(12-15-2020 07:52 AM)The Cats Wrote: (12-15-2020 03:31 AM)army56mike Wrote: When will we start hearing rumors about Chattanooga joining?
Why would Chattanooga leave a very established conference like the SoCon, with good football and rising basketball to join a start-up football conference? Plus having to pay $1 million to do it? Basketball is as important to Chattanooga as football, and the ASUN offers nothing in that respect.
With 3 out of conference games possible every year, Chattanooga can schedule JSU & UNA as often as they'd like, why bother changing conferences? Plus they know ETSU would never consider returning to the ASUN.
Eight years from now which Conference will the Catamounts be playing in.
Agree that UT-Chattanooga and East Tennessee State will not be in the ASUN.
I believe it would be in 2026 before the ASUN could use the concept of the UAC to help form a new conference unless a waiver was given by the NCAA. Over the past few months with the COVID-19 situation there has been various news media talks of more regional alignment of teams. You’ll never know a wavier might already be in the works.
Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky play football in the Big South a year or two until a new conference is formed.
Then add the following schools as a (package deal) UT-Chattanooga, Western Carolina, and East Tennessee State for a total of 8 football schools and to make a core conference.
Next add two of the following Lipscomb, Bellarmine, or Belmont. That would be a great football and basketball conference.
For the ASUN maybe the better question should be what will happen to Jacksonville, North Florida, Stetson, and Florida Gulf Coast.
The ASUN should go after schools from the Peach Belt and Sunshine State Conference.