You have to be invited and at present, we haven't been approached by the CAA or PL...unless others are privy to conversations and such that are behind the scenes.
I love the move to either as the MAAC is just so blah and the lacrosse move to the CAA backfired big time...anything to get the FU athletics brand improved.
Baseball, Soccer, Women's hoops, women's lax, and Vball are great in terms of blips of excitement but men's hoops and lax are the bellwether programs and they don't have recent track records of success as we have all sadly admitted. One or two good seasons and maybe we become an exciting school to add!
The last Stag Men's Basketball NCAA bid was 26 years ago and the last Stag Men's Lacrosse NCAA bid was 18 years ago. The two premier and most expensive Fairfield University athletic programs are among the least successful ones.
Stag Men's Basketball MAAC Regular Season Champions (2): 1986, 2011 MAAC Tournament Champions (3): 1986, 1987, 1997 NCAA Division I Tournament Appearances (3): 1986, 1987, 1997 NCAA College Division Tournament Appearances (3): 1960, 1961, 1962 NIT Appearances (6): 1973, 1974, 1978, 1996, 2003, 2011
Stag Men's Lacrosse MAAC Lacrosse League Champions (3): 1996, 1997, 1998 Great West Lacrosse League Champions (2): 2002, 2005 ECAC Lacrosse League Regular Season Champions (1): 2014 CAA Regular Season Champions (2): 2015, 2016 NCAA Tournament Appearances (2): 2002, 2005
There was a time when FF lax was a significant program regionally and perhaps even somewhat nationally . During our membership in the Great Western Lacrosse league we could hold our own against some of the programs in the league like Ohio State, Denver and Norte Dame . However, as the sport grew conferences were realigned and schools began to make significant investments in their lax programs. FF either WOULD not or COULD not make a similar investment and that led us to where we are today regularly sub .500 and an afterthought in the CAA. During the ‘70’s the stags were a significant program in mens hoop. The Big East conference was created and like in lax we missed the boat then and did not join the conference like some of our natural rivals( Seton hall, Georgetown , Providence) and just like lax we have become an afterthought in Mens hoop. Two missed opportunities IMO!
Northeastern and Hofstra both dropped football in 2009, and Northeastern does not have Lacrosse. How the Huskies fit in the CAA, especially with the new additional travel, is beyond me. As for a new conference, I don't see that happening until the very end of the realignment and I see it as more of a "leftover" conference. IMO, the MAAC is heading in the wrong direction and has been for decades. FF should do all they can to grab Northeastern and approach the Patriot League for admission.
Northeastern and Hofstra both dropped football in 2009, and Northeastern does not have Lacrosse. How the Huskies fit in the CAA, especially with the new additional travel, is beyond me. As for a new conference, I don't see that happening until the very end of the realignment and I see it as more of a "leftover" conference. IMO, the MAAC is heading in the wrong direction and has been for decades. FF should do all they can to grab Northeastern and approach the Patriot League for admission.
This works great for basketball which would bring it to 12 schools.
Northeastern is a good sales partner as I doubt they are happy about the drain the CAA puts on them. Also delivers a great market. Plus, they are a good academic school.
Football however would remain at 7. Might make it a tough sell.
Agreed on the football, but the idea of adding Northeastern as an institution might outweigh that fact. FF would bring the Patriot League to 10 for Lacrosse.
Post by brokenboat on Sept 18, 2023 13:08:56 GMT -5
I would think William and Mary would be the top priority for the Patriot League. Great academic school and has a solid football program. We should try to tie our wagon to them if Patriot league becomes the priority. Would love to try to find a way to be in the same conference with W&M or Northeastern.
The CAA has take as huge hit in recent years losing some of their most attractive members, continuing the horrible media deal that they have with FloSports and having more mouths to feed than ever.....mouths that bring very little to the table.
On the other hand....America East and the Patriot have doubled their revenue in the past decade
Taking a look back to 2013 revenues....
CAA - $11.225 million MAAC - $6.193 million America East - $5.663 million Patriot - $2.647 million
Maine Jeff hails from the AE board, and that board does a phenomenal job on all the conference stuff across the country. They have several posters who are totally into it and have been for years (Maine Jeff obviously one of them).
P.S. The MAAC still blows. I prefer Patriot with AE next.
Last Edit: Sept 19, 2023 7:51:53 GMT -5 by sgthulka