The Scholars League

[mojo-spider]

recently when searching the internet to see if the Patriot League allowed NIL money for its football athletes I stumbled across this interesting and thought provoking idea from a group that calls itself the William and Mary Sports Blog...

the story lays out a proposed Scholars League of like minded academic universities and colleges that would prefer to keep the academic oriented athletics model versus the revenue chasing, free agent, and commercial professional model that the Power Four is evolving into...

the Scholars League would model itself on the Ivy league and Patriot League approach...both Leagues "opted out" of the House settlement...

there has been quite a bit of speculation as to what W&M will do with football and athletics, particularly since they did not "opt in" to the Hose settlement...

I'm sure this group does not speak for the W&M AD, but it could reflect some of their thinking...thus their delay in making a decision?

the proposed Scholars League would be 10 like minded teams...their proposal includes UR as one of the ten for football and all sports...

Here's the link: https://wmsportsblog.com/2025/02/03/the-scholars-league-a-new-model-for-true-student-athletes/

we "opted in" saying we want to play men's and women's basketball at the highest level possible...right now that is the A-10...the Scholars League for those two sports would clearly be a step down from our stated goal...

Gallipoli: You've done a good job over the years of keeping an eye on the Indians...you know anything about this?

Go Spiders!

 

[urfan1]

Similar to Magnolia League in concept we discussed years ago. But this is mid and smaller schools.

 

[SFspidur]

I mean, we all know NCAA rules aren't worth the paper they're written on these days, but this structure is against the current rules...W&L and Hopkins can't be D-I in all other sports while football stays in D-III. That's the whole reason I-AAA was created with schools like Davidson that needed to upgrade their football to D-I but didn't want to offer scholarships.

Anyway, throwing our lot in with VMI, Howard, Citadel, W&L, and Hopkins? LOL.

 

[mojo-spider]

Similar to Magnolia League in concept we discussed years ago. But this is mid and smaller schools.

Ha! I thought about that also...was surprised they didn't include Furman in their proposed League

Go Spiders!

 

[Gallipoli]

Gallipoli: You've done a good job over the years of keeping an eye on the Indians...you know anything about this?

Go Spiders!

I only troll the Indians for fun and laughs.

 

[Gallipoli]

Change doesn't happen overnight. William and Harry is taking their time about the House settlement. There is no rush. Why change?

William & Mary is taking a cautious, wait-and-see approach to one of the most significant changes in college sports history. But is caution the right move?

Will William & Mary Pay Its Athletes — or Take a Different Path? New Answers Released Today

A seismic shift is coming to college athletics. The House v. NCAA settlement, if finalized, will fundamentally change the financial landscape of college sports by allowing direct compensation to st…

wmsportsblog.com

 

[Gallipoli]

recently when searching the internet to see if the Patriot League allowed NIL money for its football athletes I stumbled across this interesting and thought provoking idea from a group that calls itself the William and Mary Sports Blog...

the story lays out a proposed Scholars League of like minded academic universities and colleges that would prefer to keep the academic oriented athletics model versus the revenue chasing, free agent, and commercial professional model that the Power Four is evolving into...

the Scholars League would model itself on the Ivy league and Patriot League approach...both Leagues "opted out" of the House settlement...

there has been quite a bit of speculation as to what W&M will do with football and athletics, particularly since they did not "opt in" to the Hose settlement...

I'm sure this group does not speak for the W&M AD, but it could reflect some of their thinking...thus their delay in making a decision?

the proposed Scholars League would be 10 like minded teams...their proposal includes UR as one of the ten for football and all sports...

Here's the link: https://wmsportsblog.com/2025/02/03/the-scholars-league-a-new-model-for-true-student-athletes/

we "opted in" saying we want to play men's and women's basketball at the highest level possible...right now that is the A-10...the Scholars League for those two sports would clearly be a step down from our stated goal...

Gallipoli: You've done a good job over the years of keeping an eye on the Indians...you know anything about this?

Go Spiders!

You may want to change the title of this thread to "Choir Boys League". That's where tough guys like Wilma & Mary are headed.

 

[mojo-spider]

You may want to change the title of this thread to "Choir Boys League". That's where tough guys like Wilma & Mary are headed.

Ha! The authors of this story said the name Scholars is still under review.

Go Spiders!

 

[Gallipoli]

Ha! The authors of this story said the name Scholars is still under review.

Go Spiders!

I am always happy to troll the Tribettes.

 

[spider fan]

Consistency in logic leaves this part of the Indians "thinking" in limbo. In other words they plan to opt in unless they decide not to........................which to most English speakers would mean the decision has not yet been made.

https://wmsportsblog.com/2025/02/28...-a-different-path-new-answers-released-today/

• Will W&M opt in by 2026?
Our plan is to opt in under the proposed terms of the settlement by 2026. Once the terms of the settlement are finalized and we have assessed their impact on our entire athletic program we will make a decision.

 

[Gallipoli]

Mojo:
Isn't the Patriot League already like a "Scholar's League"?

 

[Wood Hall]

Mojo:
Isn't the Patriot League already like a "Scholar's League"?

The Patriot League actually exists and isn't a figment of someone's imagination.

 

[mojo-spider]

Mojo:
Isn't the Patriot League already like a "Scholar's League"?

All I know is what I read in the story...it seems to be an idea something called the W&M Sports blog came up with...its very idealistic trying to preserve the traditional amateur college athletics model...

yes, the Patriot League is very similar in some respects...as usual the Spiders were ahead of the Indians on the change curve...the Scholar's League proposal includes Richmond in their proposed league despite our already opting for the Patriot for football only...

please keep an eye on this, if you have time...many Richmond football fans disgruntled by the decision to make the Patriot move have said it would make the Patriot league much more palatable if the Indians moved too!

recently I spoke to a Villanova grad from the early 80s during the years that the Wildcats had no football program. I was told that when they reformed the program initially they were a member of the Patriot League. He had no idea what their football plans are at this time.

Go Spiders!

 

[Gallipoli]

The alternative is to play in the non-scholars league, like the CAA.

 

[Ferrum Spider]

Thankfully that will never materialize. I just want a regional conference where I can talk sports around the water cooler at work with colleagues that went to some of the schools we compete against. I don't get why we have to play conference games in St. Louis (Especially anything besides basketball) when they're 14 other D1 schools in the state. TV contracts, never ending conference cannibalism and the transfer portal have made the sport very difficult to care at the same level. I anticipate college sports will eventually suffer the same fate NASCAR did in the post 90s once they got all the cash. Don't be shocked when P5 schools are dropping every non revenue sport so they can pay the 6th string QB 500k. That will kill the US competitively in olympic sports also.

 

[Gallipoli]

There is more consternation in W-Burg. Apparently our Indian friends have mismanaged their Athletic Department Finances. They are desperately seeking funds.... the article ignores that, but I digress.

They are talking about joining the A-10 for everything, except football, where it joins the Patriot.
Staying in the CAA
Fully joining the Patriot.

But they are still hesitant to change.

Conference Realignment Talk: A10 or Patriot?

For decades, William & Mary has been a proud member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) — a conference that has provided stability, strong competition in football, and a solid regional f…

wmsportsblog.com

 

[spiderstudent17]

What makes William and Mary think the A10 is remotely even considering adding them to the conference lol

 

[Anachnid]

For starters, their men’s bb program is better than Richmond’s.

 

[Gallipoli]

For starters, their men’s bb program is better than Richmond’s.

Their basketball team beat ours this year 93-87. Nice.

 

[AnnapSpider]

We had a horrible bb year, but the A-10 isn’t likely to add them. Do they still have a lacrosse program?
Baseball doesn’t seem very good,. In women’s sports they aren’t in A10 level.
Granted, they could catch up, but not any time soon.

 

[Gallipoli]

We had a horrible bb year, but the A-10 isn’t likely to add them. Do they still have a lacrosse program?
Baseball doesn’t seem very good,. In women’s sports they aren’t in A10 level.
Granted, they could catch up, but not any time soon.

Would you trade W&M for Fordham?

 

[AnnapSpider]

Would you trade W&M for Fordham?

I don’t think so.