OT: Delaware to Conference USA

[DanesRGood]

Why would non-football schools in the AE not want football in the conference? Wouldn't it lift the conference overall profile? Or does it worry them to take focus off the other sports and put it on football? Is it a money thing?  

[GreatDanes06]

Wasn't the battle between football and basketball schools what killed the original Big East? St John's, Georgetown etc...got out and wanted focus of conference basketball. Syracuse, UConn and others saw money in football.

I think the moment is right for the AE. You can have 4 current AE schools. You can maybe welcome back a former members (Stony Brook) for football and maybe all sports (if the CAA isn't as attractive for them). You can get a really good academic big city school that already plays the 4 AE schools in football (Villanova) and you can maybe bring in 2-3 schools that the conference has looked at for years to join in (Monmouth, Central Connecticut State), maybe in all sports. The AE has the ability to start a football conference not with new to FCS schools, but very well established ones. Again, you can also get LIU involved as you then get the conference into NYC.

Frankly the AE would be stupid to pass this up. To me, it honestly doesn't even hurt basketball or other sports, but improves them.

But again, this is just a thought.

[Dane96]

4 hours ago, B9j2j6s said:

The basketball focused schools might impead the AE from becoming aggressive and expanding.  Delaware leaving could lead to a break in the AE with UMaine, Albany and UNH leaving to become all sports members of the CAA.

This is not happening. Full stop. though it would make sense. 

[B9j2j6s]

Haha 😄 I doubt Maine would, 50/50 UNH, UA most likely of the three.

[mainejeff]

4 minutes ago, B9j2j6s said:

Haha 😄 I doubt Maine would, 50/50 UNH, UA most likely of the three.

Why wouldn't Maine join if afforded the opportunity?  They aren't investing $110 million in athletic facilities including football to not ensure the best possible landing spot for them.

[B9j2j6s]

MJ just my guess based on geography, I don't know anything about UMO ambitions.  I am glad the Alfond family has been so generous to UMaine and the whole state for that matter.  Should be fun to see who ends up coming or going.

[cwdickens]

I would expect the AE Commissioner at Wednesday's night game.

[ctdanes]

Early reports of Elon and William&Mary looking to join/rejoin the SoCon

[Dane96]

2 minutes ago, ctdanes said:

Early reports of Elon and William&Mary looking to join/rejoin the SoCon

Untrue.  That is a Sam Herder tweet...that's about all. 

[ctdanes]

Yes I forgot to link the tweet sorry

[Dane96]

Here is what I know from those I have spoken with:

1- Hampton and A&T could very well be moving back to MEAC if certain folks at each school have their way

2- Drexel and NU would want the PL if offered

3- This nonsense about the Horizon is just that...there isn't a school in the CAA that fits the profile.

4- The AE hasn't reached out to a single school.  This disturbs me greatly.

5- The CAA is likely to expand and officially go to divisions. 

6- The consensus is that 2 schools are wanted by the North...while the Southern schools want 1 and 1.  This presumes Charleston leaving.

7- Albany is considered as a "shoo in" by some for the 1 northern spot, fairfield and quin for the other.

Ultimately, however, here is what I think WILL happen...and it will happen fast if it does:

1- NC A&T and Hampton to MEAC

2- The schools of the CAA can't agree on the "high point" land mine (the southern schools want high point). 

3- Wimington (massive proponent of High Point) takes a Southern bid.  This leads to Campbell also jumping ship.  Elon and W&M look around and begrudgingly go to the Southern AS A VERY LAST RESORT (Elon due to recruiting territory for the general student pop (north) and W&M for academic reasons.

4- The AE and CAA leftovers merge.  The 9 AE schools join with Monmouth, Hofstra, Northeastern, Drexel, Towson, and SBU.   That is 15.  They go after either Fairfield or Quinnipiac for the CT presence, it's pretty much a toss up between those two.  That gets you to 16.

5- The CAA Football flag stays as a separate business entity, the members holding the only votes to the league.  The league would be: Maine, UNH, URI, Bryant, Albany, Stony Brook, Monmouth, Towson, and Villanova.  Richmond will go to the Southern.  The CAA football members make a big push to bring on Fordham to get to 10.  The CAA football league gets 9 conference games.  They play their one G5 level payday game (150k) and then they play 1 OOC against the NEC, PL, IVY, OVC, Southland, MVFC, or Southern each year.  The only real wrinkle is if Nova decides to downgrade expenses and takes on the AI, and they go to the PL who desperately needs another team.  

6- The MAAC plucks LeMoyne or Wagner...though I think the latter may go D3.

That's what I see happening in the next two years.  If it occurs, the AE/CAA is a really good league. 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Dane96

[UA1882]

Excellent write up.  Extremely informative.  

My take is this.  If the AE does nothing we need to look elsewhere just to keep options open.  

If they look to expand then we should stay and be a part of that.  

Just my opinion.  

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

https://richmond.com/sports/college/schools/university-richmond/its-not-business-as-usual-with-richmond-and-caa-football/article_228bffe2-905d-11ee-8486-a758f41a7c94.html

[dslyank]

I was NEVER for UA joining the CAA and especially vehement against joining for ALL SPORTS. I am NOT trying to re-start an old argument/discussion; and I respect that most on this board have been strong CAA proponents. 

Just wanted to point out adding teams [up to 16 now for football, almost half are football only.] has NOT increased opportunity or number of ncaa CAA participants. And for all other CAA sports which are predominantly and usually just 1 BID entries, the chances of participating in ncaa tournaments become MORE difficult with the number of teams that participate in the conference. 

Its just math;  in basketball in the AmEast UA has a 1 in 9 chance (of course quality and a lot of other factors enter in.)  In lacrosse UA has a 1-8 or 1-7 (2025 Merrimack out) and even higher as AmEast has been a 2 bid conference multiple times over the years. Not sure what CAA's all sports participant totals are but betting 1 in X  NOT good unless they could figure out a way to get multiple bids, which IMHO ain't happening. 

[mainejeff]

It's important for Albany to ask itself a number of questions.  You have to start with....what advantages does the CAA give Albany athletically and academically compared to AE.  I'm not sure what the answers to that question are....maybe some of you can provide those.

Secondly, does the CAA provide Albany with the opportunity to grow the athletic program as a whole?

Third.....does the CAA open up new recruiting grounds for students and student-athletes.  I would think that for student-athletes....the answer is yes.  Not sure that average student is going to apply to Albany because they see them playing the Elon baseball team though.

Fourth.....does this make economic sense?  This is probably an important one for Albany administrators.  

Fifth.....would joining the CAA lead to increased attendance, giving and general excitement among the Albany fan and donor base?

Sixth....does joining the CAA add prestige with measurable results (more donations, better quality student applications, better recruits, more revenue).....not just the feel good "we're rubbing shoulders with William & Mary at a cocktail party" type of stuff.....I see a lot of that Ivy-lite attitude as it relates to the CAA and recent additions.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by mainejeff