I debated putting this in the "dream conferences" thread but ultimately chose a new thread. With the economy being what it is, it might not be a stretch to think that some of the schools who have to travel great distances might consider their futures. The push for conferences to expand their footprints might work when looking at big BCS schools, but perhaps the time has come when it's no longer as practical for smaller conference schools. And what we've seen is that the college basketball TV ratings for top national programs often exceeds those for local schools. For instance, a fictitious game between top 10 schools Xavier and DePaul, or Marquette and Butler might have more viewers on ESPN than say, Seton Hall vs Villanova in the NJ/NY/Philly markets.

So the idea isn't all that new...something that has been brought up before on this forum...but it's worth discussiong if for onyl to take a look at the economics of each school.

The schools worth looking at would start with smaller conferences. But it can't hurt to look at Big East schools that fit into the regional footprint:

From the A10:
Xavier
Dayton
St. Louis

From Horizon:
Butler
Detroit

From MVC:
Creighton
Bradley
Drake
Evansville

A BIG stretch, but...
From Big East:
Marquette
DePaul
Notre Dame




So you could have a league that looks as such:

Xavier
Dayton
St. Louis
Butler
Detroit
Creighton
Bradley
Drake
Evansville


Pros:
Better footprint for travel cost concerns
All private schools with similar structures
All non-FBS or top tier FBS football

Cons:
Losing existing eastern markets (A10 schools) for recruiting
Loss of some traditional regional opponents

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OK Quinn, we've left you twising in the wind long enough. I'll take a crack at it.

Someone here (not me) made the point that ND is the #1 school of fans in NY AND Chicago. That to me means that the BE won't let them go, even if there is a split. But let's play with the idea that BE football teams chafe under splitting control of the direction of the conference with the basketball teams. Lets say they want (or are encouraged by the BCS schools) to go to 10-12 teams. They maybe bring in Army and Navy as football only members and raid 4 big market Basketball schools like St John's (NYC), Georgetown (DC), Villanova (Philly), and Notre Dame (Chicago to NYC). That gives them about the same hold on their markets that they have today, but with fewer mouths to feed and control of the direction of the conference. Additionally the two military academies open the door for a possible conference scheduling affiliation with ND (not football membership ---just a scheduling deal).

In that scenario, Marquette and Depaul are pretty far from Providence and Seton Hall. I think Providence and Seton Hall would join the A10. That to me would be a scenario that gives birth to your conference.

Marquette and Depaul would likely rather travel to nearby schools like the MVC privates (Creighton, Bradley, Drake, Evansville) and the Horizon privates (Butler and Detroit). Plenty of big markets. Xavier, Dayton, and St. Louis may also choose to play with the midwestern schools rather than on the fringes of a 16 team giganto conference. Not sure how much pull religious affiliation might have in keeping the schools in the A10.

We will call it the Midwest 10 (an 11 school tribute to the big 10)
Marquette
Depaul
Creighton
Bradley
Drake
Evansville
Butler
Detroit
Xavier
Dayton
St. Louis

A lot of these schools have been together in the past in C-USA, the Metro Conference, and the Midwest Cities Conference, dating back to the early 1980s.

The common theme for many is Catholic and Midwestern (not sure that all of these are Catholic), and not much emphasis (if any) on football.

When C-USA was cherry-picked by the BE in 2003, there were 4 non-football schools in C-USA that were sent scrambling to find a new home. DePaul and Marquette joined the BE BB schools, St. Louis and UNCC (Charlotte) joined the A-10.
DePaul and Marquette may have increased their athletic profile and revenue (from BB) in their new home BE. No doubt their travel has increased, although they may be jumping on a plane, no matter whether they face an est coast opponent in the BE, or a mid-western opponent. St. Louis got left out, and scrambled and found the A-10 willing to take them. Their travel budget has to be WAY higher than anyone else in the A-10. In most sports, they play a lot of non-conference games vs. midwestern opponnents. St. Louis has historically been plagued by conference instability, and their lack of football often puts them in an awkward position during realignments.

Dayton, Xavier, and Notre Dame (all Catholic) are serious geographic outliers in their conferences, as well. Notre Dame has no budget concerns. Dayton and Xavier would seem to have a stable home, since the A-10 does not emphasize football. The A-10 is high-profile enough in basketball to merit consideration for multiple teams in the NCAA Tourney. So I think they would think long and hard before jumping ship.

Although this proposed alignment might work well for a large number of the schools (especially in terms of reducing travel), their current revenues may be decent enough to give them a reason to stay put.

Since this is similar to my idea, I'll comment on this. I do think that the lure of eastern markets will keep Dayton, Xavier, and St. Louis in an eastern conference. St. Louis would love to be with DePaul and Marquette again, but I don't see that happening easily. The MVC is stable as is, and even though this conference gives some new markets I don't see those 4 MVC schools wanting to leave their current home. Butler and Detroit would probably both like this arrangement, maybe Loyola Chicago as well. I think that Butler is a likely school to get invited to join either the current A-10 or MVC.

Another con with this arrangement as with mine, no autobid unless the NCAA changes its tone on new conferences forming.

Midwest 14
Marquette
Depaul
Creighton
Bradley
Drake
Evansville
Butler
Detroit
Xavier
Dayton
St. Louis
Rice
Tulane
Oral Roberts


I would add either Rice or Tulane or both. And I wouldn't rule out Oral Roberts.
Houston, New Orleans, and Tulsa... 7 million people.

Tulane and Rice is already considering dropping football.