If Stanford and Cal were such great "gets" then a major conference would have already snatched them up. As it is, they are one of the four schools left over after the Big Ten and Big 12 grabbed what they wanted. The Big Ten is not taking Stanford AND Cal because they really want Notre Dame. Cal is a dumpster fire of an athletic program with a tremendous amount of debt. I could see Stanford and Notre Dame as a package deal to make a 20-team Big Ten. There's even a rumor out there that Cal is considering discontinuing its football program. The UC Regents are meeting tonight to discuss all things Cal.
I just think they will wind up in the Big Ten because of their academics. UCLA already has to share some of its money with them. Not saying they are a great financial/athletic get, just a good academic get and part of a top 10 tv market.
The Big Ten gave full shares to UCLA and USC and partial shares to Oregon and Washington. This is all about the money. Stanford and Cal will be desperate...and have to take a big discount from anyone.
... but the Board of Regents said UCLA has to share their money with Cal. Again, I think it happens a year from now at a discounted price https://sports.yahoo.com/ucla-clear...7aLK5UDKnsfhIn1gVoSF296ei_zqtuJu-kDkClh512sj3
It's official. The ACC welcomes Cal, SMU and Stanford to the league in 2024!Read more: https://t.co/9vhMMdDCq1 pic.twitter.com/N2ugGLAert— The ACC (@theACC) September 1, 2023
For men's soccer, that leaves Oregon State and San Diego State swaying in the wind. I'd like to see the Big West pick them up as affiliates.
Beginning in 2024, only three of the national champions in men's soccer since and including 1981 will be in three conferences: The ACC, Big East and Big Ten. The exceptions - Santa Clara, co-champs with an ACC school in 1989; UC Santa Barbara in 2006; and Marshall, champs in the spring of 2021 (the 2020 COVID make-up season). ACC Clemson - 1984, 87, 2021 Duke - 1986 North Carolina - 2001, 11 Notre Dame - 2013 Stanford - 2015-17 Syracuse - 2022 Virginia - 1989, 91-94, 09, 14 Wake Forest - 2007 Big Ten Indiana - 1982, 83, 88, 98, 99, 2003, 04, 12 Maryland - 2005, 08, 18 UCLA - 1985, 90, 97, 2002 Wisconsin - 1995 Big East Akron - 2010 Connecticut - 1981, 2000 Georgetown - 2019 St. John's - 1996 Not even college football is that consolidated among just 3 conferences. Hell, the NCAA should just give 2/3 of the NCAA Tournament bids to these three conferences and let the rest fight over the final third and go from there.
When the current realignment is complete, college football champions very likely will come from only 3 conferences
I'm sure they went to their donors to pick up the slack knowing they could get into P4 Conference. Probably some as Jed Clampett would say "texas tea" money floating about SMU.
SMU has been desperate to get back into the high majors since the football program received the "death penalty" in 1987. They have bought themselves a seat in the inner room, like Rodney Dangerfield at Bushwood.
The boosters came to them. It wasn't the school's idea to take no money to join the ACC, boosters, primarily one insanely rich one, suggested it and said he'd make up the shortfall. Ironically, there is no gambling at Bushwood, sir. (And I never slice.)
With the big change, i have Oregon State and San Diego State being orphans in 2024-25. Any guesses as where they'll end up? Pac-12 Oregon State Mountain West San Diego State (was a Pac-12 affiliate)
Delaware getting wooed by Conference USA, who doesn't offer men's soccer. Odds are the Blue Hens will stay in the CAA for men's soccer.
If they let them... sometimes those conferences are not happy with teams switching but they are moving to the FBS for football which may give them an out.
Just using JMU as a case study, would think maybe the SunBelt to align with those schools athletic philosophies? no knowledge to back it up but those schools are FBS caliber football with no conference for soccer in the CUSA. Just a thought
FYI, JMU is now a full member of the Sun Belt having joined the league in 2022. The Sun Belt soccer membership is made up of 6 of its full members (Marshall, JMU, ODU, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern) and 4 affiliate members (Kentucky, South Carolina, WVU, UCF), which are the only SEC and Big 12 core members that sponsor men's soccer. Geographically, Delaware isn't too far outside of the current footprint of the league. But given that the SBC is sort of already maxed out on regular season games for round robin, and that the Delaware program's traditional power level wouldn't necessarily enhance the league's strength. I would be shocked if the SBC were interested at this time. I think Delaware is a solid overall athletic program and will ultimately enhance the overall profile of CUSA. And depending on who CUSA adds as their 12th member could put the league close to at least considering sponsoring men's soccer again (Liberty, FIU, and Delaware have programs - and Missouri State has been considered a candidate for C-USA 12th). At that point, there might be options to partner with the non-Akron MAC schools and make a league happen.
Thank you for the insight. Also for delaware they wont leave until 2025 so it stands to reason there could be more conferences shaking-up between now and then. All just speculation anyways at this point
Chicago State moving conferences...again...now to the NEC. At least there's a major airport nearby. Not fun travel in this one.
Any idea why? The NEC is all northeastern schools, isn't it? At least in the OVC CSU didn't have to fly for most road games. For a school whose finances were in bad shape not that long ago, I'm scratching my head over this. Even adding the program a few years ago didn't seem to make financial sense, fwiw. I see their plans also include potentially adding DI football, with an enrollment under 3,000. Maybe they found a chest of money somewhere.
It's probably one of the few conferences that would accept Chicago State in all sports. And, probably one of the few conferences where they all may be at a semi-competitive balance. I don't know many other sports, but it's not like the NEC is a great conference for any sport. I'll liken it to the ASUN, just a conference for the schools that no one else wants.
Looking at their website, I take it they were independent in most sports. I'd thought they'd moved to the OVC for everything.