The next dominoes (April 14 edition)

[shizzle787]

Welcome to the next edition of the next dominoes. I personally see four fault lines where action will potentially occur:

A) America East/MAAC/NEC
B) Big South
C) SWAC/OVC
D) MEAC

The America East is back up to nine with the arrival of Bryant. I project the league will add Fairfield to get back to 10.

The MAAC will respond by adding Mt. St. Mary's and FDU to get back to eleven. I don't think the league will dip into Division 2 for replacements.

The NEC at this point will be down to eight schools. They expand back to ten by adding LeMoyne and Bentley, both Division 2 institutions.

The Big South will expand up to eleven by adding Queens (NC), another Division 2 institution.

The SWAC will swoop in to grab Tennessee State to get up to thirteen.

The OVC will be back down to nine schools and invite the University of Indianapolis to get back to ten.

The MEAC decides to take a pass on Chicago State due to travel expenses. This results in the league staying at eight members and Chicago State deciding to move down to Division 3.

The would leave Division 1 with 364 members as of 2023.

Other less-likely but potential moves:

Big East expanding to 12 by adding one of Gonzaga, St. Louis, or Dayton.

WCC expanding to 10 by adding one of Grand Canyon, Seattle, or Denver.

CAA expanding to 14 by adding one of Fairfield, Howard, or Morgan State.

C-USA expanding to 10 or 12 by adding one to three of Eastern Kentucky, Tarleton State, McNeese State, or Stephen F. Austin.

Horizon expanding to 12 by adding Bellarmine.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Fairfield to AmericaEast or is it to the CAA?

 

[Bobol]

If Xavier has anything to do it it, UDayton will never become a member of the Big East.

 

[conorg223]

If Xavier has anything to do it it, UDayton will never become a member of the Big East.

Exactly—the two are inside of an hour of one another. If we do move west (save for Gonzaga) we’re grabbing SLU.

 

[Kolumbo]

Exactly—the two are inside of an hour of one another. If we do move west (save for Gonzaga) we’re grabbing SLU.

 

[SU1968]

Exactly—the two are inside of an hour of one another. If we do move west (save for Gonzaga) we’re grabbing SLU.

That might not be bad. Duke and UNC are 8 miles apart and have a hellava rivalry.

 

[conorg223]

That might not be bad. Duke and UNC are 8 miles apart and have a hellava rivalry.

True—but I don’t think Dayton is even close to the market that St Louis would give us. SLU’s endowment is quadrupole UConn’s and larger than anyone save for Villanova and Georgetown. New facilities, fertile recruiting territory, metro footprint. There’s a lot to like.

 

[businesslawyer]

Welcome to the next edition of the next dominoes. I personally see four fault lines where action will potentially occur:

A) America East/MAAC/NEC
B) Big South
C) SWAC/OVC
D) MEAC

The America East is back up to nine with the arrival of Bryant. I project the league will add Fairfield to get back to 10.

The MAAC will respond by adding Mt. St. Mary's and FDU to get back to eleven. I don't think the league will dip into Division 2 for replacements.

The NEC at this point will be down to eight schools. They expand back to ten by adding LeMoyne and Bentley, both Division 2 institutions.

The Big South will expand up to eleven by adding Queens (NC), another Division 2 institution.

The SWAC will swoop in to grab Tennessee State to get up to thirteen.

The OVC will be back down to nine schools and invite the University of Indianapolis to get back to ten.

The MEAC decides to take a pass on Chicago State due to travel expenses. This results in the league staying at eight members and Chicago State deciding to move down to Division 3.

The would leave Division 1 with 364 members as of 2023.

Other less-likely but potential moves:

Big East expanding to 12 by adding one of Gonzaga, St. Louis, or Dayton.

WCC expanding to 10 by adding one of Grand Canyon, Seattle, or Denver.

CAA expanding to 14 by adding one of Fairfield, Howard, or Morgan State.

C-USA expanding to 10 or 12 by adding one to three of Eastern Kentucky, Tarleton State, McNeese State, or Stephen F. Austin.

Horizon expanding to 12 by adding Bellarmine.

Why in the world would Fairfield want to leave the MAAC for America East? They are in a conference with tighter geography, similar member institutions (modestly sized Catholic schools) and more prestige. You think they'd leave to play northern New England flagships and a bunch of SUNYs? Why?

 

[shizzle787]

Why in the world would Fairfield want to leave the MAAC for America East? They are in a conference with tighter geography, similar member institutions (modestly sized Catholic schools) and more prestige. You think they'd leave to play northern New England flagships and a bunch of SUNYs? Why?

The MAAC is a dying conference. Monmouth just left and their replacement was Mt. St. Mary's. Iona is begging to get into the A-10. Fairfield has an athletic budget larger than everyone else in the MAAC. There are more programs in the America East that the general public is familiar with (UVM, UNH, UMaine, UMass Lowell) than in the MAAC (Iona, Siena maybe).

Which league would you rather be in?
Iona
Siena
Quinnipiac
Niagara
Marist
Manhattan
Canisius
Rider
St. Peter's
Mt. St. Mary's
OR
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Albany (SUNY)
Binghamton (SUNY)
UMass Lowell
NJIT
UMBC
Bryant

I would rather be in the latter, and apparently so would a lot of Fairfield's fans accord to their message board. The Fairfield fans are dreaming of the A-10 and want at least the CAA, but many are warming to the idea of the America East.

IMO, if the America East had any forward thinking, they would invite Iona, Siena, Fairfield, and Quinnipiac. Iona would always be a flight risk but Siena usually averages 6-7k for attendance, and Fairfield and Quinnipiac would get the league back into CT. Also, it would leave the MAAC without its top four brands.

 

[businesslawyer]

The MAAC is a dying conference. Monmouth just left and their replacement was Mt. St. Mary's. Iona is begging to get into the A-10. Fairfield has an athletic budget larger than everyone else in the MAAC. There are more programs in the America East that the general public is familiar with (UVM, UNH, UMaine, UMass Lowell) than in the MAAC (Iona, Siena maybe).

Which league would you rather be in?
Iona
Siena
Quinnipiac
Niagara
Marist
Manhattan
Canisius
Rider
St. Peter's
Mt. St. Mary's
OR
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Albany (SUNY)
Binghamton (SUNY)
UMass Lowell
NJIT
UMBC
Bryant

I would rather be in the latter, and apparently so would a lot of Fairfield's fans accord to their message board. The Fairfield fans are dreaming of the A-10 and want at least the CAA, but many are warming to the idea of the America East.

IMO, if the America East had any forward thinking, they would invite Iona, Siena, Fairfield, and Quinnipiac. Iona would always be a flight risk but Siena usually averages 6-7k for attendance, and Fairfield and Quinnipiac would get the league back into CT. Also, it would leave the MAAC without its top four brands.

1. The fact that Fairfield would like to be in the A-Ten has as little to do with it wanting to be in America East as you wanting to sleep with Brooklyn Decker would have to do with you wanting to sleep with Lily Tomlin.


2. Yes, Siena is a name with a fanbase. Who in the America East draws that kind of crowd? Not UVM, and it is by far the class of the conference. The MAAC is a group of schools that have more basketball prestige and, more importantly, have much more in common with each other as a group of small catholic schools than they have in common with flagships and SUNYs. It makes no sense.

3, Thinking that some fans on a message board are "dreaming of America East" is as stupid as thinking Hurley's job is in danger because of what idiots post on the Boneyard.

 

[dbmill]

The MAAC is a dying conference. Monmouth just left and their replacement was Mt. St. Mary's. Iona is begging to get into the A-10. Fairfield has an athletic budget larger than everyone else in the MAAC. There are more programs in the America East that the general public is familiar with (UVM, UNH, UMaine, UMass Lowell) than in the MAAC (Iona, Siena maybe).

Which league would you rather be in?
Iona
Siena
Quinnipiac
Niagara
Marist
Manhattan
Canisius
Rider
St. Peter's
Mt. St. Mary's
OR
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Albany (SUNY)
Binghamton (SUNY)
UMass Lowell
NJIT
UMBC
Bryant

I would rather be in the latter, and apparently so would a lot of Fairfield's fans accord to their message board. The Fairfield fans are dreaming of the A-10 and want at least the CAA, but many are warming to the idea of the America East.

IMO, if the America East had any forward thinking, they would invite Iona, Siena, Fairfield, and Quinnipiac. Iona would always be a flight risk but Siena usually averages 6-7k for attendance, and Fairfield and Quinnipiac would get the league back into CT. Also, it would leave the MAAC without its top four brands.

1. The fact that Fairfield would like to be in the A-Ten has as little to do with the wanting to be in America East as you wanting to sleep with Brooklyn Decker would have to do with you wanting to sleep with Lily Tomlin.


2. Yes, Siena is a name with a fanbase. Who in the America East draws that kind of crowd? Not UVM, and it is by far the class of the conference. The MAAC is a group of schools that have more basketball prestige and, more importantly, have much more in common with each other as a group of small catholic schools than they have in common with flagships and SUNYs. It makes no sense.

3, Thinking that some fans on a message board are "dreaming of America East" is as stupid as thinking Hurley's job is in danger because of what idiots post on the Boneyard.

Aside from Monmouth, in the past the few teams that have left the MAAC have either gone to the Patriot League or to the A10. The A10 is a definite step up, while the Patriot League involves a separate sort of prestige. The AE hardly looks like a step up, and to me it is a league that has its own health issues. For the most part, the MAAC schools have really hung together for many years ago, and I just don't see what moving to the AE would get them, as @businesslawyer is certainly right in his second point, the private catholic nature of the MAAC versus the mostly public school nature of the AE helping to keep the MAAC schools together.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Exactly—the two are inside of an hour of one another. If we do move west (save for Gonzaga) we’re grabbing SLU.

They do have a history as conference mates
I also believe their markets are more distinct than we generally think.
Probably the best Analogy would be Boston to Storrs
pretty close but distinct .

 

[ConnMotors]

The Texas and Oklahoma exodus to the SEC has now unfortunately reached the low level conferences. Moves are being made throughout the country. Many leagues/conferences are stealing from each other leaving a handful of them needing schools so they can compete. There are only so many D2 or D3 schools that can move up and join in. At some point a merger will be needed between these leagues/conferences. When? I really don't know. But, I do not see Fairfield moving to the America East. To me it is a step down. Quinnipiac to the MAAC was a smart move back then. The NEC is at the bottom. School get snagged from this Conference at will. But definitely time to consolidate.