(03-20-2023 02:16 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 10:58 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 09:49 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 09:11 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  When can we expect the ASUN to announce their teams to be added in expansion?

The ASUN currently has 14 full members. With JSU and Liberty both leaving next season, most ASUN sports will remain at a even number of members. So the ASUN doesn't really need to expand until the following season, when KSU departs.

Yes, but they are down to four football schools, which is the driving force for expansion. They want to expand so that they can operate their football conference independently from the WAC. They don't want to be in a partnership with the WAC forever.

Football may have been the driving force for expansion the past couple years, but I don't know how much it is now. Especially since the ASUN and WAC have both committed to sharing a FB conference now.

That's what I'm getting out of this whole thing, what's left of both conferences as far as football is concerned is committed to making the ASUN/WAC football conference work.

Every AD that has been interviewed has said the exact same thing.

Has even said that if they have to take the Liberty route, whatever that means? They would do it and treat it as a scheduling partnership among the schools. But until that happens, they are committed to an FCS conference as of now.

I know on UNAs side, and from what I understand on UCA and EKU, everyone is extremely happy with the ASUN in all other sports and its very beneficial in those sports.

Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

(03-21-2023 08:15 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

(03-21-2023 08:21 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:15 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

But the Big South/OVC partnership will only last until Lindenwood is a D1 member in 2026. What's the Big South's plan for expansion in the meantime?

(03-21-2023 08:34 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:21 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:15 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

But the Big South/OVC partnership will only last until Lindenwood is a D1 member in 2026. What's the Big South's plan for expansion in the meantime?

Hope for the MEAC to fall apart, I suppose. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with continuing to have their FB programs remain OVC affiliates.

(03-21-2023 08:37 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:34 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:21 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:15 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

But the Big South/OVC partnership will only last until Lindenwood is a D1 member in 2026. What's the Big South's plan for expansion in the meantime?

Hope for the MEAC to fall apart, I suppose. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with continuing to have their FB programs remain OVC affiliates.

What about the Conference Carolinas in D2? UNC-Pembroke's name gets thrown around a lot, and they seem like a no-brainer add. As for the affiliates, Bryant will eventually leave because taking trips to Illinois and Missouri will become too expensive.

(03-21-2023 08:58 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:37 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:34 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:21 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:15 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  Unpopular opinion, but what if the ASUN and the Big South had merged instead of the OVC and the Big South merging? It would have made more since due to the ASUN and Big South's relationship in football in the past, where the Big South would allow the ASUN schools to play as an affiliate member in football. It would be bad for the OVC because they're below the required number of schools to be an AQ conference in the FCS playoffs, but they could have gotten a waiver to allow them to be an AQ conference while Lindenwood transitioned from D2.

There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

But the Big South/OVC partnership will only last until Lindenwood is a D1 member in 2026. What's the Big South's plan for expansion in the meantime?

Hope for the MEAC to fall apart, I suppose. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with continuing to have their FB programs remain OVC affiliates.

What about the Conference Carolinas in D2? UNC-Pembroke's name gets thrown around a lot, and they seem like a no-brainer add. As for the affiliates, Bryant will eventually leave because taking trips to Illinois and Missouri will become too expensive.

UNC Pembroke is being thrown around by an extremely unreliable source (DavidSt). The Big South, despite being fairly low in the D1 conference pecking order, has avoided promoting schools directly from D2. Since there's no existential need to sponsor FB, I don't see partnering with the OVC as problematic. As for Bryant, I can't imagine flying to Missouri is all that more expensive than to South Carolina. They don't really have any other options for their FB program, which is why they were in the Big South in the first place.

(03-20-2023 11:45 AM)eku05 Wrote:  

Quote:how about FCS to FBS defections?

I don't know that the shift is going to be big enough for the opportunity to be there. I think C-USA's most likely addition comes from the west...meaning the WAC rather than the ASUN.

Don't get me wrong. We'd be gone if the invitation came, but right now I don't see it as likely.

UCA is mainly in the west, so that is a threat.

(03-21-2023 09:11 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:58 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:37 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:34 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-21-2023 08:21 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  There's been no reciprocation because it would go against the ASUN's delusional FBS aspirations to take on the relatively weak schools from the Big South. In any case, it works out better for the OVC to add the Big South FB programs as affiliates, since the OVC would be short otherwise, and they're the only conference among the three that actually needs football to remain compliant with NCAA regs.

But the Big South/OVC partnership will only last until Lindenwood is a D1 member in 2026. What's the Big South's plan for expansion in the meantime?

Hope for the MEAC to fall apart, I suppose. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong with continuing to have their FB programs remain OVC affiliates.

What about the Conference Carolinas in D2? UNC-Pembroke's name gets thrown around a lot, and they seem like a no-brainer add. As for the affiliates, Bryant will eventually leave because taking trips to Illinois and Missouri will become too expensive.

UNC Pembroke is being thrown around by an extremely unreliable source (DavidSt). The Big South, despite being fairly low in the D1 conference pecking order, has avoided promoting schools directly from D2. Since there's no existential need to sponsor FB, I don't see partnering with the OVC as problematic. As for Bryant, I can't imagine flying to Missouri is all that more expensive than to South Carolina. They don't really have any other options for their FB program, which is why they were in the Big South in the first place.

Anymore defection in the Big South, and they may have to look at D2 just like OVC did. Never say never on that idea, and UNC-Pembroke is smack dab in the conference footprint.

(03-20-2023 02:44 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 02:16 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 10:58 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 09:49 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(03-20-2023 09:11 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  When can we expect the ASUN to announce their teams to be added in expansion?

The ASUN currently has 14 full members. With JSU and Liberty both leaving next season, most ASUN sports will remain at a even number of members. So the ASUN doesn't really need to expand until the following season, when KSU departs.

Yes, but they are down to four football schools, which is the driving force for expansion. They want to expand so that they can operate their football conference independently from the WAC. They don't want to be in a partnership with the WAC forever.

Football may have been the driving force for expansion the past couple years, but I don't know how much it is now. Especially since the ASUN and WAC have both committed to sharing a FB conference now.

That's what I'm getting out of this whole thing, what's left of both conferences as far as football is concerned is committed to making the ASUN/WAC football conference work.

Every AD that has been interviewed has said the exact same thing.

Has even said that if they have to take the Liberty route, whatever that means? They would do it and treat it as a scheduling partnership among the schools. But until that happens, they are committed to an FCS conference as of now.

I know on UNAs side, and from what I understand on UCA and EKU, everyone is extremely happy with the ASUN in all other sports and its very beneficial in those sports.

Liberty route was moving up football as an independent. Not saying how plausible, just what I've heard before.