I know it's been hashed and dashed here before, but couple of interesting (?) posts last page of "Conference USA expansion" thread on GoHens.
And yes I know - MaineJeff kicked it off.
Hey, it's offseason...what do you expect?

I know they're just rumors but I hope there's no credence to them. I think the PL would be a major step back.

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IMO, Patriot League would only be a consideration if the CAA completely crumbled apart. Even if the CAA lost a couple of schools, it is still a strong all around conference.

The CAA is one of, if not the top conferences of FCS football. If JMU, Delaware, or whoever moves up to 1A, we then go pick who we want from Socon, Big South, NEC, and some of the PL schools that are interested in full scholly football. The CAA in 20 years may have a PL look in terms of members, but the conference isn't going anywhere.

Charleston Southern/Gardner-Webb/Chattanooga/Lehigh etc for all sports Fordham for football will happen long before we go to the PL. It makes zero sense for us to all but dissolve what we've spent a hundred years creating.

The fanatics on the JMU and UD boards spend a lot of time denigrating the CAA because they simply hate the fact that VCU, GMU, and ODU moved to a bigger house.

UNCW may bolt for the A10 some day, who knows? These schools will do what's best for them so good on 'em and what is crystal clear is that their adminstrations aren't swayed by a hundred fans who take to the Internet.

I think that I read recently that the current members of the Big 12 each get about 30 million a year in television revenues. even though I might be off a few million. Conference USA members got about 1 million in television revenues last year and their new contract will pay each member about $250,000 annually. THIS is the conference that ODU moved to!! And THIS is the conference that JMU and Delaware aspire to?

I will dream of the day when we go to the Big Dance for the first time. Then I will dream of the time when we are great at basketball every year and the Atlantic 10 wants us. Until then, I will be totally comfortable with where we are. JMU? Well they just desperately want to be relevant in something? Or maybe it's just that they are tired of us beating them like a drum in most sports and want a fresh start.

The Tribe is facing a choice.

In the future, does the Tribe still want to play ACC schools in football and all sports?

If yes, this may require a move by the Tribe, or the CAA as a whole...W&M will have to be proactive.

If no, then it really doesn't matter how all of this plays out...W&M can be reactive.

:sigh:

(07-27-2016 07:49 PM)wml33t Wrote:  :sigh:

I know.

(07-27-2016 07:49 PM)wml33t Wrote:  :sigh:

+1

The talk is that, for ACC network inventory reasons, ACC is going to nine conference games for football, and 20 for basketball, right? The non-conference spots will be reduced, and it remains to be seen whether non-conference football games will include FCS games in the future.

Anyone know our FBS game after 2018? Looking at the ACC schedules, I don't see us after 2018.

Most of the ACC is not scheduling FCS games after 2019-2021.

(07-27-2016 07:49 PM)wml33t Wrote:  :sigh:

And so my disclaimers.

No attempt to stir any pot here.
We were mentioned.
Thought some might want to take a gander.
Nothing more.

(07-27-2016 06:07 PM)WMTRIBE75 Wrote:  I think that I read recently that the current members of the Big 12 each get about 30 million a year in television revenues. even though I might be off a few million. Conference USA members got about 1 million in television revenues last year and their new contract will pay each member about $250,000 annually. THIS is the conference that ODU moved to!! And THIS is the conference that JMU and Delaware aspire to?

I will dream of the day when we go to the Big Dance for the first time. Then I will dream of the time when we are great at basketball every year and the Atlantic 10 wants us. Until then, I will be totally comfortable with where we are. JMU? Well they just desperately want to be relevant in something? Or maybe it's just that they are tired of us beating them like a drum in most sports and want a fresh start.

To be upfront, I am a CAA proponent through & through. I've worked at two C-USA institutions so I've seen plenty of sporting events from both the CAA & C-USA. All that said, in my opinion, the C-USA TV revenue certainly isn't what ODU (and clearly UD and JMU) aspires to reach. It isn't good and it is trending in a good direction. I view the C-USA as nothing more than a stepping stone for ODU--and I'm sure JMU would view it very similarly. I'm confident the majority of ODU fans feel the same.

ODU & JMU (I'm leaving UD out here, because I think they'll ultimately stay), want to be in a major conference. But they have to go through the process first. Their aspirations aren't the C-USA.

All that said. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe ODU just really likes playing vs. the University of Texas El Paso & JMU just wants to have an annual rivalry with North Texas. Who knows.

W&M is right where we need to be right now. We can be as proactive as possible, but at the end of the day, P5 realignment & expansion will ALWAYS force lower-tier FBS & FCS schools to be reactionary to an extent. I hope & believe that the athletic dept is actively monitoring the situation and trust that the best decisions will be made for the program, fans, and (unquestionably most importantly) the experience of the student-athletes.

The only move W&M should consider is if there was an opportunity to raise the basketball profile & go to the A10. W&M would be an attractive addition to most conferences if our BBall RPI/profile remain high. Tribe fit the footprint & it again aligns us with our oldest peer and rival University of Richmond. I have no doubt that the CAA would be happy to keep the Tribe as a football only member. Any upward conference talk needs to focus on basketball since this University cannot support the arms race of top tier football. All that said, I don't believe we go anywhere.

(07-28-2016 12:06 PM)mrjoolius Wrote:  The only move W&M should consider is if there was an opportunity to raise the basketball profile & go to the A10. W&M would be an attractive addition to most conferences if our BBall RPI/profile remain high. Tribe fit the footprint & it again aligns us with our oldest peer and rival University of Richmond. I have no doubt that the CAA would be happy to keep the Tribe as a football only member. Any upward conference talk needs to focus on basketball since this University cannot support the arms race of top tier football. All that said, I don't believe we go anywhere.

Agreed on all fronts...Similar to the set-up for Villanova. My only concern with a move-up would be how it would impact Olympic sports (budget, travel, etc).

I'd absolutely love to be in the A-10. VCU, UR, Mason, and GW would all make great local rivals

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I have mixed feelings about the A-10 (Olympic sports will suffer, is it a league that will doom us to the cellar, etc.), but...

If this is an option, and if this would be favorably considered by the school, the ground work has to be laid now ... budget, facilities, etc.

Now, before anyone points out the obvious concerning the report that came out last year, and the positive changes that are occurring, I'm talking about a (1) shift of funds within the athletics department to men's hoops, (2) building the practice facility, and (3) refurbishment of the Hall (Kap for you young whippersnappers) as the signal to the fan base, and potential suitors, that W&M would like to move up in hoops. Absent that, it's the same old W&M, and that's how other leagues will perceive us.

As for football, I have no problem with FCS, but if we are unable to play one FBS opponent per year, that really concerns me about the long term success of the program in the eventual post-JL era.

I thought the University already had plans to improve the various facilities. I don't think you need to shift funding. Funding comes, it just takes time. This is W&M. Trying to move up conferences isn't a goal and I don't think it should be. I believe that with a consistent winner in basketball, to go along with our always successful non revenue sports, makes W&M attractive as is. Look around the A10. They don't all play in palaces with dedicated facilities. Maybe I'm naive or too biased, but I think these conferences should court us for what we bring, rather than pump in money to attract suitors for the wrong reasons.

I think that building a practice facility and refurbishment of the Hall are needed improvements to have a chance to retain the current level of success in basketball over the long run, whether or not we move up.

We have made the decision not to pay stipends, that will eventually lead to missing some promising recruits we might have otherwise gotten.

Tony and his staff have done a very good job in raising our profile through improved play and increased the level of recruit talent we receive. He has been incredibly loyal to W&M despite not having the level of resources to work with that his peers have, but Tony is 62 and won't be around forever.

Right now we are basking in the glow of Marcus Thornton being drafted and having 3 consecutive 20 win seasons. Eventually Marcus being drafted will become old news and the string of 20 win seasons will be broken.

When the good things that are going on with the program change is inevitably will happen, we'll probably fall on hard times again.

I look at the increase in the level of success that football has enjoyed since the Laycock Center was built and the level of excitement surrounding the program based upon that success and the refurbishment of one side of Zable and have come to believe that facilities are what is needed to continue the higher level of achievement that we have had in hoops over the last several years.

I don't want to see what will happen if the time comes that our current success fades, Tony retires, and we are left with a basketball program that is underfunded viz-a-vis our peers, with aging facilities, no dedicated practice facility, we don't pay a student stipend and we may (hopefully not) still be part of the answer to the annual trivia question.

(07-28-2016 02:40 PM)mrjoolius Wrote:  Maybe I'm naive or too biased, but I think these conferences should court us for what we bring, rather than pump in money to attract suitors for the wrong reasons.

Strictly talking about a theoretical move to the A-10 ...

Richmond, VCU, and Mason left us ... I'm sure Davidson was courted, and didn't join us. Those would be the schools that would court us, but I don't think they will.

We have not been / are not perceived as taking basketball "as seriously" as A-10 schools. Not sure that the current positive moves are enough to get a look from the A-10.

I'm sure we are courted by the SoCon and Patriot. Not sure anyone "higher" is courting us.

Of course, back in the 70's, we were probably courted by ... I'll stop there. :-)