(08-26-2013 06:05 PM)Monarchy Anarchy Wrote: (08-26-2013 05:32 PM)ODUalum78 Wrote: (08-26-2013 05:06 PM)oduengineer Wrote: It seems like JMU is really looking forward to the big match with Central Connecticut: 11,000 student, $40M endowment CCSU.
Boy am I glad we aren't them. Five years of football, and we have passed them by. I hope the Dukes get kicked in the face.
http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=645720
Yep.
The good news is that very soon will come a noticeable boost to the Harrisonburg economy; as there will be a huge market for depression and anger management counselors when the official announcement is made that JMU is not moving up.
Seriously, with apparantly noone wanting to test the legality of the GoRs, and the comments of Bob Bowlsby of the Big 12 and Delaney of the B1G (yesterday), it looks like any conference movement is done until at least 2017; and more likely for at least 10 years.
There's one open spot in the Sunbelt to get them to 12, and that's their only realistic shot. Conferences don't want to go past 12 members anymore now that the playoff payout is maxed out at 12 shares per conference. After 12 members, each team's share gets watered down and no college president or AD is going to sign off on that.
Until they swallow their pride and join the Sunbelt, JMU will continue to feast on powerhouse college football teams like St. Francis and CCSU.
Absolutely.
If indeed they do accept, then there will need to be some serious damage control done with respect to the online community because of their obvious disdain and criticism of the Sun Belt.
Bottom line:
If they don't accept, get out the handkerchiefs and hide any sharp objects.
If they DO accept, get the popcorn and pull a chair up to the Sun Belt boards.
Edit: I think JMU will
not accept, for at least two reasons.
1. Generally, I don't think JMU can do it without a significant increase in student fees. (I am somewhat guessing here from figures available from the State of Virginia.)
Estimated costs associated with Title IX are not insignificant. If I remember correctly, JMU dropped to the NCAA minimum in men's sports in 2006 or 2007. This means that they cannot cut any men's programs, so they must add women's.
Unlike ODU, JMU has a disproportionate female/male (close to 60/40) ratio so it will be even more of a strain than it would be otherwise.
The apparent abandonment of the much celebrated and bond approved proposed new convo is indicative of "uneasy" finances at best, or downright panic at worst.
2. Specifically, I think that the JMU administration will look at football support locally.
JMU saw a 9% attendance decline in 2012, and the only sell-out at Bridgeforth was Parent's Day.
In a small community, JMU may feel that attendance has maxed out at around 25k.
I know some feel that if JMU goes FBS then that will increase, but others do not. I guess the Carr Report will address the issue, but hypothetically, if I were an investor it would be a major red flag.