C-USA Commissioner Banowsky wants to do away with smaller conferences!
College football re-alignment have triggered to the Sun
Belt Conference once again. On this past week Middle Tennessee and Florida
Atlantic have accepted invitation to join Conference USA.
Conference USA lost two more teams to the Big East in
Tulane and East Carolina. And this is no
joke but reality. My question in all this is, what is the Sun Belt Conference
doing to do to survive and fight back, or will they doing anything?
Times are telling that Conference USA is not so green and
bright itself with all the deflections within the past year, when nearly six of
its schools have deflected to the Big East and more may follow. I would like to
know what is it that the Sun Belt schools see in C-USA that’s so bright besides
a better name with problems of its own and maybe $1 million dollars more in TV
revenue. Now C-USA commissioner says
that more expansion is not out of the question, we all know that they want to
reach that 16 team member conference. However Commissioner Banowsky keeps
robbing smaller conferences for a reason just like he did the WAC, and why is
that? Because Banowshy doesn’t want the WAC and Sun Belt Conference to exist, it’s
just that simple. He wants the TV markets and the teams for a super conference
and a better non-AQ status. He knows that he don’t have what it takes at this
moment with the current team, and the teams he added just not of that caliber
either to help boost C-USA. Banowshy is just a “wimp” to keep robbing other
conferences for their teams because their own teams don’t desire to be with
them any longer.
Word is also that Western Kentucky may follow suit, but
their TV market may hold them back.
Commissioner Karl Benson said that he desire for the Sun
Belt Conference to be bright and a step above C-USA. I would like to know how we
are going to get there and when a blue print to get there will be
released. Will Commissioner Karl Benson
address this matter this week beginning tomorrow as mention to a local radio
show and newspaper? SBC Commissioner said on this past Thursday that he and the
conference will begin addressing conference re-alignment and expansion
beginning early as Monday.
In order for the Sun Belt Conference to survive all this shuffling
and deflections of members, the SBC will need to do the following whether they
like it or not, and if not they will see the SBC headed down the same old road
as the Western Atlantic Conference. It’s real and we got to accept it as it is.
1.
SBC needs to added at least (4) new programs at
a minimum, to create a conference championship and also to prevent falling
below 10 programs. With MTSU and FAU out we are down to four. The fans of the
SBC want a Championship game and will also help boos this conference and the
fan base.
2.
SBC needs to address and negotiate better TV
contracts and expand the TV contracts to more networks, such as DirectTV,
Comcast, Media Com and FX networks. Our programs want more exposure and more
revenue as well. Our members would like
more national televise games.
3.
SBC has to be willing to give back a little more
to our members, and to help boost our conference.
4.
SBC needs to impose a exit fee beside just exit penalties.
I can’t believe we don’t have an exit fee. Just come and leave as you please.
May the SBC conference your play ground. SHAME!
5.
Negotiate more Bowl tie-ins to guarantee our
teams to reach a post season bowl game.
There are some potential candidates to bring into the Sun
Belt Conference immediately and the Sun Belt Conference and its board should
hold a special conference meeting to discuss extending a conference invitation
to the following schools. These schools may be waiting for an invitation and be
willing to join the conference as soon as possible, Georgia Southern, New
Mexico State, Lamar, UT-Chattanooga, and Liberty. However Appalachian State
made it known they are ready, but the question is will they now get invited to
Conference USA or will the Sun Belt Conference beat C-USA and invite the Mountaineers.
Lamar will give Texas State a new in-state rival and
partner in football well as basketball along with UTA. Don’t forget about
Western Kentucky if they stick around a bit longer that they will be losing
their rival in Middle Tennessee, so UT-Chattanooga will be a great replacement
in Tennessee. Adding UT-Chattanooga will not only be a great add for Western
Kentucky but to balance a possible eastern division in the Sun Belt Conference.
Georgia State is coming in to the Conference next year and Georgia Southern
will be a great addition for Georgia State in the State of Georgia. Appalachian
State will also be a great addition and also will create rivalries with Georgia
State, Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky. Would the Sun Belt Conference desire to keep a
presence in Florida, if so Florida A&M is there and have the facilities to
move up, but money may be a program for them.
Why wouldn’t the Sun Belt Conference seek to add Southern
Miss and UTEP? When all dominoes have fallen and there is nothing but a few
left below the margin, what would happen?
When all is said and done, it is better that the Sun Belt
Conference act now than later. Sitting back and watching it unfold is not the brightest
idea. If the Sun Belt Conference would like to stay a step ahead of Conference
USA they will need to go out and recruit and extend that hand that they
continue to hold together and show love to those who wants to be loved. So all
programs can begin to build and continue the great work the Sun Belt has
started.
