West Virginia has issues about travel in Big 12

ruffles31

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West Virginia has issues about travel in Big 12

#1

02-25-2013, 11:06 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-...71--ncaaf.html

Interesting how West Virginia is working with the Big 12 to alleviate some of the travel issues that have popped up now in a new far away conference. This may be used as an impetus to alleviate or at least slow down more conference realignment. Imagine Connecticut going to Houston, ECU, and Central Florida in consecutive weeks. Hello, new Big East.

"The Times West Virginian reported that the Big 12 and West Virginia have agreed to make some changes to ease the Mountaineers' travel problems. One thing the conference can't do: Change the fact that every other school in the Big 12 is at least 1,700 miles (round trip) and a time zone away, something the Mountaineers knew very well when they voluntarily switched leagues.

The requests, reported by the Times West Virginian, aren't unreasonable. West Virginia wants two road conference basketball games before the academic schedule starts, more road trips in which the basketball team can play two games on one road trip with Saturday-Monday games being the example given, and cutting back late trips on midweek games. Football is easier, but the story points out that the team had to make long road trips to Texas and Texas Tech in consecutive weeks, and the latter trip started a five-game losing streak. Not sure, but when West Virginia joined the Big 12 we're pretty sure Texas and Texas Tech were part of that league and the school could probably figure out it would be taking road trips there."
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WV Wolf

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#2

02-26-2013, 08:17 AM

I've always wondered about this. Sure the extra football revenue is nice but what about when you have to send the volleyball team from Morgantown to Lubbock on a Tuesday night. It's much harder for fans to make road trips, there are no rivalries with any member of your conference at this point. I think eventually WVU might regret moving to the Big 12 just like Maryland is going to regret going to the Big Ten. On the other hand, Big East football was on its death bed and WVU had to go somewhere.
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LRM

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#3

02-26-2013, 08:48 AM

Expansions works great for football, but the fact is geography matters for every other sport. That never factored in, though, because all anyone sees -- and the driving factor, really -- is football TV revenue.

It's hard enough playing Clemson 6pm on Sunday and then going to Wake 7pm on Tuesday, but imagine playing Kansas State on Saturday 7pm and going to Kansas Monday 9pm.
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ryebread

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#4

02-26-2013, 09:45 AM

Quick thoughts:
- How could WV not see this coming?

- I wonder how much the additional travel costs cut into that revenue gained?

- I suspect travel has had a lot to do with WV's performance this year. Frankly, they just weren't as competitive in football or basketball this season as they should have been. I don't for a second believe the Big 12 is better at basketball than the Big East either.

- I suspect MD is going to find the same thing in the Big 10. It will take exactly 1 year of freezing their @#$()* off in Wisconsin or Michigan in the winter before they have second thoughts.

- Do fans at Texas Tech or Iowa State care if West Virginia shows up? How about the opposite? I don't think these moves are good at the gate.

- This article doesn't mention it, but I don't know how this doesn't impact recruiting.

- Oh, and the academics? What a joke.............

- Conferences can work if spread out over a wide geography. The PAC 12 has figured out how to make it happen. The key is finding travel partners and pairing them together. For WV, I just don't see a natural one in the Big 12.

- I read on another site that this is why WV was trying to stir up instability in the ACC. They were hoping FSU, GT and Clemson would leave, creating an "eastern" region of the Big 12. It is an interesting theory given that's where most of the rumors were seemingly sourced from.
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redcanine

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#5

02-26-2013, 10:08 AM

It's just a minor kink that'll be worked out next year. No problem.
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Wufpacker

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#6

02-26-2013, 10:21 AM

Now they have to travel across time zones as well. Not always easy to do and be able to perform consistently.
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Texpack

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#7

02-26-2013, 11:33 AM

The travel budgets for the minor sports must get blown all to Hell by these moves, but I have absolutely no sympathy for them on this issue. They signed up for this pure and simple. The flip side is that football revenues are funding most of the other sports, so they have to decide if want more scholarships and better facilities in exchange for more taxing travel schedules?
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tjfoose1

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#8

02-26-2013, 12:05 PM

I think Forrest Gump had a saying for situations like this.
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LRM

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#9

02-26-2013, 02:30 PM

This certainly supports the argument for football-only conferences.
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Pack Mentality

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#10

02-26-2013, 03:22 PM

This does make me want to cry I feel so sorry for them.
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West Virginia has issues about travel in Big 12

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