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MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Printable Version

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MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - IWokeUpLikeThis - 06-26-2020 07:07 PM

Yes, as of a few hours, the MEAC commissioner thinks this league can be built back up to 12 FB teams.

https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/college/norfolk-state/vp-sp-meac-shrinking-20200626-2hakzy3f6jbnrd3w6vaoa75s34-story.html

Quote:The league, comprised exclusively of historically black colleges and universities, has hired a consulting firm to orchestrate a search for new member schools. The search will extend beyond HBCUs and focus on geographic and academic matches, said Howard president Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, who chairs the MEAC Council of CEOs.

The three most recent schools to announce they’re leaving the conference cited travel expenses and missed class time as leading reasons for their decisions. MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas said the smaller footprint could help in the search for new members.

“I just think now we will be able to look at it more strategically in terms of what fits for our conference academically, athletically, geographically,” Thomas said. “So I feel good about where we are, and that’s not to say that losing FAMU, A&T and Bethune-Cookman is not disappointing. But I do believe in the rest of our members being able to continue to excel.”
Thomas said the eventual goal is to create a conference with 12 football-playing members, facilitating divisional play.



RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Fighting Muskie - 06-26-2020 07:12 PM

They are out of their mind if they think they are going to find 6 schools to join that mess.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - 3BNole - 06-26-2020 07:23 PM

Yeah... I don’t see it happening. I feel bad for them. There aren’t many if any CIAA members that could/would be able to move up. MAYBE Virginia State, MAYBE Winston-Salem State (although they already tested those waters and said no). Would Savannah State consider returning from the SIAC? Probably not.

So there’s 3 probably nots. I don’t see Valdosta State or West Georgia moving up, especially for a conference based in the mid Atlantic. Can’t think of any non-hbcu schools in that region with football looking to move up. They’re not going to attract any schools from other conferences. Really I don’t know who they think they could get.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - BruceMcF - 06-26-2020 07:30 PM

Our reach must exceed our grasp, else what's a Heaven for?

My goal is to retire on a $150,000 annuity when I hit 55.

Now, since I have more like 10,000 RMB in the bank and am already getting real close to 60, it's not looking good for hitting my goal, but I'm going to follow the MEAC Commissioner's lead and remain optimistic: I haven't retired on a $150K annuity at 55 yet.

In any event, we can be reasonably confident that Virginia State is getting a call about the advantages of playing D2 athletics in a reasonably comfortable bus league but getting to call it D1.

They just trimmed their southern border to a two-island Archipelago of NC Central and SC State ... Virginia State fits quite comfortably inside the Northern Division "mainland" of the new MEAC, while Savannah State would stretch the border again.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - IWokeUpLikeThis - 06-26-2020 08:15 PM

Another article
https://amp.tallahassee.com/amp/3263104001?__twitter_impression=true

Quote:There are whispers of other teams following suit and leaving the MEAC. The rumor mill indicates Delaware State, North Carolina Central, South Carolina and Norfolk State will submit exit letters to the league office.

There are several concerns regarding the MEAC's standing as a Division I conference. Thomas stated the MEAC can maintain its D-I status by having at least seven institutions together for a minimum of eight consecutive years.

However, there is a twist to this ruling. If another school leaves with a football program, the MEAC would not be recognized as a Division I conference in that sport.

"We cannot afford to lose another football-playing institution. Then we'd fall below the minimum requirement for football. We still can maintain our Division I status for sports like men's basketball," Thomas said.

The commissioner confirmed if this occurred, the NCAA would allow a two-year grace period to add a football program to operate a Division I league.

A potential outlet could be extending an invitation to schools to become affiliate members in football only.

The conversations over finding replacements in the MEAC will be based on the recommendations of Collegiate Sports Managing Group.

Questions include will Division II HBCUs from the SIAC or Central Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (CIAA) upgrade to FCS and play in the MEAC.

"We have a process involving the consulting firm. We're discouraging anybody from reaching out on their own. We're having the firm lead the process," Frederick said.

Thomas hasn't confirmed a minimum number of teams he'd like to see obtain membership. He would like to have at least 12 football programs. But there aren't any concrete projections regarding a timetable to make this wish come to fruition.

League officials are hopeful they can right the ship and stand firm as a competitive conference. An anchor for survival includes extending an invitation to PWIs (Predominately White Institutions) to participate in football.



RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - DoubleRSU - 06-26-2020 08:19 PM

Great, let’s see Davey come in with a list of “possible” colleges from D2. Sigh......


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - DavidSt - 06-26-2020 08:32 PM

They said none HBCUs could be targets.

Indiana, PA. $65 million endowment
West Chester $45 million
Gannon $63 million
Shippensberg $40.2 million
Carson-Newman $57.5 million
Lenoir-Rhyne $113 million
Mars Hill $50 million
Wingate $90 million
Bowie State $8.1
Fayetteville State $19 million
Virginia State $47.4
Virginia Union $29 million
Winston-Salem $42.3
Charleston $28.1 million
Frostburg State $22.3 million
UNC-Pembroke $24.9
Catawba $55 million
Tusculum $15.7 million
Virginia-Wise $108 million
Clarion $31 million
Edinboro $26.4
Bloomsburg ?
Kutztown $30.1
Millersville $30.43
Seton Hill $37.8

Plus UMES and Coppin State could be in the process at looking to add football. They need to add 4 schools then, and 1 more if South Carolina State leaves.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - chargeradio - 06-26-2020 09:57 PM

Appalachian State University, $122.4 Million
Coastal Carolina University, $51.48 Million
Florida Atlantic University, $227 Million
Florida International University, $216.3 Million
Georgia Southern University, $64 Million
Georgia State University, $1.15 Billion
Marshall University, $129.4 Million
Middle Tennessee State University, $105.6 Million
Old Dominion University, $240.9 Million
University of Alabama at Birmingham, $495.3 Million
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, $230.35 Million
Western Kentucky University, $125.5 Million

C-USA and the Sun Belt have to add at least four schools between them survive as FBS conferences, and the resulting chaos opens up more appropriate homes for the legacy MEAC members.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - AZcats - 06-26-2020 10:04 PM

(06-26-2020 08:32 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  They said none HBCUs could be targets.

(not going to repeat nonsense)

It's nice to know the endowment numbers, but ...

what is their athletic budget?
how much of that budget is subsidized?
are they willing and able to at least double that budget to be competitive in D1?

On the schools listed:

Frostburg State has completed only 1 year of their reclassification from D3 so they are many years away from maybe being in a position to think about D1.

Pennsylvania has begun discussions on possibly consolidating PASSHE schools within about 5 years because many of the schools have some financial issues and facing declining enrollment.

Winston-Salem State has already said "been there, done that, not again" and they replaced baseball with men's golf just a year ago to save money.

Fayetteville State just dropped a sport last month also to save money.

UNC-Pembroke is moving from the Peach Belt to the Carolinas next year in another money saving move and very unlikely to change to a D1 conference so soon.

It's funny that back in February you were saying Virginia State was too small for D1 and now they are good to join D1 even though their enrollment has not changed.

Show a link for the possibility of UMES and Coppin State football.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Stugray2 - 06-26-2020 10:13 PM

(06-26-2020 07:30 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Our reach must exceed our grasp, else what's a Heaven for?

My goal is to retire on a $150,000 annuity when I hit 55.

Now, since I have more like 10,000 RMB in the bank and am already getting real close to 60, it's not looking good for hitting my goal, but I'm going to follow the MEAC Commissioner's lead and remain optimistic: I haven't retired on a $150K annuity at 55 yet.

...

Bingo! You are spot on. The aim of every marginal conference commissioner is to protect the pension fund for himself and the office staff. It is that goal which has kept the WAC doors open, and which keeps the ASUN working tirelessly to find new suckers, whoops, I mean member schools.

Except Dr. Thomas played at Alcorn '70-74, which makes him more like 68 years old today. So the first goal is out of reach. He's literally working in his retirement now. I suspect he steps down before NCAT, FAMU and BCU exit.

That 10,000 RMB (Chinese Reminbi, symbol ¥) is about $2,000 US. (The ¥100 is like our $20). Nice reference, you get 2 points for that, but -1 point for being off on Dr. Thomas' age.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Fighting Muskie - 06-26-2020 10:14 PM

So the MEAC is spending some of the tiny amount of money they do have to pay someone to look around and tell them that no one is interested in joining their failing league.

In the corporate world this is a CYA move so they can say it’s not our fault, the consultants said it was a lost cause when they announce they are leaving.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Stugray2 - 06-26-2020 10:28 PM

Hum, those rumors of exit papers suggest Norfolk State, NC Central and SC State may be thinking about an ASUN with Big South Football move, and Delaware State the NEC. Whither Howard and Morgan State? I would guess Morgan State will have to follow Delaware State. Howard is a prize target of value, the CAA seems a good fit, although 13 Basketball and 11 Football would be awkward.

Then again these are rumors. But the way BCU went from rumor to action stunned me. So who knows?


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - BruceMcF - 06-27-2020 01:30 AM

I have not doubt that as soon as FAMU left, people saw the writing on the wall for B-C, with the open question whether Tennessee State would opt to take the 12th spot instead, and started asking whether there is a spot, if they had not been asking already.

The open questions being, is ASUN willing to take all of those that wish to move? Is the NEC an opening for any schools short of Howard?

A few "sure, come along" responses, and the MEAC is finished. But a series of "no, the interesting schools have already moved" responses, and it survives by default.

___________________________________

(06-26-2020 10:13 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  
(06-26-2020 07:30 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Our reach must exceed our grasp, else what's a Heaven for?

My goal is to retire on a $150,000 annuity when I hit 55.

Now, since I have more like 10,000 RMB in the bank and am already getting real close to 60, it's not looking good for hitting my goal, but I'm going to follow the MEAC Commissioner's lead and remain optimistic: I haven't retired on a $150K annuity at 55 yet.

...

Bingo! You are spot on. The aim of every marginal conference commissioner is to protect the pension fund for himself and the office staff. It is that goal which has kept the WAC doors open, and which keeps the ASUN working tirelessly to find new suckers, whoops, I mean member schools.

Except Dr. Thomas played at Alcorn '70-74, which makes him more like 68 years old today. So the first goal is out of reach. He's literally working in his retirement now. I suspect he steps down before NCAT, FAMU and BCU exit.

That wasn't in quotes. That is MY goal, to retire 4 years ago with an annuity in the neighborhood of $150,000/annum. I was making an analogy there to the realism of his goal of 12 MEAC football schools.

Quote: That 10,000 RMB (Chinese Reminbi, symbol ¥) is about $2,000 US. (The ¥100 is like our $20). Nice reference, you get 2 points for that, but -1 point for being off on Dr. Thomas' age.

I should hope that Dr. Thomas also hopes to retire on an annuity of $150,000 or better at the age of 55, even if he has to work until he is 75 years old to achieve it.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - IWokeUpLikeThis - 06-27-2020 07:06 AM

Zoom Q&A with MEAC Commissioner and Howard President






RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - PGEMF - 06-27-2020 07:38 AM

(06-26-2020 08:32 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  They said none HBCUs could be targets.

Indiana, PA. $65 million endowment
West Chester $45 million
Gannon $63 million
Shippensberg $40.2 million
Carson-Newman $57.5 million
Lenoir-Rhyne $113 million
Mars Hill $50 million
Wingate $90 million
Bowie State $8.1
Fayetteville State $19 million
Virginia State $47.4
Virginia Union $29 million
Winston-Salem $42.3
Charleston $28.1 million
Frostburg State $22.3 million
UNC-Pembroke $24.9
Catawba $55 million
Tusculum $15.7 million
Virginia-Wise $108 million
Clarion $31 million
Edinboro $26.4
Bloomsburg ?
Kutztown $30.1
Millersville $30.43
Seton Hill $37.8

Plus UMES and Coppin State could be in the process at looking to add football. They need to add 4 schools then, and 1 more if South Carolina State leaves.

THEY ARE NOT ADDING FOOTBALL. You post all the time about schools canceling sports. Why do you think that is? Why would a school add THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT to lose even more money than they already are?


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - johnbragg - 06-27-2020 09:46 AM

I think the easiest solution, the solution that protects everybody (which is something administrators like), is for Monmouth and Robert Morris to switch from Big South football to MEAC football.

I'm not sure the Big South wants to go past 12 full members. (Assuming that Presbyterian survives in Division I). Howard doesn't want to be seen as killing the MEAC. With NC A&T, the ASUN affiliates and the two northern affiliates, Big South is at 10. MEAC is at 6.

I don't know that Monmouth or RMU would care very much about dropping down the ladder a little bit. They'd be moving to the MEAC for (mostly) the same reasons the Big South took them in (protecting members of the club), and they'd be looking at less travel.

With two affiliates, MEAC football has a cushion against defections, which makes defections a little less likely.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - HyperDuke - 06-27-2020 09:56 AM

Although it’s not without some travel benefit, I don’t see RMU & Monmouth accepting a “lesser” conference when they’ve already lined up one with more (albeit slight) prestige.


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - johnbragg - 06-27-2020 10:05 AM

(06-27-2020 09:56 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Although it’s not without some travel benefit, I don’t see RMU & Monmouth accepting a “lesser” conference when they’ve already lined up one with more (albeit slight) prestige.

I'm picturing quiet words all around, with some pressure from the Big South office.

It's not like the Big South schools get a lot from road trips to New Jersey and Pittsburgh. But the Big South is helping out schools who need a hand.

Monmouth and Robert Morris would be expected to act in the same sort of spirit--the MEAC needs a hand.

EDIT: On the other hand, Monmouth or RMU in the Celebration Bowl against the SWAC champion would awkard. It's not exactly the HBCU championship game if one of the schools isn't an HBCU.

But the MEAC is talking about bringing in PWIs, and probably isn't feeling very brotherly to the SWAC right now. (On the other hand, the MEAC needs the Celebration Bowl and the SWAC a lot more than the SWAC needs the MEAC or the bowl. SWAC could get 90% of the audience just by staging a CCG with the same pageantry and ignoring the MEAC's existence).


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - Cyniclone - 06-27-2020 10:05 AM

(06-27-2020 09:46 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  I think the easiest solution, the solution that protects everybody (which is something administrators like), is for Monmouth and Robert Morris to switch from Big South football to MEAC football.

I'm not sure the Big South wants to go past 12 full members. (Assuming that Presbyterian survives in Division I). Howard doesn't want to be seen as killing the MEAC. With NC A&T, the ASUN affiliates and the two northern affiliates, Big South is at 10. MEAC is at 6.

I don't know that Monmouth or RMU would care very much about dropping down the ladder a little bit. They'd be moving to the MEAC for (mostly) the same reasons the Big South took them in (protecting members of the club), and they'd be looking at less travel.

With two affiliates, MEAC football has a cushion against defections, which makes defections a little less likely.

Except the MEAC gives up its automatic FCS playoff berth so it can send its champion to the Celebration Bowl. Do they, or NBC for that matter, want Monmouth or Robert Morris representing the MEAC in this celebration of HBCUs?

If one or two more MEAC schools leave, it would probably be a moot point anyway. Everyone would have to find another home, go indy or drop to D2 (is it permissible to have non-football independents?)


RE: MEAC Commissioner: The goal is a conference with 12 football-playing members - johnbragg - 06-27-2020 10:09 AM

(06-27-2020 10:05 AM)Cyniclone Wrote:  
(06-27-2020 09:46 AM)johnbragg Wrote:  I think the easiest solution, the solution that protects everybody (which is something administrators like), is for Monmouth and Robert Morris to switch from Big South football to MEAC football.

I'm not sure the Big South wants to go past 12 full members. (Assuming that Presbyterian survives in Division I). Howard doesn't want to be seen as killing the MEAC. With NC A&T, the ASUN affiliates and the two northern affiliates, Big South is at 10. MEAC is at 6.

I don't know that Monmouth or RMU would care very much about dropping down the ladder a little bit. They'd be moving to the MEAC for (mostly) the same reasons the Big South took them in (protecting members of the club), and they'd be looking at less travel.

With two affiliates, MEAC football has a cushion against defections, which makes defections a little less likely.

Except the MEAC gives up its automatic FCS playoff berth so it can send its champion to the Celebration Bowl. Do they, or NBC for that matter, want Monmouth or Robert Morris representing the MEAC in this celebration of HBCUs?

If one or two more MEAC schools leave, it would probably be a moot point anyway. Everyone would have to find another home, go indy or drop to D2 (is it permissible to have non-football independents?)

That's something I hadn't thought through, and is significant. On the other hand, the MEAC commissioner is talking about bringing in PWIs, because keeping the MEAC alive is more important than keeping the Celebration Bowl.