UMass to FBS (MAC) - another spot in the CAA?

[uofalbany]

NEC - with football programs in bold

 

Bryant University

Central Connecticut State University

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Long Island University

Monmouth University

Mount St. Mary's University

Quinnipiac University

Robert Morris University

Sacred Heart University

St. Francis

Saint Francis (PA)

Wagner College

 

 

NEC football affiliates

 

UAlbany - AE

Duquesne - A10

URI - A10

 

Others in the discussion

 

Maine - AE (CAA football affiliate)

UNH - AE (CAA football affiliate)

Stony Brook - AE (Big South football affiliate)

Fordham - A10 (Patriot League football affiliate)

Holy Cross - Patriot (would they be interested)

CAA

 

William & Mary

Delaware

New Hampshire

Richmond

James Madison

Maine

Towson

Old Dominion - Full CAA in 2011

Georgia State - Full CAA in 2012

Charlotte

 

Maine and UNH wouldn't make sense anymore.

 

Is it 100% that Villanova and UMass are gone?

[danefan]

Its ridiculous that there are 7 (8 if you count UMass) teams in the "Northeast" playing Division I football without a conference to play in and yet they don't get together?

 

I put "Northeast" in quotes because Pittsburg isn't exactly the NE.

[UA'08]

As an FYI, the AGS and CS boards are not fanatics only; they are former players, coaches, etc. In fact, they are probably two of the most informative boards I have ever been on. The AGS board has nearly 7,000 members...and at one point had 2500 on line at the same time.

 

So much so, that the AGS board polls are loosely used by the selection committee...and the polls have generally been spot on with the teams that make the playoffs.

 

You would enjoy them...and you would learn alot about the landscape.

 

If the board contains former players and coaches obviously they're all going to say good things about fcs football. What I'm trying to get at is that it is going to be so hard for FCS football to become big here in the northeast. Until there is a major tv deal with espn or say fox sports net to cover fcs many people here will be uninformed. An avg sports fan is not going to an FCS forum to read about it. People want to see it on TV. Does the average sports fan know that the fcs playoffs started last week? I wouldn't count on it. Maybe if you were in the south they would.

[danefan]

As an FYI, the AGS and CS boards are not fanatics only; they are former players, coaches, etc. In fact, they are probably two of the most informative boards I have ever been on. The AGS board has nearly 7,000 members...and at one point had 2500 on line at the same time.

 

So much so, that the AGS board polls are loosely used by the selection committee...and the polls have generally been spot on with the teams that make the playoffs.

 

You would enjoy them...and you would learn alot about the landscape.

 

If the board contains former players and coaches obviously they're all going to say good things about fcs football. What I'm trying to get at is that it is going to be so hard for FCS football to become big here in the northeast. Until there is a major tv deal with espn or say fox sports net to cover fcs many people here will be uninformed. An avg sports fan is not going to an FCS forum to read about it. People want to see it on TV. Does the average sports fan know that the fcs playoffs started last week? I wouldn't count on it. Maybe if you were in the south they would.

 

Maybe I misreading this, but I don't think anyone is arguing that FCS is going to be the next big thing in the Northeast. Heck, NCAA football isn't going to be the next big thing in the Northeast.

 

The question really is whether full scholarship FCS football will even exist in the Northeast in the next 5 years. And if it doesn't, is the NEC model even worth it at all for these schools.

[uofalbany]

Again, it is clear you know little about football, Albany football and the NEC, irrespective of marketing. As much as I hate the marriage of convenience...the NEC is building a brand that much, if not all, of those in the FCS world now know about. A re-brand would have to be re-built. The only way you REBRAND is it is to appease full scholly members such as UNH and Maine. That said, if you bring those two into the fold and the league is going to full schollys...it doesnt matter WHAT THE NAME OF THE LEAGUE IS.

 

DaneFan...I am working on my e-mail now. I am too lazy to do real work until lunch. I am directing to the big man and our other contact.

 

Direct it my way as well.

[Dane96]

All due respect, I will not share my letter with you. This is more personal and needs to be kept to the parties involved already.

 

Sorry man...really am.

[uofalbany]

We'd already have a strong start to a powerful fcs football conference.

 

America East Football:

 

UAlbany

Stony Brook

Maine

UNH

 

URI - in New England (geographically perfect)

CCSU - in New England (geographically perfect)

Bryant - in New England (geographically perfect)

 

Wagner - NYC

Fordham - NYC

Holy Cross - in New England (would they be interested)

 

Monmouth - (a bit too far south - although I'd like them if location were better)

 

 

 

8, 9, or 10 team football conference?

 

 

*Western Pennsylvania institutes (Robert Morris, Duquesne, St Francis) remain in the NEC

*UMBC as a part of the America East doesn't make economic or geographical sense, NEC would be smarter.

*Bring in CCSU as an all sport member to the America East

*Binghamton switch to NEC as an sport member, as travel would be virtually the same.

*Add Bryant as an AE all sport member

 

Anybody in the New England region playing FCS football that should be included in the discussion?

 

Just some thoughts...

[UAalum72]

Monmouth too far? Orono is twice as far as NJ

 

UMBC just left the NEC, I doubt they'd go back (or if the NEC would take them)

 

Bryant, Wagner as small privates don't quite fit the profile of the rest

 

Not sure if Holy Cross would be interested, or if Bing would want the NEC

[uofalbany]

A rebranding of the NEC wouldn't be a terrible idea. What I don't understand is why the AEast and NEC don't join together and form an entirely new league with all members on equal standing (like the CAA and A10 did). Shoot even call it the America NorthEast Conference. I bet that would go a long way to getting UNH, Maine and SBU into the conference and I think Fordham would jump at that as well.

 

The idea would be based on combining the 2 conferences for football only, correct?

 

 

Monmouth too far? Orono is twice as far as NJ

UMBC just left the NEC, I doubt they'd go back (or if the NEC would take them)

Bryant, Wagner as small privates don't quite fit the profile of the rest

Not sure if Holy Cross would be interested, or if Bing would want the NEC

 

A geographical line would need to be drawn somewhere reasonable, if realignment was done to create brand new conferences for all sports.

 

Sounds like a jumbled mess if you ask me.

[danefan]

A rebranding of the NEC wouldn't be a terrible idea. What I don't understand is why the AEast and NEC don't join together and form an entirely new league with all members on equal standing (like the CAA and A10 did). Shoot even call it the America NorthEast Conference. I bet that would go a long way to getting UNH, Maine and SBU into the conference and I think Fordham would jump at that as well.

 

The idea would be based on combining the 2 conferences for football only, correct?

 

 

Yes football only.

 

All the Northern A10 teams, all the America East teams and all the NEC teams

 

New England Division

Bryant University

Central Connecticut State University

Sacred Heart University

URI

Maine

UNH

UAlbany

 

Mid-Atlantic Division

Monmouth University

Robert Morris University

Duquesne

Saint Francis

Wagner College

Stony Brook

Fordham

 

Each team plays 6 divisional games plus 2 rotating interdivision games and 3 OOC games per year.

 

The league would be immediately eligible for an AQ to the FCS playoffs based on the NEC's prior history (at least 6 teams need to have played together for 2 years).

 

Let the NEC administer it, but give every school a vote (no affiliate status). Put a scholarship max at 56.7 (counter status) and start looking for a TV deal.

[uofalbany]

A rebranding of the NEC wouldn't be a terrible idea. What I don't understand is why the AEast and NEC don't join together and form an entirely new league with all members on equal standing (like the CAA and A10 did). Shoot even call it the America NorthEast Conference. I bet that would go a long way to getting UNH, Maine and SBU into the conference and I think Fordham would jump at that as well.

 

The idea would be based on combining the 2 conferences for football only, correct?

 

 

Yes football only.

 

All the Northern A10 teams, all the America East teams and all the NEC teams

 

New England Division

Bryant University

Central Connecticut State University

Sacred Heart University

URI

Maine

UNH

UAlbany

 

Mid-Atlantic Division

Monmouth University

Robert Morris University

Duquesne

Saint Francis

Wagner College

Stony Brook

Fordham

 

Each team plays 6 divisional games plus 2 rotating interdivision games and 3 OOC games per year.

 

The league would be immediately eligible for an AQ to the FCS playoffs based on the NEC's prior history (at least 6 teams need to have played together for 2 years).

 

Let the NEC administer it, but give every school a vote (no affiliate status). Put a scholarship max at 56.7 (counter status) and start looking for a TV deal.

 

The more I'm thinking about this setup, the more I likee.

 

In your opinion, is there a downside to this setup?

It seems to me it would eliminate excessive travel and costs for the most part.

 

Therefore, a conference championship game.... ?

 

What advantage does the NEC get for managing the larger, more in depth football league?

[danefan]

A rebranding of the NEC wouldn't be a terrible idea. What I don't understand is why the AEast and NEC don't join together and form an entirely new league with all members on equal standing (like the CAA and A10 did). Shoot even call it the America NorthEast Conference. I bet that would go a long way to getting UNH, Maine and SBU into the conference and I think Fordham would jump at that as well.

 

The idea would be based on combining the 2 conferences for football only, correct?

 

 

Yes football only.

 

All the Northern A10 teams, all the America East teams and all the NEC teams

 

New England Division

Bryant University

Central Connecticut State University

Sacred Heart University

URI

Maine

UNH

UAlbany

 

Mid-Atlantic Division

Monmouth University

Robert Morris University

Duquesne

Saint Francis

Wagner College

Stony Brook

Fordham

 

Each team plays 6 divisional games plus 2 rotating interdivision games and 3 OOC games per year.

 

The league would be immediately eligible for an AQ to the FCS playoffs based on the NEC's prior history (at least 6 teams need to have played together for 2 years).

 

Let the NEC administer it, but give every school a vote (no affiliate status). Put a scholarship max at 56.7 (counter status) and start looking for a TV deal.

 

The more I'm thinking about this setup, the more I likee.

 

In your opinion, is there a downside to this setup?

It seems to me it would eliminate excessive travel and costs for the most part.

 

Therefore, a conference championship game.... ?

 

Who would manage it? And how would it be managed?

 

There is no downside in my eyes. The key sticking point is the scholarship issue though.

 

As far as managing it, I would say the NEC should manage it, but like the CAA is run, the Northeast America Conference (NEAC) should be a separate football-only conference. its not common knowledge, but the CAA Football Conference is a separate entity from the CAA which shares certain administrative functions with the CAA, including a commissioner and marketing arm.

 

No conference championship games are allowed in FCS if you want to participate in the playoffs. The conference championship and AQ would be awarded on conference record with a series of tie breakers if necessary. But in all liklihood you'd be looking at a 2 bid conference in the beginning and maybe more later on.

 

The NEC gets the advantage of exposure of a much stronger football conference with very little added administration.

[UAalum72]

One small point: the bowl-qualifying count is a two-year rolling average of 56.7, so the league limit should be 58 or 60 to allow a cushion for the occasional dropout, kickout, or found-to-be-ineligible.

[uofalbany]

If it were to happen, why not go straight to the max max, 64 schollies.

Might as well max out from the start.

 

As for the ones that complain about the schollies, I still say drop down a Division.

There's already a limit decrease from fbs to fcs... and that should be the fcs universal rule.

Fcs is in fact the 2nd college football division, and if the small timers can't deal with those requirements, then they should drop down an additional division or two.

 

Come on now, why play DI football, and knittely pick around with 25, 35, 45 schollies. Just accept the fact your not serious about DI, and move out of the way already.

 

I like it Danefan.

 

Question is, is anybody talking about this stuff out there where it matters?

[danefan]

If it were to happen, why not go straight to the max max, 64 schollies.

Might as well max out from the start.

 

As for the ones that complain about the schollies, I still say drop down a Division.

There's already a limit decrease from fbs to fcs... and that should be the fcs universal rule.

Fcs is in fact the 2nd college football division, and if the small timers can't deal with those requirements, then they should drop down an additional division or two.

 

Come on now, why play DI football, and knittely pick around with 25, 35, 45 schollies. Just accept the fact your not serious about DI, and move out of the way already.

 

I like it Danefan.

 

Question is, is anybody talking about this stuff out there where it matters?

 

The problem with the NCAA forcing teams down is that the NCAA was the one that forced these teams up. In fact, the NEC football conference wouldn't even exist without the Dayton Rule which says if you want to play DI Basketball you have to play DI in all sports (including football).

 

So essentially, these small private schools with huge tuition figures are only playing in the PFL and NEC and Patriot League to some extent, because they want football and they want to play DI bball. I'm not a fan of forcing a minimum on anyone. I am a fan of not putting a cap on teams though, but I do understand the perspective of Wagner, St. Francis, Sacred Heart, etc...

 

The problem really is that those teams are full-NEC members. If not they'd be perfect fits with Marist in the PFL and quite frankly they'd probably be better off.

 

In all honesty my ideal situation is a full scholarship America East football with the NEC members that want to play full scholarship football. Let the other NEC members join the PFL East with Marist, Dayton, etc....

 

AEast would likely be:

 

Bryant University

Central Connecticut

URI

Maine

UNH

Albany

Monmouth University

Robert Morris University

Duquesne

Stony Brook

Fordham

 

I think Bryant would come on board if push came to shove just to keep the rivalry with URI.

 

And to respond to your question about whether anyone is talking to seriously about this - I have no clue, but based on recent history of movement of our football program (e.g. not going with SBU, taking forever to get a stadium, etc..) I highly doubt our Admins are on the forefront. Hopefully I'm wrong.