Conference realignment's next steps: What I'm hearing about the American, Sun Belt and more in the Group of 5
Breaking down potential scenarios and candidates for more college football conference realignment in the wake of the Big 12's moves.
theathletic.com
Won't post the entire article because it is behind a paywall, but here are the Marshall nuggets:
Who are the potential candidates for the AAC?
Marshall: The Thundering Herd have football history, winning at both the FCS and FBS level. The budget is in the low 30s, but Marshall’s football attendance is near the top of this group. Geography could be a factor, as it’s also not quite a southern state, where the league has been shifting.Will the Sun Belt expand?
A merger or swap with Conference USA won’t happen. A number of athletic directors are open to the concept of redrawing the Group of 5 map, essentially, but know their primary role is to help their own school. That means trying to get into the Big 12 or AAC. There would also be political squabbles to get past, like Louisiana Tech and ULM.If App State and/or Louisiana goes to the AAC, the Sun Belt would have to grow. Either way, who are the options? Some C-USA school sources are open to the Sun Belt if they don’t reach the AAC, but others aren’t. Charlotte, Southern Miss and Marshall are inside or close to the Sun Belt’s footprint. Liberty’s been passed up before. Have circumstances changed?
How is Conference USA viewed?
C-USA doesn’t have a lot to offer other G5 schools at the moment. Members are frustrated with the media rights situation, with games on anything from CBS Sports Network to Stadium, all while TV payouts to members plummeted. One year with the NFL Network didn’t amount to much. Schools want to make their games easier to watch in the next media rights negotiation, even if it’s for a bit less money. At this point, the TV money isn’t all that impactful.James Madison could be an option if the AAC passes. The travel isn’t ideal, but linking back up with Old Dominion would help both programs. Liberty also fits in that footprint for the eastern part of the league, but C-USA has turned down the Flames before.
Some C-USA sources scoff at the idea of the Sun Belt looking down at C-USA. But the reality is Sun Belt schools aren’t looking to jump there right now.
