Conference Talk

[UA'08]

I'm all for the move if the university is committed. I do not want to see us be like a northeastern or Hofstra

[Michigan_Dane]

Agreed. I'm all for moving up as long as we can afford it.

 

Strike while the iron is hot. We've accomplished all we can in the AE.

 

Is the CAA our only option? I'd really prefer the MAC for obvious later football possibilities. The MAC took Buffalo. Why not Albany (and Stony Brook)? We've had more success than any SUNY Center.

 

MBB NCAAs

Albany 4

Binghamton 1

Buffalo 0

Stony Brook 0

 

WBB NCAAs

Albany 3

The rest....

 

LAX same story. Albany success

 

Only Stony Brook's baseball run a few years back is equally successful.

 

For me yes to the CAA if we can afford it any only if the MAC is off the table.

[danefan]

The MAC is not an option IMO. We don't have the money for that. Buffalo spends $10m a year than we do.

[Michigan_Dane]

I thought that myself but was holding out hope. Yes, football is a few years away but the rest is on par or better. FBS is my goal and I don't see any roads that don't run through the MAC.

 

Albany has had far more success than any SUNY Center. We've done all we can do in the AE.

 

If we can afford the CAA I would accept it but I have concerns.

 

1) Would we have a prohibitive exit fee ($1M) that would stop us from further elevating later?

 

2) Is the CAA a one bid league. If so are we trading a one bid conference that's winnable for a one bud conference that's less winnable?

 

3) would travel costs make us 'house poor'? We need to invest in facilities more than travel costs.

Edited March 23, 2014 by SoCal_Dane

[Michigan_Dane]

I don't think staying in the AE is an option if there are alternatives. 15 years in the AE is sufficient. There is nothing more to be achieved in the 27th of 31st basketball conference.

[mainejeff]

The sooner that Albany leaves......the better for everyone involved. Please take Stony Brook with you.

[Eli]

The sooner that Albany leaves......the better for everyone involved. Please take Stony Brook with you.

 

[UA'08]

The sooner that Albany leaves......the better for everyone involved. Please take Stony Brook with you.

We'll keep taking as many america east basketaball crowns until we're ready to leave

[uofalbany]

The sooner that Albany leaves......the better for everyone involved. Please take Stony Brook with you.

 

Tired of getting the ass whoopings, don't blame ya

[Clickclack]

The sooner that Albany leaves......the better for everyone involved. Please take Stony Brook with you.

 

jeff will be jeff...

[DanesRGood]

jeff will be jeff...

 

This.

[Michigan_Dane]

UMass football is leaving the MAC after 2015. That means an opening.

 

Let UA and SBU in there. Our facilities and budgets can't be worse than where UB was back when they transitioned in. UB took a decade build up but they are full members now.

 

Heck we're not far behind Eastern Michigan now. That's before the full impact of the stadium.

 

http://bostonherald.com/sports/college/on_campus/2014/03/umass_football_to_leave_mac_after_2015_season

Edited March 26, 2014 by SoCal_Dane

[Clickclack]

From the ESPN story...

 

"In 2016, the MAC will be a 12-team conference consisting of Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami (Ohio) and Ohio in the East; and Ball State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo and Western Michigan in the West. Sources told ESPN it is unlikely the MAC would seek additional members."

 

12 is a great size for a conference...they really don't need anyone else. UMass way to the east never really made sense to me just as I don't think SBU and UA make sense. Our future as I see it is wait for the complete and definitive shakeout of the BCS conferences and then the inevitable restructuring of the top FCS and low-level FBS conferences. In the meantime, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. We need help in facilities further, SEFCU needs to be renovated, additional Phase II of the stadium etc. The money that is available could be better spent there. I understand that the same argument could be applied to the CAA discussion but at least there are some relatively close schools on LI, Boston etc. In the MAC we'd be way outside the conference footprint.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Clickclack

[Michigan_Dane]

How is it that New Yorkers and New Englanders have such a small view geography to think Albany New York is too far away from Buffalo New York or neighboring state Ohio?

 

How far do western teams like San Diego State have to travel? How about the SEC or Hawaii? The northeast conferences expectations are out of whack .

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

I'm going to guess that those teams have a far greater budget than UA does when it comes to sports. My biggest concern is if we jump to a bigger conference (i'm talking MAC, not CAA) , the travel costs will kill more sports.