|
Post by stadlock on Dec 6, 2009 21:01:48 GMT -5
It is time to leave the MEAC. Each year we have less and less in common with the conference. Our student athletes are not from the same schools that the other conference members recruit from. Our focus seems to be different from the rest of the schools. They rag about our diverse student population, They alway find something to say that is an open put down. When one poster on MEACFANS said that we are the "Forgotten" HBCU, that was the last straw. We win the MEAC and we get ripped by teams that have never been to the playoffs. We get millions in research grants that frees up $$$ for the athletic program, we get questioned about how can that be, they are only DSU.
DSU to the CAA or NEC!!!
|
|
|
Post by DSUrocks07 on Dec 6, 2009 21:47:21 GMT -5
Say how you really feel my friend lol Welcome to The Hornet's Nest BTW FTR I personally feel that DSU would be better served being in another conference, the CAA would never work. The members of that conference are in an arms race that we would never be able to compete with, even with our budget (which is the highest in the MEAC at $14 million annually), and were already seeing the fallout from that competition. Both Northeastern and Hofstra have dropped their programs, and they get barely as many fans at their games as we do. But the NEC (and also the Big South) could be a good fit, and with both getting their autobids to the FCS playoffs starting in 2010, would work best in the short-term. However, the more I look into the details, the more I feel that DSU should go the independent route for a couple years, playing teams from the CAA, NEC, Patriot League, SoCon, Big South, (all teams and school on the Eastern Seaboard) and if we're looking at an all sports move include the America East, and A-10 as well. Our fanbase is painfully lacking, as its always been, so this kind of abrupt shakeup could be the catalyst that's needed. The long term health of our athletic programs is the remain relevant amongst the local community. There is no reason why we shouldn't be selling out Alumni Stadium every weekend. (7,800 people is NOT that many), and definitely our basketball home games. (don't get me started on the condition of our "basketball arena") Poor marketing has put us in this situation, and it will take some hard work to get us out. Conference affiliation is important with the guaranteed scheduling, and guaranteed home games. Thats why we joined the MEAC in the first place, an all-HBCU conference. But as time has gone on, our goals have shifted from being one of the best black colleges in the country, to being one of THE best universities in the nation. Our motto is that we want to compete on the national stage. Our Alumni bases are in the Northeast (Philly, New York areas), so in my mind, an America East membership with NEC affiliation in football is the ultimate goal. Plus a majority of our Olympic sports are sponsored by the AEast. Lower travel costs, focused in our Alumni areas so we could have a pretty good showing for our road games, and we can focus on what our goal really is, to be the best that we can be.
|
|
|
Post by stadlock on Dec 6, 2009 22:23:26 GMT -5
You are right about the CAA being in an arms race. I am partial to the NEC. Our regular students are from some NEC areas. A kid from NJ that plays for DSU has a friend or someone he lnows that plays for say Monmouth. Lower travel would equal more fans. Look at the MAP of the NEC. Most are no more tha 6 hours away.
|
|
|
Post by stadlock on Dec 6, 2009 22:34:13 GMT -5
Check out why the NEC is a great fit for DSU. I could do a 9 game mandate in the NEC. DSU would open the Philly/SJ market to the NEC. Now the NEC would have MD, DE, PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI. This could work. Be an Indy for as many seasons as it takes to clear schedules. Our basketball wil also be better. I plan to start pushing this to the new prez in the spring. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by DSUrocks07 on Dec 6, 2009 22:37:35 GMT -5
That is true. The only problem with the NEC is that outside of CCSU, those schools are either private institutions or Catholic schools. Thats why I'm for sending out feelers to the America East. Those are all public schools, sans Boston U and Hartford, but they have basically the same footprint as the NEC, Albany is a member of the AEast and plays football in the NEC so it would build up a rivalry with them, plus it would give us a travel partner with UMBC in all other sports.
|
|
|
Post by DSUrocks07 on Dec 6, 2009 22:39:34 GMT -5
Check out why the NEC is a great fit for DSU. even better with the AEast locations
|
|
|
Post by stadlock on Dec 6, 2009 22:48:09 GMT -5
So you are saying NEC in football and AEast for all others? That would be better for us than the MEAC. I like the NEC in other sports because of the NYC area in basketball. Also the travel is shorter. The conference also wants other "state" teams to balance the conference with CCSU. Anything would be better than the MEAC!
|
|
|
Post by DSUrocks07 on Dec 8, 2009 18:38:34 GMT -5
So you are saying NEC in football and AEast for all others? That would be better for us than the MEAC. I like the NEC in other sports because of the NYC area in basketball. Also the travel is shorter. The conference also wants other "state" teams to balance the conference with CCSU. Anything would be better than the MEAC! Being in a conference with seven schools in the NYC area would be rather promising. However the problem is whether the NEC has any openings for us. I believe that they already have 12 members, so we would have to find another school to try to promote as a package deal. While the America East has only 9 full members currently, so we would be #10 for them, however travel to UNH and Maine would be tough. Overall either conference would be a good fit for us and where we should be going as an athletic program, and participating in the NEC in football would happen regardless. All of our Olympic sports (minus Equestrian : are sponsored by both conferences, reducing travel costs even further.
|
|