(02-02-2011 02:22 PM)KnightLight Wrote:  

(02-02-2011 01:46 PM)RookieWill Wrote:  2. I don't really want to go through the littany of reasons why playoff attendance in FCS football is the most meaningless statistic imaginable in this debate

Mean litany?

If you do...please tell us why many other schools can draw 10,000-24,000 plus for Div I-AA playoff games...but when those teams draw good crowds, its somehow meaningless...but when Nova can't average 4,000 fans for their playoff games there are suddenly a litany of reasons as to why.

Once again do you not understand that what Nova drew to a 1aa playoff will not impact their invite

Who cares what Nova drew for a Division I-AA game people were ripping Cincinnati's and USF's attendance when we were invited. Heck the CUSA board referred to us as the next Temple. One thing people need to consider, and a Nova fan mentioned this, if they move up they're a football school, period. Anybody who thinks otherwise is clueless about the big picture. This is a huge and risky and expensive risk being taken by Villanova. Why would they then turn around and hurt their chances at improving their football program?

(01-29-2011 02:15 PM)dogma Wrote:  

(01-29-2011 02:05 PM)Cromie Wrote:  

(01-29-2011 01:31 PM)saxamoophone Wrote:  

(01-29-2011 01:29 PM)Cubanbull Wrote:  LOL. Ok. Sure Lets keep the thread on Nova

I think their logo's blue colors are very soothing to the eyes. What's their mascot look like?

A wild cat.

Never really seen it though never looked for it

In all his awesomeness:

WOW, those Villanova cheerleaders need to come down and hit the florida beaches and get some SUN........

Here is the LITTANY of reasons why Villanova's attendance at a I-AA football game is irrelevant

1. IN GENERAL (not playoff particular) as stated before, Villanova plays ALL of its sports at the Big East level OTHER than football (and I guess women's lacrosse). The die-hard Villanova fans have been trained to view their rivals as Syracuse, UCONN, PITT, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Boston College. They play basketball at the HIGHEST level and their fans want to watch sports at the HIGHEST level. Watching a Villanova vs. JMU football game (no direspect to JMU) when your fans are used to playing in front of 20K people against Syracuse in Basketball is a HUGE FREAKING LET DOWN.

NO OTHER SCHOOL IN I-AA HAS THAT DYNAMIC. For them I-AA is "all there is" and these are their rival schools.

2. Having said that, ALL I-AA schools, except for Montana typically have fewer people at playoff games. Nova played App State in the Quarter Finals this year in a beautiful Saturday and the place was no more than 50% full and App State is the PREMIER PROGRAM ATTENDANCE-WISE in I-AA football. Here you have a BEAUTIFUL day, a very good App State team (they were the #1 or 2 seed) and the DEFENDING national champion in Villanova and they only fill up half the place. Why is that?

I think I am a case study - I am a long-time season ticket holder of Villanova football. I tailgate with 30 people at every game and I did not go to a SINGLE PLAYOFF game that year. Why

A - The first game was the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I had "other stuff" on the calendar and the game was televised. VU fans don't "plan" for around playoff games . Also, the game was against Holy Cross. Holy freaking Cross, who hasn't had a real football team since Gordy Lockbahm (go ahead correct my spelling on that one too) played for them. Here I am, die-hard fan, and didn't go to the game. We also found out 6 days before hand we were hosting

B - The second game was a virtual BLIZZARD in the late afternoon / early evening and was televised against New Hampshire. I, like many of my comrades, just stayed home and watched the game. Again, it is I-AA playoffs against a team that is New Hampshire (no disrespect, but it isn't Boston College or heck even Temple). The game wasn't on the schedule - we found out 6 days before hand.

C - The third game was against William & Mary, but now it is the 10th of December, the heart of holiday season where our wives have us out at various things. When you go to 30 different VU basketball and football games over the course of the year, you skip the one and DVR it and watch it later. In addition, it was a Friday evening game the night before finals (VU opens final week on a Saturday). Students didn't care to come as they were stuck in the Library (yes at Villanova the kids actually do study)

You look across the nation and I-AA attendance is a 50-70% of regular season attendance. It is not a bowl game, it is cold, it's after a long season of 6 games, and for lots of I-AA fans there actually is the novelty of watching the game on TV. In Nova's case, the average attendance of about 4,000 was about half of our regular season attendance of 8,000. This is similar (as a percentage) to other I-AA (or FCS) schools

I believe the Nova BOT meeting is scheduled for 21st and 22nd of February

(02-02-2011 12:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  But the ACC was NEVER a football conference. The goose that laid their golden egg was basketball...

And the difference is?

The difference is the ACC's goose died...

(02-02-2011 12:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  But the ACC was NEVER a football conference. The goose that laid their golden egg was basketball...

Same with the Big East, which is why Nova has the right to move up. They're a valuable part of the conference and I'd rather have them on our (football) side.

(02-02-2011 08:00 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  The difference is the ACC's goose died...

yeah I mean hell, they have only won the last 2 national championships and 3 of the last 6. The ACC has died as a national presence.

(02-02-2011 10:20 PM)Orange Eagles Wrote:  

(02-02-2011 12:01 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  But the ACC was NEVER a football conference. The goose that laid their golden egg was basketball...

Same with the Big East, which is why Nova has the right to move up. They're a valuable part of the conference and I'd rather have them on our (football) side.

OrangeEagles - As I've lurked and posted on this board for the past 6 months, I've found the overwhelming majority of posters who are fans of Big East schools are very much football fans, who give little consideration to basketball. Looking at the big picture, Villanova's athletic department is outstanding in Basketball AND olympic sports. I know Villanova fans associate themselves far more with the "football" schools than the "basketball" schools (despite the Catholic Affiliation.)

If you look just at football ONLY, I very much understand why some have concerns of Villanova as a football-member (despite my disagreement with them). However, if you look at the full package - if there is a split - Villanova is a University that both sides should really want on their "team"

All of the Nova attedance reasons are very very weak.

How is this different then any other school in america?

Wouldn't this mean that Temple, ECU, UCF would far outdraw Nova because it actually has fans show up for the derge of the MAC/CUSA schedule?

(02-03-2011 09:38 AM)victory engineer Wrote:  All of the Nova attedance reasons are very very weak.

How is this different then any other school in america?

Wouldn't this mean that Temple, ECU, UCF would far outdraw Nova because it actually has fans show up for the derge of the MAC/CUSA schedule?

I see virtually zero difference between the 8-9K fans Villanova averages during the regular season for CAA games and the 15K fans Temple averages (when Villanova or Penn State fans don't boost their attendance) during regular season for MAC Games.

As far as ECU and UCF - I am not going to suggest that Villanova will EVER outdraw those schools. EVER.

Incidentally, before Christmas I was hearing a whole lot of negative vibes regarding the Nova upgrade. After the last BoT meeting (mid December), those vibes started to shift. Now I am hearing many people consider the upgrade for Nova a "done deal". I'll believe it when I see it, but sounds as if the momentum is swiging towards a "Yes". Also heard, February announcement is a possibility, but still a long-shot

(02-03-2011 09:57 AM)RookieWill Wrote:  Incidentally, before Christmas I was hearing a whole lot of negative vibes regarding the Nova upgrade. After the last BoT meeting (mid December), those vibes started to shift. Now I am hearing many people consider the upgrade for Nova a "done deal". I'll believe it when I see it, but sounds as if the momentum is swiging towards a "Yes". Also heard, February announcement is a possibility, but still a long-shot

I agree. I you read between the lines it does seem that Nova is gonna upgrade their football. It's probably now or never for Nova.

Most likely true but any D-1A school that can't average at least 25,000 per home game, doesn't need to be D-1A. Simple as that. the 15K limit is a joke.