Will Delaware join UMass to the MAC

[HENJOHN]

They had 26,000 there this past Saturday for their win over So Alabama

Parents Weekend. As long as the university doesn't screw things up and as long as you have some football program pedigree you should always be able to sell out a parents weekend game.

Doesn't change the fact they had a really nice Crowd one that exceeded their listed capacity by almost 2,000. Saw some of the game and was once again envious

[Sitting bull]

They had 26,000 there this past Saturday for their win over So Alabama

Parents Weekend. As long as the university doesn't screw things up and as long as you have some football program pedigree you should always be able to sell out a parents weekend game.

They did same in the CAA. This isn’t some new benchmark of support at JMU.

[Cluck U]

They had 26,000 there this past Saturday for their win over So Alabama

Parents Weekend. As long as the university doesn't screw things up and as long as you have some football program pedigree you should always be able to sell out a parents weekend game.

They did same in the CAA. This isn’t some new benchmark of support at JMU.

Well, "some new benchmark of support" is relative, isn't it?

One thing is certainly clear...JMU is going in a completely different direction and has left the CAA behind in regard to how many people they want to seat at their football games.

Operator James Madison University
Capacity
24,877 (2011–present)
15,694 (2010)
15,778 (2008–2009)
13,559 (2001–2007)
12,500 (1981–2000)
5,200 (1975–1980)

Operator College of William & Mary
Capacity 12,672 (2016–present)
11,686 (2014–2015)
12,259 (2004–2013)
13,279 (1997–2003)
15,000 (1935–1996)
Official record: 18,054 (1985)

[Caribbean Hen]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

[Cluck U]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind...

Actually, the answer is in the post. But, here is a link, anyway:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zable_Stadium

[Sitting bull]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

JMU has basically doubled their student population the last 20 years. They now have an enrollment over 22,000. Twenty years ago, it was closer to 12,000. That in part is why their facilities needed expansion.

W&Ms population has not significantly changed over the years - still about 6,000 undergrads. The reason the stadium numbers went down after the upper deck was added was the College decided to get rid of the end zone seating. It was always temporary and was put up every football season over the track. At one point, the end zones held near 6,000 total - prior to the remodel, they were smaller but probably about 3,000 seats combined both ends. Now we have a beer tent at one end zone and they are renting out private tents on the other.

No one was that pleased when we officially got rid of the end zone seating as it changed the atmosphere at the games. The stands were right up on the goal line. It was primarily a cost savings move as they were temporary,

[Steve1981]

Sure many will be tailgating during our ESPNU game with Toledo. (19.5 pt dog to the Rockets.) If any MAC comments are given, they will get repeated. Need to see some things happen and most of is time. Time for Army to join or not the AAC. Time for the AAC to pick an olympic sport member or not. Time for the football, basketball, and lacrosse seasons to finish. Time for the AD to more closely examine FBS and report back to the Board of Directors. Time, time, time, as some of us watch and comment on what we see in the tea leaves.

[Caribbean Hen]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

JMU has basically doubled their student population the last 20 years. They now have an enrollment over 22,000. Twenty years ago, it was closer to 12,000. That in part is why their facilities needed expansion.

W&Ms population has not significantly changed over the years - still about 6,000 undergrads. The reason the stadium numbers went down after the upper deck was added was the College decided to get rid of the end zone seating. It was always temporary and was put up every football season over the track. At one point, the end zones held near 6,000 total - prior to the remodel, they were smaller but probably about 3,000 seats combined both ends. Now we have a beer tent at one end zone and they are renting out private tents on the other.

No one was that pleased when we officially got rid of the end zone seating as it changed the atmosphere at the games. The stands were right up on the goal line. It was primarily a cost savings move as they were temporary,

Ahh the EZ seating

Thanks for the answer Sitting Bull

Cluck,

All the best and thinking of you not romantically Of course

Most sincerely

Carib

[Hens79]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

JMU has basically doubled their student population the last 20 years. They now have an enrollment over 22,000. Twenty years ago, it was closer to 12,000. That in part is why their facilities needed expansion.

W&Ms population has not significantly changed over the years - still about 6,000 undergrads. The reason the stadium numbers went down after the upper deck was added was the College decided to get rid of the end zone seating. It was always temporary and was put up every football season over the track. At one point, the end zones held near 6,000 total - prior to the remodel, they were smaller but probably about 3,000 seats combined both ends. Now we have a beer tent at one end zone and they are renting out private tents on the other.

No one was that pleased when we officially got rid of the end zone seating as it changed the atmosphere at the games. The stands were right up on the goal line. It was primarily a cost savings move as they were temporary,

Yeah ….. but…..

JMU increased their facilities, including stadium expansion to go to the next level. They have very successfully done it.

W&M and their neighbor Richmond, have decreased their stadium capacity over the years in addition to dropping down in classification some decades ago.

If anyone would have told W&M and UR fans 20 years ago they would be behind JMU, Liberty and ODU in football, let alone UVA and VT in Virginia they would have throw up in their beer laughing. But that is today’s reality.

BTW, UD is on its way to 22K undergrads too. Time to compete with schools that are more like UD.

[Sitting bull]

That’s weird on William & Mary capacity as I just assumed it increased by a lot when they added that upper deck … how long has it been now ?

JMU has basically doubled their student population the last 20 years. They now have an enrollment over 22,000. Twenty years ago, it was closer to 12,000. That in part is why their facilities needed expansion.

W&Ms population has not significantly changed over the years - still about 6,000 undergrads. The reason the stadium numbers went down after the upper deck was added was the College decided to get rid of the end zone seating. It was always temporary and was put up every football season over the track. At one point, the end zones held near 6,000 total - prior to the remodel, they were smaller but probably about 3,000 seats combined both ends. Now we have a beer tent at one end zone and they are renting out private tents on the other.

No one was that pleased when we officially got rid of the end zone seating as it changed the atmosphere at the games. The stands were right up on the goal line. It was primarily a cost savings move as they were temporary,

Yeah ….. but…..

JMU increased their facilities, including stadium expansion to go to the next level. They have very successfully done it.

W&M and their neighbor Richmond, have decreased their stadium capacity over the years in addition to dropping down in classification some decades ago.

If anyone would have told W&M and UR fans 20 years ago they would be behind JMU, Liberty and ODU in football, let alone UVA and VT in Virginia they would have throw up in their beer laughing. But that is today’s reality.

BTW, UD is on its way to 22K undergrads too. Time to compete with schools that are more like UD.

That all ended in the 70s when the brakes were put on our brief opportunity to join the ACC. It was clear then, we were only going to take it so far. Others come and go. No one is losing any sleep over it, I think W&M and Richmond are pretty comfortable with who and where they are.

I really don’t see anyone that bothered myself at W&M and why should they, our football program is successful and winning, facilities are upgraded and we’re putting out solid grads. We still play UVA and Tech, occasionally we win.

The College is a gem. There’s no “Sun Belt envy”. You’d be hard pressed to find any students at W&M who wished they were at Liberty, JMU or ODU. It’s the other way around.

I didn’t know UD was getting that large. Agree with finding some peers, just interesting to see if they will be Akron and Ball State or Troy State and ODU. Personally, I don’t see anyone in G5 that’s all that aspirational.

[Hens79]

For sure, W&M and UR are “happy where we are”. You guys did it to yourselves. UD until just the last year or so used to be there too. But the world changes and you have to try to keep up and do the best you can. If you think that includes playing against Hampton, Monmouth, Bryant, NC A&T, let alone Elon, Albany and Stony Brook, good for you and your fans. But the CAA probably is all the capability you likely both have now. And if you don’t think most of your fans would prefer Sun Belt football, you must be in an insular group, which is likely. UD used to have many of them too. Thankfully, UD looks like they finally doing what it should have been done decades ago.

[Cluck U]

Ahh the EZ seating

Cluck,

All the best and thinking of you not romantically Of course

Most sincerely

Carib

Are we allowed to mention EZ? Wonder what Z-Daddy is doing now?

Thanks for the thoughts, Caribbe. As Dory said...just keep swimming...

[Bluewyn Gold]

But the CAA probably is all the capability you likely both have now.

You'd have to think the Patriot League will come calling again to W&M, UR, and 'Nova. Maybe a more compelling institutional fit for all three schools.

Maybe that's one reason why the CAA expanded as large as it did?

Patriot League: Holy Cross, Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette, Lehigh, Bucknell, Villanova, Georgetown, W&M, and Richmond

Coastal Con: Maine, New Hampshire, Rhody, Bryant, Albany, Stony Brook, Monmouth, Towson, Hampton, Elon, Campbell, and NC A&T

[Hens79]

But the CAA probably is all the capability you likely both have now.

You'd have to think the Patriot League will come calling again to W&M, UR, and 'Nova. Maybe a more compelling institutional fit for all three schools.

Maybe that's one reason why the CAA expanded as large as it did?

Patriot League: Holy Cross, Colgate, Fordham, Lafayette, Lehigh, Bucknell, Villanova, Georgetown, W&M, and Richmond

Coastal Con: Maine, New Hampshire, Rhody, Bryant, Albany, Stony Brook, Monmouth, Towson, Hampton, Elon, Campbell, and NC A&T

A distinct possibility. For the sake of brevity, I didn’t include mention of the Patriot in my response to SB. And for sure, those three would be a “fit” for the PL. They would bring up the pathetic PL’s football profile.

But whatever happens in the aftermath, it is long since time for UD to move on.

[Sitting bull]

For sure, W&M and UR are “happy where we are”. You guys did it to yourselves. UD until just the last year or so used to be there too. But the world changes and you have to try to keep up and do the best you can. If you think that includes playing against Hampton, Monmouth, Bryant, NC A&T, let alone Elon, Albany and Stony Brook, good for you and your fans. But the CAA probably is all the capability you likely both have now. And if you don’t think most of your fans would prefer Sun Belt football, you must be in an insular group, which is likely. UD used to have many of them too. Thankfully, UD looks like they finally doing what it should have been done decades ago.

We will have 12,000 at homecoming against Towson. If you polled them and asked if they would prefer to be in the Sun Belt, you wouldn’t get 20% to say yes. More than half wouldn’t even know the league. If anyone is insular, it’s the small collection of football board posters (like us) who think the world revolves around minor league college football (that’s G5 and FCS).

P5 is moving up. G5 isn’t.

And the Patriot? Possible but unlikely. If it was a choice between that and the Sun Belt (or MAC) - I’d prefer a Patriot with UR and Villanova - you know, schools are students and alumni actually have connections. Not Georgia State and Eastern Michigan.