St. UMKC does nothing for me, the same for UTA.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

I just don’t get why the public schools are letting the privates have so much influence. Bradley, Drake, Valpo, and Evansville aren’t going to draw a ton of kids from KC or Dallas. Just never going to happen.

 

[TBS_20]

publics need to split away

 

[Dmills]

I hope it stays a rumor. UMKC would be a bad add. Being in a metro area is really their only redeeming quality in my opinion, and without it, they wouldn't even be sniffing the MVC.

I'm hoping they add Murray St at least in the expansion as they would bring quality basketball and some name recognition to the Valley (albeit small and largely tied to Ja Morant). And then if I had to choose another team from the list presented I would go with UIC, which keeps the Valley in the Chicago market and has some potential to be good basketball wise.

I would be open to having UMKC if they had better athletic programs, specifically MBB. With that being said, I would MUCH rather go with UIC and Murray State. I think they would both be a great add. I would be rather disappointed if we added UMKC. Maybe we could reexamine them at a future time.

 

[stats]

Maybe even reach out to DePaul to gage any interest there in re-starting a relationship.

DePaul's last 14 years as an independent, when they played less games, they were 228 games over .500. They are 114 games below .500 in their last 17 years since joining the Big East. That is including all of their non-conference games. With Loyola leaving, I am guessing DePaul could step right in, improve their program, and be a dominant force in the Valley. I doubt money has nothing to do with them being in the big east still.