ECSU_NCCU_Christopher
Well-Known Member
I think with Tennessee State the issue is a financial one. Will a move to any conference be net neutral or positive one from a financial perspective for the school? (as i can't see the new president making a move that is a financial negative).
There is at least 2 years left on the Big South\OVC agreement, so we will have to what and see what happens there.
As far as either the SWAC or MEAC being the best option, I would say from a financial stand point the SWAC would be a better option given the commissioner moves as of late. The MEAC really has not done anything from a new revenue perspective, that I am aware of, for the conference that would allow a school to join, who is outside of their existing footprint, not to have a negative impact on the existing members. Ticket sales are variable and I don't see any school making a move based on variable revenue alone.
There is at least 2 years left on the Big South\OVC agreement, so we will have to what and see what happens there.
As far as either the SWAC or MEAC being the best option, I would say from a financial stand point the SWAC would be a better option given the commissioner moves as of late. The MEAC really has not done anything from a new revenue perspective, that I am aware of, for the conference that would allow a school to join, who is outside of their existing footprint, not to have a negative impact on the existing members. Ticket sales are variable and I don't see any school making a move based on variable revenue alone.
DaKidDoDat
Member
We are in dire financial situation. We have much more pressing matters at the moment than a conference affiliation change at this time. I just want my school to still exsist.
ECSU_NCCU_Christopher
Well-Known Member
I agree, but conference affiliation does play a part in a school financials if the closer schools moves away. I think the President at Tennessee State would only make the move to a new conference, either just in football or in all sports, if they have no other options in order to keep costs the same or lower.
I can see the Big South and OVC extending their agreement in football and other sports if it gets really bad with schools moving out of the two conferences.
In_The_662
Deeeeep In The Delta.....
AAMU is sitting right there as a natural rival along with JSU (as a conference foe)
Leadership has to get out of their own way and make the move that makes natural sense (but at the same time, don't beg them. If they wanna flounder in a dead end OVC)
Brave
Da Better U get, Da Better we get & That's IT
what are the present financial issues with Tenn State? Is it budget changes (drop in funding) that's causing the problems or just a depletion of the endowment?
Brave
Da Better U get, Da Better we get & That's IT
I don't think Tenn State moving to the SWAC would benefit either party. The conference itself is just now starting to make money and the travel constraints that Tenn State would make would be too much with FAMU and BCU now in the conference.
GenX Hornet
Active Member
I disagree Tennessee State will be a great addition to the SWAC. There is a lot of history between Tennessee State and other SWAC schools. When ASU, Alabama A&M, FAMU, Southern and Jackson State played Tennessee State game attendance was always great.
Olde Hornet
Well-Known Member
People need to leave TSU alone about conferences. They are under pressure from white Tennessee leadership who are determined to close or give TSU to the UT system - UTN. I agree with what was said earlier surviving as an institution is the highest priority.
Brave
Da Better U get, Da Better we get & That's IT
I'm looking more at travel expenses
GenX Hornet
Active Member
SWAC Conference footprint will be better for Tennessee State. Alabama A&M (111 miles) Alabama State (280 miles) FAMU (Game will probably be played Atlanta. 248 miles) Bethune Cookman (681 miles) Mississippi Valley (345 miles) Jackson State (Game probably back in Memphis. 212 miles) Alcorn (481 miles) UAPB (358 miles) Southern (589 miles) Grambling (518 miles) Texas Southern (779 miles) Prairie View (789 miles) This will be way better than joining the MEAC footprint.
ECSU_NCCU_Christopher
Well-Known Member
To me it only makes sense for Tennessee State to move if their current conference falls apart or becomes more expensive, in all sports, than what it is now (with them only moving to a new conference that would either be cheaper or the same than their current conference).
From a SWAC perspective, it would only makes sense to add Tennessee State if they can offset the additional costs, in all sports, for the current member schools if Tennessee State came aboard.
The MEAC schools found out what happens when you add schools outside the conference footprint and how it ups the cost for the others members in the conference. I will always say the biggest mistake the MEAC did in conference history was moving up to D1 when all the foundering were not ready (which lead to the MEAC going after FAMU\BCU to join the conference in order to keep the conference alive)
ECSU_NCCU_Christopher
Well-Known Member
I agree the highest priority is for the school to survive. I think the reason people discuss conference movement for Tennessee State, in this thread, is there is a concern that other schools will be leaving the OVC and thus leaving Tennessee State without a conference (if the conference falls apart).
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unknown1
Well-Known Member
Seriously. I knew exactly where this post was going before I even clicked on it. Not a single person can name any real financial benefits of switching to the SWAC because there really aren't any.
unknown1
Well-Known Member
Nah... it's just the usual "they're an HBCU so they should be in an HBCU conference" routine that happens about 4 times a year. It wouldn't matter if they lost a million more a year, it would still make more sense to some. I'd stay where I am, schedule the 1 or 2 teams that would actually bring a crowd to Nashville to home/home OOC games and call it a day. FAMU, JSU, AAMU and SU are who I'd be talking to. Who else is going to take a crowd any bigger than what they get now?
TxSO - 825 Miles
PV - 700 Miles
BCU - 658 Miles
SU - 566 Miles
Grambling - 550 Miles
FAMU - 460 Miles
UAPB - 390 Miles
Western Illinois - 516 Miles
Charleston Southern - 502 Miles
Lindenwood - 382 Miles
Gardner Webb - 362 Miles
Eastern Illinois - 342 Miles
Southeast Missouri - 262 Miles
Tennessee Martin - 185 Miles
I don't get how people keep trying to force this to make sense.
Tigerpride
THE Logical ONE
There is a lot more to it than attendance and travel miles. The real money is in the sponsorships and TV money. The SWAC makes more than the OVC. We are not on the ACC or Big 10 level but adding another "brand" like TNState could add to the media and sponsorship pot. Now, is this speculation? YES! Just like your speculation that they have no grounds to move. There are pros and cons both ways but I think the pros would outweight the cons.
The only OVC argument I have to concede to is the NCAA bball tourney money. A while back the OVC got a nicer cut than us. Not sure if that is still true. Im also not sure if that amount is more than the CB payout. As for the CB, I am hoping we can increase that payout soon as well. The OVC does not have such an option.
Journalist
Listen up maggots! And that's an order!
Let’s spitball …
This is where scheduling (especially in Olympic sports) comes into play.
You put Tennessee State in the East with Jackson, Valley, Alabama A&M, Alabama State and Bethune.
In football divisional play, that’s one game in Mississippi, a relatively close game in Alabama and a doable road game in Florida.
If you rotate the West schools to fill out an 8-game slate, then you get one road game and a home game. That number fluctuates when it’s a 9-game slate once FCS goes to 12 games every year.
Basketball is similar with in-division matchups, but let’s say rotate two home and two road games with West teams.
They don’t have baseball, so the conference doesn’t have to worry about that.
The schools in the East are within Tenn State’s wheelhouse for travel. The tradeoff is an expectation of increased box office at home offsets some of the expenses, along with a proper scheduling plan that reduces expenses on their teams.
Now … you can’t bring in Tennessee State without having another school to give you an even amount. Right now, the “most viable” option is luring South Carolina State over. That stretches the conference, but gives you 7-team divisions with pretty much all of the bigger HBCU football brands.
East would have Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune, FAMU, Tennessee State, SC State and either Jackson/Valley
The West would have, Ark-PB, Alcorn, Grambling, Southern, Prairie View, Texas Southern and either Jackson/Valley.
However, I don’t see that happening for various reasons.
Let me wrap this up … we know Big Blue has way more to worry about than conference alignment. However, it’s something they have to keep a finger on with the OVC inching closer to collapse.
The SWAC has to show that the potential revenue generated by their inclusion offsets the perception of increased travel costs.
In_The_662
Deeeeep In The Delta.....
Again...
AAMU is sitting right in its own backyard with their history
They have 30+ years of SHC history with JSU
Huntsville - under 2 hours
Montgomery - 4+ hours
Itta Bena - 5+ hours
Jackson - 5+ hours
The SWAC East is tailor made for them especially with their current financial situation (plus it helps with the non-revenue sports with the divisional format)
Raoul
Well-Known Member
2024 Tn St attendance:
Valley in Nshvl 8100
Uapb in Memph 27.5k
E Illinois in Nshvl 10.7k
UTMtn in Nshvl 2800
SEMo in 2700
2023 Tn St attendance:
Valley in Memph 32.5k
GW in Nshvl 3800
Noflk St in Nshvl 14k
Lincoln Cal in Nshvl 2700
Linden in Nshvl 3900
Tn Tech in Nshvl 2500
2022 Tn St attendance:
JSU in Memph 51k
Lane in Nshvl 11.5k
BETHUNE in Nshvl 22k
E Illinois in Nshvl 6200
SEMo in Nshvl 6300
UTMtn in Nshvl 2200
Use your best AD/business brain
Valley in Nshvl 8100
Uapb in Memph 27.5k
E Illinois in Nshvl 10.7k
UTMtn in Nshvl 2800
SEMo in 2700
2023 Tn St attendance:
Valley in Memph 32.5k
GW in Nshvl 3800
Noflk St in Nshvl 14k
Lincoln Cal in Nshvl 2700
Linden in Nshvl 3900
Tn Tech in Nshvl 2500
2022 Tn St attendance:
JSU in Memph 51k
Lane in Nshvl 11.5k
BETHUNE in Nshvl 22k
E Illinois in Nshvl 6200
SEMo in Nshvl 6300
UTMtn in Nshvl 2200
Use your best AD/business brain
Attachments
unknown1
Well-Known Member
Problem is, the SWAC doesn't make enough from either of those to make the move worth it. It's pretty simple. Also, it's pretty obvious they have no interest in joining the swac so why does this need to be discussed once a month?
unknown1
Well-Known Member
Now offset this by the more money they'll have to spend just to travel to swac teams. How is this so hard to understand? TSU has no interest in joining the swac lol. Let it die already.
ECSU_NCCU_Christopher
Well-Known Member
Excellent breakdown on travel.