#1
#1 out of 2
sports1d ago
What happened to the Big 5? The decline of Philly basketball’s one-time legendary alliance began a long time ago.
- The Big 5, once a national hoops lure, has largely faded amid broader college basketball changes.
- Villanova's move to the Big East and Temple's coaching era helped lift the Big 5 before its decline.
- National TV and conference realignments reshaped recruitment away from city-centric programs.
- Sustained local attendance and doubleheaders at the Palestra waned as interest declined.
- Individual programs faced unique issues, like La Salle’s arena decision and conference move.
- Temple’s shift toward football dollars contributed to basketball identity erosion.
- AAU and sneaker-driven recruiting broadened horizons beyond Philadelphia high schools.
- Villanova’s 1985 national title amplified the Big 5’s national profile before later changes dampened it.
- The Big 5 dissolution of the round-robin in 1991 signaled a structural shift beyond local control.
- The article concludes the Big 5’s era may not return despite nostalgia and attempts to revive it.
Vote 0
