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super_eagle13 said:
To anyone reading between the lines, it's obvious. The conference honchos are preparing for the departure of the Montana schools as well as the square pegs (PSU and Sac) within the next few seasons. There is no other reasonable explanation for this stupid change in format.

So the question is, what conference is UM moving to for basketball? MWC?
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What are you reading in between the lines? I feel the conference thinks the bids for the conference tournament will be more profit than the current format. Planning travel arrangements for fans and schools will be cost saving as well, because they can make reservations well in advance. If the tournament is in Spokane, Reno, or Boise the cost to ESPN to provide better exposure would be less and more convenient for them. Right now, being on ESPNU totally sucks.

As for a move, the GRIZ will be prepared and ready for a move whenever it is needed. I hope MSU prepares for that time as well. They are a little behind in the process. If you feel 5 to 10 years is soon for a move, then you could be right. Whenever that time is, nobody knows now which teams we will be joining and what conference.
 
I can see Fullerton at his cauldron, sturring in the ingredients for the new BSC:

""Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble."

(Macbeth (IV, i, 14-15)
 
super_eagle13 said:
mtgrizrule said:
super_eagle13 said:
To anyone reading between the lines, it's obvious. The conference honchos are preparing for the departure of the Montana schools as well as the square pegs (PSU and Sac) within the next few seasons. There is no other reasonable explanation for this stupid change in format.

So the question is, what conference is UM moving to for basketball? MWC?
Click to expand...


What are you reading in between the lines? I feel the conference thinks the bids for the conference tournament will be more profit than the current format. Planning travel arrangements for fans and schools will be cost saving as well, because they can make reservations well in advance. If the tournament is in Spokane, Reno, or Boise the cost to ESPN to provide better exposure would be less and more convenient for them. Right now, being on ESPNU totally sucks.

As for a move, the GRIZ will be prepared and ready for a move whenever it is needed. I hope MSU prepares for that time as well. They are a little behind in the process. If you feel 5 to 10 years is soon for a move, then you could be right. Whenever that time is, nobody knows now which teams we will be joining and what conference.
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I'm thinking 2-3 seasons is realistic.

Right now the Big Sky's only shot at credible TV exposure is when Weber or Montana host. And even then it's not going to make any kind of splash outside of flyover land. An empty events center in Reno isn't going to look any better on TV.

But you're right about the travel expenses. The conference itself and lesser teams' athletic departments could save a good deal of money with a set site. But then it would be a non-issue if they simply reduced the field to six with two play-in games as they used to do. Why include 12 teams? 12! What's the point of having a regular season if not to settle what teams are legitimate postseason contenders?

I want to know what kind of revenue UM pulled in the last two tournaments it hosted. I imagine it's more than enough to offset any financial concerns that the conference has. Same goes for Weber. Despite a couple underdogs coming on recently, this is still a top-heavy conference, but so long as one of the big fish hosts it works out well. So why mess with a good thing by opening up the field and neutralizing home court? I say it's because the boys in Ogden have advance warning of UM's intention to leave.
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I never really thought of the conference tournament change being made tied to the GRIZ possibly leaving. Now that you mention it, it does make some sense, and is possible. However, with the history of some egrizzers, it is hard for me to believe something has not leaked out to someone. It is hard to keep any kind of GRIZ news secret these days. Usually when there is some potential news, someone hears a little bit of information and passes it on. Unless certain egrizzers are actually keeping quiet, I doubt there is enough information to give Conference officials to prepare for.

Speaking of preparation, I feel it is just that. They see Montana making the facility upgrades in preparation. Common sense alone, will tell people the improvements are in preparation for when the day to make the big decision does come again. Whenever that day is, it can happen quickly. It would be wise for the conference to be prepared for Montana moving. Considering the limited financial resources within the conference, I feel the Big Sky Conference would accept a multi million dollar buy out from a larger conference, if necessary, for the GRIZ to freely move on.

Speaking of which, does anyone know if the GRIZ have a long term contractual commitment to the conference? If so, how long is it?
 
IF we have to go to a predetermined tourney site, why not have it in Las Vegas? Combine it with onre of the other conference tourneys (MWC?) already there as alternating games. 1) vegas is easy to get to. 2) vegas is fun even if your team loses and you have a couple days to kill before your flight, and 3) it would be a cool format with two conferences worth of games at the Orleans... A basketball cornucopia!
 
That is what is good about Reno, if the conference decides to change what is working now. Las Vegas is no longer that "cheap" and why would anyone go to a Big Sky bball tourney while the Pac 12 and others are already there? There are only 2 BSC teams "close" whereas, Reno is as "central" to most Big Sky schools and has the same benefits, even more, if you live in Sacto or Utah because of train service...I think it would be better to keep the present format, with some type of adjustment to Sac State or Portland St.
 
The conference staff folks believe the presidents will choose Reno because they have made the best financial presentation, including free rooms for the teams. As to the Montanas leaving the conference, that's a foregone conclusion. That's why North Dakota, Southern Utah, Cal Poly and Cal Davis were invited in the first place -- to backfill when the Montanas go. The only question is if the MWAC has any openings.
 
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