Campbell to Big South

[zilla]

http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=326204

The Camels will continue to participate in the Pioneer League for football. xbawlingx

They're slated to join the league during the summer of 2011.

[Syntax Error]

Don't forget they were a charter member of the BSO
Campbell will spend the next two years in the A-Sun before making the transition back to the Big South in the summer of 2011, a source said.

[g-webb1994]

Great news for all of the other sports in the Big South. Who knows, eventually they could be football members down the road.....

[SuperJon]

This paves the way for them to bring in Longwood as a 12th school. The thing holding Longwood back the past few years was not having football. If they're setting a precedence here of adding a new school without football, it only makes sense Longwood is next. That would make four schools in North Carolina, four in South Carolina, and four in Virginia.

[Hoseinexile07]

WE NEED [GOOD] FOOTBALL SCHOOLS!!!! xsmhx

[BJuice]

This paves the way for them to bring in Longwood as a 12th school. The thing holding Longwood back the past few years was not having football. If they're setting a precedence here of adding a new school without football, it only makes sense Longwood is next. That would make four schools in North Carolina, four in South Carolina, and four in Virginia.

I hoped they would come back to the Big South. It just fits. Welcome back Campbell Camels.

I agree about the Longwood thing. It would give the conference good balance with 4-4-4. It also would give the conference a nice geographic footprint that is not too taxing on any schoool. That is important in a challenging economy.

I just hope Campbell brings football at some point.

[zilla]

This paves the way for them to bring in Longwood as a 12th school. The thing holding Longwood back the past few years was not having football. If they're setting a precedence here of adding a new school without football, it only makes sense Longwood is next. That would make four schools in North Carolina, four in South Carolina, and four in Virginia.

If the league is looking to make it an even twelve, I hope the next addition is East Tennessee State (just my personal preference).

However, I do understand your logic about having equal representation per state.

[SuperJon]

I say Longwood because I know they've been wanting into the league for years. I don't know how much (if any) ETSU wants into the conference.

[Go...gate]

The move is in part to "trim travel expenses". I think you may see a lot of this in the next year or two.

[Syntax Error]

The move is in part to "trim travel expenses". I think you may see a lot of this in the next year or two.

for many years the conf commishs have told me that it is all about regional

[g-webb1994]

ETSU would be easy pickings at this point, since the A-Sun is falling apart. Belmont and Lipscomb will bolt to the OVC. USC-Upstate, although a D-1 infant, could be an option too.

Makes you wonder what will happen to Mercer, Kennesaw, North Florida, Jacksonville, and Stetson.

[Model Citizen]

Looking at the possible addition of Jacksonville and Campbell several years from now...will there be a limit on the number of schools in Big South football?

[Syntax Error]

Knowing Kyle, no.

[Libertine]

Is it just me or should we just rename the Big South to the Statue of Liberty Conference?

"Give us your tired, your poor
Your huddled programs yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, conference-lost to me"

[BearsCountry]

If it was me personally I would have tried to tap into Georgia market some how but I guess the Big South wanted to stay more a Carolinas/Virginia conference.

[IaaScribe]

At the very least, this will guarantee that Longwood lands SOMEWHERE ... Longwood has some upside in basketball and baseball. If the Big South doesn't want the Lancers, the Atlantic Sun will take them in a heartbeat.

Pure speculation on my part, but I think this is a proactive move by Kallander to ensure the conference will still be healthy should Liberty and Coastal Carolina look elsewhere. Both schools have athletic budgets that dwarf most in the league, and both would be interested in moving should the CAA/America East split gain traction down the road.

[g-webb1994]

Is it just me or should we just rename the Big South to the Statue of Liberty Conference?

"Give us your tired, your poor
Your huddled programs yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, conference-lost to me"

xlolxxlolxxlolx

[Chad4Life]

One possibility concerning football (and it depends on what happens when the current membership moratorium is lifted in a couple of years)--schools like West Georgia and Valdosta State decide to move to D-I. Their overall athletic programs join the Atlantic Sun (which, by this time due to membership defections, has become a mainly Georgia/Florida league.) However, their football programs, as well as maybe Jacksonville, if they decided to move to scholarship football, join the Big South as associate members.

This would allow the Big South to have a bigger football membership while both they and the Atlantic Sun would have better travel arrangements for basketball and the other sports.

Not saying this comes to pass, but a possibility.

[g-webb1994]

Chad makes a good point....

Also, another issue, and maybe some Stony Brook people here can shed some light on it....wasn't it mentioned when SB joined the Big South that they would be leaving around the time of the 2011-12 academic year? If that is true, then the Big South needs to focus on schools with football in order to get/retain an auto-bid.

Maybe the fine SB contingent on this board can elaborate.....

[Chad4Life]

Chad makes a good point....

Also, another issue, and maybe some Stony Brook people here can shed some light on it....wasn't it mentioned when SB joined the Big South that they would be leaving around the time of the 2011-12 academic year? If that is true, then the Big South needs to focus on schools with football in order to get/retain an auto-bid.

Maybe the fine SB contingent on this board can elaborate.....

I think that some of these spread out conferences are facing some interesting choices in the next few years (the Atlantic Sun, the Summit, the Great West as an actual basketball conference, the WAC) Some conference aren't able to help (those out in the West), but some may have to make choices about memberships and travel. The ACC can afford to be spread out up and down the East Coast; I don't believe a mid-major or low-major may be to handle it as well.

Football, with its smaller number of games and one game per week, may allow a better usage of associate membership, as the CAA currently uses. May it be the answer for every conference? Maybe not, but it's not something that should be ignored.

[zilla]

The Campbell addition will give the Big South eleven members. Being that's an odd number, I would expect the announcement of another addition in the near future (as aforementioned).

Is it possible that another league is courting one of the Big South schools? Maybe Kallander wanted to fill a possible void because he doesn't like the prospectus of a certain school staying if it were offered a better opportunity elsewhere.

I'm taking the same approach as SuperJon. I'm trying to get inside the heads of the league executives to figure out this move. CU doesn't offer scholarship football, & is a "middle-of-the-pack" team in basketball & baseball.

It sounds like something's up. I'm extremely anxious to hear what's on the mind of the commish.

[SuperJon]

Kallandar is an idiot so he probably just thought it'd be cool.

[g-webb1994]

The more I ponder this move, why not go full bore after Jacksonville? Big media market, recruiting rich area, etc. JU has a plan in place already to move to fully-scholly football at some point. It makes sense.....meaning Kyle won't go for it.

Also...any chance that VMI goes back to the SOCON? Alot of tradition with VMI and the SOCON is why I ask.

[Seawolf97]

Chad makes a good point....

Also, another issue, and maybe some Stony Brook people here can shed some light on it....wasn't it mentioned when SB joined the Big South that they would be leaving around the time of the 2011-12 academic year? If that is true, then the Big South needs to focus on schools with football in order to get/retain an auto-bid.

Maybe the fine SB contingent on this board can elaborate.....

Our contract is for four seasons which would be up after the 2011 season. The age old question is then where do you go ? The mystical new conference in the North East, the CAA. Im not sure , personally Im for another several seasons in the Big South. I dont see anything out there and the Big South plays a good brand of scholarship football which I suspect will get better. So why not stay?

[zilla]

The more I ponder this move, why not go full bore after Jacksonville? Big media market, recruiting rich area, etc. JU has a plan in place already to move to fully-scholly football at some point. It makes sense.....meaning Kyle won't go for it.

Also...any chance that VMI goes back to the SOCON? Alot of tradition with VMI and the SOCON is why I ask.

Not trying to "stir the pot," but David Iamarino, SoCon commissioner, has gone on record stating that he believed a 14-team SoCon would work. I have no idea if the Southern Conference has recently contemplated the subject.

Who knows what Crazy Kyle is up to???

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I still contend (pure speculation on my part):

(1.) someone is leaving & Campbell is being brought in to fill a void, OR

(2.) another team will be added to bring league membership to an even twelve schools.

[Syntax Error]

Not trying to "stir the pot," but David Iamarino, SoCon commissioner...Is "David" John's middle name?

[CID1990]

Great news for all of the other sports in the Big South. Who knows, eventually they could be football members down the road.....

Don't bet on it, Bubba. What you guys have now is the equivalent of a Davidson or a cofc in the Big South now.

[zilla]

Is "David" John's middle name?

David...John

Tomato...Tomato

:p

[Syntax Error]

David...John
Tomato...Tomato
:pxlolx

he's still an NEC guy in southern football territory

[kirkblitz]

gimme sc state, best band in the world. I wish they would play us each year xbawlingx

[TexasTerror]

This paves the way for them to bring in Longwood as a 12th school. The thing holding Longwood back the past few years was not having football. If they're setting a precedence here of adding a new school without football, it only makes sense Longwood is next. That would make four schools in North Carolina, four in South Carolina, and four in Virginia.

Here's some Longwood talk...with fingers crossed from their AD.


Troy Austin's fingers are crossed.

The Longwood University athletic director hopes yesterday's announcement that Campbell will leave the Atlantic Sun Conference and join the Big South Conference for 2011-12 might create an affiliation opportunity for the Lancers. Longwood does not belong to a league and hasn't since it became a full-fledged Division I member two years ago.

Campbell's shift will give the Big South Conference, the league that seems most logical for Longwood, 11 members. "We hope, given the odd number, that it would create [opportunity]," said Austin. "In some situations, it's preferable to have an even number, maybe even the possibility of divisions."

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports/college/article/LONG15_20090514-222025/267832/

[kirkblitz]

i guess KK is looking for the lowest of the low he can find? He either needs to bring in people who will play FB with us or people who dont suck in baseball so it wont hurt our teams RPI.

[SuperJon]

i guess KK is looking for the lowest of the low he can find? He either needs to bring in people who will play FB with us or people who dont suck in baseball so it wont hurt our teams RPI.

Because Coastal is all that matters, right?

[kirkblitz]

Because Coastal is all that matters, right?



the RPi would help your team as well for baseball since you need all the help you can get. for FB we need people who are decent and actually PLAY it. It would help us as much as it would help you. You need all the help you can get with getting into the post season xsmiley_wix

[JetsLuvver]

It's one thing to take on new members that don't play football at all if it could benefit the conference in some way, but I don't understand why the SoCon, MVC and OVC tolerate conference members playing football outside the league, and I don't understand why the Big South would want to do the same.

The Davidsons, Campbells and Moreheads have effectively created a separate new subclass of FCS football by playing down like this, and it shouldn't be allowed.

You don't see schools playing basketball or baseball in different conferences like this.

[DetroitFlyer]

It's one thing to take on new members that don't play football at all if it could benefit the conference in some way, but I don't understand why the SoCon, MVC and OVC tolerate conference members playing football outside the league, and I don't understand why the Big South would want to do the same.

The Davidsons, Campbells and Moreheads have effectively created a separate new subclass of FCS football by playing down like this, and it shouldn't be allowed.

You don't see schools playing basketball or baseball in different conferences like this.


We do not view it as "playing down", it more accurate to say playing "differently". If the conferences you mentioned above would allow the Davidsons, Morehead States and Campbells to play football in the conferences "differently" from a funding model, than maybe the PFL would not be necessary.... Yep, it sure is good to see the Murray States of the world complying with conference rules and not "playing down".... Give me a break.

[gophoenix]

We do not view it as "playing down", it more accurate to say playing "differently". If the conferences you mentioned above would allow the Davidsons, Morehead States and Campbells to play football in the conferences "differently" from a funding model, than maybe the PFL would not be necessary.... Yep, it sure is good to see the Murray States of the world complying with conference rules and not "playing down".... Give me a break.

Exactly. Which means they should play differently in another conference for all sports.

[zilla]

Add one more who "questions" the recent expansion:

http://www.thesunnews.com/sports/story/905238.html

According to Coach Gilmore, adding Campbell, along with our last two league additions, henders our (or anyone else in the Big South) future chances of hosting a regional in baseball.

[bodoyle]

It's a joke that they're joining. It will only drag the BSC down more.

As I stated on our site,

Just another reason for CCU Baseball to change conferences like schools out here do. We are penalized enough as it is. Adding more sub par teams continues to kill us. I don't understand why they don't look into this, but I guess, as far as I know, they could be and it just isn't public knowledge. The Summit/MVCC/ whatever else the conferences out here are called have different teams in different conferences for almost ever damn sport. I don't see a downside in it. Let 'throp go to a better hoops conference if they want to so badly, let us go to a different baseball conference etc.

[bodoyle]

Exactly. Which means they should play differently in another conference for all sports.

Do you have a problem with teams doing that?

[bodoyle]

Because Coastal is all that matters, right?

If yuo guys want to move for a sport you guys feel you are better than the BSC in, then go for it. I would urge you to if you think it's worthwhile.

[kirkblitz]

http://blogs.fayobserver.com/shugar/2009/05/20/campbell-football-eventually-will-join-the-big-south/


Campbell football eventually will join the Big South…

I don’t expect Campbell football to be in the Pioneer Football League for long.

Even in these tough economic times, the Camels athletic department would be foolish not to make the move after the rest of the school’s teams leave the Atlantic Sun for the Big South in 2011. And I’m pretty sure the school will be examining ways to make this happen.

The Big South will get an automatic bid to send its champion to the Division I-FCS playoffs in 2010. This would provide an opportunity for Campbell to get into the postseason and receive a share of the precious television dollars that make athletic departments go these days. I also would expect a surge in attendance at Barker-Lane Stadium to accompany the move. People love regional rivalries, and a lot more fans would like to see the Camels play Coastal Carolina instead of Dayton (Ohio).

looks like we are getting a new friend on the football field

[BigSouthFB]

I think this is a decent move now that we know that Campbell will probably join in Football sometime soon. The A-sun, like someone said earlier, is generally a Georgia/Florida conference. Mercer and Kennesaw state have both had talks recently about adding football but nothing has really come of it.
Personally I think we'll see the A-sun either add football OR a Florida/Georgia football conference will form when the moratorium is lifted. West GA is almost done with a VERY nice stadium for DII and I know they want to move up. If the CAA splits you'll probably see schools like GA state, Jacksonville, West Ga, and maybe a school like Kennesaw try to get a conference going. There were also rumblings about west Florida moving up as well.

With everything going regional I think the Big south will stick with staying in the Carolina's and VA.

[CollegeSportsInfo]

I think this is a decent move now that we know that Campbell will probably join in Football sometime soon. The A-sun, like someone said earlier, is generally a Georgia/Florida conference. Mercer and Kennesaw state have both had talks recently about adding football but nothing has really come of it.
Personally I think we'll see the A-sun either add football OR a Florida/Georgia football conference will form when the moratorium is lifted. West GA is almost done with a VERY nice stadium for DII and I know they want to move up. If the CAA splits you'll probably see schools like GA state, Jacksonville, West Ga, and maybe a school like Kennesaw try to get a conference going. There were also rumblings about west Florida moving up as well.

With everything going regional I think the Big south will stick with staying in the Carolina's and VA.

If the CAA splits, it would be the associate members in one conference and the current CAA members in the other...Georgia St. is part of the group...so I don't think you'll ever see them leave that stability for a future hodgepodge conference.

[BigSouthFB]

If the CAA splits, it would be the associate members in one conference and the current CAA members in the other...Georgia St. is part of the group...so I don't think you'll ever see them leave that stability for a future hodgepodge conference.
You are probably right. I just know Ga State is gonna have a LOT of traveling while in the CAA and they don't really have a travel partner.

[zilla]

I would think if Georgia State ever left the CAA for another FCS conference, it would be the SoCon.

I hate to say it, especially since I'm a CCU fan, but leaving the Colonial for the Big South would be an extremely lateral move.

However, you're right about the travel.

[BigSouthFB]

I would think if Georgia State ever left the CAA for another FCS conference, it would be the SoCon.

I hate to say it, especially since I'm a CCU fan, but leaving the Colonial for the Big South would be an extremely lateral move.

However, you're right about the travel.
I never really considered the socon strictly because if teams start joining there it will just wind up with the same problem the CAA is having. It would be a logical fit though.

[GeauxLions94]

If the CAA splits, it would be the associate members in one conference and the current CAA members in the other...Georgia St. is part of the group...so I don't think you'll ever see them leave that stability for a future hodgepodge conference.

... and leave the CAA for a conference they have already left.

Pretty sure the powers that be at the A-Sun Office in Macon would have mixed feelings about having GSU back. Course then again, they would get a deeper grip into the Atlanta market with Kennesaw State in as well.

[CollegeSportsInfo]

You are probably right. I just know Ga State is gonna have a LOT of traveling while in the CAA and they don't really have a travel partner.

The problem was with the CAa choices of expansion teams, more than the schools. The CAA invited Northeastern and Georgia St. and both were clear upgrades over the AE and A-Sun (the AE upgrade more open for debate than the A-sun).

You can hardly blame either school for seeking a better conference, just question the conferences for choosing schools that clearly fall outside the desired footprint.

When a conference change is considered more of a push, we've seen schools stay where they are. CofCharleston passing over the CAA to remain int he SoCon is a fine example.

I could see GA State consider the SoCon at some point is the SoCon wanted them. But other than that, it would take an FBS upgrade and a Sunbelt invite for it to make any sense right now.