Hoop Dreams: A 64-team super conference that doesn’t rely on football

The existing Big East would be a natural fit for at least the Eastern Division of a super conference of basketball schools.getty images

I’ve been thinking about all of these college football-driven media negotiations, conference realignments and proposed super conferences and a thought came to me. Why not a basketball super conference for both men’s and women’s teams composed of basketball-driven institutions? Football has been a prime consideration in the Power Five conference media contracts as well as expansion, but I believe the power of these institutions — not to mention the alumni — would offer a very attractive opportunity for high-level basketball competition that could be televised and/or streamed locally, regionally and nationally.

I’ll admit I’m a little biased, being the product of K-12 Catholic education and growing up in a Subway Alumni Notre Dame household, but nevertheless, given the numerous outlets for content, and the appetite for sports consumption, there may be merit in dreaming, so here goes.

Structure

A 64-team conference would have four divisions and play all sports within their geographic division (see list below). This would provide regional rivalries and keep travel costs at a minimum. Divisions could have their games on the local RSN or streamed on a variety of platforms, thus creating or maintaining an existing media revenue opportunity. Conceivably, with or without a name change, the Big East could be the conference as it has the brand equity, historical reputation, television contracts and established leadership.

The basketball-themed super conference could also have a dramatic effect on women’s basketball by featuring their programs in this new regional/national format. The potential impact upon recruiting as well as increased regional and national exposure for these teams (not to mention the media contracts) could prove to be significant. 

On Sundays, basketball teams would be featured on a national doubleheader broadcast that would feature interdivisional competition. For example, Gonzaga vs. Seton Hall and St. John’s vs. St. Mary’s from MSG and possibly televised on ABC, ESPN or a combination of the networks in the Disney space. Each Sunday could feature doubleheaders played on a somewhat neutral court within the footprint of one or more of the institutions. The exposure would benefit the schools and set up another media source of revenue. The format could also feature a men’s and women’s doubleheader from the same market. Women’s games could be played on Saturday, or there could be one men’s and one women’s game played as a combined doubleheader on Saturday and another on Sunday.

Division tournaments would start locally with the four divisional champions advancing to determine the conference champion. Assuming all four divisional winners would receive an NCAA berth with the conference champion receiving the highest seed, given the schools in my proposed conference, there could (and should) be multiple bids for March Madness throughout the conference membership.

The Sunday national neutral court doubleheaders could be played in markets such as Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Boston and Charlotte, and division tournaments could be played in similar markets or hosted by the team with the best record. The conference championship would be put out for bid every three years, unless a market emerges that could “own” the event — think the CWS in Omaha or the Women’s CWS in Oklahoma City. The men’s and women’s tournaments could be held at the same site, creating a basketball festival atmosphere (my recommendation), or could be done at different locations so as not to overshadow the other. That would be a decision for the commissioner and the athletic directors. 

Obviously there are schools not listed that could be prime candidates for expansion. These schools were selected based upon: basketball pedigree, media market attractiveness and existing rivalries. Expansion after three years could be a consideration based upon the reception, success, ratings and revenue possibilities. It is not inconceivable that this new conference with basketball as the focal sport could generate 16-20 NCAA Tournament bids and even more should the tournament expand. I also theorize that the increased exposure that this super conference would receive would attract more talent and obviously better media contracts.

As you can see in the groupings, there is a possibility of existing conferences becoming the home for one of the prospective divisions. Obviously, the West Coast Conference could be an ideal home for the Western Division, and the Big East (if not interested in absorbing all of the divisions) would be the natural home for the Eastern Division. 

I am writing this column in the hope that it spurs discussion and investigation among the conferences and the non-football institutions. Having been at a Big East school when the basketball schools and football schools parted ways, I am hoping that will lead to an ancient military terminology and proactive that “forewarned is forearmed.” Change is inevitable but preparing and initiating change proactively is more desirable.

Bill Sutton (billsuttonandassociates@gmail.com) is a professor of practice at the University of South Carolina, director emeritus of the Vinik Graduate Sport Business Program at USF and principal of Bill Sutton & Associates. Follow him on Twitter @Sutton_ImpactU.

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