So goes the Sun Belt Conference

College football realignment is real and it can have a big impact on college football conferences. In this ever changing business of college football, nothing seems to be so sure and steady. However it is guaranteed to be about the dollars and cents.

I have been covering and following the most recent realignment in college football, and I have watched C-USA peck the hell out of the WAC and the Sun Belt Conference. I have watch the Big East nearly dissolve and lose all of it Catholic 7 basketball teams, and Boise and San Diego State return to the Mountain West after committing to the Big East. Don't forget Big Ten added two programs in Rutgers and Maryland, and the ACC added Louisville from the Big East. The SEC took from the Big 12 and the Big 12 took in as well.

In all of this conference shuffling, the Big East and Sun Belt Conference remains in it all. The Big East is grabbing C-USA teams and the C-USA is grabbing Sun Belt teams. We all know that the Big East wants to remain at the top of the group of five and we also know that Conference USA wants to be a mega conference of 14-16 teams. The Big East also wants to remain alive, as well as the Sun Belt.

There is a big change that is about to take place soon and if it does, I don't see the to much of a brighter future for the Sun Belt Conference, if they continue not to be proactive.

There are serious reports out there that the Big East is targeting Tulsa and Southern Miss to be apart of their conference, which many are calling the new C-USA. Tulsa and Southern Miss have both hinted that they are ready to leave C-USA, which they are calling the new Sun Belt Conference. Tulsa don't want to be with those SBC teams that’s now in C-USA.

The Mountain West still has it's eyes open along with the Big East, and if both or either decides to grab a couple from C-USA, then C-USA will nearly kill the Sun Belt Conference. Rice and Texas-El Paso have been targets for the Mountain West while New Mexico State and three Sun Belt schools in Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and Georgia State all have been mentioned as potential C-USA expansion candidates.

The Sun Belt Conference could possibly be left with five FBS schools and be looking to add more FCS programs to continue to a FBS conference and a competitive conference. Or C-USA could just kill the Sun Belt Conference all together and leave them scrambling just like the WAC.

What disappoints me in all this conference realignment is that I see many of the other conference on the forefront of this matter and being very proactive. Over in the Sun Belt Conference all I see is quite leaders that is still searching for a solution. My question is why is Commissioner Karl Benson and those eight AD's that are left not being proactive as the other conference, instead of letting other conferences continue to recruit schools from the Sun Belt Conference. Do they have any intentions on saving the Sun Belt Conference and do they really care. If they do, when?

Don't forget that Commissioner Karl Benson is on his third commissioner job in college football, and all I can say is look at what's happening to the Sun Belt Conference, just as what happened in the WAC. Commissioner Benson knew what was about to take place in the WAC so he got out of there quick, so it would not seem as if it was his fault or leadership. But less than a year in the Sun Belt that has already followed Commissioner Benson to the Sun Belt Conference.

Every news report that comes about the Sun Belt Conference and it's expansion plans, all you continue to hear is we are exploring our options and nothing will be done before 2014. Well if I was an AD or college president, I wouldn't wait either on a conference that is not proactive to save a dying conference or have a solution.

Many reports and rumors are out there that Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, Liberty, Lamar, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, UT-Chattanooga and Sam Houston State are all on the Sun Belt Conference radar. There is no doubt that these schools could be competitive in the Sun Belt immediately. So why not add them now? Oh I forgot, it's all about the markets and dollars.

The Sun Belt Conference had one option already open and should have been put on the table and agenda in adding already an FBS member New Mexico State to get back to nine members in 2013-2014 season, to keep the eight SBC members from having to scramble for a additional non-conference game. The SBC conference could have either added Appalachian State or Georgia Southern now, so they could declare their independence status with the FCS and become a member of the SBC in 2014 as a transitional member.

Why is all of this overlooked? Some believe that the SBC is waiting until all the dominoes fall, and then begin the work of adding programs. Well I don't think many of the remaining AD's and Presidents are happy with the situation and not knowing the future of the conference they are in. What if Georgia Southern and other FCS programs get invited to other conferences or back out of becoming an FBS program.

The answer to all of that is, if the MTW Conference expands to 14 and the Big East grabs Tulsa and Southern Miss, the Sun Belt Conference maybe dead just like the WAC.

Don't get me wrong I love the Sun Belt Conference and hate to see so many programs leave the conference, and I hate to see our leadership sit still and not be proactive just as the other conferences are being proactive.

Sun Belt Conference To Address Expansion Early as Monday

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. 

Sun Belt Conference Needs To Act Sooner Rather Than Later on Conference Expansion

Sun Belt Conference should add two-four more programs in 2013

College football re-alignment is hitting the non-AQ conferences again, more conference shake ups is happening and will happen in the near future.

On this week sever schools have re-aligned with new conferences from the Big East to the ACC and now two more schools have left the Conference USA for the Big East. With all this shuffling in the conference arena, the question that is on my mind is “What is the Sun Belt Conference going to do?”

Conference USA just raided the WAC and took two programs from the Sun Belt Conference this season for 2013. And the Sun Belt replaced them with two programs Texas State and Georgia State. However it is a known fact that C-USA wants to be a super conference with at least 14 teams and high as 16 teams or more.  And now that they have lost Tulane and East Carolina to the Big East beginning in 2014, their commissioner have made it known they have more options to choose from. Sorry to say those options may be the Sun Belt Conference.

Conference USA may be headed back to the Sun Belt to get two more programs or they may go out and get two more great FCS programs that the Sun Belt has failed to add sooner rather than later in Georgia Southern and Appalachian State.  C-USA also has Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and UL-Lafayette on their radar. And don’t forget New Mexico State is sitting out there still an established FBS program.

So why would the Sun Belt Conference sit back and enjoy the shuffling and snatching of Sun Belt Conference teams to C-USA?  No doubt they will be looking to rob the Sun Belt Conference once again.  Commissioner Karl Benson the new conference commissioner stated several times that he want the SBC to stay a step ahead of C-USA. So does he really mean that or is it just talk?

The Sun Belt Conference has a chance to be that great powerful non-AQ conference out of the new group of five. Adding two great programs to get to the solid 12 for a conference championship game would be great for the Sun Belt Conference moving forward, especially with the new playoff system coming into effect in 2014. This would help the conference in its chances at that big bowl game and playoff and also generate more revenue for the conference and its teams.  What are the SBC offering its members to stay or come aboard?

Will the Commissioner continue to talk the talk and those that sit on the board continue to sit at the board table along with Commissioner Karl Benson and watch or will they act and get the job done before it’s too late?

Why wouldn’t the Sun Belt Conference aggressively seek to add Southern Miss and UAB, and why would they not add Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, or Lamar in Texas?

In all of this conference re-alignment talk, there is one more big eye catcher that continues to bother me, and that is the Sun Belt Conference has no exit fee in place for those programs that desire to leave. It makes it so easy for other conferences like C-USA to come in and offer so many sweet deals and greener paths to our members because it cost them anything to leave the Sun Belt, so we just get robbed. That should be changed immediately.

But this is decision making season in the offseason of college football, now that we all know what is going on and what can happen in the near future. Our commissioner and board presidents need to make a decision quickly on our next step for the Sun Belt Conference. Are we going to really stay a step ahead of the C-USA or we going to continue to get robbed and lose programs to C-USA and make them better, and watch other conferences grow? I rather see our leaders act now and preserve our conference and make it the top of the non-AQ conferences as they have been doing. Adding two more programs or four would not hurt, but I believe would help the conference in all aspects.

If the best of the FCS get added by other conferences and the SBC lose two more programs to C-USA, then who will be left to lift us back up and help us get to where we want to be. Last minute deals are not always the best deals. We don't need a repeat of the WAC in the Sun Belt Conference. 

What would you like to see happen and who would you like the conference to add as members?