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Conference realignment

Most likely at some point football (and possibly basketball) will end up doing their own thing with all non-revenue sports returning to traditional regional conferences.
 
I can’t imagine how much the travel expenses and extra time will be needed for all of these teams. And because of extending the football schedule, why bother having these athletes attend any classes with students. I’m not sure how this will affect non revenue sports in travel.
 
molar50 said:
I can’t imagine how much the travel expenses and extra time will be needed for all of these teams. And because of extending the football schedule, why bother having these athletes attend any classes with students. I’m not sure how this will affect non revenue sports in travel.
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My guess is the additional TV revenue and a more than likely increase in conference members that participate in post season football bowl games and the NCAA basketball tournament, will go a long way in off setting new travel expenses. I would think the conference schools effected by this looked at the numbers before voting for expansion. As for academics, these schools all have multiple tutors that assist the athletes with academic needs. With the development of remote learning during Covid, classroom attendance isn't as critical as it once was. However, classroom attendance is a significant part of the college experience. In reality, I wonder how many of the athletes in major revenue sports would be going to college if not for those sports.
 
The Atlantic Coast Conference Welcomes the University of California, Berkeley, Southern Methodist University and Stanford University as New Members

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The ACC Board of Directors voted today to formally admit the University of California, Berkeley (Cal), Southern Methodist University (SMU) and Stanford University to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal, SMU and Stanford will join the ACC as full members with full voting participation effective July 1, 2024 (SMU) and August 2, 2024 (Stanford and Cal). The decision followed the submission of letters of application from all three institutions.​
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Link to full article:
​https://theacc.com/news/2023/9/1/ge...y-and-stanford-university-as-new-members.aspx

These conference realignments are getting out of hand (but this is just me).
 
64NIT said:
The Atlantic Coast Conference Welcomes the University of California, Berkeley, Southern Methodist University and Stanford University as New Members


Link to full article:
​https://theacc.com/news/2023/9/1/ge...y-and-stanford-university-as-new-members.aspx

These conference realignments are getting out of hand (but this is just me).
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This is still not a guarantee that FSU or Clemson won't choose to leave in a year or two. FSU has made it clear that they are still not happy with the status quo of the ACC.
 
Now rumors that the Mountain West may be trying to get the final 2 members of the Pac-12, Washington State and Oregon State to join.
 
New conference changes coming- https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1716430095122891207

"Merrimack and Sacred Heart are leaving the NEC (Northeast Conference) and will join the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)"

Merrimack won the NEC last year- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings/_/group/19

Bradley played Merrimack last year and annihilated​ them 83-41- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23/merrimack/boxscore/21483

BU also beat the NEC 2nd place team Stonehill 79-50- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23/stonehill/boxscore/21486
 
C-USA getting desperate cuz everyone they ask to join has been turning them down....

finally they found a taker... will be adding Delaware in 2025, Kennesaw State next year
(that'll get them back up to 11 members)
https://theathletic.com/5088995/2023/11/27/delaware-conference-usa-fcs-realignment/

Kennesaw State has had a losing FB record the last couple years and despite a good basketball record last year, they are a perennial 300-350 NET team
Delaware FB is somewhat better but their basketball has never won a post season game
 
Chicago State, the only independent Division I program with no conference affiliation, is reportedly joining the Northeast Conference next year.- https://twitter.com/ChiStateCougars/status/1732075650176168008
Chicago State has been independent the last 2 seasons, after being a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) for 13 seasons (2013-22). While in the WAC, they were 1000-2000 miles away from virtually every other member. They left the WAC in 2022 to look for another conference that did not involve so much distant travel and cost.
The NEC has undergone a lot of changes in the last few years, and now consists of 9 members, made up entirely of schools in east coast states.
So their travel and costs will only be slightly better, and they still have no natural rivalries- https://twitter.com/HD_DirtKing/status/1732069407143178656
Apparently, the Horizon and Summit League didn't want them.
NEC- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings/_/group/19

Map of current and recent members-

NEC.png


Bradley played a couple NEC schools last season- Stonehill and Merrimack.
 
I've maintained for a while that in the next 2-5 years the B10 & SEC will each be 20 team leagues and control the NCAA or start their own guidelines. The B12 might be able to stay with those 2 conferences but unlikely as they probably won't bring in the money like those 2 do. FSU will join on of those conferences and look for schools like ND, Duke, Syracuse and NC to jump also.
As has been stated it is all about the money and those 2 conferences are each double to triple payout compared to any of the other conferences. I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them become independent of both ESPN and Fox Sports and possibly combine to run their own TV network with several million followers will dish out about $10 a month to watch those games.
And the rich get richer and the little guy goes away.
 
basketball nut said:
I've maintained for a while that in the next 2-5 years the B10 & SEC will each be 20 team leagues and control the NCAA or start their own guidelines. The B12 might be able to stay with those 2 conferences but unlikely as they probably won't bring in the money like those 2 do. FSU will join on of those conferences and look for schools like ND, Duke, Syracuse and NC to jump also.
As has been stated it is all about the money and those 2 conferences are each double to triple payout compared to any of the other conferences. I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them become independent of both ESPN and Fox Sports and possibly combine to run their own TV network with several million followers will dish out about $10 a month to watch those games.
And the rich get richer and the little guy goes away.
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I wouldn't be surprised to see the ACC reorganize with the Big East and others, and the Big12 and Mountain West merge or something. Basically end up with 4 super conferences that go independent of the NCAA and everything changes.
 
Stryker said:
I wouldn't be surprised to see the ACC reorganize with the Big East and others, and the Big12 and Mountain West merge or something. Basically end up with 4 super conferences that go independent of the NCAA and everything changes.
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I think you're close, but they won't separate. A more likely scenario would be the creation of a I-AA tier for men's basketball, similar to the FCS football.
 
Kelly is advocating for what the big football schools have wanted all along, to separate football entirely from the rest of the NCAA sports. That would further enrich the Power 5 football schools, and squeeze the colleges that are not in Power 5 conferences even more, especially the non-football schools like Bradley.
It would lead to many non-revenue sports disappearing, since football money is what keeps most of those afloat. And ultimately entire athletic departments could cease to exist.
It has already happened at one D1 school. St. Francis College in Brooklyn (formerly of the Northeast Conference) eliminated their entire D1 Athletics program this past spring, and other smaller schools are considering similar cost-cutting- https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.c...es/st-francis-ny-eliminates-di-athletics.aspx
 
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