bgbigdog said:
mtgrizrule said:
Some time within the next decade, college football alignment will be so much different than it is now. I feel it will be a good change from mid level FCS through mid level BCS programs.
The more interesting topic will be which conferences survive, and which programs will be part of every conference?
A lot of the realignment will happen after the Big 5 conferences get their television contracts in hand. The networks that will not be part of their TV package will be attractive to take on the mid level conferences/programs. What it is called then, I have no idea. I feel Montana will have a much better conference alignment than what we currently have.
FCS teams with a lack of support and/or facilities better be busting ass hard to improve those things, or there will be schools being in a worse position.
What happens if the P5 tells the drill rods in the NC2A to pound sand and goes off to form their own Cabal? That may be as likely as the scenario you're talking about, including the basketball world. My worry is where is the money coming from for what's left? Will ESPN, CBS, et.al, pony up the dollars for the undercard?
That could happen as well. Either way, I am not to worried about Montana. I feel Montana is one of the schools that will benefit with a better conference alignment than current.
It will be interesting to see how basketball plays into the equation. I doubt the power 5 will want to sacrifice the money made from the tournament. The opening round of 64 (I don't count the play in games as round 1) is one of the greatest events in all of sports. For this the power 5 really do need the other conferences. People are not tuning in those 2 days to watch power conference against power conference. People tune in to watch the David verses Goliath match ups. Without David, Goliath has nothing of interest to offer the public.
Is it possible that schools realign for basketball only? Maybe have the likes of Montana and Weber State be added to the MWC for basketball only? Maybe have the best of the WCC, Big West, WAC, and the Big Sky all join forces for a deeper and better conference out west? Something similar to how the Big East and AAC did a few years ago. In my opinion, that move was pure genius and made sense.
As for Montana, I feel it would make sense to build stronger relationships in the midwest, such as the Dakota schools and Northern Iowa. Those schools/programs will likely be in the same boat as this all plays out.
Hate to even think or say it. Worse case is the arms race in college football gets too expensive to be part of any longer, and more smaller schools focus on building better basketball programs. I doubt it will play out like that for Montana, but for some small schools, it very well could for some football programs to fold. It could force North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana to support only 1 division 1 football program for each of those states, if those states want to compete at the highest level of college football.
Stay tuned, it will continue to get interesting in college athletics. :thumb: