Conference Alignments Accross the Country

It looks like some conference moves are going to occur this year. It has been widely reported that Wichita State is going to leave the Missouri Valley and move to the American Athletic Conference. The AAC is considered a higher quality basketball conference than the MVC where WSU has been the dominant power for the last several years. While WSU does not currently have a football program there has been inquiries about what would it take to restart the program and by being in the AAC it would give them a direct route to FBS football if they choose to restart the program but it might not be a requirement for joining the AAC. The MVC is among the strongest FCS football conferences. With that in mind and the state of the Southland should Lamar consider a move to another FCS conference. Long term I think scheduling for non-conference games could improve as most of the SLC schools would be short trips and home and home arrangements could be very possible. The MVC is also considered a higher quality conference in basketball at this time. I know a move to any other FCS football conference would mean a significant increase in travel expenses for all sports but would also broaden exposure and potentially open stronger recruiting from other areas of the country. Or is the only interest for Lamar fans a move to a FBS conference which is probably a lot less likely with the current level of performance of Lamar sports. Thoughts from others?

It looks like some conference moves are going to occur this year. It has been widely reported that Wichita State is going to leave the Missouri Valley and move to the American Athletic Conference. The AAC is considered a higher quality basketball conference than the MVC where WSU has been the dominant power for the last several years. While WSU does not currently have a football program there has been inquiries about what would it take to restart the program and by being in the AAC it would give them a direct route to FBS football if they choose to restart the program but it might not be a requirement for joining the AAC. The MVC is among the strongest FCS football conferences. With that in mind and the state of the Southland should Lamar consider a move to another FCS conference. Long term I think scheduling for non-conference games could improve as most of the SLC schools would be short trips and home and home arrangements could be very possible. The MVC is also considered a higher quality conference in basketball at this time. I know a move to any other FCS football conference would mean a significant increase in travel expenses for all sports but would also broaden exposure and potentially open stronger recruiting from other areas of the country. Or is the only interest for Lamar fans a move to a FBS conference which is probably a lot less likely with the current level of performance of Lamar sports. Thoughts from others?

 

For me...if it's not a move to FBS, then I don't see any reason to change conferences. I agree that the exposure might be better but the financial costs wouldn't justify a move. At the end of the day, though, I think Lamar fans just want (and deserve) to see winning programs on the field/court.

Liberty is fbs independent

Since Billy and Jimmy are gone I wonder if there is still a drive for Lamar to go FBS? It seems like independence would probably be the only way this could happen now, but would probably cause more problems for LU than what it would solve.

 

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/sports/lamar/article/Deals-could-mean-bigger-things-for-LU-athletics-732743.php

 

And it looks like Liberty is going but there is some challenges in that for them.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ncaa-accepts-libertys-fbs-bid-despite-looming-cloud-of-baylor-investigation/