Time to move past that other thread... we're all excited!

Pete Thamel shared on Twitter, "The WAC is expected to add two more schools in the coming months. There’s a mix of DII and current FCS institutions being vetted by commissioner Jeff Hurd. The long-term goal of the league is to elevate the WAC back to FBS football later this decade."

Which schools do you think will be in the mix?

Augustana is the only known Division II that has expressed an interest to moving up to Division I publicly, but they do not seem to be a geographic fit and a football only option is not ideal, even for a school outside of the footprint especially if they have not been able to cling to a conference.

Northern Arizona apparently has some major leadership changes afoot or recently speaking so they are off the table for the time being.

Weber State & Northern Colorado seem to be happy where they are at present time.

The Texas A&M system has a few options on the table including A&M-Commerce and West Texas A&M. John Sharp (who heads the system) also wants to merge Kingsville & Corpus Christi campuses. Kingsville plays football.

If the intent is to be FBS in the next decade, it's going to be important to hone in on football schools and particularly those who have the resources to take these steps to the next level.

Matt Brown is saying Augustana is currently being vetted. I don’t really want to speculate on which FCS teams could join that haven’t been mentioned every day for the last 3 months on all the other threads.

(01-06-2021 10:57 AM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  Matt Brown is saying Augustana is currently being vetted. I don’t really want to speculate on which FCS teams could join that haven’t been mentioned every day for the last 3 months on all the other threads.

LOL!

I think the 'next steps' will happen pretty quickly as there's going to be institutions that need to get the Division I transition process into high gear. Jeff Hurd will certainly be put on the spot at the press conference next week at NRG Stadium about the future of the league by the media (presumably) which should open some eyes on future institutions, current situations (hey Chicago State!) and potentially some sport sponsorship issues.

I have reported multiple times that WT has been targeted. I just don't see the Alumni support for that move though.

Other people have talked about TAMU-C and Midwestern State. I have a hard time believing Midwestern State has the $$ backing to pull that kind of move off. Although I believe I saw that they are planning on building a new, on campus stadium. TAMU-C to me is a non factor in this discussion. I could be wrong, but what is the draw... the possible future Dallas market?

I wonder if a school like Idaho wants back in the WAC?

My money is on either WTAMU or UTRGV. Both are part of university systems that have the money to make it happen and both already have football stadiums.

WTAMU fits nicely into the geographic footprint the WAC is trying to develop. They have good facilities and a recent history of basketball success.

UTRGV’s football feasibility study came down on the side of FBS football. If hat’s the goal here with a projected time line by the end of the decade it would seem to provide an inventive for them to make the commitment.

(01-06-2021 11:25 AM)OscarWildeCat Wrote:  My money is on either WTAMU or UTRGV. Both are part of university systems that have the money to make it happen and both already have football stadiums.

WTAMU fits nicely into the geographic footprint the WAC is trying to develop. They have good facilities and a recent history of basketball success.

UTRGV’s football feasibility study came down on the side of FBS football. If hat’s the goal here with a projected time line by the end of the decade it would seem to provide an inventive for them to make the commitment.

Didn't Thamel say 2 new schools joining the WAC? I mean UTRGV could add football too but they aren't a new school to the WAC.

Can we slow our roll on Thamel? Any of the other info could be inaccurate (FBS, 2 new schools, etc.). Can we assume the TX4/SUU and just leave it at that for now? Plus why do we have a new expansion thread? We don't need another one when we already have one.

A 7 team football conference leaves each team with 5 out of conferences games to schedule each year to complete an 11 game schedule. While we don’t want to engage in endless speculation it seems logical to assume the WAC will actively engage in efforts to add football playing schools between now and the projected 2022 launch of the new conference.

See ya Chicago St! They are making an announcement of leaving before the 14th of Jan....

Beaumont-based journalist Ashly Elam shared, "Expect an announcement on Chicago State leaving before the 14th is also circulating."

https://twitter.com/AshlyElamSports/stat...0822720519

Who is Pete Thanks, and why should I listen to him?

Meanwhile, ANOTHER new thread on realignment??!

(01-06-2021 12:06 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  Beaumont-based journalist Ashly Elam shared, "Expect an announcement on Chicago State leaving before the 14th is also circulating."

https://twitter.com/AshlyElamSports/stat...0822720519

Congrats Lopes... you're the source!

(01-06-2021 12:08 PM)Todor Wrote:  Who is Pete Thanks, and why should I listen to him?

Meanwhile, ANOTHER new thread on realignment??!

He's a vetted college football and college basketball journalist with real contacts unlike the WAC blog that ppl here want to use as gospel....

(01-06-2021 12:12 PM)wisdomgymrat Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 12:06 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  Beaumont-based journalist Ashly Elam shared, "Expect an announcement on Chicago State leaving before the 14th is also circulating."

https://twitter.com/AshlyElamSports/stat...0822720519

Congrats Lopes... you're the source!

I mean I did know that they were telling their newest wbb commit from the Seattle area that they were looking to dip the WAC potentially and that was a handful of week ago.

I hope Chicago State is taking their talents to D2 or 3

(01-06-2021 12:12 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 12:08 PM)Todor Wrote:  Who is Pete Thanks, and why should I listen to him?

Meanwhile, ANOTHER new thread on realignment??!

He's a vetted college football and college basketball journalist with real contacts unlike the WAC blog that ppl here want to use as gospel....

Well, it was the blog guy (he’s not a WAC blog guy fwiw) who broke the news about Southern Utah and later about the Texas4 while the “vetted” journalist was on the sidelines. Brown has a 100% track record here. The journalists “real” sources haven’t done him much good till now.

Crimson, can you lock this thread and point folks back to the other? I thought the rule was one realignment thread.

(01-06-2021 12:20 PM)OscarWildeCat Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 12:12 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  

(01-06-2021 12:08 PM)Todor Wrote:  Who is Pete Thanks, and why should I listen to him?

Meanwhile, ANOTHER new thread on realignment??!

He's a vetted college football and college basketball journalist with real contacts unlike the WAC blog that ppl here want to use as gospel....

Well, it was the blog guy (he’s not a WAC blog guy fwiw) who broke the news about Southern Utah and later about the Texas4 while the “vetted” journalist was on the sidelines. Brown has a 100% track record here. The journalists “real” sources haven’t done him much good till now.

I know Brown like him, have worked with him and he is solid. Im strictly talking about the WAC blog guy. National sports media guys have known but they won't waste time on small potatoes until its time to mash them.

(01-06-2021 12:06 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  Beaumont-based journalist Ashly Elam shared, "Expect an announcement on Chicago State leaving before the 14th is also circulating."

https://twitter.com/AshlyElamSports/stat...0822720519

Where are the links or articles for ChiSt leaving? I don't see anything "circulating".