Actual Comment from new AEast Commish on AEast Football

[danefan]

When asked specifically about adding schools, recently hired America East commissioner Amy Huchthausen said, “Every conference has a long view of what’s in the best interest of their membership.” As for adding football, she said it’s been discussed, but added “I’m not sure we are there yet.” Short answer: We’ll see.


http://blog.timesunion.com/mcguire/ualbany-needs-to-look-around-even-if-it-stays-at-home/12704/


So at least its in the discussion.

[superman7515]

Well there's your answer to what happens to Delaware if the CAA starts getting shaky, back to America East.

[mainejeff]

Until Boston U. is gone........there will be no America East Football.......period.

[danefan]

Until Boston U. is gone........there will be no America East Football.......period.

I agree Jeff.

Just thought it was interesting to see an actual quote indicating that AEast football is on people's minds other than these boards.

[NHwildEcat]

It will be interesting to see how things continue to shake out over the course of the next few years...uncertainty is the only thing that is certain.

[owascoag]

BU....how can you have an enrollment of over 30,000 and have no football team? Pathetic.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

Until Boston U. is gone........there will be no America East Football.......period.

Is it the general consensus of the student body at Boston U that they don't care about football, a general consensus amongst the faculty, or just the president and a few key administrators that are dead set against it?

[UNH Fanboi]

Is it the general consensus of the student body at Boston U that they don't care about football, a general consensus amongst the faculty, or just the president and a few key administrators that are dead set against it?

I think BU students would care about football if they were in the ACC with BC. FCS, not so much.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

BU....how can you have an enrollment of over 30,000 and have no football team? Pathetic.

+1. And the answer is that rich idiot John Silber.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

+1. And the answer is that rich idiot John Silber.

What's interesting is that two schools who are similar to BU (urban research institutions with around 30K students) have either recently started football programs (Georgia State) or are actively talking about it (VCU).

[Dane96]

LFN hit it perfectly.

None of it mattered: as long as Silber was President...football was leaving. That said, I would not be surprised to see them start it back up in the future...probably 6-8 years from now. I could see them adding seats to Nickerson...as the only way they would re-start is as an FBS in my opinion.

[GaSouthern]

LFN hit it perfectly.

None of it mattered: as long as Silber was President...football was leaving. That said, I would not be surprised to see them start it back up in the future...probably 6-8 years from now. I could see them adding seats to Nickerson...as the only way they would re-start is as an FBS in my opinion.

Accordign to Mullet C it is impossible.

[DSUrocks07]

What this tells me, that the door still hasn't completely closed on DSU making a move to a more northeastern regional conference.xpeacex

[M Ruler]

DSU bring it north. would love a NE conference with Albany, CCSU, DSU, Stony Brook, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Monmouth(if they dont bolt for the Patriot along with Bryant)

[ccd494]

Why do we think BU students would give a crap about a football team? Unless it's men's hockey, attendance at BU sporting events is usually generously reported in the tens, even when they are winning basketball conference titles.

I can't see BU spending the money to add football only to end up associating itself with schools it already hates being associated with. You can't compare Georgia State or VCU to a school in Boston, as I think the New England/New York region has pretty conclusively proven that it isn't going to go hog wild over college football any time soon.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I can't see BU spending the money to add football only to end up associating itself with schools it already hates being associated with. You can't compare Georgia State or VCU to a school in Boston, as I think the New England/New York region has pretty conclusively proven that it isn't going to go hog wild over college football any time soon.

It does help when there's actual teams to root for. When Hofstra, BU and Northeastern dropped football, there's three fewer opportunities to get fans.

I think plenty more can be done to cultivate football in the Northeast in general, especially at the FCS level. Much has not been tried.

[Dane96]

Why do we think BU students would give a crap about a football team? Unless it's men's hockey, attendance at BU sporting events is usually generously reported in the tens, even when they are winning basketball conference titles.

I can't see BU spending the money to add football only to end up associating itself with schools it already hates being associated with. You can't compare Georgia State or VCU to a school in Boston, as I think the New England/New York region has pretty conclusively proven that it isn't going to go hog wild over college football any time soon.

Like I said, if it were FBS football...this would be the only things there students would watch. Not FCS. So, IMHO...the only way football comes back is FBS or bust. I think that they could do no worse than UCONN if they put their minds to it.

Remember...Silber built an apathetic student base. People said the same about BC 30 years ago...and they regularly get 40k a game. Why? They made football and emphasis.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Like I said, if it were FBS football...this would be the only things there students would watch. Not FCS.

I keep hearing this line over and over and over again. And I still believe it to be complete bull****. So will UMass students finally "watch" because they'll be hosting Northern Illinois on Tuesday Night in a stadium 100 miles from campus? After all, they're FBS... and "that's the only thing students will watch". xrolleyesx

More likely, it's because things haven't generally been tried. Many folks have gone to the "Colonial Clash" at Gillette because it's an EVENT, as is Harvard/Yale. Last I checked, these are both FCS games. And their attendance (Harvard/Yale: 31,300, Colonial Clash: 32,848) is just about in line with an average Boston College game (average: just over 38,000).

I'm not saying FCS teams have a right to expect attendance over 30,000 a game. But to say there's no interest in FCS football in the Northeast is a line of bullcrap that's bandied about as if it's a truism, and it's simply not true.

[Go...gate]

DSU bring it north. would love a NE conference with Albany, CCSU, DSU, Stony Brook, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Monmouth (if they don't bolt for the Patriot along with Bryant)

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[Dane96]

Ok, LFN...you must be correct.