The Big 5 is no more, at least not the version most fans of Philadelphia's famed basketball series remember from its heyday. Villanova will leave the Big 5 at the end of the 2026-27 season, and the series will continue with five teams starting next season in a round-robin format. The Big 5 Classic tripleheader will also end after this season's Dec. 5 event at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, the home of the 76ers.
Founding members Penn, La Salle, Temple and Saint Joseph's will remain, as will Drexel, which was added ahead of the 2023 season, making it a six-team series. "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," the five remaining schools said in a joint statement.
The statement also pointed to the evolving NCAA landscape, which has prompted institutions to evaluate how their athletics programs align with broader institutional priorities. After thoughtful discussions, the schools decided to move forward with the Men's Philadelphia Big 5 championship format without Villanova's participation.
The Big 5 name was coined by Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter Herb Good. The series was officially formed in 1954, and the schools began round-robin play for "City Series" bragging rights in 1955. The first game was played 68 years ago, when Saint Joseph's beat Villanova 83-70 on Dec. 14, 1955, in front of 2,636 fans at the Palestra.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing