Grabbed some voices from around the league that ya'll might recognize and spoke about all things CAA as conference season got set to kickoff. Posting here since some may enjoy, and because feedback is always welcome:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/35VDB5O...8ee5f94cfd

They talked about if George Mason has buyer's remorse. One thing people do not think of is that moving to a better conference lets a team host a greater percentage of their nonconference games. George Mason's last 43 nonconference Division I games were 23 at home, 11 neutral (including 2 in D.C.), and 9 away. More home games means more money from them, less money spent on travel, and more opportunities to get students interested by attending. George Mason went to the Final Four in 2006, and their current students were very young or not born then. It's nice to be in a conference with a TV contract that includes nonconference home games, and announcers who work for your conference so they know your players. There are benefits to being in the A10 over the CAA even if a team is last in the A10 every season.

Here's a UNCW-centered "Perchcast", featuring the great Brian Mull that gives a good rundown of the CAA. Knowledgeable participants and intelligent discussion.

https://seahawkperch.substack.com/p/perc...il&r=670e8

(01-02-2024 09:55 AM)metsox Wrote:  Grabbed some voices from around the league that ya'll might recognize and spoke about all things CAA as conference season got set to kickoff. Posting here since some may enjoy, and because feedback is always welcome:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/35VDB5O...8ee5f94cfd

Great episode, looking forward to a conference review midway through the season.

(01-02-2024 03:21 PM)EvanJ Wrote:  They talked about if George Mason has buyer's remorse. One thing people do not think of is that moving to a better conference lets a team host a greater percentage of their nonconference games. George Mason's last 43 nonconference Division I games were 23 at home, 11 neutral (including 2 in D.C.), and 9 away. More home games means more money from them, less money spent on travel, and more opportunities to get students interested by attending. George Mason went to the Final Four in 2006, and their current students were very young or not born then. It's nice to be in a conference with a TV contract that includes nonconference home games, and announcers who work for your conference so they know your players. There are benefits to being in the A10 over the CAA even if a team is last in the A10 every season.

Absolutely. They stated the intrinsic value thats hard to measure. However their attendance numbers have not gone up since leaving, they have gone down albeit with more games presumably. But the move doesnt seem to be drawing interest or real money beyond the higher payout from the A10 vs CAA

2004-05: 3,938
2005-06: 4,533
2006-07: 6,834
2007-08: 6,494
2008-09: 6,295
2009-10: 5,837
2010-11: 5,896
2011-12: 5,161
2012-13: 4,562
2013-14: 4,916
2014-15: 4,082
2015-16: 4,300
2016-17: 4,234
2017-18: 4,087
2018-19: 4,335
2019-20: 4,037
2020-21: N/A
2021-22: 3,558
2022-23: 3,584
2023-24: 3,236

(01-02-2024 03:21 PM)EvanJ Wrote:  They talked about if George Mason has buyer's remorse. One thing people do not think of is that moving to a better conference lets a team host a greater percentage of their nonconference games. George Mason's last 43 nonconference Division I games were 23 at home, 11 neutral (including 2 in D.C.), and 9 away. More home games means more money from them, less money spent on travel, and more opportunities to get students interested by attending. George Mason went to the Final Four in 2006, and their current students were very young or not born then. It's nice to be in a conference with a TV contract that includes nonconference home games, and announcers who work for your conference so they know your players. There are benefits to being in the A10 over the CAA even if a team is last in the A10 every season.

I also thought the parts covering teams that have left, and whether they regret leaving, were pretty funny. I don't think GMU regrets leaving for even a second. As you say, there are benefits to being in the A10 beyond just the teams they play. And let's face it: even a down A10 has better opponents than the CAA can offer. Yes, their fans might not be thrilled with a lack of success, but from an institutional standpoint, it's hard to argue that they should never have moved.

I also found it amusing that someone was arguing that a team moving up to FBS was playing for a tiny chance of being in the playoff, as if there are no other benefits to having more games nationally televised, or having the chance to play higher-profile opposition during the regular season more frequently. Sure, Delaware isn't as prepared as JMU was when they moved, but a state flagship jumping at the chance to be in the same division as neighboring state flagships makes sense to me.

All that being said, great podcast with some great and thought-provoking discussion. It's always good to hear different perspectives coming together to talk about a conference that gets forgotten about in major media.