I agree that travel cost is probably a factor in OOC scheduling with the Ivy, Patriot, MAAC, NEC, etc. There is also some long standing "rivalries" -- quotes because of a lot history of playing rather than the emotion normally associated with rivalries. I'd like to see some of these games continue, but would like to see a few new faces on the schedule as well.
I've never done any detailed analysis, but I wonder how costs are impacted by this Wed.-weekend scheduling and no travel partner concept. Last year I know no one played at UNH and at Maine on the same trip which logically seems foolish unless you fly to/from Maine -- UNH is 10 miles off I-95 on your way North! And it always seems illogical to me that Albany & Binghamton aren't weekend trips -- everyone but SBU and UMBC I think drives through Albany to go to Binghamton!!! Why do the drive twice???
Anyway, if OOC games within the season weren't frowned upon then more teams could bundle an OOC game on their trip to Baltimore. For example, Maine & UNH as travel partners could bundle a weekend with UMBC & their new A-10 football partner and former AE mate Towson! If there is too much bad blood with the CAA defectors than hook up with someone else in the Baltimore-DC area!
I like Jeff's idea of Maine and UNH bundling games with OOC opponents. Obviously, BU & NU are naturals for the same idea. Even Albany and Binghamton could do this easily as well, or Albany and Hartford. For that matter, if the Boston schools don't want to cooperate, Hartford or even UNH could bundle with either Boston school.
About 20 years ago, the Cumberand County Civic Center (Portland) hosted a double header with UNH playing Boston College and Maine playing South Carolina (if memory isn't failing me!!) that I recall was pretty well attended. Let's put it this way, there were more people than two excellent crowds in Durham and Orono combined! Maybe with some help from the Choice folks for decent hotel rates then a two day event could be scheduled at the Verizon Center or the CCCC in Portland. Manchester with SW Airlines service (for another cost savings!) might be a great site for a UNH-Boston school foray switching opponents on the subsequent night. Providence and Hartford also have SW service (sorry, don't know about Albany). Baltimore also has SW service! Shoot, PanAM out of Pease (Portsmouth, NH -- less than 10 miles to Durham) could be chartered for anything at the Whitt or the CCCC.
Bottom line is that the possibilities are endless!