Author Topic: Future Football Schedules  (Read 27931 times)

ibosbu

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #90 on: December 23, 2012, 10:39:50 am »
RHillibilly, question for you: I don't know how long you've been around UB, but has the move to FBS football made a difference in terms of student morale, retention, and applications? Many would argue that the primary purpose of college athletics is (or should be) to improve the academic experience by improving the student experience. There may also be some benefit wrt recruiting faculty and gaining alumni support (though most FBS programs lose money for the school). We've had some debate on this board re. whether it's a good idea for SBU to go FBS and probably be a mediocre FBS program for many years w/o any chance for a top national ranking, OR remain FCS and be a consistently Top 15  team and regular candidate for a national championship (without losing money). I've advocated  the top-level FCS option. Some others think bigger is better....although as I said it could mean a string of losing seasons for a while (which has been UB's experience and probably same for UMass). Just curious what you and others at UB think about the actual effect (not just personal preference) of UB's move to FBS.
I totally agree there. Unless there is any chance of upgrading to one of the top 5 BCS conferences like ACC or Big 12 (for which there is no realistic chance), I just dont see the allure of moving up to FBS and playing in one of the bottom conferences with losing seasons. We will never have the budget or the local/alumni passion and support that those southern and mid-western BCS programs have. And to me, those programs have lost their soul to money making anyway. And besides the top 5 dor 10 bowls, rest of the bowls are meaningless imo.
College sports should be about college experience and I am happy with competing for FCS national championship than playing for meaningless bowl game that no one cares about. (MBB is a different topic though, and I think we can definitely generate good local support and a realistic chance of becoming a major player in the northeast region and joining a conference like A10 oneday).
« Last Edit: December 23, 2012, 10:44:22 am by iBOsbu »

jaghatai

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #91 on: December 23, 2012, 06:12:42 pm »
For starters, I really have to admit I LOVE the schedule.  It's going to be difficult, with a lot of winnable games (and at the same time, a lot of loseable games too).

The thing I'm most psyched about is that we've got a bunch of away games that we can reasonably travel to.  Don't get me wrong, the Big South stadiums in October were a blast, but the 8-10 hour travel time each trip was a killer.  Looks like i'm travelling a bunch this fall!

It's going to be a bit of a reloading season.  I think that Buffalo is going to be the roughest game on the slate, but while I'm not expecting a win, I'm also not expecting a blowout.
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Seawolf97

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #92 on: December 23, 2012, 07:41:18 pm »
I have alot of respect for our Hill Biily friend from UB.  I truly hope just a little rivalry develops through football. I went  to Buffalo St about  100 years ago and UB  was always our bigger cousin. Never did beat them in hoops. Hopefully the little rivalry I saw at the time  between Buff State and UB  develops between SBU and UB. It is great school by the way. Even bigger now than it  was when I lived up there.

RecoveringHillbilly

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #93 on: December 25, 2012, 07:39:22 am »
I was an undergrad during UB's 1-AA days so I've seen the program from both sides. We were destined for a return to 1-A/FBS. We had played in the University Division in the 60's and sent guys to the pros. But when SUNY banned athletic scholrships in '78 we had to battle all through the 80's to reverse that move. It stunted our AD development waiting that long. When we moved to 1-AA (straight from D3) our AD budget was ~$5M so there were many growing pains. But there were usually decent crowds of 4k-7K and some good times like beating YSU/Tressel the year after they won the title.

But spirit was tough to find. Budget cuts under Pataki led to regular arguments that football should not be funded over academic programs. We had a doughnut-hole of alumni support, with alums who had been around in the 50's and 60's loving the move, but very little support from the D3/non-football era of alumni. But our leaders back then knew being AAU and the largest public in NY/New England meant we belonged. We went after the MAC and it was a unanimous vote. The commish back then had a UB connection and touted our institutional profile and access to Upstate NY markets.

It was rough being a fan a decade ago when we had bad hires and inept AD's. But when we finally won the MAC you could see why it was all worth it. The local sports radio who only talked Bills/Sabres suddenly got sick of the Bill's losing and started talking up UB. Local and national media really became interested in Turner Gill and our past, which would never happen if FCS:



And that season began to show the potential of our market and alumni, and why FBS is worth everything. We have 70K alums living in WNY and 210K+ overall so:

*The MAC title game win against Ball St stands as the most-watched game between two MAC programs ever
*We sold our full allotment of 10K bowl tix. And of the 40K who attended the game, ~30K were supporting Buffalo
*"The University at Buffalo’s loss to UConn on Saturday afternoon in the International Bowl was a local ratings hit. The game on ESPN2 averaged a 16.5 rating, representing 16.5 percent of Western New York homes. To put that in perspective, UB’s afternoon game on cable outrated San Diego’s overtime victory over Indianapolis (16.2) on Channel 2, the local NBC affiliate. It also outrated Arizona’s earlier win over Atlanta (12.6)" -Alan Pergament, Buffalo News
*"Time Warner Cable reported that the game drew the largest local cable broadcast audience in four years" (Per UB Athletics)
 
Only FCS fans see smaller bowls as minor. Nearly all draw better ratings and attendance than the FCS final. Exposure is everything and it helped our AD brand and school spirit obviously soared. There was nothing minor about this environment:

« Last Edit: December 25, 2012, 07:49:02 am by RecoveringHillbilly »

ry1nik

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #94 on: December 25, 2012, 09:27:38 am »
RHillbilly, I appreciate the thoughtful response. You are obviously passionate about Bulls football. I guess I was trying to bait you into saying that FBS is not all some claim it to be, but you didn't take the bait. I don't doubt that school spirit was boosted during UB's lone winning season, but I see a losing record in 13 of the 14 years that UB has been FBS, with a combined record of 17-86 prior to the first (and only) winning season. I think all SB fans on this board are convinced that Stony Brook as an FCS member will go forward with winning seasons. Even if SB went FBS and was TWICE as successful as UB, our FBS record would be around 34-69. I don't think the effect on the community would be any more positive (would probably be negative) than SB having a superior winning record at the FCS level...with a few CAA conference championships and maybe an FCS championship game appearance thrown in for good measure. Regardless, I appreciate your response, and Happy Holidays.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2012, 09:43:50 am by ry1nik »

ibosbu

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #95 on: December 25, 2012, 10:04:56 am »
RHillbilly, I appreciate the thoughtful response. You are obviously passionate about Bulls football. I guess I was trying to bait you into saying that FBS is not all some claim it to be, but you didn't take the bait. I don't doubt that school spirit was boosted during UB's lone winning season, but I see a losing record in 13 of the 14 years that UB has been FBS, with a combined record of 17-86 prior to the first (and only) winning season. I think all SB fans on this board are convinced that Stony Brook as an FCS member will go forward with winning seasons. Even if SB went FBS and was TWICE as successful as UB, our FBS record would be around 34-69. I don't think the effect on the community would be any more positive (would probably be negative) than SB having a superior winning record at the FCS level...with a few CAA conference championships and maybe an FCS championship game appearance thrown in for good measure. Regardless, I appreciate your response, and Happy Holidays.
This!

On the otherhand if we were to follow a UConn style football trajectory, who are not one of the college football powers, but has a respectable winning tradition in FBS, then I would be happy to move to 1A.

But seeing how UMass is suffering now on field and off field (terrible attendance.. lower average than when they were in 1AA and media support), I am happy with SBU's 1AA success.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2012, 10:35:48 am by iBOsbu »

ibosbu

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #96 on: December 25, 2012, 10:29:53 am »
Here is an interesting quote from Towson Athletic director!

Mike Waddell ‏@TowsonTigerAD "New twist to the September 28 game for @towson_fb at Stony Brook as Tigers and Seawolves will play for yet to be named traveling trophy!"

I never knew that we had such a rivalry with Towson to start a traveling trophy! Unless he is being sarcastic.

I would love to have a traveling trophy with Albany though.

jaghatai

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #97 on: December 25, 2012, 01:00:37 pm »
It reminds me of the "Battle for the Butter" from a few years back.

Anything that draws interest is a good thing.  We have a travelling trophy with Albany.  For every game, we give them a whoopin, they give us a win.
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ecasadoSBU

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #98 on: December 25, 2012, 05:11:01 pm »
The FBS topic is very interesting. The truth is that at any level: FBS provides better exposure than the FCS... and everyday it gets worst for the FCS...

I think that as an institution we belong in the FBS. Our school is large and peer institutions with similar enrollment are playing at that level. UMass is a cautionary tale but at the same time I believe SBU would be a different story. We have a supportive administration, media, and community and we are currently riding a wave of success in our athletic department as a whole. I have no doubt SBU can be competitive at that level and I would prefer a 4-7 year timetable to make the jump. For now we have to continue to aspire to win an FCS championship and to be a competitive power at the FCS.

We gotta pull as many FBS upsets as possible and continue recruiting at a high level. Division I FBS is our destiny! LOL
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Hammertime

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #99 on: December 25, 2012, 09:35:58 pm »
Agreed !!!!!!!!

Seawolf97

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #100 on: December 25, 2012, 09:38:58 pm »
From what I have read on other boards part of the UMass problem is playing at Foxboro.  That is over 2 hours from Amherst on a good day. If they truly  have thier home games at home things will hopefully  improve attendance wise.  Performance of their team is another story. I would find it difficult  to attend a Stonybrook home game if I had to drive  2 hours each way. As for joining the MAC or similar conference  that could be our reality in 5 plus years. The super conferences- BIG10, ACC , SEC etc are way out of our reach and opportunities are closing to enter them.  Being in the MAC still gives you a good OOC schedule home and away and a respectable  conference schedule in all sports. So we will see what happens after several years in the CAA, but I can see FBS football in our future.

Hammertime

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #101 on: December 26, 2012, 08:07:30 am »
The only problem we have with joining the FBS is the Attendance. I attend every home game and see how many fans/ students attend. As far as the non students Fan base goes we do ok,.4000 to 5000 attendance is the norm, not great but is getting better each passing season. Now the student Fan base is another issue. I see only hand full of students attending the games above the tunnel and thats a huge problem. What can S/B do to try and change that and invite more students to go to the games?? I don't have the answer and I've had this disscussion to many people and nobody real has a an answer besides the obvious, win more games!!

I think the problem is not with S/B Football. The problem is L.I. .... We have 2 Pro Football teams, 2 pro Basketball, 2 pro Hockey,etc, etc... in our area. Most of my friends and family rather see a Giant or JETS game before they see a college Football game. Me, I rather attend a good college football game over the JETS any day lol.. Another problem with S/B is the high percentage of students who are Medical students. Most students are to busy studying for finals/exams on Satudays. The Ivy League schools don't have a playoff because of that reason..

Hofsta had a similar problem and because of that their Football program lost $$$$

Seawolf97

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #102 on: December 26, 2012, 12:01:20 pm »
Hammertime I know what you are saying.  I dont have  an answer for poor student attendance either. Yet I watch  major programs fill their student sections  every Saturday with probably the same  financial  deal of cut rate tickets or free tickets through a student activity fee.  A person I work with has daughter who goes to Penn St. . Even during the down time they are going through with the scandal  students wait in line to see their Nitany Lions play football.And yes the NY Metro  Area is all about pro sports so we compete with that level for media and fan attention. I think U Conn and Rutgers are just far enough away and a liitle more established to draw fans despite the NY pro mania.  If the day comes when we move to an FBS conference  home games against the military academies, ACC and Big 10 schools will be a draw. It is a big financial risk for sure. Just look at UMass.

ecasadoSBU

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #103 on: December 26, 2012, 01:21:49 pm »
The students are there... Its just that they don't think we have a big enough product to make it worth going to the games. I remember trying to make some of my hall mates attend the games. They wouldn't go and nothing was enough to convince them. Student attendance will go up as we come out more often in TV, we win more games, and have championship seasons. That's the only thing that will make them attend. Penn St. wasn't Penn St. from day one, same thing goes with Uconn and Rutgers... after a program takes off it would feed on itself.

It is possible to build a College FB program in the Northeast. it will take a lot of work, but it is possible and I think we got the right administration to lead us there (Fiore and Stanley). I believe Fiore can get us there (to a Uconn/Rutgers/BC status) the University has to do everything possible to keep him for the next decade or two!! UConn did it on the backs of their basketball program (UCONN was a CAA/A10 FB program 13 seasons ago) and we can do it by building a winning reputation across our entire athletic department like we are doing in the present

« Last Edit: December 26, 2012, 01:29:27 pm by ecasadoSBU »
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Chrissy D.

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Re: 2012-2015: Football Schedules
« Reply #104 on: December 26, 2012, 05:55:19 pm »
 The student section was filled for and before homecoming. There were alot of problems in the parking lot with fraternities fighting at the homecoming gm and as a result the campus police had to clamp down on the student tailgaiters (underage ones ). Tailgaiting gets students to the gms but all it takes is a few jackasses to ruin it. Attendance on a whole will increase because of the CAA teams being closer to us. Hofstra never avg 5,000 so we do not have the same problem as them ( they avg 1,500 ). I feel 7,000 would be a good avg. for the time being. What I do not want to see is them expand the stadium and have more empty seats. They can make improvements without expanding seats. I think we would all be happy if we avg 7,000 and had 3 or 4 sellouts. As far as exposure goes we have been getting alot more than Hofstra ever did and that should go up with CAA TV deal with the NBC sports cable channel. ESPN has been very good to SB and I see that continuing.