Brainstorming opponents for next year

[zipboy]

I was thinking about opponents for next year to improve our RPI. While it would be nice to get a home and home with a Xavier/Dayton type program which are both instate, those schools both draw around 10,000 per game. Unless we can guarantee that kind of crowd at the Q, and I doubt they come to the JAR, we probably don't get a home and home with them.So I looked up attendance for all Div 1 teams last year. If I counted right, there were 329 Div 1 teams. Akron finished in the top half of overall attendance. The Zips were 136th in the country averaging 3596. We even outdrew big name schools Colorado and Miami Fl. Looking at schools that averaged between 3,000 to 6,000 last year there were 63 teams not counting MAC schools. Those should be teams that from a financial standpoint we should be able to have a home and home with. Of the 63, 16 had an RPI last year in the top 100. Those schools includedButlerAlbanyBucknellDavidsonGeorge WashingtonHofstraHoly CrossHoustonUMassMississippiPennUSC - For a big name school, I was surprised. They drew about the same as ToledoVCUWest KyWinthropWright StateSome of these schools might have had unusually good seasons and will drop back down next year, but most of the teams listed above are quality teams year in and year out. I don't know what goes on with scheduling and I am oversimplifying, but if those schools above all have good RPIs and draw very similarly to Akron, I would hope that they have the same scheduling difficulty and it would be nice if we could get a home and home with 3-4 of those teams every year. It seems like we would all be in the same boat.A few other schools that did not make the top 100 RPI but draw between 3K and 6K that are still thought of as decent programs or big name schools includeTempleEvansvilleRichmondRutgersMurray StateAuburnUABTulsaSt JoesNorthwesternI know that getting a name school here especially if they feel they are have a good shot to lose is doubtful. But there are several quality teams from the A10 and Colonial and Evansville from the MVC that all seem like possible games. Anyway just some thoughts.Go Zips!

[UA Fan]

Good research, zipboy. I think we would get the most benefit/exposure from playing 1) the good programs in Ohio and neighboring states 2) any big name school in the eastern US, regardless of hoops strength3) good programs with strong academic reputationsOf the names in your lists, my preferences would be:ButlerBucknellGeorge WashingtonUMassMississippiPennWest KyWright StateTempleRichmondRutgersAuburnUABTulsaSt JoesNorthwesternAnother good topic for study might be the effect of a spiffy new arena, for "midmajors" who have built one, on their attendance and strength of home scheduling. Examples: St. Louis University, DePaul, NIU, St. Joe's.

[mcperp]

Nice work zipboy; I think the key is getting teams on the schedule that are historically solid to smooth out the clunkers that occur when a team might be decent one year, but terrible when the actual game rolls around. It would be nice for the MAC to set up a league challenge each year with the MVC, or A-10 (similar to big ten/acc matchups), but neither of those leagues would likely go for that deal.One way to get some scheduling cache is to host an annual holiday tournament and invite two historically good and/or recognizable teams and one historically poor team. Example: Akron, West Virginia, George Washington, and Morehead State. We'd need a multi-year commitment from local companies to invest in this tournament and to provide appearance money for the bigger schools.

[zipboy]

KD mentioned a holiday tournament about a year ago. As you pointed out, he said that we need to get some big sponsers to make something like that happen. My guess is around 250K for some quality teams.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I don't know what goes on with scheduling and I am oversimplifying, but if those schools above all have good RPIs and draw very similarly to Akron, I would hope that they have the same scheduling difficulty and it would be nice if we could get a home and home with 3-4 of those teams every year. It seems like we would all be in the same boat.

I would love to know why it doesn't work that way, because it makes sense to me too.

[Valpo Zip]

I heard from a credible source tha Walsh University is going to be on our schedule this year

[GoZips]

Walsh? Now that is a real possibility. As a preseason game Walsh would do nicely.Walsh is a local area school, that keeps costs down and interest up.Here's a clue .... the Zips OOC schedule is pretty much set, and the Warriors are noton it. Fourteen teams are on it ranging from the good to the bad and the ugly.Some of the opponents will please you. Some will have you scratching your head.A couple will be great home games next season as we go to their house this year.One, Wyoming, will be the springboard for a trip to Seattle next season; not this year.We play the Cowboys in the JAR this year. The Zips head to Laramie next year.

[ZIPCODE]

Me thinks the Walsh nickname is Cavaliers.

[ZachTheZip]

Me thinks the Walsh nickname is Cavaliers.

You may be correct. I don't think playing the high school team in Cuyahoga Falls would help our RPI very much.

[GoZips]

I stand corrected. It is the Walsh University Cavaliers. And, they couldn't help our RPImuch either. Thus, if the Zips do play them, it will be an exhibition game.