G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[BlueBlood]

Unless there is some big piece of information that the press hasn't picked up on that would sway me, I'm disappointed in the G-MAC for trying to force Ursuline out. They are a founding Member of the G-MAC and created the conference that everyone enjoys today. I really think Ursuline deserves better.

The two big reasons for the G-MAC trying to push them out (as listed in the press) are: 1) they only have women's teams, and 2) they no longer qualify for membership because they are no longer an autonomous institution. Well, nothing has changed regarding the first point. When UC helped create the G-MAC, they only had women's teams. As for point number two, I'm not sure why this is a sticking point. The NCAA has already approved Gannon and Ursuline having separate athletic departments. Are they concerned that Gannon will be self-serving and unfairly funnel resources/athletes/coaches to the mothership? I mean; I guess that could happen, but that is theoretical. If that's it, can we let it play out a bit before axing a founding member? D3 has whole conferences of UW and Penn State branch campuses that compete against each other. Pennsylvania Western has been operating separate athletic departments in the PSAC for a while now. It's being done. A small school like UC relies heavily on student athletes to survive. Gannon and UC have every reason to keep the UC athletic department as healthy as possible.

Again, I hope there is some big piece of info that we don't have that makes this make more sense.

[Bballfan]

I tend to agree with you, let them stay in until their athletics die on the vine, which would happen sooner rather than later anyhow. Gannon is a top-notch athletic program, and there is only so much money to go around. I can see them investing very little in UC athletics because there will never be enough money for the Gannon athletic programs as it is.

And the big piece of info missing? Just my guess, but I am sure the GMAC has been trying to Gannon in the conference for several years now. Might be a salvo the GMAC is firing since Gannon has continued to spur them. In other words, for Ursuline athletics to stay, Gannon itself has to join.

I am sure it will all get resolved out of court in some sort of settlement.

[BlueBlood]

I tend to agree with you, let them stay in until their athletics die on the vine, which would happen sooner rather than later anyhow.

Exactly. You don't kick a founding member out unless they really screw up. The Big Ten didn't kick the University of Chicago out - Chicago tapped out. Same with the SEC and Sewanee and Tulane.

In my mind, kick out reasons are big - major NCAA infractions, not fielding teams for the required "core" sports, undeniably inadequate facilities, etc

[BlueBlood]

found this in another article:

”The GMAC and its member presidents contend it is a conflict of interest for the president of Gannon University to also serve as the president of Ursuline College and therefore sit on two conference boards”

I get that this could be an issue at times. But, it seems like something that you can work around. Maybe UC forfeits their seat on the board.

[Bballfan]

The fact that they are in two different NCAA regions is another reason why I don't think there is that much conflict.

Again, Ursuline athletics will be gone soon enough. Maybe the GMAC doesn't want to deal with that uncertainty.

[BlueBlood]

I thought an appropriate / reasonable fix to avoid the Gannon president presiding on both the G-MAC board and the PSAC board would be for the G-MAC to make Ursuline an associate member for all sports.

However, I just read a Sportico article that says Ursuline requested associate membership in the G-MAC, but G-MAC’s council only recommended softball and volleyball for associate membership (I can only assume that the G-MAC offered those sports to even out scheduling).

I'll wait to hear the G-MAC's side (everything in the press has come from Gannon/Ursuline to date), but I'm really not liking this.

[BlueBlood]

[Bballfan]

Good article. Thank you for sharing. Should have left Ursuline stay in the conference, because I am willing to bet athletics disappear from there anyhow in the next few years once it no longer makes financial sense.