Via various sources on twitter they are out of the SBC after the 2017 season.

I can't say I am at all surprised. It was always going to be a hard sell to App, GaSo, and GSU, with the three of us being based on the eastern seaboard. I wouldn't be surprised if USA and Troy voted against them, as well.

Woah

Who could have seen this coming? Other than, you know, everybody.

Likely an East-West split...may make more eastern expansion tricky.

There could also be another reason. Keep the R word in mind. Lots of behind the scenes talking has been taking place.

firemoose wrote:There could also be another reason. Keep the R word in mind. Lots of behind the scenes talking has been taking place.

Does R mean regionalization or revenue?

CVAPP wrote:

firemoose wrote:There could also be another reason. Keep the R word in mind. Lots of behind the scenes talking has been taking place.

Does R mean regionalization or revenue?

Realignment. Many different scenarios might/could happen. No one know when/if but plans have to be made for many possible situations. Admins are talking but until the first move happens no one knows which direction it will go. Just a wait and see right now.

Looks like they're out after this year. (Teleconference audio is available on the SBC Site.

Idaho will probably go back to the FCS and rejoin the Big Sky. I don't know about NMSU. I kind of feel bad for them, they seemed to really want to go in 100% with the conference and were somewhat in the vicinity of at least Arlington and San Marcos. Hopefully they can get their program together and find a new home.

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"NEW ORLEANS – Beginning with the 2018 football season the Sun Belt Conference will be a 10-team football league.

Sun Belt Conference Presidents and Chancellors made the decision to be a 10-team league rather than extend the current membership agreements that are in place with the University of Idaho and New Mexico State University. These agreements will now expire following the 2017 football season.

"This was a strategic decision that was reached following a thorough and complete review of our options," said Sun Belt Conference and Texas State University President Dr. Denise Trauth. "The Sun Belt's Presidents and Chancellors strongly believe it is in the best interest of the conference to have a core membership of 10 football teams that are geographically located within the 'footprint' of the conference and that these 10 members also compete in all conference sports. This decision, along with the full 12-team membership that goes into place for the 2016-17 season with the addition of Coastal Carolina University, will reduce travel demands and missed class time for all Sun Belt student-athletes – while also furthering the development of regional rivalries within the conference."

The other nine football-playing members of the conference – Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, UL Lafayette, UL Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy – will be joined by Coastal Carolina in 2017 to complete the 10-team configuration that will be in place for the 2018 season.

"This 10-team football league will maximize the Sun Belt's on-field performance, push us to the top ranking of our four peer conferences, and will give us the best opportunity to soon place a team in one of the College Football Playoff's New Year's Day bowl games," said Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson. "We will also now have serious conversations with our football coaches and athletics directors about conducting a football championship game. These discussions will take place this spring and a decision will be made in the very near future."


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Teleconference:

hapapp wrote:Likely an East-West split...may make more eastern expansion tricky.

I think this is pretty "tricky."

"The Sun Belt's Presidents and Chancellors strongly believe it is in the best interest of the conference to have a core membership of 10 football teams that are geographically located within the 'footprint' of the conference and that these 10 members also compete in all conference sports."

The ten football-playing schools must now field a team in every sport the Belt sponsors; BUT UTA and UALR continue get a waiver on football and any other sport they don't choose to sponsor? Both of them are getting preferential treatment. Why, one asks?

Possibly it is guaranteed in the original set-up?

I can't say I'm surprised by the announcement. Everyone seemed to know it was coming, but I still think it is a mistake. I guess the decision is made, so no reason beating it to death at this point.

Will miss both these teams.