I was thinking........if Bryant is really being considered seriously as #9 (and I think that they are)............that gives AE 5 football schools under its wing. There is some SERIOUS talk of Villanova dropping football now that it is leaving the Big East. I think that they will. Monmouth and Wagner are most likely leaving for the MAAC but need football homes. Those moves would kill Northeast Conference football which would free up Central Connecticut to join as an AE football affiliate:
Maine
UNH
Bryant
Albany
Stony Brook
*URI
*Central Connecticut
* Wagner
*Monmouth
* Football affiliates
Of course, this would only happen if CAA Football disintegrates..........could happen if Nova drops and JMU leaves.
The chance SBU would agree to this arrangement is below 0. The school has no intentions of remaining in FCS long enough to watch every chip fall, and has very little relationship with any of those programs (except Albany and maybe UNH) in terms of budget, market, and athletic commitment.
I think the speed of our move will heavily depend on the chips falling above. If SBU sees its window of opportunity for an FBS move closing (and it's nowhere near that yet), it will spend whatever possible to negotiate a way up. Even if it's the MAC, they will make that move (hell, I'd love to see us in a conference with Buffalo).
I doubt Albany would be very happy in that conference either, especially with the recent budget infusion and upgrade in football. All in all, it's a humongous step down for football for either program to accept that arrangement, even temporarily. By moving to the CAA both Albany and Stony Brook made the perfectly clear statement that their institutional priority is football. That's not the case for Maine, UNH, and URI. Even if the rest of the membership claim the same, their budgetary wherewithal doesn't come close to what either SUNY can put up.
Not being unreasonably arrogant about my school here...I just don't ever see us being happy in the same conference as Bryant, C Conn, Monmouth, and Wagner ever again.
So guys.........when Villanova drops football, JMU leaves for an FBS conference, and Richmond and W&M join the Patriot for football.........what exactly are your plans for Maine, UNH, Albany, Stony Brook, Delaware and Towson????
When you're right, you're right. But assuming Maine is Title IX balanced right now WITH 63 men getting football scholarships, there would have to be some machinations to get re-aligned without football.
When you're right, you're right. But assuming Maine is Title IX balanced right now WITH 63 men getting football scholarships, there would have to be some machinations to get re-aligned without football.
Villanova cancelling football is not imminent. Might happen within 8 years or something, but it's not going to happen for at least a few years, although I could see a Patriot League move sooner.
Maine needs to do one of 2 things: 1) Decide they are going to handle their athletic programs like a business and go all in (hire an AD who is commited to winning and increasing revenue & hire talented coaches who have the skills to produce winning programs) or 2) Get the F out of Dodge- Northeast 10 and down to D-2.
Status quo ain't working. Fans and alumni that pay attention (I am both) know the athletic department is a complete mess. MJ knows...
It comes down to this.........it's a waste of $16 million. There is NO ROI........UMaine is getting NOTHING out of this......and neither is the state or taxpayers.
to be honest, I love CAA football but the conference as a whole should just fold....
let JMU go fbs football and go for socon sports
W&M to patriot for everything.
Richmond goes to socon for football
Villanova joins catholic league then you have
AMERICA EAST MAINE ALBANY SB UNH
add URI/VU affiliate, UD and towson for all sports again.
So there is 8 teams. now AE has 10 members.
add NU and (bryant or ccsu) for all sports.
thats 12 schools for all sports 9 for football.
great conference from maryland to maine.
I like how CAA football is at the moment. Its a good mixture of northern and southern teams. Gives different flavor to conference schedule. And if JMU leaves for FBS, then the scheduling gets easier with 10 even teams.
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