Cross country travel advantages/disadvantages

[Shootinducks]

Apparently it exists in the NFL and is significant. https://www.sportsinsights.com/blog/nfl ... st%20Coast.

And east coast teams going west have the same issue. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/06/ ... eams-suck/

I have no data to support that it occurs in women’s lacrosse but I think it’s reasonable to assume it exists. If so, a profound disadvantage for members of the national super conferences. Premier west coast teams also have far fewer opportunities to play top tier programs unless they travel east or convince a few to come west and those that come west aren’t likely to deliver their peak performance. Those west coast teams wishing to increase their likelihood of an NCAA at large tournament bid if they don’t win their conference have a serious issue creating a superior strength of schedule argument for a bid because they have to travel and playing at peak performance on the East coast is very difficult. Any teams the NCAA selection committee sends cross country is probably down several goals before the 1st draw. If they are statistically matched teams then the traveling team is likely going to loose.

Just food for thought…..

[laxfan9999]

Except next year they are all in better leagues and will have opportunities to play better teams.

[LaxDadMax]

Fair points, but it also gives these West Coast team a bigger recruiting advantage since East Coast kids can play many more games close to home. Believe me, Oregon, ASU, SD State and Berkley were all calling this out during last recruiting cycle.

[lacrossemwj]

Fair points, but it also gives these West Coast team a bigger recruiting advantage since East Coast kids can play many more games close to home. Believe me, Oregon, ASU, SD State and Berkley were all calling this out during last recruiting cycle.

The recruiting advantage that the West Coast team coaches were calling out is what exactly?

[LaxDadMax]

Fair points, but it also gives these West Coast team a bigger recruiting advantage since East Coast kids can play many more games close to home. Believe me, Oregon, ASU, SD State and Berkley were all calling this out during last recruiting cycle.

The recruiting advantage that the West Coast team coaches were calling out is what exactly?

East coast players will have more games closer to home than before.

[WLaxdad]

I don't understand why schools will have such high travel budgets for non-revenue sports. Can't they just form/join a different conference then the football/basketball that they're in for the other sports? Keep them closer to home so they spend less?

Of course it's not in the fans interest but seems like it's in the schools interest.

[Kleizaster]

I don't understand why schools will have such high travel budgets for non-revenue sports. Can't they just form/join a different conference then the football/basketball that they're in for the other sports? Keep them closer to home so they spend less?

Of course it's not in the fans interest but seems like it's in the schools interest.

They'll have to by default. Non-Revenue sports aren't going anywhere. I know there was some initial prevailing thoughts that the conference hopping in college football would just eat up all the other sports. That won't happen. The increase in revenue for football will eventually bleed over to other sports out of necessity because there's no other way around it.

or else there's going to be alot of lawsuits from student athletes and bad press that i'm sure these schools want to avoid at all cost.