(06-17-2020 08:28 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(06-16-2020 10:01 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  The whole idea of picking up a school like SLU is to create an A10 style 14 team basketball conference in the Midwest, meaning additional media exposure.

While at it 14 in basketball would keep the MAC as the largest mid major conference in the Midwest just as the A10 has that distinction along the Northeast.

Plus SLU has something to gain in the arrangement; an association with an FBS conference like Wichita St has. Long term its a better position than A10 membership.

If they were excelling in the A10 I could see it being a non-starter but they've largely struggled so they aren't earning much in the way of NCAA units. Could have a chance at more success in the MAC.

Please post this on the SLU board.
https://www.billikens.com/forum/index.ph...ain-board/

Posted a thread on it over there.

What I was told is that even if VCU/Dayton left the A10 would still be a regular 2 bid plus conference and better than any Midwest fit (sans BE or AAC of course). I'm not sure about that especially if they continue their pattern of expanding up to 14 with small east coast schools.

Told they are paying a 7 figure salary for their basketball coach and that it wouldn't work in the MAC. They could pay 7 figures in the MAC if they wanted. The MAC is no longer a conference where the head coaches make 75-80k as it was 20 years ago.

Coaching pay in the A10 tends to move up and down. If a guy makes the NCAAs they might boost him to 1 million but if he leaves they bring the next guy in at 300,000. The MAC is just not far off from doing the same.

(06-18-2020 03:05 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  Posted a thread on it over there. ...

If that's not the end of it, could it be continued in the conference realignment post? It's more of a fantasy conference realignment topic than the actual very real issue of saving MAC soccer's autobid.

(06-18-2020 04:24 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(06-18-2020 03:05 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  Posted a thread on it over there. ...

If that's not the end of it, could it be continued in the conference realignment post? It's more of a fantasy conference realignment topic than the actual very real issue of saving MAC soccer's autobid.

Pardon the interruption.

Yes I do agree the MAC should try to scoop up Howard as a member. Not the ideal situation for Howard but better than toughing it out with the SBC.

The MEAC is on the verge of collapse and Howard is one of the best schools left. There’s a good possibility that they get snapped up by a conference that sponsors soccer.

I did a quick google search over the weekend for DI independents in Men's soccer and came up empty! An independent joining MAC for soccer only to get to 6 teams etc. would seem like the easiest path...maybe as others have said on here- we have a year.

(06-22-2020 07:15 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MEAC is on the verge of collapse and Howard is one of the best schools left. There’s a good possibility that they get snapped up by a conference that sponsors soccer.

Well, at the very least the MEAC is on the verge of being on the verge of collapse. If it does, it would not shock me if Howard ended up in the Colonial, which would bring CAA men's soccer up to 10 schools.

But the MEAC might not collapse ... SI-Edwardsville doesn't leave until after this season, and the MAC has until the summer of 2023 before the grace period runs out, and by that time the MEAC's future may be less obscure.

Meanwhile it seems that App State's decision to discontinue soccer if effective this season, so the SBC will only have until the summer of 2022 before its grace period runs out.

___________________
BuckeyeFlyerFlash: yeah, not a lot of soccer independents, more a case of affiliates ... football conferences in both FBS and FCS tend to be patchy in terms of which schools have men's soccer ... so, for example, FCS Southland doesn't sponsor soccer, so Central Arkansas plays their soccer in the Sunbelt and Houston Baptist and Incarnate Word play in the WAC.

Indeed, if Houston Baptist and Incarnate Word joined Central Arkansas in the Sunbelt, and Howard, knock wood the MEAC survives, joined the MAC, that would solve both autobids.

It wouldn't even threaten the WAC's autobid, since they will have seven core members play soccer when Dixie State joins and as Chicago State restarts their soccer to get back into compliance after dropping baseball, and they also have three MWC schools as affiliates, Air Force, San Jose State and UNLV.

Raiding the Summit of Eastern Illinois (an affiliate because the OVC does not sponsor soccer) does not seem like the kind of move the MAC would take, since it would put the Summit at 5.

Note that the MEAC has not (yet) collapsed. But it might still ... even if the MAC had Howard as a Plan A, they might want to be looking around for a Plan B, just in case.

WAC soccer has plenty of schools, including the MWC soccer schools and two Southland affiliates ... so now with Chicago State starting soccer to remain in compliance with Division 1 rules after dropping baseball, the MAC might ask Chicago State and the WAC is they mind Chicago State playing as an affiliate in the MAC ... just in case the MEAC collapses and Howard ends up moving to an Eastern conference that sponsors soccer.

Between what are likely to be two bottom of the table RPI schools, one would prefer Howard for the superior academic reputation, but an autobid is an autobid, and at least Chicago State lies inside the existing footprint.

No rush, of course, there's 350+ days until July 1, 2021.

I think for soccer, two smaller mid-major conferences could join together and create a soccer only league, with two divisions. Either the Horizon or MVC would fit the bill; or heck, have all three join together. They would be competitive programs, and with divisions they could close the travel footprint up until playoffs.

(06-22-2020 07:15 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MEAC is on the verge of collapse and Howard is one of the best schools left. There’s a good possibility that they get snapped up by a conference that sponsors soccer.

Howard will be joining the Northeast Conference in six sports, including men's soccer.

https://hbcugameday.com/2020/07/06/six-h...e-members/

Have not seen it posted, so will post the old reason. CUSA voted in a by-law requiring football. Charlotte and St. Louis were taken in by the A10. When Charlotte, man, they hate being called Charlotte, the 49ers started football, CUSA took them in with a pathway to FBS.

If the Big East is going to raid the A10 again, hope they pick SLU over Dayton or any one else as VCU.

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Have not seen it posted, so will post the old reason. CUSA voted in a by-law requiring football. Charlotte and St. Louis were taken in by the A10. When Charlotte, man, they hate being called Charlotte, the 49ers started football, CUSA took them in with a pathway to FBS.

If the Big East is going to raid the A10 again, hope they pick SLU over Dayton or any one else as VCU.

I don't see the Big East poaching Dayton as long as Xavier is in the conference.

(07-06-2020 03:11 PM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(06-22-2020 07:15 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MEAC is on the verge of collapse and Howard is one of the best schools left. There’s a good possibility that they get snapped up by a conference that sponsors soccer.

Howard will be joining the Northeast Conference in six sports, including men's soccer.

https://hbcugameday.com/2020/07/06/six-h...e-members/

OK, time for the MAC to get on the phone to Chicago and for the Sunbelt to ask Central Arkansas if they can put in a good word with their fellow Southland soccer schools.

(07-06-2020 04:37 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  Have not seen it posted, so will post the old reason. CUSA voted in a by-law requiring football. Charlotte and St. Louis were taken in by the A10. When Charlotte, man, they hate being called Charlotte, the 49ers started football, CUSA took them in with a pathway to FBS.

If the Big East is going to raid the A10 again, hope they pick SLU over Dayton or any one else as VCU.

VCU what people keep forgetting is they are in a conference with cross-town Richmond and 90 minutes away have George Mason/George Washington. The A10 fits them like a glove.

A10 is a pretty good fit for Dayton too. They aren't too big of an outlier to be in an East Coast conference and its a competitive stage without breaking the piggy bank like the AAC on salaries and travel.

St. Louis if anyone has the desirable market to add into the BE or AAC and helps the geography. BE though looks set at 11 with UConn and a 20 game schedule.

The MAC has 4 soccer schools and WVU

The SBC has 3 soccer schools

The Southland has 3 soccer schools

Two of those conferences and the 3rd is going to get left out.

(07-07-2020 06:44 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC has 4 soccer schools and WVU

The SBC has 3 soccer schools

The Southland has 3 soccer schools

Two of those conferences and the 3rd is going to get left out.

No way should the MAC be left out.
Especially when you have a team like Akron, which was the NCAA Champion in 2010, been to the Championship game 1986, 2009, 2018. Been in the quarter finals 1967, 1986, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018 and in the sweet 16 1967, 1986, 1995, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018.

Far right side.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akron_Zips_men%27s_soccer

(07-07-2020 06:44 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC has 4 soccer schools and WVU

The SBC has 3 soccer schools

The Southland has 3 soccer schools

Two of those conferences and the 3rd is going to get left out.

OVC has 3 soccer schools ... SIU-Edwardsville, moving next year from the MAC to the MVC, Eastern Illinois presently in the Summit, and Belmont, presently in the SoCon.

And of course, the WAC has 7 all-sports members that will play men's soccer once Chicago State starts soccer, plus the three MWC soccer schools, plus two of the three Southland schools ... 12 teams in the conference altogether.

They might look at the expense of flying to Chicago to play Chicago State as something they might well be willing to give up. Chicago State certainly would prefer being able to take a bus to a majority of their conference soccer games, as opposed to ZERO in the WAC.

And by the same token, starting from Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Akron, and WVU is a lot less travel than Western Illinois, Denver, Kansas City, Oral Roberts (Tulsa) and Omaha.

(07-08-2020 07:52 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-07-2020 06:44 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC has 4 soccer schools and WVU

The SBC has 3 soccer schools

The Southland has 3 soccer schools

Two of those conferences and the 3rd is going to get left out.

OVC has 3 soccer schools ... SIU-Edwardsville, moving next year from the MAC to the MVC, Eastern Illinois presently in the Horizon, and Belmont, presently in the SoCon.

EIU is in the Summit League not the Horizon League.

They would seem to be the most poachable option for the MAC.

The SoCon may absorb the SBC in soccer.

(07-10-2020 03:08 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(07-08-2020 07:52 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-07-2020 06:44 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC has 4 soccer schools and WVU

The SBC has 3 soccer schools

The Southland has 3 soccer schools

Two of those conferences and the 3rd is going to get left out.

OVC has 3 soccer schools ... SIU-Edwardsville, moving next year from the MAC to the MVC, Eastern Illinois presently in the Horizon, and Belmont, presently in the SoCon.

EIU is in the Summit League not the Horizon League.

They would seem to be the most poachable option for the MAC.

Yes, the western one of the "random name" conferences, not the eastern one. IIRC, the Summit is already in trouble with their multi-sport status, in baseball, and getting poached of Eastern Illinois would put them below six in soccer.

Quote: The SoCon may absorb the SBC in soccer.

As a random speculation, I think the SBC giving the rest of the Southland schools an escape from the Island Of Misfit Toys is more likely.

(07-10-2020 07:37 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  IIRC, the Summit is already in trouble with their multi-sport status, in baseball, and getting poached of Eastern Illinois would put them below six in soccer.

It was announced that Northern Colorado will move from WAC baseball to Summit baseball, bringing them back up to six. And I I forgot St. Thomas, which assuming that move goes ahead, will bring them up to seven in soccer and baseball.

So if a move of Eastern Illinois to the MAC is timed with the arrival of St. Thomas in the Summit, that seems like a move that is good all around.

(07-14-2020 08:15 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  So if a move of Eastern Illinois to the MAC is timed with the arrival of St. Thomas in the Summit, that seems like a move that is good all around.

And St. Thomas' waiver has been approved, they start playing in the Summit in 2021. So the same time that the MAC will be one school short, the Summit will have 7 schools, with Eastern Illinois an outlier in terms of Summit travel and sitting inside of the MAC footprint.

{Knock wood} hopefully the phones are ringing already and something will be announced shortly.