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Post by unalions on Mar 14, 2024 16:11:30 GMT -6
Sounds like there's trouble brewing in the SoCon.
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Post by brandon on Mar 14, 2024 22:37:55 GMT -6
Jay and Keith have been saying it for a while now.
That's one reason Chattanooga was talking to the ASUN when EKU, UCA and jsu joined. Austin Peay jumped on the opportunity that Chattanooga left for them.
Kevin says there is no way a school leaves the SoCon, because of tradition, and money... "The exit fee is too much." "Why would they leave the tradition of the SoCon?"
Well, why did EKU and Austin Peay leave the traditions they had in the OVC? Because it no longer lined up with their institutions.
Jay and Keith both said before, the only reason that ETSU and Mercer left the ASUN was because of not having a viable solution for football at the time. The reason they (re)joined the SoCon was because of traditions that they had in the past. Well, as they are finding out, those traditions don't exist anymore, they left with Marshal, App St, and Georgia Southern.
The Socons problem is they let the private schools and Military Academies run the show.
Where as in the ASUN, at least it seems, both public and private are on the same page.
Now, an easy way to offset the SoCons exit fees is to waive the ASUNs entrance fees. And that could come with a contract of those two schools paying more in exit fees for the ASUN and having to remain in the ASUN for a specified amount of time minimum.
The ASUN now has a football solution.
The ASUN/UAC has their geography, with regional rivalries built in, with also having a more national conference presence.
Media seems to be more with the ASUN these days, if you look at non traditional media.
Those two schools and especially Chattanooga would garner way more interest from other fan bases in the ASUN because of proximity to, UNA, Lipscomb, West Georgia, and even EKU and Bellarmine.
Now we can throw in Western Carolina, (more purple) if those two come, you know they are at least on their heels. That puts ASUN uneven. (cough) West Florida.
Anyway, I'm a firm believer that history will repeat itself if you let it... good or bad.
The OVC decided to reject two D2 schools several years ago. We all know what happened.
Later that same year, when UNA was dejected after the events that unfolded, the SoCon made a statement that they would not take a transitioning school, and made it very clear that they was better than that. Peaple I know said it was the Private schools that made that decision (along with the Citadel)
So it seems history may be repeated.
"Nobody would leave the OVC to join the ASUN."
"Chattanooga and ETSU are happy in the SoCon."
Well... it may not happen, but it sure does get brought up a lot. And (as a former firefighter of 20 years) I understand, where there is smoke, there is fire.
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Post by brandon on Mar 19, 2024 7:25:56 GMT -6
So Steve(ekusteve) pointed out to me that Matt Brown tweeted about the ASUN looking at a D2 non football school and said not to be surprised if a couple of CAA schools jump to the ASUN...
First off, I don't want to hurt my head trying to think of a non football D2 school. (Of we can get a couple of CAA schools, why go for a non football D2 school?)
Anyway, what are the CAA options?
I'm going to say that the newest CAA members from the Big South is off the table. The old CAA is the upset crowd.
Richmond has been public about it. But they are CAA in football only. So I don't know.
William and Mary have been vocal, personally I would love them to join, but all you hear from peaple about them is Patriot League. That's an academic reason and I understand. But athletically, the ASUN is stronger.
Elon not as vocal, but I have seen them lumped into the upset group. Wouldn't be a bad addition to the ASUN.
To fill in a gap the ASUN needs, and a part of the old group we come to Charleston. Been hearing for a couple years now that they are not happy in the CAA and want the A-10. But does the A-10 want to go to Charleston? Could a combination of Charleston and another CAA school make the ASUN better than a 1 bid conference?
That's my 3 top potential CAA defectors. But I will throw in a dark horse.
Towson... just a dark horse.
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Post by unalions on Mar 19, 2024 13:46:04 GMT -6
Some online seem to think the non-football school is Tampa. I have a feeling it will be LMU.
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Post by roaringsince96 on Mar 19, 2024 17:07:42 GMT -6
Florida State and Clemson are looking to leave the ACC? I think we would fare well in the first quarter…..and the home games would likely be sold out for all events. Brandon see if you can make that happen….
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Post by brandon on Mar 19, 2024 17:42:32 GMT -6
Florida State and Clemson are looking to leave the ACC? I think we would fare well in the first quarter…..and the home games would likely be sold out for all events. Brandon see if you can make that happen…. Lol... I think we'd do better than you think...
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Post by unafied on Mar 20, 2024 8:00:45 GMT -6
Not sure why I'm even saying this since it won't happen, but this is what I'd like to see.
The CAA is way too big, both in numbers and geography. So the southern private schools - Charleston, Campbell, Elon, and William & Mary all join the SoCon. Maybe Richmond shifts their football to the SoCon if they allow a football-only member. Or maybe they make the switch in all sports, too. But I doubt they'd leave the A-10.
As the SoCon is now almost all privates (I'm lumping VMI and Citadel in with them), the trio of Chattanooga, Western Carolina, and ETSU all make the move to the ASUN/UAC. Regardless of any other moves, this makes the ASUN a really good, tight geographic conference that can sponsor football on its own.
Finally, a perfect world would probably have NCA&T and Hampton make up with the MEAC and return to help solidify that conference. That probably won't happen, though. With the CAA at 9 after the private school departures, let's say they convince UNC-Greensboro to move away from the almost all-private SoCon and join their rival (I guess?) in UNC-Wilmington. That leaves the CAA with 10 for all sports and 12 in football (or 11 if Richmond were to join the SoCon). They can certainly make that work. Maybe even call up a Big South non-football school or 2 if they really want to.
But yeah. It all makes too much sense, so it won't happen.
I do wonder if the CAA the ASUN could lure might be NCA&T and Hampton, since they are public schools. With James Madison and Delaware gone, unless they want to go back to the MEAC, it seems the ASUN football schools would be better for them to play.
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Post by ekusteve on Mar 20, 2024 8:36:57 GMT -6
The issue with the SOCON right now, based on other threads, is what appears to be philosophical differences between their public and private schools.
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Post by brandon on Mar 20, 2024 9:23:25 GMT -6
The issue with the SOCON right now, based on other threads, is what appears to be philosophical differences between their public and private schools. That's what I hope happens more than the CAA thing. I would rather the ASUN gets Chattanooga, ETSU, and Western Carolina with their Non football public (can't remember what UNC school it is) and let the CAA schools go to the SoCon. The ASUN could keep the UAC deal or have a stand alone football conference if need be. But my OCD wants the map to be right and get South Carolina so I also want Charleston...lol
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Post by ekusteve on Mar 20, 2024 19:14:26 GMT -6
All of a sudden on the CSN BBS Realignment area the thread Who Will The CAA Add surfaced back to the top. Early in that thread Matt Brown drops the bomb. "They have targeted Merrimack, High Point and Fairfield, but that pool could widen because the CAA could lose several more schools over the next four months." This was November 27th.
It has now resurfaced discussing Matt's comment about the ASUN maybe pulling some CAA schools and one poster stating that Matt must have made a mistake and that it must be the CAA looking at ASUN schools.
Also interesting in that thread is the lack of an ESPN type TV deal for the CAA.
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Post by brandon on Mar 20, 2024 20:32:46 GMT -6
All of a sudden on the CSN BBS Realignment area the thread Who Will The CAA Add surfaced back to the top. Early in that thread Matt Brown drops the bomb. "They have targeted Merrimack, High Point and Fairfield, but that pool could widen because the CAA could lose several more schools over the next four months." This was November 27th. It has now resurfaced discussing Matt's comment about the ASUN maybe pulling some CAA schools and one poster stating that Matt must have made a mistake and that it must be the CAA looking at ASUN schools. Also interesting in that thread is the lack of an ESPN type TV deal for the CAA. I bet it's the same people that said the ASUN couldn't get current D1 schools before EKU, UCA, JSU and APSU joined... everyone is holding on to the success of other conferences 30+ years ago... even the A-10 is taking hits when UMass went to a 1 bid MAC... I get the feeling that ETSU, Chattanooga and Western Carolina are going to be kicking themselves in the next year or two.
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Post by brandon on Mar 20, 2024 21:04:24 GMT -6
As far as the CSNBBS board goes, most of them only look at geography...
Geography is only a fraction of what officials at Universities look at these days. Marketing and branding across the country in a saturated market takes president.
They have their names out in the northeast... they can now work the southeast.
It's Whatever to me, like I said, i would rather have the public SoCon schools join, but this may give the ASUN more credibility in the grand scheme of things...
But who knows if this will even happen.
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Post by ekusteve on Mar 20, 2024 21:06:53 GMT -6
UTRGV announced they are leaving the WAC for the Southland. Per Pete Thamel tweet.
UTRGV now saying they have nothing definitive to report.
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Post by unalions on Apr 11, 2024 19:36:25 GMT -6
I’d like to think that this is a sign UWF will transition to D1 and maybe the ASUN soon.
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Post by brandon on Apr 11, 2024 21:09:22 GMT -6
I’d like to think that this is a sign UWF will transition to D1 and maybe the ASUN soon. I think I posted about a new stadium renovation and maybe more. I think it's about to happen.
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