LFN: MAAC-ro Economics

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I apologize for the bad pun, but here's my take on the strange 24 hours it's been for the MAAC and (by extension) the PFL, NEC and Patriot League.

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.com

[ngineer]

Lots of questions for sure....but when did Detroit announce they were entering the PFL in football...That one missed me...Went to law school there and don't recall seeing anything in their publications about it.??xconfusedx

[Lehigh Football Nation]

There's been no formal announcement of Detroit joining the PFL, but Lipscomb, Harding, Detroit were floated by me as a potential "new" PFL for the non-schollies based on the (ahem) rumors that have been posted.

[DetroitFlyer]

UDM Breaks Ground On New Athletic Facility
June 12, 2007

The University of Detroit Mercy broke ground today on a new athletic facility which will include a multi-purpose synthetic playing field and all-weather running track. The complex will be constructed on the site of the Titans' existing soccer field, located on the Northwest corner of the McNichols campus.

Phase 1 of the construction will be completed this fall, in time for use by the UDM men's and women's soccer teams before the end of their seasons. The facility will contain an A-Turf field, along with a six-lane polyurethane track and areas for the steeplechase and field events.

Phase 2 of the project, when completed in the future, will include stadium seating for 2,500-3,000 fans, concession stands, rest rooms, a press box, new scoreboard, lights and a building with space for offices, locker rooms and storage.

URS Corp. of Grand Rapids will serve as the lead architect for the project, and has designed similar athletic fields for Alma College, Calvin College and the Farmington Public Schools. McCarthy and Smith of Farmington Hills will serve as the general contractor.

"Today's groundbreaking for the construction of our new synthetic field and track is another big step forward for the Titan Athletics Program. I am excited that our student-athletes and coaches, who work so hard day in and day out, will have the on-campus facilities they need to train and compete," Titans athletic director Keri Gaither said.

"The University's substantial commitment for the new facilities is a critical component of our sport expansion plan. These facilities give us the opportunity to expand our track program as well as add sports over the next few years. The opportunity to offer possible varsity sports such as men's and women's lacrosse will, in turn, help fund other enhancements for the athletic programs such as the recently-announced addition of new staff members in the athletic services areas as well as coaching staff members. It really is an exciting time for Titan Athletics."

UDM's track and field team recently sent two Horizon League individual champions to the NCAA Regional. The Titan soccer program comes off a year in which the women's team advanced to its fourth straight Horizon League Championship Game and boasted three all-conference players, while the men added two all-league players of their own.

Titan soccer games will be played on a grass field being created south of Calihan Hall until the opening of the new facility. The grass field will then be maintained and used for team practices in the future.

Additional announcements concerning future improvements to the UDM Athletic program are expected in the coming months.

http://www.detroittitans.com/news.jsp?id=1181668770557



Nothing official on football, but there has been interest expressed. I'm betting that UDM had someone at the summit meeting.... UDM has talked informally with the PFL. It seems as though the plan is to build up some other sports, build some facilities, and then maybe bring football back. does not sound like a quick process to me, maybe several years. I think that Lipscomb and others may been informally talking with the PFL as well. I think it was all of this talk that generated the need for the conference.

[aceinthehole]

LFN - Nice post, but I have to take issue with the following:


... Let's say Marist, Iona, LaSalle, Wagner, St. Francis, Sacred Heart, Davidson, Campbell, and Jacksonville form their own non-scholarship conference (call it the East Coast Football Conference, or ECFC) ...

Furthermore, how likely is this to happen? This also would mean that the NEC would have to jettison its three members (Wagner, Sacred Heart, and St. Francis) that seem to have a less-than-enthusiastic embrace of limited-scholarship football. Where does that leave the NEC? It seems unlikely they'd be happy with a five-member conference consisting of Monmouth, Duquesne, Central Connecticut State, Albany, and Robert Morris.

I have read no evidence that SHU, SFPA, or even Wagner have not fully embraced the NEC's policy of limited scholarships football. Here's what I do know:

1) These 3 programs are full-members of the NEC and are 1/2 of votes on all NEC football issue (CCSU, MU, and RMU are the other 3 votes - associates UA and DU have no voting rights). The previous NEC grant-in-ad policy, and the new limited-scholarship policy could not have passed with out the support of SHU, SFPA, and Wagner.

2) Sacred Heart and SFPA have recently begun to schedule teams from confrences with an AQ. SHU played Lafayette and SFPA has played Delaware State in 2006. Although SHU does not have any "up" games this year, SFPA is schedule to play full-scholarship Liberty of the Big South. This infers to me that the the teams are slowly building their programs and attempting to play stronger and fully funded I-AA teams.

3) Duquense was required by the NEC membership to offer limited to join as an affiliate member. This infers that the NEC is committed to the current scholarship formula, and this is likely a condition on any affiliate members.

4) SFPA (http://www.francis.edu/athletics/football/degol_gallery.shtm) and Wagner (http://wagnerathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080706aaf.html) have made signifigant improvement to football facilities. I encourage you the visit their respective websites and read about the recruits, investment, and support these teams have from the school.

I do not think any current NEC member will chose to leave the conference for non-scholarship football. I don't see the NEC reducing the aid for football and in fact can invision an increase to 45 scholarships sometime in the next few years. That's not to say we won't see possible changes in NEC membership or policy, but its clear the intent of the current NEC members are to move away fron non-scholly football and work toward inclusion in the playoffs.

If Marist, Iona or LaSalle have the same vision for football as SHU, Wagner, and SFPA then they have achance to be offered invites to the NEC. However, I think its a huge misconception to think that those NEC schools will join up with the remaining MAAC or PFL schools.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If Marist, Iona or LaSalle have the same vision for football as SHU, Wagner, and SFPA then they have achance to be offered invites to the NEC. However, I think its a huge misconception to think that those NEC schools will join up with the remaining MAAC or PFL schools.

This is a fair point. That's why I wrote that piece in my post about "how likely is that to happen"? On the same token - do you know with certainty that those NEC members (or any leadership from the NEC) aren't at the conference discussing this?

[ngineer]

[Nothing official on football, but there has been interest expressed. I'm betting that UDM had someone at the summit meeting.... UDM has talked informally with the PFL. It seems as though the plan is to build up some other sports, build some facilities, and then maybe bring football back. does not sound like a quick process to me, maybe several years. I think that Lipscomb and others may been informally talking with the PFL as well. I think it was all of this talk that generated the need for the conference.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Very interesting. I was there 1974-77---10 years after they dropped their football program, which in the first half century was a power in the midwest at times. I coached the women's intercollegiate flag football team my three years, when they started the sport--which could yield some interesting stories--but at that time UD only had four sports: fencing , cross-country, baseball and basketball--the first three really to only maintain NCAA eligibility for b-ball which was coached by Dick Vitale.
Football costs a lot of money. I could see them going with lacrosse before football, but it would be nice to see some FCS schools in Michigan.

[dgreco]

another great read... you have officially been added to my favorites.