Conference Realignment

[SGreenwell]

UMass already has Cohen (28.9 MPG), Davis (13.7 MPG) and Thompson (27.9 MPG) in the transfer portal, and Cross is likely a graduate transfer at this point if he wants to be one. Most of their other players rated out as average or slightly below average A-10 players, so it's not a guarantee that they go to the MAC and just start dominating. Martin is essentially doing a soft rebuild this year, with the team heading into a weaker conference for 2025-26. I know what he's said publicly, but I think he bolts the second he gets a job offer that's equivalent or better than the A-10.

[NYGFan_Section208]

How? They have sucked since 96’ even if they just make the tourney 1 in 4 they are better than they have been.

If you don’t win that conference, you’re not relevant, is my point.

I agree with that point - but they have not been relevant for 20 years. They have almost zero fan support as it is. I think it is a good move for UMass. Their only chance at relevancy is to be good in a bad conference.

I think it would be terrible for Rhody who has an actual following (albeit dwindling with every year of suckdom).

All about f'ball and the hockey team is all set, hoops is 3rd tier, no one cares

[Jdrums#3]

Wasn’t sure where to place this so put it here since JMU moved up to Sunbelt Conf (FBS)…

Interesting story in sportico.com/leagues/collegesports regarding student fee’s funding college athletics.

According to the story, James Madison University spent $68 mil on athletics in ‘22-23 and collected $53.3 mil in mandatory student fee’s or $2,362 per student for athletics. The largest amount of any FBS public university. Old Dominion was 2nd and Charlotte, FIU and UCF rounded out the top 5 in 22-23.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Wasn’t sure where to place this so put it here since JMU moved up to Sunbelt Conf (FBS)…

Interesting story in sportico.com/leagues/collegesports regarding student fee’s funding college athletics.

According to the story, James Madison University spent $68 mil on athletics in ‘22-23 and collected $53.3 mil in mandatory student fee’s or $2,362 per student for athletics. The largest amount of any FBS public university. Old Dominion was 2nd and Charlotte, FIU and UCF rounded out the top 5 in 22-23.

Yeah, but how much did they contribute to the NIL fund?

[RF1]

Wasn’t sure where to place this so put it here since JMU moved up to Sunbelt Conf (FBS)…

Interesting story in sportico.com/leagues/collegesports regarding student fee’s funding college athletics.

According to the story, James Madison University spent $68 mil on athletics in ‘22-23 and collected $53.3 mil in mandatory student fee’s or $2,362 per student for athletics. The largest amount of any FBS public university. Old Dominion was 2nd and Charlotte, FIU and UCF rounded out the top 5 in 22-23.

This has been an issue in Virginia for over 10 years as it has multiple schools with the highest students fees that go to athletics. The legislature first passed a law limiting the percent of student fees for athletics all the way back in 2015.

https://www.pilotonline.com/2015/03/31/ ... dent-fees/

[jcru]

If you don’t win that conference, you’re not relevant, is my point.

I agree with that point - but they have not been relevant for 20 years. They have almost zero fan support as it is. I think it is a good move for UMass. Their only chance at relevancy is to be good in a bad conference.

I think it would be terrible for Rhody who has an actual following (albeit dwindling with every year of suckdom).

All about f'ball and the hockey team is all set, hoops is 3rd tier, no one cares

Well, Hockey may be the only sport left where the players pay to be on the team, not the other way around.

All of this could turn me into a Hockey fan.

[Steve81]

Have not seen this posted here and did send Scott Brand, but understandably he does not visit the site except for posting the podcast. Here is his Gorhody Podcast.

[sbrand]

Guys. This is the best place for Rhody News. I just don’t add my comments because I feel they go unanswered for some reason. But I am the guy that joined when I became friends with Sponge.

And I am your biggest promoter.

I say the greatest basketball minds and the most knowledgeable Rhody fans are on this site and it rivals any board in the nation.

So please don’t take it the wrong way.

I spend two hours a day reading these threads.

[sbrand]

Thanks for posting this. Maybe I will start participating in some of the discussions. I have a podcast about Jeff Dowtin becoming a 76er and I interviewed a Philly sports columnist going up on Thursday so I will post it.

[reef]

Thanks Scott, sounds like a good pod on JD

[sbrand]

It will give you insight of what he is up against as well as how well he is thought of throughout the NBA circles.

[steviep123]

Scott definitely puts out good content. I follow him on youtube, facebook and twitter and see his stuff - it's good stuff.

[sbrand]

Just read this. Thx. It means a lot to me and Keaney Blue is so powerful in Search Engine Results btw. Whoever built this has a goldmine.

[RF1]

The NEC adds another former D2 school to its membership ranks. Mercyhurst located in Erie, PA set to join along with Chicago State to replace the soon departing Merrimack and Sacred Heart who are going to the MAAC. The league either has and will soon be the first D1 home for former D2 schools such as Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Bryant, Merrimack, Stonehill, and Lemoyne.

[CamsRams]

Wasn’t sure where to put this one.

[section(105)]

What’s the application fee? Assume not $0. Add $1 to it for Collective = Boom.

[rambone 78]

Make it $10 and Boom Boom

[jakepnickers]

What’s the application fee? Assume not $0. Add $1 to it for Collective = Boom.

Like many have said the collective is a separate entity from the school. While it speaks with the basketball staff on who (the collective) should be communicating with, they are not one in the same and I think it would probably be illegal to take funds from public university applications and funnel them to a private organization.

[section(105)]

What’s the application fee? Assume not $0. Add $1 to it for Collective = Boom.

Like many have said the collective is a separate entity from the school. While it speaks with the basketball staff on who (the collective) should be communicating with, they are not one in the same and I think it would probably be illegal to take funds from public university applications and funnel them to a private organization.

Yea, silly me, or more like uniformed me. Thx.

[RF1]

UMass basketball got listed as one of the biggest losers in recent college football realignment.

https://fbschedules.com/winners-and-los ... alignment/

[theblueram]

I read an article that said schools are reviewing whether to have Olympic sports or not. The basis was that Football and Basketball programs fund Olympic sports entirely, and the schools question whether they can pay football and basketball players and still fund Olympic sports. I'll try and find it and post it.

[RF1]

Conference realignment and the expansion of the power conferences and their league schedules has further reduced OOC games which in turn has once again had an adverse following effect on the Big East. It had already been announced that the league's challenge series with the Big Ten would be ending. Now it appears as if the same fate will happen to the challenge series with the Big-12. This is the loss of typically two big high profile OOC games for Big East teams. PC's only home games in recent years against Power Conference foes has been because of these prearranged challenge series games.

[Jdrums#3]

Trickle down effect. Adapt and overcome. There’s always the early season holiday tourney’s, the MWC, the top half of the A10, WC (namely Gonzaga and SMU).

Welcome to the non-power conference world.

[adam914]

Lets get an A10-Big East challenge going! (yeah I know it'll never happen)

[RhowdyRam02]

Conference realignment and the expansion of the power conferences has further reduced OOC games which in turn has once again had an adverse following effect on the Big East. It had already been announced that the league's challenge series with the Big Ten would be ending. Now it appears as if the same fate will happen to the challenge series with the Big-12. This is the loss of typically two big high profile OOC games for Big East teams. PC's only home games in recent years against Power Conference foes has been because of these prearranged challenge series games.

What an absolute shame, my heart just bleeds for that poor conference

[Jdrums#3]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

[steviep123]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

[Jdrums#3]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

Unfortunately, that’s usually the case for the A10, Steviep. The A10 is lower in the pecking order.

Not sure how the A10 avoids it. Although, the A10 needs to be proactive to maximize revenue and NCAAT credits somehow to ride out the storm that is football realignment for as long as possible - 5, 7, 10 years ?

[RF1]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

[Jersey77]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

Maybe it will give the A10 schools more of an opportunity to play against the BE.

[Jdrums#3]

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

Maybe it will give the A10 schools more of an opportunity to play against the BE.

Certainly the better and ascending A10 teams, Jersey, I would think: Dayton, VCU, SLU, Rhody ( when Archie can gets us back to relevancy - sooner than later, I hope), and the others if and when they up their game.

Like you aptly posted before, Jersey, the A10 coaches need to up their game. They do that and opportunities will follow, imho.

[section(105)]

Maybe it will give A-10 teams an opportunity to schedule ascending and the better teams in lesser conferences, and beat them down by lots and lots of points to help the offense stats?

[RhodyKyle]

If realignment takes UConn to the Big 12 or ACC then that will be another hard body blow to the NBE.

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

I read stevie's post differently. I read it as "out goes UConn, in comes Dayton." Meaning that the hit to the A10 is that the A10 loses its best program to the BE.

[steviep123]

Any hard blow to the BE will have a downstream affect of a hard blow to the A10 - it has happened nearly every single time.

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

I read stevie's post differently. I read it as "out goes UConn, in comes Dayton." Meaning that the hit to the A10 is that the A10 loses its best program to the BE.

That's precisely what I meant. BE loses teams and they go to the A10 to stay afloat. Whether it's Dayton, VCU, or whoever. The teams that left the A10 for the BE could make a decent conference (though not as good as in years past):

Villanova
Pittsburgh
West Va
Va Tech
Rutgers
Temple
Butler
Xavier

The Big East: "The Atlantic 10 sucks"
Also The Big East: "Let's pilfer players, coaches, and teams from the Atlantic 10"

[Jersey77]

That may not so much be the case. The A-10 was already no longer getting many games with power conferences teams outside of MTE games. The Big East was still getting games from these challenges. That will no longer be the case as the BE will now be treated somewhat similar to the A-10.

I read stevie's post differently. I read it as "out goes UConn, in comes Dayton." Meaning that the hit to the A10 is that the A10 loses its best program to the BE.

That's precisely what I meant. BE loses teams and they go to the A10 to stay afloat. Whether it's Dayton, VCU, or whoever. The teams that left the A10 for the BE could make a decent conference (though not as good as in years past):

Villanova
Pittsburgh
West Va
Va Tech
Rutgers
Temple
Butler
Xavier

The Big East: "The Atlantic 10 sucks"
Also The Big East: "Let's pilfer players, coaches, and teams from the Atlantic 10"

Well Yeah, if the A10 wasn't a top mid-major basketball conference than the BE wouldn't continue to keep poaching it.

[Jdrums#3]

The A10 should suck to save the conference from the NBE.

Change in strategy. Somebody needs to clue in the battleaxe. We need to play dead.

[KevanBoyles]

DePaul out and Gonzaga in in the Big East?

[section(105)]

DePaul out and Gonzaga in in the Big East?

Crazy, nothing says Big East like he Zags.

[spookydog]

DePaul out and Gonzaga in in the Big East?

Crazy, nothing says Big East like he Zags.

Big East(ern Washington)

[ramster]

By joining Conference USA, Missouri State will become a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision program for the first time.

Conference USA programs also include:

Florida International University (FIU) | Miami, Florida
Jacksonville State University (Jax State) | Jacksonville, Alabama
Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia
Louisiana Tech University (LA Tech) | Ruston, Louisiana
Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee
New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico
Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas
University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) | El Paso, Texas
Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky
Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, Georgia (joining July 1, 2024)
University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware (joining July 1, 2025)

https://www.news-leader.com/story/sport ... 640094007/

[RF1]

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that the University of Richmond is considering other conferences for its football program. The school is not happy with the present direction of the CAA Football Conference in which the Spiders compete. The league has lost many longtime members in recent years such as Delaware and fellow VA school JMU. It has responded by adding new members such as Hampton, Bryant, Campbell, and NC A&T. Losing old rivals and adding new schools that UR has little in common with has the school reassessing its membership. It is thought that other options would probably be football only membership in either the Patriot or Southern conferences.

[RhowdyRam02]

The Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that the University of Richmond is considering other conferences for its football program. The school is not happy with the present direction of the CAA Football Conference in which the Spiders compete. The league has lost many longtime members in recent years such as Delaware and fellow VA school JMU. It has responded by adding new members such as Hampton, Bryant, Campbell, and NC A&T. Losing old rivals and adding new schools that UR has little in common with has the school reassessing its membership. It is thought that other options would probably be football only membership in either the Patriot or Southern conferences

The big problem is CAA rules state that anyone accepted for full conference membership automatically gets entrance into CAA for football and football only members have no say in the matter.

The CAA added all sports members in their footprint to shore up their all sports conference, then they need to add a northern school to placate the New England members, all while the biggest members are moving up to FBS, and here we are.

I still say the best solution is Albany, Bryant, Maine, New Hampshire, Richmond, and Villanova splitting from the CAA and playing under the America East banner for football only and controlling who can and can't join for football only

[ramster]

Gonzaga
Saint Mary's
San Diego
San Francisco
LMU
Pacific
Pepperdine
Portland,
Santa Clara
Seattle
Grand Canyon

Last season WCC lost Brigham Young to FBS

[Jersey77]

Gonzaga
Saint Mary's
San Diego
San Francisco
LMU
Pacific
Pepperdine
Portland,
Santa Clara
Seattle
Grand Canyon

Last season WCC lost Brigham Young to FBS

Remember also that the WCC added Washington State and Oregon State as affiliate members starting in 24-25 for basketball and 11 other sports (football MWC).

[ramster]

Gonzaga
Saint Mary's
San Diego
San Francisco
LMU
Pacific
Pepperdine
Portland,
Santa Clara
Seattle
Grand Canyon

Last season WCC lost Brigham Young to FBS

Remember also that the WCC added Washington State and Oregon State as affiliate members starting in 24-25 for basketball and 11 other sports (football MWC).

Yes,
a possible temporary home until things are ironed out in court

MWC commissioner Gloria Nevarez is very, very sharp and experienced. Could be Washington State and Oregon State join the MWC in all sports besides FBS Football or the PAC12 remains intact and other schools join Washington State and Oregon State along with other invitees from the MWC and possibly others. Nevarez is very smart, unlike the guy who was Commissioner of the PAC12 who allowed the Conference to deteriorate.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... n-west-faq

[Jersey77]

Gonzaga
Saint Mary's
San Diego
San Francisco
LMU
Pacific
Pepperdine
Portland,
Santa Clara
Seattle
Grand Canyon

Last season WCC lost Brigham Young to FBS

Remember also that the WCC added Washington State and Oregon State as affiliate members starting in 24-25 for basketball and 11 other sports (football MWC).

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... n-west-faq

Yes, that is what I posted above, going to the MWC for football only.

[ramster]

nice to see when credit is given like this by Matt Norlander

[ramster]

[RhowdyRam02]

First realignment came for conferences with a number in them.
Then it came for conferences that described a region.
Now it's going for ones with a state in them.

Ruthless

[Jdrums#3]

I wouldn’t lose sleep over Richmond going to say C-USA because of football and leaving the A10 because I think we have too many teams in the conference already.

However, if the plan is to add a team if they leave then I would rather see them stay.

That said, I don’t know enough about Richmond football to know if or when they could make the jump up to C-USA in football.