bosiydid

I'm not upset ONE BIT at SBU...but this BS conference is a joke. Lets see...let's put the screws to BU and then turn around and be the 'power bottom' for SBU. SBU did the right thing by them to ask for the waiver...the AE should have done the right thing and FOLLOWED it's by-laws. By not doing so they again embarrass themselves by showing how inconsistent and whipped they are by a few programs in the AE.

Trust me, this will have ZERO effect on SBU staying or going if the intent was not to piss of SBU.

Stupid league! Retarded administrators and commissioners.

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bosiydid

The more I think about it...the more they should have just left BU alone and let them compete...If you then go and pull this stunt. Either play by your own rules or don't...or next time it will be your program getting the high hard one...!

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oceandogs

omg yes. The same way every AE championship since Delaware, Hofstra, Drexel were no longer eligible has been hollow, right?

Redwyn

First, I'll put a caveat that I was for this being held at Nassau Coliseum rather than Pritchard. It's in a more populated area and closer to NYC/Queens - where a huge percentage of our alumni base hails. That said, our only chance to fill even a small part of that place (about 10K capacity for basketball) is if we played Albany in the championship. No offense UVM, but no one on LI really cares about an SBU/UVM matchup except the diehards who know what a pedigree you are in the AEC. This isn't biased thinking, it's absolutely true. As was shown at an amazing atmosphere 2 years ago during football season - LI LOVES Albany vs. SBU. That said - before I get jumped - I know SBU isn't but a small fraction of the market share on LI themselves. We're mid majors, that's it.

All this being said, frankly I couldn't care less where the championship game is held. We play in a conference that is affected almost as much by poor officiating than home-court advantage. Twice today we had an SBU player called for an offensive foul without anyone in front of him. On multiple occasions players from both teams landed on the court after contact with no foul called. Multiple travels with no calls on both sides. Inconsistent calling from the ref on one side of the court vs. the other. It's detestable.

As for this "AEC Favoritism" - you bet your a$$ SBU is going to be favored. Like it or not - and it may/will take decades - SBU WILL elevate itself to the level of its peer institutions. And I don't mean academically - I mean by school demographic and constituency population. Let's be honest: esp with the addition of Lowell, the AEC is a hockey conference that likes to play other sports (maybe Lax) sometimes. Hockey schools outnumber football. Hockey schools outnumber Lax and Baseball. Hockey is king in NE, and everyone knows it - esp the schools that don't sponsor it. So if a school that can potentially attract a large scale income for a conference-sponsored sport is attempting to flex its media muscle - it's in the AEC's best interest to milk it as long as possible before its cash cow leaves. This attention isn't to keep SBU from leaving - as many of you astutely noted it's LEAVING eventually (as will Albany, which has a pile of potential in and of itself). It's doing it to maximize the financial benefit of our continued membership.

Look at the AEC Arbitron market ranking (I used radio because it has more local subdivisions - TV is very similar though):
19 - Stony Brook (Long Island, Nassau/Suffolk)
21 - UMBC (Baltimore)
52 - Hartford (Hartford/New Britain/Middletown)
65 - Albany (Albany/Schenectady/Troy)
143 - Vermont (Burlington)
183 - Binghamton (Binghamton)
NR - U Maine (Only Portland is listed at #90)
NR - UNH (don't know what county group they're in. All NH stations are 100+)
NR - Lowell (considered a subarb of Boston on radio rankings)

Only Binghamton likely gets a lion's share of its media market, and you can bet that SBU gets a MUCH larger percentage of LI than UMBC does Baltimore. SO YES - the commissioner will listen to SBU. Because every single one of you would do the same if a MASSIVE percentage of your conference's market share depended on it. Is it fair, probably not. Is it without pitfalls - absolutely not. Is it good for business - YES. Media = Money, and Money = Leverage. Done.

So in summary: SBU will host (if given the privilege, which is a BIG IF) the conference championship game at Pritchard because one day the conference hopes to play its conference tournament/championship in our new arena. An arena that would be one of the largest in a 3 million+ man island, and one that doesn't double as a hockey arena. An arena that could cast a GREAT light on the conference when it's filled - and you all know we can fill it. And - most of all - an arena you hope to see regularly for a very long time.

UVM Hoop Cat

I agree the league office is absolutely moronic for allowing this to happen, but can't say I'm surprised.

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"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Catamount05

Obviously this isn't anything against SBU. However, why is this coming to light with a few games left in the regular season? How about the AE being a little more transparent with their decisions? Can we get a statement from the league at some point to justify this decision, maybe in the event that SBU earns the right to host the championship?

If you want to encourage attendance, how about we hold a championship in an arena that holds more than a middle school gym? Granted, I know UVM's gym is pretty bad, but they fit within the bylaws for attendance. I would be really upset if I was a fan of an opposing team in the championship for the first time and they allowed the school only a couple hundred tickets. What a brilliant way to make the AE look like a legitimate mid-major conference.

Here's to rooting a little harder for Stony Brook to get bounced in Albany.

Albany Weave

What is the big deal if the championship game is played in the tiny gym in Stony Brook if they earn the #1 seed? As the #1 seed, they earned the right to host the game. If the visiting team were to get 300 tickets, that would be a greater percentage of tickets compared to 600 in the arena.In my opinion, if Stony Brook were to win the championship at home, it is completely legit. Not tainted.

UVM Hoop Cat

No, just for this season. It's just been a strange year in decision making- that BU is ineligible to compete (and they swept us) and now SBU has been granted to (potentially) host the tournament in a gym that is against the league rules.

Seems pretty hollow to me, just for this season.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

UVM Hoop Cat

Well....The big deal is up until now apparently, it's against the league rules to host in a gym that doesn't have a minimum capacity of 3000.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

UVM Hoop Cat

Nah, the AE doesn't need any more fans it has plenty.....and who wants an additional what, 60K minimum in revenue for ticket sales...Fiore went from bragging they could have sold 8,000 last year to making sure he got his waiver for a 1600 gym....lol. What a fraud.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

Nostrajimus

Jeez, have u guys ever watched Championship Week? This is about Sportscenter highlights. I thought the AE conf was an academic conf full of smart folks? Hello, McFly??????????????????????????????????

I posted about this same issue a few years ago when UMO was 7-1 in the AE, and actually had a shot.

goBing

The AE got to find a way to get stony brook to the NCAA somehow.

UVM Hoop Cat

Hopefully UMBC or UNH makes the final then, because they won't have 280-300 fans attend, and the entire thing will look even more ridiculous than it already would.

Small time conference is small time with this move.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

nycwolf

Blah blah blah. I am guessing you guys don't believe in medical red shirts either?

What do the by laws say? Is there a rule when your gym is in the middle of renovation? What does the by law specifically say?

Another great tidbit is the league presidents and ADs vote on it. If this is allowed it means YOUR AD voted on it! Thank them.

Bu is leaving the league why would the AE give them anything?

If you don't want to be "embarrassed" with a small gym, you need to win the league. Very simple.

It can't be anymore embarrassing than BU blacking out both fend zone seating on national tv!

UVM Hoop Cat

Bylaws state championship game must be played in a gym w/ 3000 capacity and minimum 600 tickets given to opposing school.

There's no vote for this, and you're out of skull if you think all the other school's AD would vote for this- this is the third try for SBU to get this waiver...guess third time is the charm. Or, try all summer to leave for the CAA is the charm.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005