(06-26-2020 01:19 PM)FloridaJag Wrote:  

(06-26-2020 11:40 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(06-26-2020 09:52 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-26-2020 09:47 AM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(06-26-2020 09:44 AM)bullet Wrote:  If you want 12 and TN St. isn't coming, B-C is the next best fit.

As far as needing to be at 12 with all HBCUs, this is true. However, I'm not sure why they rushed to 12 unless Tennessee St said "no" and Bethune-Cookman was potentially pursued by another conference like the Atlantic Sun.

The point is that there is nobody else. Why wait if there is only one option? Durham, NC and Norfolk, VA are a long ways away and make no sense as a #12. Maybe as a #13/#14 pair. SIAC schools cannot afford Div. I.

I definitely understand your point. I'm just not sure why the SWAC felt it necessary to go to 12 for the sake of 12. I'm sure there was a purpose.

My guess is that they wanted more highlighted games. With more FBS schools pulling back from scheduling FCs schools, this guarantees a 9 game conference schedule. Plus they can add a conference championship game which will probably be played in New Orleans.

I am still surprised the SWAC invited BC. Makes no sense to me.

Oh well.

(08-19-2020 08:24 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Call me crazy but I think the SWAC should try to go the HBCU mega-conference route—bring in 4 more strong programs. Have two 8 team divisions with the AL schools and the newcomers in the East.

The Celebration Bowl becomes the title game and de facto HBCU National Championship.

Not crazy, but rather unlikely.

Rotating pods are better than fixed 8-team divisions.

East: Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M
North: Howard, NC Central, Norfolk State, SC State
South: Alcorn State, Jackson State, MVSU, Southern
West: Grambling State, Prairie View, Texas Southern, UAPB

Grambling/Southern is protected as an annual matchup. Assuming Howard doesn't go for this, replace them with Morgan or Delaware State.

(08-19-2020 08:30 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  They'll slide Alcorn in the west. It's on the MS/LA border and just within bus range for the TX schools.

Alcorn
SU - 2:00
GSU - 2:30
UAPB - 3:45
TSU - 6:00
PV - 6:30

Jackson State isn't much farther. And as you saw, moving Alcorn would be bad from a competition standpoint.

Some interesting info I found on an HBCU sports forum here, from July 7:

Quote:The SWAC commish on ESPN 105.9 didn't commit to which Mississippi team was moving to the West but stated that they would do the 2 permanent cross division rivals and 1 rotating (to save money for the FL and TX teams). Emphasis would be placed on distance over "competitve balance in football"

And 2 posts down:

Quote:If there is [2 permanent crossovers per team], it really wouldn't matter who because if Alcorn moves to the West (which most presume), it's gonna be Valley and JSU. If it's Valley, it's gonna be JSU and Alcorn and same with JSU (Alcorn and Valley). Where it might get murky is if the schools can't choose their 2 permanents but the commish said he wants to keep rivalries in tact

If that's indeed what the commissioner said, I feel the likeliest team to move to the West is MVSU. Below are the 3 most likely scenarios, with 2 proposed protected crossovers listed for each team. For all 3 scenarios, if there is only 1 protected crossover per team, I would propose the first one of the pair listed for each team.

SWAC in 2021-22 if MVSU moves to West

East Division
Alabama A&M: Texas Southern, Prairie View
Alabama State: Prairie View, Texas Southern
Alcorn State: Grambling State, MVSU
Bethune-Cookman: UAPB, Grambling State
Florida A&M: Southern, UAPB
Jackson State: MVSU, Southern

West Division
Grambling State: Alcorn State, Bethune-Cookman
MVSU: Jackson State, Alcorn State
Prairie View: Alabama State, Alabama A&M
Southern: Florida A&M, Jackson State
Texas Southern: Alabama A&M, Alabama State
UAPB: Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M

Bumping Alcorn over would be detrimental from a competitive standpoint, but apparently that doesn't matter.

SWAC in 2021-22 if Alcorn moves to West

East Division
Alabama A&M: Texas Southern, Prairie View
Alabama State: Prairie View, Texas Southern
Bethune-Cookman: Grambling State, UAPB
Florida A&M: Southern, Grambling State
Jackson State: Alcorn State, Southern
MVSU: UAPB, Alcorn State

West Division
Alcorn State: Jackson State, MVSU
Grambling State: Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M
Prairie View: Alabama State, Alabama A&M
Southern: Florida A&M, Jackson State
Texas Southern: Alabama A&M, Alabama State
UAPB: MVSU, Bethune-Cookman

And on the off chance it's not either MVSU or Alcorn, it'd be JSU, which I still think is the best choice.

SWAC in 2021-22 if JSU moves to West

East Division
Alabama A&M: Texas Southern, Prairie View
Alabama State: Prairie View, Texas Southern
Alcorn State: Jackson State, Southern
Bethune-Cookman: Grambling State, UAPB
Florida A&M: Southern, Grambling State
MVSU: UAPB, Jackson State

West Division
Grambling State: Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M
Jackson State: Alcorn State, MVSU
Prairie View: Alabama State, Alabama A&M
Southern: Florida A&M, Alcorn State
Texas Southern: Alabama A&M, Alabama State
UAPB: MVSU, Bethune-Cookman

Some people were proposing that FAMU or BCU be placed in the West, a la Missouri in the SEC East, so as not to disrupt existing in-division rivalries, but that would obviously make for a bad travel situation.

FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

(07-03-2021 04:03 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

Good for the SWAC

(07-03-2021 04:51 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:03 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

Good for the SWAC

Money following FAMU

(07-03-2021 05:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:51 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:03 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

Good for the SWAC

Money following FAMU

That's basically it. While FAMU is an athletic peer of SWAC schools like Southern and Grambling and Jackson State, no HBCU in the country has its combination of athletic success, academic status, and sheer market size.

Howard is the Harvard of HBCUs, but FAMU is the Texas of HBCUs.

A recent SWAC sponsorship deal with Pepsico:

https://swac.org/news/2021/4/5/general.aspx

(07-03-2021 05:48 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 05:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:51 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:03 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

Good for the SWAC

Money following FAMU

That's basically it. While FAMU is an athletic peer of SWAC schools like Southern and Grambling and Jackson State, no HBCU in the country has its combination of athletic success, academic status, and sheer market size.

Howard is the Harvard of HBCUs, but FAMU is the Texas of HBCUs.

FAMU netted 3 times as many views on espn3/+ as any other MEAC member, per the AD’s presentation to BOT last year. FAMU as a SWAC school increases their value (and revenue projections) to prospective sponsors — FAMU’s home game vs Southern generated $285k while their highest MEAC game generated $75k.

(07-03-2021 06:32 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 05:48 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 05:21 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:51 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(07-03-2021 04:03 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  FAMU/BCU officially joined this week and SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland spoke at FAMU’s press conference:
https://m.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=351...alink&_rdr

- League sponsorships increased 350% since last year’s announcement
- SWAC is nearing a tv deal that will rival a few G5 leagues
- SWAC schools will be splitting tens of millions in revenue sharing

Good for the SWAC

Money following FAMU

That's basically it. While FAMU is an athletic peer of SWAC schools like Southern and Grambling and Jackson State, no HBCU in the country has its combination of athletic success, academic status, and sheer market size.

Howard is the Harvard of HBCUs, but FAMU is the Texas of HBCUs.

FAMU netted 3 times as many views on espn3/+ as any other MEAC member, per the AD’s presentation to BOT last year. FAMU as a SWAC school increases their value (and revenue projections) to prospective sponsors — FAMU’s home game vs Southern generated $285k while their highest MEAC game generated $75k.

Yes, Southern vs FAMU is a great on-off intersectional rivalry. IMO, as a long time fan who has been watching them play since 1995, I will miss that dimension to it, the SWAC vs MEAC dimension.

But hey, progress and all. The SWAC has never been healthier.