Big Ten to Start Conference Play Early (Big East Related)

[Muskie]

Link (http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/05/04/big-ten-to-begin-league-play-first-weekend-of-december-in-2017/)

Big Ten basketball is going to feel the aftershocks of the conference’s push to add more east coast Big Ten Network subscribers this winter, as their attempts to spread the league’s footprint will change the schedule for conference play this season.
A year after playing the conference tournament in Washington D.C.’s Verizon Center, the Big Ten will be hosting the event in New York City at Madison Square Garden next March.
On paper, that sounds like a great idea until you consider that the Big East will be holding their tournament in the building as well. What that means is that the Big Ten will be forced to play their tournament a week earlier than usual. The way that the schedule usually works for conference tournaments is that power conference tournaments will host their events the week leading into Selection Sunday with the low- and mid-major leagues playing their tournament games the week prior to that. Typically, the Big Ten has been the league to play the last game before the NCAA tournament Selection Show, tipping off at 3:30 p.m. on Selection Sunday, with the game leading directly into the bracket’s unveiling.

[Muskie]

Basically because they want to play at MSG they have to accommodate an earlier start so that they don't interfere with the Big East Tourney.

[X-band '01]

What I'll be curious to see is whether or not Big Ten teams decide to use that final week as a bye or whether or not they play a final game against a noncon opponent who has also wrapped up their conference tournament.

Would not shock me to see at least one team play a Gonzaga or a Saint Mary's, for example.

[Muskie]

What I'll be curious to see is whether or not Big Ten teams decide to use that final week as a bye or whether or not they play a final game against a noncon opponent who has also wrapped up their conference tournament.

Would not shock me to see at least one team play a Gonzaga or a Saint Mary's, for example. I did wonder about that. It would seem silly to have that week off. Too much idle time for the players.

[blueblob06]

I guess Rutgers has home court advantage! Everyone else and their fans will be in have to fly in.

[Olsingledigit]

I guess Rutgers has home court advantage! Everyone else and their fans will be in have to fly in.

It will be interesting to see whether having the Big 10 tournament the week before ours hurts attendance at our tournament.

[Muskie]

It will be interesting to see whether having the Big 10 tournament the week before ours hurts attendance at our tournament.
I'd be surprised. When I was at last years BE tourney there were plenty of fans going to both the Big East Tourney and ACC (which was at Barclays).

[xudash]

I'd be surprised. When I was at last years BE tourney there were plenty of fans going to both the Big East Tourney and ACC (which was at Barclays).

Agreed.

I think THE BIG EAST TOURNAMENT is its own thing in NYC as far as fans there are concerned.

First Round Iowa v. Nebraska for the B1G Tournament the week before the BET, with that having an impact on attendance at our tournament? I don't sense that as being an issue; I don't sense that the B1G in NYC is going to drain energy from our gig.

Of course, that's only my read on it.

[AviatorX]

I don't think a tournament the week before will impact attendance.

It is obvious the vultures are circling though. Whenever the BE/MSG contract ends (2023?) it could be interesting. If this works out ok for the Big 10 I wonder if the BE would consider something similar in the future if the main event falls to the Big 10 or ACC.

[xubrew]

With the exception of the championship game, the overall Big Ten Tournament ratings will likely be a lot higher because it will be the only power conference tournament going on. And, the games in December should do really well since there typically aren't as many high stakes games, much less high stakes conference games, being played at that time.

I kinda like the idea of being done early and then just being able to sit back and watch/scout everyone else. The long layoffs don't really seem to play a role one way or another. The Missouri Valley, Colonial (back when it was a multi-bid league), and to an extent the West Coast conference finish earlier, and I never really thought of it as being a factor one way or another. Although there were a couple of years where Gonzaga opted to play one of their exhibition games after the conference tournament, which I thought was a unique idea. Everyone else typically plays them before their first regular season game.

All and all, I think there's more pros than cons for hte Big Ten playing it early, but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference either way.

[AviatorX]

With the exception of the championship game, the overall Big Ten Tournament ratings will likely be a lot higher because it will be the only power conference tournament going on. And, the games in December should do really well since there typically aren't as many high stakes games, much less high stakes conference games, being played at that time.

I kinda like the idea of being done early and then just being able to sit back and watch/scout everyone else. The long layoffs don't really seem to play a role one way or another. The Missouri Valley, Colonial (back when it was a multi-bid league), and to an extent the West Coast conference finish earlier, and I never really thought of it as being a factor one way or another. Although there were a couple of years where Gonzaga opted to play one of their exhibition games after the conference tournament, which I thought was a unique idea. Everyone else typically plays them before their first regular season game.

All and all, I think there's more pros than cons for hte Big Ten playing it early, but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference either way.

Totally agree with the logic in your post...but then you remember this is the same conference that quite possible has the two most obvious locations of any for a league tournament that have been consistently successful (Indy and Chicago) and they decided to play their tournament in DC for a year...

[paulxu]

Sounds like the B1G will be preempting my Wofford conference tournament games.

[X-band '01]

Agreed.

I think THE BIG EAST TOURNAMENT is its own thing in NYC as far as fans there are concerned.

First Round Iowa v. Nebraska for the B1G Tournament the week before the BET, with that having an impact on attendance at our tournament? I don't sense that as being an issue; I don't sense that the B1G in NYC is going to drain energy from our gig.

Of course, that's only my read on it.

Easy, Dash. Brew's head will explode next season when Tim Miles is coaching to keep his head coaching gig at Nebraska.