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Crossroads Classic could be improved


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^^^  Congrats, Crossbone.  A well thought out reason to keep the CC going.  I do like the divisions names.

But, I am thinking with the expansion of the Big Ten regular season, that having four games is just too much. Especially if IU and or PU were to go all the way.

However, I do applaud you for coming up with this bracket.

 

 

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as many other have said, its no win for us.  And if they expand it to include a few smaller schools it really becomes no win.  The game against IUPUI for them is HUGE and for us is meh.  We win by 50 so what, we lose at all and the sky is falling for us.  Get out.  Play ND or Butler or whomever and find some better competition that won't kill us if we lose an away game.

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14 hours ago, milehiiu said:

^^^  Congrats, Crossbone.  A well thought out reason to keep the CC going.  I do like the divisions names.

But, I am thinking with the expansion of the Big Ten regular season, that having four games is just too much. Especially if IU and or PU were to go all the way.

However, I do applaud you for coming up with this bracket.

 

 

By his bracket IU would only have to play 2 games to win their bracket.

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The Crossroads Classic is basically IU fans subsidizing the athletic coffers of the other 3 schools.  Expanding the field just does that more.  Schedule Notre Dame for a home and away every year and then do a game where we invite the other state schools to Assembly Hall.  That is 2 games a year against competition that generally will not kill your SoS.  You can throw a home and home against Butler in there from time to time but I am not sold on their new coach.  I expect them to regress to their mean.  So even though they are a Big East team, I would include them in the "other" category.

 

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I don't know how far in advance the CC is scheduled but if a change needs to be made now is the time. Pound Butler's a-- into the ground this year and say goodbye. As long as we time it with an announcement of new/national opponent. The PR part of this has to be handled correctly. 

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16 hours ago, milehiiu said:

^^^  Congrats, Crossbone.  A well thought out reason to keep the CC going.  I do like the divisions names.

But, I am thinking with the expansion of the Big Ten regular season, that having four games is just too much. Especially if IU and or PU were to go all the way.

However, I do applaud you for coming up with this bracket.

 

 

As someone else mentioned.  This would only put 2 games on IU/Purdue's Schedule assuming both teams win their first round games.  You could even guarantee 2 games for all top 4 schools and have the losers play each other after round 1.   Also, by having the games played on campus, it would bring Revenue $$ into the top four schools that are not there now (as a part of the Crossroads Classic) due to the extra game and being played on campus.  If you did guarantee the 2 games, you could have the Indiana Bracket play (losers and winners from Round 1) pon Saturday and then the same for the Purdue Bracket on Sunday.  Two days, Two events, more ticket sales, more divided revenue to go around.

Another point I'd like to make that some are arguing.  IU and Purdue play cupcakes in their non-con schedule now.  This would replace ONLY 1 non conference game (as the schedule has been the last few years), so just replace one of the "Cupcakes" with this event.  At least then we are playing an in-state team with some meaning instead of Middle Wyoming School of the Blind and Deaf.

Sort of off topic but still relevant:

Our schedule would then look like:

  1.  B1G vs ACC Challenge
  2. Gavitt Tip-Off Game
  3. Louisville
  4. Crossroad Classic - "Cupcake Game"
  5. Crossroad Classic - Championship Game
  6. Non-Con Tourney
  7. Non-Con Tourney
  8. Non-Con Tourney
  9. Cupcake or Non-Con Tourney (Depends on the size of the Non Con Tourney, if Tourney is this large, this is more than likely a lessor team anyway)
  10. Cupcake or Arizona
  11. Cupcake or Kentucky

So in this scenario, you have 2-4 cupcake games.  If you would rather schedule a tougher opponents (as shown above), then people are going to argue that our Non-Con schedule is too tough.  But I do know one thing, I'd rather see us play Ball State, Evansville, Indiana State, IUPUI, Fort Wayne (Well maybe not them, lol) or Valpo than some cupcake that I have never heard of from 10 states away.

 

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40 minutes ago, CoachSS said:

- Kentucky: Lots of chatter I have heard on some back-channels about the series being renewed. Don't expect games at Assembly Hall or Rupp Arena. I expect Lucas Oil and the Yum Center to be involved. This gives Indiana another marquee non-conference game. 

Glad to hear the program is being smart about this.

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17 hours ago, CoachSS said:

I had a discussion about this yesterday evening...

A few things: 

- Varsity Club donations are only going to increase over time for individuals or families to retain their status. You can't ask for more money and offer fewer home games.

- Games at neutral sites are not included in IU season ticket packages (per se). 

- Many (not all) of our biggest donors live in Marion (Indianapolis) or Hamilton (Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Fishers) County and love seeing IU play in Indy once per year. 

 

With that said, a perfect IU schedule could look like this: (keyword: could): 

- Notre Dame: As Indiana departs the Crossroads in 2021, they sign a home-and-home with Notre Dame. The game will draw interest from both fan bases and surely land a decent TV contract. The location of this game will be determined for both as it will be the opposite of the...

- ACC/ Big Ten Challenge: The years Indiana is home in the Challenge, they will play at ND. The season's Indiana is away in the Challenge, they will be home to ND. As the IU program continues to build, this is guaranteed to be another great game in the non-conference.

- Kentucky: Lots of chatter I have heard on some back-channels about the series being renewed. Don't expect games at Assembly Hall or Rupp Arena. I expect Lucas Oil and the Yum Center to be involved. This gives Indiana another marquee non-conference game. 

- Another big name opponent: With 11 non-conference games and one of the three above to be guaranteed in Bloomington, Bill Comar (IU's DOBO/ Scheduler) can hunt to find another great opportunity. This can be a home-and-home, a neutral, whatever. Teams like Arizona, Kansas and others should be courted to make this happen.  

- Gavvitt Games: As many know by now, this is not an every-year kind of thing. If it is an IU road game then it will fall in a year where the other Big-Name opponent in the non-conference is playing in Bloomington or Indianapolis. 

- Non-Conf Home Games: Every year, Indiana will play, at minimum, six of these on top of what is listed above. Look for Comar and Archie to fill these with teams who are anywhere in the 75-180 range of KenPom/ RPI. 

As a few have said ad nauseam, the Crossroads Classic has been a good thing. But, Indiana can do better and the event has run its course. It's not the job of Fred Glass or anyone at Indiana University to make any money for teams like Butler or Purdue. They can go make money themselves. I'll bet in 2013 and for sure last year, Indiana had 70% of the fans at Bankers Life. It's not fair to IU and financially it doesn't make much sense. And playing someone like Kansas, Arizona, Kentucky, UCLA, Duke, North Carolina is always going to be more visible than Butler. On top of that, those games are way more valuable to IU's metrics and numbers--- and national perception.

We could spend all day talking about what a great schedule could and couldn't be and honestly it's probably a waste of time. But, I think above is realistic and something that could very well come into play when the Crossroads Classic contract runs out in 2021. 

All good points.  Why did we quit playing ND?  And if the series is revived I would like it played on a neutral floor....in Fort Wayne.  Just sayin'

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