OT: Conference Realignment

[GMUgemini]

And Memphis will answer any phone call that comes their way to get out; they've been trying for years to get into the Big XII.

If you’re a non-football school joining a football conference is just self-inflicted amputation that isn’t the SEC or B1G as an affiliate member.

 

[KAOriginal]

vcu wants to be in the Big East so bad they have this special chapel that has a BE Conference logo on an altar at the front that they can go and sit to reflect on the "someday moment."

 

[GMUgemini]

I don’t blame them. If I thought Mason had an outside shot at getting into the BE, I’d be all for it, especially if I knew the admin had a real commitment to try to compete.

 

[Patriot8]

And Memphis will answer any phone call that comes their way to get out; they've been trying for years to get into the Big XII.

Somewhat to this point, I think the Big East is sitting back and waiting to see what happens with the ACC. Like if UNC, Clemson, Florida State, and Miami get out, I have to imagine the Big East would add Duke as a basketball member in a heartbeat, along with adding back Syracuse and Louisville too (if Louisville can figure their sh*t out.)

If the ACC can keep Duke and their other members intact, I bet Memphis would be attractive to the ACC because of Basketball, especially with their western expansion. I'd bet Tulane would be a target for a "new" ACC as well.

All that to say, the Big East might have much bigger options to consider depending on how the ACC shakes out.

 

[mkaufman1]

Somewhat to this point, I think the Big East is sitting back and waiting to see what happens with the ACC. Like if UNC, Clemson, Florida State, and Miami get out, I have to imagine the Big East would add Duke as a basketball member in a heartbeat, along with adding back Syracuse and Louisville too (if Louisville can figure their sh*t out.)

If the ACC can keep Duke and their other members intact, I bet Memphis would be attractive to the ACC because of Basketball, especially with their western expansion. I'd bet Tulane would be a target for a "new" ACC as well.

All that to say, the Big East might have much bigger options to consider depending on how the ACC shakes out.

Yeah I agree- I think the ACC will sorta dictate what happens with the Big East. But if some of those schools go to the Big East, then maybe the ACC looks to a vcu? We'll see. Theres definitely going to be some movement and trickle down effect to the A10 at some point.

 

[KAOriginal]

I would assume if the ACC loses those 4..then they will look to continue to taget the AAC for football schools....prior to a vcu. I don't care what anyone says....power conference football is the driver to get BIG TV/media deals.

Already have SMU from them, now go after a Memphis, Temple, Tulsa, USF, heck even ECU to get football committed schools. Plus any other western school that helps Cal and Stanford in geography.

The Big East may be the premiere hoops league.....but it would be hard imo for a Syracuse or Louisville to go back to a hoops oriented conference after tasting the money and prestige of being in a power 5 football conference.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Yeah I agree- I think the ACC will sorta dictate what happens with the Big East. But if some of those schools go to the Big East, then maybe the ACC looks to a vcu? We'll see. Theres definitely going to be some movement and trickle down effect to the A10 at some point.

I cannot see ACC going for vcu - a basketball only school with "interesting" academic standing. Duke, UNC, UVA, and vcu?

 

[Walter]

As Frank the Tank advises, think like a college president. Stanford and the other highly ranked academic schools want nothing to do with Memphis, ECU, and WVU. If they had a do over, Louisville wouldn’t get invited.

Some conferences - SEC & Big 12 - only care about the product on the field and their fan base. Other conferences - Big 10 & ACC - also require a school to be good academically.

 

[Patriot8]

I would assume if the ACC loses those 4..then they will look to continue to taget the AAC for football schools....prior to a vcu. I don't care what anyone says....power conference football is the driver to get BIG TV/media deals.

Already have SMU from them, now go after a Memphis, Temple, Tulsa, USF, heck even ECU to get football committed schools. Plus any other western school that helps Cal and Stanford in geography.

The Big East may be the premiere hoops league.....but it would be hard imo for a Syracuse or Louisville to go back to a hoops oriented hoops conference after tasting the money and prestige of being in a power 5 football conference.

You know who has a better football program than Temple, Tulsa, USF, and ECU, along with pretty good academic rankings?

The James Madison Dukes.

 

[GMUgemini]

You know who has a better football program than Temple, Tulsa, USF, and ECU, along with pretty good academic rankings?

The James Madison Dukes.

But they’re in the middle of nowhere and their academic ranking would be the worst in the ACC.

Temple actually makes some sense if they could get their act together. They fit the academic profile, are in a huge media market, and have some history in basketball.

 

[Patriot8]

But they’re in the middle of nowhere and their academic ranking would be the worst in the ACC.

Temple actually makes some sense if they could get their act together. They fit the academic profile, are in a huge media market, and have some history in basketball.

They don’t have any money.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

They don’t have any money.

JMU is run on a bit of a shoe string as well.

 

[Pablo]

Sacred Heart University Joining the MAAC - Sacred Heart University

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Sacred Heart University Athletics is joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) next year, and most of the Pioneer teams will begin

sacredheartpioneers.com

"FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Sacred Heart University Athletics is joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) next year, and most of the Pioneer teams will begin competition as new members during the 2024-25 academic year.

Sacred Heart and Merrimack College, also moving over from the Northeast Conference, will make the MAAC full-time membership 13 schools."

 

[Pablo]

Judge's ruling grants WSU, OSU control of Pac-12

A state judge in Washington granted Oregon State and Washington State sole control of the Pac-12 board of directors Tuesday, issuing the ruling at a preliminary injunction hearing in Whitman County Court.

www.espn.com

"A state judge in Washington granted Oregon State and Washington State sole control of the Pac-12 board of directors Tuesday, issuing the ruling at a preliminary injunction hearing in Whitman County Court.

Judge Gary Libey granted a stay of the decision until Monday -- at no objection from OSU and WSU -- as the 10 schools leaving the Pac-12 following the 2023-24 school year initiate the appeals process.

The decision comes roughly two months after Libey granted a temporary restraining order at the request of OSU and WSU that prevented Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff from calling any Pac-12 board meetings."

 

[Pablo]

Oregon State, Washington State working to keep Pac-12 open, align with Mountain West, AP sources say

Oregon State and Washington State are moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for as much as two years, while also entering a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

apnews.com

"Oregon State and Washington State are moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for as long as two years while entering an agreement with the Mountain West that will allow the Pacific Northwest schools to fill out their sports schedules, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The agreement could set the stage for a long-term deal between Oregon State and Washington State and the Mountain West. What that looks like is unlikely to be determined soon, said the people, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because neither the schools nor the Mountain West were making their negotiations and internal discussions public.

In the short-term, Oregon State and Washington State would get the clarity about conference affiliation they need to give their coaches, athletes and recruits. The Mountain West would get a payout from the schools and alignment with programs that have been competitive at the Power Five level."

 

[Pikapppatri8]

Oregon State, Washington State working to keep Pac-12 open, align with Mountain West, AP sources say

Oregon State and Washington State are moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for as much as two years, while also entering a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West, according to two people with knowledge of the situation.

apnews.com

"Oregon State and Washington State are moving toward keeping the Pac-12 alive as a two-team conference for as long as two years while entering an agreement with the Mountain West that will allow the Pacific Northwest schools to fill out their sports schedules, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The agreement could set the stage for a long-term deal between Oregon State and Washington State and the Mountain West. What that looks like is unlikely to be determined soon, said the people, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because neither the schools nor the Mountain West were making their negotiations and internal discussions public.

In the short-term, Oregon State and Washington State would get the clarity about conference affiliation they need to give their coaches, athletes and recruits. The Mountain West would get a payout from the schools and alignment with programs that have been competitive at the Power Five level."

So the “PAC-12” consists of two teams? Why not merge into the Mountain West and be done with it?

 

[GMUgemini]

So the “PAC-12” consists of two teams? Why not merge into the Mountain West and be done with it?

$1 billion is the answer to that question. And right now WSU and OSU control all of it.

 

[Pablo]

Delaware is joining Conference USA as a full member starting in 2025

University of Delaware is joining Conference USA as a full member starting in 2025. It's the league’s latest expansion with a school moving up from Division I college football’s second tier to the Bowl Subdivision.

apnews.com

"The Blue Hens will compete in Conference USA in baseball, men's and women's basketball, cross country, football, men's and women's golf, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, track & field, and volleyball. More information will become available in the coming months about where the other seven programs will compete in the future."

"The Blue Hens currently play in the Coastal Athletic Association. The CAA, which changed its name earlier this year from the Colonial Athletic Association, had 15 teams in football this season. The league lost James Madison after the 2021 season, and the Dukes’ transition to the FBS has gone so well they reached the AP Top 25 this year.

UMass, Old Dominion and Georgia State are a few other former CAA programs that now play in the FBS."

 

[Pablo]

Oregon State, Washington State, Mountain West agree to 6-game football scheduling arrangement in '24

Oregon State, Washington State and the Mountain West have announced a football scheduling agreement for the 2024 season.

apnews.com

"Oregon State, Washington State and the Mountain West announced a football scheduling agreement Friday for the 2024 season that gives the two remaining Pac-12 schools six opponents each and positions them to operate as a two-team conference for at least a year.

All 12 Mountain West schools will be involved and Oregon State and Washington State will each play three home games and three road games against members of a conference that includes: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Wyoming, Nevada, UNLV, San Jose State, Utah State, Fresno State and New Mexico.

Oregon State and Washington State will pay about $14 million to the Mountain West next year as part of the agreement, Washington State athletic director Pat Chun confirmed."

"There has been speculation about a combination of some kind between the two remaining schools and the Mountain West, including scheduling agreements in other sports, as the sides explore options.

Oregon State and Washington State, however, want to rebuild the Pac-12 and NCAA rules allow for a conference to be as small as two schools for a two-year period. Chun said the Cougars will continue to use the Pac-12 marks and logo on its field and uniforms next season. He also reiterated that this is only a one-year agreement with the Mountain West to provide non-conference games."

 

[Pablo]

With Delaware set to join Conference USA, UMass once again in the conference alignment discussion

Following Saturday’s 31-18 loss to Connecticut, the UMass football team’s 2023 season officially came to its conclusion. It’s a big offseason for the Minutemen, and work has begun immediately in hopes of continuing to build a program that finished 3-9...

www.gazettenet.com

"The future of the program, while largely important via work done on the field, is likely to shift this offseason at the institutional level. The dominoes of conference realignment are falling around UMass yet again, and this time, the school needs to join the fray.

Perhaps the powder keg moment happened on Monday, when multiple media outlets reported that the University of Delaware will join Conference USA in all sports beginning in 2025. The driving force in the move? Football."

"It appears as though UMass will also have to leave in order to grow. With football the driving force behind almost all conference realignment (minus the Big East), there’s almost no chance UMass will be invited to join a new conference without taking all of its sports with it, or at least the sports sponsored by said conference. Hockey would remain in Hockey East, certainly, but it would not behoove a league to invite UMass without the entire Rolodex.

The Big Ten? A pipe dream. The AAC? Probably unlikely. Which leaves the aforementioned Conference USA as the most likely landing spot. The league is now at 11 schools for football (hello, 12-team league?) — FIU, Jacksonville St., Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico St., Sam Houston St., UTEP, Western Kentucky, Kennesaw St. (future member, 2024) and Delaware (future member, 2025). Old friend the MAC could also be an option, so long as those relationships have been repaired from the first departure. Either way, a move must be coming for the long-term sustainability of the football program."