(05-09-2015 02:06 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  And on that note, why would Denver want to leave the one-bid Summit for a one-bid league of California schools mostly known for baseball? Does Denver even have baseball?

They don't have baseball. That's why they were a miserable fit in the Sun Belt, a conference they played as an extreme outlier in for 13 long expensive years.

(05-09-2015 03:28 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  One Question: Would NKU change THIS summer or wait one year? Anyone know?

NKU will compete in the HL this '15-'16 season and be eligible for the Horizon League Tourney, but not the NCAA Tourney. They won't be eligible for the NCAA Tourney until the '16-'17 season.

http://mweb.cbssports.com/ncaab/eye-on-c...zon-league

(05-09-2015 05:38 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:44 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Congrats to Northern Kentucky for being the first Kentucky school to leap to a Midwest based conference.

Kentucky (SEC)-The B1G has never looked their direction.
Louisville (ACC)-Almost joined the MAC in the 60's and regularly played Kent State.
Western Ky (CUSA)-Was 1 vote short of joining the MAC back in 2005.
Eastern Ky (OVC)-Flirted with the SBC but never was a Midwest candidate
Murray St. (OVC)-Rumors of talking with the MVC.
Northern Ky (ASun)-Joins the Horizon League!

W Ky formerly belonged to the MVFC, before it became an FBS school in the Belt.

Not to mention the 15 or so years Louisville spent in the original CUSA and Big East with the likes of DePaul, Saint Louis, Marquette, etc...

Now? Would North Alabama get the nod for the OVC to replace Northern Kentucky? It would make the football schools happy. A lot of the FCS and Sun Belt schools came from the Gulf South Conference.

(05-09-2015 09:59 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Now? Would North Alabama get the nod for the OVC to replace Northern Kentucky? It would make the football schools happy. A lot of the FCS and Sun Belt schools came from the Gulf South Conference.

UNA's Division I aspirations are effectively dead. The next member of the Atlantic Sun is likely Georgia Regents (née Augusta State), which already plays golf at the Division I level.

Already over 350 Div.I basketball teams.Enough already-IMHO.


Sorry Nova Southeastern.

(05-09-2015 10:35 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 09:59 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Now? Would North Alabama get the nod for the OVC to replace Northern Kentucky? It would make the football schools happy. A lot of the FCS and Sun Belt schools came from the Gulf South Conference.

UNA's Division I aspirations are effectively dead. The next member of the Atlantic Sun is likely Georgia Regents (née Augusta State), which already plays golf at the Division I level.

We need more football schools. We might see the hybrid conference dead soon. Look what happened to the Big East? WAC as well. OVC and MVC schools that have football are not happy right now and looking for a new conference. As it is? I think North Alabama will get the next invite since they were the second choice behind NKU.

(05-09-2015 06:09 PM)NoDak Wrote:  The News-Press beat writer for FGCU, says Columbus St, Augusta St (Georgia Regents), and Nova Southeastern are likely candidates for the A Sun.

Right I forgot about the other 2, Which are probably more likely since they've made the most recent noise about moving up.

(05-09-2015 04:47 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 04:25 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  TAMU-Commerce is the only D-II school applying to D-I this year, that's for the open spot in the SLC. NJIT, UNA, Nova Southeastern, Lincoln Memorial would be my best guess for the A-Sun.

Thought Tarleton St only was talking with the Southland. If the former E Texas St (Commerce) goes too, the DII Lone Star Conference could be in trouble. That may be why they've been expanding west to UTPB, OPSU, and I think ENMSU.

LoneStar Conference gave an invite to Western New Mexico. They are picking up on all the D2 New Mexico schools. Western New Mexico will join in 2016.

http://www.lonestarconference.org/news/2...55339.aspx

Rogers State in Oklahoma is thinking of adding football as well. They could be the next target along with New Mexico Highlands.

(05-09-2015 03:00 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:28 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:06 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  And on that note, why would Denver want to leave the one-bid Summit for a one-bid league of California schools mostly known for baseball? Does Denver even have baseball?

Short answer: Denver does not have baseball or softball. It's not that they want to join the BW, it's that the BW will be their best option if the Summit collapses and neither the Missouri Valley or WCC invite them.

Long answer: Grand Canyon, Chicago State, Utah Valley - three reasons why Denver left the WAC in the first place. No offense to those schools but Denver's a bit of an academic snob. They would not return without putting up a major stink about those three.

The bloated Big Sky, with 12 members already? Even with Northern Colorado in the mix, they'll look to the other Dakota schools first. And as we're all aware the Big Sky loves their football. Denver U, not so much.

MW won't let anyone in without football, so they're out automatically. The WCC turned down Denver in favor of Pacific, although they could revisit Denver as a travel partner for BYU.

But why is the Summit collapsing??

The I-P schools and WIU obviously aren't Horizon material. Who else is leaving and to where??

The Summit isn't collapsing for now. But there's a possibility that the OVC could lose Belmont to the MVC (in a package deal with UAB) or the Horizon (in a package deal with Murray State or Lipscomb). In that case the OVC will be looking for a replacement, and with NKU now off the table, it's reasonably likely the OVC will be forced to take a Summit school.

That in turn could destabilize the Summit just enough for the WAC to have a shot at staging a raid. With members already in the Seattle, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Kansas City and Chicago markets, the WAC is trying to sell the idea of building a big-city conference. UNO and Oral Roberts would fit strategically by adding Omaha and Tulsa, and their departure from the Summit could put enough pressure on Denver to come along. With one final addition, e.g. SIUE near St. Louis, the WAC would be up to 12 members and could split into eastern and western divisions to reduce travel costs.

More dominos would have to fall to make it happen, but the Horizon taking NKU was one of them. Now we wait to see what happens with Belmont.

(05-10-2015 02:30 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:00 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:28 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:06 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  And on that note, why would Denver want to leave the one-bid Summit for a one-bid league of California schools mostly known for baseball? Does Denver even have baseball?

Short answer: Denver does not have baseball or softball. It's not that they want to join the BW, it's that the BW will be their best option if the Summit collapses and neither the Missouri Valley or WCC invite them.

Long answer: Grand Canyon, Chicago State, Utah Valley - three reasons why Denver left the WAC in the first place. No offense to those schools but Denver's a bit of an academic snob. They would not return without putting up a major stink about those three.

The bloated Big Sky, with 12 members already? Even with Northern Colorado in the mix, they'll look to the other Dakota schools first. And as we're all aware the Big Sky loves their football. Denver U, not so much.

MW won't let anyone in without football, so they're out automatically. The WCC turned down Denver in favor of Pacific, although they could revisit Denver as a travel partner for BYU.

But why is the Summit collapsing??

The I-P schools and WIU obviously aren't Horizon material. Who else is leaving and to where??

The Summit isn't collapsing for now. But there's a possibility that the OVC could lose Belmont to the MVC (in a package deal with UAB) or the Horizon (in a package deal with Murray State or Lipscomb). In that case the OVC will be looking for a replacement, and with NKU now off the table, it's reasonably likely the OVC will be forced to take a Summit school.

That in turn could destabilize the Summit just enough for the WAC to have a shot at staging a raid. With members already in the Seattle, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Kansas City and Chicago markets, the WAC is trying to sell the idea of building a big-city conference. UNO and Oral Roberts would fit strategically by adding Omaha and Tulsa, and their departure from the Summit could put enough pressure on Denver to come along. With one final addition, e.g. SIUE near St. Louis, the WAC would be up to 12 members and could split into eastern and western divisions to reduce travel costs.

More dominos would have to fall to make it happen, but the Horizon taking NKU was one of them. Now we wait to see what happens with Belmont.

The WAC could try and restart FBS football luring Idaho and New Mexico State back as the remaining members, and could send out a full sports members ship to all four Dakota schools, Western Illinois and affiliate in football to the rest of the MVFC. This could be why Wichita State looking to the MWC, plus football could be back there. MVC is on shaky ground as the football members are starting to look elsewhere, and Wichita State could leave, and Evansville might go somewhere else. We thought the WAC was the big loser in the expansion race, but they could wind up the big winner after all.

(05-09-2015 03:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:00 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:28 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:06 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  And on that note, why would Denver want to leave the one-bid Summit for a one-bid league of California schools mostly known for baseball? Does Denver even have baseball?

Short answer: Denver does not have baseball or softball. It's not that they want to join the BW, it's that the BW will be their best option if the Summit collapses and neither the Missouri Valley or WCC invite them.

Long answer: Grand Canyon, Chicago State, Utah Valley - three reasons why Denver left the WAC in the first place. No offense to those schools but Denver's a bit of an academic snob. They would not return without putting up a major stink about those three.

The bloated Big Sky, with 12 members already? Even with Northern Colorado in the mix, they'll look to the other Dakota schools first. And as we're all aware the Big Sky loves their football. Denver U, not so much.

MW won't let anyone in without football, so they're out automatically. The WCC turned down Denver in favor of Pacific, although they could revisit Denver as a travel partner for BYU.

But why is the Summit collapsing??

The I-P schools and WIU obviously aren't Horizon material. Who else is leaving and to where??

NDSU, SDSU,and USD get invited to the Big Sky.
The Big Sky slims down by slipping NAU, SUU, Weber, NColo, and Idaho St to the WAC.
The Summit get UMKC and Chi St back.

Don't be stupid. If anything the big sky will give North Dakota the boot.

The big sky is not kicking out charter members just to add to your Dakota fantasy

(05-10-2015 11:46 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:00 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:28 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:06 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  And on that note, why would Denver want to leave the one-bid Summit for a one-bid league of California schools mostly known for baseball? Does Denver even have baseball?

Short answer: Denver does not have baseball or softball. It's not that they want to join the BW, it's that the BW will be their best option if the Summit collapses and neither the Missouri Valley or WCC invite them.

Long answer: Grand Canyon, Chicago State, Utah Valley - three reasons why Denver left the WAC in the first place. No offense to those schools but Denver's a bit of an academic snob. They would not return without putting up a major stink about those three.

The bloated Big Sky, with 12 members already? Even with Northern Colorado in the mix, they'll look to the other Dakota schools first. And as we're all aware the Big Sky loves their football. Denver U, not so much.

MW won't let anyone in without football, so they're out automatically. The WCC turned down Denver in favor of Pacific, although they could revisit Denver as a travel partner for BYU.

But why is the Summit collapsing??

The I-P schools and WIU obviously aren't Horizon material. Who else is leaving and to where??

NDSU, SDSU,and USD get invited to the Big Sky.
The Big Sky slims down by slipping NAU, SUU, Weber, NColo, and Idaho St to the WAC.
The Summit get UMKC and Chi St back.

Don't be stupid. If anything the big sky will give North Dakota the boot.

The big sky is not kicking out charter members just to add to your Dakota fantasy

Explain why Fullerton has invited the rest of the Dakotas in ND newspapers then, if you're so brilliant.

Fullerton has already stated the Big Sky has separated themselves internally on which schools have FBS aspirations and those who don't. Its rather clear where NAU falls.

A 16 or 17 conference doesn't for a non P5 conference doesn't exactly optimize revenue.

(05-10-2015 11:52 AM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-10-2015 11:46 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:27 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:00 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 02:28 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Short answer: Denver does not have baseball or softball. It's not that they want to join the BW, it's that the BW will be their best option if the Summit collapses and neither the Missouri Valley or WCC invite them.

Long answer: Grand Canyon, Chicago State, Utah Valley - three reasons why Denver left the WAC in the first place. No offense to those schools but Denver's a bit of an academic snob. They would not return without putting up a major stink about those three.

The bloated Big Sky, with 12 members already? Even with Northern Colorado in the mix, they'll look to the other Dakota schools first. And as we're all aware the Big Sky loves their football. Denver U, not so much.

MW won't let anyone in without football, so they're out automatically. The WCC turned down Denver in favor of Pacific, although they could revisit Denver as a travel partner for BYU.

But why is the Summit collapsing??

The I-P schools and WIU obviously aren't Horizon material. Who else is leaving and to where??

NDSU, SDSU,and USD get invited to the Big Sky.
The Big Sky slims down by slipping NAU, SUU, Weber, NColo, and Idaho St to the WAC.
The Summit get UMKC and Chi St back.

Don't be stupid. If anything the big sky will give North Dakota the boot.

The big sky is not kicking out charter members just to add to your Dakota fantasy

Explain why Fullerton has invited the rest of the Dakotas in ND newspapers then, if you're so brilliant.

Fullerton has already stated the Big Sky has separated themselves internally on which schools have FBS aspirations and those who don't. Its rather clear where NAU falls.

A 16 or 17 conference doesn't for a non P5 conference doesn't exactly optimize revenue.

They wanted them before adding the others. No, a 16 team Big Sky doesnt work so it is not happening. Neither is kicking out members.

UND isn't a FBS school either. No Big Sky or Summit school is ready. Financial or otherwise

Reading the articles about the Big Sky and FCOA doesn't exactly give me the feeling that a FBS Big Sky is imminent. In the FBS FCOA isn't exactly optional if you want to be competitive.

I have no idea how UND would make FBS work. Their women's hockey program is a money pit and their stadium is much too small.

(05-09-2015 04:31 PM)insomniaisevil Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 04:03 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(05-09-2015 03:44 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Congrats to Northern Kentucky for being the first Kentucky school to leap to a Midwest based conference.

Kentucky (SEC)-The B1G has never looked their direction.
Louisville (ACC)-Almost joined the MAC in the 60's and regularly played Kent State.
Western Ky (CUSA)-Was 1 vote short of joining the MAC back in 2005.
Eastern Ky (OVC)-Flirted with the SBC but never was a Midwest candidate
Murray St. (OVC)-Rumors of talking with the MVC.
Northern Ky (ASun)-Joins the Horizon League!

Being in suburban Cincy, it's not nearly as big a stretch geographically and culturally as some of the other Kentucky schools.

I was thinking this sort of thing in the beginning. I am happy to see NKU associate North and not South. They are part of Cincinnati and it makes much more sense to connect with other schools in Ohio and the Midwest.

When Louisville joined the MVC in 1963, the MVC was Cincinnati, St. Louis, Wichita, Bradley, Drake, Tulsa, and North Texas. Other than North Texas and arguably Tulsa, those are all Midwestern schools.

IMO Belmont is happy to be in a bus league.
Nashville is the center of the OVC.
Tourney is in Nashville.Tenn. St. is in Nashville.Austin Peay closeby.Tremendous cost savings.
Unless another league brings a Huge bump in dollars they are not budging.

Murray ST. does not have the money to change conferences w/o a BIG jump in $$.
They are also difficult to travel to AND have fcs football.

I don't think these figure into any realignment w/o huge money involved.


Teams who would consider options:LIPSCOMB,SCUPSTATE,North Alabama,Kennesaw St.,UMKC.

(05-10-2015 04:37 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMO Belmont is happy to be in a bus league.
Nashville is the center of the OVC.
Tourney is in Nashville.Tenn. St. is in Nashville.Austin Peay closeby.Tremendous cost savings.
Unless another league brings a Huge bump in dollars they are not budging.

The OVC is considered to be too much a bus league and traditionally its been thought of as an entry level D1 conference.

The Southern Conference has been thought of in the same light as the Horizon or Big West. A relatively prestigious mid major conference that has stood the test of time and has plenty of backfill options in its back yard.

If Belmont doesn't see the value in joining a Southern Conference with UAB I'm sure the Southern can find another quality candidate like Florida Gulf Coast that is serious about Men's basketball.

(05-10-2015 05:31 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(05-10-2015 04:37 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMO Belmont is happy to be in a bus league.
Nashville is the center of the OVC.
Tourney is in Nashville.Tenn. St. is in Nashville.Austin Peay closeby.Tremendous cost savings.
Unless another league brings a Huge bump in dollars they are not budging.

The OVC is considered to be too much a bus league and traditionally its been thought of as an entry level D1 conference.

The Southern Conference has been thought of in the same light as the Horizon or Big West. A relatively prestigious mid major conference that has stood the test of time and has plenty of backfill options in its back yard.

If Belmont doesn't see the value in joining a Southern Conference with UAB I'm sure the Southern can find another quality candidate like Florida Gulf Coast that is serious about Men's basketball.

Maybe three or four years ago you're a statement would be accurate

But having lost their two best basketball programs to other conferences the Southern is no different than the Ohio Valley when it comes to basketball

The trio Murray State eastern Kentucky Dolmar are far more solid than anything currently in the southern

FGCU had one good season and now they're back to obscurity

(05-10-2015 05:52 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(05-10-2015 05:31 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(05-10-2015 04:37 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  IMO Belmont is happy to be in a bus league.
Nashville is the center of the OVC.
Tourney is in Nashville.Tenn. St. is in Nashville.Austin Peay closeby.Tremendous cost savings.
Unless another league brings a Huge bump in dollars they are not budging.

The OVC is considered to be too much a bus league and traditionally its been thought of as an entry level D1 conference.

The Southern Conference has been thought of in the same light as the Horizon or Big West. A relatively prestigious mid major conference that has stood the test of time and has plenty of backfill options in its back yard.

If Belmont doesn't see the value in joining a Southern Conference with UAB I'm sure the Southern can find another quality candidate like Florida Gulf Coast that is serious about Men's basketball.

Maybe three or four years ago you're a statement would be accurate

But having lost their two best basketball programs to other conferences the Southern is no different than the Ohio Valley when it comes to basketball

The trio Murray State eastern Kentucky Dolmar are far more solid than anything currently in the southern

FGCU had one good season and now they're back to obscurity

Ft. Meyers where FGCU is located is about 600,000. Not an FBS market but could be a nice pickup for the Southern Conference.

The Southern could have UAB, FGCU, Chattanooga, ETSU, Western Carolina. UNC-Greensboro in that conference. VMI and The Citadel. That isn't a bad neighborhood to be in if you are UAB.

Its more interesting than SIU-Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri St, Tennessee Tech, Morehead State in the OVC. The only respectable names in there are Belmont and Murray State.