Athletic Conferences

[89Hen]

Talking about automatics and how there's room in I-AA conferences got me thinking. One of the things that I've always hated about Delaware athletics was the number of conferences in which the different sports were members and how many changes we've gone through... ECAC, ECC, NAC, NEC, America East, Yankee/A10, CAA... We're finally getting closer to all sports for all schools with the CAA taking over football, but there will still be members of the CAA football conference who are members of other conferences for all other sports.

IMO this is one of the major problems of recognition on a national level for many of the AD's of schools that sponsor I-AA football. Most people could name you all members of the Big 10, ACC, SEC, Pac10, BigXII..... you might say it's because they are more of a household name sure, but think of how tough it's always been to name all the members of the Big East. That's because they had associate members (Temple) and members who did play football but not in the BE (Georgetown, Villanova...).

This is more prevalent in I-AA. The Gateway has five of their members in the Missouri Valley, one in the Sun Belt and one in the Mid-Continent. The A10 (soon to be CAA) will have 6 CAA members, 3 Atlantic 10, 2 America East and 1 Big East member. This is ridiculous IMO. I think these schools should look long and hard at consolidating sports under one roof. I think this would help with recognition and would certainly help with our automatic bid problem. :twocents:

[AppGuy04]

Talking about automatics and how there's room in I-AA conferences got me thinking. One of the things that I've always hated about Delaware athletics was the number of conferences in which the different sports were members and how many changes we've gone through... ECAC, ECC, NAC, NEC, America East, Yankee/A10, CAA... We're finally getting closer to all sports for all schools with the CAA taking over football, but there will still be members of the CAA football conference who are members of other conferences for all other sports.

IMO this is one of the major problems of recognition on a national level for many of the AD's of schools that sponsor I-AA football. Most people could name you all members of the Big 10, ACC, SEC, Pac10, BigXII..... you might say it's because they are more of a household name sure, but think of how tough it's always been to name all the members of the Big East. That's because they had associate members (Temple) and members who did play football but not in the BE (Georgetown, Villanova...).

This is more prevalent in I-AA. The Gateway has five of their members in the Missouri Valley, one in the Sun Belt and one in the Mid-Continent. The A10 (soon to be CAA) will have 6 CAA members, 3 Atlantic 10, 2 America East and 1 Big East member. This is ridiculous IMO. I think these schools should look long and hard at consolidating sports under one roof. I think this would help with recognition and would certainly help with our automatic bid problem. :twocents:

i think its always gonna be this way until ALL schools play ALL sports, and this will NEVER happen

[89Hen]

i think its always gonna be this way until ALL schools play ALL sports, and this will NEVER happen
I think it's fine to have schools that don't have football in your conference (ie. UNC-W, VCU, Drexel, ODU, GMU.... in the CAA). As far as I know there aren't any schools that have football and not bball, baseball, softball....

The real problems are the schools like Villanova and Georgetown who aren't about to leave the BE but at the same time, would never go I-A.

Some of the Gateway's problems could be solved if WKU does depart for I-A. All that would have to happen is WIU needs to join the MVC and then have them take over the Gateway Football Conference, and have Drake move to scholarships, problem solved for them.

What's the scoop with the SoCon? Who's where for other sports?

[Paladin1aa]

Hardly. YSU is a member of the Horizon League except for FB.

[Hansel]

All that would have to happen is WIU needs to join the MVC and then have them take over the Gateway Football Conference, and have Drake move to scholarships, problem solved for them.


I don't think the MVC wants anything to do with WIU basketball

[89Hen]

Hardly. YSU is a member of the Horizon League except for FB.
:bang: Damn, missed that one. OK, WIU and YSU need to move to the MVC. :p

[JaxSinfonian]

The "under one roof" thing is a big reason why Jax State went to the OVC. We were in what used to be the Southland Football League and in the Atlantic Sun Conference (formerly the TAAC - Trans-America Athletic Conference) for everything else from 1995-2003.

The quality of football competition was excellent of course, but we only saw those schools in the fall. Come roundball season, we were playing the likes of Stetson and Campbell (and FAU & FIU, for that matter), with whom we had little in common. Almost no A-Sun teams played scholarship football. It was a miserable existence, because of the number of unfamiliar schools, the amazing travel distances and what appeared to be a revolving door for A-Sun membership. I'm not sure if the league ever had the same lineup two years in a row while we were there.

The OVC, IMHO, has been a pretty darn good fit so far. It's been nice to win football championships again, and the men's basketball clinics they've put on for us have been, um, educational. It has really helped a lot to be in a conference with a relatively stable membership, with institutions very similar to ours that we see all year-round. It has made a difference in fan interest and support. Even before our first OVC football contest in 2003 there was this sense that JSU was finally done wandering in the wilderness.

[OL FU]

The SoCon has 12 schools (8 of which play football in the SoCon.). I believe all schools participate only in the SoCon for all sports except for Davidson which plays football in the (Pioneer?).

and 89, I agree confusion causes harm.

[TexasTerror]

Even some Div I-A schools compete in multiple conference. UConn compete in Hockey East and Atlantic Hockey...

Central Arkansas will have to find a new home for mens' soccer. ULM competes in SLC for all, but football (Sun Belt), but that will change this next year...

[dbackjon]

One of the great things about the Big Sky is that for the core 13 sports (6 men, 7 womens) which includes football and basketball, all members must participate, with minimum scholarship requirements (i.e must fund x number of scholarships in each sport), and there facility requirements as well (i.e. football stadium must meet/exceed certain standards).

Of course, there are schools with sponser other sports that the Big Sky does not - Sac St is an associate member of the WAC for Baseball, NAU is in the Pacific Coast Swim Conference for Women's Swimming, etc.

[AppGuy04]

The SoCon has 12 schools (8 of which play football in the SoCon.). I believe all schools participate only in the SoCon for all sports except for Davidson which plays football in the (Pioneer?).

and 89, I agree confusion causes harm.

11 schools, UNCG and Charleston don't have football, and like you said, Davidson plays in the Pioneer for football

[OL FU]

11 schools, UNCG and Charleston don't have football, and like you said, Davidson plays in the Pioneer for football

That's right, I still have the number inc. ETSU stuck in my head.

[AppGuy04]

That's right, I still have the number inc. ETSU stuck in my head.
yeah, i just looked at the top of the page at http://www.soconsports.com and did some subtraction

[UD1993]

i think the aim of this topic is more toward the money generating sports, i.e. football and hoops. smaller revenue sports or sports where not many schools play in (lacrosse, ice hockey, etc.) will cause schools to play in a specialized conference (Hockey East, Great West Lacrosse).

[gophoenix]

Actually, baseball seems to be one of those sports that are cut when football is offered. See Hampton and UTC for that.

Also, for the SoCon, App is an indie for Field Hockey. Elon was also be an indie for the lacrosses when we start them soon.

And technically, VMI is still in the conference for Wrestling.

[OL FU]

i think the aim of this topic is more toward the money generating sports, i.e. football and hoops. smaller revenue sports or sports where not many schools play in (lacrosse, ice hockey, etc.) will cause schools to play in a specialized conference (Hockey East, Great West Lacrosse).


We can only play hockey when our fountain ponds freeze. :D

[89Hen]

i think the aim of this topic is more toward the money generating sports, i.e. football and hoops. smaller revenue sports or sports where not many schools play in (lacrosse, ice hockey, etc.) will cause schools to play in a specialized conference (Hockey East, Great West Lacrosse).
Correct. We have a bunch of teams in the CAA as associates for smaller sports like wrestling. I have no problem with that.

[chattanoogamocs]

Actually, baseball seems to be one of those sports that are cut when football is offered. See Hampton and UTC for that.

In UC's case (back in the 80's) it was cut baseball or wrestling because of title IX...since the Mocs have won 20 SoCon Wrestling titles in 27 years (versus a just so-so baseball team) it was a pretty easy decision.

UC finished 20th at the NCAA's last year and are pre-season top 25 this year and average close to 1,000 per match in attendance.

All that being said, I would love to have baseball here again (since we are the only SoCon school without a team and Chattanooga...school and city...have a long baseball history)

[CollegeSportsInfo]

Talking about automatics and how there's room in I-AA conferences got me thinking. One of the things that I've always hated about Delaware athletics was the number of conferences in which the different sports were members and how many changes we've gone through... ECAC, ECC, NAC, NEC, America East, Yankee/A10, CAA... We're finally getting closer to all sports for all schools with the CAA taking over football, but there will still be members of the CAA football conference who are members of other conferences for all other sports.

IMO this is one of the major problems of recognition on a national level for many of the AD's of schools that sponsor I-AA football. Most people could name you all members of the Big 10, ACC, SEC, Pac10, BigXII..... you might say it's because they are more of a household name sure, but think of how tough it's always been to name all the members of the Big East. That's because they had associate members (Temple) and members who did play football but not in the BE (Georgetown, Villanova...).

This is more prevalent in I-AA. The Gateway has five of their members in the Missouri Valley, one in the Sun Belt and one in the Mid-Continent. The A10 (soon to be CAA) will have 6 CAA members, 3 Atlantic 10, 2 America East and 1 Big East member. This is ridiculous IMO. I think these schools should look long and hard at consolidating sports under one roof. I think this would help with recognition and would certainly help with our automatic bid problem. :twocents:


What do you expect? You're talking about achools playing I-AA football, not I-A football. Athletics is a business. And if football is costing a school money, they need ot make it up in other areas, through other sports. Take the A10. Would life be easier for Umass, richmond and URI if they had ALL their sports int he CAA? Sure. But the CAA would be a step backwards for basketball, the only sport that has been capable of generating stable revenue for a school like UMass.

We all have our sports utopias and you and I share a vision with this one. I just don't se it ever happening.