Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders has triggered the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to issue a statement after making comments about the conference’s future.
“Personally, I wish the MEAC would fold up like a tent and just come on so we could really do this thing like the SEC,” Sanders said to media members during Friday’s Orange Blossom Classic press conference. “That’s my hope. That’s my dream. I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen no time expeditiously.”
Also read: Deion Sanders has visions of merger with MEAC to form HBCU super conference
The MEAC, currently a six-team football conference (eight members in total), has experienced an exodus of former members leaving for other leagues over the past few years, with Bethune-Cookman and Florida A&M being the most recent to leave the conference to join the SWAC.
On Saturday, the MEAC issued the following statement:
“The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has just completed a successful 50th anniversary recognizing our former student-athletes and coaches and the impact they have made in their communities and the professional ranks. The conference’s membership has a rich history of academic and athletic excellence and is committed to its long-term sustainability. The MEAC has strong national leadership in its presidents and chancellors and is aware and involved in the current issues facing the NCAA. We wish Coach Sanders, his student-athletes and his program well this season. The MEAC will have no further comment on this matter.”
Sanders and his Jackson State squad will open the season Sunday at 2 p.m. against Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Sunday’s matchup also marks the Rattlers’ season opener and conference debut as a member of the SWAC.
Dion Sanders is absolutely right.
💯✅
Deion Sanders has my vote!
I think Coach is right the SWAC overall is the strongest conference so let’s merge all into the SWAC and I’m sure millions of dollars would be given to all these HBCU schools because the presence would be very strong in their perspective States and College Football as a whole will have to give us the respect and recognition that we rightly and truly deserve
Highway education is supposed to be free! Throughput our great land!
HuH? High whut?
I agree with Coach Prime 100%.
Lol
…. “Like a tent!” #Dang lol
Just because Dion Sanders said it. That doesn’t mean that it right. His statement about the MEAC is about as bad as his coaching. His comments need to be X ‘ed
O (out). And maybe he should concentrate
on the X’s snd O’s on the field. He has yet to prove himself as an elite coach. And he has ” O ” experience as an athletic commissioner. And certainly does not have the mental acumen or I Q to be a college president or college provost.
I think it’s odd to attack his education and his acumen being someone with your education and acumen. Coach Prime has nothing to gain by this comment. It’s all about getting these kids the exposure they need to accomplish their dreams. Leveling the field financially is important and necessary. It will ultimately help the schools as well! It’s hard to be proven at thing you just started, but you can’t argue that he’s closer than you or I being an elite coach. He’s in the HOF and arguably the best CB to play the sport he’s coaching. Relax on all your negative rhetoric.
Leroy Floyd Jr you don’t think something is a slightly off with you making that comment
How so? The driver for super conferences is to profit from tv contracts and national championships. When a SEC team wins a national championship, everyone gets a piece of the pie.
That being said, who is the HBCU national champion? And, can the television revenue sustain additional members?
Make it happen
Once again, the MEAC doesn’t get it! Okay you have a 50 year history. Great! But that’s just it…. History!
The MEAC is behind the times once again and who will they have to blame when it’s said and done? Themselves, that’s who.
Savanna State, Hampton, Bethune Cookman, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T all have left. What are there like 5 or 6 football teams left?
I guess you’ll reach out to the Kentucky States and Virginia States of the world and out something together.
Coach prime is right take it to another level
I agree with Coach Sanders. However, it’s not a comment that he should be making.
Somebody has to step up and speak up so he did .
I think coach said it right these future NFL players need more opportunities to have what sec gets money.
Some people just stay in a box..Not Coach Prime…MEAC loss!
POWER CONFERENCE IS BIG $$ SMALL CONFERENCE’S WILL NOT SURVIVE LONG YOU WILL GET BETTER ATHLETES AND TV TIME $$ DEION SANDERS IS CORRECT.
Deion Sanders is correct you should go for a superpower conference there’s more money involved and you can recruit better athletes with a bigger conference.
I absolutely agree make a super conference and watch the top recruits start coming to these programs.
True statement
In my opinion the only problem with Prime’s statement is the jab at a Historical Conference that paved the way for so many African American Athletes. Instead of recommending the MEAC fold, he should’ve recommended the SWAC and MEAC merge into a new Mega Conference. Creates new history and greatness without losing the history of either conference.
Joining a Super Conference would increase every University’s revenue, so you can get better Coaches, better Stadiums, better equipment, better players.
But most of all..
More games on National T.V.
A critical issue to spend our intellectual energy on is, developing an economic base ensuring and sustaining the life and legacy of all HBCUs.
The question, who benefits from this, before any decision is made, who benefits from this, it should be for the kids who are putting their minds and bodies at risk. Do this for them and them only and the other pieces would fall into place.
Coach Prime is right. Let’s merge or even start a new mega super conference. These kids are just as talented and important as the SEC. And need the same attention and exposure.