Stony Brook extends its Big South Contract to 2015

[danefan]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/f ... rook.0131/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -The Big South and Stony Brook have announced a four-year extension that will keep the Seawolves as a football-only member of the conference through 2015.

While the Long Island school in a Southern league is hardly a natural fit, both sides need each other.

Stony Brook joined the Big South in 2008 after rejecting the Northeast Conference's new scholarship restrictions. The Big South needed to expand to have enough teams to get an automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

The Big South champion is guaranteed a postseason berth for the first time this year.

Stony Brook shared the 2009 Big South title with Liberty after upsetting the Flames in the season finale.

Stony Brook competes in the America East in other sports.

More evidence that nothing is happening with the CAA/Northeast other than URI moving to the NEC for the foreseeable future.

[Seawolf97]

Just what I had hoped for. It is an improving conference and has helped our program immensly. Who knows what lies ahead with the CAA or any start up conference . By 2015 it could be a new football landscape in the Northeast.

[DKHardee]

They should just rename the conference the Eastern Athletic Conference (EAC) so it won't be a geographical problem and add Stony Brook as a full member. lol.

[EagleDawg]

Now if we can just get the deciders at Liberty and Coastal to stay put for the next 4 years too, then the conference will be stable and maybe get a window to add 1 or 2 more teams to reduce the need to schedule 5 OOC games each year. That would be great. Everyone could then schedule a BCS team, a SOCON team and one other FCS OOC game and be set.

[Sly Fox]

So danefan, you still feel it was wise for you guys to pass on the invite? The guys on Long Island seem pleased with the deal.

[Seawolf97]

Interesting side note. it was reported today 9/4 in the Long Island Newsday that StonyBrook starting with the 2011 season will play two FBS teams every season going forward. I know next year we have Buffalo and we just scheduled
Boston College in 2013 so our OOC schedule just got little tougher. I know there is talk of a Syracuse or UConn game in 2014 and possibly Northwestern out there also.
I think being in the Big South and extending our contract has been quite a benefit as to developing our program.
We still have a long way to go -but hey 10 years ago today we were somewhere between D3 and D1 playing on our little dirt field playing in front of 300 fans.

[dbackjon]

So danefan, you still feel it was wise for you guys to pass on the invite? The guys on Long Island seem pleased with the deal.

Quite a few people criticized the move, and derided those of us that thought it was a win-win for both parties.

[danefan]

So danefan, you still feel it was wise for you guys to pass on the invite? The guys on Long Island seem pleased with the deal.

I'm not so sure anymore.

[aceinthehole]

So danefan, you still feel it was wise for you guys to pass on the invite? The guys on Long Island seem pleased with the deal.

I'm not so sure anymore.

Why? We could have URI and Maine in the NEC in a few years

[danefan]

I'm not so sure anymore.

Why? We could have URI and Maine in the NEC in a few years

At 23 scholarships less than what is needed to compete for national championships and 17 less than what is needed for real national exposure for our programs (BCS games.)

That's my only gripe with the NEC

[aceinthehole]

Why? We could have URI and Maine in the NEC in a few years

At 23 scholarships less than what is needed to compete for national championships and 17 less than what is needed for real national exposure for our programs (BCS games.)

That's my only gripe with the NEC

Fair point, I can't argue with that. Right now that's the only thing hold the NEC back.

[Seawolf97]

At 23 scholarships less than what is needed to compete for national championships and 17 less than what is needed for real national exposure for our programs (BCS games.)

That's my only gripe with the NEC

Fair point, I can't argue with that. Right now that's the only thing hold the NEC back.

And that is a big thing. Tonights game with USF is on SNY TV, Dish Network and Sat. Radio. Plus we are getting 350,000 dollars for showing up. Thats a nice check for the program and good media exposure. We were in the NEC and wouldn't see that type of coverage against a Sacred Heart or St. Francis (PA) or the paycheck. True they are going to beat us up , but one must start somewhere>