Future of East Coast Conferences

[danefan]

Its been proposed to the America East by Albany's AD a few times for sure, but it appears the non-football schools (BU, Vermont, Bing) don't really want football.

I think in the end, if the CAA football-only schools do leave (or are asked to leave), they will go in different directions...

UMass might move up...but I for one hope they don't, yet...

UNH and Maine will look for a new conference together...I hope UMass is with them initially...

URI might look in a different direction since they really have not been competitive in a while and IMHO, haven't tried realy hard to be competitive in the A-10/CAA...

A new conference might emerge with the four schools plus Albany, and a few others...

But in the end, I'm not convinced the current CAA won't just continue...

Just because others don't like our arrangement, it works for us...

I agree. There are 3 things that can realistically cause the CAA North teams to move on:

1. Moving up to FBS (unlikely for the foreseeable future)
2. Forced split by the NCAA (unlikely)
3. Travel costs become prohibitive (more likely than the other 2)

Until that, I don't see them moving anywhere.

its more likely, IMO, that the following scenario plays out:

1. URI moves to the NEC for football (rumblings that this discussion is taking place)
2. Northeastern leaves the CAA in all-sports for the A10 and the NEC for football (rumor is Northeastern is shopping for a new all-sports conference)
3. CAA North adds Albany and Stony Brook (both would jump at it if they had the choice)

[89Hen]

JMU, ODU, UDel, UMass, App State, and GaSo have all been suggested as schools to move up.

The other is the also rumored "FCS Powers" conference, with a good core of CAA, App, ODU, GaSo, and maybe an existing IA.

This is mostly speculation on my part, I'll admit, but based on everything I know about this situation it seems the most likely.

Agreed on the 'speculation'. All the suggestions and rumors are on fan message boards and really don't have much credibility. Lots of fans wish their team would move up so they come up with all kinds of wild scenarios. The truth is, the BCS isn't going to share anything with a bunch of I-AA's and their conferences are all full (I guess there's one spot in the Big 10, er 11). Without a home, there is no place in I-A for anyone right now.

[Col Hogan]

JMU, ODU, UDel, UMass, App State, and GaSo have all been suggested as schools to move up.

The other is the also rumored "FCS Powers" conference, with a good core of CAA, App, ODU, GaSo, and maybe an existing IA.

This is mostly speculation on my part, I'll admit, but based on everything I know about this situation it seems the most likely.

Agreed on the 'speculation'. All the suggestions and rumors are on fan message boards and really don't have much credibility. Lots of fans wish their team would move up so they come up with all kinds of wild scenarios. The truth is, the BCS isn't going to share anything with a bunch of I-AA's and their conferences are all full (I guess there's one spot in the Big 10, er 11). Without a home, there is no place in I-A for anyone right now .

SPOT ON!... all talk about moving up is just hot air without a willing QUALITY recipient conference...of which there are none right now...

[LastMinuteman]

I agree. There are 3 things that can realistically cause the CAA North teams to move on:

1. Moving up to FBS (unlikely for the foreseeable future)
2. Forced split by the NCAA (unlikely)
3. Travel costs become prohibitive (more likely than the other 2)

Travel costs are unlikely to get worse in a bigger CAA. The more teams you add, the fewer interdivisional games you play.

its more likely, IMO, that the following scenario plays out:

1. URI moves to the NEC for football (rumblings that this discussion is taking place)
2. Northeastern leaves the CAA in all-sports for the A10 and the NEC for football (rumor is Northeastern is shopping for a new all-sports conference)
3. CAA North adds Albany and Stony Brook (both would jump at it if they had the choice)

Northeastern has no chance of getting into the A10. If the A10 wants a Boston school, they'll invite Boston University, like they nearly did in 2005 when they brought in Charlotte and St. Louis instead.

I want no part of a new Northern football conference. We can't trust the other Northern schools to take football seriously. Their primary motivation to break away seems to be so they can slack off and not put as much into their programs as the CAA South does. Let 'em leave and we'll get Delaware and Villanova back on UMass's schedule every year. Those are our highest attended games anyway, since UConn left.

[dbackjon]

Welcome, Lastminuteman

[Col Hogan]

I agree. There are 3 things that can realistically cause the CAA North teams to move on:

1. Moving up to FBS (unlikely for the foreseeable future)
2. Forced split by the NCAA (unlikely)
3. Travel costs become prohibitive (more likely than the other 2)

Travel costs are unlikely to get worse in a bigger CAA. The more teams you add, the fewer interdivisional games you play.

its more likely, IMO, that the following scenario plays out:

1. URI moves to the NEC for football (rumblings that this discussion is taking place)
2. Northeastern leaves the CAA in all-sports for the A10 and the NEC for football (rumor is Northeastern is shopping for a new all-sports conference)
3. CAA North adds Albany and Stony Brook (both would jump at it if they had the choice)

Northeastern has no chance of getting into the A10. If the A10 wants a Boston school, they'll invite Boston University, like they nearly did in 2005 when they brought in Charlotte and St. Louis instead.

I want no part of a new Northern football conference. We can't trust the other Northern schools to take football seriously. Their primary motivation to break away seems to be so they can slack off and not put as much into their programs as the CAA South does. Let 'em leave and we'll get Delaware and Villanova back on UMass's schedule every year. Those are our highest attended games anyway, since UConn left.

My brother from another mother!!!! Welcome and stick around...we need more UMass posters such as this on the board...

[death dealer]

App won't go to FBS for the Sun Belt. If Georgia Southern are smart, neither will they (or anyone else).

Conference USA might split off as East Carolina isn't happy and I imagine Marshall isn't either as half the conference is in Texas/Louisiana. I could see a block of FCS teams making the jump into a new conference with East Carolina, Marshall and UCF.

If the Big East and CAA spliter, then all hell will break loose. It'll be a scramble for open spots.

The ACC and SEC aren't changing anytime soon unless something unexpected happens.

Out west, the only big thing I see happening is the Pac 10 becoming the Pac 12, probably adding on Boise St and Hawaii.

How about if the ACC loses it's BCS status simply for the fact that they suck ass monkeys' cocks????

[ToTheLeft]

Liberty's plan has and will be to move up to FBS... just not in the near future. With Presby becoming a full member next year, the Big South will have the teams needed to maintain autobid status. We need to find another to give us some insurance in case Presby or CSU bomb out of DI, or VMI bails for a different conference (there have been distant rumblings about this...)

I would like to see a CAA split that includes Liberty and VMI being scooped up with the CAA South teams, yet I just don't see that happening. I would also like to see the Big South add a team or two, but I don't see that happening, either. We have so many all-sport but no football members (Like Winthrop, UNCA, High Point, and now Campbell), and so there's isn't much room to expand.

In a perfect world, I would like to see a Virginia and the Carolinas conference at the FCS level to tide us over until we move up to FBS. Something like the Big South, just more stable... like bringing back Elon and adding another SoCon team or William and Mary, or maybe even Towson or something... I know none of that would ever, ever happen.

[89Hen]

I would like to see a CAA split that includes Liberty and VMI being scooped up with the CAA South teams

VMI? Not a very good fit with the CAA South. Weaker than Towson this year.

[DJH]

I just assumed that within the next 5 years, the CAA would just all move up to FBS, and then they would then get the autobid to the rose bowl, while also occupying the rest of the at-large spots to the BCS.

[ToTheLeft]

I would like to see a CAA split that includes Liberty and VMI being scooped up with the CAA South teams

VMI? Not a very good fit with the CAA South. Weaker than Towson this year.

I know... but there is no other Big South school that could come to the CAA with Liberty...

[Col Hogan]

I just assumed that within the next 5 years, the CAA would just all move up to FBS, and then they would then get the autobid to the rose bowl, while also occupying the rest of the at-large spots to the BCS.

You are learning, young grasshopper...

[T-Dog]

I would like to see a CAA split that includes Liberty and VMI being scooped up with the CAA South teams

VMI? Not a very good fit with the CAA South. Weaker than Towson this year.

Remember, VMI left the SoCon because their sports sucked so bad. They're fine in the Big South right now.