https://twitter.com/CraigHaley/statu...11317730480500
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Where do they land? Barring a major course correction from the MEAC, I'd guess....Big South/OVC.
This would leave the NEC at six:
Central Connecticut
Duquesne
LIU
St Francis
Stonehill
Wagner
Sacred Heart has been raising their athletic profile. They certainly have better facilities and game days than some of the newer CAA teams. Check out their new hockey stadium on YouTube. But Merrimack is pretty crummy even for the NEC so I don’t know where they land. Like I can’t imagine the CAA would want them and they are in Mass so kind of geographically isolated.
Their football facilities are awful and neither are capable of making them significantly nicer IMHO. I think its Big South or INDY for a longgggg time, unless the NEC allows them to come back as associates down the road.
SHU and Merrimack will likely remain stuck as FCS Independents for at least a couple years, until there is a bigger shakeup in FCS (such as America East football). They likely aren't going to want to join the BigSouth/OVC without RMU and Bryant (Monmouth or SBU) there anymore.
The NEC will have 7 members going forward (Bobby Mo rejoins NEC football this fall). That's an even 6-game league slate for all members. Add FBS and D-II games, and you can schedule the remaining FCS games among the PL/Ivy/MEAC/CAA.
Don't think it'll happen, but there's been surprisingly little news about how the Summit League has started the clock on the 2 year grace period for dropping below sponsorship requirements. Adding SHU and Merrimack as FB affiliates gets us to 6 and solves our problem. Creates some new problems, but that's something future us have to deal with.
Maybe I'm just confused about what you're saying. Summit League doesn't sponsor football, so you wouldn't be adding SHU and Merrimack as FB affiliates.
I think the CAA Football splitting up and adding SHU and Merrimack is more likely. That'd be 17 total football-playing teams. Split it into 8 and 9-team conferences.
Agree they are raising their profile however, there isn't a single CAA football team that SHU's stadium would hold a candle to. Even Bryant's setup "pre-expansion" is light years better. If SHU built a stadium (not sure they have room) I can see maybe some interest if the CAA North ever broke up. MAYBE. That said, SHU wants the PL...it's not even a secret.
There is ZERO interest from the five northern schools to adding SHU or Merrimack even if the breakup happens (heard it from direct, high place sources at four of the five schools...and I think the fifth would likely float the same way). Bryant is trying to separate itself from both Merrimack and SHU.