2014-2015 schedule

[justducky]

Good call. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on season tickets.  I'm in for cherry picking games.

Since Chairback and I stood together on last seasons' premium game selections and pricing now would be a good time to comment on both.

At this point I only see 2 games which would now justify being classified as "premium" and those are New Mexico, and CSU (Wright St on the bubble). Any others that could receive that designation would require some additional explanation (far ahead of time) to explain the games possible significance. Sorry ticket office, but if you have to explain to people why a game is premium priced--then it shouldn't be premium priced.

[bbtds]

Good call. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on season tickets.  I'm in for cherry picking games.

Since Chairback and I stood together on last seasons' premium game selections and pricing now would be a good time to comment on both.

At this point I only see 2 games which would now justify being classified as "premium" and those are New Mexico, and CSU (Wright St on the bubble). Any others that could receive that designation would require some additional explanation (far ahead of time) to explain the games possible significance. Sorry ticket office, but if you have to explain to people why a game is premium priced--then it shouldn't be premium priced.

I'll agree with that. Get more people in the seats before charging more for the seats.

[EddieCabot]

2.  I thought the rules for regular season games played was max of 29, or 27 + up to 4 in an exempt tournament.  The schedule released looks like 28 + 3 in the Nashville exempt tourney ... I'm sure I'm missing something, but what?

Is the Central Mich tournament exempt for 2 games?

Isn't Nashville only 2 games?

The wallpaper version of the schedule ( http://cdn.streamlinetechnologies.com/valpoathletics/37342911-34C5-43D7-962A-40E8B4CCDF1F/2014mbbwallpaper.png ) solves the mystery.  The IUSB is marked as the 4th game of the "Challenge in Music City" exempt tourney.  I wonder if the Titans will get t-shirts and a video tour of the Grand Ole Opry for their participation?

Also, here are Bryce's thoughts on Valpo's non-conference schedule.   http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2014-15/13883/2014-15-mens-basketball-schedule-preview-with-bryce-drew/#.VBRfFR_D99A

[EddieCabot]

Athletic department announces two more ESPN games.  Valpo now has at least 5 ESPN games per the release.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2014-15/13900/crusaders-to-host-pair-of-espn3-games/#.VBx1cWd0xaQ

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Maybe next year we'll finally get on ESPN 8, aka "The Ocho".

[bbtds]

Maybe next year we'll finally get on ESPN 8, aka "The Ocho".

You know there is only so much programming for ESPN

[wh]

It really does make sense NOT to buy season tickets.  Why not cherry pick your games and skip the mighty Goshen like opponents?

Good call. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on season tickets.  I'm in for cherry picking games.

Logically, you guys are absolutely right, but when push came to shove I just couldn't do it. Ordered my season tickets yesterday. Just call me an enabler. 

[vu72]

ya know wh, I'd do the same thing.  Can't think about missing a Valpo game if I was in town.  Not being in town, I can assure you I will be there via the internet for all the games!

[valpopal]

For those of us who get the SEC Network, the Valpo game against Missouri will be televised there, and it will be a 5 p.m. CT start.

[sliman]

It really does make sense NOT to buy season tickets.  Why not cherry pick your games and skip the mighty Goshen like opponents?

Good call. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on season tickets.  I'm in for cherry picking games.

Logically, you guys are absolutely right, but when push came to shove I just couldn't do it. Ordered my season tickets yesterday. Just call me an enabler. 

Me, too!

[valpospartan]

It really does make sense NOT to buy season tickets.  Why not cherry pick your games and skip the mighty Goshen like opponents?

Good call. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on season tickets.  I'm in for cherry picking games.

Logically, you guys are absolutely right, but when push came to shove I just couldn't do it. Ordered my season tickets yesterday. Just call me an enabler. 

I guess this line of thinking makes you all fans of games, rather than fans of VU basketball.  I have had seasons tickets for decades, and never once did I look at the schedule to decide if I want them or not. 

[justducky]

I guess this line of thinking makes you all fans of games, rather than fans of VU basketball.  I have had seasons tickets for decades, and never once did I look at the schedule to decide if I want them or not. 

Feel free to view it how you want but unless you are smugly content to watch VU basketball in near isolation with the 1000 to 1300 hard-core VU regulars, then you need the basketball fans of northwest Indiana to show up on a regular basis. When you have people like myself who deliberately do not buy season tickets just to display (by our absence) the contempt we have with some of the scheduling then you may have a much bigger problem than you realize.

If we want to discuss this any further then we should move the conversation over to the attendance free fall thread because this is once again all about getting people in the building.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

because this is once again all about getting people in the building.

[bbtds]

Let's just be glad our facilities discussion doesn't include this facility






other schools have to worry about those kind of facilities for their student athletes continously.

Look, Laporte, this discussion has your name all over it. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

This could be just the moment I've been waiting for to tell the story of Mel Doering covering VU Football's scrimmage vs. the MC Penitentiary for the Torch!

[ml]

Understand everyone's frustrations with this year's home schedule.  We also would have preferred a different home schedule.  Scheduling requires two teams that want to play.  We received many "not interested"s this year.  We eventually reached a point in time where we needed to finish the schedule and we needed it to have more than 11 home games.

Scheduling basketball games has changed significantly over the past 5 years.  The BCS schools play each other more, play each other more on neutral courts, and have become more selective in what mid-majors they play.  Mid-majors and low-majors have become more selective as the pressure to win sooner moves to the lower RPI conferences.  Guarantees  have gotten to the point where paying schools is financially unfeasible for schools outside the BCS.  ESPN controls many of the early season tournaments.  Many of their tournaments are already scheduled out two or more years.  Outside promoters now require the payment of high guarantees to participate in their early season tournaments.

We are working now on ideas for developing a better schedule for next season.  This has been a topic of conversation with the Horizon League staff and with all of the Horizon League coaches as a group.     

[VULB#62]

Thanks Mark.  Do you think this could be the start of something like a HL/MAC or a HL/ OVC or a HL/MVC challenge kind of thing?

[ValpoFan]

Thank you Mark, your input is appreciated.
I follow a MAC team and they always say that they have the same issue of not finding a home and home partner.
Did the two conferences ever consider a Horizon vs MAC challenge? It makes great sense (geographically) and it is working great for the Big10 and the ACC.
Thanks.

[wh]

Another factor contributing to the scheduling challenge is our missing 10th conference team.  Every HL team has at least 2 non D-1 opponents (YSU and Valpo have 3).  Theoretically, returning to 10 teams would all but eliminate the distasteful non D-1 issue.

[justducky]

We eventually reached a point in time where we needed to finish the schedule and we needed it to have more than 11 home games.

Thanks. Even if the explanation comes to us a bit late it is still much appreciated. Not sure that all of us are that hung up on boosting the home game number from 11 to 13 or 15 when the quality of those additional opponents is taken into account. Personally I have no problem at all with 2 or maybe even 3 big payday road opponents every year.

[Dave_2010]

This is where the IPFW idea of an Indiana mid-major tournament could really help out...2-4 guaranteed annual games against relevant D1 opponents could go a long way to filling out the non-conference schedule. If it's out of town, offer a discount hotel/ticket package to season ticket holders as incentive.

This same concept could also work with the Chicago schools as well and involve even less travel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LaPorteAveApostle]

the IPFW idea of an Indiana mid-major tournament

great idea.  winning team gets a free night in FW.

second-place gets two nights.

Not sure that all of us are that hung up on boosting the home game number from 11 to 13 or 15 when the quality of those additional opponents is taken into account.

I'm sure the athletic department IS, however, given how much revenue a game can bring in.  you sell more tickets when you have 15 home games than when you have 11.

Thank you for weighing in, ML.  I'm sure it's a long a frustrating process, especially given how much rides on MBB for carrying a lot of weight for the dept.

Does anyone have a shining example of a mid-major home schedule?  Oakland has a fascinating schedule--it's just on the road, though.

[wh]

Another factor contributing to the scheduling challenge is our missing 10th conference team.  Every HL team has at least 2 non D-1 opponents (YSU and Valpo have 3).  Theoretically, returning to 10 teams would all but eliminate the distasteful non D-1 issue.

One caveat along with adding a 10th team - a new league rule that states NO MORE NON D-1 GAMES PERMITTED. 

Even when the HL had a full complement of 10 programs, teams were still scheduling non D-1's. When the league dropped to 9, teams that were already scheduling 2 non D-1's were basically forced to find D-1 opponents to replace the 2 lost conference games, and "amazingly," they did.  That would seem to be a pretty good indicator that they could have and should have been putting together "all D-1" OOC schedules all along.  If/when the league returns to 10 teams, there's no reason to believe that team "schedulers" won't squander the opportunity to get rid of non D-1 opponents - short of a league rule prohibiting it.   

[bbtds]

One caveat along with adding a 10th team - a new league rule that states NO MORE NON D-1 GAMES PERMITTED. 

I think what ml is saying is that you can make all the rules you want but if your possible D-I opponents aren't willing to come to the ARC to play then it really is no good. It takes two teams to make a game. I think it says something about how tough it is to play against Valpo in the ARC.   

[valpopal]

In another current thread, "Proud to be Valpo" started by VULB#62, a few forum members wrote about why they enjoy this site and its discussions. I'd like to add that the note by ML displays another reason this forum is successful. The feedback by ML and and occasional contributions to dialogue by other VU athletics staff, as well as their cooperation and consideration of suggestions—like the recent creation of a one-page PDF schedule—are much appreciated.