Pioneer League Works on Strategic Expansion Plan

[TexasTerror]

The Pioneer is considering Campbell, but they really want one other school so they can hit ten and have divisional play once more. The article talks about Duquesne leaving the MAAC or a possible merger of the Pioneer and the MAAC. What would that mean?

Pioneer League considers Campbell

By Michael N. Graff
Staff writer
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More than two years before Campbell University’s football kickoff, major developments already are occurring.

The athletic directors in the Division I-AA nonscholarship Pioneer Football League are scheduled to meet today to consider Campbell’s membership application, among other topics. The meeting comes a day after Campbell announced Dale Steele as its start-up football coach.

But a final decision on the conference affiliation still may be weeks away.

Presidents of the eight PFL member schools have reviewed Campbell’s application. But instead of adding at first chance, the presidents instructed league commissioner Patty Viverito to form a strategic expansion plan.

The presidents would like to see the coast-to-coast league return to divisional play, something that would be impossible without coupling at least one more school with Campbell to make a conference of 10.

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=235425

[colgate13]

The MAAC ain't lasting long. If Duquesne can get into another league, the best ought to.

[DUPFLFan]

Duquesne is already considering the Pioneer League...

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"The Pioneer League seems to make a fit for Duquesne," Amodio said. "The Pioneer League is a bit more stable than the MAAC. If we stay I-AA non-scholarship, the only other real option is the Pioneer League. And in all likelihood, we're going to continue to be I-AA non-scholarship. There's already conversation on the table [with the Pioneer League]. I want to make sure we put ourselves in the best situation as quickly as possible."

Another quote: "We'd like to be known as a power team in a well-regarded conference."

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06154/695440-134.stm

[colgate13]

Duquesne is already considering the Pioneer League...

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"The Pioneer League seems to make a fit for Duquesne," Amodio said. "The Pioneer League is a bit more stable than the MAAC. If we stay I-AA non-scholarship, the only other real option is the Pioneer League. And in all likelihood, we're going to continue to be I-AA non-scholarship. There's already conversation on the table [with the Pioneer League]. I want to make sure we put ourselves in the best situation as quickly as possible."

Another quote: "We'd like to be known as a power team in a well-regarded conference."

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/06154/695440-134.stm

If that's the case, they need to look beyond the Pioneer. :twocents:

[DetroitFlyer]

It sure seems as though I-AA may end up with only one non-scholarship conference. I think this would be a good move and it would make it easier for the "old guard" to see fit to provide an autobid to the champion of this conference. At this point in time it looks like the PFL may end up as the only true I-AA non-scholarship conference.... Also, teams like Duquesne or Marist do not need to look beyond the PFL. The PFL is a good conference that could become great. The level of football being played is getting better every year and is already very close to the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, ( San Diego beat Yale and Davidson beat Georgetown ). Adding quality teams lime Duquesne and Marist would only help! I can see a time in the not too distant future when the best PFL teams can compete with ANY team in I-AA! Go PFL!!!!

[colgate13]

It sure seems as though I-AA may end up with only one non-scholarship conference. I think this would be a good move and it would make it easier for the "old guard" to see fit to provide an autobid to the champion of this conference. At this point in time it looks like the PFL may end up as the only true I-AA non-scholarship conference.... Also, teams like Duquesne or Marist do not need to look beyond the PFL. The PFL is a good conference that could become great. The level of football being played is getting better every year and is already very close to the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, ( San Diego beat Yale and Davidson beat Georgetown ). Adding quality teams lime Duquesne and Marist would only help! I can see a time in the not too distant future when the best PFL teams can compete with ANY team in I-AA! Go PFL!!!!

As far as conferences go, the PFL should look to get ahead of the SWAC and MEAC before setting their sites on the PL and Ivy. :twocents:

I do think one superconference of I-AA true non-scholarship would be a good thing. I don't think it would necessarily get an autobid.

[EKU05]

There are scholarship conferences without an autobid. Until every last one of them has one (or at least has been offered the chance to have one), not even a super-grouping of non-scholarship teams should be considered IMO. That may sound cold, and there are some very good non-scholarship teams out there, but these schools have made a decision to allocate less resources to football. If that works best for their school then that's a fine move to make, but you can't expect to have your cake and eat it too. It would be different in a sport where the postseason bids were more plentiful, but football can't really provide that.

The other snag is that I'm fairly sure that it would require overall expansion of the playoff field. If I'm not mistaken, the I-AA bylaws state that no more than 50% of all bids can be auto (or something to that effect).

[DUPFLFan]

If that's the case, they need to look beyond the Pioneer. :twocents:

:bang:

You don't get it - soon there will only be the Pioneer league if you want to play non-scholarship football...

[Calif_Colonial]

I have to agree with Colgate_13. Having all the NS schools in one conference would not be a bad thing. They can always schedule up in their out of conference games. I am not saying playing the top 25 of I-AA, however playing teams as they are in the NEC, MEAC, and putting in one game a year with a school to pick up some money would be good for their entire athletic department.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I have to agree with Colgate_13. Having all the NS schools in one conference would not be a bad thing. They can always schedule up in their out of conference games. I am not saying playing the top 25 of I-AA, however playing teams as they are in the NEC, MEAC, and putting in one game a year with a school to pick up some money would be good for their entire athletic department.

The trouble with this, and I haven't read this on the thread yet, is that you could potentially have a non-scholly conference that extends coast-to-coast through three time zones (from Iona, NY to Jacksonville, FL to San Diego, CA). Even if San Diego tries to join the Great West and go scholly you still have a huge travel schedule. Splitting conferences would help but some of these travel days but would be serious budget-busters.

I'd think the MAAC schools would drop football entirely rather than join such a conference, and there's no way LaSalle would go for that. I think even joining the NEC is not an option for these four.

[Bub]

As far as conferences go, the PFL should look to get ahead of the SWAC and MEAC before setting their sites on the PL and Ivy. :twocents:

I do think one superconference of I-AA true non-scholarship would be a good thing. I don't think it would necessarily get an autobid.


I think the point of the prior post was the PFL has actually played some PL and Ivy teams and had some success, as mentioned in that post. As far as I know we don't play any SWAC or MEAC teams. I'm sure we'd welcome them as opponents though.