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Conferences with most all time members
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Michael in Raleigh Offline
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Question Conferences with most all time members
Conference history is interesting to me, so I thought I'd talk about which leagues have had the longest list of memberships, past, present, and confirmed future.

The Southern Conference (SoCon) has had a total of 44 members in its history. Both the SEC and the ACC directly spawned off of it in the 30's and 50's, respectively.

The WAC has had 38 current, former, and future members.

The Sun Belt has had 30 current and former members, not including football only members like Idaho and Utah State.

The old Big East/AAC has had 29 current and former members, not including San Diego State, Boise State, or TCU, each of whom committed and later reneged on membership.

Does anyone know of any D1 leagues who have had more or close to the number these three have had. I just might be bored enough (but also thankful to be healthy and employed) to look up each conference myself, but I wondered if anyone knows the history of other leagues
03-29-2020 07:12 PM
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IWokeUpLikeThis Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
Missouri Valley might. Without looking it up, I can think of 30:

1 Loyola
2 Valparaiso
3 Indiana St
4 Evansville
5 Bradley
6 Illinois St
7 Southern IL
8 Missouri St
9 Northern Iowa
10 Drake

11 Creighton
12 Wichita
13 Tulsa

14 West Texas A&M
15 New Mexico St

16 Detroit
17 Cincinnati
18 Louisville
19 Memphis
20 Saint Louis

21 Grinnell
22 Washington (MO)
23 Washburn

24 Iowa St
25 Nebraska
26 Missouri
27 Kansas
28 Kansas St
29 Oklahoma
30 Oklahoma St
03-29-2020 07:24 PM
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goofus Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-29-2020 07:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Missouri Valley might. Without looking it up, I can think of 30:

1 Loyola
2 Valparaiso
3 Indiana St
4 Evansville
5 Bradley
6 Illinois St
7 Southern IL
8 Missouri St
9 Northern Iowa
10 Drake

11 Creighton
12 Wichita
13 Tulsa

14 West Texas A&M
15 New Mexico St

16 Detroit
17 Cincinnati
18 Louisville
19 Memphis
20 Saint Louis

21 Grinnell
22 Washington (MO)
23 Washburn

24 Iowa St
25 Nebraska
26 Missouri
27 Kansas
28 Kansas St
29 Oklahoma
30 Oklahoma St

According to wiki pedia you can add the following:

Butler
Houston
University of Iowa (yes they were double-dipping)
North Texas
03-29-2020 07:45 PM
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Erictelevision Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
IIRC the Hawkeyes were simultaneously in the future Big XII and B1G.
03-29-2020 07:47 PM
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Michael in Raleigh Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
Ivy definitely has had the fewest. 8 members ever, none added and none have left.
03-29-2020 08:08 PM
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BePcr07 Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-29-2020 08:08 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Ivy definitely has had the fewest. 8 members ever, none added and none have left.

Great West had 7 all-time full members. The conference went defunct in 2013.

- Houston Baptist (Southland)
- UTPA (now UTRGV; WAC)
- Chicago St (WAC)
- Utah Valley (WAC)
- North Dakota (Summit)
- South Dakota (Summit)
- NJIT (Atlantic Sun)

Not sure if there has been the same number or less for any other conference.
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2020 08:34 PM by BePcr07.)
03-29-2020 08:33 PM
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Cyniclone Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
Conference USA has an all-time roster of 28 full members, and it's only been around since 1995.
03-29-2020 09:40 PM
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johnintx Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
Without clicking on the link, I was thinking the Southern Conference. They spawned the ACC and SEC, and turned over multiple times since.

I knew the WAC had a large number of former members, but I didn't try to count. They have turned over a couple of times.

The Missouri Valley has a big number, as well. They split in 1920, spawning the original MVIAA/Big 6/Big 7/Big 8.
03-29-2020 09:58 PM
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-29-2020 09:58 PM)johnintx Wrote:  Without clicking on the link, I was thinking the Southern Conference. They spawned the ACC and SEC, and turned over multiple times since.

I knew the WAC had a large number of former members, but I didn't try to count. They have turned over a couple of times.

The Missouri Valley has a big number, as well. They split in 1920, spawning the original MVIAA/Big 6/Big 7/Big 8.

And they effectively created Conference USA. Not all at the same time but during the 60s/early 70s, Tulsa, Houston, Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis were all members. Current CUSA member North Texas was also a member during that era.
03-29-2020 10:59 PM
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goofus Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
The New Big East and the AAC have one of those shared legacies similar to the MVC and Big 8. They both kind of share the legacy of the old Big East.

For the AAC, you have to figure the current AAC counts all its 11 current basketball members plus all the former members from the Old 16-team Big East. Cincy and USF I believe are the only overlaps between the 2. Temple was not a member of the 16-team Big East. So that has to be at least 16 + 9 = 25. Does Navy count for football only? If so, that makes 26.

Throw in Miami, VT, and BC that defected before the 16-team Big East and that makes 29 total for the AAC.

For the new Big East you figure they can count all 11 current members plus every member from the old Big East. So that adds up to 22 total for the New Big East. Do you also count Temple? If so that's 23 total.
(This post was last modified: 03-29-2020 11:22 PM by goofus.)
03-29-2020 11:08 PM
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Michael in Raleigh Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-29-2020 11:08 PM)goofus Wrote:  The New Big East and the AAC have one of those shared legacies similar to the MVC and Big 8. They both kind of share the legacy of the old Big East.

For the AAC, you have to figure the current AAC counts all its 11 current basketball members plus all the former members from the Old 16-team Big East. Cincy and USF I believe are the only overlaps between the 2. Temple was not a member of the 16-team Big East. So that has to be at least 16 + 9 = 25. Does Navy count for football only? If so, that makes 26.

Throw in Miami, VT, and BC that defected before the 16-team Big East and that makes 29 total for the AAC.

For the new Big East you figure they can count all 11 current members plus every member from the old Big East. So that adds up to 22 total for the New Big East. Do you also count Temple? If so that's 23 total.

Correct. I miscounted in my initial post. I must have counted Navy as a full member.
03-29-2020 11:44 PM
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Michael in Raleigh Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
This one surprised me: the Atlantic Sun/former TAAC has had 36 members all time, including incoming Bellarmine.

The Summit League/former Mid Continent has had 31, including incoming UMKC but not yet St. Thomas.
03-30-2020 12:12 AM
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DavidSt Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
KCAC of the NAIA is the first conference founded in 1890 by Kansas and Kansas State have 27 members. Considered one of the major conference in the old days.

RMAC is another one that is still around. They had 12 members who are D1 now. 35 total members.

SIAA was the parent conference of SoCon. The teams started to leave when it was a mega conference at the time. Before the conference disbanded, they ha 68 different members total.

We need to check Lone Star Conference and River States Conference. They both are the oldest conferences around before the split.

Imagine if SIAA stayed around to this day as a D1 conference? We might have reached 100 by now.
03-30-2020 12:41 AM
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Michael in Raleigh Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-30-2020 12:41 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  KCAC of the NAIA is the first conference founded in 1890 by Kansas and Kansas State have 27 members. Considered one of the major conference in the old days.

RMAC is another one that is still around. They had 12 members who are D1 now. 35 total members.

SIAA was the parent conference of SoCon. The teams started to leave when it was a mega conference at the time. Before the conference disbanded, they ha 68 different members total.

We need to check Lone Star Conference and River States Conference. They both are the oldest conferences around before the split.

Imagine if SIAA stayed around to this day as a D1 conference? We might have reached 100 by now.

Wasn't SIAA the parent conference of the Southwest Conference, too?
03-30-2020 01:00 AM
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Stugray2 Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
WAC on July 1st, 2020 will add the 37th and 38th members to their list:

// current members
California Baptist University
Chicago State University
Grand Canyon University
New Mexico State University
Seattle University
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Utah Valley University
// joining July 1st, 2020
Dixie State University
Tarleton State University
// leaving June 30th, 2020
California State University, Bakersfield (Big West)
University of Missouri–Kansas City (Summit League)
// former members
United States Air Force Academy (MWC)
University of Arizona Wildcats (Pac-12)
Arizona State University (Pac-12)
Boise State University (MWC)
Brigham Young University (WCC, Football Independent)
California State University, Fresno (MWC)
Colorado State University (MWC)
University of Denver (Summit League)
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Big West, MWC Football)
University of Idaho (Big Sky)
Louisiana Tech University (C-USA)
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MWC)
University of Nevada, Reno (MWC)
University of New Mexico (MWC)
Rice University (C-USA)
San Diego State University (MWC)
San Jose State University (MWC)
Southern Methodist University (American)
Texas Christian University (Big XII)
University of Texas at Arlington (SBC)
University of Texas at El Paso (C-USA)
University of Texas at San Antonio (C-USA)
Texas State University (SBC)
University of Tulsa (American)
University of Utah (Pac-12)
Utah State University (MWC)
University of Wyoming (MWC)
(This post was last modified: 03-30-2020 01:08 AM by Stugray2.)
03-30-2020 01:07 AM
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Stugray2 Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
The Trans-American Athletic Conference / Atlantic Sun Conference appears to be next with Bellarmine to be the 37th member

// current A-SUN members
Florida Gulf Coast University
Jacksonville University
Kennesaw State University
Liberty University
Lipscomb University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
University of North Alabama
University of North Florida
Stetson University
// joining July 1st, 2020
Bellarmine University
// former members
Oklahoma City University (SAC NAIA Division I)
Pan American University * (WAC) // now known as the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley
Northeast Louisiana University * (Sun Belt) // now known as the University of Louisiana at Monroe
Houston Baptist University (Southland)
Hardin–Simmons University (TIAA NCAA Division III)
Centenary College of Louisiana (SCAC NCAA D-III)
Samford University (SoCon)
Northwestern State University (Southland)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Sun Belt)
Georgia Southern University (Sun Belt)
Nicholls State University (Southland) // now known as Nicholls University (note, were only a provisional member of the TAAC)
Georgia State University (Sun Belt)
University of Texas at San Antonio (C-USA)
Southeastern Louisiana University (Southland)
Florida International University (C-USA)
College of Charleston (CAA)
University of Central Florida (The American)
Florida Atlantic University (C-USA)
Jacksonville State University (OVC)
Troy University (Sun Belt)
Gardner–Webb University (Big South)
Campbell University (Big South)
Belmont University (OVC)
East Tennessee State University (SoCon)
Mercer University (SoCon)
Northern Kentucky University (Horizon)
University of South Carolina Upstate (Big South)
03-30-2020 01:23 AM
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
The Southern Conference, which was a major conference from 1921 through 1981, had 37 football playing members during that period.

Alabama 1921-1932
Appalachian State 1972-1981
Auburn 1921-1932
Chattanooga 1977-1981
Citadel 1936-1981
Clemson 1921-1951
Davidson 1936-1973
Duke 1928-1952
East Carolina 1965-1976
East Tennessee State 1979-1981
Florida 1922-1932
Furman 1936-1981
George Washington 1941-1966
Georgia 1921-1932
Georgia Tech 1921-1932
Kentucky 1921-1932
LSU 1922-1932
Marshall 1977-1981
Maryland 1921-1951
Mississippi State 1921-1932
North Carolina 1921-1952
North Carolina State 1921-1952
Ole Miss 1922-1932
Richmond 1936-1976
Sewanee 1922-1932
South Carolina 1922-1952
Tennessee 1921-1932
Tulane 1922-1932
Vanderbilt 1922-1932
Virginia 1921-1935
Virginia Military Institute 1924-1981
Virginia Tech 1921-1964
Wake Forest 1936-1952
Washington & Lee 1921-1953
West Virginia 1950-1967
Western Carolina 1977-1981
William & Mary 1936-1976
03-30-2020 07:53 AM
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quo vadis Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-29-2020 08:08 PM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  Ivy definitely has had the fewest. 8 members ever, none added and none have left.

... and that's something that has emerged from this discussion: There is a correlation between the prestige and power of the conference and its membership history. The more prestigious or powerful, the fewer all-time members, and vice-versa. It's not a perfect correlation, but it's there.
03-30-2020 08:59 AM
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Stugray2 Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
My counts were only full members. I think we need to set a common criteria for evaluating.
03-30-2020 11:27 AM
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DavidSt Offline
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RE: Conferences with most all time members
(03-30-2020 01:00 AM)Michael in Raleigh Wrote:  
(03-30-2020 12:41 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  KCAC of the NAIA is the first conference founded in 1890 by Kansas and Kansas State have 27 members. Considered one of the major conference in the old days.

RMAC is another one that is still around. They had 12 members who are D1 now. 35 total members.

SIAA was the parent conference of SoCon. The teams started to leave when it was a mega conference at the time. Before the conference disbanded, they ha 68 different members total.

We need to check Lone Star Conference and River States Conference. They both are the oldest conferences around before the split.

Imagine if SIAA stayed around to this day as a D1 conference? We might have reached 100 by now.

Wasn't SIAA the parent conference of the Southwest Conference, too?


No. Just Texas was a member.
03-30-2020 12:55 PM
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