Toggle sidebar

Sun Belt is about to implode

615dawg

615dawg

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2007
7,355
4,927
113
Marshall is reportedly leaving the Sun Belt to join James Madison in the American.

Reportedly, most of the Sun Belt East (App State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, et. al.) is putting out feelers.

Also, Delta State has a public forum this week on the future of their football team now that the Gulf South only has two football playing members.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: patdog
615dawg

615dawg

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2007
7,355
4,927
113
patdog said:
Man the future looks pretty bleak for the smaller Mississippi football programs.
Click to expand...
Yep. Poor leadership is going to sink the athletic programs at Delta State and Southern Miss. Jackson State is in good shape, but Alcorn and especially Valley are financial nightmares. Millsaps is jumping conferences at the perfect time, and Belhaven is in a good position (Maryville, TN just left Millsaps conference to rejoin Belhaven's conference that they helped found)
MStateDawg said:
I'm sure Marshall would love to join the American, but I highly doubt the American has much interest in Marshall.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the deal is about to be announced. Miami-Ohio is also rumored to be going to the American, which you would think would require them to take someone else (App State? Old Dominion? Connecticut?)
 
mstateglfr

mstateglfr

All-American
Feb 24, 2008
16,949
6,775
113
Its interesting to see some of these lower D1 conference changes because from afar, they seem largely lateral.

Miami-OH offering $40MM so they can leave the MAC and join the American? Is the American really THAT much better?
Neither seem particularly strong or impressive. The American has JMU, Tulane, Army, and Memphis...but it is tough to see why it is so enticing, especially considering the offered payment that was rejected.
Is Miami-OH going to suddenly surge and create massive revenue from just joining the American and paying $30-40MM?

And with the reformed Pac12 around, the American certainly isnt even the clear best of the rest.
 
John Deaux VII

John Deaux VII

All-Conference
Jun 7, 2024
1,275
3,110
113
mstateglfr said:
Its interesting to see some of these lower D1 conference changes because from afar, they seem largely lateral.

Miami-OH offering $40MM so they can leave the MAC and join the American? Is the American really THAT much better?
Neither seem particularly strong or impressive. The American has JMU, Tulane, Army, and Memphis...but it is tough to see why it is so enticing, especially considering the offered payment that was rejected.
Is Miami-OH going to suddenly surge and create massive revenue from just joining the American and paying $30-40MM?

And with the reformed Pac12 around, the American certainly isnt even the clear best of the rest.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing - like Gordon Gekko would say "a dog with different fleas". However - if Chat is right, the average payout is $9.2 million per school in the American Conference, vs $1.74 million per school in the Fun Belt.

I'm sure they paid someone smarter than me good money to advise them on this, but I think dropping The Big East name for the American Conference was stupid.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OopsICroomedmypants
J

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
15,219
5,764
113
615dawg said:
Yep. Poor leadership is going to sink the athletic programs at Delta State and Southern Miss. Jackson State is in good shape, but Alcorn and especially Valley are financial nightmares.
Click to expand...

What did leadership at DSU and USM do? I'm sure they could have done things better, but seems like they are largely just being done in by demographics and location.

615dawg said:
Millsaps is jumping conferences at the perfect time, and Belhaven is in a good position (Maryville, TN just left Millsaps conference to rejoin Belhaven's conference that they helped found)

Sounds like the deal is about to be announced. Miami-Ohio is also rumored to be going to the American, which you would think would require them to take someone else (App State? Old Dominion? Connecticut?)
Click to expand...
 
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
18,614
8,592
102
615dawg said:
Yep. Poor leadership is going to sink the athletic programs at Delta State and Southern Miss. Jackson State is in good shape, but Alcorn and especially Valley are financial nightmares. Millsaps is jumping conferences at the perfect time, and Belhaven is in a good position (Maryville, TN just left Millsaps conference to rejoin Belhaven's conference that they helped found)
Click to expand...

You correctly called the SAA falling apart.

With Millsaps and Southwestern gone in ‘27 & Maryville in ‘28, that’ll leave six in the conference with five playing football.

You count on Trinity leaving too since they’re well out of the SAA footprint…
 
B

Barkman Turner Overdrive

All-Conference
May 28, 2006
4,795
3,369
113
Allday.sixpack said:
Hattiesburg is better equipped to be an SEC town than either Starkville or Oxford. Consideringtheir hotels and interstate.
Click to expand...
Those highways and interstates help get those Mississippi Southern students back home every weekend to mawma n diddy‘s house in places like Laurel, Lumberton, Brookhaven, Gautier, and Bogue Chitto. Mississippi Southern is lucky to be where they currently are, whatever conference that is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cbassreb and FrontRangeDawg
C

Called3rdstrikedawg

All-Conference
May 7, 2016
2,479
2,090
113
I can assure
Dawg Raid said:
Hattiesburg has like 3 hotels
Click to expand...
I can assure you that I have seen many a high income State fan staying at the Days Inn or the Clarion Pointe hotel out on 182 because there are not enough quality hotels in Starkville and they are paying nearly $300 a night at the Days Inn, bless their hearts. There are more hotels in one little pocket in Hattiesburg on 98 west than Starkville and West Point and Mathiston combined.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maroon Eagle
Maroon Eagle

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
18,614
8,592
102
Called3rdstrikedawg said:
I can assure

I can assure you that I have seen many a high income State fan staying at the Days Inn or the Clarion Pointe hotel out on 182 because there are not enough quality hotels in Starkville and they are paying nearly $300 a night at the Days Inn, bless their hearts. There are more hotels in one little pocket in Hattiesburg on 98 west than Starkville and West Point and Mathiston combined.
Click to expand...
Starkville hotel prices…

Rent GIF by gifnews
 
She Mate Me

She Mate Me

Heisman
Dec 7, 2008
15,371
14,979
113
615dawg said:
Miami-Ohio is also rumored to be going to the American
Click to expand...

That move would break up a long unchanged run for the 9 MAC core members which is basically Miami, Ohio U, Bowling Green, Toledo, Kent St, Ball St and Central, Eastern & Western Michigan. All have been together since the early 70’s and Miami has been in the MAC nearly 80 years.

Northern Illinois has had a couple of long runs in that span and Akron and Buffalo have been in since the 90’s.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Maroon and White

Latest

  1. 01 Maroon and White Thomas Bassong's potential excites Mississippi State HC Chris Jans
  2. 02 Maroon and White Football Former Mississippi State HC Jackie Sherrill given 2027 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award
  3. 03 Maroon and White Mississippi State Week 7 Preview: Oklahoma Players to Know
  4. 04 Maroon and White Basketball Chris Jans gives Josh Hubbard injury update
  5. 05 Maroon and White "We gotta tackle better": Mississippi State CB Jett Jefferson diagnoses Week 7 struggles
Top Bottom