ULM to FCS???

[Bootsy]

Serious question for you folks who understand the legal “T’s and C’s” of conference contracting: could the remaining SBC members force ULM out of the conference? Or any other school…if they had the votes?

Just wondering.

[AppStFan1]

Serious question for you folks who understand the legal “T’s and C’s” of conference contracting: could the remaining SBC members force ULM out of the conference? Or any other school…if they had the votes?

Just wondering.

Based on what happened to New Mexico State I think ULM can be kicked out. It would require a vote of the schools but I am not sure how many schools have to vote them out or if it would have to be unanimous or what though.

[Saint3333]

They were an affiliate member not a full though.

[AppStFan1]

They were an affiliate member not a full though.

Yeah football only. That is why I said based on them that is my guess. I don't know about the Sun Belt specifically but I do know conferences have the legal authority to kick schools out but usually have to be for reasons such as failing to comply with new rules, losing competitiveness, or not contributing sufficiently to the conference's financial or competitive goals. Temple was kicked out of Big East in 2001 for those reasons.

[AppWyo]

It seems to me that La Tech is behind the move to get ULM kicked out of the Sun Belt. La Tech does not seem to be very nice to those around them.

Maybe with ULM's head coach as the AD, the football team may have resources available to them they have never had since 1987 when they beat Marshall in the IAA Championship game.

[Saint3333]

ULM was their biggest advocate, this has nothing to do with LA Tech.

If anything we should be upset with ULM for throwing what little political capital they have around and then two weeks later announcing a budget cut to the already smallest budget in the conference.


Amateur hour in Monroe.

[AppStFan1]

ULM was their biggest advocate, this has nothing to do with LA Tech.

If anything we should be upset with ULM for throwing what little political capital they have around and then two weeks later announcing a budget cut to the already smallest budget in the conference.


Amateur hour in Monroe.

Agreed. Honestly, it was a smart play by them because they probably felt that if they can get La Tech in that when they announce this it would be less likely for the SBC to vote them out, if possible. I can't imagine that C-USA would even want them at this point.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Looking at their schedule they probably have 5 games requiring flying. They play at Alabama so that’s what a $1m check? They go to UTEP. So that’s probably what 10k or less in attendance? Then later they go to CCU and Texas State. What’s that attendance less than 25k at both? What exactly is the point of them trying to keep this up?

[704App]

Sun Belt does not have an expulsion clause. Only way they can kick ULM out is by changing the by-laws to require a budget at a certain level they know ULM could never reach.

[AppStFan1]

Sun Belt does not have an expulsion clause. Only way they can kick ULM out is by changing the by-laws to require a budget at a certain level they know ULM could never reach.

That’s why I said I didn’t know the specific rules for Sun Belt but I know other leagues have done it before. The Sun Belt told NMSU and Idaho to go but you are saying that is all the league can legally do currently? Sounds like we need to change by-laws and push them out.

[AtlAppMan]

I don't know any details or inside info about ULM and LaTech, BUT I would be of the strong opinion that most of the schools in the SBC are not naive to ULM's plight and understanding that they were fragile and had little political capital. Therefore, it is hard for me to believe that the vote to bring in LaTech was materially influenced by ULM. Why would App or any other east school vote for LaTech just to please ULM if knew they were on the ropes? I don't think there is a business case that shows adding LaTech was a lifeline to ULM, or any other SBC school for that matter. Makes no sense. I think the decision was based on other factors, just my opinion.

[Saint3333]

It's like a domino in those meeting and back channels. ULM gets ULL and USM on board relatively easily. Then they extend to other western members, then GA schools. But they started that charge.

[BallantyneApp]

Sun Belt does not have an expulsion clause. Only way they can kick ULM out is by changing the by-laws to require a budget at a certain level they know ULM could never reach.

That’s why I said I didn’t know the specific rules for Sun Belt but I know other leagues have done it before. The Sun Belt told NMSU and Idaho to go but you are saying that is all the league can legally do currently? Sounds like we need to change by-laws and push them out.

idaho and nmsu were on contracts the sun belt just simply did not renew. It was easy and clean.

Kicking out a full member in good standing is much harder. As mentioned we have to change the bylaws to include a minimum financial # and then get the members to agree to implement it. I don't know how many members it takes to change the bylaws (i'm assuming a supermajority or something like 10/14). Now you have a bloc of UL, ULM, and La Tech that are in the same system and politically would have a problem implementing a change thats going to affect a sister school. So now you pretty much have to convince everyone else (including USM who has a low budget too) to agree. Just made things harder.

[AppStFan1]

Sun Belt does not have an expulsion clause. Only way they can kick ULM out is by changing the by-laws to require a budget at a certain level they know ULM could never reach.

That’s why I said I didn’t know the specific rules for Sun Belt but I know other leagues have done it before. The Sun Belt told NMSU and Idaho to go but you are saying that is all the league can legally do currently? Sounds like we need to change by-laws and push them out.

idaho and nmsu were on contracts the sun belt just simply did not renew. It was easy and clean.

Kicking out a full member in good standing is much harder. As mentioned we have to change the bylaws to include a minimum financial # and then get the members to agree to implement it. I don't know how many members it takes to change the bylaws (i'm assuming a supermajority or something like 10/14). Now you have a bloc of UL, ULM, and La Tech that are in the same system and politically would have a problem implementing a change thats going to affect a sister school. So now you pretty much have to convince everyone else (including USM who has a low budget too) to agree. Just made things harder.

I knew it would be harder but if everyone wants you out then it is difficult to stay. I am surprised there are not already minimums for budget and some other things. I would think that we could probably get others to think like us since the changes we pushed for helped the league a lot and what the Louisiana schools wanted hurt, especially with ULM basically saying they can't hang financially. Hopefully we get the by-laws changed.