#Big East athletic directors mull college basketball bubble ideas

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St. John’s athletic director Mike Cragg
Bill Kostroun

Every week since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit in March, canceling most of the Big East Tournament and the entire NCAA Tournament, the league’s athletic directors have met virtually. And as the fall nears, and the college basketball season gets closer, they have begun talking about the possibility of a bubble for men’s and women’s basketball to safely play a conference season.

“We definitely talk about it. There’s been discussions in every meeting since June about different concepts and over the last two-to-three weeks we’ve had presentations of some early ideas from the league office, how [a bubble] could look,” St. John’s athletic director Mike Cragg told The Post. “I’m not in favor of a three-month bubble or the whole season. That’s not practical. I am interested in short bursts of a bubble. If you can create a two- or three-week bubble and play six or eight games, I think that makes a lot of sense.”

A bubble has worked well for the NBA and NHL, but as Cragg eluded to, the Big East isn’t interested in a bubble for multiple months. The discussions have centered on bubbles a few weeks at a time, sources said, though the basketball-centric league is still focused on a number of different options, from starting the season on time without fans to it being moved back to January. NCAA senior VP of basketball Dan Gavitt said last week a decision will be made by mid-September of whether the season and practice will start on time. NCAA president Mark Emmert, Gavit and Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, who is also the Charmian of the selection committee, have all said publicly that a bubble model could be used for an altered championship structure, a sign that leagues would be encouraged to play conference seasons in a similar vein. It’s clear how important the sport is to the conference and that’s why so many different possibilities are on the table.

“At this stage, our job is to come up with as many ways as could be possible [to have a season],” Cragg said.

There is, of course, a lot that would be needed to happen for a bubble to be created. For one, it would have to be affordable. All the schools are either going to virtual learning or a hybrid approach, so players wouldn’t miss classes. And the TV partner, Fox, would have to be on board. At that point, the league’s presidents could be given the parameters of the plan and hold a vote.

“It takes a lot of things. It’s not just here’s 13 guys, here’s another 13 guys, let’s go play a game,” Cragg said. “It’s an investment.”

The league has discussed a number of options relating to a bubble, such as including men’s and women’s basketball in one bubble with all 22 teams, two separate bubbles broken down by two regions and separating men’s and women’s basketball, sources said. Fox has been approached to gauge its interest. The idea of a bubble has received “very strong” support, one source said, though it will ultimately come down to what the league’s presidents decide.

One location that has been discussed is Omaha, Neb. and Creighton serving as the host because of its ample facilities that included two on-campus practice facilities, two large hotels located right next to the team’s arena, the CHI Health Center, that is attached to a convention center that could be used for additional practice courts.

“If the season was to start tomorrow, [a bubble] is the only way we could do it,” Cragg said. “I’m in favor of trying to figure it out, if that’s only we can play with less risk.”