The OVC, now and future

[rocki]

I saw the post on "Non Western Sports" showing ESPN was continuing with the MVFC going forward. Does ESPN also show OVC games? I realize we're still in the MVFC this year, but after that, will we be able to watch Western on ESPN+ like we can now? If not, is there someplace to subscribe to watch OVC games?

[wiu712]

The Eastern Illinois football games will be on ESPN+ this year.

[ST_Lawson]

I saw the post on "Non Western Sports" showing ESPN was continuing with the MVFC going forward. Does ESPN also show OVC games? I realize we're still in the MVFC this year, but after that, will we be able to watch Western on ESPN+ like we can now? If not, is there someplace to subscribe to watch OVC games?

 

Pretty sure ESPN+ has all OVC football games (looks like all except a few OOC games this season). They also have a decent number of other sports, for example, our Women's Soccer match against Green Bay on 9/7 will be on ESPN+, as will indoor volleyball against SIUE on 9/9.

Here's details of the agreement that they signed back in 2018: https://ovcsports.com/news/2018/8/15/general-espn.aspx

[rocki]

Thanks for the information!!!!

[pvk7072]

Lindenwood is making huge cuts in its athletic programs. Here are some links:

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college ... d0d01.html

https://www.kmov.com/2023/12/01/lindenw ... positions/

https://lindenwoodlions.com/news/2023/1 ... ement.aspx

[pvk7072]

Like the MVFC, the Summit got too full of Dakotas, where there isn't much else to excite the local populace even in bigger towns. Likewise, hard to get it up for competitions with Denver, Omaha and even UMKC. But with the OVC, WIU has Eastern Illinois, SEMO and Lindenwood within "striking distance" for at least fan interest if not attendance. For bball, that's 12 conference games right there (MBB and WBB).

Macomb isn't the Dakotas, where it sometimes snows sideways, but winter sports could be WIU's ticket to success in a new league with more parity and some Southern geography. How do you think any of the mid-major conferences got some attention? NCAA tournament bids. And knowing that's a more reachable possibility in the OVC has to put a spark in the teams' efforts.

Football -- obviously in a rebuild of a bigger squad with bigger staff and fewer games (opportunities), with equally obvious stadium needs -- will take longer.

But IMHO we who follow WIU are going to be loving us some OVC and Leatherneck sports a lot more in a few years. Revived cross-state WIU-EIU rivalry a big deal again, anyone?

Patience.

[ST_Lawson]

Like the MVFC, the Summit got too full of Dakotas, where there isn't much else to excite the local populace even in bigger towns. Likewise, hard to get it up for competitions with Denver, Omaha and even UMKC. But with the OVC, WIU has Eastern Illinois, SEMO and Lindenwood within "striking distance" for at least fan interest if not attendance. For bball, that's 12 conference games right there (MBB and WBB).

Macomb isn't the Dakotas, where it sometimes snows sideways, but winter sports could be WIU's ticket to success in a new league with more parity and some Southern geography. How do you think any of the mid-major conferences got some attention? NCAA tournament bids. And knowing that's a more reachable possibility in the OVC has to put a spark in the teams' efforts.

Football -- obviously in a rebuild of a bigger squad with bigger staff and fewer games (opportunities), with equally obvious stadium needs -- will take longer.

But IMHO we who follow WIU are going to be loving us some OVC and Leatherneck sports a lot more in a few years. Revived cross-state WIU-EIU rivalry a big deal again, anyone?

Patience.

 

Exactly...just look at Murray State. Public regional university not much bigger than Western, in a town not much bigger than Macomb (if at all), and a couple of hours from the nearest decent-sized metro area (2 hours from Nashville). Had tremendous success in men's basketball over a couple of decades, 11 postseason appearances since 2000, 8 of them at the NCAA tournament, and got invited to the MVC because of it. The conference as a whole had 2 teams in the NCAA tournament in 2019.

We're never going to be a North Carolina or Kansas with frequent Final Four appearances, but there's quite a few of the smaller teams that make some postseason tournament more often than not, with occasional NCAA tournament appearances, and pull 4k+ fans for home games against teams like EIU. I don't see any reason why we couldn't eventually get to that level.

[pvk7072]

I forgot to mention SIUE, but I was thinking all-sports. Anyway, that's 16 conference bball games combined for MBB and WBB within "striking distance."

And Murray State is an excellent example of possibilities.

And I bet there'll be some better weather down that-a-way for baseball and softball.

My post is kinda more all-sports than just MBB, but consdiering some past comments, felt it was best here.

And another thing not MBB ... Tennessee State is a current tenant of Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL Tennessee Titans, and according to the 2023 Nashville city deal for bonds for a new $2.1 billion stadium, that deal is very, very likely to continue. TSU was paying $200k per game to play at Nissan. The new deal? Now they will pay ZERO. Anyway, so at least every other year the Leathernecks will play in some prime digs unlike anything the MVFC could possibly offer. Plus there's the trip to Music City.

OK, I'm done now. Back to MBB.



 
 
 
 

[leathernecks1]

Sounds like to me the move everyone is excited about the move. I ha e been been following Leatherneck athletics since before I attended (following more than 20 years ago). I can tell you that the OVC does nothing to excite me for football. If you win or finish even in the top 3 in the MVFC you are looking at a  playoff run. You win the OVC you are looking at a first round exit. Winning conference championships don't excite me like winning playoff games.

Same for basketball. The Summit has grown and the conference tournament is the best kept secret in college basketball. The winner of the Summit league in most years is hoping for a 12 seed or better. Lots of 12 seeds win first round games. Winning tournament games excite me. Participation trophies do not. Guess I'm not a 90s kid. I would rather make 1 tournament every 10 years and compete in the tournament instead of making 5 and knowing that I am going to face a top 10 team and get blown out. 

Im my opinion, leaving conferences in an effort to compete is not a good choice. What happened to utilizing hard work??? 
 

[rocki]

Sounds like to me the move everyone is excited about the move. I ha e been been following Leatherneck athletics since before I attended (following more than 20 years ago). I can tell you that the OVC does nothing to excite me for football. If you win or finish even in the top 3 in the MVFC you are looking at a  playoff run. You win the OVC you are looking at a first round exit. Winning conference championships don't excite me like winning playoff games.

Same for basketball. The Summit has grown and the conference tournament is the best kept secret in college basketball. The winner of the Summit league in most years is hoping for a 12 seed or better. Lots of 12 seeds win first round games. Winning tournament games excite me. Participation trophies do not. Guess I'm not a 90s kid. I would rather make 1 tournament every 10 years and compete in the tournament instead of making 5 and knowing that I am going to face a top 10 team and get blown out. 

Im my opinion, leaving conferences in an effort to compete is not a good choice. What happened to utilizing hard work??? 
 

 

I get where you are coming from, but I feel the powers that be had to figure out a solution that benefitted the University as a whole. While the MVFC and Summit may be "higher quality" in your opinion, travel fees for teams were way out of line. In the OVC, we don't have to spend a ton to get to the Dakotas, etc. I think you are talking apples and oranges by comparing the WIU of today to the WIU of 20 years ago. I personally miss the Gateway in football, but think the OVC is closer in reference to travel time, closer rivalries, etc.