BrownIndians85

I know we have multiple threads on the re-alignment, but most understandably degrade into chest-puffing antics as to why team X is a shoe-in for BE7+ and team Y has sucked the A-10 dry for 30 years.

So.. I would like to hear in your words, not why you should be included in BE7+, but what is the allure to being included in BE7+. This isn't sarcastic, I'm not looking to fight with anyone. I know where Bonaventure stands in re-alignment land, and it's not pretty. I'm predominantly asking Xavier, Dayton, St. Louis, and Butler, but invite fans of every A-10 school to tell me why BE7+ is the promised land.

I'll start by saying I don't think it is. I think BE7 contains 2 or 3 good programs, and 4 that are past their prime. When certain fan bases sit and criticize Fordham, Bona, LaSalle, Rhody for pulling down this conference, I question how long until those same fan bases are no longer enamored with Seton Hall, DePaul, Providence, and St. John's in BE7+. Is it conference size? Less sharing with the money-grubbing bottom-feeders? If the allure is having the top A-10 teams combine with the top BE teams then I understand that - I just question why you'd take the BE4 that aren't that great along for the ride.

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GoMuskies

Georgetown, Villanova and to a lesser extent Marquette are premier brands. Even if St. John's remains a dog (which I don't think will be the case), better to be stuck with St. John's than Fordham. Being stuck with Seton Hall is better than being stuck with Duquesne. Being stuck with Providence is better than being stuck with LaSalle. DePaul sucks, but every conference needs someone to bring up the rear.

Top to bottom, it will be a much better league than the current A-10. Not so much because of the top (which will be a bit better I think), but because the bottom will be so much less bad (not eloquent, but you get the point).

Muddy Waters

X, UD, StL, Butler - Explain the "allure" of the BE7.

Simple - no St. Bonaventure, La Salle, or Fordham.

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BM-GW

To add to the "leading question" negatives... What happens when/if Georgetown is lured out by the ACC?

GoMuskies

The conference adds someone else from the A-10. And still doesn't include Fordham.

jdm2000

As an X fan, I think the allure is two-fold. One, the top programs of the C7 are brand names with good recent success. Second, it's the idea of combining the top of the C7 with the teams mentioned (X, Butler, Gonzaga, etc.) that appeals. Then you are looking at what is on paper a really strong conference.

I have genuinely enjoyed being in the A10 for nearly 20 years or whatever it is now. If X joins with the C7, I will miss playing all the teams in the league. Unlike some posters, I think pretty much everyone in the league has brought value during the time X has been a member. (Fordham has been a real struggle, but their fans on this board may be the most likable.) Some of the schools I really like a lot, and find myself rooting for whenever X doesn't play them (particularly the Bonnies). Some of the teams, even if I don't particularly like them, I appreciate what they've done for the league (here I am thinking especially of GW). If it were possible to bring over the top of the C7, that would be ideal, but they have made it clear that can't happen.

REF

For years the fans of the A10 have discussed cleaning house. They never do it. Sometimes it's just time to move to greener pastures. Every conference will have a bad team. I'd rather have a bad team that can generate interest that one that is unknown in the basketball world.

See, I didn't even name names. I'm also fairly convinced that the BE7 are only going to take 3 right now.

Still lots of discussions going on.

GoMuskies

Of course. This SHOULD go without saying. Joining the A-10 is the best thing that ever happened to Xavier. That doesn't mean it's not time to go if the right opportunity presents itself.

moytoy12

You also have to look forward some. From SLU's perspective, what will the A-10 look like without X, Butler and/or Dayton? An A-10 without those 3 but keeping the bottom feeders...ugh.

Travel would likely be easier, especially if there is an East and West division.

Money.

Improved recruiting. In terms of recruiting, joining the C7 would likely help SLU more than it would help X, Butler and Dayton.

A conference with the C7 has national recognition. ESPN knows it and likes it. It also can't hurt when it comes to selection sunday.

If the C7 keep the big east name, there is value in the goodwill of the Big East name, which helps attract/maintain national attention. In terms of student recruitment/alumni support for SLU, the C7 would be like the A-10 on steroids.

A conference with Georgetown, Marquette, X, Butler, Dayton and possibly Creighton really moves the needle for SLU fans. Attendance is likely to improve and I think the fan base will generally be more excited about the 9 or 11 other teams in the conference with SLU.

Again, more money.

MudFlap

The BB schools in the former BE had to get out. I think X and BU have already agreed to join. ESPN will pay 20-30 mill for TV rights to the new league. Why not? They now care-less about televising BE Football. Let somebody else have it. Huge savings. Get ready for Big Monday - G'Town vs X.

BmoreX

Not to reiterate what everyone else above has said, Xavier wants to continue to maintain and grow its presence on the East Coast. This has been a marketing plan for the university for several years, if not longer. The basketball team wants to recruit in places like Philly and Baltimore/DC and the university wants to seek prospective students from the East Coast.

Now obviously the A10 has East Coast schools. But if I'm a high school junior looking at colleges, Georgetown and Villanova are more well-known than GW and LaSalle. That's just me. I would think East Coast alumni would also welcome the change.

I believe that, for Xavier, this move is as important to the university's future marketing plan and its overall well-being as it is important for basketball.

Chetburger

I dont understand why it cannot happen. If the A10 stays together in solidarity, the 7 schools are out of options and would have to beg for A10 membership. Gonzaga is not going to join them alone without some Xaviers and Butlers in the plan.

The 7 schools are in a bad negotiating position. All they can sell is blue sky and they're screwed if no one dons a cape and rescues them. I think the A10 and Bernie should play hardball.

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jdm2000

I think they have plenty of leverage. For one thing, there are other schools that they could add. Creighton is a good example. They might have to reach down to a lesser league to fill it out (George Mason from the CAA, for example), but they could pretty quickly get a basketball conference up and running that is darn good without including any of the A10 teams. It would not be as good as if they add X/Butler/etc., but it would still be pretty good. And it would probably foreclose, forever, any chance of the A10 teams who turned them down being in a conference with any of the BE7.

MudFlap

"Xavier is the obvious team to be coveted by the departing seven Catholic schools. The A-10 can’t afford to lose its marquee program. But the league certainly can’t stand to lose Butler, either. The Bulldogs were a major coup for the A-10 and losing Xavier and Butler would be a crushing blow to the A-10’s future."

-Katz

BrownIndians85

I can see why this is a big plus for Dayton. Player safety in Olean would no longer be an issue. Hahahaha.

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