Minium: Sun Belt Conference Was the Big Winner in Conference Realignment and So Was ODU

[meangreen11]

NORFOLK, Va. – I never would have dreamed of saying this a month ago, but when all the dust has settled, the Sun Belt Conference will emerge as the winner in the Group of 5 conference realignment skirmish of 2021.

And that means Old Dominion University's athletic program will also win.

ODU, Marshall and Southern Miss all announced last week they are leaving Conference USA to join the Sun Belt.

Another school will become the league's 14^thmember late this week or early next.

ODU will compete in the Sun Belt East Division, a more regionally focused group with more natural rivals that are closer to Norfolk than Conference USA's East Division. A lot closer, in fact.

Three schools will be within driving distance of ODU. Georgia State in Atlanta is the furthest from Norfolk, 9 hours away, but a stone's throw compared to Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee.

That means ODU finally will have what it has long desired – a home in the Football Bowl Subdivision with regional rivals that will matter to fans.

ODU is also joining a league with an identifiable national reputation. The Sun Belt is known as the "Fun Belt," and that's in part because the league plays mid-week games on national TV. And they're often fun to watch.

The caliber of football is appealing, but it's the fans, and the noise they make, that draw in TV audiences.

read more:  https://odusports.com/news/2021/11/4/athletics-department-minium-sun-belt-conference-was-the-big-winner-in-conference-realignment-and-so-was-odu.aspx

[MeanGreenTexan]

MWC & AAC:

[VideoEagle]

The article is at least partially correct. Yes, realignment clearly has put ODU in a MUCH better place with regional opponents that will help build fan awareness that leads to more season ticket sales and more contributions to ODU. It's been proven over and over that regional conferences help member schools with that.

Is the SBC stronger after realignment? Yes, it is stronger thanks to stronger divisions. Is the SBC stronger than either the MWC or the AAC? No, but does NOT mean they aren't stronger than they were before and their members are now in a better place than they were before. 

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

Every time I read one of these articles trying to hype the Sun Belt as the better conference, I just see this image. The Belters keep trying to hype themselves as the better conference while deep down inside wishing they were the ones going to the American. 

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

25 minutes ago, UNT Texas Hooligan said:

Every time I read one of these articles trying to hype the Sun Belt as the better conference, I just see this image. The Belters keep trying to hype themselves as the better conference while deep down inside wishing they were the ones going to the American. 

100% because most of those schools have no fan base nor good program. Now I know we can’t talk about that, but in general the AAC is much better in every category 

[El Paso Eagle]

43 minutes ago, VideoEagle said:

The article is at least partially correct. Yes, realignment clearly has put ODU in a MUCH better place with regional opponents that will help build fan awareness that leads to more season ticket sales and more contributions to ODU. It's been proven over and over that regional conferences help member schools with that.

Is the SBC stronger after realignment? Yes, it is stronger thanks to stronger divisions. Is the SBC stronger than either the MWC or the AAC? No, but does NOT mean they aren't stronger than they were before and their members are now in a better place than they were before. 

Will be interesting to see what happens if Napier and the Coastal coach move on. Will the programs continue to be successful? 

[meangreen11]

The litmus test would be if you offered any AAC spot to a belt team.  Would they accept?  I think they would.  And they would say the same things they are saying now.  Would an AAC team accept a Sun Belt offer?  

Edited November 5, 2021 by meangreen11

[UNTLifer]

ODU was in CUSA?  Wow, I guess I really never noticed.

[letsgiveacheer]

Quite right. You win.

I'm a Norfolk native and the author and I went to jr. high and high school together, but I seem to recall him saying just a few years ago that ODU was too good for C-USA and deserved to be in the AAC. Where their stadium was mostly full for every game when they started playing football, now they play to empty seats.

One nice thing about the AAC that is seldom discussed is the caliber of many of the schools. I would much rather be associated with Navy, Rice,  Temple, and Tulane rather than Troy, Ga State, and Monroe. 

Edited November 5, 2021 by letsgiveacheer

[meangreen11]

1 minute ago, letsgiveacheer said:

Quite right. You win.

I'm a Norfolk native and the author and I went to jr. high and high school together, but I seem to recall him saying just a few years ago that ODU was too better for C-USA and deserved to be in the AAC. Where their stadium was mostly full for every game when they started playing football, now they play to empty seats.

One nice thing about the AAC that is seldom discussed is the caliber of many of the schools. I would much rather be associated with Navy, Rice,  Temple, and Tulane rather than Troy, Ga State, and Monroe. 

Yes I noticed there was not a lot of academic bragging in his piece.

[MDH]

AAC wins out so long as we retain SMU and Memphis, Wichita St in basketball and Navy in football. We lose them? Yikes.

[meangreen11]

Just now, MDH said:

AAC wins out so long as we retain SMU and Memphis, Wichita St in basketball and Navy in football. We lose them? Yikes.

And if we do lose them we will just take the best of what’s left and be fine.  Conference position should be the least of our worries now that we find ourselves in the AAC.  The focus should be on getting a football hire right for once.  We haven’t been good at that important facet.

[greenminer]

Whelp, someone finally took on Liberty.
 

 

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

11 minutes ago, greenminer said:

Whelp, someone finally took on Liberty.
 

 

Quite the Hail Mary by Judy and co. "You get a CUSA invite, and you get a CUSA invite"

 

[MDH]

42 minutes ago, UNT Texas Hooligan said:

Quite the Hail Mary by Judy and co. "You get a CUSA invite, and you get a CUSA invite"

 

 Let's call a spade a spade, how do you think most people viewed the 6 AAC additions?

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

5 minutes ago, MDH said:

 Let's call a spade a spade, how do you think most people viewed the 6 AAC additions?

Don't care what they think. There's a clear concise travel area and huge potential for the markets they chose to develop as well as dedication to athletic investment by each of the schools. C-USA is literally throwing crap at the wall to see what sticks. Apples and oranges. 

[Mean Green 93-98]

I mean, other than possibly the SEC, the Sun Belt gained the most from the recent realignment.  Is that even up for debate?  So, in that sense, they won, even if they didn't pass up every conference in FBS, or even in "G5."

Edited November 5, 2021 by Mean Green 93-98

[VideoEagle]

This round realignment really has cause a lot of "we will never be in a conference with them" to go away. TAMU voted in favor of UT joining the SEC. A lot of their alumni are furious, but the administration said it was the right thing to do and was willing to overrule some alumni. The same thing happened when SMU'd administration supported NT into the AAC. Southern Miss looked around, analyzed the situation and realized joining the SBC really did make sense. ODU now has regional rivals which will help advance that program. The Mac showed they would expand for teams that fit will into their profile. A conference swallowed hard and said "yes" to a Fallwell-less Liberty. (I think the Falwells are out, not certain they are completely.) Once again, a conference is forced to take NMSU - that seems to be the only way they ever get into any conference. 

Lots of mixed feelings this time around, but I'm hearing more positives than negatives over all.