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Date Posted: 09:58:40am 12/07/05 Wed,
Author: JoeStag
Subject: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples
In reply to:
JCM
's message, "Re: CT Post - Trust me, SHU getting closer to success" on 09:06:41am 12/07/05 Wed,
If SHU would get good enough to be in the MAAC, then the Fairfield Counry area could then start to become fans of MAAC Basketball, by creating a "critical mass of people" that are interesting in following the standings and following the games of Fairfield, SHU and other MAAC teams.
It will be difficult for Fairfield to be successfull at Harbor Yards just by itself. It needs the City of Bridgeport to offer entertainment/restaurants around the arena, it needs people to be fans of Mid major and MAAC Basketball, and it needs the CT Post to increase coverage in Fairfield and the MAAC. If SHU was in the MAAC, I can envision the following:
- Doubleheaders at Harbor Yards
- Increased coverage by CT Post and Stamford Advocate
- Very logical that Harbor Yards would be picked for MAAC Tourney more often
- the Fairfield - SHU game woud be very intersting if its a matchup of 2 good teams
- MAAC games becoming teh featured games on the schedule
If Fairfield and SHU are good at the same time, and there is double-header at AHY with SHU vs Iona, and Fairfield vs Manhatttan....... That would be an event , not just a hoop game.
I see this local rivalry thing work in Philly where the Big 5 has welcomed a Drexel, and not worried about them getting better...... a better Drexel helps all Philly schools. They all play each other, and its great and exciting. St Joes, Lasalle and Temple all in the same league. Doubleheaders at the Palestra....... this is all great IMO. All Philly schools hate each other, but also respect each other....... its what makes rivalries, and creates interest .
People say it won't work in CT or NYC, and it think thats hogwash if you don't try. IMO, its silly that an Iona does not play St Johns, or Fordham does not play St Johns, or Fairfield does not play Sacred Heart. These are athletic competitions that we are talking about, its not war or life or death situations. lace em up, and beat the hell out of the other team. Be agressive, show dominance and not be afraid to play anyone, for any reason. I think thats what true basketball fans want to see.
BTW, Siena drew 8,700 for their game vs the "SHU-Like" Albany (1-5). But Siena only drew 4,500 for games vs Fordham and Holy Cross. FU and HC are good teams to schedule, but the fan's have spoken. Those results speak volumes.
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Re: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples -- JCM, 04:39:21pm 12/07/05 Wed, [1]
Joe:
Your example with Albany/Siena is not directly relevant here. Siena is the big name in the albany marketplace. Albany playing Siena is a big game in Albany because of Siena.
UConn is the big name in this marketplace. If SHU played UConn or if Fairfield played UConn in Bridgeport the game would generate a lot of local press and would sell out. It would draw better than a game against an A-10 team.
Albany is a big school with a huge alumni base. Their Alumni base is 11 times greater than SHU's. They play one game a year at Pepsi arena, when they do, it is a big deal for their Alumni. Much like the days when UConn and Fairfield used to meet in New Haven. It is also a big deal for their students. If SHU had 20,000+ students in the area, they might help us draw at harbor yard once a year. The fact is they don't. They are a commuter college with 3000 students most of whom work and go to school. Bringing them into the Maac will not add to the fan base it will only suck away the limited number of fans in the area that don't already follow UConn.
Fairfield shouldn't be trying to align themselves with Division II schools that have moved up over the past 5 years. They should be aligning themselves with schools that have higher academic standards, basketball traditions and equivelent arenas. Schools that could ultimately come together to be in a league that at a minimum would be the equivalent of the a-10.
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Re: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples -- JoeStag, 08:31:17pm 12/07/05 Wed, [1]
JCM,
I disagree. The Albany example is very relevant, and so is every other local matchup that happens across the country. Two things always result in local games..... a rivalry and attendance greater than the average game.
Albany historically has drawn the same amount of fans as Sacred Heart about 600-800. I am not suggesting that we would get 4000 more fans like Siena did, but to expect 1,000+ more fans for a Fairfield-SHU game is reasonable..... and if both teams were good, expect a 4,000-5,000 fans.
I am not suggesting that we align with Division II schools, I just suggesting to play a basketball game that local hoop fans want to see. If we don't care about local hoop fans, then shame on us.
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Re: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples -- Stagophile, 08:37:44pm 12/07/05 Wed, [1]
JoeStag,
Unfortunately, I think what happened in this conversation is that we mixed your two proposals of SHU joining the MAAC and FU and SHU playing each in a local rivalry game. If we focused the discussion on a local rivalry game and eliminated the idea of SHU joining the MAAC, I think folks might be less confused and more receptive. Maybe we should start a new thread on starting a FU v. SHU rivalry game.
Stagophile
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Re: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples -- JoeStag, 08:48:19pm 12/07/05 Wed, [1]
Stago,
Agree really 2 different subjects, and we probably beat this subject to death.
Bottom line is that people have definite opinions about SHU, thats because it hits a nerve ...... unlike our games with Elon, Harvard and Charleston Southern..... where nobody cares.
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Re: SHU in the MAAC.....Philly and Albany examples -- JCM, 09:10:01pm 12/07/05 Wed, [1]
I have to agree. I don't think the folks at Siena are in favor of Albany joining the Maac. Nor do I think Fairfield would look kindly on an invitation for SHU to join the Maac.
I am not opposed to a game between SHU and Fairfield. It would be better for the stags to get a home game every year against SHU than to play Saint Francis. But I'd still rather see the stags playing St. Joes, Fordham, Holy Cross and there are plenty of other games I'd rather see. I think there is actually more interest among the local fan base in a game versus Holy Cross than SHU.
While I agree that it is also true that a game versus SHU would draw more fans than a game versus St. Francis, I think you greatly overestimate the impact. I lived in Albany for 5 years. The albany situation is so much different you can't draw too many relevant comparisons. There is one major newspaper in Albany. They give Siena phenomal press and they make the Albany-Siena game an event because it is great for newspaper sales. Albany has its own TV market, and they hype the game. Its the lead sports story. How much coverage will the NY TV market give an SHU-Fairfield Game? None. Heck, most nights outside of news 12 you can't even get the score of a Fairfield game on area TV. Sure News 12 will cover an FU/SHU game in a big way and it will get mentioned in the CT Post and the Advocate. But the courant won't even print the box score, nor will the times-union, Republican or Register. The games would be a non-event. There's really no comparison between the albany/Siena situation and Fairfield/SHU.
I totally agree that scheduling games fans want to see will put more fans in the seats. Local games can help in this regard, but no more so than sheduling certain other teams with a fan base in this market. Yale is local and we don't draw any better against them than we do against Rider or St. Peters. The central game 3 years ago was not a big draw either. Quinnipiac plays SHU and I was one of 822 people that saw that game in 2002. Two local NEC couldn't draw 1000 people on a Saturday afternoon.
So while we see this differently, what we think matters little. The game will never happen because Doris and O'Toole won't schedule it. Father Kelly was opposed to it as well and I'm sure Father Von Arx won't push this idea either. There are some issues between these colleges that transcend sports. I have heard there is also no love loss between the AD's. You might be familiar with the AD at SHU he once worked for Fairfield. Anyway, JS, I just don't see this game happening be at a good idea or bad one....
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