Welcome to the BIG EAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DarthFriar]

Just thought I'd stop by to say welcome to my Friars Big East partners the Xavier University Musketeers.

I'm certainly glad to have your classy program aboard. Great things are coming!!!

[XUFan09]

Thanks, Darth!

We hope to see your presence on these boards as the Musketeers and Friars face off in the years to come!

[UCGRAD4X]

Just thought I'd stop by to say welcome to my Friars Big East partners the Xavier University Musketeers.

I'm certainly glad to have your classy program aboard. Great things are coming!!!

Thanks for the warm welcome. The A10 has been very good to us and it's been fun....but it's time to move on. This has been a long time coming for X. We are looking forward to forming some new rivalries and welcoming new friends to the Cintas Center on the beautiful campus at Xavier.

Pregames at Dana Gardens.

We sell beer at the games too.

[D-West & PO-Z]

We sell beer at the games too.

BTW, how does that get decided? That isnt a conference decision that may affect our ability to do so now that we are in the Big East is it? Does UC sell beer at games?

Always wondered why some teams do and some dont.

[BMoreX]

Can't wait to see the new flags in the south side of Cintas

[MuskiePimp23]

BTW, how does that get decided? That isnt a conference decision that may affect our ability to do so now that we are in the Big East is it? Does UC sell beer at games?

Always wondered why some teams do and some dont.

Yes uc sells beer at games...Not sure how that is decided.

[Cheesehead]

Don't scare me w/ this beer issue. This might be a deal breaker for me. I know Marquette sells beer too. I think we are ok, though.

[coasterville95]

I can verify UC sells beer at games. I don't that will change, this is the CATHOLIC conference after all. :)

[BMoreX]

I thought if the achool actually owns the arena, then they cannot sell beer.

Not sure if that is right.

[Masterofreality]

Just thought I'd stop by to say welcome to my Friars Big East partners the Xavier University Musketeers.

I'm certainly glad to have your classy program aboard. Great things are coming!!!

I am also very pleased that a trip to Rhode Island can still be a part of my winter travel schedule.

Boys, if you have never been there, a trip to Rhode Island, especially with a side trip to Newport, is outstanding.

Good being a partner with you Darth!

[JAPER]

Historical day! Come a long way since Schmidt field house days. I've got a vision of fr. Hoff in my mind with his arm pointing up on this glorious night.

[BMoreX]

We will never play at Tom golas garage.

Thank fin good

[xavierj]

I thought if the achool actually owns the arena, then they cannot sell beer.

Not sure if that is right.

Wait, what? Xavier does not own the Cintas Center? I'm confused.

[BMoreX]

Wait, what? Xavier does not own the Cintas Center? I'm confused.

Technically no. That's why we can serve beer.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Technically no. That's why we can serve beer.

I cant possibly believe that is how it is determined if a school sells beer at their games. Where did you see/hear this. Any links?

[ThrowDownDBrown]

No Xavier def owns Cintas

[PMI]

I can verify UC sells beer at games. I don't that will change, this is the CATHOLIC conference after all. :)

While I am 100% with you on the beer, remember that Butler isn't Catholic. I'm actually really, really glad they didn't decide to make this some "Catholics only" league.

[xavierj]

Technically no. That's why we can serve beer.

Then who owns It? UC doesn't own Fifth Third?

[GoMuskies]

Syracuse definitely owns the Carrier Dome. And they definitely serve beer. No reason for anyone to worry.

[BMoreX]

Then who owns It? UC doesn't own Fifth Third?

I mean I'm not positive but I think Cintas owns it.

[xavierj]

According to Wiki, Xavier owns and operates the Cintas Center.

[ThrowDownDBrown]

Xavier 100% owns and paid for Cintas. It's called Cintas because the Farmers made a huge donation but didn't want their name on the arena

[bigdiggins]

Xavier 100% owns and paid for Cintas. It's called Cintas because the Farmers made a huge donation but didn't want their name on the arena

Actually, it was Bob Kohlhepp. Hence the Kohlhepp Auxilary Gymn on the west side of the building.

[xudash]

I mean I'm not positive but I think Cintas owns it.

You definitely are positively wrong.

Xavier owns it.

[Snipe]

While I am 100% with you on the beer, remember that Butler isn't Catholic. I'm actually really, really glad they didn't decide to make this some "Catholics only" league.

Why? What would be so wrong about a Catholic League?

If we took SLU instead of Butler, that would have pissed you off?

SLU has a huge market and upside too, and they are an old and venerable Jesuit University. Why not help each other out? I am glad we were a good fit for the "Catholic" league. Butler's space could have gone to a Jesuit university, and a damn good one at that. If Catholics don't look out for Catholics, who will?

I am only nominally Catholic at best, not the most devout guy, but I like Catholics. I want to see them prosper.

[PMI]

Why? What would be so wrong about a Catholic League?

If we took SLU instead of Butler, that would have pissed you off?

SLU has a huge market and upside too, and they are an old and venerable Jesuit University. Why not help each other out? I am glad we were a good fit for the "Catholic" league. Butler's space could have gone to a Jesuit university, and a damn good one at that. If Catholics don't look out for Catholics, who will?

I am only nominally Catholic at best, not the most devout guy, but I like Catholics. I want to see them prosper.

I like Catholics too. Born and raised. I mean, they're no Jews, but they sure beat those freeloading illegal immigrants!

Seriously, SLU instead of Butler would not have pissed me off, although I would personally take Butler. If SLU is the next team added down the line, I'm totally fine with that. When I say I'm glad they didn't make it a Catholics only league, I mean that I'm glad they didn't limit themselves to just Catholic schools as people had suggested over the long course of this realignment saga. If they could add Butler, VCU, or some other good non-Catholic basketball program, and the thing that was stopping them was that they were't Catholic schools, I wouldn't like that. Catholics looking out for Catholics is fine, as long as it doesn't lead to you getting stuck in a league with Fordham, of course. But yea, I don't like the idea of limiting ourselves to sticking with just Catholic schools no matter what.

[Snipe]

So Catholics looking out for Catholics is fine, unless you actually did it and had Catholics actually looking out for Catholics. That makes sense.

I think it brings us Diversity and Inclusion bonus points! Those are the best points that you can attain! But I am not sure what you can trade them in for.

VCU is a great basketball program. I don't like government schools. I would rather not associate with them when we can help more people just like us. You have plenty of credible candidates without bringing the government into it. Is there no difference between a Jesuit institution and a government school? Should we be allowed to make the distinction and support one another? What if those diversity and inclusion points only serve to erode our institutional values when the dust settles? Many people are against an "all Catholic" league, and I don't understand why Catholics would be against it.

You could take Duquense into this new league (I don't reccomend it), and make them play all of their games at that big place in town (I forget the name). The quality would suffer for sure right away, but over time those millions pumping into that Pittsburgh market might make a huge difference to a fellow Catholic University. They might make it big time. And I am no advocate of taking Duquesne. I am an advocate of taking St. Louis instead of Butler, and standing pat at 9 teams. We need to keep a spot for Notre Dame, which is every Catholic's wet dream. And if we had to have another Creighton is there, let alone the Dayton Flyers, which are our oldest rival. We have a lot more in common with Dayton that we do with Butler as a fan base. Why not help a brother out?

Why do we need to be inclusive and add a non-Catholic team? I am not pissed at the selection of Butler. I wouldn't have done it, but I love their program. Why would it be bad if we would have taken other still sensible options? We talk about the Xavier family, why not the Catholic family? Those millions that Butler will get every year in TV revenue and tourney credits could be going to a like minded Jesuit or Catholic institution, and they could have helped them prosper and advance their agenda.

If what we are doing is good and we believe in it, we shouldn't be afraid to say so, or to support other Catholic institutions.

[GoMuskies]

I don't think Georgetown really wants to be identified too closely with the Catholics anyway, so I'm sure they're happy to have at least one non-Catholic involved.

[Snipe]

True dat

[Xavier]

Why? What would be so wrong about a Catholic League?

.

Nothing is wrong with it, but not being a Catholic league leaves the door open for more teams and expansion.

[LA Muskie]

I mean I'm not positive but I think Cintas owns it.

Because it's name is on the building? You can't be serious. We own it.

[SM#24]

The beer thing is a school by school decision.

[xu95]

The beer thing is a school by school decision.

Depending on conference. The SEC bans it. PERIOD. So the schools can't decide to do it.

[PMI]

So Catholics looking out for Catholics is fine, unless you actually did it and had Catholics actually looking out for Catholics. That makes sense.

I think it brings us Diversity and Inclusion bonus points! Those are the best points that you can attain! But I am not sure what you can trade them in for.

VCU is a great basketball program. I don't like government schools. I would rather not associate with them when we can help more people just like us. You have plenty of credible candidates without bringing the government into it. Is there no difference between a Jesuit institution and a government school? Should we be allowed to make the distinction and support one another? What if those diversity and inclusion points only serve to erode our institutional values when the dust settles? Many people are against an "all Catholic" league, and I don't understand why Catholics would be against it.

You could take Duquense into this new league (I don't reccomend it), and make them play all of their games at that big place in town (I forget the name). The quality would suffer for sure right away, but over time those millions pumping into that Pittsburgh market might make a huge difference to a fellow Catholic University. They might make it big time. And I am no advocate of taking Duquesne. I am an advocate of taking St. Louis instead of Butler, and standing pat at 9 teams. We need to keep a spot for Notre Dame, which is every Catholic's wet dream. And if we had to have another Creighton is there, let alone the Dayton Flyers, which are our oldest rival. We have a lot more in common with Dayton that we do with Butler as a fan base. Why not help a brother out?

Why do we need to be inclusive and add a non-Catholic team? I am not pissed at the selection of Butler. I wouldn't have done it, but I love their program. Why would it be bad if we would have taken other still sensible options? We talk about the Xavier family, why not the Catholic family? Those millions that Butler will get every year in TV revenue and tourney credits could be going to a like minded Jesuit or Catholic institution, and they could have helped them prosper and advance their agenda.

If what we are doing is good and we believe in it, we shouldn't be afraid to say so, or to support other Catholic institutions.

Snipe how often have you preached how great the Atlantic 10 has been for us? How it's the greatest thing to happen to us? Well, if the A10 only consisted of us, Fordham, dayton, SLU, SJU, Dukes and SBU, do you think you would view it the same way? The non-Catholic private schools and the public schools helped make it up too. The current Big East is a very impressive collection of both too. I don't think it has anything to do with being inclusive. I don't believe for one second that the current seven added Butler in to have some token non-Catholic school. They added Butler because they felt it would strengthen the conference, and I agree with them. SLU has become a good program lately and is a good school, but they don't exactly have a rich basketball history or anything. I don't think they've earned a clear advantage over Butler in their resume to move up. I don't think anyone is afraid to support fellow Catholic institutions. This is about creating the best basketball only league in the nation, not helping fellow Catholic schools out. If it were, why not just go for the best Catholic school in the A10 in Fordham?

[paulxu]

Depending on conference. The SEC bans it. PERIOD. So the schools can't decide to do it.

Yeah...but you should see our tailgating parties.

[OH.X.MI]

I was always under the impression that it was a public vs. private school thing. Public schools cant because their campuses are usually dry and private can serve if they want, maybe some public schools can if their area is off campus. I went to see a concert at Michigan States football arena a few summers ago and they couldn't serve beer because the campus as a whole doesn't allow alcohol. But that could be totally off.

[SM#24]

I was always under the impression that it was a public vs. private school thing.
I know that UC sells beer.

[Aughnanure]

Welcome from a Marquette fan...but did you have to bring Dayton too?

[Aughnanure]

I know that UC sells beer.

I know for a fact Marquette and Georgetown sell beer. I think most, if not all, the C7 schools sell beer in the NBA/NHL arenas.

Big XII schools do not.

[JTG]

Welcome from a Marquette fan...but did you have to bring Dayton too?

You guys sent out the invites, don't blame us for Dayton.

[PMI]

Welcome from a Marquette fan...but did you have to bring Dayton too?

Did dayton get an invite?

[danaandvictory]

Did dayton get an invite?

As BSnow said on Twitter last night, if there was a consensus on who teams 10-12 would be, they would be joining next year. There is no consensus right now. ESPN seems to think that they've coalesced around Creighton, but there's nowhere near the certitude associated with XU and Butler.

If I had to make a WAG, it's going to be Creighton as 10, Richmond as 11 and then a death match between SLU and Dayton for 12.

[xu95]

Yeah...but you should see our tailgating parties.

I head down to Tuscaloosa once a year for a football game, so yes, I am very familiar with the tailgating.

[MD Muskie]

I know for a fact Marquette and Georgetown sell beer. I think most, if not all, the C7 schools sell beer in the NBA/NHL arenas.

Big XII schools do not.

But both Marquette and Georgetown home games are played in downtown arenas that are not owned by the schools. Thus they get to sell beer.

[GoMuskies]

But both Marquette and Georgetown home games are played in downtown arenas that are not owned by the schools. Thus they get to sell beer.

I'm not sure why you think that makes a difference. The Carrier Dome could not be more in the middle of Syracuse's campus. And the yummy beer flows like a river.

[BMoreX]

You definitely are positively wrong.

Xavier owns it.

Huh learn something new everyday. (Btw I was pretty drunk last night. No way do I believe that Cintas Corp owns the Cintas Center haha. I just thought that Xavier didn't technically own it because I know we sell beer there.)

Which leads me to my question because I don't know the laws: why can X sell beer in Cintas while other schools can't?

[GoMuskies]

What schools can't?

[GoMuskies]

Here's a WSJ article from 2009 that may answer folks' questions about alcohol sales and college sports.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125271416817105157.html

[MD Muskie]

I'm not sure why you think that makes a difference. The Carrier Dome could not be more in the middle of Syracuse's campus. And the yummy beer flows like a river.

It does make a difference because the owners of those arenas have contracted out concessions to the likes of Delaware North or Aramark, for example, and thus have the right to sell for all events, save for specifically noted events such as the NCAA tournament. And the schools such as Marquette and Georgetown pay rent to play those games on those courts, which gives them no power over deciding concessions. Georgetown owns the McDonough Gym, which is their actual antiquated home gym that gets one game a year on campus, its a glorfied box that might be smaller than the Smith Center at GW. There is no room in Georgetown to build a new arena, especially since the residents of Gtown won't allow for modern transportation to be built over there. They made the smart decision to go to the Verizon Center, but the only thing they get proceeds off of are merchandise and ticket sales.

[GoMuskies]

Yes, and Syracuse plays in dome that sits right in the middle of campus next to the dorms. And they get to sell beer, too.

Also, Georgetown and Marquette certainly could have negotiated whether beer sales are allowed or not as part of lease discussions. Apparently they did not.

None of this has anything to do with which schools are allowed to sell beer at games.

[BMoreX]

Here's a WSJ article from 2009 that may answer folks' questions about alcohol sales and college sports.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125271416817105157.html

Thanks Go. Like I've said, I've always been confused about it.

[Aughnanure]

As BSnow said on Twitter last night, if there was a consensus on who teams 10-12 would be, they would be joining next year. There is no consensus right now. ESPN seems to think that they've coalesced around Creighton, but there's nowhere near the certitude associated with XU and Butler.

If I had to make a WAG, it's going to be Creighton as 10, Richmond as 11 and then a death match between SLU and Dayton for 12.

No way is SLU not in, especially with Creighton.

[coasterville95]

I'm startting to feel like the "Beer at On Campus Sporting Events" deserves its own thread, if only as to not derail the Big East conversation.

Disclaimer: I have not read the article that Go linked to, but I recall in summary the deal is:

1) The NCAA would really like for it to be banned at all sporting events, but has no power to do that save for at tournament events where they are the host. (Has no power may equal, can't get the votes, etc)

2) The decision rests on each school, except that in some cases (Big Ten, SEC, etc) conferences have written it into their conference bylaws that events will be dry.

3) It is a lot easier for schools with off campus rented venues to get it, as the equipment and products are already there, and they can claim they have no power over the food service operations. For that matter Cintas has its food/bev outsourced, I beleive.

4) On campus arena = needing to get a liqour license. Depending on the attitudes of their host cities, that may not be the easiest play in the world. Communities may be releuctant to grant a license, at least in part as a way of patting themselves on the back thinking "we have prevented college binge drinking" And from the school, they may not want the stigma that may come from having a liquor license.

5) In at least one article I read about it, the reason Xavier decided to go with beer sales is that the fans had become acusomed to it at Cincinnati Gardens, and no mahor problems were noted with it. Thus they decided to proceed with beer sales - with the caveat that it was said that if alcohol ever became an issue at Cintas, the school would supposedly have no qualms over yanking it out.

[GoMuskies]

if alcohol ever became an issue at Cintas, the school would supposedly have no qualms over yanking it out.

Except with finding a way to replace the revenue from all the ticket sales they'd lose.

[MD Muskie]

i'm only pointing out that those two arenas are not schooled owned, hence why beer follows so easily there as compared to other ones. I read the article, and it said was I was not articulating well, that the policy was set forth by the owner of the arena, which in Verizon Center's case is Ted Leonsis. He is not going to pass up on those sales, especially when he has just basically gotten full control of the arena within the last few years. You are right when in how this affects all schools and their policys. I was only trying to point out that really the schools, in GTowns case, didn't have much of a say in the policy.

[MD Muskie]

And for the most part I agree with the NCAA's push to not have it at most sporting events. Lord knows that Maryland students do not need any more liquid courage then they have pregame. They seem to do a fine job of mob celebrating after games on their own.

[El Shaqtus]

I thought if the achool actually owns the arena, then they cannot sell beer.

Not sure if that is right.

Saint Louis has been selling beer at Chaifetz. ScottTrade/Kiel we did as well. There were times when that was how to get through the games.

[SM#24]

Communities may be releuctant to grant a license, at least in part as a way of patting themselves on the back thinking "we have prevented college binge drinking"
I think charging $7 a beer prevents college binge drinking

FYI, we used to sell beer at Schmidt