Say the league dips below 8 and there's no lower level HBCU that wants to move up. Do you think the NCAA grants them a long-term waiver to continue as a conference to avoid being considered racist? It'd be bad PR to have a good amount of HBCU's as independents or out of D-I entirely.

And might I add how dumb it is that any HBCU would leave a conference who has a membership their students and alums feel a common bond with for a few extra dollars and schools that their fans don't care about. Hopefully the MEAC comes back strong, we need 2 HBCU conferences across the South.

I wish the SWAC would just become the HBCU mega conference and grab up the better MEAC schools, along with NCA&T, Hampton, and Tenn St, and send the rest down to D2 where they are better suited to be.

You're forgetting Howard...

The scenario of a 7-school MEAC wouldn’t happen. Delaware St/Morgan St would go to the NEC. Norfolk St/NCCU/SCSU would go to the Big South.

You only need 7 members to be a D1 conference, as long as the number of sponsored sports is high enough. MEAC isn't healthy but they don't need a waiver at 7.

I think the best thing to do is treat the MEAC as any other conference. Maybe the MEAC makes a deal with the Big South football schools to merge for football only. MEAC then gets a spot in the FCS playoffs. The Celebration bowl simply becomes the SWAC vs the best non playoff HBCU school available. This opens up the celebration bowl to non MEAC HBCU schools.

As for HBCU schools leaving the MEAC or the SWAC. I'm for the idea especially if the school can earn more money or get more TV time. Why should they be forced to stay in the same conference?

(12-16-2023 11:31 PM)46566 Wrote:  I think the best thing to do is treat the MEAC as any other conference. Maybe the MEAC makes a deal with the Big South football schools to merge for football only. MEAC then gets a spot in the FCS playoffs. The Celebration bowl simply becomes the SWAC vs the best non playoff HBCU school available. This opens up the celebration bowl to non MEAC HBCU schools.

As for HBCU schools leaving the MEAC or the SWAC. I'm for the idea especially if the school can earn more money or get more TV time. Why should they be forced to stay in the same conference?

Nobody said they're forced, they're obviously free to do whatever. The point is it's dumb because the fans can't connect as much because of the opponents.

(12-16-2023 11:22 PM)clunk Wrote:  You only need 7 members to be a D1 conference, as long as the number of sponsored sports is high enough. MEAC isn't healthy but they don't need a waiver at 7.

The problem is neither UMES or Coppin State sponsor football, which puts them below six members in that sport.

The other option is sponsoring two other men's team sports besides basketball. The MEAC doesn't sponsor baseball or men's soccer (and for that matter, women's soccer, although a few schools have programs). The cheapest route to non-football compliance would be men's soccer and men's volleyball. Baseball is only two schools short, but would likely require dedicated facilities in which Howard, Morgan State, NC Central, and Norfolk State may not be willing to invest.

Losing a football-playing member will likely be a fatal blow.

(12-16-2023 11:37 PM)C2__ Wrote:  

(12-16-2023 11:31 PM)46566 Wrote:  I think the best thing to do is treat the MEAC as any other conference. Maybe the MEAC makes a deal with the Big South football schools to merge for football only. MEAC then gets a spot in the FCS playoffs. The Celebration bowl simply becomes the SWAC vs the best non playoff HBCU school available. This opens up the celebration bowl to non MEAC HBCU schools.

As for HBCU schools leaving the MEAC or the SWAC. I'm for the idea especially if the school can earn more money or get more TV time. Why should they be forced to stay in the same conference?

Nobody said they're forced, they're obviously free to do whatever. The point is it's dumb because the fans can't connect as much because of the opponents.

Most of the recent realignment has been stupid like the California ACC schools or Big Ten USC and UCLA. It's about money then fanbase.

It seems like adding Chicago State, with their football program coming online in the near future would have been a no brainer. They also have soccer for that matter.

If they do have numbers/compliance/waiver issues in the future, this failure will likely be a key reason why. The number of schools they could possibly add, bus distance or requiring a flight, is extremely, extremely limited.

MEAC have been talking to 3 none HBCUs and Kentucky State and Virginia State to join. I think one of the none HBCUs is UNC-Pembroke. It would be the first major first major Native American university at the top level since the 30s when Haskell was up there.

(12-17-2023 12:49 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  MEAC have been talking to 3 none HBCUs and Kentucky State and Virginia State to join. I think one of the none HBCUs is UNC-Pembroke. It would be the first major first major Native American university at the top level since the 30s when Haskell was up there.

You've been repeating this claim for years and yet you can never provide any PROOF.

(12-16-2023 10:53 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I wish the SWAC would just become the HBCU mega conference and grab up the better MEAC schools, along with NCA&T, Hampton, and Tenn St, and send the rest down to D2 where they are better suited to be.

Howard is the only worthy target for the SWAC to pick up from the MEAC. I agree with the other three teams that should be added to the conference. HBCU schools are going back to dying on the vine after being infused with federal money after the death of George Floyd.

(12-16-2023 11:22 PM)clunk Wrote:  You only need 7 members to be a D1 conference, as long as the number of sponsored sports is high enough. MEAC isn't healthy but they don't need a waiver at 7.

In the hypothetical given, if the school leaving is a FB school, it's the number of sponsored sports that is the issue, since if their FCS FB falls to five members, they have two years to either organize another FB member or else to organize two new men's team sports.