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Post by brandon on Jan 31, 2020 9:45:32 GMT -6
UAC will be a multi sport conference, but all members will play football. Bellarmine will be in the ASUN. I didn't mean to sound like the UAC would be 7, it will start with 8. All 8 football schools. UNA, KSU + 6 more. The 7 is for conferences to have AQ spots in any NCAA tournament. In the video he put out, he cleared it up, at first, it sounded like Liberty, UNA and Bellarmine would all be in the UAC, in fact, it would just be UNA and KSU. I dont know who the ASUN will get to make a 12 team conference, but I would imagine they will look to the North East to give NJIT, Liberty and Bellarmine closer conference mates. Probably a few good D2 schools with a D1 school or 2. I'm not worried about that, I'm concerned about who will be in the UAC... I know it was originally mentioned as the ASUN having two divisions for basketball, even with divisions only one auto bid. I don’t think that North Alabama or any of the other playing football schools would vote to be in a conference where there would only be 14 conference games for basketball if it could be avoided. He also mentioned that the Conferences (plural) could have an alliance in sports in needed. The alliances would be for sports that one conference offered that the other didn't. There would also be a scheduling agreement that would be for both conference schools if the need for additional OOC games were needed, the other conference would get priority. The 8 member UAC would more than likely be to start with. As it unfolds, they would probably move to 10 schools ultimately.
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Post by brandon on Feb 1, 2020 16:41:58 GMT -6
Got to thinking, IF the UAC does happen the way it seems. As tight as the geography would be, could Huntsville be the HQ?
I would have tournaments in Huntsville as well.
Basketball could be at the VBCC
Baseball could be at the new Trash Panda stadium.
Softball? Dont know where that would be.
Huntsville could probably be pretty Central...
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Post by brandon on Feb 5, 2020 18:48:04 GMT -6
Some questions finally answered in an EMAIL from Ted Gumbart...
Me:"Why did this UAC project come to be? Was it UNA and KSU wanting a better fit or other schools seeing a need?"
Ted Gumbart: "Yes. We got together with UNA and KSU after the realization that Presbyterian was moving football out of the Big South and asked what the best scenario would be for both institutions. They both said a conference more in line with their schools, both geographically and same types of schools. So we reached out to a list of schools provided by both UNA and KSU. Not surprisingly, they basically had the same list, and all schools on the list wanted to explore this option."
Me: "Ultimately, what do you want to accomplish with the UAC?"
Gumbart: "Well, as I mentioned, FCS in the south is a no brainer, but to be what it should be, you shouldn't have similar schools in the same geographic footprint spread over 3-4 conferences. That makes for a weak football conference. Of you can pull the schools together, you should have a dominant conference. Our pitch to them was, these schools need to play each other every year. They agreed."
Me: "What about basketball, or the strength of basketball?
Gumbart: "Well, that's hard to say from year to year. Some are traditionally good basketball programs, a few are not, and a couple can be. The good thing is, there will be 8 schools, so with an AQ spot, someone is going to the NCAA tournament. That money will be split 8 ways. That's a lot better than 10 or 12 ways. But there could be a situation where 2 or 3 could get in. In that case, you have a wealthy conference. With only 8 schools, it should be a relatively strong conference in all sports."
Me: "Last question, where would the HQ be, and where would tournaments be playedm"
Gumbart: "HQ would be housed in Atlanta with the ASUN at first. As the conference gets older, it may change. As far as tournaments go, you know how the ASUN does it, being held on campuses, that would be up to the schools in the UAC to vote on. The geographic area may be conducive to neutral site tournaments, or they may want campus tournaments. That's an issue to be resolved when the conference starts."
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Post by unalions on Feb 5, 2020 19:08:06 GMT -6
Thanks for that update!
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Post by unafied on Feb 5, 2020 19:18:08 GMT -6
If Gumbart can pull this off, we might end up in a VERY good position here. I just hope that other schools around the south are truly interested in doing this. It’s one thing to “show interest”, but another to actually go through with it.
He’s got me cautiously optimistic.
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Post by pigskin95 on Feb 6, 2020 12:20:15 GMT -6
North Carolina A&T reportedly planning to join Big South
North Carolina A&T — a program that experienced notable success in the MEAC — is expected to announce that it is leaving the conference, according to published reports.
The Greensboro News & Record reported Thursday that N.C. A&T will join the Big South in 2021.
N.C. A&T was one of the founding members of the MEAC when the conference formed in 1971.
The move is pending approval of A&T’s board of trustees, which meets Friday morning. If that approval happens, A&T plans to hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Friday to formally announce the change of leagues, the News & Record reported.
The newspaper reported that only the school’s bowling team will remain in the MEAC.
If North Carolina A&T agrees to move forward to relocate to the Big South, it will join Hampton as the only other HBCU member in the conference.
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Post by unafied on Feb 7, 2020 7:40:45 GMT -6
I guess the NCA&T news makes me wonder, how much inside info does the ASUN have? I'm sure in some circles it was known that NCA&T was about to pull the trigger on this. Supposedly other schools in the MEAC are unhappy with the current leadership there.
If you want to get crazy, imagine a scenario where Bethune-Cookman drops sports (they're in serious financial trouble), Florida A&M joins us in the UAC, and the Big South takes North Carolina Central and South Carolina State. That puts the BSC at 13 teams, but in this world we see Campbell move to the SoCon after they lose one to the UAC. Big South would have 12 teams but still only 6 with football. If Monmouth continues their football association, they could survive with that. What happens to the rest of the MEAC though, all schools clustered around Washington DC? I actually wonder if they could combine with the SWAC into some kind of HBCU super conference. There would be 16 teams. What that would do for us is, open up a spot for the UAC to take the now-defunct MEAC's autobid. Everybody's happy(ish?).
Fortunately, even if the UAC doesn't happen, the Big South is at least becoming a stronger football conference. Unfortunately, I fear it is in position to be clearly above the ASUN when it comes to all other sports.
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Post by northalaspectator on Feb 7, 2020 10:09:56 GMT -6
Back in 2015, before North Alabama got an invite to the ASUN, I posted the following on the D2 Football Site. It’s now looking like 4 or 5 of those schools might be involved in this new Conference
“I would like to see a New Conference made up of Western Carolina, UT-Chattanooga, Kennesaw State, Tennessee State, Jacksonville State, Central Arkansas, Missouri State and possibly one more school. Plus D2 Schools - West Georgia and North Alabama.”
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Post by northalaspectator on Feb 7, 2020 10:21:17 GMT -6
If this UAC goes through North Alabama will not be making basketball conference trips to Florida, New Jersey, or Lynchburg, Virginia. Or to any current MEAC schools.
Most all the new schools in this new conference will be a lot closer for travel purposes.
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Post by unafied on Feb 7, 2020 10:36:55 GMT -6
If this UAC goes through North Alabama will not be making basketball conference trips to Florida, New Jersey, or Lynchburg, Virginia. Or to any current MEAC schools. Most all the new schools in this new conference will be a lot closer for travel purposes. I sure hope you're right. Unfortunately if this falls apart, I know *I* will be disappointed at least.
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Post by brandon on Feb 7, 2020 13:39:41 GMT -6
This is just my opinion in how I translate this.
I'll start from when UNA joined the ASun.
The ASUN and Big South make a partnership to help football in both conferences.
Liberty goes FBS
Big South forced Liberty into an associate only membership. (Something they didnt do with any non football school, or Presbyterian)
USC Upstate joins the Big South
Liberty joins the ASUN
Hampton enters the Big South
UNA has their first season of D1 athletics.
Presbyterian announces they will drop scholarship football and join the Pioneer League for football (still not an associate only member like Liberty was forced to do)
UNA has their second season of D1 athletics.
Bellarmine is added to the ASUN lineup.
ASUN announces that the formation of a new conference (UAC) is being explored.
NCA&T joins the Big South.
At first, I'll admit, after talking to some people at UNA, it seemed as if the Big South may be folding football. They may not.
I'll be the first to admit I felt good about being in the Big South for football, and this has nothing to do with A&T joining, but the more I look at it, the less I like it for UNA and KSU.
The two are outliers geographically.
They are all around different from all other Big South football schools, and non do anything to excite our fans.
The UAC, if done, and done correctly, would provide everything both UNA and KSU could want.
Not even the OVC or SoCon could provide that outside JSU and Chattanooga.
The Southland would be closer to exciting but travel would be brutal.
Combine these facts with the way the Big South handled Liberty (whether you like them or not) I dont want to be associated with them...
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Post by unafied on Feb 7, 2020 14:07:24 GMT -6
The problem is, of course, there are no FCS conferences centered on Alabama or Tennessee, so no matter what conference we are a part of, we are a geographic outlier. It's why the UAC works so well in theory. It would essentially be taking the idea the Big South has of having a bunch of teams in a tight radius, and just moving that to where its centered somewhere farther west.
Just think about starting with UNA, Alabama A&M (despite our recent issues with them), JSU, Chattanooga, and Kennesaw. Maybe invite UWG to finally move up. That's FIVE different conferences (if you include the Gulf South) for six schools no more than 4 hours from each other, and possibly additional conferences depending on who your final two members are. It's ridiculous and frankly quite dumb for us to play Monmouth, JSU to play Eastern Illinois, etc., when there are such better options so close by.
I just hope the $$$ is there to convince everyone to jump on board.
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Post by brandon on Feb 7, 2020 14:51:00 GMT -6
The problem is, of course, there are no FCS conferences centered on Alabama or Tennessee, so no matter what conference we are a part of, we are a geographic outlier. It's why the UAC works so well in theory. It would essentially be taking the idea the Big South has of having a bunch of teams in a tight radius, and just moving that to where its centered somewhere farther west. Just think about starting with UNA, Alabama A&M (despite our recent issues with them), JSU, Chattanooga, and Kennesaw. Maybe invite UWG to finally move up. That's FIVE different conferences (if you include the Gulf South) for six schools no more than 4 hours from each other, and possibly additional conferences depending on who your final two members are. It's ridiculous and frankly quite dumb for us to play Monmouth, JSU to play Eastern Illinois, etc., when there are such better options so close by. I just hope the $$$ is there to convince everyone to jump on board. I agree, but I dont think you necessarily have to pull D2 schools into the equation. In the case of the UAC, you cant. A&M and UNAs issues aside, is A&M ready to leave a HBCU conference for a conference with mixed institutions? Would Alabama State? So with that unknown, I would have to leave them out of the conversation. The obvious 4 schools for the UAC is UNA and KSU of course, and JSU and Chattanooga just because of geographic and rival purposes. Then you have a list of schools, currently in FCS, that can make up the conference without HBCU or D2 schools. I'm not saying HBCU or D2 schools wouldn't join, but its unlikely. A D2 schools may join later, especially a school like West Florida or West Georgia. But I think it would lean more toward West Florida. And if you had to invite one of the two between A&M and State, I would have to go with Alabama State. It may just be my ignorance towards them or lack of attention in this area, but I never hear of any administration problems at ASU like I do A&M. That's a big deal. But I think the perfect set up would be the combination of UNA, JSU, Chattanooga and KSU along with the 4 Louisiana FCS schools for the UAC.
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Post by unafied on Feb 7, 2020 15:54:08 GMT -6
The problem is, of course, there are no FCS conferences centered on Alabama or Tennessee, so no matter what conference we are a part of, we are a geographic outlier. It's why the UAC works so well in theory. It would essentially be taking the idea the Big South has of having a bunch of teams in a tight radius, and just moving that to where its centered somewhere farther west. Just think about starting with UNA, Alabama A&M (despite our recent issues with them), JSU, Chattanooga, and Kennesaw. Maybe invite UWG to finally move up. That's FIVE different conferences (if you include the Gulf South) for six schools no more than 4 hours from each other, and possibly additional conferences depending on who your final two members are. It's ridiculous and frankly quite dumb for us to play Monmouth, JSU to play Eastern Illinois, etc., when there are such better options so close by. I just hope the $$$ is there to convince everyone to jump on board. I agree, but I dont think you necessarily have to pull D2 schools into the equation. In the case of the UAC, you cant. A&M and UNAs issues aside, is A&M ready to leave a HBCU conference for a conference with mixed institutions? Would Alabama State? So with that unknown, I would have to leave them out of the conversation. The obvious 4 schools for the UAC is UNA and KSU of course, and JSU and Chattanooga just because of geographic and rival purposes. Then you have a list of schools, currently in FCS, that can make up the conference without HBCU or D2 schools. I'm not saying HBCU or D2 schools wouldn't join, but its unlikely. A D2 schools may join later, especially a school like West Florida or West Georgia. But I think it would lean more toward West Florida. And if you had to invite one of the two between A&M and State, I would have to go with Alabama State. It may just be my ignorance towards them or lack of attention in this area, but I never hear of any administration problems at ASU like I do A&M. That's a big deal. But I think the perfect set up would be the combination of UNA, JSU, Chattanooga and KSU along with the 4 Louisiana FCS schools for the UAC. I was mostly just using AAMU and UWG to prove my point. I do think with Huntsville growing the way it is, A&M could look at what NCA&T is doing and try to branch out. But they may have no desire to. I won’t pretend to know. As for State, they built a really nice new football stadium a few years back. I suppose there’s always a possibility they would be interested. As for UWG, I do think they want to move up in the next decade, whether it’s the UAC or somewhere else. The 4 Louisiana schools would be fine if we get Chattanooga and JSU. You’d basically have two 4-team divisions that could at least travel together at times. I might prefer having Central Arkansas, but they probably like the Texas recruiting.
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Post by unalions on Feb 8, 2020 13:26:04 GMT -6
All of the hypotheticals exhaust me. LOL.
I hear word that Alabama A&M and Alabama State are on the list of schools being considered for the UAC.
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