Gonzaga to join the Big 12?

[cykadelic2]

Dan Monson had them in the Elite 8 before Few got the job.

It's impossible to go to 9 consecutive second weekends of the tournament and not be an elite program.

Few was on Monson's staff and it is no coincidence that Monson couldn't sustain success without Few after Monson left Gonzaga and Few elevated the program after Monson's departure.

I am guessing the current noise re' Gonzaga to the B12 is associated with the ongoing negotiations of the Big East BB TV contract extension with Fox and the Big East/Fox potentially exploring expansion with Gonzaga and maybe others.

 

[Pope]

You really contradict yourself here. How do they raise the conference profile in the short term while they are a 5-13 conference team who doesn't even make the tournament.

You are really setting up a straw man. No one is saying they are going to win 10 straight conference titles. But if you think they aren't going to be a top half team from the get go, probably in the title chase.

You didn't mention Few, but they can be fine with a new coach. Like any program, it just takes the right hire.

I don't think I contradict myself at all. Gonzaga elevates the Big 12 conference for the short term because of their reputation and because Mark Few will continue to lead their program for the next few years. However, after several years of less successful records and after Mark Few's retirement, I'm not sure it will be worth having a non-football school like Gonzaga in the Big 12.

Like I said at the beginning, though, Brett Yormark knows more about conference expansion than I do. It's just my uneducated opinion.

 

[clone52]

I don't think I contradict myself at all. Gonzaga elevates the Big 12 conference for the short term because of their reputation and because Mark Few will continue to lead their program for the next few years. However, after several years of less successful records and after Mark Few's retirement, I'm not sure it will be worth having a non-football school like Gonzaga in the Big 12.

Like I said at the beginning, though, Brett Yormark knows more about conference expansion than I do. It's just my uneducated opinion.

How will they elevate the conference in the short term if you think they are going to have the type of success UCF, BYU, Cincinnati and Houston have had in football?

 

[clone52]

I don't think I contradict myself at all. Gonzaga elevates the Big 12 conference for the short term because of their reputation and because Mark Few will continue to lead their program for the next few years. However, after several years of less successful records and after Mark Few's retirement, I'm not sure it will be worth having a non-football school like Gonzaga in the Big 12.

Like I said at the beginning, though, Brett Yormark knows more about conference expansion than I do. It's just my uneducated opinion.

I think even if they aren't elite in the Big 12, they will likely be mid tier and not hurt the basketball payouts. If adding them allows the Big 12 to separate the FB and BB media deals, they are worth it. Once they make that first split deal, future deals won't go down in value, even if Gonzaga becomes a bottom feeder.

 

[cycloneworld]

Don't think he meant 5-13....but what I took from his post was instead of 18-0 or 17-1 every year it'd be more like 12-6 or 11-7 ect.

I too have the opinion it'd be fun at first to have them but the flash would wear off and we're just sharing our revenue with them....

Kansas has gone 12-6, 14-4, and 13-5 in conference the last 3 years. If Gonzaga came in and went 12-6 or 11-7 every year, they'd be a perennial Top 15 program and certainly top 3 in the conference. That would be good for the Big 12 (basketball-wise).

 

[ClubCy]

With the impending split from the NCAA Yormark’s main goal will be ensuring the Big 12 has seat at THAT table. Will it be a break off of the top 24 football brands? The current P5? Current Big10/SEC only?

They know football drives it all but March Madness brings in huge money. I think it’s been said before but the SEC/BIG10 can’t have a basketball tourney without Kansas/Duke/Arizona ect.

 

[CycloneErik]

Kansas has gone 12-6, 14-4, and 13-5 in conference the last 3 years. If Gonzaga came in and went 12-6 or 11-7 every year, they'd be a perennial Top 15 program and certainly top 3 in the conference. That would be good for the Big 12 (basketball-wise).

A conference with Kansas, Houston, Arizona, and Gonzaga is a pretty strong conference. I'd take it.

 

[PickSix]

The more I think about it the more on board I am with Gonzaga.

The power conference breakaway from the NCAA is just a couple years away. Being undoubtably the #1 basketball conference is our best chance for a seat in the new NCAA, whatever that looks like.

No new entity can create a credible/money driven March tournament without Kansas, Arizona, Gonzaga, etc.

Long term implications such as how they perform after Few don’t concern as much anymore. No one knows what college athletics will look like in 10 years. Armageddon is happening now, and Gonzaga further fortifies us in a way that will help us get through it.

This is assuming that Gonzaga will be able to buy themselves into the current contract and member institutions won’t have to take anymore cuts. Otherwise I don’t think it’d be worth it.

 

[PickSix]

With the impending split from the NCAA Yormark’s main goal will be ensuring the Big 12 has seat at THAT table. Will it be a break off of the top 24 football brands? The current P5? Current Big10/SEC only?

They know football drives it all but March Madness brings in huge money. I think it’s been said before but the SEC/BIG10 can’t have a basketball tourney without Kansas/Duke/Arizona ect.

Shoutout to you for pretty much beating me to my point and getting it across in a far more concise manner.

 

[HFCS]

A conference with Kansas, Houston, Arizona, and Gonzaga is a pretty strong conference. I'd take it.

They're down now but Louisville has had some elite stretches and hard to see a Big 12 future where they aren't in the mix. Pitt, Syracuse and NC State are also likely schools that may want to come running to Big 12 that have had some pretty amazing hoops runs.

UConn is a little different since they're already doing great in the second best basketball conference that isn't on the edge of getting destroyed any year.

I just don't see a good end for the ACC.

 

[mj4cy]

Kansas has gone 12-6, 14-4, and 13-5 in conference the last 3 years. If Gonzaga came in and went 12-6 or 11-7 every year, they'd be a perennial Top 15 program and certainly top 3 in the conference. That would be good for the Big 12 (basketball-wise).

Kansas is Kansas though...I think it's a big meh-burger to add Gonzaga.

 

[CycloneErik]

They're down now but Louisville has had some elite stretches and hard to see a Big 12 future where they aren't in the mix. Pitt, Syracuse and NC State are also likely schools that may want to come running to Big 12 that have had some pretty amazing hoops runs.

UConn is a little different since they're already doing great in the second best basketball conference that isn't on the edge of getting destroyed any year.

I just don't see a good end for the ACC.

Louisville, sure. The rest of those are a whole lot of blah anymore. Pitt and NC State haven't mattered for a long time. Syracuse, maybe.

 

[Cloneman89]

Well then add St Mary’s, Santa Clara, New Mexico, if you want Bball supreme! Maybe SDSU too. Dayton as well. 20 team league - prob get most in tourney. Take half the money is about $500M. Split 20 ways - $25M per school ! Yorkie is thinking big

 

[HFCS]

Louisville, sure. The rest of those are a whole lot of blah anymore. Pitt and NC State haven't mattered for a long time. Syracuse, maybe.

The Big Ten hasn't really done anything in basketball since MSU beat our Fizer/Tinsley team.

If they add UNC/Duke when the ACC implodes they could finally be relevant in college hoops again a quarter century later. Talking about actually winning games, not just getting lots of high seeds and irrational media praise which they don't have a problem getting.

If for some reason the Big Ten and SEC decide to just focus on football exclusively (very possible) the gap could get even bigger in terms of the Big 12 pulling away in hoops.

Clemson and Florida state (the big prizes) aren't exactly the way to build a basketball super conference.

 

[Pope]

How will they elevate the conference in the short term if you think they are going to have the type of success UCF, BYU, Cincinnati and Houston have had in football?

I don't think Gonzaga's degree of success in Big 12 basketball will be as poor as UCF, BYU, UC, and UH have had in Big 12 football. I'm simply saying that Gonzaga's glossy record will be adversely impacted by playing a Big 12 schedule, and over time Gonzaga's luster will wear off, and it will be worse after Mark Few retires.

Again, it's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

 

[isucy86]

I have yet to hear an overly convincing argument FOR adding Gonzaga in MBB only..

Perhaps Yormark is hearing directly from broadcast partners that Gonzaga is worth A LOT to a MBB TV deal.

I'd rather digest the four new schools and make another realignment play once there is more confidence in the outcome of the ACC.

Remember, members took a pay CUT to welcome the 4 schools in 2024

Gonzaga makes a lot of sense if we see football and men's basketball break-off from the NCAA or whatever the overarching governance body.

Football has already broken off, but maybe Yormark's talk about a separate basketball TV deal is because he feels men's basketball (and maybe womens) will break off as well. So if Big12 basketball has to stand on its own, then having the Gonzaga basketball brand has value.

I feel like some people are exaggerating Gonzaga's fall if they joined the Big12. They wouldn't go through a season with 2 or 3 losses, but they would still fight for Big12 Conference titles. It's not like they haven't had NCAA Tournament success. Is there a Big12 team other than KU that has been to more Elite 8's or Final Fours in the last decade?

 

[CascadeClone]

The Big Ten hasn't really done anything in basketball since MSU beat our Fizer/Tinsley team.

 

[Pope]

Football has always been king, but gate revenue now makes up a much smaller percentage of a Power 5 athletic department's revenue than it used to.

It's all about TV revenue today, so Brett Yormark is probably onto something when it comes to splitting football and basketball TV contracts. The nation needs basketball to keep them entertained throughout the winter months, and there's no better basketball conference in the nation than the Big 12.

I just hope that whatever additional revenue the Big 12 gains in its basketball contract isn't offset some by reductions in its football contract.

 

[HouClone]

The Gonzaga fans on their forum are ready to move on from the WCC. They have heard the rumors for the Big 12 for a long time. Thus, they aren't overly excited right now. They will be if it goes down.

 

[Nor'easter]

More

Football has always been king, but gate revenue now makes up a much smaller percentage of a Power 5 athletic department's revenue than it used to.

It's all about TV revenue today, so Brett Yormark is probably onto something when it comes to splitting football and basketball TV contracts. The nation needs basketball to keep them entertained throughout the winter months, and there's no better basketball conference in the nation than the Big 12.

I just hope that whatever additional revenue the Big 12 gains in its basketball contract isn't offset some by reductions in its football contract

More importantly the country needs something to bet on during the winter