East Coast Football Alliance

[Purple Stein]

You're quoting a soccer capacity for a soccer specific stadium that has hosted football so infrequently that it doesn't even have a football seating chart. But if you want to argue there would be no infrastructure costs for 'Nova going FBS, be my guest.

As for the spirit of your post, if and when Nova or JMU go to FBS (both are possible), I'm sure UConn would attempt to schedule them regularly. It would make sense to be aligned with an FBS Nova in some way. As long as both are FCS, they aren't really any more attractive to schedule than Maine, URI, or any other CAA school.

 

[Zissou]

You're quoting a soccer capacity for a soccer specific stadium that has hosted football so infrequently that it doesn't even have a football seating chart. But if you want to argue there would be no infrastructure costs for 'Nova going FBS, be my guest.

As for the spirit of your post, if and when Nova or JMU go to FBS (both are possible), I'm sure UConn would attempt to schedule them regularly. It would make sense to be aligned with an FBS Nova in some way. As long as both are FCS, they aren't really any more attractive to schedule than Maine, URI, or any other CAA school.

I agree any FCS program is not a schedule partner.

Nova and Delaware have played at Talen. Yes, it’s a stadium owned by the county with the primary tenant being MLS Phila Union, but it’s great for football. It’s not like trying to put a football field in a baseball stadium.

The key benefit is realized if the schools act together & make the moves with a ready made schedule.

Most FCS champs have moved up. JMU, Nova, and UD should align with UConn as independent FBS.

 

[Zissou]

 

[Zissou]

 

[Zissou]

 

[Zissou]

 

[Zissou]

UD, Nova, and JMU would not have to build stadiums.

They would just make better use of existing infrastructure.

They are also already paying MAC level costs so no wild increase is needed. $10M spending for "other than P5" should be the right amount.

(UConn should cut football costs and stay FBS. UConn needs a cost accounting - the spending is really high.)

 

[Ldandy]

If you know the history, that’s a pretty silly take.

No it's a hypothetical. It can't really be proven true or false.


They already pay G5 level / MAC level expenses. There would not need to be wild increases in costs. They are already set with stadiums that are built and will be maintained regardless of a move. We wouldn’t be building any stadiums. This isn’t a commitment to spend like the P5.

Well for starters each school would have to add 20 full scholarships each for both men's and women's athletics. Throw in larger football staffs, increased recruiting budgets, additional travel and it all adds up. The question is for what gain?

Villanova isn't Texas State or Georgia Southern that desperately needs FBS for university branding purposes. Nova has a brand as an urban liberal arts school with a strong basketball program. What material difference is there in playing James Madison or Army as an FBS Pogram as opposed to as an FCS one?

Are non engaged football fans suddenly going to care? At least in FCS Nova or JMU have something tangible that they can compete for. As an FBS Program the best they could ever aspire to is playing a 6-6 Middle Tennessee State in Birmingham, AL in the middle of December.

 

[Zissou]

Well for starters each school would have to add 20 full scholarships each for both men's and women's athletics. Throw in larger football staffs, increased recruiting budgets, additional travel and it all adds up. The question is for what gain?

Villanova isn't Texas State or Georgia Southern that desperately needs FBS for university branding purposes. Nova has a brand as an urban liberal arts school with a strong basketball program. What material difference is there in playing James Madison or Army as an FBS Pogram as opposed to as an FCS one?

Are non engaged football fans suddenly going to care? At least in FCS Nova or JMU have something tangible that they can compete for. As an FBS Program the best they could ever aspire to is playing a 6-6 Middle Tennessee State in Birmingham, AL in the middle of December.

As I stated, $10M for MAC level FBS is proven. There are not 'Bama aspirations here.

Temple is a Philly case. In my younger days Temple football took a back seat to Nova. Now it is a tight contest even with the FCS mismatch. Temple has successfully landed series with Notre Dame, Penn State and Maryland in succession. You might remember the Penn State trip to the Linc?!?

Notre Dame not only scheduled Temple, they scheduled UMass.

There is some room to grow.

 

[Fishy]

Going to FBS to FCS increases expenses by eight-figures yearly.

Villanova loses over $20M annually on athletics - adding FBS football would mean losing $30-35M a year.

Reality is that everyone outside of the P5 is getting shelled by their football programs. I'm not sure why anyone would sign up for that these days.

 

[Ldandy]

Going to FBS to FCS increases expenses by eight-figures yearly.

Villanova loses over $20M annually on athletics - adding FBS football would mean losing $30-35M a year.

Reality is that everyone outside of the P5 is getting shelled by their football programs. I'm not sure why anyone would sign up for that these days.

Obviously you don't understand the pent up demand in the greater Philadelphia Area to see Villanova battle James Madison as FBS Programs instead of FCS Ones. Well worth the unnecessary expense of upgrading...

 

[Zissou]

Going to FBS to FCS increases expenses by eight-figures yearly.

Villanova loses over $20M annually on athletics - adding FBS football would mean losing $30-35M a year.

Reality is that everyone outside of the P5 is getting shelled by their football programs. I'm not sure why anyone would sign up for that these days.

What is the average MAC expense on football?

 

[Zissou]

Obviously you don't understand the pent up demand in the greater Philadelphia Area to see Villanova battle James Madison as FBS Programs instead of FCS Ones. Well worth the unnecessary expense of upgrading...

You might remember the Penn State trip to the Linc?!?

 

[Zissou]

No one is advocating that JMU, UD, or Nova chase the UConn model.

What is proposed is MAC level football as an independent FBS program.

In the cases of Nova, JMU, and UD, we are already spending at MAC rates for an FCS product. There is no additional stadium infrastructure in these 3 cases. The increase in costs are modest. Extra scholarships and womens' matches are incremental. The expenses will look bigger than actual impact as we won't consider sunk fixed costs being spread over extra athletes, but rather we will look at full opportunity costs. That's ok.

UConn seems to have multiple issues to tackle in expenses. Women's basketball spends about as much as MAC football, but it's probably worth it for the Revenue + Engagement to the school.

The biggest target would seem to be the Not Allocated expenses. Too many expenses that aren't being properly applied to the sports? That is, are some football expenses hidden unallocated? Or is there too much overhead?

3 areas in the athletic costing seem unusually elevated - (i) game expenses and travel, (ii) coaching salaries (full staff), and (iii) admin expenses. I was surprised to see the facility expenses were very reasonable. The Rent does not seem to be an excessive expense for UConn directly. Recruiting costs are in line.

 

[Ldandy]

You might remember the Penn State trip to the Linc?!?

I'm not sure what you're grasping at here? I've been to a number of Penn State v. Temple Games in Philly including multiple games at The Linc. Regardless of the outcome of any of these contests, I have no flipping idea what any of that has to do with Villanova, Delaware, or James Madison upgrading to play FBS Football? Especially when you advocate that they continue to play many of the same teams they are already playing as FCS Schools.

Your constant posting here would make sense if your position was to advocate UConn dropping down to FCS to join Nova in The CAA. An existing regional FCS Conference and a potential cost saver might appeal to some. That said the overwhelming majority of Uconn Supporters have minimal interest and even less sway over what any of these other schools' athletic departments decide to do with football in the future.

Wouldn't it make 100X more sense to post these ideas on the boards of the schools that you are trying to influence to upgrade? UConn's already FBS and will likely remain that way for the near term. What else exactly should they be doing that they already aren't?

 

[Adios]

These people think they can do more magic than Criss Angel and David Copperfield combined using social media. Internet LaVar Balls.

 

[CL82]

Going to FBS to FCS increases expenses by eight-figures yearly.

Villanova loses over $20M annually on athletics - adding FBS football would mean losing $30-35M a year.

Reality is that everyone outside of the P5 is getting shelled by their football programs. I'm not sure why anyone would sign up for that these days.

Because they attracted the lure of a P5 $35M+ TV rights distribution and discount the fact they will never have a seat at the table.

 

[Pudge]

You are throwing shade …

We have often discussed the Revenue side of FCS. As much as I would agree that FCS adds eight-figure expenses on climbing to FBS, there is the potential for Revenue. Selling tickets on campus for FCS is about your only avenue of revenue now. With streaming and big buy games (which they already do - mostly 1 per year), the $ could be 2-3x greater than the increase in expenses. Not more than $3-5m. But significant to a FCS level Program. My view is the only big stumbling block for most of these schools is the potential to gain Playoffs in FCS; which can't be that much money yet prized. Let Fox throw a bowl.

I think Independence only works if there is 10-12 total with 8 or so on our side of the country. The notion that you limp through 4 weeks of November with nothing schedules is the biggest complaint from BYU - who is the ground level case study for this.

 

[Zissou]

I'm not sure what you're grasping at here? I've been to a number of Penn State v. Temple Games in Philly including multiple games at The Linc. Regardless of the outcome of any of these contests, I have no flipping idea what any of that has to do with Villanova, Delaware, or James Madison upgrading to play FBS Football? Especially when you advocate that they continue to play many of the same teams they are already playing as FCS Schools.

Your constant posting here would make sense if your position was to advocate UConn dropping down to FCS to join Nova in The CAA. An existing regional FCS Conference and a potential cost saver might appeal to some. That said the overwhelming majority of Uconn Supporters have minimal interest and even less sway over what any of these other schools' athletic departments decide to do with football in the future.

Wouldn't it make 100X more sense to post these ideas on the boards of the schools that you are trying to influence to upgrade? UConn's already FBS and will likely remain that way for the near term. What else exactly should they be doing that they already aren't?

Philly college football has a lot more potential.

Temple-Nova is already competitive. It will be better when both are FBS.

Advocating for UConn dropping to FCS is nonsense. UConn can bring its costs in line and be a credible independent.

An independent schedule is difficult. It would be easier with a handful of peer FBS independents that could be regional rivals.

Last time that penn state visited the Linc they were spanked. If Temple can do it, so can Nova and UConn.

My first allegiance is always Nova, so I have that bias. I also want UConn to succeed. I have some personal Connecticut interests.

 

[Kolumbo]

Philly college football has a lot more potential.

Temple-Nova is already competitive. It will be better when both are FBS.

Advocating for UConn dropping to FCS is nonsense. UConn can bring its costs in line and be a credible independent.

An independent schedule is difficult. It would be easier with a handful of peer FBS independents that could be regional rivals.

Last time that penn state visited the Linc they were spanked. If Temple can do it, so can Nova and UConn.

My first allegiance is always Nova, so I have that bias. I also want UConn to succeed. I have some personal Connecticut interests.

I'm onto your long play. Hoping to get competitive games for Nova so you can eventually get an ACC invite.

 

[Zissou]

I'm onto your long play. Hoping to get competitive games for Nova so you can eventually get an ACC invite.

Ha! I’d rather be in the Big East than even the ACC!

The AAC is pretty undesirable.

 

[Ldandy]

Philly college football has a lot more potential.

Temple-Nova is already competitive. It will be better when both are FBS.

Advocating for UConn dropping to FCS is nonsense. UConn can bring its costs in line and be a credible independent.

An independent schedule is difficult. It would be easier with a handful of peer FBS independents that could be regional rivals.

Last time that penn state visited the Linc they were spanked. If Temple can do it, so can Nova and UConn.

My first allegiance is always Nova, so I have that bias. I also want UConn to succeed. I have some personal Connecticut interests.

Once again you fail to explain why you are politicking for this on the board of the school whose team is already playing FBS Football. Wouldn't your time be better served trying to galvanize support among the fan bases whose football programs you believe need to be elevated? Again what is the point of drilling this into UConn's Fans Heads? Its not their fault that Nova wouldn't s*** or get off the pot when a possible Big East Call Up was a real possibility.

 

[Adios]

His mission here is complete. Now he must move onto JMU, Delaware, Villanova, etc, message boards for years to make this dream come true.

 

[Zissou]

Once again you fail to explain why you are politicking for this on the board of the school whose team is already playing FBS Football. Wouldn't your time be better served trying to galvanize support among the fan bases whose football programs you believe need to be elevated? Again what is the point of drilling this into UConn's Fans Heads? Its not their fault that Nova wouldn't s*** or get off the pot when a possible Big East Call Up was a real possibility.

UConn is committed to the Big East, but UConn has said it still needs to figure out its football plan.

UConn is the catalyst for change here, changing the status quo. Not the other three.

This is the second time I’ve explained why I’m here. Why are you?

 

[Zissou]

His mission here is complete. Now he must move onto JMU, Delaware, Villanova, etc, message boards for years to make this dream come true.

UConn to the Big East is certainly a mission complete. Now I’ll help you fix football.