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Another possible round of conference changes

Da Coach

Da Coach

Moderator
Staff member
Numerous schools changed conferences in the past couple years, mostly for reasons of greater monetary reward for their athletic departments.
Here are all the updated conference members for 2014-1015-
http://www.bloggingthebracket.com/2013/6/4/4396452/conference-changes-2014-15-college-basketball

It seemed things finally were stabilizing. But now there are several reports of other schools looking into changing conferences. With the recent new powers and increased revenues that are destined for the top 5 "Power Conferences" (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and Notre Dame), and the enormous money that would come from a college football playoff system, which seems inevitable, other schools are looking for a way to get into those conferences or looking for a way to get a share of the bigger money. Watch for more conference realignment coming.

The Big 12 is one of the "Top 5" rumored to be looking at adding members, since they have lost several members, and added West Virginia, and now stand at only 10 members. There are rumors that schools with strong football programs like Cincinnati, Central Florida may be candidates (although BYU's refusal to play games on Sundays could be a problem).

The American Athletic Conference (the remnant of the Big East) is not among the Top 5 Power Conferences, but they are among the next tier of FBS football-playing schools (AAC, CUSA, MAC, MWC, & Sun Belt) who want to keep a share of the pie. They added several schools this year and will add a 12th member next year (Navy), but is still reportedly looking into expansion, and BYU has been mentioned with them as well.
http://www.heraldextra.com/sports/c...cle_d2a6dd43-48c9-5ca2-96a2-dda9fddfc5e1.html

On a smaller scale, Florida A&M, a member of the MEAC, is looking to move to a poorer conference, but for a better geographical situation.-
http://www.midmajormadness.com/2014/9/16/6210891/florida-a-m-to-move-to-the-swac

Interestingly, the MEAC has been a fairly stable conference since it was founded in 1970. They have added several new members over the past 44 years, but have never lost a member to another D1 conference.
 
UAB just dropped football - thus CUSA (Conference USA) will likely look to replace them as a conference member shortly...

here's a list of schools CUSA is looking at to add to their conference
http://collegead.org/7-cusa-members/


Hawaii is about to drop football also - but they have bigger problems - the NCAA is about to drop the hammer and cite gobs of major violations in their basketball & other programs.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo.../ad-deficit-may-cause-hawaii-to-drop-football
http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=283674301&id=283674301
 
For every football scholarship, you usually need one woman athletic scholarship. So the cost is twice. Most football programs lose a lot of money for all the support staff needed.
 
I keep hearing that eventually ISU, Ind. St., SIU, MO St., NIU will leave the Valley to join an expanded MAC and Sun Belt, in an effort to upgrade their football. South Alabama, Western Kentucky and Marshall are just a few of the schools that have done the same thing and have done quite well. There is too much revenue in football to pass up, in particular with all of the bowl games. ISU has just dumped a ton of upgrades into their football stadium and SIU has just built a brand new one. Each of those schools could compete in either conference immediately. If that were to happen, I would look for Bradley, Drake, Loyola and Evansville to either join the Horizon or form a new conference with remaining teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference & Horizon. Look for Wichita to join the Mountain West.
 
tornado said:
UAB just dropped football - thus CUSA (Conference USA) will likely look to replace them as a conference member shortly......
Click to expand...

SIU's Barry Hinson - stumps powerfully and loudly for Saint Louis and UAB to be in the MVC..
"PERFECT - Makes the greatest sense - needs to happen today!!!"
Barry Hinson - son of a Baptist minister says he'd be willing to convert to Catholic right now if we could add Saint Louis TODAY!!! (typically Barry language!!)

https://twitter.com/_robanderson/status/542912575672176640

click and scroll ahead to 22:22
 
I just don't see St.Louis dropping down to the Valley. It would have been a good move a couple of years ago. I don't think there is a of lot of stability in the Valley, with the possibility of some state schools leaving for football in the future. Rick Majearus lobbied very hard to have St.Louis back in the Valley. That didn't work out so well either. They have too big of an ego to drop down to the Valley now.
 
Vent said:
I just don't see St.Louis dropping down to the Valley.....
Click to expand...

well - apparently there has been discussion...that if they don't get in the Big East, they'd be open to talking to the Valley
When SIU played at Saint Louis in November, the attendance was 10,005...a sellout...
their next two home games drew 6620 and 4507...
there are natural rivalries
 
St.Louis would be a nice addition to the Valley. I remember watching them play in the Valley in the 60's and early 70's, before they bolted for the then Metro Conference. One of their major reasons for leaving was the lack of decent media markets in the Valley. You're right, St.Louis does not have any natural rivals in their current conference and their transportation costs have to be brutal. However, St.Louis has always been a fickle basketball town. They support a winner but not a .500 team or below. That's why the Hawks moved to Atlanta several years ago. The discussion of returning to the Valley has been taking place, on and off, just about ever since they left the Valley. If you ask the people in the athletic department, they want to return to the Valley. If you ask the big time financial donors, they would have a hard time returning to the Valley, as they would look at it as a step down. I would also be afraid that when the Big East decides to expand into a Super conference, they would go to divisions and draw St.Louis right back out of the Valley. Putting them in a West Division of the Big East, would cut travel expenses and allow them play, Creighton, DePaul, Marquette, Butler and whoever else they may add.
 
Here's a column on the SLU fan site saying they talked with their fans and took a poll...http://www.sluhoops.com/2014/11/22/slu-a10-perfect-conference-billikens-now/
(most want to stay in A10)
These guys from Saint Louis say "SLU fans still feel a strong allegiance to the Missouri Valley conference" - http://www.ksdk.com/story/sports/co...n-billikens-non-conference-schedule/18765207/
Here's a whole thread on another SLU message board - http://urbanstl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=10160#p223678

but there some other threads here where it's mentioned, and some on the SLU board - SLU board - and it goes back to here in 2008, and further ...
 
But no discussion from anyone in SLU's administration?

ISU fans discuss moving up to FBS in football all the time. Until the administration starts talking about it, never gonna happen.

Same thing with SLU and the MVC.
 
The St. Louis Post Dispatch wrote much about this issue a few years ago, a couple years after Rick Majerus became the SLU coach. I think the long road trips and the struggles he had winning in the Atlantic 10 prior to 2011-2012 lead him to call on the then-president Rev. Lawrence Biondi to get St. Louis back into the MVC. Biondi was strongly opposed, and it was one of the things that drove a large wedge between Majerus and Biondi.
Biondi retired at the end of 2013, and SLU now has a new president, Dr. Fred Pestello. He just took over recently, and as far as I know, he has not addressed this issue.
 
tornado said:
Hawaii is about to drop football also - but they have bigger problems - the NCAA is about to drop the hammer and cite gobs of major violations in their basketball & other programs.
Click to expand...


NCAA says Hawaii head basketball coach lied and tried to cover up violations such as paying players and illegal contact trying to get them to transfer to Hawaii - he also orchestrated his staff and players to lie to NCAA investigators as well, plus other impermissible benefits.
http://www.kitv.com/news/ncaa-report-alleges-violation-coverup-by-gib-arnold/31033872
 
I remember Bradley-St. Louis games used to big rivalry games. Saw many games down at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. The Bradley-ISU rivalry doesn't come close to those games. Would be great to have them back in the MVC.
 
Bradley-Louisville
Bradley-Tulsa
Bradley-Cincy
even Bradley-ISU - mostly all just distant memories...
 
tornado said:
UAB just dropped football - thus CUSA (Conference USA) will likely look to replace them as a conference member shortly.....
Click to expand...

UAB's Board of Trustees is meeting presently and their fans are furious about their decisions and dropping football...
as well as the loss of a lot of revenue in Athletics that is hurting their academics...
and they are protesting in large numbers at the Board meeting - they have very passionate fans
http://m.myfoxal.com/myfoxal/db_330638/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=CpIBv4wg
http://www.abc3340.com/story/280446...-trusee-joe-espy-says-hes-heard-the-community
 
Chico said:
I remember Bradley-St. Louis games used to big rivalry games. Saw many games down at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. The Bradley-ISU rivalry doesn't come close to those games. Would be great to have them back in the MVC.
Click to expand...

I also remember watching the BU / St. Louis games. We would get there early and watch the BU Papooses (freshmen) play the St. Louis Baby Billikins (freshmen). There always seemed to be good crowds for these freshmen games.
 
tornado said:
UAB's Board of Trustees is meeting presently and their fans are furious about their decisions and dropping football...
as well as the loss of a lot of revenue in Athletics that is hurting their academics...
and they are protesting in large numbers at the Board meeting - they have very passionate fans
http://m.myfoxal.com/myfoxal/db_330638/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=CpIBv4wg
http://www.abc3340.com/story/280446...-trusee-joe-espy-says-hes-heard-the-community
Click to expand...

Football is king in Alabama. I would not be surprised if it is reinstated at UAB in the future.
 
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