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Topic: SBC rumor
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OhioCatFan
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Posted: 7/10/2025 12:36 PM
Don't disagree on the journalistic standards at Cowtown's only surviving daily newspaper. But, it does appear that at least some preliminary discussions have taken place.
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SBH
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Posted: 7/10/2025 12:39 PM
Based on what? A story in JMU's hometown paper? You believe this rumor over the words of an Ohio trustee?
Mike Coleman
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Posted: 7/10/2025 12:58 PM
Sun Belt tries to poach MAC/CUSA schools to replace TX St. They say no.
Sun Belt starts believable rumor that MAC is falling apart to entice MAC schools to join.
Kevin Finnegan
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Posted: 7/10/2025 1:00 PM
Doesn't help the legitimacy of the story (though I know it could be two separate departments) in the newspaper that it shows a picture of Kurtis Rourke as our quarterback and says that it's from last season.
SBH
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Posted: 7/10/2025 1:11 PM
Mike Coleman wrote:expand_more
Sun Belt tries to poach MAC/CUSA schools to replace TX St. They say no.
Sun Belt starts believable rumor that MAC is falling apart to entice MAC schools to join.
That's just mean.
The Optimist
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Posted: 7/10/2025 3:09 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
I really like having our name out there as a possible conference move. I think it brings attention to us athletically and also maybe lights a fire under MAC leadership. You can write off losing NIU as a one-off for a school that didn't have a conference partner in the state. But possibly losing OHIO? That's big for all sports in the conference. I think it says to the MAC, you better do something to help our conference or you're likely to see it crumble. I don't think NIU was a linchpin, but I think we are. If we are honestly looking at leaving, that'll speed up conversations with Miami and Toledo as well.
I was advised by a BOT member that this rumor is right up there with "Dewey Defeats Truman."

100%

The BOT doesn't care about the Sun Belt. Their sole focus is the SEC
I've seen crazier things happen.
Last Edited: 7/10/2025 3:10:29 PM by The Optimist
Flat Tire
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Posted: 7/10/2025 3:57 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
I really like having our name out there as a possible conference move. I think it brings attention to us athletically and also maybe lights a fire under MAC leadership. You can write off losing NIU as a one-off for a school that didn't have a conference partner in the state. But possibly losing OHIO? That's big for all sports in the conference. I think it says to the MAC, you better do something to help our conference or you're likely to see it crumble. I don't think NIU was a linchpin, but I think we are. If we are honestly looking at leaving, that'll speed up conversations with Miami and Toledo as well.
I was advised by a BOT member that this rumor is right up there with "Dewey Defeats Truman."

Just curious, who was the BOT member who told you the above information?
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 7/10/2025 4:24 PM
If our leadership isn't talking to conference leaders around the country basically weekly at this point, it's malpractice.

That's not because I think we should leave the MAC, but more because the landscape of college sports is incredibly volatile right now -- particularly at our level -- and we need to understand every option available to us and be closely aligned with every conference dealing with similar challenges.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 7/10/2025 4:55 PM
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
If our leadership isn't talking to conference leaders around the country basically weekly at this point, it's malpractice.

That's not because I think we should leave the MAC, but more because the landscape of college sports is incredibly volatile right now -- particularly at our level -- and we need to understand every option available to us and be closely aligned with every conference dealing with similar challenges.
Exactly!
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L.C.
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Posted: 7/10/2025 9:20 PM
ts1227 wrote:expand_more
No one has cared about “academic profiles” since the early 2010s realignments. Big Ten fans clutched their pearls that Nebraska wasn’t in the AAU, and then when they got lit up by the SEC after that, that’s the last anyone cared..

My recollection of this is that Nebraska WAS in the AAU when they joined the Big Ten. However, someone was unhappy with Nebraska leaving the Big Twelve, and tried to screw up the deal by getting Nebraska kicked out on the technicality that, while they did enough research to qualify, not enough was done on their main campus (much of it was done on their medical campus, fifty miles away). Since being kicked out, Nebraska has made a big push to increase research on the main campus, in the hopes of once again becoming a member.
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Last Edited: 7/10/2025 9:27:36 PM by L.C.
ExCat21
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Posted: 7/10/2025 9:42 PM
Bring on the 🌞 Belt!
ShoreCat
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Posted: 7/11/2025 12:42 PM
I have no intention of leaving my wife of 14 years.

However, if the hotter, younger next door neighbor calls to check, I at least have to take that call, right?
Last Edited: 7/11/2025 12:52:23 PM by ShoreCat
L.C.
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Posted: 7/11/2025 2:02 PM
To me, two important factors are net Revenue (revenue less travel expenses) and visibility, but they are not the most important one. Arguably, the reasons for playing football are increased visibility to alums and potential students, and maintaining ties to them. If Ohio alums are clustered in state, and all over it, then a move out of the MAC is going to sever those ties. To the extent that they are around the country, then being on TV is more important than being in Akron or Bowling Green. I'm sure that the school's powers that be will assess and weigh all these factors, and it will be interesting to see which they choose.
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 7/11/2025 2:42 PM
700WLW is spending quite a bit of time discussing this.
GoCats105
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Posted: 7/11/2025 3:45 PM
BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
700WLW is spending quite a bit of time discussing this.
In the 10 years I lived in Cincinnati I don't think I ever heard Ohio University mentioned on 700 WLW. Maybe the 2012 NCAA Tournament run or and a random interview with Thom Brenneman, but that's probably it.
GoCats105
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Posted: 7/11/2025 3:47 PM
L.C. wrote:expand_more
To me, two important factors are net Revenue (revenue less travel expenses) and visibility, but they are not the most important one. Arguably, the reasons for playing football are increased visibility to alums and potential students, and maintaining ties to them. If Ohio alums are clustered in state, and all over it, then a move out of the MAC is going to sever those ties. To the extent that they are around the country, then being on TV is more important than being in Akron or Bowling Green. I'm sure that the school's powers that be will assess and weigh all these factors, and it will be interesting to see which they choose.
You might be interested in this article I found today. It's comparing the financial differences between the new PAC and the Mountain West. It's glaringly obvious how far behind NIU (and presumably the rest of the MAC) is in this.

https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/sports/what-the-numbers-...
Last Edited: 7/11/2025 3:48:11 PM by GoCats105
L.C.
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Posted: 7/11/2025 4:46 PM
That was very interesting, thanks. Now, if we had a similar comparison of the AAC, MAC, SBC, and CUSA it would really give us an idea where the MAC stands in the G6 pecking order.
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” ― Epictetus
Last Edited: 7/11/2025 4:47:45 PM by L.C.
cbarber357
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Posted: 7/11/2025 4:56 PM
There are now a few videos on YouTube discussing this. Found this SunBelt focused channel that discussed it at length - https://youtu.be/YfpXLGXfbQI?si=rGFK_TqcRa-DQZ7h

If you read the comments, lots of people with a very positive opinion of adding us, some people saying to add us and some mixture of Miami, Toledo, Liberty, and WKU. The host does seem to think Athens is much farther from Marshall, JMU, and App State than reality.
Last Edited: 7/11/2025 4:57:04 PM by cbarber357
Flat Tire
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Posted: 7/11/2025 5:04 PM
cbarber357 wrote:expand_more
There are now a few videos on YouTube discussing this. Found this SunBelt focused channel that discussed it at length - https://youtu.be/YfpXLGXfbQI?si=rGFK_TqcRa-DQZ7h

If you read the comments, lots of people with a very positive opinion of adding us, some people saying to add us and some mixture of Miami, Toledo, Liberty, and WKU. The host does seem to think Athens is much farther from Marshall, JMU, and App State than reality.

FYI: Per the SBC board, most of the posters consider this guy unreliable and clickbait.

There is a 13 page thread on his Big SBC "juicy announcement" before it starting going into another direction. The big scope was about a pitching coach leaving one program and going to another school.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-1011960.html
cbarber357
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Posted: 7/11/2025 5:11 PM
Flat Tire wrote:expand_more
There are now a few videos on YouTube discussing this. Found this SunBelt focused channel that discussed it at length - https://youtu.be/YfpXLGXfbQI?si=rGFK_TqcRa-DQZ7h

If you read the comments, lots of people with a very positive opinion of adding us, some people saying to add us and some mixture of Miami, Toledo, Liberty, and WKU. The host does seem to think Athens is much farther from Marshall, JMU, and App State than reality.

FYI: Per the SBC board, most of the posters consider this guy unreliable and clickbait.

There is a 13 page thread on his Big SBC "juicy announcement" before it starting going into another direction. The big scope was about a pitching coach leaving one program and going to another school.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-1011960.html
I have no idea about the guy, I just mainly think it’s interesting that most of the Sun belt fans are reacting so positively to the idea in the comments.
Flat Tire
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Posted: 7/11/2025 5:37 PM
Most of the SBC East team posters seem to be favorable to Ohio. The West SBC members are not as thrilled. This is based on the very active SBC message board.

Their seem to be riff developing between the East and West SBC programs. Rumors are that the East teams might breakaway and form a new conference. The East programs have more resources than the West programs. If the AAC start fall apart, ECU and maybe a few other teams might want to help form the new Eastern conference? Maybe that is why Ohio is being brought up, who knows.
RufusCat09
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Posted: 7/11/2025 5:41 PM
SBH wrote:expand_more
Yes, the esteemed reporter Rob Oller, who did not reach out to an Ohio University representative for comment and who identified the newspaper as being in Harrisburg rather than Harrisonburg, VA.

That's some elite journalism right there.
It's amazing how this blew up but it's really a non-story and inaccurate.

https://x.com/OhioUniforms/status/1943752786715213870
Alan Swank
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Posted: 7/11/2025 6:00 PM
Two things - the thread title - SBC rumor in a very slow time during a very slow time for college sports fans.

Second, there has not been one quote from the OU president, AD, or board of trustees chair - just a bunch of folks with lots of time on their hands.
cbarber357
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Posted: 7/11/2025 6:53 PM
RufusCat09 wrote:expand_more
Yes, the esteemed reporter Rob Oller, who did not reach out to an Ohio University representative for comment and who identified the newspaper as being in Harrisburg rather than Harrisonburg, VA.

That's some elite journalism right there.
It's amazing how this blew up but it's really a non-story and inaccurate.

https://x.com/OhioUniforms/status/1943752786715213870
True or not, it’s a rumor for a reason. If false, have to wonder if it came from the Sun Belt, from JMU, etc. somebody started the rumor for a reason.
Victory
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Posted: 7/11/2025 7:27 PM
Flat Tire wrote:expand_more
Most of the SBC East team posters seem to be favorable to Ohio. The West SBC members are not as thrilled. This is based on the very active SBC message board.

Their seem to be riff developing between the East and West SBC programs. Rumors are that the East teams might breakaway and form a new conference. The East programs have more resources than the West programs. If the AAC start fall apart, ECU and maybe a few other teams might want to help form the new Eastern conference? Maybe that is why Ohio is being brought up, who knows.
I suspect that the element of truth might lie in this area. As of now, the travel costs for Ohio for non-revenue sports would probably make this move very difficult. Long rivalry ties, alumni base location and such make it that much more unlikely. But there is still room for more football expansion in the conferences out west. The American seems to really prefer colleges in cities. If, say, Memphis, Tulane, and/or Tulsa leaves to go west and Toledo and/or Buffalo end up in the American in response maybe some other American programs like ECU are more ready to look elsewhere. Maybe then the 7 Sunbelt East schools want to break away and team with a couple of regional American schools to save on their own travel cost and if they are looking around at WKU, MTSU, Liberty, Ohio, Miami.... to get back to 12 or 14 then I can certainly now understand why this now makes a ton of sense for us. Maybe also the Sunbelt West schools look at some western CUSA schools at that point. It seems like most articles were talking like this wasn't really talks for 2026 but Ohio possibly having a better relationship understanding with the JMU's and Appy's of the world if there is a sudden paradigm shift. I obviously have no idea what I am talking about but in this context it makes a whole lot of sense.

When CUSA started getting plucked schools like Marshall were anxious to get out. A school like FIU was then left with basically no good options. We don't want to be in a position like that.
Last Edited: 7/11/2025 7:46:46 PM by Victory
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