JMU will announce it's FBS move this summer to the CUSA, reason for wait MBB, WBB and other spring sports would not be able to win conf

(04-02-2014 10:03 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  JMU will announce it's FBS move this summer to the CUSA, reason for wait MBB, WBB and other spring sports would not be able to win conf

So I bet MAC knew this was coming and that is why they finally went all in with UMASS to see where we go from here.

That guy thinks he knows what he's talking about but he really doesn't. In other tweets he says that JMU will announce AFTER June 1st and the reason is because they wanted all teams to be eligible for championships this year. When someone pointed out that all teams would be ineligible next year if we announce in June he said that that is true but they didn't want sports ineligible this year and next year. That actually wouldn't be the case. CAA rules say that departing schools are only ineligible to compete for conference championships the year before they leave. If he can't understand basic conference rules, I highly doubt he has some kind of inside source.

I cannot think of a good reason that CUSA would go to 16 teams. I imagine there is some regret that they didn't stop at 12.

That tweet only makes sense if CUSA knows someone is leaving after 6/1.

In other words, it's BS.

(04-02-2014 10:57 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  That tweet only makes sense if CUSA knows someone is leaving after 6/1.

In other words, it's BS.

gotchya, someone put a follow question and asked how sure are you this is happening and he responded 99% so i thought something must be going down.

(04-02-2014 10:05 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:03 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  JMU will announce it's FBS move this summer to the CUSA, reason for wait MBB, WBB and other spring sports would not be able to win conf

So I bet MAC knew this was coming and that is why they finally went all in with UMASS to see where we go from here.

I don't believe so. From what I've read, UMASS and the MAC made the initial agreement to allow UMASS to enter FBS. That agreement contained a clause which would force UMASS to join the MAC in all sports after year 4, or break off from the MAC. That decision had to be made after year two of UMASS being in FBS because of schedule planning.

I like this. If the MAC is going to be an affiliate conference for teams making the move to FBS, it should be a short term deal that benefits us. The MAC got plenty out of UMASS, although a buyout fee like Temple had would have been nice. They don't want to join full time, no problem, have a nice day.

Note regarding the original tweet that if all 99% sure tweets come to pass, UVA would be on its way to the Big Ten, courtesy of several WV bloggers who liked spreading rumors of the ACC breaking up.

The question is, JMU and who else would make a pair that would justify CUSA going to 16? If real, we'll likely learn within another month and a half, because JMU would have good reason to want to announce before their May 15 FB season ticket sales deadline.

(04-02-2014 11:24 AM)EA3 Wrote:  I don't believe so. From what I've read, UMASS and the MAC made the initial agreement to allow UMASS to enter FBS. That agreement contained a clause which would force UMASS to join the MAC in all sports after year 4, or break off from the MAC. That decision had to be made after year two of UMASS being in FBS because of schedule planning.

As I had understood it, the clause was about what happened in the event that one of the pair of Temple/UMass left ... there was an exit fee on the one that left ($2.5m with two year's notice, which was bumped up to $6.5m for Temple to be able to leave without the advance notice), and for the other one, two years later the MAC had the right to terminate the FB-only deal two further years in the future.

Then the school losing its FB-only affiliation could either exercise an option to join the MAC all-sports, leave immediately with $500,000 exit fee, leave after one year with a $250,000 exit fee, or leave when the FB-affiliation expired with no exit fee.

Because Temple left the same season that UMass joined, the timing after Temple leaving and the timing after UMass joining turned out to be identical.

(04-02-2014 10:05 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:03 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  JMU will announce it's FBS move this summer to the CUSA, reason for wait MBB, WBB and other spring sports would not be able to win conf

So I bet MAC knew this was coming and that is why they finally went all in with UMASS to see where we go from here.

you say that as if the MAC didn't have the leverage and had to react. From what I gather the MAC is JMU's first choice, their decision to go to CUSA would be because the MAC rejected them, not vice versa.

(04-02-2014 05:21 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  you say that as if the MAC didn't have the leverage and had to react. From what I gather the MAC is JMU's first choice, their decision to go to CUSA would be because the MAC rejected them, not vice versa.

The reporting has been CUSA as their first choice and CUSA saying publicly they're happy with their current alignment, as conferences so often do.

The rumors have been a preference to the MAC over the Sunbelt, but if CUSA is indeed willing to expand, say with JMU all-sports , UMass FB-only, then JMU might get their first choice.

Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

I agree. Im not seeing the CUSA upside.

(04-02-2014 10:52 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

I agree. Im not seeing the CUSA upside.

Yes, hence the large dose of "If CUSA has decided ..." ...

... lots of things can happen, but I don't see anything that makes this snap into focus. Maybe there's a #15 that's so compelling that JMU as the best available #16 makes sense.

If CUSA expands ... well, long term, given that the MAC has even less "need" to expand than it did when it was 13/12, if CUSA wants to expand to the size that has previously led to an FBS non-power conference melting down completely, maybe it'll lead to a compelling pair of schools being available for the MAC sometime in the later part of this decade.

(04-02-2014 10:52 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

I agree. Im not seeing the CUSA upside.

The possible "upside" for CUSA would be the potential to organize two FB divisions (an East vs. West) that would make geographic sense and limit travel time and costs. Another upside might be the savings in travel costs for the minor sports (as well as out of class time for the student athletes)...savings that might more than offset in real $$ the reduction of shared NCAA money.

Another advantage that JMU fills is an Eastern FB division where geographic rivals are promoted (ODU/Marshall/Charlotte).

With Tulsa, Tulane and ECU leaving for the AAC, and the possible loss of UTEP to the WAC, the addition of JMU would form a two division FB conference looking something like this:

East
MTSU
FIU
FAtl
MU
ODU
NCC
JMU

West
Rice
NT
UTSA
LATech
WKU
SoMiss
UAB

And if CUSA (which IMO is far shakier in composition than many people realize) loses another FB playing member, especially in the West (most likely Rice to the WAC) then UMass comes on board in the East (maybe at the same time JMU joins after completing it's transition year) and CUSA switches MTSU to the West.

Honestly, I think JMU's admin prefers the stability and academic profile of the MAC, but if there is anything to this latest rumor, the allure of renewing rivalries with ODU and the proximity of Marshall and Charlotte would be the allure.

(04-03-2014 07:18 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:52 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

I agree. Im not seeing the CUSA upside.

The possible "upside" for CUSA would be the potential to organize two FB divisions (an East vs. West) that would make geographic sense and limit travel time and costs. Another upside might be the savings in travel costs for the minor sports (as well as out of class time for the student athletes)...savings that might more than offset in real $$ the reduction of shared NCAA money.

Another advantage that JMU fills is an Eastern FB division where geographic rivals are promoted (ODU/Marshall/Charlotte).

With Tulsa, Tulane and ECU leaving for the AAC, and the possible loss of UTEP to the WAC, the addition of JMU would form a two division FB conference looking something like this:

East
MTSU
FIU
FAtl
MU
ODU
NCC
JMU

West
Rice
NT
UTSA
LATech
WKU
SoMiss
UAB

And if CUSA (which IMO is far shakier in composition than many people realize) loses another FB playing member, especially in the West (most likely Rice to the WAC) then UMass comes on board in the East (maybe at the same time JMU joins after completing it's transition year) and CUSA switches MTSU to the West.

Honestly, I think JMU's admin prefers the stability and academic profile of the MAC, but if there is anything to this latest rumor, the allure of renewing rivalries with ODU and the proximity of Marshall and Charlotte would be the allure.

UTEP to MWC you mean right? WAC doesn't currently have football.

This guy is full of it and there's nothing to see here. He's the same one who photoshopped the MAC logo onto JMU's field with "big announcement" a month ago.

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

You mean like the MAC that has 6 schools from the State of Ohio and 3 from Michigan??????? Not to mention the 4 other FBS schools from those 2 states, and the 5 non football playing Division I schools located there......

(04-03-2014 10:33 AM)Terry Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

You mean like the MAC that has 6 schools from the State of Ohio and 3 from Michigan??????? Not to mention the 4 other FBS schools from those 2 states, and the 5 non football playing Division I schools located there......

That was set up in a different era, before the media/television market grabs of recent years that have driven the realignment landscape and thrown geographic proximity to the wind.

(04-03-2014 09:25 AM)jmusuperfan Wrote:  

(04-03-2014 07:18 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:52 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-02-2014 10:08 PM)harley93davidson Wrote:  Why double up a market to dilute cfp money? Seems illogical

I agree. Im not seeing the CUSA upside.

The possible "upside" for CUSA would be the potential to organize two FB divisions (an East vs. West) that would make geographic sense and limit travel time and costs. Another upside might be the savings in travel costs for the minor sports (as well as out of class time for the student athletes)...savings that might more than offset in real $$ the reduction of shared NCAA money.

Another advantage that JMU fills is an Eastern FB division where geographic rivals are promoted (ODU/Marshall/Charlotte).

With Tulsa, Tulane and ECU leaving for the AAC, and the possible loss of UTEP to the WAC, the addition of JMU would form a two division FB conference looking something like this:

East
MTSU
FIU
FAtl
MU
ODU
NCC
JMU

West
Rice
NT
UTSA
LATech
WKU
SoMiss
UAB

And if CUSA (which IMO is far shakier in composition than many people realize) loses another FB playing member, especially in the West (most likely Rice to the WAC) then UMass comes on board in the East (maybe at the same time JMU joins after completing it's transition year) and CUSA switches MTSU to the West.

Honestly, I think JMU's admin prefers the stability and academic profile of the MAC, but if there is anything to this latest rumor, the allure of renewing rivalries with ODU and the proximity of Marshall and Charlotte would be the allure.

UTEP to MWC you mean right? WAC doesn't currently have football.

Yes, posting in the morning before my coffee has kicked in.

(04-03-2014 07:18 AM)Longhorn Wrote:  With Tulsa, Tulane and ECU leaving for the AAC, and the possible loss of UTEP to the [MWC], ...

But then why would the MWC be expanding? Unless that rests on an even less likely raid from someone further up the ladder.

If its "what could conceivably be in it for CUSA", we can draw up a hundred highly unlikely scenarios where there would be something in it for CUSA.

The more relevant question is what is there plausibly in it for CUSA, and "the CUSA is reacting to a pending loss of UTEP" doesn't seem like its a candidate for a plausible explanation. Sure, anything could, but if what is happening is out in high unlikely territory, there are just too many different possible but highly unlikely scenarios to ever sort them all out.