by Kyle Melnick ’14

This is not our parents’ NCAA any longer, and soon I too will hardly recognize it. Universities have betrayed their original conferences for a grab bag of money. Conference associations have completely ignored schools’ students, alumni and athletes as the process of teams coming and going from one conference to another continues unchecked. Colleges are following the money, while leaving behind tradition and their fan base. As more colleges decide to switch conferences, the domino effect impacts many other schools.

When I first heard about Maryland’s decision to join the Big Ten in November, it felt like a part of me as a sports fan died. I understand the stated reasons for the school to decide on this, but money cannot always surpass the excitement and tradition of Maryland in ACC play. This is especially apparent during the heart of the college basketball season. I no longer can enjoy Maryland taking down long-time rival Duke, and mock all of the “Cameron Crazies” as they leave the Comcast Center with ashamed expressions. Now Maryland will have to travel 800 miles just to get demolished by Michigan State and Indiana, two teams that have never had any rivalries with Maryland.

In my dream world, 18,000 fans would pack the Comcast Center in 2014, awaiting the biggest game of the season against the Blue Devils. Instead, students and other fans will take their seats to watch Maryland take on potential “rival” Penn State, a football college with a measly basketball tradition. Although some might claim that Maryland-Duke is not a real rivalry, history says otherwise. Since 2000, the Terrapins have a close 9-13 record against the Blue Devils, who are perennial national championship contenders each year. It is not exciting if Maryland’s “big rivalry game” will be against a team that has little history with Maryland.

Thirty minutes away from College Park, Georgetown recently announced its departure from the Big East. Along with six other teams, the university decided to form a superior basketball conference. As much as I dislike teams parting with their conference, Georgetown’s decision was right on. The new conference has been dubbed the “Catholic 7.”

Unlike Maryland, Georgetown will continue its rivalry traditions with six teams from the Big East, as well as creating new rivalries with teams looking to branch out of their conferences. All seven teams leaving the conference have historically strong basketball programs that easily outshine their pathetic football programs. These seven teams will have a chance to create a conference that is centralized on only basketball, and will most likely result in a new powerhouse conference in college basketball, competing with the likes of the ACC and Big Ten. As this emerging conference looks to expand, the teams will have no problem creating an outstanding conference in college basketball. This is an example of doing something that is in the interest of the fans rather than just the university.

Soon some conferences may lose all their schools and no longer exist, leaving the NCAA with a small range of conferences, all filled up with teams that are flung all across the country. Maryland and Nebraska are in the same conferences even though they are 1,410 miles apart. College sports should be for the tradition and glory, rather than the money and television contracts.