SWAC expansion / Is it time?
- Thread starter Raoul
- Start date
Well, financially the selling points of the swac to TnSU would be the luxury of playing a majority hbcu fb schedule. More fan interest equals more dollars.
Athletically? I'm not sure....hmm...more easy wins? lol!
DAHILL
Well-Known Member
athletically the SWAC is VERY similiar to the OVC.... OVC football is NOT a beast... baskteball you lost to A&M last year so you probably would have been a bottom feader in the conference... TnState would win volleyball, softball would be close.... they would wrap up womens track...would have to add baseball.
Jafus (Thinker)
Well-Known Member
Top Three
1. Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University –
Positives: Both programs are currently operating at the FCS Division I level. The expansion of both members would allow for the SWAC to add two large and prominent state funded institutions that would provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. They would place the conference with at least one participant in the top five largest classic in terms of attendance. It would make the Atlanta Football Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University and the Southern Heritage Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University conference match-ups. The expansion of two members would create a 12-member conference that would allow for a conference championship and a post season bowl game, instead of the current 10-member conference format would only allow for one or the other.
Negative: They are currently operating as conference members in the automatic playoff bid Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively. It would split-up the conference rival game between Florida A & M University and Bethune-Cookman University. They would not allow for a split that would create a conference distributed evenly across state lines. One of the three Mississippi state universities would need to move from the current eastern division alignment to the western division, i.e. Mississippi Valley State University.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
*Florida A & M University
*Tennessee State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
2. Albany State University and Langston University –
Positives: While both programs are not operating at the FCS level, they could make the transition simultaneously and would not directly impact the stability of the OVC and or MEAC. They are both stated funded institutions that provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. They would split the conference evenly across state lines and allow for the Mississippi institutions to stay in the same division. Both programs have operated at the championship level in several sports in their conference at NCAA Division II (SIAC) and NAIA Division I (RRIC), respectively. Historically, Langston University will rejoin the conference they were once a member.
Negative: They two programs are not currently operating at the FCS level. They two expansion members would not be eligible for the conference tournaments until they both completed their NCAA Division I FCS transition period. Neither teams has a natural rival currently participating in the conference.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
Mississippi Valley State University
*Albany State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
*Langston University
3. Tennessee State University, Florida A & M University, Bethune-Cookman University and Tuskegee University –
Positives: Three of the programs are currently operating at the FCS Division I level. The remaining program has operated at the championship level in several sports in the SIAC at NCAA Division II level. Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University are both stated funded institutions that provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. While, Bethune-Cookman University and Tuskegee University provide balance for one another as both are privately funded institutions. It would not split-up the conference rival game between Florida A & M University and Bethune-Cookman University. It would make the Atlanta Football Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University; the Southern Heritage Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University; and the Turkey Day Classic game, between Tuskegee University and Alabama State University; each conference match-ups.
Negative: Three of the four programs are currently operating as conference members in the automatic playoff bid Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively. They would not allow for a split that would create a conference distributed evenly across state lines. Two of the three Mississippi state universities would need to move from the current eastern division alignment to the western division, i.e. Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University. Tuskegee University is not currently operating at the FCS level.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Jackson State University
*Bethune-Cookman University
*Florida A & M University
*Tennessee State University
*Tuskegee University
Western Division:
Alcorn State University
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Two additional
4. Tennessee State, Savannah State, Albany State and Langston –
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
*Albany State University
*Savannah State University
*Tennessee State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
*Langston University
5. Albany State, Fort Valley State, Clark-Atlanta and Tuskegee –
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Jackson State University
*Albany State University
*Clark-Atlanta University
*Fort Valley State University
*Tuskegee University
Western Division:
Alcorn State University
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
* Proposed Expansion Members
1. Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University –
Positives: Both programs are currently operating at the FCS Division I level. The expansion of both members would allow for the SWAC to add two large and prominent state funded institutions that would provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. They would place the conference with at least one participant in the top five largest classic in terms of attendance. It would make the Atlanta Football Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University and the Southern Heritage Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University conference match-ups. The expansion of two members would create a 12-member conference that would allow for a conference championship and a post season bowl game, instead of the current 10-member conference format would only allow for one or the other.
Negative: They are currently operating as conference members in the automatic playoff bid Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively. It would split-up the conference rival game between Florida A & M University and Bethune-Cookman University. They would not allow for a split that would create a conference distributed evenly across state lines. One of the three Mississippi state universities would need to move from the current eastern division alignment to the western division, i.e. Mississippi Valley State University.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
*Florida A & M University
*Tennessee State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
2. Albany State University and Langston University –
Positives: While both programs are not operating at the FCS level, they could make the transition simultaneously and would not directly impact the stability of the OVC and or MEAC. They are both stated funded institutions that provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. They would split the conference evenly across state lines and allow for the Mississippi institutions to stay in the same division. Both programs have operated at the championship level in several sports in their conference at NCAA Division II (SIAC) and NAIA Division I (RRIC), respectively. Historically, Langston University will rejoin the conference they were once a member.
Negative: They two programs are not currently operating at the FCS level. They two expansion members would not be eligible for the conference tournaments until they both completed their NCAA Division I FCS transition period. Neither teams has a natural rival currently participating in the conference.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
Mississippi Valley State University
*Albany State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
*Langston University
3. Tennessee State University, Florida A & M University, Bethune-Cookman University and Tuskegee University –
Positives: Three of the programs are currently operating at the FCS Division I level. The remaining program has operated at the championship level in several sports in the SIAC at NCAA Division II level. Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University are both stated funded institutions that provide the conference with a footprint into two new state territories. While, Bethune-Cookman University and Tuskegee University provide balance for one another as both are privately funded institutions. It would not split-up the conference rival game between Florida A & M University and Bethune-Cookman University. It would make the Atlanta Football Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Florida A & M University; the Southern Heritage Classic game, between Tennessee State University and Jackson State University; and the Turkey Day Classic game, between Tuskegee University and Alabama State University; each conference match-ups.
Negative: Three of the four programs are currently operating as conference members in the automatic playoff bid Ohio Valley Conference and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, respectively. They would not allow for a split that would create a conference distributed evenly across state lines. Two of the three Mississippi state universities would need to move from the current eastern division alignment to the western division, i.e. Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University. Tuskegee University is not currently operating at the FCS level.
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Jackson State University
*Bethune-Cookman University
*Florida A & M University
*Tennessee State University
*Tuskegee University
Western Division:
Alcorn State University
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Two additional
4. Tennessee State, Savannah State, Albany State and Langston –
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Jackson State University
*Albany State University
*Savannah State University
*Tennessee State University
Western Division:
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
*Langston University
5. Albany State, Fort Valley State, Clark-Atlanta and Tuskegee –
Eastern Division:
Alabama A & M University
Alabama State University
Jackson State University
*Albany State University
*Clark-Atlanta University
*Fort Valley State University
*Tuskegee University
Western Division:
Alcorn State University
Grambling State University
Mississippi Valley State University
Prairie View A & M University
Southern University
Texas Southern University
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
* Proposed Expansion Members
DAHILL
Well-Known Member
Clark Atlanta would get the SWAC in the ATL market.... I think their fanbase would grow and attendance would grow also...opposing fans always show up in ATL for away games... negatives are, I dont see CAU putting money into its athletic programs and facilities would need MAJOR upgrade.
skyvolt2000
Well-Known Member
I think athletically wise it would open the doors to other school districts/states that they don't have full access to.
Tennessee State University joins the SWAC-they get the cities where the SWAC play to recruit. They don't have to spend as much on recruiting in Houston if they are playing PV or Texas Southern. And vice versa for the
SWAC.