RE: What happened during the Div 1-A / 1-AA (FBS/FCS) split in 1978?
What I find interesting about this thread after reading every post in the 4 pages worth, is, the question keeps coming up about ‘what will happen next?’. But no one really knows. And really, aren’t we at the same general place we’ve been at since 1978 - and the decades leading up to it, really...meaning, there are still a lot of ideas and concrete speculation what will “happen next”, but, as we know now, whatever it manifests into, will generally be alright for everyone when you realize those who thought they were shut down decades ago, rebounded and are FBS again (or still).
The future is STILL uncertain for every fbs conference to an extent. More for the G5, of course. But the MAC and it’s FIGHT to remain in existence in the top tier of football has to give hope and faith to all G5ers and those who want to move up to FBS from FCS.
The difference now, compared to say the beginning of the TV contract explosion (Oklahoma-Georgia case), is, the linear tv model is (at least appears to be) starting on the downhill side of its peak. Maybe it isn’t that, and rather a high plateau slightly lower than the best tv years, but, now we have the internet and the youth’s preferred medium to use over linear tv. Which makes things interesting. The MWC is currently feeling out that dichotomy as we speak...MWC isn’t quite AAC, but not CUSA/MAC/Sunbelt, either. So, MWC wasn’t as ready (lack of better word) to strike a solid long term deal like AAC just did. I’m not talking dollar amount as “solid”, I’m talking the solid definition of the contrac AAC got: ESPN heavy with a lot of ESPN+ in ALL sports of AAC....no. MWC is stuck with the late time zones and the G5 netherworld somewhere between AAC and MAC/CUSA/Belt...so...me thinks MW Commish Thompson is wise in making whatever tv/internet combo we have as a shorter, 6-yearish-long contract.
I’m kind of drifting, but, I think the road will be bumpy, yet overall, at least a little better for all with a touch of bittersweetness in the years to come. Hopefully sweetness includes a lump of playoff expansion sugar, we shall see...
(This post was last modified: 08-11-2019 02:01 PM by fresnofanatic.)
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