As reported in the Inquirer and other online spaces Thursday, the current round-robin scheduling format as well as the single-day "City 6" tripleheader at the Palestra -- which has been played each year since 2023 -- will continue after 2027 without the participation of the Wildcats.
This season will represent the final iteration of Villanova, St. Joseph's, Penn, Temple, La Salle and Drexel competing all together against each other and then in the classic, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Villanova won last year's Big 5 Classic, topping Penn by a 90-63 count.
A release posted to the St. Joseph's University website stated the following:
"Five institutions of the Philadelphia Big 5 -- Drexel University, La Salle University, University of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's University and Temple University -- announce a round-robin scheduling format for men's basketball beginning in 2027-28.
"These institutions are united in their commitment to preserving the history and enhancing the future of the Philadelphia Big 5. The round-robin format represents a renewal of the competitive spirit that has defined the city's college basketball landscape for more than 70 years, while also preserving the future of a partnership that is distinctively Philadelphia."
"The resumption of a consistent round-robin format, featuring both home and away contests, will sustain traditional rivalries while providing valuable scheduling stability in an increasingly complex Division I environment.
"In recent years, the evolving NCAA landscape has prompted institutions to evaluate how their athletics programs align with broader institutional priorities. Following thoughtful discussions and consideration of the interests and goals of all involved, the decision was made to move forward with the Men's Philadelphia Big 5 championship format without Villanova's participation."
Fans, residents and alums will no doubt recall how similar "scheduling concerns" prompted then-Nova head coach Rollie Massimino in the early 1990s to lead the Wildcats away from the traditional, yearly Big 5 scheduling which had existed since the 1950s, in large part due to rising pressure from RPI scores which determined seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
Throughout that decade, the five member schools only scheduled each other sporadically with occasional contests held at the Palestra. A resumption of something close to the old system emerged in the 2000s.
For its part, Villanova later issued its own rebuttal to the initial release, within which the university implied its five rivals were not able to come to satisfactory agreement on issues 'Nova raised including adjustments to the tournament's schedule.
"Villanova remains committed to supporting Philadelphia basketball," the statement read. "Ultimately we must also balance what is in the best interests of Villanova Basketball success in the modern landscape of college athletics."
This season, according to the Big 5 Classic website, the in-season matchups are as follows:
La Salle at Villanova - Nov. 11
Penn at SJU - Nov. 14
Temple at La Salle - Nov. 15
SJU at Drexel - Nov. 20
Drexel at Penn - Nov. 24
Villanova at Temple - Dec. 1
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