Sun Belt East

[jd of de]

A point I have not seen posted yet; the MAC membership is stable and CUSA is as unstable as a conference can get. If we actually have a choice, stable will win out IMO.

[tenn hen]

agree again JD though I believe we could go FBS and prove it can be done successfully as opposed to UCONN and UMASS. We should be able to work out a schedule that would be more appealing to all of us and have most games in a closer geographic footprint. BUT- I take anything over our watered down CAA. Again, as I posted in another thread, patience is a virtue, but mine is rapidly running out with this schedule.

[Housthen18]

A point I have not seen posted yet; the MAC membership is stable and CUSA is as unstable as a conference can get. If we actually have a choice, stable will win out IMO.

Yes, but the reason CUSA is unstable is because its members keep being selected to join better conferences. Nonetheless I agree for reasons related to geography and institutional profile. The hierarchy of conferences Delaware could feasibly join is probably:

1. Sun Belt
2. MAC
3. CUSA

I'll take any of the three.

[Info Hound]

In the past, yes distant past, we have played Ohio, Buffalo, Kent, Bowling Green, Akron, perhaps others that I cannot recall.

I don't see us flying to Louisiana, Texas or New Mexico on a regular basis for conference games.

But then, I have no information, just an opinion.

[tomdawg00022]

In the past, yes distant past, we have played Ohio, Buffalo, Kent, Bowling Green, Akron, perhaps others that I cannot recall.

I don't see us flying to Louisiana, Texas or New Mexico on a regular basis for conference games.

But then, I have no information, just an opinion.

The travel (and also what the league can or will sponsor) for everything not football is probably a bigger issue for us regarding where we go. Even if we're dropping a couple of sports to make the move up, you still have to send kids halfway across the country at least once per year per sport...and in CUSA's case, probably making more trips than that out to Texas and New Mexico.

[tomdawg00022]

A point I have not seen posted yet; the MAC membership is stable and CUSA is as unstable as a conference can get. If we actually have a choice, stable will win out IMO.

Yes, but the reason CUSA is unstable is because its members keep being selected to join better conferences. Nonetheless I agree for reasons related to geography and institutional profile. The hierarchy of conferences Delaware could feasibly join is probably:

1. Sun Belt
2. MAC
3. CUSA

I'll take any of the three.

Pre-2022, that was the case by and large. The conference in the 90's/00's had better programs (Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville) and they worked their way up years ago.

3 of the 9 that left last year went to the Sun Belt as the conference was falling apart and Western Kentucky wanted out but couldn't get in the MAC because of Middle Tennessee not wanting to join them. The conference is no longer a very desirable place...it's a motley crew of Liberty plus a bunch of directional schools and state universities in the South.

If there were other east coast-ish schools in CUSA that aren't FIU and give a damn about athletics, maybe the CUSA could be a home but given the league makeup right now, it's a bit fit. The travel would suck and as I mentioned the other day, there are a lot of sports that we would need to park elsewhere because the league doesn't offer them nor come close to doing so.

[bluehenbillk]

In the past, yes distant past, we have played Ohio, Buffalo, Kent, Bowling Green, Akron, perhaps others that I cannot recall.

I don't see us flying to Louisiana, Texas or New Mexico on a regular basis for conference games.

But then, I have no information, just an opinion.

The travel (and also what the league can or will sponsor) for everything not football is probably a bigger issue for us regarding where we go. Even if we're dropping a couple of sports to make the move up, you still have to send kids halfway across the country at least once per year per sport...and in CUSA's case, probably making more trips than that out to Texas and New Mexico.

UD has teams that do this already. Look at the softball schedule the past few seasons

[Bluewyn Gold]

The travel (and also what the league can or will sponsor) for everything not football is probably a bigger issue for us regarding where we go. Even if we're dropping a couple of sports to make the move up, you still have to send kids halfway across the country at least once per year per sport...and in CUSA's case, probably making more trips than that out to Texas and New Mexico.

Yes, it's counterintuitive, practically challenging for those concerned with academics, not fiscally responsible, but it is what it is. If you want to play FBS football at this point in time, most schools HAVE to find a way to support travel by air for all sports. In due time, schools might discover that this model doesn't work for many FBS schools and leagues, and mass reorganization may be necessary. In the meantime though, you either make it work or play third-tier, third-rate football where you have almost no chance of attracting investors, covering expenses, and boosting your brand.

Any FBS move is likely going to require UD football teams to board planes, whether they're flying west or south for a majority of games. That's an inescapable fact. The Sun Belt, CUSA, the MAC, or AAC would all require this. Once you commit to hopping planes, does it matter time or cost-wise if you're flying Olympic sport teams to Detroit, Mobile, or ABQ? At that point, don't you have to question the feasibility of sponsoring SO MANY Olympic sports?

I'm not necessary in favor of CUSA as a destination for UD, particularly in the longer-term, but it may offer the best flexibility to move elsewhere down the line. LIberty is one non-flight. CUSA becomes more attractive and doable if another school in our region moves with us. Other conferences offer their own opportunities and drawbacks. IMO, there's no perfect landing spot right now. UD needs reclassify and jump into whatever conference they can, continue to build its football program on the field and off, and prepare for future movement/restructuring. They simply have zero chance of doing that in the CAA and FCS. Zero.

[bluehenbillk]

The travel (and also what the league can or will sponsor) for everything not football is probably a bigger issue for us regarding where we go. Even if we're dropping a couple of sports to make the move up, you still have to send kids halfway across the country at least once per year per sport...and in CUSA's case, probably making more trips than that out to Texas and New Mexico.

Yes, it's counterintuitive, practically challenging for those concerned with academics, not fiscally responsible, but it is what it is. If you want to play FBS football at this point in time, most schools HAVE to find a way to support travel by air for all sports. In due time, schools might discover that this model doesn't work for many FBS schools and leagues, and mass reorganization may be necessary. In the meantime though, you either make it work or play third-tier, third-rate football where you have almost no chance of attracting investors, covering expenses, and boosting your brand.

Any FBS move is likely going to require UD football teams to board planes, whether they're flying west or south for a majority of games. That's an inescapable fact. The Sun Belt, CUSA, the MAC, or AAC would all require this. Once you commit to hopping planes, does it matter time or cost-wise if you're flying Olympic sport teams to Detroit, Mobile, or ABQ? At that point, don't you have to question the feasibility of sponsoring SO MANY Olympic sports?

I'm not necessary in favor of CUSA as a destination for UD, particularly in the longer-term, but it may offer the best flexibility to move elsewhere down the line. LIberty is one non-flight. CUSA becomes more attractive and doable if another school in our region moves with us. Other conferences offer their own opportunities and drawbacks. IMO, there's no perfect landing spot right now. UD needs reclassify and jump into whatever conference they can, continue to build its football program on the field and off, and prepare for future movement/restructuring. They simply have zero chance of doing that in the CAA and FCS. Zero.

Well said BG on all fronts. The travel isn’t really that crazy depending on the league you’re in. Having some first hand knowledge of the Sun Belt - you play every team in your division, half at home, half away. Football flies to some and busses to some, the Olympic sports will normally bus. You play 2 teams from the other division in football, 4 teams depending on the Olympic sport split home and away. All teams normally fly for the cross divisional games. So you’re only looking at two flights per season for Olympic sports. Football flies to the majority of the road games.

[tomdawg00022]

Once you commit to hopping planes, does it matter time or cost-wise if you're flying Olympic sport teams to Detroit, Mobile, or ABQ?

Actually it does if it's Detroit vs. the others given a flight to DTW is roughly two hours IIRC and direct. There are three non-stops daily on American out of Philly.

I'm going to guess that a direct to the others is not happening. More importantly, those flights would generally be longer. Kids would be pissing a day flying across the country through at least one layover.

I'm not necessary in favor of CUSA as a destination for UD, particularly in the longer-term, but it may offer the best flexibility to move elsewhere down the line.

To where, exactly? The Sun Belt? MAC? The AAC is not going to be interested in Delaware given who Aresco has added in recent years. It's programs with some national presence (Army) or metropolitan area schools (Rice, Charlotte, etc.).

[Steve1981]

Yes, definitely flying more with the MAC, but mostly to Ohio, Buffalo and UMass if we join. Perhaps some long bus rides.

In this interview when address college realignment cross country Charlie Baker gave the realistic adjustments conferences can make with travel. Around the 1:30 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/9jSjBqcj9B8

[HenZoneNation]

College football is set for MORE massive changes, not less. Eventually there's gonna be a super conference, an FBS, and FCS, II, and III. We need to be at that FBS level before this happens or else we might be trapped in the CAA forever. But that won't happen. Delaware is not a traditional FCS school and won't face the same challenges as other schools getting interest. It's a super prestigious, wealthy, public/private school, that brings name recognition, and a growing rabid fanbase (if they move up the juice will really start flowing) that has everything in place to play at any non-power 5 conference. We aren't Georgia Southern or App State. We're a very well known, well thought of, and well sought after university...Oh, and the President of the United States is an alum. That doesn't hurt the case either.

Conferences are trending on expanding further geographically. Look at the BIG 10. A southern conference having a somewhat Northern school like UD is appealing.

Delaware's two knocks is their inability to get out of their own way (something I have seen less and less of since CR took over athletics) and the stadium. It's too far away from campus (nothing we can do about that) and its capacity seating might not reach certain criteria. That's it. We play against major schools in almost every other sport, our campus would tops in whatever conference we end up in, and would be a great addition to any conference.

We need to sell ourselves to ourselves I think

[GhostOfThePeeWall]

College football is set for MORE massive changes, not less. Eventually there's gonna be a super conference, an FBS, and FCS, II, and III. We need to be at that FBS level before this happens or else we might be trapped in the CAA forever. But that won't happen. Delaware is not a traditional FCS school and won't face the same challenges as other schools getting interest. It's a super prestigious, wealthy, public/private school, that brings name recognition, and a growing rabid fanbase (if they move up the juice will really start flowing) that has everything in place to play at any non-power 5 conference. We aren't Georgia Southern or App State. We're a very well known, well thought of, and well sought after university...Oh, and the President of the United States is an alum. That doesn't hurt the case either.

Conferences are trending on expanding further geographically. Look at the BIG 10. A southern conference having a somewhat Northern school like UD is appealing.

Delaware's two knocks is their inability to get out of their own way (something I have seen less and less of since CR took over athletics) and the stadium. It's too far away from campus (nothing we can do about that) and its capacity seating might not reach certain criteria. That's it. We play against major schools in almost every other sport, our campus would tops in whatever conference we end up in, and would be a great addition to any conference.

We need to sell ourselves to ourselves I think

+ the Philly TV market. Should be a pretty good deal for anyone looking to get more eyes on their conference. Not that they're anything to emulate, but I doubt Rutgers is a part of the B1G without the NYC TV market.

[Bluewyn Gold]

To where, exactly? The Sun Belt? MAC? The AAC is not going to be interested in Delaware given who Aresco has added in recent years. It's programs with some national presence (Army) or metropolitan area schools (Rice, Charlotte, etc.).

Thomas, your thoughts seem mired in the current D-I paradigm. The speed at which changes are occurring ensures that a school NOT thinking at least one move ahead is probably headed for trouble.

One step at a time. At this stage, UD just needs to get to the next level in a spot offering temporary stability for the present and maximum flexibility for the future (i.e., the most lenient departure terms possible). If they do it right and go all in, the first move to the FBS shouldn't be their last by a long shot.

[Hens79]

Rutgers is absolutely a school to emulate. They are 6-2 and 3-2 in the BiG 10 and playing in front of 50K+ home crowds … and the new media contract gives them …. wait for it … $80M per year. That is $80 MILLION DOLLARS. But I would settle for emulating JMU.