MVC Realignment Assessment

[Redbird222]

Gordo: Loyola Chicago loses, Missouri Valley wins in basketball conference realignment

While Loyola Chicago has struggled mightily since leaving the Missouri Valley Conference, the St. Louis-based MVC only got stronger.

www.stltoday.com

Jeff Gordon's take on the MVC realignment of losing Loyola and picking up UIC, Murray and Belmont.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

Great article. Thank you for posting it. I looked about a week ago and Loyola was in last place and so was Tulsa. Wichita was also near the bottom of its conference. Creighton was in the upper middle in its conference. I know it is not happening, but those 4, plus our 12 and we would have a superb 16 team conference.

 

[isuquinndog]

They are 0-6. Lost 76-59 to SLU Wednesday night.

 

[jwa123]

When it comes to Loyola, I won’t make any assumptions on such a limited sample size. I’ll be interested in where they are with a few more years.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I remember the Chicago Bears in 2018.

 

[Baltimore Bird]

Except for a great 4 year recent stretch, Loyola BBall was irrelevant from the late 1960's until 2017. Time will tell how much they can bounce back.

 

[ISU86]

Creighton transitioned into a conference with similar membership (valued basketball) and, as a result, the Big East is stable.

Wichita State is in a conference where (almost) all of the membership is looking for a better FOOTBALL leap. For better or worse, the American is now almost what Conference USA was ten years ago. AAC still has more media cache' than the MVC (for now), but it will be weakened (and I am sure WSU's travel is costly) and if/when Memphis/South Florida leaves it will be a shell of its former self. I don't think the Shockers foresaw a conference that will include the likes of Rice and Texas-San Antonio.

Loyola-Chicago at least went into a basketball-centric conference; however, I am not convinced the A10 membership as a whole is any more than marginally better than the MVC (other than it is mainly east coast-based (media)).

Now, would we have made the jump to any of those conferences at the time they were done? Would we today, based on their membership? My guess is definitely yes on the former and probably yes on the latter; however, just because the grass is perceived to be greener does not mean it necessarily is (or will stay that way).

Ten years ago, Conference USA was perceived to be better/stronger than Sun Belt; now, three CUSA schools switched to the SBC and the CUSA is pulling FCS schools up in order to stay alive.

I do think Gordon was being a little generous toward the MVC.

Let's be honest. If/when the power five conferences break away from the rest of the FBS/Division-I, will it matter much what conference everyone else is in? Can anyone name the best Division-II conference in the country, let alone the schools? Everything is so fluid ... I do not envy having to project where things are going and making the accompanying decision(s).

 

[Adunk33]

Loyola-Chicago at least went into a basketball-centric conference; however, I am not convinced the A10 membership as a whole is any more than marginally better than the MVC (other than it is mainly east coast-based (media)).

Just wait till the next round...SLU and Dayton to the Big East?

 

[gobirds85]

Just wait till the next round...SLU and Dayton to the Big East?

The big east loves larger markets, but with that being said I could see these two schools jumping and we see how Loyola is currently positioned in the A10, but being in Chicago might help them make the jump when the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Adunk33]

The big east loves larger markets, but with that being said I could see these two schools jumping and we see how Loyola is currently positioned in the A10, but being in Chicago might help them make the jump when the opportunity presents itself.

Would big brother Depaul let that happen?

 

[Redbird222]

Just wait till the next round...SLU and Dayton to the Big East?

I think Xavier blocks Dayton's chances of joining. Big East has 11 teams and grabbing SLU makes sense too me

 

[gobirds85]

Would big brother Depaul let that happen?

I doubt DePaul would have much to say. Are they going to threaten to leave the big east if they offer a spot to Loyola? Finishing in the cellar for so long doesn’t give them much leverage or political weight in the conference.

 

[Seven]

Loyola made 1 NCAA Tournament over 50 years until 2018. Their fan base is tiny.

They don’t have a prayer at the Big East.

 

[gobirds85]

Loyola made 1 NCAA Tournament over 50 years until 2018. Their fan base is tiny.

They don’t have a prayer at the Big East.

And DePaul's fan base numbers in the hundreds, but that didn't stop them from receiving an invite. I believe we will continue to see conferences growing in size to take advantage of television deals. The lil ten, acc, sec are all looking at expanding. I highly doubt the big east will sit back when there are still schools out there that meet their current criteria of private schools located in larger media markets, with little or no emphasis on football. St. Louis, Dayton, and yes, Loyola are schools that would fall into these categories. Plus, factor in the close proximity to some big east schools that would lend itself to lower travel costs for all sports.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

And DePaul's fan base numbers in the hundreds, but that didn't stop them from receiving an invite. I believe we will continue to see conferences growing in size to take advantage of television deals. The lil ten, acc, sec are all looking at expanding. I highly doubt the big east will sit back when there are still schools out there that meet their current criteria of private schools located in larger media markets, with little or no emphasis on football. St. Louis, Dayton, and yes, Loyola are schools that would fall into these categories. Plus, factor in the close proximity to some big east schools that would lend itself to lower travel costs for all sports.

Realignment is about adding markets. Loyola doesn’t add anything they don’t already have. SLU would a bit.

 

[gobirds85]

Realignment is about adding markets. Loyola doesn’t add anything they don’t already have. SLU would a bit.

Agree but that model is shifting as there are less schools in play. The lil ten is taking usc and ucla from the same market.

 

[Manchester Matt]

And DePaul's fan base numbers in the hundreds, but that didn't stop them from receiving an invite. I believe we will continue to see conferences growing in size to take advantage of television deals. The lil ten, acc, sec are all looking at expanding. I highly doubt the big east will sit back when there are still schools out there that meet their current criteria of private schools located in larger media markets, with little or no emphasis on football. St. Louis, Dayton, and yes, Loyola are schools that would fall into these categories. Plus, factor in the close proximity to some big east schools that would lend itself to lower travel costs for all sports.

DePaul routinely had 18,000 in the building every game in the glory years. Loyola could barely pack 4,000 into Gentile after the Final Four. If, and I know it’s a big if, DePaul ever figures it out, the fans will come back.

The Big East already has the Chicago market so there’s zero reason for Loyola to be added. They aren’t just going to add to add.

 

[ISU86]

Agree but that model is shifting as there are less schools in play. The lil ten is taking usc and ucla from the same market.

UCLA & USC are the same market, but there are currently no other schools west of the Rocky Mountains in the B10. I don't think they wanted to leave other one on an island. Plus, that also keeps any other conference from getting into the LA market (at least with the two top draws).

 

[Bird Friend]

UCLA & USC are the same market, but there are currently no other schools west of the Rocky Mountains in the B10. I don't think they wanted to leave other one on an island. Plus, that also keeps any other conference from getting into the LA market (at least with the two top draws).

Your last sentence is the key. It's not just about market, it's also about the school's draw. USC and UCLA both have huge name recognition and tremendous draws.

 

[Redbird Alum 2004]

Fight at the end of the game at the siu Murray state game. Players got into it then southern fans came in the court. Not a good look. These two schools hate each other.

 

[Redbird222]

Fight at the end of the game at the siu Murray state game. Players got into it then southern fans came in the court. Not a good look. These two schools hate each other.