CAA conference in turmoil?

[RhowdyRam02]

The following article from this past fall certainly paints the CAA as a conference in turmoil, unable to decide the best way forward because of the different type schools involved and all the football affiliate members. Certainly interesting to think about given our affiliate membership and what that could look like going forward, and more worrisome, does the Atlantic 10 have similar issues?

https://extrapoints.substack.com/p/a-co ... oads-where

[RF1]

The future of the CAA will be decided by JMU. If they upgrade football to FBS level, they will leave.

[RhowdyRam02]

The future of the CAA will be decided by JMU. If they upgrade football to FBS level, they will leave.

And it certainly looks like they could be on the way out. Being looked at by both Conference USA and the Sun Belt. They should have looked to move up sooner, but it appears it is finally time for them

[RhowdyRam02]

I was reading the James Madison board to get their reaction to potentially moving up, and a poster on the board says Monmouth would be invited to the CAA as a football only member to take their place

[RF1]

I was reading the James Madison board to get their reaction to potentially moving up, and a poster on the board says Monmouth would be invited to the CAA as a football only member to take their place

Monmouth football had to join the Big South when the school left the all sports NEC. It left the NEC so its non football programs could compete in the MAAC.

Monmouth would not be bad a bad add for URI as NJ is a lot closer to Kingston than any possible southern options.

[RF1]

Looks like JMU is leaving the CAA and moving up to the FBS level in the Sunbelt. Still need state approval. JMU students heavily subsidize their athletics programs ($2,226 per student for a full year). The state passed a law capping this subsidy back in 2015.





2021-22
James Madison Undergraduate 2021 - 2022 Auxiliary Comprehensive Fee
The auxiliary comprehensive fee, listed on the student account as the comprehensive fee, is a mandatory fee charged to all students. It covers non-academic services at the university.
$5,178 per year


Intercollegiate Athletics portion of JMU Student Comprehensive Fee
$2,226
Support of the intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women.


https://www.jmu.edu/ubo/rates-breakdown.shtml


Rising student fees for athletics at state schools were such a concern in Virginia that a law was passed back in 2015 limiting what can be charged. FCS schools such as JMU were restricted to a cap of 70% of its athletics budget being paid for with student fees. The cap is 55% for FBS schools. If JMU goes FBS, the economics of its athletic dept will have to be altered. JMU has built Bridgeforth Stadium (2011 renovation at a cost of $62M) and their newly opened convocation center (Atlantic Bank Center $139.5M) off the backs of their students via large athletics dept subsidies.

[Rhody15]

It was only a matter of time they moved up, surprised it took this long.

[RF1]

It was only a matter of time they moved up, surprised it took this long.

They first needed a FBS conference invite before they could move. I think the fact that nearby schools such as ODU and Marshall are now joining the Sunbelt helped the process.

[RF1]

A wide range of rumors is now swirling about the future of the CAA. JMU was a full sports member that will be lost. One would think they would like to replace them with another full sports member if possible. There are reports that there may be CAA interest in Monmouth, Hampton, and Howard. On the opposite side, there are also some troubling reports for the CAA as well with some members supposedly exploring exit options - Charleston, Elon, W&M, & Richmond (just football) may be looking at the Southern Conference.

[rambone 78]

Bring back the Yankee Conference!

Seriously, a league with just northeast schools could work, for sure.

Especially if UConn and UMass would drop down.....I think the chances of this happening are small [especially UConn] but it's intriguing to think about.

[RhowdyRam02]

UMass should see the writing on the wall with this latest conference shakeup and drop football back down to the CAA. UConn is in a different boat because of their stadium situation

[Obadiah]

In an interesting story, the CAA is now moving to penalize JMU for joining the Sun Belt by prohibiting any of their sports teams to compete in this season's CAA championship events in all sports and also to prohibit them from hosting any championship events. The CAA did the same thing to ODU when they left the. The CAA move has been greeted with disdain by the sports world.

[TruePoint]

UMass should see the writing on the wall with this latest conference shakeup and drop football back down to the CAA. UConn is in a different boat because of their stadium situation

UMass cannot compete in the CAA in football haha

[RhowdyRam02]

UMass should see the writing on the wall with this latest conference shakeup and drop football back down to the CAA. UConn is in a different boat because of their stadium situation

UMass cannot compete in the CAA in football haha

Boy howdy, you ain't kidding! They just lost to us and Maine in back to back weeks by a combined score of 70-32

[RF1]

UMass should see the writing on the wall with this latest conference shakeup and drop football back down to the CAA. UConn is in a different boat because of their stadium situation

UMass cannot compete in the CAA in football haha

Boy howdy, you ain't kidding! They just lost to us and Maine in back to back weeks by a combined score of 70-32

UMass can only beat a really bad team such UConn! It is their only win since Sept-2019.

[ramster]

James Madison breaks into the FBS Top 25 Oct 10 2022
1st year in FBS after leaving the CAA for the Sunbelt Conference


AP Top 25
1. Georgia (32)
2. Ohio State (20)
3. Alabama (11)
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Tennessee
7. USC
8. Oklahoma State
9. Ole Miss
10. Penn State
11. UCLA
12. Oregon
13. TCU
14. Wake Forest
15. NC State
16. Mississippi State
17. Kansas State
18. Syracuse
19. Kansas
20. Utah
21. Cincinnati
T-22. Texas
T-22. Kentucky
24. Illinois
25. James Madison

[ATPTourFan]

Most impressive.

[ramster]

This Week's October 9 FCS Rankings

6 Teams From the CAA:
11-William & Mary
13-Delaware
14-Elon
17-Villanova
21-Richmond
T25-URI

27-New Hampshire
32-Monmouth

Other Teams of Interest:
7-Holy Cross
22-Fordham

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... fcs-top-25

[RIrugger01]

This Week's October 9 FCS Rankings

5 Teams From the CAA:
11-William & Mary
13-Delaware
14-Elon
17-Villanova
T25 - URI

27-New Hampshire
32-Monmouth

Other Teams of Interest:
7-Holy Cross
21-Richmond
22-Fordham

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... fcs-top-25

Richmond makes 6 CAA top 25

[ramster]

This Week's October 9 FCS Rankings

6 Teams From the CAA:
11-William & Mary
13-Delaware
14-Elon
17-Villanova
21-Richmond
T25 - URI

27-New Hampshire
32-Monmouth

Other Teams of Interest:
7-Holy Cross
22-Fordham

https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... fcs-top-25

Richmond makes 6 CAA top 25

Thanks. What was I thinking.
I fixed it.

Pretty darn good to have 6 teams in the Top 25

[RF1]

[RhowdyRam02]

Frankly this feels like they're late to the party on this and I wonder if it's still a good idea for them. Seems like last fall while conferences were making moves would have been the last best time to do this but now they see what James Madison is doing and they're trying to make the move late

[RhowdyRam02]

Since this thread started James Madison (in Yankee/A10/CAA since 1993), Delaware (in Yankee/A10/CAA since 1986), and Richmond (in Yankee/A10/CAA since 1986) have all left or announced they're leaving. With William & Mary (in Yankee/A10/CAA since 1993) being Richmond's main rival and seemingly being a good fit for the Patriot League, could they look to go there as an all sports member? Does Villanova (in Yankee/A10/CAA since 1988) now view the Patriot League as a good fit for football only?

In 1993 the Yankee Conference consisted of Boston University, UMass, UConn, New Hampshire, us, Maine, William & Mary, Delaware, James Madison, Richmond, Northeastern, and Villanova. Of these 12 programs:

5 are still in the conference with no announced plans to leave
4 are in or have announced plans to move to FBS
2 have disbanded their teams
1 has announced plans to change conferences,
and at least two of the five still here seem like solid potential change candidates in the next year or so

[Steve81]

If you don't want FBS, the Patriot maybe a good move with Holy Cross.

[RhowdyRam02]

If you don't want FBS, the Patriot maybe a good move with Holy Cross.

With New Hampshire and Maine still in conference and Bryant coming aboard this year it feels like our best mix of local rivals is still in the CAA, but I think every school is probably thinking about possible exit plans and what the future could look like going forward. It certainly doesn't feel like the current CAA is at all stable. It was one thing to have such a spread out conference with such different school profiles when the football was elite. Now that it's taken a step back now all of a sudden it doesn't make as much sense

[RF1]

[Steve81]

It's anybody's guess, who is next to leave the CAA. It could be Albany, Villanova, and/or W&M. Don't follow the Patriot league, but Albany looks like the best available FCS option for the MAC. ESPN might like the Albany market, being 104 miles from UMass and synergy with fellow SUNY, Buffalo. If Rhody can execute on their facilities upgrades, perform and execute. Then and only then, they would be a contender for the MAC's 14th spot.

The following video is fairly good, condensing things. It ask 'Why the MAC', 'Why UMass', compares the conferences, the universities, the distances, the budgets, basketball and football programs with references from the press conference. The video has chapters with time stamps to jump around.

[NYGFan_Section208]

Seeing this as an alignment thread, chose to post in this thread. As I said in an other thread, if Rhody can execute on their facilities upgrades, perform and execute. Then and only then, they would be a contender for the MAC's 14th spot.
Before posting, you should look at this video. It ask Why the MAC, Why UMass, compares the conferences, the universities the distances, the budgets, basketball and football programs with references from the press conference. The video has chapters with time stamps to jump around.

I'm sure it's a nice video, but everyone knows the key to the coveted MACspot #14:
First...

herring.JPG

[Steve81]

haha. Well than, not a contender. (-:

Currently UAlbany is ranked #7 and #5th in FCS coaches polls and URI receiving a few votes in the coaches poll. Albany would have UMass and Buffalo as rivals but they will not have Rhody's basketball history and rivalry with UMass.
https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/ ... fcs-top-25