Just heard that some pretty high ups at Fordham are fed up with the expense of playing in the A-10, particularly in light of the results of the Men's Basketball program, who are currently 6-14,1-7. Hypothetically, if Fairfield AND Fordham went to the Patriot League, would that change anyone's opinion of the move? It would be a conference with 4 Jesuit schools, Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, and Loyola. Two 6 team Divisions would likely look like this: Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, BU, Army, and Colgate and Lehigh, Bucknell, Lafayette, Loyola, Navy, and American. 5 home and away within your Division. 2 Home and Away outside the Division. 2 Single Home and 2 Single Road outside the Division, for a total of 18 games. Anyone?
During my years living in Tennessee and being a Vanderbilt season ticket holder, the SEC at that time consisted of 12 teams that play 16 league games. Your division, home and home-other division, 3 home 3 away with a reversal the next year. Worked fine there. In fact I like the idea of more leeway in setting up OOC schedules. Can get more creative in who you play, where you play, and maybe getting into a good tournament. Anyway, I do like your "hypothetical."
The MAAC was founded in 1980 by six charter members: the U.S. Military Academy, Fairfield University, Fordham University, Iona College, Manhattan College, and Saint Peter's College. Competition officially began the next year, in the sports of men’s cross-country and men’s soccer.
Competition in men's and women's basketball began in the 1981-1982 season. In 1984, the MAAC received an automati to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, where Iona was the first team to represent the MAAC on the men's side. In 1982, Saint Peter's was the first women's basketball team to represent the MAAC in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
In 1989 Canisius, Niagara and Siena joined the MAAC as Fordham, U.S. Military and Holy Cross left. In 1997, Marist College and Rider University moved the majority of their intercollegiate athletic programs to the MAAC with the intent the MAAC would enhance media exposure and competition to their men's and women's Division I basketball programs. In July 2013 Quinnipiac University and Monmouth University joined the MAAC to replace Loyola University Maryland, which departed to join the Patriot League.
Current MAAC Full Members-Joined Canisius - 1989 Fairfield - 1981 Iona - 1981 Manhattan - 1981 Marist - 1987 Monmouth - 2013 Niagara - 1989 Quinnipiac - 2013 Rider - 1997 St. Peter's - 1981 Siena - 1989
Former MAAC Full Member-Joined-Left-League U.S. Military Academy - 1981 - 1990 - Patriot Fordham - 1981 - 1990 - Patriot to A-10 Holy Cross - 1983 - 1990 - Patriot La Salle - 1983 - 1992 - A-10 Loyola - 1989 - 2013 - Patriot
Just heard that some pretty high ups at Fordham are fed up with the expense of playing in the A-10, particularly in light of the results of the Men's Basketball program, who are currently 6-14,1-7. Hypothetically, if Fairfield AND Fordham went to the Patriot League, would that change anyone's opinion of the move? It would be a conference with 4 Jesuit schools, Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, and Loyola. Two 6 team Divisions would likely look like this: Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, BU, Army, and Colgate and Lehigh, Bucknell, Lafayette, Loyola, Navy, and American. 5 home and away within your Division. 2 Home and Away outside the Division. 2 Single Home and 2 Single Road outside the Division, for a total of 18 games. Anyone?
LaSalle is considering selling off a portion of the school's artwork collection to make ends meet -
Just heard that some pretty high ups at Fordham are fed up with the expense of playing in the A-10, particularly in light of the results of the Men's Basketball program, who are currently 6-14,1-7. Hypothetically, if Fairfield AND Fordham went to the Patriot League, would that change anyone's opinion of the move? It would be a conference with 4 Jesuit schools, Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, and Loyola. Two 6 team Divisions would likely look like this: Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, BU, Army, and Colgate and Lehigh, Bucknell, Lafayette, Loyola, Navy, and American. 5 home and away within your Division. 2 Home and Away outside the Division. 2 Single Home and 2 Single Road outside the Division, for a total of 18 games. Anyone?
If Fordham would go to the Patriot, that would make the Patriot more attractive. Fairfield is a Metro/NYC school, and that is a big advantage for us that we cannot lose. However, I cannot believe that Fordham would leave the A-10 and go to a lower conference.
I think the Patriot League would be a better place for us in terms of building an academic/institutional brand. The basketball may not be as strong top to bottom as the MAAC, but Bucknell and Lehigh have given them some great wins (and exposure) in the NCAA's in recent years vs. the MAAC's one and done. Lacrosse would be a good fit for us as well. I'm sure this has been mentioned somewhere on this thread, but Fordham is still a member of the Patriot League for football (so is Georgetown). I believe they still only have 7 members for football, so I would think that if they expand to 12 for basketball they would probably prefer to expand to 8 for football at the same time. If Fordham joins again for basketball, wouldn't the 2nd team more likely be someone with a football program? Since that would make Fairfield a less likely choice, I selfishly hope Fordham stays in the A10. How about Marist and Fairfield as a duo? The CAA might be a step up for BB and Lacrosse, but I just don't think it is a good institutional/geographic fit. This is probably the minority view on a BB message board, but that's MHO.
Post by Stagophile on Jan 27, 2018 13:43:23 GMT -5
If you limit the discussion to basketball, a move to the Patriot League is debatable. If you have a more wholistic discussion about academics and athletics, a move to the Patriot League is the logical choice. So the question is what does the University value more? The basketball program? Or the overall athletics department and academic profile of the University? What say you President Marc Nemec, AD Paul Schlickman and Chairman Frank Carroll?!?!
Last Edit: Jan 27, 2018 13:53:08 GMT -5 by Stagophile
Some points about academics. The MAAC currently has 5 schools that are NOT in FORBES MAGAZINE's Top 400 schools, Iona, Rider, Monmouth, Niagara, and St. Peter's. The latter two aren't in the Top 600. All of the CAA schools are in the Top 400, with UNC Wilmington, last at 347. William and Mary is on top at 58. Fairfield is at 148, is first in the MAAC, but would be last if they moved to the Patriot League. All but two of the Patriot League schools are in the Top 100 (American 129, and Loyola 145). The Military Academies are Top 25.