Do C7 really want to add the best teams?

[glen]

Ive been wondering if there is actually an advantage to the C7 adding mediocre teams rather than strong ones. Greater opportunity to make the ncaa tournament if you're playing teams you can beat rather than those who will beat you and take your ncaa bids.

[xu95]

It won't get you more bids though. The more bids the conference makes, the more money the school makes.

[glen]

It won't get you more bids though. The more bids the conference makes, the more money the school makes.

I get that but I also wouldn't be surprised if schools made selfish decisions. Does DePaul want to add Creighton and move down in the league pecking order or might they want to add SLU and feel that they've increased their own NCAA chances by adding a team they can beat more consistently?

[FlyByNight101]

Long term - there is a better chance of a program improving with more funds and attention coming in - adding NCAA units and giving more strength to the conference in general (creating interest for the 'product') is in every teams best interest. (Stronger conference profile should also help in recruiting across the board as well.)

[glen]

I guess I don't think people should br surprised if one or more teams added might not be what we consider to be the best 'adds' but fit some unwritten plan.

[XU85]

I guess I don't think people should br surprised if one or more teams added might not be what we consider to be the best 'adds' but fit some unwritten plan.

I think you and most others on the board are way over analyzing who will be selected. The C-7 will invite whoever the highest bidding network tells them to invite. It's probably as simple as that.

[pki1998]

I think you and most others on the board are way over analyzing who will be selected. The C-7 will invite whoever the highest bidding network tells them to invite. It's probably as simple as that.

I couldn't agree more. If Xavier was in Portsmouth, OH, and Indianapolis was in Elkhardt, In there would be no way they would be considered despite the quality of the program. The TV guys are sitting up there crunching numbers and they will have more impact than anyone in determining who is invited.

[yorost]

It's not as simple as who the tv guys want. Gonzaga would likely be a shoe in by that standard. More money has to balance cost and long term prospects for money. It's about money, but tv is only onr of the big parts of that equation. Travel and potential for tournament credits are big factors that can trump tv. We don't know the equations involved so we can't just say it is as simple as tv execs pointing fingers. That pre-offer wouldn't be there in the first place if a specific 12 team conference had to form.

Analysis from fans makes sense, too, in a way. It highlights what the powers that be will be looking at in public opinion. More people want a specific school sort of indicates more interest. What fans want is what sells. They might not go about looking for these things in a small place such as this, but I would assume they are finding ways to judge interest among the public.

[XU85]

It's not as simple as who the tv guys want. Gonzaga would likely be a shoe in by that standard. More money has to balance cost and long term prospects for money. It's about money, but tv is only onr of the big parts of that equation. Travel and potential for tournament credits are big factors that can trump tv. We don't know the equations involved so we can't just say it is as simple as tv execs pointing fingers. That pre-offer wouldn't be there in the first place if a specific 12 team conference had to form.

Analysis from fans makes sense, too, in a way. It highlights what the powers that be will be looking at in public opinion. More people want a specific school sort of indicates more interest. What fans want is what sells. They might not go about looking for these things in a small place such as this, but I would assume they are finding ways to judge interest among the public.

I agree that analysis from fans and public opinion makes sense. I believe that is called market research. Do you honestly believe the networks aren't going to take this into consideration when offering C-7 $500 million?

My guess is that Fox offer C-7 $500 million if they could get certain potential teams to join conference. The amount probably goes up or down depending on whether or not the identified schools agree to join.

Regarding Gonzaga, I would love to see then join, and contract would probably pay more if they joined. However, I don't see how Gonzaga agrees to join with the travel burden it would place on them.

[yorost]

How did I give the impression the media outlets wouldn't consider market research? That was the point of that part, all sides will in one form or another. Fan discussions just reflects that. What tv offers aren't going to hinge on are travel and the vale of those credits. The schools weigh those against the values of the tv deals. TV has a lot of weight, but it isn't the despot of invites.