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Old Cage · Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 9:34 am Post subject:

Five bids? - and more:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/05/16/rothstein-files-five-instant-effects-of-vcu-joining-the-atlantic-10/
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InnervisionsUMASS · Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 9:39 am Post subject:

No way! An inter-city/in-state/regional rivalry is a GOOD THING for college basketball? Who would have thought! Rolling Eyes

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Sam Minuteman · Senior Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 1164 Location: Tampa, FL

Any possibility of getting Butler immediately to even out at 16 for the upcoming year and moving to a tournament format similar to the BE? 16 would also allow them to reopen the tv contract if I read some other posts correctly.
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MikeUMA · Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 11:18 am Post subject:

umassfan0299 · Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject:

The elite 8 is nice but the final 4 is the holy grail of college hoops, no way around it. In the last 16 years, the A-10 has not put a single team to that point, UMass in '96 was the last.

All of a sudden add into the fold 2 teams who have a combined 3 final 4s in the last 3 years. Serious uprgade. Both are national contenders in the next 2 years for sure, and VCU's immediate addition looks something like this for the A-10 next year:

1.St. Louis
2.VCU
3.UMass
4.St. Joseph's
5.Xavier
6.Temple
7.LaSalle
8.URI

Open for discussion, and I think the Minutemen have a legit chance to take the conference next year, but couldn't be more excited about the future of UMass basketball.

InnervisionsUMASS · Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 8:54 pm Post subject:

DoctorJ · Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 10:11 pm Post subject:

I like this part from Mike's link:

Blutrane93 · Senior Joined: 14 Apr 2010 Posts: 1261

Yes, it is a big footprint, and that's good. But where does Fordham rank in the viewing habits and consciousness of the New York city media market? Never mind a few other schools in major media markets in the A-10.

DoctorJ · Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 3:11 am Post subject:

Let's not mention the Ordamfay Arketmay!!!

Seriously, if the A10 is gaining respect with the two teams in their biggest media markets sucking (NYC and DC), I see it as a good sign.

GW and Fordham are lucky to be in the conference (based on the past five years or so) and should invest more in their programs to reflect it. I would hope so, at least...

If adding VCU and Butler isn't enough to wake them up?...That is how I feel about it.

I think the A10 has taken a major step forward and totally eclipsed the loss of Temple.

We will be a "Major Conference" in terms of strength-of-schedule. Would be even more so if we added George Mason University and I hope that isn't off the table yet.

I know that Georgia State isn't a big attraction, but I thought that might have been another target market -- just based on proximity to a large population base.

Anyway, our conference is stepping up just as our hoop program is doing the same.

Moving in the right direction...

Smile

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Marty Peretz · Posted: Sun May 20, 2012 1:59 pm Post subject:

^^Fordham obviously isn't in the consciousness of most NY sports fan, but UMass isn't counted as being part of the Boston market, where most of its fans reside. So, consider it a trade-off. Oh and I suspect Bonnie is deemed a part of the Rochester/Buffalo market.

As for TV deals...I'm just not sure how we can get a deal that would please any of us when you really think about it. ESPN isn't going to pick up A10 regular season coverage considering how many other conferences they already show on a regular basis. And outside of ESPN, who even is there anymore? I guess CBS College Sports could increase the number of games it runs and maybe throw a handful of additional games on national CBS (at least regionally), but it just seems like unless you get an ESPN deal, you're kinda screwed and it doesn't seem like ESPN is going to aggressively court a non BCS conference.

Hopefully I'm wrong. And admittedly this is not something I know much about, so if someone with more expertise on the sports business side could weigh in, I'd love to know more.
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PJ2015 · Sophomore Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 204

^NBC Sports is trying to compete with ESPN. I would love to see the A-10 make a deal with them. They have had a deal with the Mountain West in the past and I know they just made a deal with the CAA. Why not the A-10? It's a step up from CBS Sports because most people get it on their regular cable package, and there is always the option of NBC. I have to pay extra for CBS Sports and the cable package at UMass does not include CBS Sports, while it does get NBC Sports.

MikeUMA · Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 8:28 pm Post subject:

Continuing what others mentioned this evening...

I didn't think Butler could change course and come aboard so quickly, but it's happening...
http://www.indystar.com/article/20120529/SPORTS0605/120529032/Butler-compete-Atlantic-10-year-ahead-schedule?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

Now that there are 2 more A-10 opponents, I wonder if the league will drop the 3-school home-and-home deal, and just play everybody once.

ktabz16 · Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 8:33 pm Post subject:

wow. a10 is going to be sexiest league in the nation next year.

xlgman · Hall of Fame Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 2759

So with VCU and Butler joining early, I'm gonna guess we just lost a game with La Salle and a game with St. Joe's and our only H-H will be with our biggest traditional rival, URI. Not sure that will really help our SOS since St. Joe's will be a top team and La Salle should be ok too. VCU / StJ might be a wash. Butler / LaS might be too.

Looking at Butler's roster, they lose their PG Nored but also gain a bigtime scorer in Rotnei Clark, a transfer from Arkansas who has averaged over 15 ppg and is a real deep threat. Not sure who they have coming in as freshmen but if they find a good PG or a returnee steps up at PG, I think they'll be pretty good next year. Anyone know more about their outlook for next year? I think I heard they had a great recruiting class coming in off of two Final 4 runs.
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MikeUMA · Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 9:48 pm Post subject:

Yep, Matty V confirms that the league will go from 13 1x and 3 2x to 15 1x and 1 2x. You gotta think that with geography and history (138 games played) that Rhody is going to be the 2x.

http://www.gazettenet.com/blog/umass-sports/butler-speeds-up-entry-will-join-atlantic-10-in-2012-13