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UConn to the Big East


UA1882

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Will be interesting to see the domino effect. I highly doubt it would affect us but you never know. Even though we had a down year athletically, I do believe we have outgrown the AE. Given our prolonged success, larger (better) conferences could do a lot worse then Albany.  

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I tweeted Susan Herbst, Gov Cuomo, UConn, UMASS and others lobbying for a Northeast cost containment football only conference.  The Northeast seems to really have a need.  2 independents and several possible upgrade potentials in the CAA.

 

Just need some damn leadership to make it happen!

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UConn's football program is bleeding money and their attendance is in the tank. From what I've read, none of the possible conferences wants them as a football only member. I'd say it's more likely that UConn joins the CAA than UA joins any FBS conference, existing or new. I just don't see the fans or school supporting UA financially at the FBS level. A pipe dream IMHO.

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I was more talking about sports in general and not just football. Our football team is bad, but the rest of our sports programs have been pretty good over the years. No reason (other than money) not to explore a move. There are so many positives (not just athletically) to moving up in conference. 

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I’m not sure what is so hard for the Northeast to have a single budget friendly football FBS conference?  Clearly with UMASS, UCONN and Army adrift and Buffalo, Temple and parts of the CAA available why something can’t be pieced together.  There is clearly a need!

 

I’m not talking about the SEC or BIG10.  A MAC level conference with a Northeast footprint makes sense.  I understand it’s probably a pipe dream but I don’t understand why.  Why is the Northeast so damn dysfunctional?

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Under current rules, FBS football conferences must be all-sports, and I don’t think there’s any provision for a new one, at least that wouldn’t take ten years to be bowl-eligible. Even if the eastern schools got together it’d probably take proposals at an NCAA convention.

Most NE I-A teams were independent and there weren’t enough to form a league - the ECAC only had six once the Ivy went I-AA. Big East FB was never very stable. UB, UMass and UConn were I-AA until ‘94-‘05?

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With the names bandied about up above I’d like to propose the “Big Least” for a conference name. Not gonna happen. UConn BB has been the only relevant national team in New England in the big two of BB and FB for the last 50 years. I just can’t fathom the need for another irrelevant FBS league. I honestly think the next big change at the NCAA D1 level is going to be a breaking off of the Power 5 conferences into a separate division, primarily in FB, but possibly in BB as well. A non Power 5 FB team could be undefeated and own a win over a top 10 team and still not make a 4 team playoff. What’s the point of being in the same division?

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The three things lacking for a new FBS Conference and UAlbany joining such conference are:

*Political support from the legislature and governor (and SUNY Administration)

*Economic support from within the greater UAlbany community

*Social/emotional need:  From my observation the Capital District and the UAlbany community not possess any aspiration for a FBS football 🏈

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57 minutes ago, jimbo said:

With the names bandied about up above I’d like to propose the “Big Least” for a conference name. Not gonna happen. UConn BB has been the only relevant national team in New England in the big two of BB and FB for the last 50 years. I just can’t fathom the need for another irrelevant FBS league. I honestly think the next big change at the NCAA D1 level is going to be a breaking off of the Power 5 conferences into a separate division, primarily in FB, but possibly in BB as well. A non Power 5 FB team could be undefeated and own a win over a top 10 team and still not make a 4 team playoff. What’s the point of being in the same division?

Boston College? 

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9 hours ago, BestDaneSinceHamlet said:

Boston College? 

BC has certainly had some success and their moments in the spotlight, but it’s been a long time since they seriously challenged for a MBB title or in football. They’ve been overmatched in the ACC I think. Hockey is their big thing nationally. It kind of goes back to what we’ve talked about regarding the regional nature of football recruiting and talent. NY and NE don’t have anywhere near the density of talent in Florida, Cali and Texas...and really all of the Deep South and Carolinas. You’d think though that with the dearth of top division programs in NY and NE that the talent could  be concentrated in a few schools. 

 

Just for for fun I looked at the 2018 Syracuse football roster. There are 9 players from NY and 11 from Florida. Syracuse is far and away the top D1 football school in NY and yet their roster is not heavy with homegrown talent. 

Edited by jimbo
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20 hours ago, cwdickens said:

*Social/emotional need:  From my observation the Capital District and the UAlbany community not possess any aspiration for a FBS football 🏈

I agree with most of what you said, except this part. I am sure if you did a search, you could find me saying this 50+ times on these boards: 

Capital District fans are snobs. No one care about any athletic programs unless it is TOP level. We are too close to NYC/Montreal/Boston/Syracuse/Buffalo for anyone here to care. The AFL team is averaging over 10k fans per game - it is top level for AFL. You can get tickets last minute for a minor band, the biggest names sell out in minutes. Unless $iena is winning, their attendance is dwindling. The Albany Colonie Yankees had issue with attendance most games, but when a MLB player like Ron Guidry had a rehab start there were people lined up around the block and people sitting on the field. 

This area could support a FBS team, and rival Syracuse for attendance - but it would have to be at the top level, play top level opponents, and win. Anything less than that is a complete and utter waste of money. The AE and CAA are perfectly fine for us. I don't see any boost in attendance by a new conference or a league switch unless it was to a P5 type situation. 

So yes, you are right, no aspiration for FBS football today, but I am convinced that there would be plenty of it was done correctly. 

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"...it was done correctly"  ...I am certain no one intends to doing anything incorrectly ... If there was plan to be a FBS school... Twenty other schools would be moving up ... After dealing with ups and downs of UAlbany sports for nearly 50 years ... Time for  a sabbatical... I tend not to believe Albany area fans as snobs... their lives are full with family, work and life matters. Your thoughts are true thanks for  sharing

Edited by cwdickens
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