Would Jacksonville U be interested in MEAC membership?

[DSUrocks07]

Discuss...

Pros:
- autobid to FCS playoffs
- reduced travel costs
- central location of three conference members (FAMU, BCU, SSU)

Cons:
- cost of scholarships
- leaving the A-Sun for the MEAC in all sports
- perception of "lesser competition"
- joining an "HBCU conference"

I think that it could be something for them to seriously consider.

[JSU02]

Methinks not...

[GoBears]

No chance. NONE

[NoCoDanny]

I"m all for it.

[busybee14]

JU should be in the Big South or the SoCon

[TheValleyRaider]

Wait, Jacksonville has plans to add scholarships and leave the PFL? xconfusedx

[Franks Tanks]

no

[Dane96]

And if they did offer rides, I am pretty sure they wouldnt even sniff the MEAC.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

This is not some hare-brained scheme. You'd have three scholarship FCS programs in Florida playing each other every year - saving FAMU, B-CU and JU on travel costs.

Of course, if the MEAC commish has his heart set on a rehash of the Heritage Bowl, JU would have no reason ever to join up.

[danefan]

Adding scholarships far outweights any travel costs JU could possibly save.

Just take a look at the budgets of JU vs. the FL MEAC schools:
JU - $1,074,629
B-CU - $3,071,002
FAMU - $2,350,000

While tuition at JU is relatively cheap $13,000, you are looking at adding at least $1.5 million a year to that budget after Title IX. Their travel expenses in the PFL are probably no more than $150,000 a year.

[DFW HOYA]

The idea of a non-HBCU team in such a conference is not unheard of. Division II Chowan joined the CIAA last fall.

[GoBears]

JU will NOT add scholarships any time soon. They are committed to being a consistent A-Sun power in basketball, and they have football as a way to make money for their school. The only way they might make a move as far as scholarships is if UNF starts a full-ride football program.

[Model Citizen]

Jacksonville will go to Big South football when the stadium is built and the scholarship money is in the bank. No time soon is right.

[DSUrocks07]

This is not some hare-brained scheme. You'd have three scholarship FCS programs in Florida playing each other every year - saving FAMU, B-CU and JU on travel costs.

Of course, if the MEAC commish has his heart set on a rehash of the Heritage Bowl, JU would have no reason ever to join up.

Which is why if JU were to join, then that goes out the window. The Commish talks about adding a 14th school to the conference, and JU makes the most sense to approach right now. And the increased revenue and corporate sponsorships from having a scholarship football program, along with the chance at competing for an NCAA title in football. I actually think that UNF (also in J-ville) would be a better fit for the Big South if they decide to field a football team. They are seriously committed to upgrading their athletic facilities. Crosstown rivals in seperate conferences, guaranteed money maker for them.

[TheValleyRaider]

Crosstown rivals in seperate conferences, guaranteed money maker for them.

If they can pry north Florida eyes away from the Gator game...

[Dane96]

This is not some hare-brained scheme. You'd have three scholarship FCS programs in Florida playing each other every year - saving FAMU, B-CU and JU on travel costs.

Of course, if the MEAC commish has his heart set on a rehash of the Heritage Bowl, JU would have no reason ever to join up.

Jacksonville has BIG $$$ from what I understand (we are working on a project with the school and the Jacksonville Transit Authority.

Money...is not an issue. Plus, it is an easy flight in and out of Jacksonville.

They dont have anything in common with the MEAC schools. That said, a rotation of OOC games with the local schools makes more sense.

[Dane96]

Adding scholarships far outweights any travel costs JU could possibly save.

Just take a look at the budgets of JU vs. the FL MEAC schools:
JU - $1,074,629
B-CU - $3,071,002
FAMU - $2,350,000

While tuition at JU is relatively cheap $13,000, you are looking at adding at least $1.5 million a year to that budget after Title IX. Their travel expenses in the PFL are probably no more than $150,000 a year.

Tuition is actually double that-- that is the SEMESTER TUITION...which gives even more weight to your well thought out answer to the situation.

This is a non-starter.

[Dane96]

Which is why if JU were to join, then that goes out the window. The Commish talks about adding a 14th school to the conference, and JU makes the most sense to approach right now. And the increased revenue and corporate sponsorships from having a scholarship football program, along with the chance at competing for an NCAA title in football. I actually think that UNF (also in J-ville) would be a better fit for the Big South if they decide to field a football team. They are seriously committed to upgrading their athletic facilities. Crosstown rivals in seperate conferences, guaranteed money maker for them.

Jacksoville can barely support its one pro team...you think it will support a private small school.

People...schools at this level BARELY...if ever make $$$ on their football programs. Jacksonville as a city is tight with coin right now, except for their port which is one of the biggest in the United States.

FCS football is not going to suddenly bring forth a flood of corporate sponsorships.

And I am not sure why UNF would be a good fit-- they have flat out set they absolutely WILL NOT LOOK AT FOOTBALL FOR AT LEAST 10 years. These were pretty public statements. That said, they could easily follow a model like the other state schools.

[Dane96]

If they can pry north Florida eyes away from the Gator game...

Ding Ding...some sense to the equation. xthumbsupx

[blackcaesar3k5]

JU Dolphins is more likely heading to Big South Conference..

[WestCoastAggie]

So who is going to be the MEAC's 14th team? And why wouldn't a PWC work in the MEAC?

[mizzoufan1]

So who is going to be the MEAC's 14th team? And why wouldn't a PWC work in the MEAC?

Savannah State...

[superman7515]

Has there ever been any interest in the Division 2 HBCU's in moving up? Most of them would fit in well geographically like Virginia State, Benedict, or Fayetteville State University.

Not sure how it would work with Virginia State. Norfolk State is a spin-off of Virginia State and they'd be competing with Richmond for donations and attendance in the area which if the stadium for UR is any indication isn't a big FCS supporter.

Benedict just built Charlie Johnson Stadium about three or four years ago and that can seat 17,000. That's already more than Bethune-Cookman, DelState, Howard, Morgan State, NC Central, and Savannah State can. The population is over 115,000 and the metro area is over 725,000. But the South Carolina Gamecocks are very popular in the region, so what attendance they do get may be more a product of matchups and alumni then general football fans. If they did some cross town games with SC, it couldn't hurt the paycheck.

Fayetteville on the otherhand is the only show in town and there's a population over 170,000 in the city limits and 340,000+ in the metro area. That's bigger than Hampton, 5x bigger than Delaware State (Dover), 15x bigger than S.C. State (Orangeburg), and basically dead even with Florida A&M (Tallahassee). They may eventually be able to build a rivalry with Winston-Salem & A&T once they got competitive. They would fit in fine geographically as they'd be pretty central to everyone in the conference.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Has there ever been any interest in the Division 2 HBCU's in moving up?

The answer is probably, but 1) there's been a moratorium on any moveups, including D-II to D-I FCS, and 2) it looks like the requirements and financial commitment will be onerous when the moratorium is lifted, which will make it pretty hard for such moves to happen. And Winston-Salem State's aborted D-I upgrade and Savannah State's long, long purgatory will serve as very visible cautionary tales for teams that want to move up.

[WestCoastAggie]

Savannah State...

SSU is the 13th member school. WSSU is back in the CIAA.

[WestCoastAggie]

The answer is probably, but 1) there's been a moratorium on any moveups, including D-II to D-I FCS, and 2) it looks like the requirements and financial commitment will be onerous when the moratorium is lifted, which will make it pretty hard for such moves to happen. And Winston-Salem State's aborted D-I upgrade and Savannah State's long, long purgatory will serve as very visible cautionary tales for teams that want to move up.

QUESTION OF THE DAY? Does it have to be a HBCU? Why wouldn't a PWC want to join the MEAC? It really isn't that bad of a conference. Any school in GA, SC, NC or VA with a decent sized student pop. (10-15K), a good showstyle band, and a commitment of at least $7-8 million in the Athletic budget would be a great fit in the MEAC, i think.

[Sonic98]

QUESTION OF THE DAY? Does it have to be a HBCU? Why wouldn't a PWC want to join the MEAC? It really isn't that bad of a conference. Any school in GA, SC, NC or VA with a decent sized student pop. (10-15K), a good showstyle band, and a commitment of at least $7-8 million in the Athletic budget would be a great fit in the MEAC, i think.

It could work. It would just be the reverse of what TSU. Then again I have to be honest. I have never been to a TSU game against a non-HBCU or non-FCS opponent. Then again I just don't like TSU and would only go to their games if I had absolutely nothing else to do.

[TexasTerror]

QUESTION OF THE DAY? Does it have to be a HBCU? Why wouldn't a PWC want to join the MEAC? It really isn't that bad of a conference. Any school in GA, SC, NC or VA with a decent sized student pop. (10-15K), a good showstyle band, and a commitment of at least $7-8 million in the Athletic budget would be a great fit in the MEAC, i think.

Didn't a non-HBCU at the Div II level join an HBCU conference? Wasn't it Chowan that joined the CIAA?

[wr70beh]

QUESTION OF THE DAY? Does it have to be a HBCU? Why wouldn't a PWC want to join the MEAC? It really isn't that bad of a conference. Any school in GA, SC, NC or VA with a decent sized student pop. (10-15K), a good showstyle band, and a commitment of at least $7-8 million in the Athletic budget would be a great fit in the MEAC, i think.

Longwood (a PWC recently completed its move to D1) looked at getting into the MEAC, but their problem is they don't offer football. Their move was based on the premise that they would just slide into the Big South once they completed their transition. Since then, the Big South went more football-oriented, and they lost their in. They tried the A-Sun, but they wouldn't even take them. So now they are stuck out in no-man's land. If only they offered football (which the President said they have no plans for).

[TexasTerror]

Longwood (a PWC recently completed its move to D1) looked at getting into the MEAC, but their problem is they don't offer football. Their move was based on the premise that they would just slide into the Big South once they completed their transition. Since then, the Big South went more football-oriented, and they lost their in. They tried the A-Sun, but they wouldn't even take them. So now they are stuck out in no-man's land. If only they offered football (which the President said they have no plans for).

Longwood even turned down membership in the Great West Conference. You would think they would just want a conference since the road right now will be very rocky as an independent.

Good for them - they are in the heart of an area with plenty of colleges to play for. Do not envy them.