Topic: Does conference realignment pay off? No, according to this research...

[GreenSteve]

https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bulls/2022/02/03/does-conference-realignment-pay-off-no-according-to-this-research/

[Big City]

Seems like a lot of gloom.  :o

Sharing my observations from this board, breaking up with CUSA and moving to the Sun Belt has improved fan perspective and dare I say added a little excitement for what could be.

Just a guess, but I bet once the football schedule is finalized and if in fact the Herd is in the Sun Belt this season there will be an uptick in ticket sales. After watching Marshall continue to lose momentum over the past 3-4 years it finally feels like WE ARE on a positive swing.

* What appears to be a strong recruiting class
*The outlook of a new QB- who will win the job
*A different offensive coordinator- wont refer to him as "new"
*A new WR coach
*The move to the Sun Belt
*AD hire coming soon

For now, I am just going to leave MU basketball alone...

[svherd]

In our case, I definitely think moving to the SB was huge and great for Marshall athletics. CUSA is a sinking ship.

[muherd]

I think everyone wants to make that big jump. For us CUSA or the SBC it seems like a solid move.

[puma]

I agree with the premise that conference realignment has lead to an enormous mess and is actively ruining many of the things that makes CFB so great. It's like watching the prisoner's dilemma applied to a multi-billion dollar industry.

It just doesn't really apply to going from C-USA to the Sun Belt. This move isn't breaking up rivalries, chasing markets & potential, spreading out across the country, or require spending tens of millions to be competitive.

I still don't understand what the AAC was thinking with their latest expansion. It's like they looked at all the blunders C-USA made and collectively said "yeah, let's do that!".

[MUonium]

if there's been no significant benefit to realignments, then maybe it's trying to halt the perceived downward slide that we were on in CUSA, the loss of hope and the fear of being left behind.  i sure hope we haven't "burned it down" for quick satisfaction, as the articles states, but instead, be one of the exceptions.

i do think that if we thrive in the SBC, it won't be because we'll save much money or those type things, but rather the chance for a new beginning and what i perceive as more "family" stability.  i suspect most agree it wasn't the first choice- that we'd probably rather have a tight east/mid Atlantic/southeastern league, partly as a result of CUSA folding entirely and/or other moves.

people say this or that conference is going to be the best or the worst but for the major sports and some not so major sports like Women's BB, baseball, softball, i think the pecking order among the eastern G5 will remain the same for a while (slight fluctuations).  but i've said it before- i hope and i think the SBC east, in the next few years, could be one of the best divisions in all of the G5.  if that happens, then perhaps TV contract and other money will at least keep up with inflation.

[Stripeshrt]

IMO, its pretty simple. It depends on your definition of "pay off". Maybe not in the case of a Rutgers jumping to the Big 10, however, MU was dying on the Vine (IMO) languishing in a Texas based CUSA. Do I personally think our moving will "pay off"? Absodamnlutely! It already has in many ways.

[MUther]

The CUSA payout was so low that any increase will quickly erase any fees.  5 years tops and we'll be better than flush.  Add in travel cost savings.  More regional division/rivals and familiar names will add fans immediately and will mean more as we leave COVID behind.  The TV revenue will be quadrupled.  And fans can travel to all division teams in a day. 

[herdfan129]

Our move to the SBC was more than worth it. Getting out of a Texas based conference and back in the ESPN family.

[pdunn]

"We will miss having our basketball tournament in what is basically an airplane hanger partitioned with drapes," said no one ever.

[coalherd]

As for basketball, now 8-14, with 9 regular season games to go and at least one tourney game, that means if we can go 9-1 in those 10 games WE can STILL have a winning season in 21-22!  Just don't look for Vegas to put out any odds on Marshall going 9-1 in those 10 games!! ;)