Conference Realignment (Part 1)

Definitely wouldn’t want to downgrade for the sake of creating a regional conference but there are some simple changes that could be made to the sunbelt & conference USA that would create two more regional conferences without giving up a lot when it comes to competition. Not likely but if you could attract a couple of AAC teams to join you would have a really solid G5 conference. I know I’m dreaming but it would definitely boost my interest.

When we were in C-USA 1.0 we loved to play, and beat, Cincy, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis and St. Louis. None of them would probably be in a regional league. It was great because we were good and relevant. I do not object to being in a geographically compact league, but winning is the goal. Proximity might be icing on the cake.

Yes, the AAC is much better than CUSA.

Hill should get us into the SEC! Why not dream big?

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The conference setup in CUSA 1.0 was still a more regional conference than where CUSA 2.0 is today.

That’s my point. Regardless of how things shake out from a regional standpoint…there will be stronger and weaker conferences that overlap to some extent. I still expect us to be able to position ourselves to be in a strong regional conference instead of a weak regional conference…but regional none-the-less.

Regional doesn’t necessarily have to mean all NC/SC schools…it just means more compact than travelling half way across the country half the time like most every conference does today.

clt says we are the next logical choice for the SEC

Beg to differ concerning geographical footprint of C-USA 1.0/1.1 and today’s C-USA 3.0/3.1.

The original set-up included schools from Midwestern (Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin) and Southern (Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas) states.

The current set-up is entirely within the South (the aforementioned states + schools in Virginia and West Virginia).

That said, I agree that a more compact regional would be preferable to the far flung boundaries of present day C-USA.

Yes I’m sure our invitation is in the mail. Those match ups with Alabama on the gridiron will be instant classics. Or did you mean Securities & Exchange Commission?

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/get-know-charlotte-espn-writer-suggests-fbs-newbie-sec-expands/

clt says this is before we hired the #2 guy from a sec school

Charlotte as always been an aspirational place I don’t see long-term contentment in any conference especially a small time regional conference.

Agreed.

Currently, there are teams in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Mississippi, and Kentucky.

When we left CUSA 1.0, there were teams in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, and New York.

So the overlapping states are Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, and Kentucky. CUSA 2.0 trades West Virginia and Virginia for Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and New York.

The problem with CUSA 2.0 isn’t that geography is significantly worse, it’s our success and the relative brand of the teams against which we competed. We’re a major part of the problem, though. With our current track record, how can we complain about any conference?

I agree, once (if) we get good and the conference is holding us back, I’ll feel like we have a right to complain about the CUSA.

But right now we’re major anchors on the conference RPI for basketball and are a free win in football. The conference would honestly probably be better off without us (in our current state).

Couple of future additions to the California-centric Big West Conference - Cal State Bakersfield (currently in the WAC) and UC San Diego (currently D-II). Both will join effective July 1, 2020.

FWIW, UCSD has an enrollment of 36,000+ students.

Per Jon Rothstein, future addition to the Northeast Conference as private Merrimack College (North Andover, MA) will become a full member on July 1, 2023. Warriors currently D-II with the exceptions of men’s and women’s hockey, which already compete at the D-I level in the Hockey East.

No representative of the Northeast Conference was won a game in the NCAA Tournament since it expanded to the 64 team format in 1985, except 16 vs 16 play-in games. The Northeast Conference did not win a game prior to 1985.

SWAC, MEAC, Atlantic Sun, and Big South representatives have each won games in the NCAA Tournament. The NEC is unique.

Merrimack’s most famous alumnus is Carl Yastrzemski.

FV, thanks for the info on the NEC and newest member Merrimack! Seems the Boston-area school shares some history with UNC Charlotte. Like our predecessor CCUNC, founded in mid-1940s to serve the higher education needs of returning World War II veterans.

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Just leaving this here. http://conferenceusa.com/news/2018/9/12/general-c-usa-to-relocate-hq-to-cypress-waters.aspx

So, we’re STILL in a Texas conference? Am I missing something?

I think we’re all missing being in a conference that’s worth a crap!

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