UofR or Hofstra?

[Natty]

Who would you rather have in the CAA?

Michael Lito's has a great blog over at caahoops.wordpress.com/ ...and he wrote two nice little pieces on why both schools belong in the CAA.

On UofR

The thing they are missing–energy–can be provided by the natural rivalries of the CAA. For the same reasons Hofstra is better off in the CAA, the reverse holds true for Richmond. They get what they need in the CAA, except for the rare season that 24-7 would be helpful.

For those W&M and VCU and JMU people who remain angry at Richmond for bolting nearly 10 years ago, I say this: wouldn’t it be better to get to hate them twice a year in hoops?

Spite from a distance isn’t getting you anywhere. Time to let it go. Embrace what is right and helpful.

I have no idea how that would impact expansion/contraction/realignment/global warming. There are as many ideas out there as grains of sand. But Richmond in the CAA just has that right feel on every level, except perhaps ego.

So hatred aside...or heck, factoring hatred in...would you rather have Hofstra and that "NY market" in the conference...or two games against UofR every year (er...sometimes)? Why?


I'd probably go with UofR. I can't stand them either, and they don't exactly pack the house...but as much as people hate how VA centric this conference is...it's also great for attendance ...and adding another Richmond team to the CAA tournament would be great for business.

 

[mwalvlior]

i believe this discussion was already had and it was stated the CAA shouldnt take Richmond back for the way it bailed and left the conference hanging.

 

[Sometimes]

I'm split. I'd much rather have UofNJ@HC in the CAA, but now that I'm up in Brooklyn, Hofstra guarantees at least once cheap game per year for me to see the Rams...


But, seriously, Richmond makes a lot more sense in our conference than Hofstra does. Holding grudges is silly. If they wanted to come back, I'd be welcome to the idea.

 

[BradRamFan]

All this talk of UR in the CAA is nonsense. Why would UR want to come back to the CAA? With the exception of every now and again, the only way to get to the dance is to win the tourney. At least in the A10 they often have a chance to go as an at-large...who would not want that???

And please don't give me...."they have only made it to the dance once in blah, blah, blah years." The only reason they haven't been to the dance often is due to their coaching hire mistakes and a screwed up administration. Right now we could say the exact same thing about that former CAA powerhouse, UNCW.

UR hires a decent coach and/or Mooney finally gets his team in shape, they stand a much, much, MUCH, MUCH better chance at going to the dance repeatedly than we do. And right now they have the best of both worlds...their junior football team is in one of the best junior football conference around and their bball team is in a conference that is better than ours.

They don't want to come back to the CAA for basketball.

 

[Sometimes]

All this talk of UR in the CAA is nonsense.

Agreed. The A10 is a step up from the CAA in just about every way. Not a big step, but a step nonetheless. On the same token, and for the record, I was only responding to a hypothetical situation. If UofR wanted back, I'd have no problem with having them back.

 

[RamboRowdy]

Only problem is rivalries such as the Blue and Black classic would look terrible at Robins Center. Siegel Center would make up for it but it still wouldn't be the same. With Hofstra you do see some good turnout on some games. The Spiders just don't have the college atmosphere we want in the CAA. I have no problem with Richmond coming back except the fact that TV games would look terrible.

 

[major ram]

Only problem is rivalries such as the Blue and Black classic would look terrible at Robins Center. Siegel Center would make up for it but it still wouldn't be the same. With Hofstra you do see some good turnout on some games. The Spiders just don't have the college atmosphere we want in the CAA. I have no problem with Richmond coming back except the fact that TV games would look terrible.

The issue of attendance would improve with UNJ-R playing the CAA schedule as ODU, JMU, GMU, VCU & other CAA teams could travel better than A-10 teams.
St Bonne or GMU?
Fordham or UNCW?
VCU 2X or Xavier (post Miller)
I HATE UR-CC and the fact they are CAA for football and A10 for basketball doesnt sit well either....but the rivalries in-state would be imore intense

 

[chrisbrower]

my vote would be for richmond, hofstra clearly doesn't want to be here. Richmond is not exactly tearing up the A10. they should trade

 

[RamboRowdy]

Only problem is rivalries such as the Blue and Black classic would look terrible at Robins Center. Siegel Center would make up for it but it still wouldn't be the same. With Hofstra you do see some good turnout on some games. The Spiders just don't have the college atmosphere we want in the CAA. I have no problem with Richmond coming back except the fact that TV games would look terrible.

The issue of attendance would improve with UNJ-R playing the CAA schedule as ODU, JMU, GMU, VCU & other CAA teams could travel better than A-10 teams.
St Bonne or GMU?
Fordham or UNCW?
VCU 2X or Xavier (post Miller)
I HATE UR-CC and the fact they are CAA for football and A10 for basketball doesnt sit well either....but the rivalries in-state would be imore intense

Problem is the attendance at the Robins Center is terrible. The average attendance there is something like upper 3,000s and I've read they have had attendances as low as mid 2,000s. The arena is 9,000. They have just recently started getting 500+ students to come to games. Richmond playing at S.C. would be intense but than when VCU goes to U of R all you would hear is VCU fans. The Spiders normally have a pretty strong team but their home games just don't have excitement. Note that Xavier who is also in the A10 is one of the toughest arenas in NCAA(It was voted in the top 10). Richmond can't compare with its conference in attendance though URI and another A10 team struggled with attendance earlier this year too.

 

[xjohnx]

Richmond can't compare with its conference in attendance though URI and another A10 team struggled with attendance earlier this year too.

URI struggled with attendance? they averaged over 5300 and have a very nice arena. I was impressed with how loud it got when I went up for the game last year.

 

[RamboRowdy]

Richmond can't compare with its conference in attendance though URI and another A10 team struggled with attendance earlier this year too.

URI struggled with attendance? they averaged over 5300 and have a very nice arena. I was impressed with how loud it got when I went up for the game last year.

Late in the year they struggled. A article in the Times Dispatch came out about U of R and URI calling out its attendance.

 

[Natty]

Some UofR home attendance numbers from this past season

VCU – 7182
Wake Forest– 6635
St Bon – 5751
RI – 3538
St Joe’s – 4312
St Louis – 5242
Duquesne – 4334
Charlotte – 7059
GW – 5338
Xavier - 5653

Granted, we're big time rivals...but outdrawing ranked teams like Wake and Xavier, not to mention a solid conference foe in St Joe's...semi surprising. Wonder how games against ODU and Mason would do

 

[chrisbrower]

Some UofR home attendance numbers from this past season

VCU – 7182
Wake Forest– 6635
St Bon – 5751
RI – 3538
St Joe’s – 4312
St Louis – 5242
Duquesne – 4334
Charlotte – 7059
GW – 5338
Xavier - 5653

Granted, we're big time rivals...but outdrawing ranked teams like Wake and Xavier, not to mention a solid conference foe in St Joe's...semi surprising. Wonder how games against ODU and Mason would do

well about 4000 of those 7 were in black and gold.

 

[Mercury]

UR

 

[xjohnx]

Some UofR home attendance numbers from this past season

VCU – 7182
Wake Forest– 6635
St Bon – 5751
RI – 3538
St Joe’s – 4312
St Louis – 5242
Duquesne – 4334
Charlotte – 7059
GW – 5338
Xavier - 5653

Granted, we're big time rivals...but outdrawing ranked teams like Wake and Xavier, not to mention a solid conference foe in St Joe's...semi surprising. Wonder how games against ODU and Mason would do

FWIW, Richmond is NOTORIOUS for falsely reporting attendance numbers.