Big 5 men’s basketball schools to move forward with round-robin format without Villanova in 2027-28

Key Points:

• The current Big 5 men’s basketball format, which involved six teams split into two pods for round-robin play leading to a Big 5 Classic tripleheader, will end after the 2026-27 season due to Villanova’s decision not to continue with the status quo.
• Villanova sought a new format that would minimize their road games in the Big 5, but no agreement was reached, leading the other five schools to continue the traditional 70-plus-year-old round-robin format without Villanova.
• Villanova’s concerns center on revenue loss from mandatory road games and sharing ticket sales, as their home games at Finneran Pavilion typically sell out and generate significant income, unlike the current format that reduces their home game opportunities.
• The gap between Villanova, a power conference team with a major TV deal, and the other Big 5 schools has widened, and while Villanova has dominated recent Big 5 contests, the other schools prefer to maintain the existing format without Villanova’s participation.
• Interest in the men’s Big 5 event has declined recently, with attendance at the Big 5 Classic dropping significantly at Xfinity Mobile Arena, though a one-day tripleheader may continue in some form, and the women’s Big 5 competition is expected to include all six schools moving forward.