If the WAC did come near collapse again like some are predicting, some have wondered if they were at 6 and need 7 (I believe 7 is the minimum) if Chicago might again come into the picture.

In many ways, it would be better for Chicago State if the WAC did collapse and left several schools homeless. For one, it would give Cougars basketball more teams to play later in the season, without actually requiring all of the western travel for all sports. Since several Cougars sports have found regional homes already, there’s no reason for them to fly all over the country for the sake of a conference. It would save Chicago State a lot of money.

It makes sense to want to be in a conference for the “hope” that a team could win the conference tournament and make it to the NCAA tournament. But the schools most likely remaining in the WAC are almost certain to dominate it and leave Chicago no closer to actually making it themselves. All they would be doing is to help pave the road for someone else to speed down. Few schools with Chicagos budget have ever made the tournament anyway. Having multiple independents could actually help create a tie in/autobid for the independents to one of the non ncaa/nit tournaments. And for Chicago State women and men both, these tournaments have provided their only post season appearances anyway.

The only way I see a possible reconnection to any WAC remainers, is full membership without requiring Chicago add sports, and subsidies for travel. With the amount of money and students some of the likely “left behinds” have and the huge benefit to them from having the WAC remain, they would simply have to come up with a good offer for it to make any sense for Chicago State. Otherwise it makes more sense for Chicago to decline.

I know the NCAA has dreamed up some new rule requiring conference membership, and having other independents would only help Chicagos standing in that regard, to receive a waiver etc, since there would be a number of other schools in the same boat. And some of those schools have money, and more clout than CSU… It could help squash that silly new rule.

In most scenarios I see as possibilities, it makes more sense for a Chicago to turn down another WAC run if available. It would suck for Southern Utah and Utah Valley potentially, and those are likely the only 2 schools Chicago has a conference history with pre-WAC that would be involved.

I know it’s counter intuitive, but it does make sense in many ways as well.