(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

Murray State would introduce a new state (Kentucky) to the MVC. Now UT-Arlington would too but they'd a geographical sore thumb. The UW schools could be a decent fit if the MVC wanted to expand to a new state/market, add a public school, and keep the conference a "bus" league. UIC would too but they'd be doubling up in the Chicago market.

(09-24-2021 04:27 PM)PicksUp Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

That worked out so well for the CUSA and might turn out just as well for the AAC.

I agree. The MVC isn’t getting credit simply for existing in a market. They need schools with strong support that will sign up for ESPN+ and tune into games. UT-Arlington is in a crowded market with little fan support. The main argument for them would be DFW-area recruiting access.

If past metrics still hold, they will invite a 12th school that will have to be a public university, with basketball prowess a major factor.

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

(09-24-2021 01:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 01:33 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 12:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 12:26 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 11:35 AM)TexasTerror Wrote:  What happened in the OVC?

As a Southland fan, we know that the league became something that was no longer desirable from the perspective of UCA and the Texas schools; the disparities were growing whether financially or based on commitment.

What is it in the OVC?

Not sure - but it is getting picked off one by one. I thought it is was a really nice tight BB/FB league that had success.

Here is an opinion piece from a Peay fan last year.

https://www.mainstreetclarksville.com/op...f804a.html

Add to that the blocking of NKU and UNA from joining.

And then Belmont and Murray are likely leaving after trying to please them.

Who objected to UNA and NKU?

Not fully sure as the votes are not made public. In the article on NKU the info was there were schools that thought NKU had too many advantages with facilities and location that they would upset the competitive balance. Not sure about UNA. Rumor was TN schools but that was pre-Belmont. So who really knows.

The NKU stuff doesn’t pass the smell test at all - the old “We’re not adding them because they’d be too good!” line of thinking doesn’t happen in Division I. The more logical answer is that NKU would much rather be in the Horizon League (where they make total sense as an institutional fit).

(09-24-2021 04:38 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

Certainly possible - it’s quite plausible that the MVC would finally add Murray State. It’s just that there has been a distinct contingent of the MVC that, for whatever reason, has pushed back on Murray State over many years. It’s a smaller scale version of the relationship between the ACC and West Virginia: for whatever reason, the supposed “logical fit” doesn’t ever seem that logical to the university presidents.

(09-24-2021 04:48 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:38 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

Certainly possible - it’s quite plausible that the MVC would finally add Murray State. It’s just that there has been a distinct contingent of the MVC that, for whatever reason, has pushed back on Murray State over many years. It’s a smaller scale version of the relationship between the ACC and West Virginia: for whatever reason, the supposed “logical fit” doesn’t ever seem that logical to the university presidents.

If I'm Northern Kentucky I'm pushing to get the #12 spot instead of Murray

They would give the MVC some eastern exposure in the Cincy market and would compliment Belmont well

If Belmont is, indeed, MVC bound (and Matt Brown is typically spot-on with his reporting), I would like to see — from a selfish perspective — the league add Murray State. The BU vs. MSU rivalry is fairly strong (in part because the universities and their respective men's hoops programs are very different). Murray is a legitimate all-time top 75 men's basketball program and its football is very solid, with a 454–389–36 record (.537) all time. The Southern Illinois/Evansville/Murray/Belmont rivalry could grow quickly due, in part, to the four schools being located with fairly close proximity to one another.

I simply see Belmont men's hoops staying as strong as possible after a league change if Murray is part of that change. Maybe I'm being a bit OCD.

(09-24-2021 04:57 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  If Belmont is, indeed, MVC bound (and Matt Brown is typically spot-on with his reporting), I would like to see — from a selfish perspective — the league add Murray State. The BU vs. MSU rivalry is fairly strong (in part because the universities and their respective men's hoops programs are very different). Murray is a legitimate all-time top 75 men's basketball program and its football is very solid, with a 454–389–36 record (.537) all time. The Southern Illinois/Evansville/Murray/Belmont rivalry could grow quickly due, in part, to the four schools being located with fairly close proximity to one another.

I simply see Belmont men's hoops staying as strong as possible after a league change if Murray is part of that change. Maybe I'm being a bit OCD.

Most MVC fans want Murray to come along with. It has long been understood that Murray would get their chance to be in the valley once Belmont was willing to join, well now it has happened so lets see. I have a feeling Murray gets the invite and they just have to hash out the MVFC details. I think the Dakota schools owe us one for letting UND in so i am not too worried about that. We shall see, would not be stunned if Murray didnt get in, unfortunately.

(09-24-2021 04:53 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:48 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:38 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

Certainly possible - it’s quite plausible that the MVC would finally add Murray State. It’s just that there has been a distinct contingent of the MVC that, for whatever reason, has pushed back on Murray State over many years. It’s a smaller scale version of the relationship between the ACC and West Virginia: for whatever reason, the supposed “logical fit” doesn’t ever seem that logical to the university presidents.

If I'm Northern Kentucky I'm pushing to get the #12 spot instead of Murray

They would give the MVC some eastern exposure in the Cincy market and would compliment Belmont well

Oh - NKU looking at the MVC is a good call. If the MVC had been looking at schools like UT-Arlington, I could totally see NKU being on the radar with their location in the Cincinnati market

(09-24-2021 05:12 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:53 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:48 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:38 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

Certainly possible - it’s quite plausible that the MVC would finally add Murray State. It’s just that there has been a distinct contingent of the MVC that, for whatever reason, has pushed back on Murray State over many years. It’s a smaller scale version of the relationship between the ACC and West Virginia: for whatever reason, the supposed “logical fit” doesn’t ever seem that logical to the university presidents.

If I'm Northern Kentucky I'm pushing to get the #12 spot instead of Murray

They would give the MVC some eastern exposure in the Cincy market and would compliment Belmont well

Oh - NKU looking at the MVC is a good call. If the MVC had been looking at schools like UT-Arlington, I could totally see NKU being on the radar with their location in the Cincinnati market

Would the MVC consider doubling up in Chicago with UIC?

If they were going to double up Chicago would be the market to do it in

(09-24-2021 05:11 PM)mvcfan76 Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:57 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  If Belmont is, indeed, MVC bound (and Matt Brown is typically spot-on with his reporting), I would like to see — from a selfish perspective — the league add Murray State. The BU vs. MSU rivalry is fairly strong (in part because the universities and their respective men's hoops programs are very different). Murray is a legitimate all-time top 75 men's basketball program and its football is very solid, with a 454–389–36 record (.537) all time. The Southern Illinois/Evansville/Murray/Belmont rivalry could grow quickly due, in part, to the four schools being located with fairly close proximity to one another.

I simply see Belmont men's hoops staying as strong as possible after a league change if Murray is part of that change. Maybe I'm being a bit OCD.

Most MVC fans want Murray to come along with. It has long been understood that Murray would get their chance to be in the valley once Belmont was willing to join, well now it has happened so lets see. I have a feeling Murray gets the invite and they just have to hash out the MVFC details. I think the Dakota schools owe us one for letting UND in so i am not too worried about that. We shall see, would not be stunned if Murray didnt get in, unfortunately.

We'll likely know in the next 10 to 15 days (if that).

(09-24-2021 04:43 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 01:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 01:33 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 12:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 12:26 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  Not sure - but it is getting picked off one by one. I thought it is was a really nice tight BB/FB league that had success.

Here is an opinion piece from a Peay fan last year.

https://www.mainstreetclarksville.com/op...f804a.html

Add to that the blocking of NKU and UNA from joining.

And then Belmont and Murray are likely leaving after trying to please them.

Who objected to UNA and NKU?

Not fully sure as the votes are not made public. In the article on NKU the info was there were schools that thought NKU had too many advantages with facilities and location that they would upset the competitive balance. Not sure about UNA. Rumor was TN schools but that was pre-Belmont. So who really knows.

The NKU stuff doesn’t pass the smell test at all - the old “We’re not adding them because they’d be too good!” line of thinking doesn’t happen in Division I. The more logical answer is that NKU would much rather be in the Horizon League (where they make total sense as an institutional fit).

Here is the article I got it from, Frank.

https://www.thenortherner.com/news/2011/...rence-bid/

Also, this was in 2011. They joined the Horizon in 2015.

(09-24-2021 05:58 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:43 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 01:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 01:33 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 12:44 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Here is an opinion piece from a Peay fan last year.

https://www.mainstreetclarksville.com/op...f804a.html

Add to that the blocking of NKU and UNA from joining.

And then Belmont and Murray are likely leaving after trying to please them.

Who objected to UNA and NKU?

Not fully sure as the votes are not made public. In the article on NKU the info was there were schools that thought NKU had too many advantages with facilities and location that they would upset the competitive balance. Not sure about UNA. Rumor was TN schools but that was pre-Belmont. So who really knows.

The NKU stuff doesn’t pass the smell test at all - the old “We’re not adding them because they’d be too good!” line of thinking doesn’t happen in Division I. The more logical answer is that NKU would much rather be in the Horizon League (where they make total sense as an institutional fit).

Here is the article I got it from, Frank.

https://www.thenortherner.com/news/2011/...rence-bid/

Also, this was in 2011. They joined the Horizon in 2015.

You are correct. I remember it being widely reported/talked about it when it went down.

They added Belmont the next year to get to 12 instead so really no net change

(09-24-2021 04:48 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:38 PM)Cruhawk Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 04:18 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 03:00 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Matt seems plugged in to the OVC crisis.

I don't think Murray State is anywhere on realignment, except they just threw their hat in the ring. They recently had a President and AD come in, and I think they were going through the initial getting settled period when all this broke.

I am not surprised by APSU's departure. They sided with EKU and Jax State on playing during Covid-19 lock downs of 2020. Murray State was more conservative and aligned with the rest of the OVC in favor of caution and postponement of the season until Spring. It's a similar to the split between the Texas four and UCA with the rest of the SLC. It showed a different valuation of football versus health and safety.

Belmont's move is the first post football philosophical move. But it is still a philosophically based move, coming from a reassessment of the value of the OVC, related to their basketball record of 26-4 and not even being considered for the NCAA tournament as an at-large, nor even an NIT invite in that reduced field.

So far in all cases the moves out of the OVC relate directly to the values of the school's athletic departments. Murray State's declaration of interest in other conferences (clearly the MVC, but perhaps also the ASUN) seems to be more a case of 'boy has this neighborhood gone downhill.' For the other schools it's damned close to hit the eject button and land any freaking where except here time. We may actually see a couple of bottom feeder conferences snag a member or two if the commissioner cannot regain control and very soon. If WIU is having doubts and holding back, that could be fatal.

I tend to agree with you here.

Every time that we see MVC expansion come up, so many fans reflexively bring up Murray State. However, it goes back to thinking like a university president: the MVC needs more markets and Murray State simply doesn't have one. I'm not shocked that they'd be looking at UT-Arlington (directly in the Dallas market) or some of the urban Horizon League schools (e.g. UIC, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay). Belmont fits right into that strategy as a Nashville-based school.

Murray State to the MVC is similar to whenever I see someone suggest Southern Mississippi to the AAC: a lot of fans are overrating the on-the-field/performance aspect and underrating the off-the-field market/institutional fits aspect of conference realignment.

True, but I do think a basketball power like Murray State within the conference's geographic footprint and them being a public school (to help even out public/private split) will warrant them being seriously considered. Supposedly they were considered at the same time Valparaiso was invited as well.

As for the markets aspect of it: UT-Arlington to MVC seems to have dried up in recent months per Matt Brown (take that for what you will). And as C-USA learned the hard way in the last round of realignment, market size alone does not automatically garner attention/eyeballs.

Certainly possible - it’s quite plausible that the MVC would finally add Murray State. It’s just that there has been a distinct contingent of the MVC that, for whatever reason, has pushed back on Murray State over many years. It’s a smaller scale version of the relationship between the ACC and West Virginia: for whatever reason, the supposed “logical fit” doesn’t ever seem that logical to the university presidents.

The pushback against WVU is obvious, the pushback vs Murray State is less clear.

Would something like this be possible

NKU to the MVC
Murray State to the Horizon
Murray State Football remains in the OVC

This would create a win win win for everyone

(09-24-2021 06:38 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Would something like this be possible

NKU to the MVC
Murray State to the Horizon
Murray State Football remains in the OVC

This would create a win win win for everyone

How is that a win for Murray?

(09-24-2021 06:46 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 06:38 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Would something like this be possible

NKU to the MVC
Murray State to the Horizon
Murray State Football remains in the OVC

This would create a win win win for everyone

How is that a win for Murray?

They are out of the OVC into a stable conference that focuses more on basketball

Not best case scenario for them but better than staying in the OVC without Belmont

(09-24-2021 06:53 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 06:46 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(09-24-2021 06:38 PM)solohawks Wrote:  Would something like this be possible

NKU to the MVC
Murray State to the Horizon
Murray State Football remains in the OVC

This would create a win win win for everyone

How is that a win for Murray?

They are out of the OVC into a stable conference that focuses more on basketball

Not best case scenario for them but better than staying in the OVC without Belmont

With much greater travel, no permanent home for football (what happens if the OVC loses more members?) and the thought of being sloppy seconds to a relative newcomer from the same state.

Total loss for Murray