(10-31-2014 12:38 PM)Rik Flair Wrote:  

(10-31-2014 10:35 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(10-31-2014 10:22 AM)Rik Flair Wrote:  I wonder how much cost difference there would really be for JMU if they played a SBC schedule compared to their current travel cost. Not that they will make the FCS playoffs, but if they did, they could get shipped to Montana or Eastern Washington or somewhere for a playoff game. I wonder how much $$ FCS teams lose by attending playoff games.

FCS Tournament game travel is provided by the NCAA, just like the bball tournament.

Also why the FCS playoffs does the bracket by region after seeding. JMU has been screwed twice by that.

Well that makes sense. I guess some of the schools might have to opt out if they were required to pay the cost associated with long trips.

I still think JMU would be a good Sun Belt fit. I don't know all the reasons behind them not being invited, not accepting, or whatever but I figure it could happen in the future if both sides see a benefit.

If JMU believes their university is far too superior to be associated with SBC members then so be it. I think that's one of those legend in your own mind sort of issues. If they are academically superior, I hardly see how an athletic conference affiliation would tarnish that grand image.

In the end, its really JMU's loss. We don't need them to make our conference FBS. We already have 3/4 bowl tie-ins, TV contracts and BCS revenue. They are FCS members in football and if they don't move up then they will get left behind.

I don't think it has much to do with superiority. That is kind of message board fiction perpetuated by some on here.

Geography is a huge part. Not sponsoring some sports is an issue as well.

Regardless, our admin seems content to wallow in no-mans land.

(10-31-2014 01:01 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  I don't think it has much to do with superiority. That is kind of message board fiction perpetuated by some on here.

Geography is a huge part. Not sponsoring some sports is an issue as well.

Regardless, our admin seems content to wallow in no-mans land.

Even if you don't fit anywhere, you have to choose where to not fit in at.

I've mentioned this in conjunction with other topics but people think schools are basically interchangeable around the P5 leagues but they aren't. The Big 10, ACC, and Pac-12 schools offer on the whole more sports than SEC and Big XII.

For the most part the south that is west of the Appalachians and the west but for the three coastal states are generally schools that don't have a vision of comprehensive athletic department that equates to playing a lot of sports, for them comprehensives is putting your resources into a smaller number of sports.

That footprint of fewer sports schools is for the most part areas of the country with lower population densities. Fewer people close by the fewer sports that can find adequate numbers of participants. I knew a couple who had kids on THE hockey club in Arkansas (may be more now) and one of them was so good that the closest club that was appropriate for his talent level was a five and half hour drive to Dallas. They could afford to drive constantly to Dallas, most people cannot.

It is far easier to offer lacrosse when there is a high population density because you can find more interested potential players with a reasonable drive.

Arkansas has five Division I programs, only one offers men's soccer and Central Arkansas has to play in the Missouri Valley because the Southland doesn't offer it. Kentucky and South Carolina play in CUSA because the SEC doesn't offer it. WVU is the only Big XII offering it so they play MAC.

You can go down through many other sports like field hockey and lacrosse.

So then it becomes if you move what happens if you can't find a home for those sports.