JULY 1ST BRINGS NEW LOOK TO AAC, SUN BELT AND CONFERENCE USA. WHICH LEAGUE BENEFITS THE MOST?

Original G5 Content


HAPPY JULY 1ST

July 1st brings a new look to the AAC, CONFERENCE USA AND SUN BELT. What conference benefits the most from the changes, what  conference benefits the least. First however, lets take a look at the conference shifting that occurs today.

AAC: Loses Louisville, gains ECU, TULANE AND TULSA

CONFERENCE USA: Gains WKU, loses ECU, TULANE AND TULSA

SUN BELT: Loses WKU, gains APPALACHIAN STATE, GEORGIA SOUTHERN, IDAHO(football only) NEW MEXICO STATE ( football only)

JULY 1ST WINNERS: SUN BELT

Although losing WKU will hurt the Belt in Basketball, APP STATE and GEORGIA SOUTHERN make up for the lose of WKU in the only sport that really matters in conference realignment, Football. APP STATE and GEORGIA SOUTHERN , however, will need to prove that they can carry their winning traditions and strong fan base with them to the FBS division if the Sun Belt is going to  be fully rewarded for inviting them to the conference. IDAHO and NEW MEXICO STATE will need to considerably strengthen their game if they hope to add any  value to the Sun Belt.

I also give the nod to the Sun Belt as a winners today because losing WKU is a much less significant blow to the conference than  Louisville leaving the AAC and ECU, TULANE and TULSA leaving  Conference USA. All things considered, count July 1st as a win for the Sun Belt and the Sun Belt leadership.

JULY 1ST LOSERS: AAC AND CONFERENCE USA

AAC: It might seem strange to call today a losing proposition for the AAC. They are after all, gaining two of the best teams from Conference USA,  ECU and  TULSA . They also gain  TULANE. These three programs do not make up for the departure of Louisville. The lose of the Cardinals is a big blow to Mike Aresco and the AAC.  The AAC can take solace however, in knowing that they have reduced significantly reduced the fire power of Conference USA.

CONFERENCE USA: Conference USA is between a rock and hard place at the moment. Britton Banowsky, Conference USA Commissioner , has publicly stated that he believes  it is a good thing when Conference USA schools move on to better conferences. It is hard to imagine,  however,   that losing ECU and TULSA is  good for the conference.

While Conference USA is getting a solid pick up in WKU , the Hilltoppers simply do not have the same pedigree or winning tradition that  the Pirates or  Golden Hurricanes have in  Football. As I wrote in this earlier piece, CONFERENCE USA, July 1st Changes, no conference in the G5 has been hit harder during the recent wave of conference realignment than Conference USA. Stay tuned.