Farewell Delaware

[dutchPride86]

Sad to see the news today that Delaware will be leaving the CAA for Conference USA come the '25-'26 season. Obviously a football first decision as they are apparently making the move up to FBS like James Madison did. Hope they enjoy those trips to the likes of New Mexico St and Sam Houston St for conference games.

Maybe hofstra can start up a non conference series with Delaware in cbb, don't have enough true rivalries to afford to lose them all together.

Also with the CAAs recent track record, already dreading who they'll find to replace Delaware here. Conference is too big already but we all know they won't keep it at 13 teams, and on the football side Delaware is a major loss for them.

As has been discussed here before, Hofstra really needs to get out of this league. But with no football I don't think there's any realistic path for them

[HUSID80]

Shame, one of our best rivalries but they are going into a wasteland themselves...our only hope is the A-10 and we should do all we can to get in there.
The CAA is a sinking ship and taking on more water with every inferior school it adds.

[Wags]

Sad to see the news today that Delaware will be leaving the CAA for Conference USA come the '25-'26 season. Obviously a football first decision as they are apparently making the move up to FBS like James Madison did. Hope they enjoy those trips to the likes of New Mexico St and Sam Houston St for conference games.

Maybe hofstra can start up a non conference series with Delaware in cbb, don't have enough true rivalries to afford to lose them all together.

Also with the CAAs recent track record, already dreading who they'll find to replace Delaware here. Conference is too big already but we all know they won't keep it at 13 teams, and on the football side Delaware is a major loss for them.

As has been discussed here before, Hofstra really needs to get out of this league. But with no football I don't think there's any realistic path for them

Had already mentioned in the 2023-24 MBB but I guess this deserves its own thread. Shame, Hofstra has played Delaware the most in men's hoops (101 times, going 64-37 thus far). Second is Drexel, which I guess will become the most (right now that's second at 97 meetings, with HU holding a 50-47 advantage).

That UTEP-Delaware rivalry is going to be something. Almost as good as the Cal-Wake Forest and UCLA-Illinois rivalries. Woo hoo! Greed ruins sports again.

Also, "STUDENT athletes" - HU and schools like it, yes... but others making these kinds of moves? Please. How many extra miles will some of these athletes have to travel now to play their sports all in the name of greed.

[HUSID80]

To say nothing about the New Mexico State rivalry...just think about all that flying for the smaller sports!

[The Shadow]

Conference USA will have no real rivals for Delaware. The closest college is Liberty. The expense to consistently send teams to far away states like New Mexico, Georgia, Louisiana, Florida and Texas must be enormous. There is already a price tag of $5 million to go from FCS to FBS. That and the added travel costs must have taxpayers in a relatively small state as Delaware livid. My uninformed guess is that Bryant gets a very serious look. Bryant was recently added to CAA Football, so some type of process must have occurred. I would also think that colleges such as W&M, Villanova, and Richmond may look to go to the Patriot for football. The only thing that I can see occurring to benefit HU is if the present CAA is a split to a North and South type conference arrangement. Other colleges may look to join this new group. So, here's a guess to start the discussion: HU, Northeastern, Bryant, Drexel, Towson, Stony Brook, Monmouth, Albany, and Fairfield. I know it is not the A10, but HU cannot go where there is no invite by the other conference members. Besides, there are discussions that Charleston is ready to jump to the A10 for 2024-25. If that exit does occur, I cannot see how the CAA survives. Many of the southern colleges seem to be exploring entering the SoCon. CAA Football probably remains as a separate group as it is now. I'm not sure if any of this is possible or has been in the works or some time. Once JMU left the CAA for FBS, the CAA ADs must have had some idea of UDel's serious interest in FBS football, so it really cannot be a surprising announcement.

[Jojogunne]

Conf USA does not field lacrosse, so the Hens may stick with the CAA for that sport.

[The Shadow]

To Jojogunne, The CAA may ask them to leave. This might force UDel to go another lacrosse conference like the A10 which has only 6 members. I was also thinking that HU and UDel could still schedule each other in various sports during the out of conference portion of their schedules. It would be very unfortunate to see a long standing rivalry in many sports, that has continued for decades, not continued.

[HUSID80]

Agree Shadow, losing the Delaware rivalry, our longest standing would be a shame...I would support us playing the Hens in OOC play...who knows they may come back to the fold, although doubtful.

[Wags]

At least we won't have to see Delaware in their black jerseys anymore (I hope Hofstra never does that!).

[stuball888]

I can now see Towson leaving in a couple of years
W&M might be the one after that. It is all football driven
Look at the success JMU is hAving

[HUSID80]

We should all visit the CSNbbs-CAA site...the William & Mary fans section. Very thoughful and insightfull discussions regarding the future of the CAA and their place in it.

[Polito]

Look, I hate what's happening in college sports as much as the next fan, but the reality is it IS happening, and HU continues to sit on the sideline watching peer programs at least display some aspiration to elevate themselves. HU makes NO money because they aren't playing this game well. CUSA isn't the best move for UD but it's a HECKUVA lot better than staying in this garbage, future extinct conference.

At least UD had an option...and others like W&M, Towson, etc will as well. HU has none. NONE. BRING BACK FOOTBALL.

Been warning for years now on here that if HU doesn't wake up to the shifting landscape it'll get left behind. Warned CAA expansion was a joke and that this conf will not even exist in a few years. Even if it manages to survive it will be fully irrelevant. This conference is a dead man walking, and will take HU down with it if the admin allows. HU better get its act together asap.

Sure, I love the UD "rivalry" for whatever that even means at our level, but the fact is UD is going to get PAID. HU is not. And that's what matters, not some low level rivalry. It's getting extremely annoying because I don't see them doing anything about it. BRING BACK FOOTBALL.

All this 'concern' about travel cost and regional rivals is shortsighted - it's meaningless in the business of all this.

There is PLENTY of money going around. UD is going to make MORE than enough to cover expenses through yearly media rights, merch, sponsorships, and in some years bowl payouts. You all don't think their finance teams assessed all this? They will upgrade their facilities and programs across ALL sports from it, just like JMU has done. ODU too, another bowl team. This fanbase has grown so accustomed to eating sh!t sandwiches in the CAA it thinks there are no good restaurants out there. UD took A step, not the final one. What is HU doing?? ZIP so far.


And with all due respect to Charleston, there is no way on God's beautiful green Earth that CofC should ever get into the A10 over HU or a HOST of other programs. What the heck for? Because of one 30 win season against an awful schedule? They have minor hoops history and a small time market - if the A10 admits them over any other viable contender, then that will spell the end of the A10. I can think of a dozen off the top of my head that are better and more deserving. And I'm not saying HU should be in either, just no way in the world Charleston should.

BRING BACK FOOTBALL. This U should've been working on this already...writing of what matters has been on the wall for years for anyone paying attention - and that's what scares me... who at HU is actually paying attention, and who has the skill to navigate this??

[Wags]

This is the way is should be done rather than the petty nonsense that kept JMU from competing for CAA titles while it was on the way out the door:

https://twitter.com/CAASports/status/17 ... 1206255004

[HUSID80]

We offer the LI market with what some 4 million people...the biggest issue I hear re: us and the A10 is that Fordham, of all schools would block us. WE DO NOT COMPETE in the same market as Fordham.
Cole/Proser should go ALL OUT to get us in the A10.
Without football there is no other viable alternative for us.

[mikey75]

What is Fordham's issue if you know?

[HUSID80]

What is Fordham's issue if you know?

They can block us due to geography which is ridiculous in a market this size...they should go to the Patriot League where they belong and play football.

[Polito]

Fordham can go kick rocks. If they are worried about HOFSTRA then they don't deserve to be in the league to begin with. If we could allow SBU, they can certainly handle this. And if they were smart, they would ENCOURAGE it because it's good for them, for the league, and for NY.

Very similar to why VT and UVA are in the ACC together - that was demanded all the way up to the state governor level. Look at every major nationwide local rival competition, they are all in the same league - it makes more MONEY, and that's what matters. I expect brighter minds than that kind of pettiness Fordham, c'mon, stop that nonsense. You are already constantly overshadowed by SJU, you need the local boost.

Agree 100% HUSID, I can't second that enough. And frankly this should have already been happening, for at least the last couple of years - HU needs to FULL COURT PRESS our next move and the A10 would be it.

This is exactly where I want to see HU's admin show they have the chops to lead Hofstra Athletics into the future.

HU is in fact a solid fit for that league in hoops - on top of routinely competing against the A10, HU recruits at an A10 level, and HU has more than held their own winning plenty of games vs that competition. Fordham in fact could and would turn into a great local rivalry, HU already has a history with GMU and VCU, plays GW and Richmond, has strong regional matchups with St Bon, La Salle, Duquesne, and more ... HU is a perfect travel partner for more than half the league - its actually a really good fit.

A HECKUVA lot more than CofC for goodness sake, or anyone else in the CAA.

But HU is going to have to WORK this to make it happen - they can't sit around hoping for an invite - love that hoops has really targeted those teams in the OOC the last several years, right approach - need to go SELL it and MAKE it happen, literally need to do whatever it takes.

[EvanJ]

Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule said that good quarterbacks in the transfer portal cost at least one million, and some cost seven million. To fans who want us to restart Football, it could be even more expensive now than when we dropped it. Of course we wouldn't need as good players as Nebraska, but starting Football is not cheap or easy, and even if we decided to start Football today, schools and conferences could change so much by the time we got a team on the field. FBS Football rosters increased from 6.4 percent transfers in 2019 to 20.5 percent transfers in 2023, which is about 3.2 times as many.

[Wags]

If they are worried about HOFSTRA then they don't deserve to be in the league to begin with. If we could allow SBU, they can certainly handle this. And if they were smart, they would ENCOURAGE it because it's good for them, for the league, and for NY.

Very similar to why VT and UVA are in the ACC together - that was demanded all the way up to the state governor level. Look at every major nationwide local rival competition, they are all in the same league - it makes more MONEY, and that's what matters. I expect brighter minds than that kind of pettiness Fordham, c'mon, stop that nonsense. You are already constantly overshadowed by SJU, you need the local boost.

Good points and good comparison. Also, to throw a little shade at them, they could get to play in a nice arena in the area by coming to play at The Mack instead of that high school gym at Rose Hill.

[HUSID80]

Fordham has its nose up its arse...they don't think we deserve to be on the same court as them...they are delusional, they're still living in the Digger Phelps days.