Re: What's the next realignment domino to fall?
Posted: December 20th, 2016, 4:12 pm
SubGod22 wrote:
MSU and the Belt could happen, but there would need to be one more and most likely from the east. Is there a desirable option to make the eastern schools happy? If not, MSU would have a hard time getting in. I could see UNI and ISUr potentially in the MAC, but that's two more mouths to feed and some believe if the MAC expands it'll be in the east. I'm not sure it's that simple though. But there are some NE type schools that have been rumored to be interested in moving up. I believe Stony Brook is making efforts to improve facilities and set themselves up and I recently heard that Delaware has a new president that may be interested. That would give the MAC options on where to go, but there's still the numbers game.
Maybe the next CFP deal changes things and expansion becomes more reasonable for these conferences. As it is, many of these schools rely on every penny they can get from the CFP deal and are unlikely to be open to sharing with the way things are now. If there's movement in the P5 then who knows what opens up, but that appears to be quiet for the next few years. A lot can change between now and then.
The eastern schools that are wanting to move, may move, are:
James Madison: supposedly they'll turn anything that isn't CUSA or AAC down. They told the Sun Belt no and apparently wanted the MAC to cave to a long list of demands.
Liberty: a billion dollars from their diploma mill online religious programs, gorgeous facilities, and no where to go. Turns out being founded by a far right win religious nut job, and continuing on with his traditions, doesn't sit well with public institutions looking to add to their conferences. It's why a program like Coastal Carolina gets a call for the Sun Belt and Liberty wasn't talked about.
Delaware: Interesting here. The old president, AD and football coach were all a massive drag. UD used to average 22-25K for football games, have 15K plus season tickets, etc... That was completely killed by the last set of people in charge. The new guys? They seem like they want to move. They just stole a great football coach from an in conference rival while he was still coaching in the playoffs. UD would be an interesting one to watch for CUSA or the MAC.
Stony Brook: I don't know where you heard that one. I know they've made improvements but they are still bottom half of the FCS for facilities and support.
Eastern Kentucky: I don't know how they sit financially, but they REALLY want to move and have been making moves to make themselves attractive
Outside of those 5 there isn't at on of FCS schools out east looking to move. You put those 5 with Northern Iowa, Youngstown State, Illinois State, Missouri State and maybe the two xDSU's and that's about it for teams that could, and would, move FBS currently sitting in the FCS