(06-24-2022 03:09 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  The question you should be asking, Wedge and DoubleR, is how long will it take before Seattle, GCU and Cal Baptist start looking for an exit in earnest?

Nowhere to go buddy.

(06-24-2022 03:08 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Three years. Just before the new CFP contract goes into effect

Educate me on this one, not sure I know what you mean.

Am I missing something?

Wasn't the schools that left for the WAC trying to get away from Incarnate Word anyway?

Maybe they got pushed back to the Southland?

Just a small thought.

So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

No apologies necessary - not everyone is perfect! You're still our second best insider in realignment after DavidSt.

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

We know Tarleton wants C-USA. And GCU?

(06-24-2022 12:27 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 11:19 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Will the Southland try to recruit more WAC Texas schools?

The Southland had and presumably continues to reach out to WAC schools in Texas.

The list as it stands of potential schools to poach: Abilene Christian, Stephen F Austin, Tarleton State, Texas-Arlington and UTRGV

Tarleton and UTRGV were turned down by Southland previously; ACU, SFA and Arlington are former members.

Numbers are probably a factor.

WAC with Lamar, UIW and McNeese was going to be at 14. SLC was going to be at 8.

It makes more sense for the WAC to be at 11 and Southland at 10.

WAC from here should try to target NAU then the Cal Poly schools to get that FB going. Metro St, CU-Colorado Springs might make for a good pairing.

(06-24-2022 03:42 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 12:27 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 11:19 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Will the Southland try to recruit more WAC Texas schools?

The Southland had and presumably continues to reach out to WAC schools in Texas.

The list as it stands of potential schools to poach: Abilene Christian, Stephen F Austin, Tarleton State, Texas-Arlington and UTRGV

Tarleton and UTRGV were turned down by Southland previously; ACU, SFA and Arlington are former members.

Numbers are probably a factor.

WAC with Lamar, UIW and McNeese was going to be at 14. SLC was going to be at 8.

It makes more sense for the WAC to be at 11 and Southland at 10.

WAC from here should try to target NAU then the Cal Poly schools to get that FB going. Metro St, CU-Colorado Springs might make for a good pairing.

Anyone proposing NAU should first ask themselves:

Why would NAU want to leave a stable conference of their peers that they have been in for more than 50 years for an unstable conference with almost no peers?

The WAC needs a Texas area school (an Oklahoma or Louisiana school could work). They don't need football, but they do need basketball and preferably plays baseball and has men's tennis. This way they can have 6 western and 6 Texas region schools with division heavy schedules. UTRGV going football in '25 and the alliance with the ASUN for now should cover the football automatic berth issue.

(06-24-2022 03:10 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:09 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  The question you should be asking, Wedge and DoubleR, is how long will it take before Seattle, GCU and Cal Baptist start looking for an exit in earnest?

Nowhere to go buddy.

Exactly. That's the difference here. Those three schools have nowhere better to go -- they are in the WAC only because they have not been invited to any other western D-I conference. The WACers in Texas, on the other hand, have at least the Southland and possibly other "D-I but not FBS" options that they could reasonably pursue.

(06-24-2022 03:13 PM)Lionfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:08 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Three years. Just before the new CFP contract goes into effect

Educate me on this one, not sure I know what you mean.

IIRC, at least one of these "random Texans" as I like to call them had visions of moving up to FBS in the WAC. The current CFP contract expires after the 2025 season and it's obvious the WAC won't get a golden ticket anytime soon.

The remaining WAC Texans can say they're staying the course til the cows come home. But three of their peers have either bolted or reneged on them in the span of a year. By 2025, they could want out too. This thing feels like a house of cards.

(06-24-2022 04:02 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:13 PM)Lionfan Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:08 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Three years. Just before the new CFP contract goes into effect

Educate me on this one, not sure I know what you mean.

IIRC, at least one of these "random Texans" as I like to call them had visions of moving up to FBS in the WAC. The current CFP contract expires after the 2025 season and it's obvious the WAC won't get a golden ticket anytime soon.

The remaining WAC Texans can say they're staying the course til the cows come home. But three of their peers have either bolted or reneged on them in the span of a year. By 2025, they could want out too. This thing feels like a house of cards.

I told everyone that. The WAC is no more stable now than it has been. Flakes gonna flake…

(06-24-2022 03:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

We know Tarleton wants C-USA. And GCU?

Grand Canyon may be hoping to join the WCC when BYU leaves.

Wedge,

Good point on GCU's hopes. An obvious thing to watch.

As for JDGaucho's observation about UTRGV joining football in time for the next CFP, well that is looking more and more likely to be irrelevant. It's increasingly likely the P5 are going to set up their own CFP without the NCAA and therefore without NCAA distributions for conferences not part of the tournament ownership group. We have strong indicators from the SEC and on this issue their ally the Pac-12 wanting to go in this direction. (Once that happens it's a matter of months before much the same happens in basketball.) The financial incentive of getting to the big money trough for playing FBS or even FCS football will be removed. The same may happen in basketball too by 2025 or 2026. Schools are going to have to recalibrate their budgets accordingly.

(06-24-2022 04:07 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

We know Tarleton wants C-USA. And GCU?

Grand Canyon may be hoping to join the WCC when BYU leaves.

But so are Seattle and CBU. For Matt to single out GCU hints there might be more infant noise in WCC circles about them than the other two right now. Or maybe he's hearing GCU and a conference we wouldn't expect.

(06-24-2022 03:45 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:42 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 12:27 PM)TexasTerror Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 11:19 AM)solohawks Wrote:  Will the Southland try to recruit more WAC Texas schools?

The Southland had and presumably continues to reach out to WAC schools in Texas.

The list as it stands of potential schools to poach: Abilene Christian, Stephen F Austin, Tarleton State, Texas-Arlington and UTRGV

Tarleton and UTRGV were turned down by Southland previously; ACU, SFA and Arlington are former members.

Numbers are probably a factor.

WAC with Lamar, UIW and McNeese was going to be at 14. SLC was going to be at 8.

It makes more sense for the WAC to be at 11 and Southland at 10.

WAC from here should try to target NAU then the Cal Poly schools to get that FB going. Metro St, CU-Colorado Springs might make for a good pairing.

Anyone proposing NAU should first ask themselves:

Why would NAU want to leave a stable conference of their peers that they have been in for more than 50 years for an unstable conference with almost no peers?

NAU is now a travel partner with UNC.

(06-24-2022 04:07 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

We know Tarleton wants C-USA. And GCU?

Grand Canyon may be hoping to join the WCC when BYU leaves.

I would think Seattle would be much more likely.

From the American Press article: “We are a gas-tank league,” Grant has said. “We want our fans and families of our athletes to be able to go and watch their teams and kids plays and get home on one tank of gas.”

UIW to Nicholls St - 512 miles - about 8 hour drive
Commerce to UNO - 470 miles - over 7 hour drive
TAMUCC to UNO - 565 miles - over 8 hour drive
HBU to SELA - 326 miles - about 5 hour drive

In what kind of vehicles can you drive 5+ hours on 1 tank of gas?

(06-24-2022 04:59 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 04:07 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:39 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(06-24-2022 03:24 PM)MattBrownEP Wrote:  So here's what I know so far.

Last week, while I was at the NIL Summit in ATL, I called senior leaders at the WAC, Southland, and in the college sports industry, who all told me that they expected UIW to join the WAC. UIW had been participating in WAC meetings for several weeks. The intel at Southland HQ was that UIW was leaving. That wasn't speculation, that was from about as direct a source as you can get.

Then I flew home and promptly got COVID lol, and was completely out of the picture for several days. During that stretch, I believe on the 20th, I got a text from a high level admin at a completely different Southland school, who told me the conference was making one last final push to try and keep UIW. I should have shared that, but I didn't, because I didn't get a second confirmation, and I was too sick to do any real reporting on it. I assumed, incorrectly, that we were too far in July to UIW to pull another about face.

I don't know what happened on Monday or Tuesday to make them change their minds. I've reached out to UIW with an interview request. But I can tell you, the final decision to make this move happened *then*.

So it's a huge get for the Southland. It's not something that I think brings existential peril to the WAC yet, but given that the two schools in the biggest leadership roles could potentially exit the league in the next two years (GCU and TSU), there are real reasons to be concerned.

The ADs at both SFA and ACU have told me, directly and pointedly, that they want to remain in the WAC, and I believe them. If a bunch of other schools left, well, maybe that changes things.

Not perfect by any means! When I know more about what went down and what's going on next, I'll share it. That's all I know as of now.

We know Tarleton wants C-USA. And GCU?

Grand Canyon may be hoping to join the WCC when BYU leaves.

I would think Seattle would be much more likely.

There’s no reason for the WCC to add Seattle. Except for charity.

Seattle makes sense institutionally but GCU is the better athletic program. I never thought the WCC would entertain working with BYU but they have for a decade so maybe the WCC holds their nose and admits the Lopes.