Does everyone think that the ASUN will replace G Webb when they leave? Or did we go to a 12 team league for the moment in preparation for their departure. I kinda like the idea of remaining a 12 team league as long as possible -- get more OOC games.
Also, does anyone really believe that any other teams might jump ship to a new conference? If so, which conference and which teams? It's hard for me to imagine this happening. KSU & UNF are locked in for what I would guess is at least 7 more years. The other new schools coming in have at least 8-9 years. Belmont & Lipscomb could move somewhere, but outside of basketball they have a lot of work to do (see baseball).
There also has to be a point where we reach a glass ceiling in D1. Every team can't just keep moving up, it's gonna get "FULL" at some point where you can only make lateral moves. The major conferences already seem to be at this point. Teams do of course move down sometimes, I know this -- but outside of the recent C-USA to Big East movement, there isn't much more room for new majors to appear.
Football is all but a done deal for ETSU, I would expect that our bags are being packed right now to move out as well in the near future.
As for the A-Sun I think bringing in Longwood wouldn't hurt you guys, and in time I think you'll see d1 get full as you say, but there's still some schools out there that want to move up. The ol' Commish needs to focus on getting regional replacements for Gardner-Webb, and more than likely ETSU. Once we kickoff, and G-Webb is out that puts essentially all of your schools in Georgia/Florida, I think Campbell is on the island alone, so focus on getting those schools in the league, and you'll have a nice conference with short travel and good border rivalries.
Campbell might be a possibility down the road if football takes off and looks to go scholly. I think then going back to the Big South makes sence.
Glad to hear you think you will join the party in the Big South. It's the place to be. Makes sense for ETSU to join the conference.
I agree that it would be to the ASUN's advantage to stay with the 12 school conference in order to play a larger OOC scedule.
Time to emulate what the MVC has done. Go out and schedule lots of difficult games to improve conference RPI. Do not play any duds OOC like Savannah State that will kill the SOS and build up the league's exposure and subsequently, the league's recruiting. Spring a few upsets in the tournament, and slowly but surely the conference becomes legit nationally.
After this week with UNC-A and Radford, and given the ETSU/G-Webb games last year, I think new rivalries could easily be born, though I would like to see the BSC go to a 12 team bball league. Lots of geographical built in rivalries there.
And yea I think we'll be there in a couple of years, the Socon is a great idea on paper, but we can't build there.
So if ETSU gets football again, do Buc fans think they'll most likely go to the Big South? (instead of the SoCon or OVC?)
Wonder how having a new commish in a few days will effect this whole issue of adding/losing members?
It would be cool if a few more of our schools would add non-scholly football and the A-Sun could sponsor that sport. (Does Gumbart like football?!!)
Well hopefully Campbell will jump on the scholarship football idea after about three years of non-scholly ball. Our president announced it today, complete with a picture of our embattled A.D. smiling with a football helmet in hand.
I say the A-Sun should let Campbell go (if they get football), along with ETSU and GW, and then add a school or two in either Ga. of Fl. and just make the league based out of three states.
I think that'll do good for travel partners and travel expenses, while giving the Sun a compact regional feel.
But that's just me.
OrangeCamel Wrote:So if ETSU gets football again, do Buc fans think they'll most likely go to the Big South? (instead of the SoCon or OVC?)
Wonder how having a new commish in a few days will effect this whole issue of adding/losing members?
It would be cool if a few more of our schools would add non-scholly football and the A-Sun could sponsor that sport. (Does Gumbart like football?!!)
A couple of years back on the old UCF board I brought up the question as to why the A-Sun never tried to form a D-1AA football league. Most fans said (mostly UCF fans) that doing so would cause more instability because many of the D1-AA schools in the league at the time were looking to moving up to D1-A anyway.
Could there be a similar scenario in adding a non-scholly football league?