How much credence do you give to the Gonzaga-to-the-Big East rumors? — Thomas S.
Dana O’Neil: In normal times — back before the Los Angeles-to-State College commute became a normal conference swing — I’d say zero. Right now, I believe absolutely nothing is out of the question. For all I know, Hawaii could join the Atlantic 10, so why couldn’t the Spokane-to-Providence ride become a thing?
Here’s what I believe, having put out a few feelers about this very topic: Both sides are going to be very intelligent and choosy. Gonzaga is in a pretty nice position of power, or at least as much power as a non-football school can have these days. The Zags are doing just fine right where they are in the West Coast Conference and yet are wildly desirable to conferences looking to glam up the basketball side of things. They don’t have to jump, unless they want to.
The Big East, once the carcass of conference realignment, is perhaps the least vulnerable league out there. Everyone wants football, so no one wants what it has. It’s proven to be quite capable of competing at a national level and has a steady and committed membership. The caveat: The Big East’s deal with Fox is up in 2024-25, and if you hadn’t heard, Fox just spent a gazillion dollars on football. Fox and the Big East have been terrific partners, the league helping bolster FS1 and the network giving the league a TV home. But it’s fair to wonder how much money Fox has left to spend on college basketball, and it’s also fair to question if, as currently constructed, the Big East is attractive enough to garner a good deal. You add Gonzaga to the package, and maybe a few other hoops-minded schools, and suddenly the Big East has a lot more to offer.
If you asked me do I think it should happen, my answer would be yes. Will it? That’s trickier.
What do you think, Mr. Hamilton?
Brian: As our friend Andy Staples has astutely said on all things realignment: The only limit to any of this is the imagination of a commissioner or president or administrator. It’s foolish to wave off any potential outcome. I’m not inclined to believe Gonzaga is in any rush to change anything. But if I’m the Big East, I’m keeping the lines of communication open, if not red-hot with negotiations. Logistically, I’d imagine adding Gonzaga requires adding another West Coast-ish travel partner to have this make any sense from an athlete-welfare perspective; it doesn’t seem altogether sensible to do this and make teams fly three time zones away and back for one game. Finding said partner is probably one of the easier parts in this pretend (for now) version of reality, though. Money talks.
Here’s where I would really apply the pressure, if anyone in the Big East is inclined to do so: reconnect with some old friends who are absolutely going to be left behind in any Football Megaconference Structure and offer a lifeline. Under those circumstances, does the UConn model look so bad to say … Syracuse, especially? Or Pittsburgh? Or even Boston College? No one is arguing any of them should drop football. That’s a non-starter. But if you’re not playing football in one of the two or three leagues that matters — according to this thought exercise, anyway — why not play your hoops and other sports in a conference that definitely matters and put the gridiron product in the American or Conference USA or some such?
I’d love to say this is entirely my idea, but it’s generated by conversations with people in the sport, so I wonder how many legs it could have.
And also call Duke. Because why not?
Dana O’Neil: In normal times — back before the Los Angeles-to-State College commute became a normal conference swing — I’d say zero. Right now, I believe absolutely nothing is out of the question. For all I know, Hawaii could join the Atlantic 10, so why couldn’t the Spokane-to-Providence ride become a thing?
Here’s what I believe, having put out a few feelers about this very topic: Both sides are going to be very intelligent and choosy. Gonzaga is in a pretty nice position of power, or at least as much power as a non-football school can have these days. The Zags are doing just fine right where they are in the West Coast Conference and yet are wildly desirable to conferences looking to glam up the basketball side of things. They don’t have to jump, unless they want to.
The Big East, once the carcass of conference realignment, is perhaps the least vulnerable league out there. Everyone wants football, so no one wants what it has. It’s proven to be quite capable of competing at a national level and has a steady and committed membership. The caveat: The Big East’s deal with Fox is up in 2024-25, and if you hadn’t heard, Fox just spent a gazillion dollars on football. Fox and the Big East have been terrific partners, the league helping bolster FS1 and the network giving the league a TV home. But it’s fair to wonder how much money Fox has left to spend on college basketball, and it’s also fair to question if, as currently constructed, the Big East is attractive enough to garner a good deal. You add Gonzaga to the package, and maybe a few other hoops-minded schools, and suddenly the Big East has a lot more to offer.
If you asked me do I think it should happen, my answer would be yes. Will it? That’s trickier.
What do you think, Mr. Hamilton?
Brian: As our friend Andy Staples has astutely said on all things realignment: The only limit to any of this is the imagination of a commissioner or president or administrator. It’s foolish to wave off any potential outcome. I’m not inclined to believe Gonzaga is in any rush to change anything. But if I’m the Big East, I’m keeping the lines of communication open, if not red-hot with negotiations. Logistically, I’d imagine adding Gonzaga requires adding another West Coast-ish travel partner to have this make any sense from an athlete-welfare perspective; it doesn’t seem altogether sensible to do this and make teams fly three time zones away and back for one game. Finding said partner is probably one of the easier parts in this pretend (for now) version of reality, though. Money talks.
Here’s where I would really apply the pressure, if anyone in the Big East is inclined to do so: reconnect with some old friends who are absolutely going to be left behind in any Football Megaconference Structure and offer a lifeline. Under those circumstances, does the UConn model look so bad to say … Syracuse, especially? Or Pittsburgh? Or even Boston College? No one is arguing any of them should drop football. That’s a non-starter. But if you’re not playing football in one of the two or three leagues that matters — according to this thought exercise, anyway — why not play your hoops and other sports in a conference that definitely matters and put the gridiron product in the American or Conference USA or some such?
I’d love to say this is entirely my idea, but it’s generated by conversations with people in the sport, so I wonder how many legs it could have.
And also call Duke. Because why not?