The Sun Belt is examining expansion. The league is considering adding up to four schools...

[UConnJim]

I agree. It's a better version of the MAC where the geography makes sense but the Football is better.

The MAC geography makes more sense than the SBC. The greatest distances between MAC schools is ~600 miles.

 

[Eavesdrop]

That Sun Belt graphic looks contiguous...but it is still over 1200 miles from Appalachian State to Texas State and 1000 miles to UTA...

...and Old Dominion is 1546 miles from UTA and 1169 miles from Lafayette and 1000 miles from the Arkansas schools.

The western outliers in Arkansas and Texas and the eastern outliers in Virginia and North Carolina have long distances between them.

True. But JMU has two to three relatively drivable games. ODU, App. State and Coastal Carolina are all doable treks.

Texas State fans and teams could drive to Louisiana and ULM. But they could definitely use a more proximate neighbor. Having UT Arlington in other sports helps.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Kolumbo]

Not bad.

"Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women"

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Alum86]

Top minds of Reddit are proposing that we join CUSA. I would rather crap in my hand and clap.

Never heard that before, but it’s superb. I agree, and you get a like.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

Sun Belt, Marshall leaders celebrate new alliance

HUNTINGTON — As Keith Gill started his Monday in Huntington, his morning stroll took him on his first visit to Joan C. Edwards Stadium and Cam Henderson Center.

www.herald-dispatch.com

Per article Marshall forfeits 2 years of CUSA revenue (~$3m)

-> The Sun Belt Conference is eager to have Marshall join, and showed as much by waiving a $2 million fee associated with joining the league.

"Marshall was an important part of what we hoped to do in conference realignment," Gill said. "We certainly didn't want money to get in the way. We are financially strong. It was not something that was necessarily critical for us, so helping them manage their transition was an easy choice for our presidents."

Marshall will have to pay $80,000 in annual dues to the Sun Belt Conference, but Gilbert said those fees are less than what the university has paid for Conference USA.

One more piece should complete the Sun Belt's framework on Tuesday as James Madison is expected to be granted permission by the Virginia General Assembly's Intercollegiate Athletics Review Commission to move from FCS to FBS and join the Sun Belt as well.

With that move, the Sun Belt Conference would be the home of 14 football-playing schools, which are expected to separate into two divisions.

Marshall is expected to join Old Dominion, James Madison, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State and Georgia Southern in the East Division. Troy, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State and Texas State are expected to be in the West Division.

Sun Belt Conference members UT-Arlington and Arkansas-Little Rock do not sponsor football. <-

 

[Goatmeat]

This is beautiful. The pride they have is unmatched. Really happy for Marshall.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[CAtlantic]