How Popular is Loyola? And does it matter?

[JCT]

KenPom's 2023-24 preseason estimates for all 362 D-1 teams are out. There's an odd page where KenPom shows data on which teams have the most followers and favorites. Have you seen it? Click here, if you have a KenPom subscription. https://kenpom.com/popular.php

Over the years, Loyola has slowly moved up this random ranking, from the low-mid 100s in the early 20-teens to now, a tie with St. Mary's for 80th. Yes, that's us--- no longer in a 12-team tie for 161st with Albany and Brown, now we're well into the Top 100. The teams we used to think of as role model programs-- Wichita State, DePaul, Butler, Bradley, Northern Iowa, Wright State--- are around us, not way, way, way above us.

And if you look just below us in the KenPom rankings, there's Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, and Oklahoma at 82nd. DePaul, Richmond, Colorado State, and Ole Miss all tied at 92nd. Illinois State is the highest MVC team in a tie at 99th, and Milwaukee is the top Horizon team tied for 136th.

Does it really matter how "popular" we are? Hell yes! TV ratings, donations, ticket prices, revenues, game-day crowds, scheduling options, and a ton of other very important monetary and strategic decisions are based on seemingly minor things like this. So if you're a member of KenPom (it's 19.99 a year) and haven't selected a favorite team..... here's the page again where you can vote!! https://kenpom.com/popular.php

[NuncEstBibendum]

Interesting kenpom take on something so hard to gauge. I think we have Sister Jean to thank for some of the intangibles! She is amazing.