Why? I consider it a lateral move, with additional travel costs with almost all the teams in a different time zone.
Loyola leaving the MVC for the Atlantic 10?
- Thread starter bringbacktherantboard
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The A-10 has had way more at large bids (24) than the MVC (5) . Makes sense in that regard.
The A-10 also ain't what it used to be (many of those teams went to the Big East), and Loyola would be their 15th team, so there are lots of mouths to feed, many slices to the pie.
The A10 lost a bunch of their good teams when the BigEast re-formed as the Catholic Basketball League (plus UConn!!).
MVC has really nosedived without Wichita State in it. It has become a one bid league lately where you have to win the conference tournament to get in the NCAA and that is a tough road to hoe. A-10 membership would upgrade their schedule which they've had trouble doing since no big name teams want to visit their bandbox gym since they've become so good!
Except for the fact that they had two bids last season, just like the A-10, you're right!
Trib article pointed out MVC has only been a two bid league half a dozen times since 2007. Also pointed out Atlantic Ten desire to add another major market to Philly and St. Louis and that Loyola is joining three other Jesuit schools in that league. I think it's a definite step up just like MVC was from the Horizon League for the Ramblers.
Are travel costs reduced if two Jesuit schools play each other?
I'm not convinced that non-major conferences expanding their footprint is a profitable strategy. Most of them don't have a Big Ten Network that they're trying to force into people's cable packages. As a UTEP fan, I can tell you that being a geographically isolated team in a mid-major conference seriously sucks. Also, as a UTEP fan, my opinions on conferences were shaped by the old WAC. Adding a 15th team is getting into unstable territory. When did the MWC break off from the WAC? When did the Big East split from the American?
Yes, Loyola is a big loss for the MVC and a big gain for the A-10. But I'm not convinced that Loyola will actually be any better off. I think the long-term future of the mid-major conferences is going to be a return to strong, regional conferences to foster regional rivalries and minimize travel costs. I'm not sold on the current fad of mid-major conferences expanding their footprint in pursuit of TV markets in a dying broadcast model.
CUSA's Western Kentucky beat SEC champ Alabama on their own court last season and were relegated to the NIT.
If you're saying that the mid-majors deserve more bids at the expense of the Big 10, especially given their performance in the tournament last season, I'm with you.
The deck is stacked against them. There should be some rule on the opportunities they must have in non conference to beat the big dogs. They should have the chance to play the P6 teams on their own court.