Dartmouth MBB votes to form a union
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/05/123587765...ction-nlrb

(01-04-2024 09:28 AM)W+M4TW Wrote:  FSU lawsuit could kick off another round of realignment. Doubt it would involve us but I see something like the following:
FSU, Clemson --> SEC
UVA, UNC, maybe Duke if they take a reduced payout-->B1G
Pitt, Tech, G'Tech, NC State-->B12
Stanford, Cal return to new PAC which is largely MW merger with potentially a scheduling agreement with new ACC for football.

ACC keeps Louisville, Cuse, BC, SMU and Wake. Adds UConn, Temple, Tulane, ECU, Memphis.

AAC snags JMU, Delaware, UMass and Ga Southern/Liberty. Conference USA looks again for FCS adds.

JMU has no interest in the AAC.

Please. JMU's on the same stair master as everyone else. Sun Belt schools earn what, ~$2M/yr through their ESPN deal? Less? AAC schools earn ~$7M. They would move up if they can.

(03-13-2024 02:04 PM)Tank55 Wrote:  Please. JMU's on the same stair master as everyone else. Sun Belt schools earn what, ~$2M/yr through their ESPN deal? Less? AAC schools earn ~$7M. They would move up if they can.

The next AAC media deal won't be as lucrative. There isn't much left in that conference that anyone outside of the immediate school fanbases wants to watch.

(03-13-2024 02:21 PM)NC Tribe Wrote:  The next AAC media deal won't be as lucrative. There isn't much left in that conference that anyone outside of the immediate school fanbases wants to watch.

The question is not whether the next AAC media deal will be worth than the current, the question is whether the next AAC media deal will be worth more than the next Sun Belt media deal. I'd be surprised if the Sun Belt achieves parity, but certainly a lot will change between now and 2033.

Delaware Soccer is joining the Summit League

https://bluehens.com/news/2024/4/4/mens-...mit-league

Current members are the University of Denver, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University and University of St. Thomas.

Brutal travel schedule, I'm sorta surprised there wasn't an east coast conference willing to add them.

(03-13-2024 02:21 PM)NC Tribe Wrote:  

(03-13-2024 02:04 PM)Tank55 Wrote:  Please. JMU's on the same stair master as everyone else. Sun Belt schools earn what, ~$2M/yr through their ESPN deal? Less? AAC schools earn ~$7M. They would move up if they can.

The next AAC media deal won't be as lucrative. There isn't much left in that conference that anyone outside of the immediate school fanbases wants to watch.

Army and Navy have national followings and arguably the single biggest annual game in college football. This is the core strength of the AAC and why none of the other G5 leagues can come close to matching. To your point, the rest are state regional programs that are near fully dependent on their own fans.

(04-04-2024 07:37 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  Delaware Soccer is joining the Summit League

https://bluehens.com/news/2024/4/4/mens-...mit-league

Current members are the University of Denver, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University and University of St. Thomas.

Brutal travel schedule, I'm sorta surprised there wasn't an east coast conference willing to add them.

So, just to keep this updated, here is the current list of cash strapped UDs new conference rivals beginning 2025:

Kennesaw State
Jacksonville State
Louisiana Tech
Sam Houston
Florida International
Middle Tennessee
UTEP
Western Kentucky
Liberty
New Mexico State
Oral Roberts
Denver
UM Kansas City
Nebraska/Omaha
St Thomas

First, it’s a geographic joke. Second, does this look like a big time upgrade? Will the casual Hens fans care about any of this?

You would think the UD administration would be smarter than this, especially considering you have the examples of UMass and ODU to reflect upon. This shift actually looks like a far worse decision. Hard to believe that was even possible.

It’s sad to lose a great rival like this but I feel even worse for Delaware. The best you can read from their own fanbase is “well, it’s just an intermediate step” as if some new league is going to suddenly appear. I wish they would have joined the position of Brian Mann and committed instead to making the CAA a stronger home, especially since so many of their rivals are already there.

(04-06-2024 08:54 AM)Sitting bull Wrote:  

(04-04-2024 07:37 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  Delaware Soccer is joining the Summit League

https://bluehens.com/news/2024/4/4/mens-...mit-league

Current members are the University of Denver, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the University of Nebraska Omaha, Oral Roberts University and University of St. Thomas.

Brutal travel schedule, I'm sorta surprised there wasn't an east coast conference willing to add them.

So, just to keep this updated, here is the current list of cash strapped UDs new conference rivals beginning 2025:

Kennesaw State
Jacksonville State
Louisiana Tech
Sam Houston
Florida International
Middle Tennessee
UTEP
Western Kentucky
Liberty
New Mexico State
Oral Roberts
Denver
UM Kansas City
Nebraska/Omaha
St Thomas

First, it’s a geographic joke. Second, does this look like a big time upgrade? Will the casual Hens fans care about any of this?

You would think the UD administration would be smarter than this, especially considering you have the examples of UMass and ODU to reflect upon. This shift actually looks like a far worse decision. Hard to believe that was even possible.

It’s sad to lose a great rival like this but I feel even worse for Delaware. The best you can read from their own fanbase is “well, it’s just an intermediate step” as if some new league is going to suddenly appear. I wish they would have joined the position of Brian Mann and committed instead to making the CAA a stronger home, especially since so many of their rivals are already there.

It really is crazy. It seems like Delaware has made the worst of recent decisions by FCS programs. Even UMass saved face by joining the MAC.

https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb...ve-playoff

Maybe this new Group of Five only playoff talk is why Delaware jumped ship now to a terrible conference. This preliminary discussion involves the Group of 5 reorganizing into 8 team divisions:

"That deal would involve a realignment process that re-organizes the 62 schools of the Group of Five conferences into eight-team divisions that would compete for a national championship."

Unless my math is off, 62 schools re-aligning into 8-team regional conferences would sure be easier if there were 64 schools instead of 62. Seems like this is an problem begging for W&M and someone else to move up and solve.

(04-24-2024 04:43 PM)TribeinVB Wrote:  https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb...ve-playoff

Maybe this new Group of Five only playoff talk is why Delaware jumped ship now to a terrible conference. This preliminary discussion involves the Group of 5 reorganizing into 8 team divisions:

"That deal would involve a realignment process that re-organizes the 62 schools of the Group of Five conferences into eight-team divisions that would compete for a national championship."

Unless my math is off, 62 schools re-aligning into 8-team regional conferences would sure be easier if there were 64 schools instead of 62. Seems like this is an problem begging for W&M and someone else to move up and solve.

It seems a thin line from FCS. Not sure if this was any motive for Delaware. Like most of the others in G5 - their drive was to become and compete with the big boys, i.e. P4 schools, not exclusively other G5 programs.

Makes you wonder if these G5 schools will still have to spend and structure like a P4 school only to be boxed in to playing each other. Sounds like a downer if you’re a G5 program.

The real downer was having games with Bryant, Hampton, Campbell, etc., and only having WM and UR on the schedule only once every four years.

Joey D, "United in Excellence", killed it for UD.

Looking forward to the CUSA opponents ahead, the already announced OOC opponents (JMU, Buffalo, UVA, Wake, Colorado, rumored: MD, Pitt, Coastal) and escaping FloSports.

(04-24-2024 07:29 PM)Info Hound Wrote:  The real downer was having games with Bryant, Hampton, Campbell, etc., and only having WM and UR on the schedule only once every four years.

Joey D, "United in Excellence", killed it for UD.

Looking forward to the CUSA opponents ahead, the already announced OOC opponents (JMU, Buffalo, UVA, Wake, Colorado, rumored: MD, Pitt, Coastal) and escaping FloSports.

Acting like a few new (nearby) new CAA adds is beneath you while embracing a league with castoffs in multiple time zones and FCS programs like Kennesaw and Jacksonville State is just insane. As far as the OOC, you don’t need to join some cesspool league to play any of them.

(04-24-2024 07:29 PM)Info Hound Wrote:  The real downer was having games with Bryant, Hampton, Campbell, etc., and only having WM and UR on the schedule only once every four years.

Joey D, "United in Excellence", killed it for UD.

Looking forward to the CUSA opponents ahead, the already announced OOC opponents (JMU, Buffalo, UVA, Wake, Colorado, rumored: MD, Pitt, Coastal) and escaping FloSports.

As an ODU fan in addition to my ties to W&M, I can confidently say that you will not look forward to your CUSA opponents for very long. Your students and fans won't know them and you will never develop rivalries with them. The occasional, and likely disappearing road P4 football game, will not make up for the dreariness that is CUSA basketball and football for an East Coast school like UD.

(04-24-2024 07:42 PM)TribeinVB Wrote:  

(04-24-2024 07:29 PM)Info Hound Wrote:  The real downer was having games with Bryant, Hampton, Campbell, etc., and only having WM and UR on the schedule only once every four years.

Joey D, "United in Excellence", killed it for UD.

Looking forward to the CUSA opponents ahead, the already announced OOC opponents (JMU, Buffalo, UVA, Wake, Colorado, rumored: MD, Pitt, Coastal) and escaping FloSports.

As an ODU fan in addition to my ties to W&M, I can confidently say that you will not look forward to your CUSA opponents for very long. Your students and fans won't know them and you will never develop rivalries with them. The occasional, and likely disappearing road P4 football game, will not make up for the dreariness that is CUSA basketball and football for an East Coast school like UD.

We shall see, but the status quo was not an option.

For all the impatience and insufferable attitudes of JMU fans, their leadership did it right. They pumped up their athletic department and dominated the CAA while competing for FCS national championships. This allowed them to develop a football "brand" that was built upon winning and attracted players from around the country.

Once they outgrew the CAA and FCS they were a coveted target for a midmajor FBS conference like the SunBelt. They were also smart enough to be part of a package that included regional rivals. They were able to leverage their success for the best possible move to set them up for success.

Delaware has done none of that except improve facilities. They aren't known as a football powerhouse and they are limping into FBS as just another unknown entity. Not set up for success at all. It is far easier to use your resources to make a name in FCS football than it is in a low level FBS conference. Bad move made out fo the desire to "do something".

(04-26-2024 05:55 AM)82hawk Wrote:  For all the impatience and insufferable attitudes of JMU fans, their leadership did it right. They pumped up their athletic department and dominated the CAA while competing for FCS national championships. This allowed them to develop a football "brand" that was built upon winning and attracted players from around the country.

Once they outgrew the CAA and FCS they were a coveted target for a midmajor FBS conference like the SunBelt. They were also smart enough to be part of a package that included regional rivals. They were able to leverage their success for the best possible move to set them up for success.

Delaware has done none of that except improve facilities. They aren't known as a football powerhouse and they are limping into FBS as just another unknown entity. Not set up for success at all. It is far easier to use your resources to make a name in FCS football than it is in a low level FBS conference. Bad move made out fo the desire to "do something".

+1

(04-26-2024 10:31 AM)NC Tribe Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 05:55 AM)82hawk Wrote:  For all the impatience and insufferable attitudes of JMU fans, their leadership did it right. They pumped up their athletic department and dominated the CAA while competing for FCS national championships. This allowed them to develop a football "brand" that was built upon winning and attracted players from around the country.

Once they outgrew the CAA and FCS they were a coveted target for a midmajor FBS conference like the SunBelt. They were also smart enough to be part of a package that included regional rivals. They were able to leverage their success for the best possible move to set them up for success.

Delaware has done none of that except improve facilities. They aren't known as a football powerhouse and they are limping into FBS as just another unknown entity. Not set up for success at all. It is far easier to use your resources to make a name in FCS football than it is in a low level FBS conference. Bad move made out fo the desire to "do something".

+1

+2

(04-26-2024 05:07 PM)wm_geographer Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 10:31 AM)NC Tribe Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 05:55 AM)82hawk Wrote:  For all the impatience and insufferable attitudes of JMU fans, their leadership did it right. They pumped up their athletic department and dominated the CAA while competing for FCS national championships. This allowed them to develop a football "brand" that was built upon winning and attracted players from around the country.

Once they outgrew the CAA and FCS they were a coveted target for a midmajor FBS conference like the SunBelt. They were also smart enough to be part of a package that included regional rivals. They were able to leverage their success for the best possible move to set them up for success.

Delaware has done none of that except improve facilities. They aren't known as a football powerhouse and they are limping into FBS as just another unknown entity. Not set up for success at all. It is far easier to use your resources to make a name in FCS football than it is in a low level FBS conference. Bad move made out fo the desire to "do something".

+1

+2

+3