Let’s pretend for a moment that NC Central has accepted a Big South invitation and this has caused a mass exodus from the MEAC. They are down to 4 or less schools and it’s not looking optimistic that they can rebuild.

Can and do they sell their charter and NCAA credits that come with it?

What kind of price could they get for it?

Who might potentially buy it?

———

I have to wonder if a group of A-10 schools or the CAA might want a conference shell. If they sold their charter and triggered more realignment moves, it might increase the chances of the last MEAC schools left to get into another league due to the domino effect that usually follows an expansion.

Not going to happen. The rest of the MEAC are not acceptable adds anymore. There are schools in D2 that are more acceptable.

We used to answer this question with CUSA-East, but it looks like few of the larger FBS conferences have the same deadweight problem (maybe Football-first ACC??).

If they try and sell to the top halves of the CAA/A10, I think they'd try and insist on continuing as full members. That might only be an acceptable price if 2 or fewer schools remain.

While the idea has been bandied about this message board, the closest we've had to industry leaders discussing it is likely the ASUN commish.

It would take 8+ full D1 members simultaneously leaving their current conferences to take over a rebranded MEAC.

(01-26-2022 02:48 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It would take 8+ full D1 members simultaneously leaving their current conferences to take over a rebranded MEAC.

Not necessarily. I don’t think the continuity rules are written that way anymore.

Yeah, I think if you *wanted* to you could sell the charter and make it work. The only thing that matters is the continuation of the conference, not the membership.

Now, there are about a million things I think would happen before this. I see the MEAC as is staying together for at least the mid-term, and probably further.

Even if NC-Central leave, the MEAC will most likely survive. Unless the A-10 wanted to split into 2 8 team conferences or something and have a scheduling alliance.

Its a very interesting hypothetical that is unlikely but not completely out of the question

If the Big South were to take NC Central, SC State, and Norfolk State that would wreck the MEAC

At that point, you would think Howard would take up the CAA or NEC on their inquiries

That still wouldn't clear out the MEAC though

You would still need the NEC to take Delaware State and Morgan State, which is possible if the AEast or MAAC take from the NEC to hit their target membership goals

After that UMES and Coppin State would still have to be taken care of. If the NEC won't take them too, perhaps seeing the inevitable, they accept that D1 isn't in their future and look for buyers of the MEAC shell to get some money in the coffers before leaving.

If all 8 MEAC schools find a home and the shell is empty, it wouldn't surprise me to see the CAA with Howard use the shell to house the southern members while having a joint CAA football league for the north and south football members.

What happens to the short-lived Celebration Bowl if MEAC folds? Does the SWAC Championship become the Celebration Bowl by default? Do they invite the highest ranked HBCU that isn't in the FCS playoffs? Do they invite a non-HBCU into the fold?

(01-26-2022 03:28 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  What happens to the short-lived Celebration Bowl if MEAC folds? Does the SWAC Championship become the Celebration Bowl by default? Do they invite the highest ranked HBCU that isn't in the FCS playoffs? Do they invite a non-HBCU into the fold?

Maybe the SWAC would invite 2 more HBCU teams and make the Celebration bowl the conference championship.

(01-26-2022 03:28 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  What happens to the short-lived Celebration Bowl if MEAC folds? Does the SWAC Championship become the Celebration Bowl by default? Do they invite the highest ranked HBCU that isn't in the FCS playoffs? Do they invite a non-HBCU into the fold?

The MEAC isn't folding. The schools that are there want to be be there. There was a contingency plan based on a what-if that was out there and was on the table.

(01-26-2022 03:21 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  Even if NC-Central leave, the MEAC will most likely survive. Unless the A-10 wanted to split into 2 8 team conferences or something and have a scheduling alliance.

Does a soon to be 15 team conference need to buy someone else's charter to split in two? When the old Big East split it had 7 existing teams go to the New Big East and 6 existing teams go to the AAC.

(01-26-2022 02:55 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(01-26-2022 02:48 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It would take 8+ full D1 members simultaneously leaving their current conferences to take over a rebranded MEAC.

Not necessarily. I don’t think the continuity rules are written that way anymore.

I agree. They are in the same situation as the AAC or the WAC after the last major round of realignment. They each ended up with fewer than 6 schools, but continued as conferences on a grandfathered basis.

(01-26-2022 03:38 PM)ABAB_Up_down Wrote:  

(01-26-2022 03:21 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  Even if NC-Central leave, the MEAC will most likely survive. Unless the A-10 wanted to split into 2 8 team conferences or something and have a scheduling alliance.

Does a soon to be 15 team conference need to buy someone else's charter to split in two? When the old Big East split it had 7 existing teams go to the New Big East and 6 existing teams go to the AAC.

The rules changed

You can no longer just start a new conference with members who have been together for an extended period of time

(01-26-2022 03:33 PM)GreenHornet33 Wrote:  

(01-26-2022 03:28 PM)Troy_Fan_15 Wrote:  What happens to the short-lived Celebration Bowl if MEAC folds? Does the SWAC Championship become the Celebration Bowl by default? Do they invite the highest ranked HBCU that isn't in the FCS playoffs? Do they invite a non-HBCU into the fold?

The MEAC isn't folding. The schools that are there want to be be there. There was a contingency plan based on a what-if that was out there and was on the table.

Yeah it seems like there would be a lot that would need to happen for the MEAC to fold.

Continuity is constantly debated on this board. From the current D1 manual.

Quote:20.02.5 Multisport Conference. A Division I multisport conference shall satisfy the requirements of this section. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.1 Minimum Number of Members. A multisport conference shall be composed of at least seven active Division I members. The member conference shall include at least seven active Division I members that sponsor both men's and women's basketball. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.2 Sports Sponsorship. A multisport conference shall satisfy the following requirements: (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
( a ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of 12 Division I sports;
( b ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six men's sports, one of which shall be men's basketball. In addition to men's basketball, the conference shall sponsor football or two other men's team sports. A minimum of seven members shall sponsor men's basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor five other sports, including football or two additional men's team sports; and
( c ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six women's sports, one of which shall be women's basketball. In addition to women's basketball, the conference shall sponsor two other women's team sports. A minimum of seven members shall sponsor women's basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor five other sports, including two additional women's team sports (or a minimum of five members for an emerging sport for women).

20.02.5.3 Regular-Season Conference Competition. Multisport conference members shall participate in regular season conference competition, subject to the following requirements: (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
( a ) Basketball teams shall participate in a regular-season conference schedule of a double round robin, in-season competition, or a minimum of 14 regular-season conference contests;
( b ) In football or in a minimum of two men's team sports other than men's basketball [as required in Bylaw 20.02.5.2-(b)], teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A minimum of five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams at its home venue; and
( c ) In a minimum of two women's team sports other than women's basketball (as required in Bylaw 20.02.5.2), teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A minimum of five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams at its home venue.

20.02.5.4 Continuity. A multisport conference shall establish continuity. To establish continuity, a multisport conference must meet the requirements of Bylaw 20.02.5.1. In addition, the conference must meet the requirements of Bylaws 20.02.5.2 and 20.02.5.3 for a period of eight consecutive years. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.5 Grace Period. A conference shall continue to be considered a multisport conference for two years following the date of withdrawal of the institution(s) that causes the conference's noncompliance with the minimum multisport conference requirements. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

(01-26-2022 04:20 PM)AZcats Wrote:  Continuity is constantly debated on this board. From the current D1 manual.

Quote:20.02.5 Multisport Conference. A Division I multisport conference shall satisfy the requirements of this section. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.1 Minimum Number of Members. A multisport conference shall be composed of at least seven active Division I members. The member conference shall include at least seven active Division I members that sponsor both men's and women's basketball. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.2 Sports Sponsorship. A multisport conference shall satisfy the following requirements: (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
( a ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of 12 Division I sports;
( b ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six men's sports, one of which shall be men's basketball. In addition to men's basketball, the conference shall sponsor football or two other men's team sports. A minimum of seven members shall sponsor men's basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor five other sports, including football or two additional men's team sports; and
( c ) The conference shall sponsor a minimum of six women's sports, one of which shall be women's basketball. In addition to women's basketball, the conference shall sponsor two other women's team sports. A minimum of seven members shall sponsor women's basketball. A minimum of six members shall sponsor five other sports, including two additional women's team sports (or a minimum of five members for an emerging sport for women).

20.02.5.3 Regular-Season Conference Competition. Multisport conference members shall participate in regular season conference competition, subject to the following requirements: (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)
( a ) Basketball teams shall participate in a regular-season conference schedule of a double round robin, in-season competition, or a minimum of 14 regular-season conference contests;
( b ) In football or in a minimum of two men's team sports other than men's basketball [as required in Bylaw 20.02.5.2-(b)], teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A minimum of five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams at its home venue; and
( c ) In a minimum of two women's team sports other than women's basketball (as required in Bylaw 20.02.5.2), teams shall compete in a minimum regular-season conference schedule of five contests. A minimum of five regular-season conference contests must be hosted by one of the two competing teams at its home venue.

20.02.5.4 Continuity. A multisport conference shall establish continuity. To establish continuity, a multisport conference must meet the requirements of Bylaw 20.02.5.1. In addition, the conference must meet the requirements of Bylaws 20.02.5.2 and 20.02.5.3 for a period of eight consecutive years. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

20.02.5.5 Grace Period. A conference shall continue to be considered a multisport conference for two years following the date of withdrawal of the institution(s) that causes the conference's noncompliance with the minimum multisport conference requirements. (Adopted: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

Maybe we should pin this to the top of the message board.

Has any conference gotten/needed a waiver from these rules?

(01-26-2022 04:33 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Maybe we should pin this to the top of the message board.

Has any conference gotten/needed a waiver from these rules?

I don't believe there has been a case for it before. Now it's a big part of the conversation because there are 3 conferences (OVC, MEAC, Southland) barely hanging on to meet the requirements of this section.

(01-26-2022 02:32 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Let’s pretend for a moment that NC Central has accepted a Big South invitation and this has caused a mass exodus from the MEAC. They are down to 4 or less schools and it’s not looking optimistic that they can rebuild.

Can and do they sell their charter and NCAA credits that come with it?

What kind of price could they get for it?

Who might potentially buy it?

———

I have to wonder if a group of A-10 schools or the CAA might want a conference shell. If they sold their charter and triggered more realignment moves, it might increase the chances of the last MEAC schools left to get into another league due to the domino effect that usually follows an expansion.

The Big South is already down to 5 FB schools - Robert Morris, Campbell, NC A&T, Gardner-Webb, Charleston Southern. I'll admit cannot parse the rules on what it would take to create a new football-only FCS conference, but it would seem that if there is a way to preserve the basketball autobids for both the MEAC and Big South AND setting up a FB-only league, akin to the MVFC or Pioneer, to house the remaining schools, that would make some sense. Deal with the Celebration Bowl by sending the HBCU member with the best record, unless that school qualifies for the FCS playoff, at which point you'd send the HBCU member with the 2nd best record.

Untitled FCS Football-Only League
Robert Morris, Delaware State, Howard, Morgan State, Norfolk State, NC Central, NC A&T, Gardner-Webb, Campbell, SC State, Charleston Southern.

Alternatively, you could shuffle schools so that you end up with an all-sports league with the 10 full football-playing members plus Robert Morris, and then combine the non-FB MEAC/Big South schools into another conference, provided they have enough baseball/soccer/whatever men's teams.

Untitled Non-Football League-
Coppin State, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Longwood, Radford, High Point, UNC-Asheville, USC-Upstate, Winthrop, Presbyterian.

I see it! The 5-game minimum for a conference schedule. It is the reason Big East football started a year later than originally planned. Now I just need to find the thread for which that factoid was relevant.