SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The snow flakes were beginning to fall in earnest as students rushed to put up tents to watch a basketball game more than 24 hours away.
The all-night party was eventually called off due to concerns about snow and frigid temperatures from late autumn storms. But it shows that there is nothing else in West Coast college basketball that can match what Gonzaga has created over the past two decades.
“I am a bachelor’s degree holder from this institution, have been with the institution for over 35 years, and have seen the situation before and during the modern era of basketball,” said Thane McCullough, president of Gonzaga. He said: “And it’s clear that some of the challenges and opportunities that we face now are important aspects of who we are and how we are seen. “
Gonzaga isn’t a nifty up-and-comer with an often mispronounced name, not a resume, and doesn’t fit into the “major middle” category. And with the reorganization of college sports resuming, Zag is being talked about as a potential target for larger conferences that once didn’t set their sights on Spokane.
For Gonzaga, a member since 1979, future possibilities outside of the West Coast Conference are being considered.
“There’s always a need to see and a need to evaluate. It’s not simple math, it’s calculus,” said Chris Standiford, Athletic Director of Gonzaga. “I think we need to stay open-minded and be willing to look at the existing ecosystem and realize that it’s not static, it’s very dynamic. And part of that dynamism. You have to guess what it means, don’t settle for it.”
The story of Gonzaga is nothing new. There has been talk in the past of moving to the Big East or Mountain West. Most recently, Zag has been linked to Pac-12 and Big 12, following the latest reorganization moves involving those meetings.
All these movements were based on football. Texas and Oklahoma become SEC. From USC and UCLA to the Big Ten. The Big 12 includes Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and his WCC member of basketball, BYU.
But the juggling of regrouping may have peaked when it comes to football. That leaves us with the question of what happens next, and what we can do with the next most profitable college sport, college basketball.
Gonzaga won’t bring the TV market size. It definitely provides brand relevance.
Zags’ basketball career is impressive. He has played in two national championship games, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, and 21 WCC regular season titles. Her program in women’s basketball also regularly ranks in the AP Top 25, with Sweet Sixteen making her three appearances and Elite Eight making her one appearance.
Bulldogs are regularly strong in other sports such as baseball and soccer, all of which help drive national recognition.
“I think the lesson I’ve been taught over and over again is that the power of our brand is underestimated nationally,” Standiford said. I think it makes a lot of sense, and I think it makes a lot of sense for the university model because it makes people realize that there’s still a way to get there, and that it’s opportunity driven, not economy driven. is.”
One chance for Gonzaga could be with the Big 12. The Big 12 commissioners are unabashedly expressing their desire to have a presence on the West Coast. Earlier this month in Las Vegas, Brett Yeomark repeated several times his remark that the future of the Big 12 will be bigger than his four schools joining in 2023.
“We want to go coast to coast at some point,” Yeomark said. “We want to get into that fourth time zone, and someday we will.”
Yeomark also said he believes basketball is underrated and is open to adding non-football members.
His remarks seem to point to Gonzaga. Gonzaga, at least in the West, appears to stand out in potential value thanks to his basketball program. But the Pac-12 is also assessing its future with Los Angeles school evictions pending.
Substantial consideration by Pac-12 will have to wait until the next media deal is finalized.
When asked generally if Gonzaga felt wanted, Standiford simply replied “yes”, but has yet to receive an offer from a potential suitor.
It is also possible that Gonzaga will remain in place, and all schools affiliated with WCC are private, faith-based institutions, and WCC finds fit.
“Maybe some people would like to think so, but it’s not as easy or as simple as I think,” McCullough said. “We are still a small to medium sized university in a town called Spokane, and our success as an institution is highly interconnected with our community and our alumni.”
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AP College Basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
