(04-27-2024 11:55 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I don't see anyone paying a $2 million exit fee to leave the SoCon (a rule they both voted for). The SoCon actually has a decent media delay with multiple partners and a sell out of a basketball conference tourney. One that is an hour outside JC (ETSU) and a few hours from Chatty. Plus WCU and ETSU aee in each other's backyard and have a good rivalry going. I say them leaving is 0%

I can't see it either. I would like to see the SoCon expand, but they seem content with the number of teams they have.

(04-27-2024 03:22 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-27-2024 11:55 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  I don't see anyone paying a $2 million exit fee to leave the SoCon (a rule they both voted for). The SoCon actually has a decent media delay with multiple partners and a sell out of a basketball conference tourney. One that is an hour outside JC (ETSU) and a few hours from Chatty. Plus WCU and ETSU aee in each other's backyard and have a good rivalry going. I say them leaving is 0%

I can't see it either. I would like to see the SoCon expand, but they seem content with the number of teams they have.

That is part of the issue from what I have read. The big schools want to expand and the privates do not.

Rumor is that IF SFA leaves--ACU goes with them. JUST A RUMOR.--but plausible.

(04-27-2024 11:05 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 01:50 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 11:23 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-25-2024 10:57 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(04-25-2024 07:27 PM)andybible1995 Wrote:  What's the latest on Charleston Southern and Gardner Webb?

Who knows...

Unlike the WAC, the ASUN actually has options.

Refer to Matt Brown for an option...

West Florida and possibly Valdosta State from D2. And they fit they ASUN perfectly.

And we know what ETSUs AD said in a very recent interview. Them and Chattanooga are not happy at all in the SoCon at the moment. What other conferences would those two look at? OVC? Not without EKU, APSU and JSU. The ASUN has two of them now and UNA and West Georgia coming, that makes more sense.

EKU isn't going back to the OVC. It's FBS or bust for them going forward. Austin Peay could head back to the OVC, but it remains to be seen.

I didn't say they would... (EKU)

I was meaning that since the OVC no longer has those schools, they wouldn't want to join that conference.

Where as the ASUN has APSU, EKU, Lipscomb, Bellarmine, UNA and now West Georgia for very easy regional trips for those schools.

And contrary to popular belief on message boards, I was told by people associated with both ETSU and Mercer that the reason they left the ASUN was because of no real option for football. At the time it was be an associate in another conference. Even Jay and Keith have hinted at that. Now the ASUN has a solid football solution beit UAC or having it as an ASUN sport. The ASUN holds the AQ.

So now that there is a solution, (not saying it will happen) but it wouldn't surprise me a bit to see a deal made to offset the SoCon exit fee to get them in the ASUN if they are truly not happy with the way things are going in the SoCon.

I can't see Chattanooga, ETSU or Mercer joining the ASUN. The whole point of ETSU and Mercer joining the SoCon was so that they could play football in that conference. I can understand them not being happy with the SoCon in terms of not wanting to expand. But other than that, it seems like it wouldn't make any sense. I'm still trying to figure out why Austin Peay left the OVC for the ASUN, aside from wanting to follow EKU and Jax State.

Nobody said Mercer would leave...

(04-28-2024 09:17 AM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(04-27-2024 11:05 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 01:50 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(04-26-2024 11:23 AM)andybible1995 Wrote:  

(04-25-2024 10:57 PM)lion1983 Wrote:  Who knows...

Unlike the WAC, the ASUN actually has options.

Refer to Matt Brown for an option...

West Florida and possibly Valdosta State from D2. And they fit they ASUN perfectly.

And we know what ETSUs AD said in a very recent interview. Them and Chattanooga are not happy at all in the SoCon at the moment. What other conferences would those two look at? OVC? Not without EKU, APSU and JSU. The ASUN has two of them now and UNA and West Georgia coming, that makes more sense.

EKU isn't going back to the OVC. It's FBS or bust for them going forward. Austin Peay could head back to the OVC, but it remains to be seen.

I didn't say they would... (EKU)

I was meaning that since the OVC no longer has those schools, they wouldn't want to join that conference.

Where as the ASUN has APSU, EKU, Lipscomb, Bellarmine, UNA and now West Georgia for very easy regional trips for those schools.

And contrary to popular belief on message boards, I was told by people associated with both ETSU and Mercer that the reason they left the ASUN was because of no real option for football. At the time it was be an associate in another conference. Even Jay and Keith have hinted at that. Now the ASUN has a solid football solution beit UAC or having it as an ASUN sport. The ASUN holds the AQ.

So now that there is a solution, (not saying it will happen) but it wouldn't surprise me a bit to see a deal made to offset the SoCon exit fee to get them in the ASUN if they are truly not happy with the way things are going in the SoCon.

I can't see Chattanooga, ETSU or Mercer joining the ASUN. The whole point of ETSU and Mercer joining the SoCon was so that they could play football in that conference. I can understand them not being happy with the SoCon in terms of not wanting to expand. But other than that, it seems like it wouldn't make any sense. I'm still trying to figure out why Austin Peay left the OVC for the ASUN, aside from wanting to follow EKU and Jax State.

Nobody said Mercer would leave...

I only included Mercer because they left the ASUN at the same time ETSU left and for the same reason. You are right saying that nobody expects Mercer to leave. I don't see it either. They're with the rest of the privates that don't want to expand the conference. Outside of Chattanooga and ETSU possibly leaving, I could also see UNC-Greensboro and Western Carolina leave. ETSU's other main rival after Chattanooga is Western Carolina, so it's possible.