saw this on the CAA boards

[madDOG]

If UMASS left the CAA, would we (or should we) take their place in that conference?

 

BOSTON - The Board of Trustees Committee on Athletics today approved the creation of a special taskforce to review the intercollegiate football program at UMass Amherst and to consider whether the program should seek to compete at the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1-A) level.

 

³We intend to assemble a taskforce that will include representatives from all of the relevant constituencies and will conduct an open, inclusive and comprehensive review of this issue. The Division 1-A question has been out there for many years, and we would like to provide a conclusive answer. We enter this process with open minds and with no predefined outcome in mind,² Trustee Matthew E. Carlin, chairman of the athletics panel, said.

 

Trustee Kenneth A. MacAfee, DMD, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and a former professional football player, was named to chair the taskforce, which will seek to present a preliminary report by this Fall.

 

The football competition-level question was last examined in 2003 and a consultant¹s report prepared at the time recommended that the Amherst football program remain at what was then the Division 1-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) level but suggested that the University might ³Š revisit the question in a three- to five-year time frame.²

 

³We believe that sufficient time has passed for us to take another and perhaps definitive look at this issue. We want to hear from all parties and then make the very best recommendation and decision for the University of Massachusetts,² Carlin said.

[Dane96]

Old news...comes up every three years.

 

THREE WORDS: NEVER GONNA HAPPEN (at least not with state money).

[ATL_DANE]

Does anyone know if the large northeast FCS schools have ever considered creating their own BCS conference? A SEC equivilent, if you will, but on a much smaller (northeast) scale. This would allow these schools to have easy travel schedules and maintain or build existing rivalries. Best yet would be that we could all elevate our play without getting creamed by the big boys. Is UAlbany engaged in communications with our northeast state school brothers? There are a lot of large northeast state schools that seem to want to move up but have no conference to move to or no chance of being successful in that conference without a large group move. This certainly makes more sense than UMASS getting slaughtered by Syracuse, Auburn, BC and other BCS schools. Sounds like a win-win idea but what do know...

 

Big North

• Albany
  
• Stony Brook
  
• UMass
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Delaware
  
• URI
  

Other possible candidates: Buffalo, Hofstra (yes there private)

[Dane96]

Does anyone know if the large northeast FCS schools have ever considered creating their own BCS conference? A SEC equivilent, if you will, but on a much smaller (northeast) scale. This would allow these schools to have easy travel schedules and maintain or build existing rivalries. Best yet would be that we could all elevate our play without getting creamed by the big boys. Is UAlbany engaged in communications with our northeast state school brothers? There are a lot of large northeast state schools that seem to want to move up but have no conference to move to or no chance of being successful in that conference without a large group move. This certainly makes more sense than UMASS getting slaughtered by Syracuse, Auburn, BC and other BCS schools. Sounds like a win-win idea but what do know...

 

Big North

• Albany
  
• Stony Brook
  
• UMass
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Delaware
  
• URI
  

Other possible candidates: Buffalo, Hofstra (yes there private)

 

 

If you had 50-60m per year...yep...this can be done. That is the cost to have a competitive FBS overall athletic program.

 

Again, not happening with UMASS. I have seen way too many state budgets here.

[scrabbleship]

Does anyone know if the large northeast FCS schools have ever considered creating their own BCS conference? A SEC equivilent, if you will, but on a much smaller (northeast) scale. This would allow these schools to have easy travel schedules and maintain or build existing rivalries. Best yet would be that we could all elevate our play without getting creamed by the big boys. Is UAlbany engaged in communications with our northeast state school brothers? There are a lot of large northeast state schools that seem to want to move up but have no conference to move to or no chance of being successful in that conference without a large group move. This certainly makes more sense than UMASS getting slaughtered by Syracuse, Auburn, BC and other BCS schools. Sounds like a win-win idea but what do know...

 

Big North

• Albany
  
• Stony Brook
  
• UMass
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Delaware
  
• URI
  

Other possible candidates: Buffalo, Hofstra (yes there private)

 

 

If you had 50-60m per year...yep...this can be done. That is the cost to have a competitive FBS overall athletic program.

 

Again, not happening with UMASS. I have seen way too many state budgets here.

 

Even considering how the rest of the UMass/State College system is probably going to go to pot at gunpoint to benefit Amherst? Outside of that Massachusetts can't manage money, why wouldn't the state want to increase prestiege of their beloved flagship by upgrading from FCS to FBS? Or is it a case in which a private (read: Boston College or Harvard) is getting all the spoils a la Cornell?

 

You read the state budgets, please elaborate on why Massachusetts wouldn't want UMass/Amherst to go FBS.

[Dane96]

Does anyone know if the large northeast FCS schools have ever considered creating their own BCS conference? A SEC equivilent, if you will, but on a much smaller (northeast) scale. This would allow these schools to have easy travel schedules and maintain or build existing rivalries. Best yet would be that we could all elevate our play without getting creamed by the big boys. Is UAlbany engaged in communications with our northeast state school brothers? There are a lot of large northeast state schools that seem to want to move up but have no conference to move to or no chance of being successful in that conference without a large group move. This certainly makes more sense than UMASS getting slaughtered by Syracuse, Auburn, BC and other BCS schools. Sounds like a win-win idea but what do know...

 

Big North

• Albany
  
• Stony Brook
  
• UMass
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Delaware
  
• URI
  

Other possible candidates: Buffalo, Hofstra (yes there private)

 

 

If you had 50-60m per year...yep...this can be done. That is the cost to have a competitive FBS overall athletic program.

 

Again, not happening with UMASS. I have seen way too many state budgets here.

 

Even considering how the rest of the UMass/State College system is probably going to go to pot at gunpoint to benefit Amherst? Outside of that Massachusetts can't manage money, why wouldn't the state want to increase prestiege of their beloved flagship by upgrading from FCS to FBS? Or is it a case in which a private (read: Boston College or Harvard) is getting all the spoils a la Cornell?

 

You read the state budgets, please elaborate on why Massachusetts wouldn't want UMass/Amherst to go FBS.

 

Scrabble...I cannot. Those who know my previous job know I had access to a variety of executive level meetings and budgets. Additionally, one of my mentors was the Vice Provost of UMASS-BOSTON (he left in 2005...during the first wave of purges). He is a former high-ranking State senator from the Holyoke area. We have discussed FBS ad nauseum. Fact is, the UMASS system is a disaster. They are trying to oust the President right now and maybe kill campuses (rumor...not likely). The governor will not go for it (DUVAL has bigger fish to fry) and the nickname of TAXACHUSETTS is for a reason. There is no state money for this and the taxpayers wont accept another taxation.

 

Additionally, UMASS was one of the first schools to set up a private fund (457 or 501c- I think...I always get the taxcode wrong) to raise money for the athletics program. This, has done squat. It is so bad that the "FRIENDS OF UMASS FOOTBALL" had to raise money for new field turf and updated lighting. The money was funneled as a donation to the athletic dept.

 

BTW...i have no clue what you are talking about regarding the other UMASS campuses. Your point makes no sense. UMASS BOSTON has expanded...and UMASS-Dartmouth is bidding for a law and med school (both stuck in the state budget). Those are money makers that got nixed by the legislature. Athletics at Amherst is not.

 

Harvard and BC getting state spoils? Ummm...nope. In fact, BC has to fight tooth and nail with the local town of Chestnut Hill to get anything done. They get zero state support in that dept. Harvard...they get no athletic support.

 

THIS, BARRING A MASSIVE CHANGE, WILL NOT HAPPEN IN THE NEXT THREE to FIVE YEARS. All bets are off if the Big East blows up.

[scrabbleship]

Does anyone know if the large northeast FCS schools have ever considered creating their own BCS conference? A SEC equivilent, if you will, but on a much smaller (northeast) scale. This would allow these schools to have easy travel schedules and maintain or build existing rivalries. Best yet would be that we could all elevate our play without getting creamed by the big boys. Is UAlbany engaged in communications with our northeast state school brothers? There are a lot of large northeast state schools that seem to want to move up but have no conference to move to or no chance of being successful in that conference without a large group move. This certainly makes more sense than UMASS getting slaughtered by Syracuse, Auburn, BC and other BCS schools. Sounds like a win-win idea but what do know...

 

Big North

• Albany
  
• Stony Brook
  
• UMass
  
• Maine
  
• New Hampshire
  
• Delaware
  
• URI
  

Other possible candidates: Buffalo, Hofstra (yes there private)

 

 

If you had 50-60m per year...yep...this can be done. That is the cost to have a competitive FBS overall athletic program.

 

Again, not happening with UMASS. I have seen way too many state budgets here.

 

Even considering how the rest of the UMass/State College system is probably going to go to pot at gunpoint to benefit Amherst? Outside of that Massachusetts can't manage money, why wouldn't the state want to increase prestiege of their beloved flagship by upgrading from FCS to FBS? Or is it a case in which a private (read: Boston College or Harvard) is getting all the spoils a la Cornell?

 

You read the state budgets, please elaborate on why Massachusetts wouldn't want UMass/Amherst to go FBS.

 

We have discussed FBS ad nauseum. Fact is, the UMASS system is a disaster. They are trying to oust the President right now and maybe kill campuses (rumor...not likely). The governor will not go for it (DUVAL has bigger fish to fry) and the nickname of TAXACHUSETTS is for a reason. There is no state money for this and the taxpayers wont accept another taxation.

 

Hasn't there been a movement to downgrade the athletic programs at Lowell in order to make Amherst the sole campus with anything above DIII as well, much to the chagrin of Lowell who has considered making the move to DI?

 

The rest of your statement opens up a whole other can of worms. Even with Spitzer being a do-nothing to date, Patrick seems fishier and I've heard people in New York talk about how Massachusetts has less of a tax burden than New York (mainly based off of sales tax) and how they want New York to be more like Massachusetts; I heard one commentator on the radio say that the Taxachusetts banner is obsolete considering what goes on in New York.

 

Additionally, UMASS was one of the first schools to set up a private fund (457 or 501c- I think...I always get the taxcode wrong) to raise money for the athletics program. This, has done squat. It is so bad that the "FRIENDS OF UMASS FOOTBALL" had to raise money for new field turf and updated lighting. The money was funneled as a donation to the athletic dept.

 

The actions of this 501c prove how out of touch the UMass system is in terms of physical upgrades.

 

I visited UMass Amherst a few months back and the way that campus is set up is so bad it isn't funny. As unoriginal as some of the UA architecture is, some of theirs is downright ugly and the lack of snow tunnels in an area that could use it more amazes me. Nice student center though.

[ATL_DANE]

I understand that the SUNY's don't have the funds or backing to join a theoretical northeast BCS conference. The thing I don't get is why the other northeast state schools aren't all over this idea (UMASS, UNH, MAine etc.). A path like this is their only means of making a jump and being successful. UMass should be championing and lobbying for this idea. As I said: easy travel schedules, existing rivalries, guaranteed wins as a first year BCS. The other thing is the schools could transition in the extra scholarships over the course of a few years... following a path like the NEC did into scholly FCS. This would further ease costs. As we all said before, Buffalo is doing it the hard way by going it alone against existing and well funded programs. They're finding the MAC to be a very tough home... where ever UMass would go would be even tougher. I guess my only point is that we know how slow things move with government and academia... start the conversations now at the AD level and in a decade the northeast may have a BCS conference of their own.

[UAalum72]

Setting aside the cost of the extra scholarships, only Delaware and UMass are even CLOSE to the attendance requirements for joining FBS, the rest would have to at least double their stadium size (even UMass will need expansion). Any move to FBS has to be looked at as a very long-term plan, not a 3- or 4-year transition.