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Looking back on it, was there anything the Valley could have done to make Wichita stay or was that inevitably going to happen?

Would adding different school(s) when Creighton left have helped? Or was it a sinking ship to begin with?

Once Creighton left it was just a matter of time. If both Creighton and Wichita State were still left they could easily convince two other teams like Dayton, VCU, St. Louis, Gonzaga, or St. Mary's to join.

That's where the MVC screwed up. They screwed up in 2013 but not by adding Loyola. It was way before that. I get Creighton is Catholic and almost all Big East teams are Catholic but I bet they might have been convinced to stay if the MVC decided 12 or 14 was the way to go at that time. Could you imagine Wichita State, Creighton, Dayton, Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and St. Louis (who probably would have agreed to join) along with the other eight? That's a minimum four bid league.

Those west coast schools were probably never going to happen though. Logistically night mare for Indiana State and Southern Illinois to get out there.

They could have been travel partners together. And, Gonzaga does want out of the WCC. All other west coast conferences better than the WCC are FBS and the Zags don't play football. Only choice is to go east. Current talk of them going to the Big East which is even more eastern than the MVC. Even if neither west coast team joined you could of had VCU at the time. Add another eastern school for their travel partner. It's not realistic now but in 2013 these scenarios would have been realistic with two top teams already holding down the MVC.

The MVC would have gotten a really good TV contract too so they screwed up bad in 2013.

And, who knows, if the MVC made those moves and became a 4/5 bid league with increased revenue from TV and sponsorships maybe Shaka Smart doesn't leave. Had to turn down Texas though but you never know.

Could see Gonzaga and St. Mary's joining the Mountain West as non-football schools.

That might work. Also, remember back in 13 the MVC had a very strong UNI program. INSU was coming off a tournament appearance. Bradley was just five years past a Sweet 16. Southern was just 5 years past a run of six straight tournament appearances. It could have been very hard for those schools to turn down the MVC. I want to kick Elgin and each 2013 President in the nuts so hard.

Jsnhbe1Birds wrote:That might work. Also, remember back in 13 the MVC had a very strong UNI program. INSU was coming off a tournament appearance. Bradley was just five years past a Sweet 16. Southern was just 5 years past a run of six straight tournament appearances. It could have been very hard for those schools to turn down the MVC. I want to kick Elgin and each 2013 President in the nuts so hard.

Right behind you.