Hello There, Guest! (LoginRegister)

Post Reply 
Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
Author Message
Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #1
MyBB Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
We've talked at some length about the A10 and what they should be trying to do with reloading after basketball schools head to the Big East.

If we assume that it will in fact be Xavier, Butler, Dayton and St. Louis to the Big East that will effectively gut the western wing of the conference. What is also troubling for the A10 is that UMass is interviewing for a spot in the A12.

Here is an idea: The A10 decides to go with George Mason as we all expect they'll be selected. GMU makes too much sense as a huge 31,000 student school right in GW's back yard. After that the A10 adds Delaware (good academic school) and here is the surprise, Buffalo & Ohio from the MAC. The idea would be that Delaware would also join the MAC FB only and so the MAC would have an Eastern wing of Delaware, Buffalo, UMass and Ohio all playing in the conference FB only.

Buffalo has ambitions to grow to 40,000 students and in a quality east coast basketball conference like the A10 could get a lot of alumni out of the woodwork with St. Bonaventure, UMass and URI on the schedule. They would support the A10 tournament at the Barclay Center well in NYC. The program has shown some success in the MAC and would likely be middle of the pack in tha A10.

Ohio outdraws the next MAC school in basketball by a 2 to 1 margin and has made recent runs in the NCAA tournament. The school can put 12,000 in the house for conference big games and would look great on TV. They would bring the Columbus and WV markets to the A10. A fish that is big enough to be worth reeling in.

Ohio, Buffalo, UMass and Delaware then if accepted to the A12 down the road can do so FB only while having a safe landing spot in the A10 for other sports. For example, UConn and Cincinnati are picked up by the A10 then Ohio and UMass could join the A12 FB only.

To some of the ideas of the A10 adding Valpo & Loyola from the Horizon or Illinois St and Indiana St from the MVC......goofy. Why should the A10 go that far west for members that don't carry (or even have) their own market. Xavier & Dayton were big time exceptions. Indiana St should not be looked at the same way.
03-10-2013 10:57 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


RUNVSFD MINER Offline
The voice in your head...See?
*

Posts: 7,608
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation: 451
I Root For: UTEP
Location:
Post: #2
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-10-2013 11:12 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:09 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 10:57 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Ohio outdraws the next MAC school in basketball by a 2 to 1 margin and has made recent runs in the NCAA tournament. The school can put 12,000 in the house for conference big games and would look great on TV. They would bring the Columbus and WV markets to the A10. A fish that is big enough to be worth reeling in.

This sounds great.

Just don't mention to those you are pimping/selling/masking that Ohio had fball games with attendance around 15K, 19K, and 21K.

And the other 3 games were 26k, 25k and 24k last season....nice try but we have decent football attendance.

Yes.
Make sure to send Akron a thank you card, for bringing their fans to pad attendance stats.

Anyway, carry on with the pitch...
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2013 11:16 PM by RUNVSFD MINER.)
03-10-2013 11:14 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
RUNVSFD MINER Offline
The voice in your head...See?
*

Posts: 7,608
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation: 451
I Root For: UTEP
Location:
Post: #3
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-10-2013 11:16 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:14 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:12 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:09 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 10:57 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  Ohio outdraws the next MAC school in basketball by a 2 to 1 margin and has made recent runs in the NCAA tournament. The school can put 12,000 in the house for conference big games and would look great on TV. They would bring the Columbus and WV markets to the A10. A fish that is big enough to be worth reeling in.

This sounds great.

Just don't mention to those you are pimping/selling/masking that Ohio had fball games with attendance around 15K, 19K, and 21K.

And the other 3 games were 26k, 25k and 24k last season....nice try but we have decent football attendance.

Yes.
Make sure to send Akron a thank you card, for bringing them.

You must be kidding Akron doesn't travel in football.

Neither does mighty New Mexico State which the 26k was for....

03-lmfao
26K is also an awful number... Esp as a season high.
(This post was last modified: 03-10-2013 11:19 PM by RUNVSFD MINER.)
03-10-2013 11:18 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #4
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-10-2013 11:18 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:16 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:14 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:12 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 11:09 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  This sounds great.

Just don't mention to those you are pimping/selling/masking that Ohio had fball games with attendance around 15K, 19K, and 21K.

And the other 3 games were 26k, 25k and 24k last season....nice try but we have decent football attendance.

Yes.
Make sure to send Akron a thank you card, for bringing them.

You must be kidding Akron doesn't travel in football.

Neither does mighty New Mexico State which the 26k was for....

03-lmfao
26K is also an awful number... Esp as a season high.

How much did you guys get for New Mexico State last time in the Sun Bowl? 33,000? UTEP's football attendance is not that great either.
03-10-2013 11:22 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Captain Bearcat Offline
All-American in Everything
*

Posts: 9,478
Joined: Jun 2010
Reputation: 766
I Root For: UC
Location: IL & Cincinnati, USA
Post: #5
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
Why would Buffalo leave the MAC? They'd have to put their football program somewhere.

And Ohio has no reason whatsoever to leave the MAC. Not for the A-12/Metro after UC/UConn leave, and certainly not for a depleted A-10. That would be a step down.
03-11-2013 06:20 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
True Bearcat Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,123
Joined: Jul 2011
Reputation: 25
I Root For: Cincinnati
Location: Lebanon, OH
Post: #6
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
No MAC school is going to leave. They have been playing each other for 70 years, and the Ohio schools have been playing each other longer than that. The MAC schools are happy where they're at.
03-11-2013 07:51 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #7
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-11-2013 06:20 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  Why would Buffalo leave the MAC? They'd have to put their football program somewhere.

And Ohio has no reason whatsoever to leave the MAC. Not for the A-12/Metro after UC/UConn leave, and certainly not for a depleted A-10. That would be a step down.

Buffalo would be going MAC/A10 like UMass is currently for the step up in basketball. The same idea applies to Ohio.
03-11-2013 08:15 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Lolly Popp Offline
Magically Delicious
*

Posts: 2,425
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation: 82
I Root For: Football
Location: Endzone
Post: #8
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
No school should ever leave an all-sports league to chase after a marginal boost in basketball. The dominant game in NCAA athletics is football.
03-11-2013 08:30 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Poliicious Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,138
Joined: Jan 2013
Reputation: 7
I Root For: WildcatsHuskies
Location:
Post: #9
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
Not only will VCU, Butler, Xavier & Dayton leave the A10; UMASS will get a Dirty Dozen invite in at least one of the major sports. If the A10 wants to expand west, simply merge with the Horizon

Wright st, YSU & Cleveland St give the A10 a presence in Ohio that it losses with Dayton & Xavier, Valpo makes up the Butler loss, UIC & loyola give a chicago presence and milwaukee and green bay in wisky. If travel is an issue, split by e & w divisions
03-11-2013 09:28 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #10
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-11-2013 09:28 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  Not only will VCU, Butler, Xavier & Dayton leave the A10; UMASS will get a Dirty Dozen invite in at least one of the major sports. If the A10 wants to expand west, simply merge with the Horizon

Wright st, YSU & Cleveland St give the A10 a presence in Ohio that it losses with Dayton & Xavier, Valpo makes up the Butler loss, UIC & loyola give a chicago presence and milwaukee and green bay in wisky. If travel is an issue, split by e & w divisions

The A10 could go sort of West with Ohio capturing a piece of the state market without needing to add 3 additional schools. Plus it doesn't hurt that Ohio is located more easterly near the WV and PA borders.

Please consider academics here. Youngstown State is about as marginal as you can get for a public university and Cleveland St/Wright St are second tier at best.
(This post was last modified: 03-12-2013 01:28 PM by Louis Kitton.)
03-12-2013 01:28 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Tom in Lazybrook Offline
Hall of Famer
*

Posts: 22,299
Joined: Jul 2011
Reputation: 446
I Root For: So Alabama, GWU
Location: Houston
Post: #11
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-10-2013 10:57 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  We've talked at some length about the A10 and what they should be trying to do with reloading after basketball schools head to the Big East.

If we assume that it will in fact be Xavier, Butler, Dayton and St. Louis to the Big East that will effectively gut the western wing of the conference. What is also troubling for the A10 is that UMass is interviewing for a spot in the A12.

Here is an idea: The A10 decides to go with George Mason as we all expect they'll be selected. GMU makes too much sense as a huge 31,000 student school right in GW's back yard. After that the A10 adds Delaware (good academic school) and here is the surprise, Buffalo & Ohio from the MAC. The idea would be that Delaware would also join the MAC FB only and so the MAC would have an Eastern wing of Delaware, Buffalo, UMass and Ohio all playing in the conference FB only.

Buffalo has ambitions to grow to 40,000 students and in a quality east coast basketball conference like the A10 could get a lot of alumni out of the woodwork with St. Bonaventure, UMass and URI on the schedule. They would support the A10 tournament at the Barclay Center well in NYC. The program has shown some success in the MAC and would likely be middle of the pack in tha A10.

Ohio outdraws the next MAC school in basketball by a 2 to 1 margin and has made recent runs in the NCAA tournament. The school can put 12,000 in the house for conference big games and would look great on TV. They would bring the Columbus and WV markets to the A10. A fish that is big enough to be worth reeling in.

Ohio, Buffalo, UMass and Delaware then if accepted to the A12 down the road can do so FB only while having a safe landing spot in the A10 for other sports. For example, UConn and Cincinnati are picked up by the A10 then Ohio and UMass could join the A12 FB only.

To some of the ideas of the A10 adding Valpo & Loyola from the Horizon or Illinois St and Indiana St from the MVC......goofy. Why should the A10 go that far west for members that don't carry (or even have) their own market. Xavier & Dayton were big time exceptions. Indiana St should not be looked at the same way.

I think I'm one of the very few A-10ers in here.

First, Umass can interview, but the A-12 is a FOOTBALL conference. They have football at UMass, but taking them would involve quite an investment by the A-12. Could happen, but I'm not so sure that's on the table.

Second, the A-10 is not interested in adding teams that play football. PERIOD. Buffalo plays football.

The candidates for A-10 expansion are as follows

1) George Mason - in footprint, looking to leave, good basketball, no football

2) Hofstra - see above. The team we SHOULD have taken instead of Fordham

3) Drexel
4) BU or Northeastern
5) Sienna

If Davidson were interested, we might be willing to talk. The A-10, even after losing Butler, STL, Dayton, Charlotte, Xavier, and Temple still has 10 teams. So adding GMU and Hostra would do the following

A-10 South - VCU, GMU, GWU, Richmond, LaSalle, Duquesne
A-10 North - URI, UMass, Hofstra, Fordham, St Bona, St Joes

If we want 14, we add a Boston school and Drexel. Both of those get placed in the North and St Joes gets shifted to the South.

Either way, that's still a 2-3 bid league most years. Not a bad landing place.
(This post was last modified: 03-12-2013 11:19 PM by Tom in Lazybrook.)
03-12-2013 11:16 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


solohawks Online
Hall of Famer
*

Posts: 20,782
Joined: May 2008
Reputation: 810
I Root For: UNCW
Location: Wilmington, NC
Post: #12
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-12-2013 11:16 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  
(03-10-2013 10:57 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  We've talked at some length about the A10 and what they should be trying to do with reloading after basketball schools head to the Big East.

If we assume that it will in fact be Xavier, Butler, Dayton and St. Louis to the Big East that will effectively gut the western wing of the conference. What is also troubling for the A10 is that UMass is interviewing for a spot in the A12.

Here is an idea: The A10 decides to go with George Mason as we all expect they'll be selected. GMU makes too much sense as a huge 31,000 student school right in GW's back yard. After that the A10 adds Delaware (good academic school) and here is the surprise, Buffalo & Ohio from the MAC. The idea would be that Delaware would also join the MAC FB only and so the MAC would have an Eastern wing of Delaware, Buffalo, UMass and Ohio all playing in the conference FB only.

Buffalo has ambitions to grow to 40,000 students and in a quality east coast basketball conference like the A10 could get a lot of alumni out of the woodwork with St. Bonaventure, UMass and URI on the schedule. They would support the A10 tournament at the Barclay Center well in NYC. The program has shown some success in the MAC and would likely be middle of the pack in tha A10.

Ohio outdraws the next MAC school in basketball by a 2 to 1 margin and has made recent runs in the NCAA tournament. The school can put 12,000 in the house for conference big games and would look great on TV. They would bring the Columbus and WV markets to the A10. A fish that is big enough to be worth reeling in.

Ohio, Buffalo, UMass and Delaware then if accepted to the A12 down the road can do so FB only while having a safe landing spot in the A10 for other sports. For example, UConn and Cincinnati are picked up by the A10 then Ohio and UMass could join the A12 FB only.

To some of the ideas of the A10 adding Valpo & Loyola from the Horizon or Illinois St and Indiana St from the MVC......goofy. Why should the A10 go that far west for members that don't carry (or even have) their own market. Xavier & Dayton were big time exceptions. Indiana St should not be looked at the same way.

I think I'm one of the very few A-10ers in here.

First, Umass can interview, but the A-12 is a FOOTBALL conference. They have football at UMass, but taking them would involve quite an investment by the A-12. Could happen, but I'm not so sure that's on the table.

Second, the A-10 is not interested in adding teams that play football. PERIOD. Buffalo plays football.

The candidates for A-10 expansion are as follows

1) George Mason - in footprint, looking to leave, good basketball, no football

2) Hofstra - see above. The team we SHOULD have taken instead of Fordham

3) Drexel
4) BU or Northeastern
5) Sienna

If Davidson were interested, we might be willing to talk. The A-10, even after losing Butler, STL, Dayton, Charlotte, Xavier, and Temple still has 10 teams. So adding GMU and Hostra would do the following

A-10 South - VCU, GMU, GWU, Richmond, LaSalle, Duquesne
A-10 North - URI, UMass, Hofstra, Fordham, St Bona, St Joes

If we want 14, we add a Boston school and Drexel. Both of those get placed in the North and St Joes gets shifted to the South.

Either way, that's still a 2-3 bid league most years. Not a bad landing place.

Tom, Hofstra over Stony Brook?? Curious as to why.

I would take GMU and Stony Brook assuming Butler, Xavier, Dayton, St. Louis leave and Richmond and VCU stay.

VCU, Richmond, GMU, GW, La Salle, St. Joe's
Fordham, Stony Brook, UMass, URI, St. Bony, Duquense

South Division is great for travel and travel partners make cross division travel cake. North Division gives you two teams in NYC, 2 teams in NE, Pittsburgh, and St. Bony. If Umass leaves then you take Northeastern to keep the Boston/Massachusetts presence.
03-13-2013 12:00 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
stever20 Offline
Legend
*

Posts: 46,227
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation: 725
I Root For: Sports
Location:
Post: #13
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
I think the team that the A10 will grab quickly is Detroit. It expands the footprint west. Detroit and GMU would be good adds for them I think. Don't need Stony Brook.
03-13-2013 12:58 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
LostInSpace Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,101
Joined: Sep 2004
Reputation: 48
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #14
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
The A10 has had the same principles for the schools they've added for years. They've looked for schools that have basketball as their highest athletic priorty, have a basketball budget at or above the average for A10 teams and have demonstrated an ability to generate NCAA units. They've been willing to expand the conference footprint only for schools that satisfy all three criteria. Fordham is the only instance where they've deviated in any significant way from those principles and it's the biggest mistake the conference has ever made. I doubt that lesson is lost on the A10's leaders. With that in mind:

Ohio and other schools that play 63 or 85 scholarship football - Stony Brook, Delaware or any other 63 scholarship FCS teams are not getting getting invited and the idea that they would add any FBS teams is even more laughable. No matter how many fantasy scenarios LK concocts, the A10 is not going to throw the Bobcats a lifeline to rescue them from the one bid MAC. Its. Not. Happening. Ever.

Northeastern - mediocre basketball and spends more on hockey than men's basketball. Not getting invited.
BU - See Northeastern. Going to Patriot next year which is a better fit for them anyway.
Drexel - LaSalle won't even schedule them OOC. Two NCAA appearances in the past 25 years. Not getting invited.
Hofstra - probably will be considered but low on list because of few NCAA appearances and low fan interest

Detroit - depends on what happens with Dayton and SLU. If they go to BE then A10 probably sticks to eastern teams
Siena - fits A10 criteria. will be a top target
GMU - has to be top A10 target
Davidson - Will be a top target

The important variable in this is what happens with SLU and Dayton in the next year. I think they end up in the BE. Even if they don't I'm not sure that the A10 is going to do much, if anything, to accommodate them by adding any other midwestern teams since they will remain likely targets for BE expansion. Also the A10 has no inherent interest in being in the midwest. They've expanded there because that's where the best possible additions, schools such as Xavier and SLU, have been located. Other than Wichita State which is too much of a geographic outlier to add, there aren't any no-brainer candidates in the midwest for the A10. They're most likely to focus their attention in the east becasue that's where the best, relatively speaking, targets are.
(This post was last modified: 03-13-2013 07:45 AM by LostInSpace.)
03-13-2013 07:43 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
stever20 Offline
Legend
*

Posts: 46,227
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation: 725
I Root For: Sports
Location:
Post: #15
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
I really don't think Detroit is that much of an outlier, even if Dayton goes. They are close enough to Duquesne. They'd be no more an outlier than Davidson would be. Detroit is not Midwest at all.

Siena I just don't see right at this point. Picked the wrong time to be in the tank.
03-13-2013 08:03 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
LostInSpace Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,101
Joined: Sep 2004
Reputation: 48
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #16
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-13-2013 08:03 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I really don't think Detroit is that much of an outlier, even if Dayton goes. They are close enough to Duquesne. They'd be no more an outlier than Davidson would be. Detroit is not Midwest at all.

Siena I just don't see right at this point. Picked the wrong time to be in the tank.

They've had somewhat more NCAA appearances in the past 15 years. They have far better fan support. They averaged better than 6k this season despite being awful and playing in the MAAC. Detriot can't get people interested when they're good. Siena is a far better geographic fit. They're a bus trip for most A10 members. Duquesne and maybe SBU are the only A10 members other than Dayton (if they remain) within bus distance of Detroit. Lastly, they've demonstrated committment to being successful. They fired Buonaguro after three seasons. I'd be shocked if they aren't ahead of Detroit among the possible candidates.

Davidson is in an area (Charlotte and NC in general) that A10 schools target for prospective students. Detroit isn't. Davidson is also a much more successful basketball program and is a more academically prestigous school. Conversely, Davidson recruits for students heavily in the mid-atlantic and northeast. They're a much better fit than Detroit, not to mention that the A10 has had a presence in Charlotte for most of the past decade.
(This post was last modified: 03-13-2013 08:40 AM by LostInSpace.)
03-13-2013 08:21 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Advertisement


Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #17
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-13-2013 07:43 AM)LostInSpace Wrote:  Ohio and other schools that play 63 or 85 scholarship football - Stony Brook, Delaware or any other 63 scholarship FCS teams are not getting getting invited and the idea that they would add any FBS teams is even more laughable. No matter how many fantasy scenarios LK concocts, the A10 is not going to throw the Bobcats a lifeline to rescue them from the one bid MAC. Its. Not. Happening. Ever.

I hate to deflate your anger over the suggestion that top attendance and budget school left on the board with a 13,000 basketball arena is not looking at joining the A10. The fact is that is exactly what the Ohio administration wants to do. I do know something.

The A10 has had FBS members in the past. Why haven't they gone direction in recent additions? Its because they've had a pair of recent Final Four teams in Butler and VCU available and waiting. That made sense. You've got to realize that the A10 here may be looking at grabbing as many as 5 schools this time around.

If the A10 is looking at 4-5 schools, schools like Delaware and Stony Brook are going to naturally show up on the list and it may be part of a deal to help those schools move up and join the MAC football only. I see the MAC and A10 trying to work together to ensure the stability of both leagues.

Here is a scenario you could see in a few years, UConn accepts a spot in the ACC. UMass is invited to join the Aresco league. UMass having A10 membership decides to stay there for basketball and go football only into the Aresco league. That makes a ton of sense at this point for any NE school. Ditto for Delaware or any future NE expansion school to the Aresco league. The all sports conference only makes sense for the southern schools that don't have any good local mid major options.

Temple I would not be surprised if it returned to the A10 at some point and played FB only in the Aresco League.....
03-13-2013 08:40 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Louis Kitton Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 5,000
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 27
I Root For: High Fashion
Location: Paris Online
Post: #18
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-13-2013 08:21 AM)LostInSpace Wrote:  
(03-13-2013 08:03 AM)stever20 Wrote:  I really don't think Detroit is that much of an outlier, even if Dayton goes. They are close enough to Duquesne. They'd be no more an outlier than Davidson would be. Detroit is not Midwest at all.

Siena I just don't see right at this point. Picked the wrong time to be in the tank.

They've had somewhat more NCAA appearances in the past 15 years. They have far better fan support. They averaged better than 6k this season despite being awful and playing in the MAAC. Detriot can't get people interested when they're good. Siena is a far better geographic fit. They're a bus trip for most A10 members. Duquesne and maybe SBU are the only A10 members other than Dayton (if they remain) within bus distance of Detroit. Lastly, they've demonstrated committment to being successful. They fired Buonaguro after three seasons. I'd be shocked if they aren't ahead of Detroit among the possible candidates.

Davidson is in an area (Charlotte and NC in general) that A10 schools target for prospective students. Detroit isn't. Davidson is also a much more successful basketball program and is a more academically prestigous school. Conversely, Davidson recruits for students heavily in the mid-atlantic and northeast. They're a much better fit than Detroit, not to mention that the A10 has had a presence in Charlotte for most of the past decade.

I agree with you here that Davidson is a better pick up than Detroit but they've been conservative about conference moves in the past. Davidson has been a member of the Southern Conference since 1936 and has spearheaded the movement of private schools into the Southern Conference.

Davidson also has an enrollment of 1800. Northeastern has 22,000 students. George Mason has 32,000 students. If the A10 wants to bill itself as a big time league bigger schools will do that.

I don't see the A10 going back into St. Louis to add Lindenwood since they've had a presence there with SLU for a decade or Dayton for Wright State. The only trend I've noticed with the A10 is they prefer the highest profile basketball schools available. SLU and Charlotte were coming in from CUSA a power basketball league hence why they were added.

They've taken a gamble on Fordham because of the NYC market even without strong basketball. They might take a few gambles this time out too with limited alternatives except plucking from low major conferences.
03-13-2013 08:56 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
LostInSpace Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,101
Joined: Sep 2004
Reputation: 48
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #19
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
(03-13-2013 08:40 AM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  I hate to deflate your anger over the suggestion that top attendance and budget school left on the board with a 13,000 basketball arena is not looking at joining the A10. The fact is that is exactly what the Ohio administration wants to do. I do know something.

The A10 has had FBS members in the past. Why haven't they gone direction in recent additions? Its because they've had a pair of recent Final Four teams in Butler and VCU available and waiting. That made sense. You've got to realize that the A10 here may be looking at grabbing as many as 5 schools this time around.

If the A10 is looking at 4-5 schools, schools like Delaware and Stony Brook are going to naturally show up on the list and it may be part of a deal to help those schools move up and join the MAC football only. I see the MAC and A10 trying to work together to ensure the stability of both leagues.

Here is a scenario you could see in a few years, UConn accepts a spot in the ACC. UMass is invited to join the Aresco league. UMass having A10 membership decides to stay there for basketball and go football only into the Aresco league. That makes a ton of sense at this point for any NE school. Ditto for Delaware or any future NE expansion school to the Aresco league. The all sports conference only makes sense for the southern schools that don't have any good local mid major options.

Temple I would not be surprised if it returned to the A10 at some point and played FB only in the Aresco League.....

Ive got nothing against Ohio, but the A10 is not going to add FBS schools. The conference has been forced to constantly reinvent itself because of FBS realignment. It's in that position again for ****'s sake. Temple, thirty-one years ago, before FBS football began all of its constant shifting is the only FBS member the A10 has ever added to replace a deaprting member. The A10 wants abolutely nothing to do with FBS football because it will only continue to harm the conference. I understand what's in it for Ohio, because the MAC has devolved into a one bid conference. What you don't want to accept is that the A10 members know their own history and they haven't and aren't going to align themselves with FBS schools in the future. UMass being the lone exception since they are a founding member of the conference and moved to FBS while a member.

It doesn't matter whether Ohio wants to join the A10. They don't fit the profile that the A10 has repeatedly demonstrated they prefer regardless of whether Ohio is good or has a large arena. BU which more closely fits the A10's desired profile tried for a couple of decades to get into the A10 and ultimately gave up and joined the Patriot. Hofstra which also now fits the desired profile has been lobbying the A10 for years and still hasn't been invited.

In the past 30 years, the A10 has added one member, Richmond, that plays 63 scholarship football and is also a school that clearly never had any intention of moving to FBS. They've added eight that either played non-scholarship football or don't play football at all. This isn't complicated. They've demonstrated what they want and it's to be aligned with schools that don't play scholarship football. It's the most sensible strategy for the A10 because they can be certain that basketball will be the largest recipient of AD funding. The fact that it may be incovenient for Ohio, UD or any other school to be stuck in a crappy basketball conference is irrelevant. If they want to play full scholarship FCS or FBS football it's their issue to resolve where to place their olympic sports, not the A10's.
(This post was last modified: 03-13-2013 09:40 AM by LostInSpace.)
03-13-2013 09:31 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
solohawks Online
Hall of Famer
*

Posts: 20,782
Joined: May 2008
Reputation: 810
I Root For: UNCW
Location: Wilmington, NC
Post: #20
RE: Atlantic 10 Expansion: New Perspective
I don't see the A10 wanting to add a geographic outlier so I would not really think any Horizon schools would be in the running. I think after everyone leaves we will see 1 southern school and 1 northern school added. GMU is imo almost a given being that southern school considering the support they would have from VCU and Richmond. Again that proposed southern division of the new A10 would be very solid by all standards.

The northern school is more a tossup. I still think Stony Brook would be the best fit in the mold of UMass and URI. Both those schools have football programs, but both are passionate about basketball. Look at Stony Brook's commitment to athletics overall the success they have had and I think they are a no brainer. But if having a football program is that much of a deterrent, I do think a school from the MAAC or Hofstra would likely get the call.
03-13-2013 10:47 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 




User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)


Copyright © 2002-2024 Collegiate Sports Nation Bulletin Board System (CSNbbs), All Rights Reserved.
CSNbbs is an independent fan site and is in no way affiliated to the NCAA or any of the schools and conferences it represents.
This site monetizes links. FTC Disclosure.
We allow third-party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit our web site. These companies may use non-personally identifiable information (e.g., click stream information, browser type, time and date, subject of advertisements clicked or scrolled over) during your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you. These companies typically use a cookie or third party web beacon to collect this information. To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice or to opt-out of this type of advertising, you can visit http://www.networkadvertising.org.
Powered By MyBB, © 2002-2024 MyBB Group.