Assanis: Conference USA move to help university get in front of enrollment’s “demographic cliff”

No paywall whatsoever at The Review, independent student newspaper at Delaware. Please let me know if there are any access or loading or pop-up issues.

Whoever, not long ago, mentioned the Blue Hens' desire for southeast/growing-population-centers exposure, to no shock, you're on it. Hat tip.

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CUSA wasn't UD's only FBS option when it moved. But the positive side effects beyond athletics are being pitched presidentially.

Interesting Article. Thanks. Really looking forward to the addition of Delaware to CUSA!

Thanks for posting this article. It's a great read.

But, but, but the MAC trolls assured us Delaware would much rather jump to the rust belt conference now with UMASS on board. Better institutional fit they told us, better geographical fit, national universities etc, etc.

Instead they are left a UMASS football program that is 6-46 over the last five years (for our troll friends that means 6 wins in 52 attempts). Amazingly they’re on a 0-8 streak against the mighty MAC teams alone. Their basketball program hasn’t won their conference tourney in over 25 years. During a period of time that’s seen the A-10 wither away to just an afterthought.

Glad Delaware’s president sees the institutional value of focusing away from the rust belt area. Focusing on population areas that will benefit his university for years to come. We need forward thinkers in CUSA. Not the status quo types found in the MAC.

Welcome aboard Delaware!

Not surprising news to anyone who looks at these things through a non CSNbbs forum eyes.

CUSA just doesnt have the cheerleaders these other conferences have on this site.

(04-06-2024 03:26 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Some posters across various message boards have tried to suggest a Delaware move to the MAC.

The DELAWARE President's comments in this story certainly put that to rest.

IMO--it is not a coincidence that this story was published Today.

CUSA is "closing ranks".

FWIW, Delaware asked about inclusion into the MAC - Um no thanks, not right now !!
UMASS (all sports) - Why sure !!
We shall see if the mighty Blue Hens come into FBS status and dominate like a James Madison, also taking the Philly market in the process !!

(04-07-2024 03:00 PM)FMRocket Wrote:  FWIW, Delaware asked about inclusion into the MAC - Um no thanks, not right now !!
UMASS (all sports) - Why sure !!
We shall see if the mighty Blue Hens come into FBS status and dominate like a James Madison, also taking the Philly market in the process !!

I am certainly not expecting that!

I'm happy for Delaware. While would not mind them as an old CAA football rival. My main interest as thought we needed them for an even number and on the east coast. Best wishes to the blue hens. Their soccer could have helped the MAC. Was that petty on them. We'll see where their other sports find a home. Matt Brown sited the A10, NEC, and Big East turned them down.

Realize that the CAA is a bit of an a$$ to departing members. The quotes on our move and our handling it with the A10 and our hope that we are allowed to keep men's lacrosse, women's rowing and potential men's soccer in the A10.

Quote:“(Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade) understands that we have FBS football and we have hockey – no one else in our league has that,” Bamford said. “Our priorities are very different and she accepted that.”

McGlade acknowledged that in a statement last week.

“Massachusetts has been very transparent with the Atlantic 10 in its search for an FBS conference affiliation,” she said. “In turn the A-10 has been very respectful of this need and the environment needed surrounding FBS football.”

“Through every conference change that’s happened around us environmentally, I’d always check in with Bernadette,” Banford said. “It would have been nice if over the last eight years we could have found a football affiliate home and kept the A-10 as our all-sports league, but media rights agreements just weren’t built like that, that just wasn’t a structure that the media partners wanted and it wasn’t a structure the conferences wanted anymore. The opportunity to do that didn’t exist, and once that really was hammered home in the last two years – this thing’s going to move quickly again in the next two or three years – this was our moment.

Fully understand and happy Delaware's move to CUSA. While a poke a bit about not trying the MAC for men's soccer, did not expect leagues as the NEC or the Big East for their lacrosse to be turned down. Not sure if they have tried the American. That would be a home run.

Article link from the above quotes.

More about this on the CUSA Realignment "SUB-Forum".

But if I start moving posts over to this thread from there--it would be pointless--since this thread probably winds up over there anyway. https://csnbbs.com/thread-989372.html

Delaware is a great academic school. Really good students all over the nation should at least consider them.

(04-06-2024 02:19 PM)Baldspot Wrote:  But, but, but the MAC trolls assured us Delaware would much rather jump to the rust belt conference now with UMASS on board. Better institutional fit they told us, better geographical fit, national universities etc, etc.

Instead they are left a UMASS football program that is 6-46 over the last five years (for our troll friends that means 6 wins in 52 attempts). Amazingly they’re on a 0-8 streak against the mighty MAC teams alone. Their basketball program hasn’t won their conference tourney in over 25 years. During a period of time that’s seen the A-10 wither away to just an afterthought.

Glad Delaware’s president sees the institutional value of focusing away from the rust belt area. Focusing on population areas that will benefit his university for years to come. We need forward thinkers in CUSA. Not the status quo types found in the MAC.

Welcome aboard Delaware!

There are MAC trolls?

(04-07-2024 06:33 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  I'm happy for Delaware. While would not mind them as an old CAA football rival. My main interest as thought we needed them for an even number and on the east coast. Best wishes to the blue hens. Their soccer could have helped the MAC. Was that petty on them. We'll see where their other sports find a home. Matt Brown sited the A10, NEC, and Big East turned them down.

Realize that the CAA is a bit of an a$$ to departing members. The quotes on our move and our handling it with the A10 and our hope that we are allowed to keep men's lacrosse, women's rowing and potential men's soccer in the A10.

Quote:“(Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade) understands that we have FBS football and we have hockey – no one else in our league has that,” Bamford said. “Our priorities are very different and she accepted that.”

McGlade acknowledged that in a statement last week.

“Massachusetts has been very transparent with the Atlantic 10 in its search for an FBS conference affiliation,” she said. “In turn the A-10 has been very respectful of this need and the environment needed surrounding FBS football.”

“Through every conference change that’s happened around us environmentally, I’d always check in with Bernadette,” Banford said. “It would have been nice if over the last eight years we could have found a football affiliate home and kept the A-10 as our all-sports league, but media rights agreements just weren’t built like that, that just wasn’t a structure that the media partners wanted and it wasn’t a structure the conferences wanted anymore. The opportunity to do that didn’t exist, and once that really was hammered home in the last two years – this thing’s going to move quickly again in the next two or three years – this was our moment.

Fully understand and happy Delaware's move to CUSA. While a poke a bit about not trying the MAC for men's soccer, did not expect leagues as the NEC or the Big East for their lacrosse to be turned down. Not sure if they have tried the American. That would be a home run.

Article link from the above quotes.

Sam Houston has shown interest in adding Men's and Women's lacrosse teams due to the growing popularity of it in the US. Maybe some other CUSA schools would add programs? I could see a school like Liberty and FIU wanting to add men's lacrosse programs too (maybe they could add women's bowling to offset). Could maybe even convince DBU to have a D1 program for lacrosse other than just baseball. That would give you 4 CUSA teams right away. Low barrier to entry for adding this sport and not necessarily a scholarship requirement like you would see in basketball or football.

(04-08-2024 07:57 AM)Bearkat21 Wrote:  

(04-07-2024 06:33 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  I'm happy for Delaware. While would not mind them as an old CAA football rival. My main interest as thought we needed them for an even number and on the east coast. Best wishes to the blue hens. Their soccer could have helped the MAC. Was that petty on them. We'll see where their other sports find a home. Matt Brown sited the A10, NEC, and Big East turned them down.

Realize that the CAA is a bit of an a$$ to departing members. The quotes on our move and our handling it with the A10 and our hope that we are allowed to keep men's lacrosse, women's rowing and potential men's soccer in the A10.

Quote:“(Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade) understands that we have FBS football and we have hockey – no one else in our league has that,” Bamford said. “Our priorities are very different and she accepted that.”

McGlade acknowledged that in a statement last week.

“Massachusetts has been very transparent with the Atlantic 10 in its search for an FBS conference affiliation,” she said. “In turn the A-10 has been very respectful of this need and the environment needed surrounding FBS football.”

“Through every conference change that’s happened around us environmentally, I’d always check in with Bernadette,” Banford said. “It would have been nice if over the last eight years we could have found a football affiliate home and kept the A-10 as our all-sports league, but media rights agreements just weren’t built like that, that just wasn’t a structure that the media partners wanted and it wasn’t a structure the conferences wanted anymore. The opportunity to do that didn’t exist, and once that really was hammered home in the last two years – this thing’s going to move quickly again in the next two or three years – this was our moment.

Fully understand and happy Delaware's move to CUSA. While a poke a bit about not trying the MAC for men's soccer, did not expect leagues as the NEC or the Big East for their lacrosse to be turned down. Not sure if they have tried the American. That would be a home run.

Article link from the above quotes.

Sam Houston has shown interest in adding Men's and Women's lacrosse teams due to the growing popularity of it in the US. Maybe some other CUSA schools would add programs? I could see a school like Liberty and FIU wanting to add men's lacrosse programs too (maybe they could add women's bowling to offset). Could maybe even convince DBU to have a D1 program for lacrosse other than just baseball. That would give you 4 CUSA teams right away. Low barrier to entry for adding this sport and not necessarily a scholarship requirement like you would see in basketball or football.

That would be great news Bearkat21. Did post this as Dan Steenkamer is a reporter for the Delaware student paper. Share some information, curious and hopeful for their associate sports. Happy for CUSA and Delaware. Expecting a lot more from Sam Houston this year, good luck and take care.

There is ZERO incentive for universities to add additional sports right now under current NCAA structure.

(04-08-2024 09:42 AM)SlyFox Wrote:  There is ZERO incentive for universities to add additional sports right now under current NCAA structure.

Our AD is interested in adding sports currently. Obviously, I'd much rather have improved athletic facilities but additional sports would be cool for us. Even if there isn't $$$ incentive, I think the fact that Delaware is adding sports for more visibility is good for a university in general. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the US so that one has a pretty large and growing appeal for prospective students and athletic departments.