Conference Realignment

[ZooMass84]

Steve, unlike my fellow 2003 alumni (looking at you Quann and Camby4life), I think you actually have made some very valid arguments for the CUSA. Although I'm of the opinion that it most likely won't matter. The Northeast has shifted even further to a pro sports territory, I'm just not even sure winning will make that much of a significant impact anymore. It's especially the case with college football and I think now what's happened to BC is a testament to that. I posted a few weeks ago too how head coaches are G5 are taking coordinator roles at power schools. Not a good sign for the little guy or even mid tier guy.

Can umass become enough of a draw to get people to drive 2 hours? Maybe we get a point where western MA could support 25K regularly? I have my doubts on both. I don't think it's wrong to think Umass should focus on Basketball and Hockey but then again, the A-10 would never allow Umass to be Uconn (not that it would happen in another conference either, Uconn is a basketball unicorn.) It's a depressing situation.

Can umass become enough of a draw to get people to drive 2 hours? Maybe we get a point where western MA could support 25K regularly?
We couldn't draw for shit at Gillette when you're close to Boston/had to bus the kids in and attendance sucked anyway.

[ZooMass84]

So now we are really down to 2 indy's: us and UConn. UConn is a shoe in for the ACC if/when FSU leaves. But even if UCant stays an indy, they are in the Big East and a hoops blue blood. Money is not an issue. The Big East is hoops royalty whereas the A10 is a borderline pathetic conference. Joe Lunardi has the A10 at 2 bids. I just hope UMass football survives long enough until CUSA or the AAC or the MAC gets desperate enough to take us.

[minutefanjsf]

So now we are really down to 2 indy's: us and UConn. UConn is a shoe in for the ACC if/when FSU leaves. But even if UCant stays an indy, they are in the Big East and a hoops blue blood. Money is not an issue. The Big East is hoops royalty whereas the A10 is a borderline pathetic conference. Joe Lunardi has the A10 at 2 bids. I just hope UMass football survives long enough until CUSA or the AAC or the MAC gets desperate enough to take us.

BC being in the ACC makes UConn going there difficult. Might not be the shoe in people think.

[ZooMass84]

So now we are really down to 2 indy's: us and UConn. UConn is a shoe in for the ACC if/when FSU leaves. But even if UCant stays an indy, they are in the Big East and a hoops blue blood. Money is not an issue. The Big East is hoops royalty whereas the A10 is a borderline pathetic conference. Joe Lunardi has the A10 at 2 bids. I just hope UMass football survives long enough until CUSA or the AAC or the MAC gets desperate enough to take us.

BC being in the ACC makes UConn going there difficult. Might not be the shoe in people think.

Their AG for CT Blumenthal made an ass of himself when he sued the ACCand now UConn was blackballed but I don't know if that is still in effect. Its been like 20 years.

[Steve81]

Steve, unlike my fellow 2003 alumni (looking at you Quann and Camby4life), I think you actually have made some very valid arguments for the CUSA. Although I'm of the opinion that it most likely won't matter. The Northeast has shifted even further to a pro sports territory, I'm just not even sure winning will make that much of a significant impact anymore. It's especially the case with college football and I think now what's happened to BC is a testament to that. I posted a few weeks ago too how head coaches are G5 are taking coordinator roles at power schools. Not a good sign for the little guy or even mid tier guy.

Can umass become enough of a draw to get people to drive 2 hours? Maybe we get a point where western MA could support 25K regularly? I have my doubts on both. I don't think it's wrong to think Umass should focus on Basketball and Hockey but then again, the A-10 would never allow Umass to be Uconn (not that it would happen in another conference either, Uconn is a basketball unicorn.) It's a depressing situation.

I don't think it's wrong to think Umass should focus on Basketball and Hockey if that's the case, then just drop back down to FCS, quit the FBS charade. Hoping that never happens. Just don't like the fact CUSA is taking a slew of Southern/Mid Atlantic FCS moveups and blowing us off. I guess it's all geography and CUSA could care less who they take as long its down South and near big cities. Can't believe they take schools with 35M or 50M endowments and R2 classifications. More Kennesaw States & Tarleton States etc???

There is nothing wrong with Kennesaw State and have not looked into Tarleton State, but know it's growing like a weed. The university with a small endowment is JSU.

Kennesaw State is a comprehensive university located on two suburban campuses in Kennesaw and Marietta, northwest of metro Atlanta. We are making an impact across the region, the nation and around the world. As the third largest university in Georgia, Kennesaw State has nearly 45,000 students enrolled in over 180 undergraduate, master’s, doctoral degree and certificate programs.

We do fine with a losing record for over a decade and just 2 wins drew 14,672 for Merrimack in November. Football attendance will be fine and where the fans are. Very happy about the George Mason thriller with a team that is 14-7 and still drew over 10k less than the
Merrimack game. Believe basketball attendance will grow, but saying for perspective.

[dennisdent]

Kennesaw State is a really growing school that is the same as a VCU or GMU but with FBS football. Its located just outside of Atlanta which is perfect for travel for UMass fans.

[econalum]

Three points.

1. The Power 5 becoming the Elite 2 - Big 10 and SEC? They will suck up the TV ratings oxygen. Scraps for the rest.

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... d-tightens

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... ll-playoff

2. More and more colleges, many FBS schools, with UCONN as a specific example, are losing tens to hundreds of millions each year in total. A lot of athletic consolidation/downsizing is inevitable as there are not enough students to fill the seats in classrooms, virtual or otherwise.

It is well documented that WVU, Penn State system, and many others are in financial trouble. Cal and UCLA as well.

https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/0 ... grams.html

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sp ... dles-ahead

Arizona: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/bus ... d-millions

3. Unaffordability, instability, unionization/Workman's comp due to NIL and Transfer portal and recent labor union recognition for Dartmouth bball!

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... oops-union

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/A ... -landscape

We'll see but the landscape is challenging for the 3+ very different reasons.

[Steve81]

You made the point that the Power conferences are different and some loss 10ns of millions.

That is generally not the case with the G5 and we are losing less money than FCS. Our men's basketball program is losing 2 million in the A10 with over 4 million in expenses and 2 million in revenue. There is a little more money in a lower G5 conference compared to the A10. Both for the most part and future are 1 bid conferences. The G5 have better media money, provides an easier and more predictable schedule. There is a chance for upward mobility. Just one step up like the American and Mountain West are multi bid basketball conferences.

Was around when we had 27 sports, now 21 and perhaps the number continues to shrink. Football will always provide alumni connection and promotion of UMass on national TV. All G5 conference provide games on ESPN during the season, some OOC, and of coarse postseason.

UConn situation is not like most. They were P5 and spent like P5 but had G5 revenue. College athletics general loses money. A G5 conference does it on a reasonable scale for athletics.

[jjmc85]

So now we are really down to 2 indy's: us and UConn. UConn is a shoe in for the ACC if/when FSU leaves. But even if UCant stays an indy, they are in the Big East and a hoops blue blood. Money is not an issue. The Big East is hoops royalty whereas the A10 is a borderline pathetic conference. Joe Lunardi has the A10 at 2 bids. I just hope UMass football survives long enough until CUSA or the AAC or the MAC gets desperate enough to take us.

BC being in the ACC makes UConn going there difficult. Might not be the shoe in people think.

Their AG for CT Blumenthal made an ass of himself when he sued the ACCand now UConn was blackballed but I don't know if that is still in effect. Its been like 20 years.

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

[ZooMass84]

BC being in the ACC makes UConn going there difficult. Might not be the shoe in people think.

Their AG for CT Blumenthal made an ass of himself when he sued the ACCand now UConn was blackballed but I don't know if that is still in effect. Its been like 20 years.

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

no one cares about hockey. the only 2 sports anyone cares about nationally are football and mens basketball. you might as well bring up wrestling or water polo or crew.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

Their AG for CT Blumenthal made an ass of himself when he sued the ACCand now UConn was blackballed but I don't know if that is still in effect. Its been like 20 years.

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

no one cares about hockey. the only 2 sports anyone cares about nationally are football and mens basketball. you might as well bring up wrestling or water polo or crew.

I care about hockey. I know many others that do as well. And I guarantee you that if BC had the opportunity to flex its muscle against UConn related to the Hockey East Conference, it would have taken that opportunity to do so.

[Steve81]

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

no one cares about hockey. the only 2 sports anyone cares about nationally are football and mens basketball. you might as well bring up wrestling or water polo or crew.

I care about hockey. I know many others that do as well. And I guarantee you that if BC had the opportunity to flex its muscle against UConn related to the Hockey East Conference, it would have taken that opportunity to do so.

Second that. Most of care about UMass and all the sports teams. Celebrate their successes and winning is great!!!

[minutefanjsf]

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

no one cares about hockey. the only 2 sports anyone cares about nationally are football and mens basketball. you might as well bring up wrestling or water polo or crew.

I care about hockey. I know many others that do as well. And I guarantee you that if BC had the opportunity to flex its muscle against UConn related to the Hockey East Conference, it would have taken that opportunity to do so.

Yeah. I don’t think BC has a care about competition in hockey east. They believe they are the cream of the crop. The football situation is more about recruiting competition and BC does not want UMass or UConn in its league because that would mean more revenue and increased recruiting competition. They want to be the one P5 in New England.

[jjmc85]

BC didn’t block UConn from Hockey East and they’ve been playing each other in football-with a little help from Bamford IIRC. Anyone who cares about what happened back then is either long gone or else doesn’t have decision making power.

no one cares about hockey. the only 2 sports anyone cares about nationally are football and mens basketball. you might as well bring up wrestling or water polo or crew.

I care about hockey. I know many others that do as well. And I guarantee you that if BC had the opportunity to flex its muscle against UConn related to the Hockey East Conference, it would have taken that opportunity to do so.

I’d bet BC did have the opportunity. This was right on the heals of the WCHA getting destroyed by the B1G and NCHC. If BC said “we don’t want UConn” I think the rest of the conference at that time would have been inclined to accept that and figure something else out or else just play with 11 (UConn was added to give an even # after Notre Dame briefly joined). It’s not like the schools are afraid of having an odd number. Much if not most of the history of that conference has had an odd number of teams. But UConn is in HEA. And they play each other in football now. So therefore I don’t think the powers that be BC give a shit about what happened 20 years ago.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

^

Agreed.