Specifically on the A10 it's purpose has been to absorb overflow from the Big East, ACC and Big Ten.

If you go back to 1990, this is how many programs those conferences had.

Big Ten (10)
ACC (8)
Big East (9)
Total (27)

Today how many members do those conferences have? You can add the AAC to that list.

Big Ten (14)
ACC (15)
Big East (10)
AAC (11)
Total (50)

Almost double. The A10 probably can't hold up long term against all these higher resource programs. In another 5 years it will be rated right around the MVC instead of comparable to AAC.

For 2020 and the next bowl cycle UMass should look at putting a conference together with disaffected CUSA East schools.