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Post by Admin on Jun 1, 2020 15:17:27 GMT -5
Just months after losing North Carolina A&T, the MEAC is one Board of Trustees’ decision away from losing another of its top programs.
Florida A&M’s Board of Trustees is expected to vote on a new plan that would swing the school from the MEAC to the SWAC, according to a presentation from AD Kortne Gosha. The BOT will hear from a special committee on athletics on Wednesday, June 3.
If approved at the meeting, FAMU would give the MEAC a year’s notice and enter the SWAC in July 2021, the same month that A&T is set to join the Big South.
Travel is a big concern.
FAMU stated that a benchmarking study from 2020 determined that it would be better off in the SWAC than the MEAC.
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Post by wcu72 on Jun 1, 2020 20:00:27 GMT -5
If this happens, I think the Big South may pick up one or two more MEAC teams. The MECA is in big trouble.
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Post by lion1983 on Jun 1, 2020 20:44:42 GMT -5
North Alabama fan here...
I have been hearing this was going to happen for a while now.
It's just the first of a series of movements that are about to happen.
This is part of the reason the ASUN split is about to happen. The ASUN will split and form the UAC (United Athletic Conference) and it will be 8 FCS public schools in a tight geographic footprint.
North Alabama and Kennesaw State are the 2 leaving the ASUN. It will take place in 2023.
The other 6 are highly speculated at this time, but general consensus says that the main 4 is North Alabama and Kennesaw State (of course) Jacksonville State and Chattanooga.
Have been told that if Chattanooga goes, so does ETSU and Western Carolina.
That's 6 of the 8.
What do yall think?
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Post by The Cats on Jun 2, 2020 6:21:41 GMT -5
Welcome to the board lion1983. Here's my opinion about the UAC, with a $1 million dollar exit fee to leave the SoCon (that's with a 1 year notice), I really don't see ANY SoCon departures in the immediate future. The SoCon is the 5th oldest athletic conference in the US, and has the oldest basketball tournament in the NCAA. The SoCon gave birth to both the ACC and SEC, so there's a lot of rich history. I don't see Chatt, ETSU or WCU departing for a lateral move, start-up conference. A move up to FBS could be in the future for either ETSU or Chatty, but not a lateral move. Good Luck with your move up to Division I and to the Big South. With the addition of UNA and NC A&T, the Big South can become a very good football conference. I don't know why you'd want to leave the BS for a startup either. Anyone wannting to read more about the ASUN & the UAC should visit the UNA board, they have a long thread about both. unapride.proboards.com/thread/1224/asun-expanding-folding-changing-names |
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Post by lion1983 on Jun 2, 2020 8:54:17 GMT -5
I think if it was to happen, the UAC/ASUN would not have a fee to join, and possibly help on any exit fees.
I dont know any details on the SoCons rules, but I would think, the more advanced the notice the less the penalty.
Yall know more about the SoCon than I do.
But this is a conversation I had with a Chattanooga official over the Memorial Day holiday. He was visiting Florence to see some family. He approached me because I was wearing a UNA cap.
His quotes only to keep it shortened.
"The SoCon ain't the same SoCon as it used to be, and it will never be again."
"It makes no sense that Chattanooga,KSU, JSU and UNA are not in the same conference, it makes less sense that they are in 3 separate conferences."
"The SoCon has been catering to 2 private schools, and one military school, if any of the public schools especially want to go a certain way, they shoot it down. It's what they want, or nothing."
So apparently it's not all good in the SoCon... at least for Chattanooga.
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Post by wcu72 on Jun 2, 2020 9:50:57 GMT -5
His quotes only to keep it shortened. "The SoCon ain't the same SoCon as it used to be, and it will never be again." "It makes no sense that Chattanooga,KSU, JSU and UNA are not in the same conference, it makes less sense that they are in 3 separate conferences." "The SoCon has been catering to 2 private schools, and one military school, if any of the public schools especially want to go a certain way, they shoot it down. It's what they want, or nothing." So apparently it's not all good in the SoCon... at least for Chattanooga. It's not all good in ANY conference. Every fan has his own opinion, just like you, just joined the Big South and already set to leave. Chattanooga is welcome to leave anytime they get ready. That million dollars will spend well, and we have lots of schools in line to join the SoCon, we can be selective. No, the SoCon is not the same conference it was when ASU and GSU departed football-wise, but we've more than made up for that with basketball. Good luck to UNA where ever you guys end up. |
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Post by lion1983 on Jun 2, 2020 22:45:10 GMT -5
His quotes only to keep it shortened. "The SoCon ain't the same SoCon as it used to be, and it will never be again." "It makes no sense that Chattanooga,KSU, JSU and UNA are not in the same conference, it makes less sense that they are in 3 separate conferences." "The SoCon has been catering to 2 private schools, and one military school, if any of the public schools especially want to go a certain way, they shoot it down. It's what they want, or nothing." So apparently it's not all good in the SoCon... at least for Chattanooga. It's not all good in ANY conference. Every fan has his own opinion, just like you, just joined the Big South and already set to leave. Chattanooga is welcome to leave anytime they get ready. That million dollars will spend well, and we have lots of schools in line to join the SoCon, we can be selective. No, the SoCon is not the same conference it was when ASU and GSU departed football-wise, but we've more than made up for that with basketball. Good luck to UNA where ever you guys end up. We are only in the Big South for football. The ASUN has been good to us. Just thought the conversation would turn some interesting talk. The UAC deal is a plan that has come public. Just trying to get a realistic bearing on who else other that UNA and KSU would be in it. |
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Post by The Cats on Jun 3, 2020 6:13:09 GMT -5
I certainly can't speak for any other school, but Western could not afford the buyout even if it wanted to leave the SoCon. However, I think the university and most fans are happy with the status quo. Out problem is that we don't have a rival in the SoCon since the departure of Appy State. I don't see that changing with moving to another conference.
I too think that the BC could become a pretty good conference with the addition of UNA, NC A&T. The current problem with the Big South and the ASUN has been a lack of stability, in the past, both leagues have been willing to take in any school that was willing to join, they are the Sun Belt of FCS.
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Post by The Cats on Jun 3, 2020 20:12:49 GMT -5
Florida A&M’s departure from the MEAC to the SWAC is one step closer to being official. The FAMU Board of Trustees agreed to push forward a plan to move the school’s athletic conference affiliation from one HBCU conference to another on Wednesday afternoon. The change is up for a full vote on Thursday. FAMU would remain in the MEAC for the upcoming academic year and then move over to the SWAC prior to the start of the 2021-2022 academic year. It would have to pay a $250k fee if it meets all MEAC requirements for the move, a fee which could increase to $500k if it doesn’t meet the MEAC requirements. hbcugameday.com/2020/06/03/famu-bot-moves-with-caution-and-excitement-toward-swac-move/ |
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