Michigan_Dane

No. The Big East will raid the MAC before it gets to anyone like us. UMass, Buffalo (blah), etc. are way ahead of us. We're 15 years from FBS football if ever. I hope we're not 15 years from FBS football because Stony Brook is not waiting 15 years. From the AD to their coach and fans, they all seem to be chomping at the bit. I hope we're not left behind. We need to keep adding to our facilities and preparing ourselves. Stony Brook is not going to wait on us. The more I think about it, I really like the MAC idea. Sure, we're not ready for MAC football today but given 5 or so years we could be. The geographic footprint is pretty good. The school profile is pretty good. It's the only possible home for a SBU or UA football jump when the time comes. Albany and Stony Brook are a darn good fit for that conference. Football could follow later.

I'm thrilled with our football upgrade to the CAA but what about an upgrade for our other sports? Where would you want to see an all-sports offer come from? There aren't many northeast options. I like the CAA for all sports but the exit fee for leaving is huge and we would have higher travel costs. It would be a huge jump in quality. ESPN had the CAA conference ranked at 12 and the AE at 26 in an article I just read. I would love to see the MAC snap up Albany and Stony Brook for all sports other than football. Give us 5 or so years in the CAA and then let us move football there as well. We meet the MAC footprint pretty well... a bit westward but the addition of UMass is nice. It would give the MAC a solid New York presence. The MAC was ranked 17 in that article compared to the AE at 26. An admission with a tactic note that football is welcome when your ready.

UAlbany Athletics put up a great banner before your enter the UA Atheltics site. "Check out the top dogs in town" or something like that. That is the type of marketing we need more of. Great stuff.

I have to admit that I'm happy that SBU lost to the Bobcats yesterday. I would love to see SUNY get some attention but if it means Newsday and SBU supporters comparing themselves to Ohio State and throwing the other SUNY Centers under the bus then I'll pass. On a side note, since SBU has more tax payer money set aside for their stadium, I hope Albany is already lobbying for expansion funds. It's an arms race and we need to keep but with the dark side. Start the legislative conversations early to get those funds.

I agree. Newsday is making me ill. They have taken the approach to openly cheer lead for SBU regardless of the merit. Meanwhile, the TU has taken the opposite tactic... to openly cheer lead against Albany regardless of merit. Objectively Albany and SBU are on the same level. Both won their own football conferences this year. Both have had success in other sports. SBU most notably in baseball. Albany's track program is fantastic but has had success in basketball with 2 NCAA appearances. Women's volleyball and field hockey have also done very well. My point is that objectively speaking I would say the two schools are about even. I would even argue that Albany has been more successful but it's not the point. SO how can it be that Newsday thinks SBU is fantastic and ready for a Big 10 invite and the TU thinks Albany is a pee wee program? The facts speak for themselves. NO significant difference between these two northeast AE schools. Either both are amazing or both are pee wee programs. I would argue that the truth is in the middle. I will only concede that Albany's big shortfall to SBU is government and newspaper support (LaValle and Newsday vs Nobody and the TU). That is the only real difference.

Good post. 17,000 students should net 1,000 fans per game... SEFCU is on campus for god's sake. What's the ratio at a big basketball school like Syracuse? Students versus student attendance.

100% yes. Lower bowl build out would be my requirement.

I love the HBCU idea. Show the Albany crowd what a good band looks like.. or any band looks like.

Unless I'm slow to the news there are new photos on the Facilities site. It's nice to see a different angle than the web cam

I'm torn if that is the outcome. We need competitive games... I get that. Fans want to see winning games. It's equally true that name recognition also matters. If you want to draw more fans you need brand name colleges not just beating up on lower profile colleges. No disrespect to CCSU because I do like and respect them. What would be the biggest brand name draw that we could also conceivably beat next year that could kick off our new stadium? Not saying we would beat them just that we could beat them and thus it's a dream opening. I think Delaware is a brand name team and we better be able to beat them or else it will be a long year. It would never happen of course but Army would be the ideal. A team we could beat during a down year (like SBU did this year) and a huge brand name. Wish list: 1) Army (Huge brand name and not playing well thus doable... although not going to happen) 2) Delaware (A pretty big name but could be a tough game) 3) Rhode Island (Had a tough year and could be reasonable for us but still some name recognition)

What are the odds this helps us with an all sports invite? Could the CAA have a change of heart? No doubt this effects football (sooner or later) but what about all sports?

Looks like more changes in college athletics. Maryland and Rutgers to the Big 10. Could this eventually further shake up the mid majors at some point? I like football in the CAA but basketball and company need a jump higher. Any chance things can go our way and UA gets a full invite to the CAA or we find another home for basketball and company?... Not sure where UA basketball could elevate to other than the CAA?

I too have the problem on my laptop. My iPhone is just fine.

Sorry but with or without Smith, this team is a long way from being ready for the CAA. We were lucky to win at St. Francis and Sacred Heart gave us a run for or money @ homecoming. We struggled against two terrible teams and yesterday got our @ss handed to us by Wagner, a team who practiced most of the week short players and in post hurricane conditions. Yet they were ready to play and UA offense, defense, special teams and coaching were all MIA yesterday. The crowd was pretty pathetic too. Robert Morris beat Dusquene yesterday or a loss to them would move us into third place in a league we were suppose to dominate. Even if we beat them, then we have ask them {hope/prey/whatever} to turn it around and to beat Wagner at Wagner. I know we will have a few more scholarships to give before we jump to the CAA next year, but does this sound like a team who is ready to make this jump?? Let's not go crazy now. I know I started this track of thought but UA is a flagship state university. CAA is the bare minimum home for a school of our size and position. We'll do just fine in thee CAA but it will take time. This loss was a good wake up call. Maybe we needed this to get our head in the game. With Rhode Island in the league, we're guaranteed at least one win.

If this is an indication of the team's abilities without Smith, next year will be painful.

Thank god. I'm fine with the college radio station doing it as long as they meet minimum standards. The college radio show was delayed or dropped several times. The play-by-play was terrible. You have to have a quality product if your going to build a fan base and be taken seriously. Don't "step over a dollar to pick up a dime". It was costing us fans and support.

Any talk of starting a marching band? SBU recently started a band. Every real FCS and FBS program has one. In addition to the half-time show it also puts butts in the stands. Something to see and families coming out to watch their kids. It would be a great addition to the new stadium. A little Ohio State style of high steppin'.

That makes me want to hollar and spit. I hope we're already working on more state funding.

I purchase items from the book store every other month. The point is that I should have the choice to buy directly from the Athletics Department. I would prefer my money go to UAlbany Athletics rather than Barnes and Noble. Why can't UA run a basic store? The products are limited. The products are cheap. I've had to call to follow up on orders (They never shipped) I've purchased items to be later told they're sold out It's sad but use Barnes and Noble, Prep Sports, Football Fanatics. Pretty much any other vender will have nicer stuff, more options and you won't have to worry if the intern filled the order correctly (professional staff)

I agree. If a sport can't be played at the stadium then we should do what is possible to get them up to standards. It looks like the stadium will account for the bulk of the field sports. We should use it for everything we can. It's our center piece. It's our recruiting tool. Football, M Soccer, W Soccer, M Lacrosse, W Lacrosse. Maybe Rugby as we've spoken before. Basketball already has an ideal home at the TU Center if and when they improve to justify it. I'm not sure I would put any dollars in there. If your good enough, play at the TU. The stadium is where the bulk of athletics investment dollars need to go. Of course take care of those that don't fit into the multi-sport complex but that should be the exception. John Falloon field was a nice interum solution but I wouldn't split investments at the expense of the new center piece.

Thank god the webcam is back. I follow this much more than I should. As far as other projects, I say focus on the stadium. It's our multi-sport complex. Investment put there helps football and soccer. I don't see why they can't also play field hockey and lacrosse. Why split your investment into multiple smaller projects. Use this as your Carrier Dome and play everything there. After this is built, who want to play at Fallon Field? Personally I feel the Fallon Field money would have been better invested in the stadium. Are you better with one nice car or two or more clunkers?

They need to fire someone and bring in a professional to manage the media/technology. If devoted fans have to work this hard just to follow the game, you'll never build a base with the occasional fan. It's not acceptable. Call me naive but I'm hoping this will all be fixed next year with the new facilities.

This is terrible service. Between WCDB and Dane Zone, it's a disaster. They have to get to a minimum level of service... like the game should start on time. The game should not stop half way through... little things like that.

Me too Me too. Been flickering for 10 minutes

I paid for Dane Zone at the start of the season, I have yet to watch a single game. We're on the 5th game of the season for crying out loud.