(03-08-2017 08:19 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(03-08-2017 02:37 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(03-08-2017 02:26 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Why doesnt the CAA look at bringing in Belmont?

It sounds like a better solution for Belmont than likinking up with the Southern.

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They might, but as it stands, the CAA all-sports footprint goes from Boston to Charleston, and Belmont might be a bridge too far for a payoff too slight for both sides.

Had the CAA landed Davidson, perhaps. And if they could pick off another school (Chatty?) from the region, it's more possible. But still not terribly likely.

Is Nashville that far off the seaboard that Belmont is not in the picture?

They have by and large everything the CAA is looking for in a conference member.

That should offset the location.

It's not like Little Rock or Des Moines or anything, but the nearest CAA school to them would probably be Elon, a tick less than 500 miles away. Conversely, ETSU to Elon is a smidge less than 200.

(03-08-2017 08:19 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Is Nashville that far off the seaboard that Belmont is not in the picture?

They have by and large everything the CAA is looking for in a conference member.

That should offset the location.

The thing is Belmont told the MVC they were not interested when Creighton left. They have been on the radar of the A10 and Horizon, but have told them they want to be in the OVC and they are not moving. Why would they ever consider the SoCon when the A10 and MVC want them?

Academically, they are good enough, but are basically known for music. Not a research school like you see in the CAA; not a fit with the likes of Delaware, Drexel, Northeastern, and Hofstra. The two schools the CAA passed on for full membership are Stony Brook (AAU member) and Albany (R1). The CAA schools wanted to stay at 10 for Basketball. So I don't see Belmont in the CAA future.

Elon and CoC were great adds by the CAA. Both schools pull students from the mid Atlantic and into the northeast (and both wanted to expand their exposure that direction) so I believe both saw the shift as strategic and long term.

Their addition happened to help UNCW as well which was the lone southern outpost below W&M. They now give the CAA a solid geographic map along the seaboard, from Boston to Charleston.

The move has been an upgrade for both, academically and athletically.

Both schools also had to invest in fees for the change and I don't beleive either would be in a position to pony up for another shift, even if they wanted a move. The CAA raised their exit fee (by vote of the member schools) to a fairly high level after ODU left.

For CoC - there was also talk of interest in fielding football? Not sure how serious that was - though if true, the CAA offers a great opportunity for them should they decide to move that way.

The Southern has been gradually shifting its core south and west - away from the coast and deeper into TN and AL. Their pick off conferences are now the OVC and Big South. I could see Belmont and Winthrop both as potential expansion targets.

(03-08-2017 06:13 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  I could see Valdosta State, Columbus State, North Georgia (military school that could fit in with VMI and the Citadel), North Alabama, Florida Tech, Catawba and Carson-Newman might fit into Southern Conference. Maybe a UNC-Pembroke in there in the future.

None of the schools you listed have a shot at the SoCon.

(03-08-2017 08:28 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(03-08-2017 08:19 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(03-08-2017 02:37 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  

(03-08-2017 02:26 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Why doesnt the CAA look at bringing in Belmont?

It sounds like a better solution for Belmont than likinking up with the Southern.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using CSNbbs mobile app

They might, but as it stands, the CAA all-sports footprint goes from Boston to Charleston, and Belmont might be a bridge too far for a payoff too slight for both sides.

Had the CAA landed Davidson, perhaps. And if they could pick off another school (Chatty?) from the region, it's more possible. But still not terribly likely.

Is Nashville that far off the seaboard that Belmont is not in the picture?

They have by and large everything the CAA is looking for in a conference member.

That should offset the location.

It's not like Little Rock or Des Moines or anything, but the nearest CAA school to them would probably be Elon, a tick less than 500 miles away. Conversely, ETSU to Elon is a smidge less than 200.

Basketball is fine, with the connections to almost every city in the footprint (except for the VA schools) from the Nashville airport, but then you're talking about volleyball and softball flying from Boston (130 miles longer than Charleston).

Not many CAA schools have alumni bases in Nashville. CofC does, but few of the other schools.

Prior to the CAA moving in, you had JMU, W&M, UNCW and Elon all with alumni clubs in Charleston.

Elon also is building a 5,400 seat arena to open in 2018. That program will have a much improved recruiting situation when that arena opens. They had an even faster transition than CofC. They didn't go D1 until '97 or '98.