What happens now?

[billymac]

Both AD's (Tom O'Conner and Norwood Teague) have said today, that they have not had talks with the Atlantic 10 involving changing leagues. Teague saying that there have been "none whatsoever".

Tom Yeager, in a press conference this afternoon, said it is a "non-story". He said both teams are committed to the CAA.

Now, I am not naive enough to say there is no truth to the rumor, but I also believe that a lot of the "smoke" came from bloggers, pushing their blogs, and people who could profit from such a change.

It may happen, the A-10 is still vulnerable right now, but the CAA is a growing league and the A-10 may yet lose a couple more teams (including Xavier), so it is not something that you would do quickly and rashly.

Just a thought. Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

[nj alum]

I still think any arrangement with Delaware is the most desirable.

So having these options - it seems smarter to me from a W&M perspective to weigh these when the time is right rather than panicking/racing in the darkness to follow current rivals around blindly who have totally different aspirations and issues than W&M (no football, big time football aspirations, etc.).

If Delaware is invited to the MAC, should W&M go as well?

If Rutgers, UConn, Louisville, and Cincinnati leave the Big East, and Navy and Temple ask Delaware and ECU to join them in football, should W&M go as well?

"The time is right" to weigh these was several years ago, and now, as Cary/Zable needs to be addressed if we are going to stay with Delaware.

All signs point to the fact that W&M has no intention to upgrade Cary/Zable in a meaningful way, and because of that, the potential option of staying with Delaware may not be a viable option.

We've limited our options to this point, and that is why there is a trail of dead horses representing my myriad of posts on this issue.

[Sitting Bull]

Since none of these are even remotely on the table, considering them right now as "options" is pretty meaningless to me - more so to expect W&M in a craphole economy to invest thousands to the stadium on the outside chance to join the MAC or Big East. Zable needs some upgrading - but please W&M, don't waste the effort and money just so we can play Kent State and Bowling Green instead of Lehigh, VMI or Furman. The MAC doesn't fit W&M, even if Delaware left (I don't think they would anyway -for what reason?).

We haven't limited any options for the last time. I know you may not like them, but there are options today if we wanted them and most - not all - would be ok with them.

My preference would be a "CAA: - if things shake up - that would add UNH, Lehigh, Furman and Coastal as new all sports members to the current set-up. This assuming VCU, GMU, ODU and possibly JMU move on to their own aspirations.

I think we do all agree we like the current CAA. As Billymac said, nothing has actually changed at the moment.

[nj alum]

The MAC doesn't fit W&M, even if Delaware left (I don't think they would anyway -for what reason?).

For the same reason that Marshall once joined, Temple once joined, and UMass has joined - it's the front door for low FBS / FCS schools to earn their stripes before landing in the FBS conference of their choice.

[WMTribe90]

For the same reason that Marshall once joined, Temple once joined, and UMass has joined - it's the front door for low FBS / FCS schools to earn their stripes before landing in the FBS conference of their choice.

You're asking the wrong questions IMO. The question isn't whether WM would be better off playing JMU or UD annually. Everyone concedes the current CAA is great because we have quality, regional rivlaries and its the best possible position for WM football at present.

The question isn't would we "want" to follow JMU, ODU or even UD (no indication they want to go anywhere) to the FBS. Obviously some on here would prefer making a run at FBS in order to keep these rivalries (though we'd sacrifice rivlaries with other schools like UR and VU to do it).

The question that needs to be asked is, does it make sense for WM to make such a move? The answer for me is a resounding NO. As I laid out in my previous post, the difference in student population and therefore student fee revenue alone would make this a poor choice for WM. Not to mention the difference between the schools in academic mission.

JMU, ODU, or UMass can join a MAC conference and suffer the added travel costs, scholarship costs, coaches salary, compliance costs, etc. with at least realistic hope that someday the BE (if it still exists as a FB league) may come calling. Even if WM spent millions of dollars that we don't have to "upgrade" to the MAC, there is no scenario where I see the BE or ACC calling our number. So, we can follow JMU or ODU into the FBS wilderness where we can bleed cash for mediocre results on the field and no hope of graduating beyond that point (or winning a championship). Or, we can re-align ourselves, as needed, with like-minded schools along the atlantic coast that are dedicated to playing at the highest level of FCS and wait for the impending doom of the entire corrupted BCS/FBS system. I vote for the latter.

There's a far greater chance that JMU, ODU and UMass crash down to earth than WM following them into BCS glory.

[Rocco]

I don't have the article in front of me, but Texas A&M is looking at an extra $1m in travel costs with the change in conference, along with various other expenses. Obviously, they've got SEC TV money coming in to defray those costs. Without getting into the costs needed to make Zable 1-A worthy and the added scholarships, how would W&M make up the extra money they'd be paying traveling to DeKalb, Kalamazoo and Toledo and other MAC spots? The MAC doesn't get that much TV money from ESPN and adding the mighty Williamsburg market wouldn't cause ESPN to increase the payout. They wouldn't be interested in us because it would cost them money and it wouldn't make sense for us because it would bankrupt the program.

[nj alum]

There's a far greater chance that JMU, ODU and UMass crash down to earth than WM following them into BCS glory.

This is not a chase for BCS glory.

I've followed this enough to have formulated my opinion as to what is about to happen.

First, the old-time BCS schools are not happy with the "newcomers" (ie Boise). The current BCS system will be scrapped, and a new one set up so that the bulk of the money stays with the old-time BCS schools. The extra scholarship money, the four team playoff, the Big Ten-Pac Ten "arrangement", Delaney's public comments, it's there for all to see. This will be a group of schools which is basically the ACC, Big Ten, Big Twelve, SEC, and Pac 10. Army, Navy, and Air Force will also get special consideration, if they want it, to keep the federal government happy.

Second, the wild card continues to be Notre Dame. Notre Dame currently has a sweetheart deal with the BCS. If they lose that special status under the new plan, Notre Dame will have to join a conference. If that occurs, some more musical chairs will occur, but basically only schools in the five conferences listed above will be "winners".

Third, when the Big 12 expands, the Big East will lose some members. If Notre Dame moves into a conference and/or the ACC goes to 16, the Big East will lose more members. The Big East is the football carcass right now. Depending upon which Big East Schools are lost to the football musical chairs, the Big East hoops schools will look to the A-10 for replacements.

Fourth, the remaining FBS conferences - Big East, Mountain West, Conf USA, MAC - will now be in a second tier of football. It will not be a BCS level. I don't have a clue as to the economic benefits of this level, but with the proliferation of TV networks, programming is needed.

Fifth, FCS will be the third level and/or it will merge with the second level.

I am not advocating first level, BCS football for W&M. I am advocating that some thought be given as to whether W&M wants to be at the second level, or the third level, when the dust clears.

When the dust clears, the ACC will be the BCS football conference on the East Coast. When the dust clears, there will be a level two FBS, non BCS football conference on the East Coast. Does W&M have any interest in being at that level?

That's all I'm asking folks to think about. If there's no such interest, I'm all for being the rudderless ship, drifting from one FCS football conference to another as it won't really matter which one it is once it's no longer the CAA.

[WMTribe90]

This is not a chase for BCS glory.

I've followed this enough to have formulated my opinion as to what is about to happen.

First, the old-time BCS schools are not happy with the "newcomers" (ie Boise). The current BCS system will be scrapped, and a new one set up so that the bulk of the money stays with the old-time BCS schools. The extra scholarship money, the four team playoff, the Big Ten-Pac Ten "arrangement", Delaney's public comments, it's there for all to see. This will be a group of schools which is basically the ACC, Big Ten, Big Twelve, SEC, and Pac 10. Army, Navy, and Air Force will also get special consideration, if they want it, to keep the federal government happy.

Second, the wild card continues to be Notre Dame. Notre Dame currently has a sweetheart deal with the BCS. If they lose that special status under the new plan, Notre Dame will have to join a conference. If that occurs, some more musical chairs will occur, but basically only schools in the five conferences listed above will be "winners".

Third, when the Big 12 expands, the Big East will lose some members. If Notre Dame moves into a conference and/or the ACC goes to 16, the Big East will lose more members. The Big East is the football carcass right now. Depending upon which Big East Schools are lost to the football musical chairs, the Big East hoops schools will look to the A-10 for replacements.

Fourth, the remaining FBS conferences - Big East, Mountain West, Conf USA, MAC - will now be in a second tier of football. It will not be a BCS level. I don't have a clue as to the economic benefits of this level, but with the proliferation of TV networks, programming is needed.

Fifth, FCS will be the third level and/or it will merge with the second level.

I am not advocating first level, BCS football for W&M. I am advocating that some thought be given as to whether W&M wants to be at the second level, or the third level, when the dust clears.

When the dust clears, the ACC will be the BCS football conference on the East Coast. When the dust clears, there will be a level two FBS, non BCS football conference on the East Coast. Does W&M have any interest in being at that level?

That's all I'm asking folks to think about. If there's no such interest, I'm all for being the rudderless ship, drifting from one FCS football conference to another as it won't really matter which one it is once it's no longer the CAA.

There are alredy three levels. BCS, FBS and Scholarship FCS. I agree with the scenario you laid out, but disagree with your conclusion. FBS football (non-BCS) is already a money pit for the vast majority of programs operating at that level. Once the super-conferences put a strangle hold on the big-time media contracts and payouts, the remaining FBS programs will be saddled with decreasing revenue and costs that will continue to rise as they cobble together far-flung geographical conferences with few natural rivals. Why would WM want to be part of that, if there is no hope/desire to ever reach the BCS level. Better to stick to cost containment football until FBS adjusts their model to one closer to the current FCS model or teams decide to drop back down. No need to blow millions needlessly in the interim IMO.

[nj alum]

Better to stick to cost containment football until FBS adjusts there model to one closer to the current FCS model or teams decide to drop back down. No need to blwo millions needlessly in the interim IMO.

If that's the thought process, I'm fine with that. Just stay out of the fray while other schools blow through a whole lot of money, and when the dust clears economically, make the move then. Under this process, the only decision that needs to be made is to make sure that the football facility is ready when W&M is ready to make its move.

[green&gold75]

The enigma school, to me, in the reallignment/move up discussion is Delaware. 20,000 students, strong academics, 1 billion+ endowment, football following and tradition, yet seemingly content to stay CAA to this point. Wonder what they're thinking.
Wonderful thread, BTW.