(11-30-2017 01:06 AM)SJHornet Wrote: I completely understand the panic, but adding AASF would not be the wisest choice. The school has many things that make it less than an ideal member.
-There is no central campus. It is spread throughout the city and surrounding communities, and broken up by concentration.
-While the city is large and in one of the major media markets, there is little interest in NCAA sports. Stanford (25-30 mins down 101/280) and Cal (few miles across the bridge) get sparse attention, and local USF gets some alumni attention, but almost no general public attention. The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS get 99% of the viewing eyes. Plus, there are countless alternative activities to sports that take away interest.
-The school, deserved or not, is seen as a diploma mill by many in the Bay Area and abroad. I know GCU faced a lot of the same backlash, buT I believe many would be far more critical of their for-profit status and past practices.
-Much like the campus, the school’s athletic facilities are all over the city and far from campus.
The remaining members should be trying to ensure their long term futures are secure, but I see AASF as a short term stop gap that would cause issues in the long run. IF the WAC wants to be around in the future, becoming a springboard to DI status will hurt it, now t help. Personally, I see the remaining school frantically attempting to secure membership elsewhere, and putting the WAC’s future in jeopardy.
Well, again, it's the WAC, everyone wants to leave, that's been the case since ASU and UofA were in the league.
NMSU may at some point get invited to the sunbelt. Or they may fold fbs football, although that will be a tough sell if their program keeps improving. Or there may be some unforseen realignment that affords them an opportunity. Regardless, I think they will be leaving at some point in the next five years.
Maybe UMKC can leave. I don't know if the summit would want them back or not. I would think not because I don't understand the appeal of large one bid leagues, but apparently conferences like to add schools for the sake of adding schools because the bsc and bwc keep doing just that. So who knows.
I don't think a stable league will add GCU as long as they are for profit.
I don't see any suitors for UVU.
Seattle is a desirable add with no good conference fit.
I don't know about UTPA, I'd have to look into that. Is there a lower tier league dominated by Texas public schools that might be compelled to admit a member of the UT system?
Chicago State situation not looking good.
Cal Baptist is a legit add.
The WAC has plenty of time to work with. CSB isn't leaving till 2020, and there are temporary waiver periods too. The only way the WAC folds is if they lose a few more at once, and it just collapses like the SWC did. But that happened fast and there was major college football involved, so it was a little different.