(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

(02-12-2014 09:37 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  VA schools track budgets differently than most schools. Budgets are a crap shoot as there are no standards for reporting.

(02-12-2014 09:38 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Never pay attention to budget numbers if you don't know the accounting methods used. Virginia rules require anything somewhat related to athletics be tagged to the athletic budget and they are over-stated in comparison to other states.

As for the president's comments. Most likely wants a nice start-up donation to give cover with the faculty and politicians.

(02-13-2014 07:49 AM)Wild Bill Kelso Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 07:48 PM)Wild Bill Kelso Wrote:  A good friend who is very involved with JMU attended a luncheon with JMU President Jonathan Alger. Dr Alger told the group point blank they do not have a FBS invite. He went on to say even if they did have the opportunity to join a FBS conference they do not have the money to do so. He put the ball squarely in the hands of the supporters saying the school was ready to seek out FBS affiliation, but to do so the supporters needed to raise the $'s as a group or find a 7 figure donor. My friend was extremely disappointed afterwards. Like many JMU fans he had been hearing rumors of CUSA and MAC invites for some time. It doesn't appear the Dukes are going anywhere anytime soon.

They are looking for donations. Alger said that the school is ready to seek out FBS affiliation. He is asking for money and it makes sense. They want to be competitive right away and make the transition to FBS smooth.

JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

The SBC is expanding and Benson has been clear regarding the Sun Belt's interest in James Madison. If JMU is joining the FBS it will be in the Sun Belt Conference.

I do not read the JMU board and neither does this person. He doesn't need to. I'm sure the SB's interest in JMU is genuine, but the interest is not mutual. Their administration believes the travel costs are far too great and perhaps more importantly they have little in common with a majority of the schools. Benson will not issue an invite to any school until he knows they are ready to accept it.

Which is what some have been saying for 2 years. VA is not that close and JMU does not NEED to move up. They can wait this out.

(02-12-2014 09:13 PM)panama Wrote:  Their 2012-13 budget was $36M. That is good enough for the AAC. Nice ploy though...

Doesn't this include the band and pep band?

bottom line is JMU is on the clock and running out of time, No doubt the SBC would love to make JMU the final piece of the puzzle, but Benson isn't going to wait forever. JMU would love to join the MAC, but that isn't going to happen, atleast anytime soon, the MAC is a conference that moves very slowly when to comes to adding new members and they seem to be content with the current lineup. USA looks like they are done adding members for a long time, so that's probably not an option. I would think that Benson is atleast in talks with other schools, if JMU doesn't make the move soon, we might be having this same discussion 5 years from now.

(02-13-2014 05:57 AM)Duke Dawg Wrote:  

(02-12-2014 09:03 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  I have no doubt the story is accurate, but I agree it is a ploy to get people to pony up.

What does JMU raise via donations each year?

funny how all the many people on our message board who are "well connected" were not at nor have any knowledge of this "luncheon".

my sources told me the easter bunny was there. I'm trying to contact him to see if he can give some more intel.

PS - I have no doubt the story is made up.

Yes because every donor is invited to every lunch...

Someone has a complex.

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

I'll take that bet.

Not because I have any insider knowledge or anything like that, I just have a gambling problem.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be money, it can be an avatar bet if you'd like (I say this because I know teachers get hosed in the money situation, not as an insult).

(02-13-2014 09:26 AM)TheRevSWT Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

I'll take that bet.

Not because I have any insider knowledge or anything like that, I just have a gambling problem.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be money, it can be an avatar bet if you'd like (I say this because I know teachers get hosed in the money situation, not as an insult).

Reply of the season
your logic is better than most posts so far
specially the "gambling problem" joke

Good Luck JMU...cause I could care less where the Purple people end up but do enjoy the torchure their admin is putting on the football supporters......this is academia revenge or revenge of the Nerds...lol

(02-13-2014 09:38 AM)PhillyApp1 Wrote:  Reply of the season
your logic is better than most posts so far
specially the "gambling problem" joke

Good Luck JMU...cause I could care less where the Purple people end up but do enjoy the torchure their admin is putting on the football supporters......this is academia revenge or revenge of the Nerds...lol

On our home message board, I run a weekly gamble for gameday. Usually some proposition bet, or a price is right style game on points, rushing yards, attendance, etc.

Why? Because it's harmless fun. That's kinda how I view gambling.

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

First, CUSA has said that they are not expanding. Under the new College Football Playoff System, the group of 5 conferences will get no more than $12 million for 12 schools. If you have 14 schools, you get $12 million. If you have 16 schools you get $12 million. There is no additional money in expansion. The TV contract for CUSA is not getting better. Since they have lost UCF, Houston, SMU and Memphis basketball, the quality is not the same.

The MAC is the same. They will get $12 million for 13 schools. They have not indicated that they are expanding. There is no additional money in adding JMU. Do you think the TV networks are going to be throwing millions at the MAC with the addition of JMU?

I don't need to bet you to prove this. Would JMU prefer the AAC,CUSA or MAC over the SBC? I am sure they would. But there is only one known opening at the FBS level and that is in the SBC. I will keep saying that if JMU wants to go FBS right now, they will join the SBC. There may not be any FBS expansion for a long while after this slot in the SBC is filled.

And they are saying they dont need to be FBS right now

Case Closed

(02-13-2014 10:34 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

First, CUSA has said that they are not expanding. Under the new College Football Playoff System, the group of 5 conferences will get no more than $12 million for 12 schools. If you have 14 schools, you get $12 million. If you have 16 schools you get $12 million. There is no additional money in expansion. The TV contract for CUSA is not getting better. Since they have lost UCF, Houston, SMU and Memphis basketball, the quality is not the same.

The MAC is the same. They will get $12 million for 13 schools. They have not indicated that they are expanding. There is no additional money in adding JMU. Do you think the TV networks are going to be throwing millions at the MAC with the addition of JMU?

I don't need to bet you to prove this. Would JMU prefer the AAC,CUSA or MAC over the SBC? I am sure they would. But there is only one known opening at the FBS level and that is in the SBC. I will keep saying that if JMU wants to go FBS right now, they will join the SBC. There may not be any FBS expansion for a long while after this slot in the SBC is filled.

You sound certain, so why are you scared to take his bet?

Guys, don't fall into the budget game. Those are quite unreliable with no standards to use for comparison. Some schools try to get everythong out of the athletic budget and others try to put everything in it. Facilities, salaries, recruiting budgets... that is how you measure a program's true level of support.

(02-13-2014 10:34 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

First, CUSA has said that they are not expanding. Under the new College Football Playoff System, the group of 5 conferences will get no more than $12 million for 12 schools. If you have 14 schools, you get $12 million. If you have 16 schools you get $12 million. There is no additional money in expansion. The TV contract for CUSA is not getting better. Since they have lost UCF, Houston, SMU and Memphis basketball, the quality is not the same.

The MAC is the same. They will get $12 million for 13 schools. They have not indicated that they are expanding. There is no additional money in adding JMU. Do you think the TV networks are going to be throwing millions at the MAC with the addition of JMU?

I don't need to bet you to prove this. Would JMU prefer the AAC,CUSA or MAC over the SBC? I am sure they would. But there is only one known opening at the FBS level and that is in the SBC. I will keep saying that if JMU wants to go FBS right now, they will join the SBC. There may not be any FBS expansion for a long while after this slot in the SBC is filled.

Not fully true. If you can add someone who bumps you up in the conference ratings, that money will be about $1.8 million.

If you have 12 and finish last you make $14k per team more than the league rated next last with 14 teams. If the league finishing third has 16 members they make $25k per team less than the last place league with 12 members.

But if you go to 16 and solidify yourself at #3 and you've not done something weird in expansion your travel savings likely far exceed $25k per team. If you are ODU and you travel to El Paso or San Antonio one less time a year in baseball or men's basketball you've saved $25k.

If you have 14 teams and go to 16 teams and that move pushes you up one notch in the per team payout you come out $5k ahead AND have likely reduced your travel.

If you go from 14 to 16 and go from not making the access bowl to making it once every three years, you again come out ahead financially even if you don't improve your conference ranking.

One other factor to consider. The amount distributed to the G5 is set in the agreement. The G5 came up with the 12 team cap so there would be more money to distribute for the "buster" and the conference ranking. If the others put a G5 league out of business there would be about $3 million available to distribute to each of the remaining four G5 leagues plus the number of shares for performance would go from 15 to 10 increasing the value of the performance bonus.

(02-13-2014 11:54 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  One other factor to consider. The amount distributed to the G5 is set in the agreement. The G5 came up with the 12 team cap so there would be more money to distribute for the "buster" and the conference ranking. If the others put a G5 league out of business there would be about $3 million available to distribute to each of the remaining four G5 leagues plus the number of shares for performance would go from 15 to 10 increasing the value of the performance bonus.

Not that youre advocating that...

(02-13-2014 01:07 PM)panama Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 11:54 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  One other factor to consider. The amount distributed to the G5 is set in the agreement. The G5 came up with the 12 team cap so there would be more money to distribute for the "buster" and the conference ranking. If the others put a G5 league out of business there would be about $3 million available to distribute to each of the remaining four G5 leagues plus the number of shares for performance would go from 15 to 10 increasing the value of the performance bonus.

Not that youre advocating that...

If you don't look at all the angles, you get blindsided.

I've got no reason to doubt the OP's story, but it is directly contrary to an FAQ our athletic department previously put out on conference realignment. In short, the amount of money we need is dependent on the conference and we know that staying where we are will cost us money.

http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=209320678

Quote:How much money would be needed if such a move were to be made?

Until the university has an offer, any specifics on costs beyond the points outlined in the CarrSports study are premature. If and when an offer is made, due diligence will be conducted to determine whether the offer makes sense financially for the long term.

If the university were to move to an FBS conference, in the short term there would be some transitional, incremental costs related to that move (which would be dependent on a number of factors, including the particular conference affiliation and related negotiations, proposed timetable for transition, etc.). The university would make it a high priority to minimize any impact on student fees. The ultimate goal, however, is to decrease Intercollegiate Athletics’ reliance on student fees by increasing athletics revenue from other sources. Indeed, in recent years the university has worked hard to keep student fee increases to a minimum even while continuously improving the benefits and services available to students.

One thing is certain now regarding funding sources: because of the public discussion initiated by the university, supporters of JMU Athletics are responding in large numbers that they will increase their support if the university were to make the move to an FBS conference. The feedback from many of these same supporters also has indicated that the university cannot assume continuing significant increases in donations if the current affiliation is maintained in light of all of the recent changes both in the CAA and nationally with regard to conference affiliations. In fact, the Carr report’s projection that private giving in support of athletics would grow at a slower rate if JMU were to remain in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) is substantiated by input we received during the Madison Future Commission community feedback gathering process and in direct conversations with supporters

(02-13-2014 11:54 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  One other factor to consider. The amount distributed to the G5 is set in the agreement. The G5 came up with the 12 team cap so there would be more money to distribute for the "buster" and the conference ranking. If the others put a G5 league out of business there would be about $3 million available to distribute to each of the remaining four G5 leagues plus the number of shares for performance would go from 15 to 10 increasing the value of the performance bonus.

What do you have to do to make the Sun Belt die? You can invite Jax, Liberty, Lamar, EKU if you have to. How many current schools would have to be pulled out before the Sun Belt was unable to be an FBS conference according to the rules?

[quote='JMUDukeDawg' pid='10424350' dateline='1392315740']
I've got no reason to doubt the OP's story, but it is directly contrary to an FAQ our athletic department previously put out on conference realignment. In short, the amount of money we need is dependent on the conference and we know that staying where we are will cost us money.

http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=209320678

The report you cite was released at the end of November 2013. At that time JMU was "in the midst of a major strategic planning process."

At that time "no final decisions have been made, and the university continues to gather information and to analyze all possible scenarios."

The university was still "gathering information from donors about the potential impact of a change in conference affiliation on fundraising."

"Any move would have to make sense financially. This directly reinforces what my friend said.

As far as a conference invitation goes... "Finally, as has been stated repeatedly, an essential prerequisite for any potential move is an invitation from an athletic conference—which the university does not have at the present time. To believe or insist that the move to another division is somehow a “done deal” is to ignore this fundamental reality. Contrary to some rumors that apparently have been circulated, no plan exists for a decision to be made at the January 2014 Board of Visitors meeting."

Clearly these statements support, not contradict what my friend had to say.

(02-13-2014 10:34 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 07:54 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(02-13-2014 12:53 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  JMU is not going to get an invite from CUSA or the MAC because they are not expanding. This is a JMU board rumor based on a JMU board desire. There is nothing to this rumor.

Interested in a bet? Loser donates $250 (I'm a teacher, calm down) to the other's athletic program under the winner's name.

You seem very certain & über-confident. Should be a no-brainer for you.

First, CUSA has said that they are not expanding. Under the new College Football Playoff System, the group of 5 conferences will get no more than $12 million for 12 schools. If you have 14 schools, you get $12 million. If you have 16 schools you get $12 million. There is no additional money in expansion. The TV contract for CUSA is not getting better. Since they have lost UCF, Houston, SMU and Memphis basketball, the quality is not the same.

The MAC is the same. They will get $12 million for 13 schools. They have not indicated that they are expanding. There is no additional money in adding JMU. Do you think the TV networks are going to be throwing millions at the MAC with the addition of JMU?

I don't need to bet you to prove this. Would JMU prefer the AAC,CUSA or MAC over the SBC? I am sure they would. But there is only one known opening at the FBS level and that is in the SBC. I will keep saying that if JMU wants to go FBS right now, they will join the SBC. There may not be any FBS expansion for a long while after this slot in the SBC is filled.

I've heard these reasons before. If you were actually confident, you'd take the bet in a heartbeat. I don't need your education. Why won't you take my money since you're so sure it can't be MAC or CUSA?