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Murraygrad05 wrote:

uniftw wrote:It concerns me that our best options can't afford their buy out of only a million

This is not the problem we are having. That is the least of our worries.

What I have kinda heard and am guessing at so don't rely too much on this but we are trying to figure out what to do with football and we also have rifle. Our rifle team has won the NCAA championship and is ranked in the top 3 nationally year in and year out. I'm personally hoping that we can keep that as an affiliate member with the OVC since it is so successful. Does not draw any crowds or anything but it gives us some name brand with that sport.

Like I said though I have no affiliation with the university or anything. That is just the word going around but it makes sense. Nobody knows but our administration what we may be looking at.

The buy out deal was what I read on your forum.

Football has no option but to play as an affiliate OVC member for at least a year. The reason UND football isn't joining the MVFC until 2020, even though they are joining The Summit in 2018 is that the MVFC schedules are done until 2019. I can't imagine The MVC willing to make an exception for Murray they didn't for UND. The only possible exception would be YSU deciding, in next few months, to pursue a CAA membership and move in 2018. That would mean Murray State would be OVC for 17, and take YSU's spot in the conference in 2018 - that may piss off UND but F them. I've heard zero, even fan rumors, that the CAA is looking for another team. They are also currently at 12 teams. There are only about 4 CAA schools that are more than 50 miles from the Atlantic Ocean - Albany, Richmond, James Madison, Elon. Maybe if JMU goes MAC or CUSA in the next year. Even if Murray went PFL, it's too late to not play next year as the OVC.

I've run some numbers regarding strength of basketball programs. For each school, I've calculated the average Sagarin Predictor rating in the 18 years it's available. Based on this, here are the best programs not part of an FBS conference, the Big East, or the A-10:

10 Gonzaga – WCC
34 BYU – WCC
78 St. Mary's – WCC
86 Northern Iowa
91 Southern Illinois
96 Missouri St.
103 Illinois St.
109 Murray St. – OVC
111 New Mexico St. – WAC
112 Valparaiso – Horizon
119 Belmont – OVC
124 Hawaii – Big West
125 College of Charleston – CAA
126 Iona – MAAC
128 Vermont – America East
132 Wright St. – Horizon
133 Detroit – Horizon
135 Oral Roberts – Summit
136 Princeton – Ivy
137 Green Bay – Horizon
138 North Dakota St. – Summit
141 Indiana St.
142 Pacific – WCC
143 Bradley
144 UCSB – Big West
146 Santa Clara – WCC
148 Oakland – Horizon
149 Hofstra – CAA

Remaining MVC schools:
152 Evansville
161 Drake
175 Loyola-Chicago

Conclusion: if the conference wants to improve its hoops without significantly expanding its geographic footprint, Murray St., Valpo, and Belmont are the schools to pursue.

EDIT: 3 weeks later, I looked back at this post and realized I omitted Milwaukee (122).

uniftw wrote:

Murraygrad05 wrote:

uniftw wrote:It concerns me that our best options can't afford their buy out of only a million

This is not the problem we are having. That is the least of our worries.

What I have kinda heard and am guessing at so don't rely too much on this but we are trying to figure out what to do with football and we also have rifle. Our rifle team has won the NCAA championship and is ranked in the top 3 nationally year in and year out. I'm personally hoping that we can keep that as an affiliate member with the OVC since it is so successful. Does not draw any crowds or anything but it gives us some name brand with that sport.

Like I said though I have no affiliation with the university or anything. That is just the word going around but it makes sense. Nobody knows but our administration what we may be looking at.

The buy out deal was what I read on your forum.

Football has no option but to play as an affiliate OVC member for at least a year. The reason UND football isn't joining the MVFC until 2020, even though they are joining The Summit in 2018 is that the MVFC schedules are done until 2019. I can't imagine The MVC willing to make an exception for Murray they didn't for UND. The only possible exception would be YSU deciding, in next few months, to pursue a CAA membership and move in 2018. That would mean Murray State would be OVC for 17, and take YSU's spot in the conference in 2018 - that may piss off UND but F them. I've heard zero, even fan rumors, that the CAA is looking for another team. They are also currently at 12 teams. There are only about 4 CAA schools that are more than 50 miles from the Atlantic Ocean - Albany, Richmond, James Madison, Elon. Maybe if JMU goes MAC or CUSA in the next year. Even if Murray went PFL, it's too late to not play next year as the OVC.

That is indeed the buyout deal but I do not think we will have any problem with that personally. Keep in mind too that is a fan forum like this one and we have some old timers that do not like change and will say whatever to keep us in the hell hole OVC because it's tradition. Its all in the administration and our Board of Regents hands and nobody but those people know what we have or do not have in the bank. I have even expressed my concern about funding on there but we have enough revenue coming from the conference and the NCAA that I believe we will be in good shape. MVC payout is about $3 million more per year than what the OVC pays out so even if we take a little hit it will just be short term and should not be any reason to really start to panic. It would help substantially if we have a donor step up and say I'm sick of the OVC but it hasn't happened yet.

Hey everyone. Murray State fan here. I have been a long time reader on this board and with the most recent rumors of MVC expansion, I finally decided to register. I think bringing Murray St, Valpo, and Belmont in could be a major win for the MVC, one larger than people might realize. I have also attached a podcast that a buddy and I do talking specifically about the expansion of the MVC and how that could affect Murray State.

Look forward to seeing how this plays out and perhaps we will see you guys in St Louis.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVpaT2sG2wM

HT to Phi13.

Anyone else hear Texas-Arlington mentioned?

I had earlier; would make sense and give MSU at least someone in the west to pair with in women's sports as a travel partner. Decent enough program and a new market to add.

UT-A would win the conference in hoops next year if they joined for 17-18. Hervey is back and they will be really good again.

As I think about it. Belmont is really the only choice.

Belmont is certainly deserving, but is not without its weaknesses. For all the talk about "The Nashville Market", they only average about 2300 fans per game. They have a hall of fame worthy coach, but have never had to conduct a D1 coaching search. And what happens after Rick Byrd.

Arlington has a geographical issue....would they want to play in the MVC with no near rivals? That may be a genuine question for them in a different way than it is for Belmont or Murray.

I do like that the discussion seems to be leaning towards some combination of Belmont/Murray/Valpo. Probably the 3 most trustworthy programs. Each have their flaws, but can at least be trusted to attempt to put a premium product on the basketball floor.