Conversations involving conference realignment and how HBCUs might fit in continue as leagues and institutions attempt to position themselves in the ever-changing landscape.
On Wednesday, such discussions took place during the Southland Conference football media day when league commissioner Chris Grant was asked whether the conference would consider adding Black colleges as members due to fan interest and increased engagement when SWAC schools, for example, play Southland Conference opponents.
“You know, when I first came in, and that was a vision of (former Southland commissioner) Tom Burnett be quite honest, that they’ve added more diversity to our league,” said Grant. “So the idea was to create the most diverse Division I conference in the history of the NCAA. I think that goal has not gone by the wayside.”
The Southland Conference currently stands at eight football-playing schools.
“We’ve made a big push this past year as a conference, not only in the conference but our membership and participate in a lot of diversity efforts,” said Grant. “But as opportunities present themselves, yes, if we can elevate someone’s platform and be a part of this and corroborate those revenue-generating opportunities, whether it be through memberships or sponsorship, we want to continue to look at those.”
This wouldn’t be the first time the Southland has been tied to courting HBCUs.
In 2021, a report by CollegeAD indicated that four SWAC institutions — Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Grambling, and Southern — were being targeted by the Southland Conference as potential new members.
At the time, multiple sources affiliated with the SWAC institutions being targeted by the Southland informed HBCU Sports that a move to switch conferences was unlikely. One source, in particular, even labeled the matter “a non-issue.”
