We have a new FCS team today. (UNC-Charlotte)

[danefan]

Can UNH, URI, Maine and UMass really hang on if the CAA adds another Southern school?

[dbackjon]

Can UNH, URI, Maine and UMass really hang on if the CAA adds another Southern school?

Economically it doesn't make sense

[Redwyn]

I completely agree. There'd be no justification to keep on for the sake of two South games a year. No sense at all.

I predict, to avoid this, the CAA rejects Charlotte and they make a quick stop in Big South on the way to FBS. No other route makes sense and BSo will be looking for an alternative plan in case SBU bolts.

[LastMinuteman]

It's fine, so long as they're in a different division and we don't play them often. In the original 14 member CAA model, we were going to have 7 members in each division, but only play 8 conference games. So you play the 6 other members of your division plus 2 of the other division, 1 home and 1 away. It works out to only 1 long distance trip a year. Doesn't make much of a difference whether the opponent is in Richmond, Charlotte or Atlanta once you're on the plane.

Presumably, any proposed addition of Charlotte would be coupled with adding a Northern team, since having 13 members is a huge scheduling headache.

[danefan]

It's fine, so long as they're in a different division and we don't play them often. In the original 14 member CAA model, we were going to have 7 members in each division, but only play 8 conference games. So you play the 6 other members of your division plus 2 of the other division, 1 home and 1 away. It works out to only 1 long distance trip a year. Doesn't make much of a difference whether the opponent is in Richmond, Charlotte or Atlanta once you're on the plane.

Presumably, any proposed addition of Charlotte would be coupled with adding a Northern team, since having 13 members is a huge scheduling headache.

I think I agree.

The only way to add Charlotte and keep the North teams is to add a 14th team and move UD and Nova to the North. Then, maybe its not so bad.

North
Maine
URI
UNH
UMass
Delaware
Villanova
Stony Brook/Fordham/Albany

South
JMU
ODU
Towson
Richmond
W&M
Ga. St.
Charlotte

[kemajic]

I dont see how the Big East would allow an away trip to Newark occuring.

Maybe because Delaware in the CAA would still draw better than Nova in the Big East?

It doesn't work for us out here. Montana outdraws most of the MWC and WAC members and cannot get any kind of even an unbalanced home and home.

[LastMinuteman]

I think I agree.

The only way to add Charlotte and keep the North teams is to add a 14th team and move UD and Nova to the North. Then, maybe its not so bad.

North
Maine
URI
UNH
UMass
Delaware
Villanova
Stony Brook/Fordham/Albany

South
JMU
ODU
Towson
Richmond
W&M
Ga. St.
Charlotte

Yeah, that works fine. The only concession that might have to be made is that Richmond and W&M might have to cycle on to Villanova's schedule more often than the rest, but would anyone object to that? The New England state universities wouldn't. It's a good trade for us. I think the only ones who might feel short-changed would be Delaware. It's up to them to shoot that idea down.

[∞∞∞]

Here's my wild prediction:

Charlotte asks to join the CAA and the CAA agrees on the condition that they become an all-sport member. But why would the CAA ask that? Well, it's no secret GSU will probably be gone in a few years, and the only reason they were added was to please UNC-W after all the Northern additions made them unhappy. So Charlotte will be perfect to please UNC-W, and will bring football to the table. Charlotte will also make GSU happy until they're gone.

Because Charlotte leaves the A-10, the A-10 brings in Hofstra who has stated they'd rather be in the A-10. Northeastern has said over and over that they don't want to leave the CAA, but Hofstra leaving would force them to heavily reconsider that.

At the same time, Richmond will take the opportunity to get of out the A-10 with Charlotte and rejoin the CAA. Yes, UR almost killed the CAA, but that's in the past, and it'd be monetarily good for the CAA and UR to reignite their past relationships.

When UR leaves, NE will jump on the opportunity even though they might not want to 100%.

So basically, the A-10 and CAA shuffle two teams...UR and Charlotte for Hofstra and NE. CAA gets the sweeter deal and the A-10 can't do anything about it. All this of course causes a change in football too:

CAA North
New Hampshire
Maine
UMass
Rhode Island
Villanova
Delaware

CAA South
Charlotte
Old Dominion
Richmond
James Madison
Towson
William and Mary

*GSU will be in the South until they leave...

[danefan]

For the fun of speculation I think we may actually end up with this:

North
UMass
UNH
Maine
Delaware
Nova
Albany
Stony Brook

South
W&M
JMU
Towson
ODU
Ga. State.
Richmond
Charlotte

URI downgrades to 40 scholarships in the NEC.

When Charlotte and JMU go FBS, you could easily open up a spot for VCU and George Mason, which I have to believe is seeing what ODU is doing and is thinking about it.

[SUUTbird]

Interesting. Another piece in the coming shake up

I think if Nova wins it all this year, you will see us move up. Basketball is too good to risk anything and a National Championship in football would really make a case. there are talks apparently by Villanova insiders about it.

The only issue with that is Nova needs to start getting more fans in the stands, because no offense the few times ive seen them on channelsurfing.net it has been...well pathetic to say the least when it comes to attendance.

[Redwyn]

For the fun of speculation I think we may actually end up with this:

North
UMass
UNH
Maine
Delaware
Nova
Albany
Stony Brook

South
W&M
JMU
Towson
ODU
Ga. State.
Richmond
Charlotte

URI downgrades to 40 scholarships in the NEC.

When Charlotte and JMU go FBS, you could easily open up a spot for VCU and George Mason, which I have to believe is seeing what ODU is doing and is thinking about it.

I can concur with this on the grounds that I think SBU and Albany will start making decisions together. With Hofstra out of the picture it makes all too much sense to start a rivalry up again.

[LastMinuteman]

URI won't downgrade to 40 schollies, there's no point. Any savings would be offset by not being a counter for FBS games and losing those payouts. Rumor is they're only using 58 or 59 schollies anyway. If the CAA puts together that conference layout posted earlier in which URI's longest trip other than the 1 CAA South road game is Maine, they'll stick around. At this point the only more cost efficient model is the Pioneer League, and if Northeastern and Hofstra weren't willing to go that route, I doubt URI would either, since those are mostly private universities.

[GoApps70]

I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but the BOT voted for this, but it has to be approved by the BOD early next year. Was just on a board with WSSU (that's Winston Salem State University), and he said they just turned down their increase in student fees. Sounds as if the BOD doesn't think that this is the time to do anything not necessary. WSSU would be really upset if this passes.
Just saying, doesn't sound too good.

[mainejeff]

For the fun of speculation I think we may actually end up with this:

North
UMass
UNH
Maine
Delaware
Nova
Albany
Stony Brook

South
W&M
JMU
Towson
ODU
Ga. State.
Richmond
Charlotte

URI downgrades to 40 scholarships in the NEC.

When Charlotte and JMU go FBS, you could easily open up a spot for VCU and George Mason, which I have to believe is seeing what ODU is doing and is thinking about it.

Sounds like a pretty realistic scenario excluding URI.......they would drop football before they downgrade their scholarship levels. If URI stays then I believe that Albany gets in over Stony Brook.

[mainejeff]

I dont see how the Big East would allow an away trip to Newark occuring.

Maybe because Delaware in the CAA would still draw better than Nova in the Big East?

LOL.........yeah, Villanova fans won't show up for Big East games ............Delaware will be a distant memory for Wildcat fans once UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, West Virginia, etc show up on the home schedule.

[Cap'n Cat]

Tell you what, the MVFC will take UNC-Charlotte and you guys can have them bums in Youngstown. Deal?

[BigApp]

I think if Nova wins it all this year, you will see us move up.

you guys better concern yourselves with putting more asses in the seats than this. NO FBS conference would want you with a 3/4 empty stadium every week.

[FCS Update]

Maybe because Delaware in the CAA would still draw better than Nova in the Big East?

Regardless, doesn't the Sunbelt and MAC have conference rules that ban traveling to FCS stadiums? It doesn't matter whether UD would draw more to their stadium than VU.

No, Ball State travels to Illinois State in 2013.

[FCS Update]

I think if Nova wins it all this year, you will see us move up.

you guys better concern yourselves with putting more asses in the seats than this. NO FBS conference would want you with a 3/4 empty stadium every week.

Was UConn that impressive before their move. They're Villanova. If they want Big East footballl, they'll get it.

[mainejeff]

you guys better concern yourselves with putting more asses in the seats than this. NO FBS conference would want you with a 3/4 empty stadium every week.

Was UConn that impressive before their move. They're Villanova. If they want Big East footballl, they'll get it.

Exactly.

[Mike Johnson]

Montana outdraws most of the MWC and WAC members and cannot get any kind of even an unbalanced home and home.

Montana is impressive in the number of fans they draw, but they don't outdraw most of the MWC. They did outdraw 4 of the 9 MWC schools this year (3 if you count Montana's playoff games). Given that only Wyoming has a smaller and more geographically spread fan base, I do find what Montana's draws impressive.

Average attendance
Montana 25,652 (regular season) 24,417 (including playoff games)

BYU 64,403
Utah 45,155
Air Force 37,713
TCU 37,477
New Mexico 26,944 (averaged somewhat more than Montana's largest draw--Weber State 25,811)
San Diego State 24,464
Colorado State 23,643
UNLV 22,775
Wyoming 19,494

Given the potential fan base, San Diego State and UNLV have pretty pathetic support to match some pathetic teams. But they are basketball schools that don't care much for football.

[rowdy]

if charlotte does go to the CAA I think once Ga. St. and charlotte go FBS; the south will be the division short of teams if the teams in the north hold serve

[danefan]

if charlotte does go to the CAA I think once Ga. St. and charlotte go FBS; the south will be the division short of teams if the teams in the north hold serve

That would probably be the best thing for the CAA. This way Delaware and Villanova can go back to the South where they probably want to be and they can add 2 teams to the North.

Right back where we started except with Stony Brook and Albany in the North in place of Northeastern and Hofstra.

Looks good to me.

[rowdy]

I agree, i just hope that the northern teams are just able to hang in there and dont decide to make any drastic moves. i believe the league will once again balance itself out

[TribeFanInNC]

OK, I think I got it:

2009: Northeastern and Hofstra drop football
2010: 10 team CAA, no divisions
2011: ODU joins the CAA South. Delaware and Villanova move to reconstituted North division. Unbalanced schedule.
2012: GSU joins in the South Division, with a balanced schedule. It is recognized their time in FCS will be brief.
2013: URI bolts for the NEC, and is replaced by Albany.
2014: JMU announces move to FBS in 2016
2015: Charlotte joins South Division for a couple years until they move up. To balance the schedules, Stony Brook joins the North.
2016: JMU and GSU leave for the Sun Belt. Delaware and Villanova rejoin the South, and Towson moves to the North to rebalance.
2017: Charlotte joins Conference USA to replace ECU, which joins the Big East, replacing Pitt, which joins the Midwest's new Mega Twenty-Six, which replaces the old Big Twelve and Big Ten. Towson returns to the South, and is replaced by Hofstra in the North, which reinstates its football team based on the Villanova Model, which should result in a trip to the NC game in 2041.
2018: Towson wins the NC over Montana, becoming the eleventh different CAA team to be crowned national champion.
2019: Then things get REALLY interesting when…