CAA Expansion Update

[danefan]

Just to keep you guys in the loop.....

 

All accounts point to the CAA approaching Fordham to join next year.

 

Delaware Coach KC Keeler said on a TV show that the CAA was looking towards adding a team from the "NY Area" and that Fordham made the most sense.

 

Should be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

I'm not sure Fordham has as much motivation to go to the CAA as UA or SBU would have.

[UAalum72]

I'm not sure Fordham has as much motivation to go to the CAA as UA or SBU would have.

They will have if the Patriot League doesn't approve scholarships and Fordham's only choice is to be independent.

[danefan]

I'm not sure Fordham has as much motivation to go to the CAA as UA or SBU would have.

They will have if the Patriot League doesn't approve scholarships and Fordham's only choice is to be independent.

 

 

With or without PL scholarships, they still have the choice to operate under the PL scheduling agreement that they currently have for next season don't they? (playing all PL teams just not eligible for the conference championship or AQ). IMO, they will have a better chance at building a solid program doing that the next few years than joining the CAA.

 

They will guarantee themselves 5 or 6 loses a year in the CAA.

[UAalum72]

But playing six PL games a year won't give them a much better shot at an at-large than somebody who had to play seven NEC games a year.

[danefan]

But playing six PL games a year won't give them a much better shot at an at-large than somebody who had to play seven NEC games a year.

 

True, but (1) I don't think the playoffs is a huge concern for Fordham right now and (2) I think Fordham will have a better shot at an at-large from Indy status then it would playing the CAA for the immediate future. Especially in the expanded playoff field. Fordham would not have likely won a CAA game this year. And they are even less likely to win a game next year when their NFL-talent QB (Skelton) graduates.

 

We'd be in the same boat as far as competitiveness in the CAA, but we are facing a different situation. The NEC has limited our ability to compete nationally. If we were allowed to offer full scholarships and could still get a guaranteed 6 or 7 games against NEC teams, then I'm not sure I would be such an advocate for moving to the CAA so soon. Since we cannot do that I think taking our licks in the CAA for 3 or 4 years is the better option. Fordham isn't in that position though. They can rebuild a program and move to a new conference when in 2012 or whenever the inevitable split occurs.