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Post by Trojan Warrior on Jul 4, 2014 20:44:34 GMT -6
The Sun Belt Conference will go into the 2014-15 school year with 11 programs that play football, including two – Idaho and New Mexico State – that are football-only members. It also will go in with 11 that field SBC-member basketball programs, including non-football-playing Arkansas-Little Rock and Texas-Arlington. Although it has held off on inviting a 12th member both this year and last, it does still want to eventually get to 12. The preference seems to be for 12 full-time members, and not getting to 12 for football simply by adding another football-only member. The primary reason for that: so two divisions both with six teams can be formed, which would make scheduling for sports including basketball more sensible, cut down on travel expenses and promote regional rivalries. But the other football-related reason is to meet the current NCAA minimum required to host a conference title game, a potential money-maker for the Sun Belt. There are pros and cons to staging such a production, and the debate whether it's worth it or not rages on. "I'm totally comfortable with where we are in football, with the 11 teams, because you only play an eight-game schedule," UL athletic director Scott Farmer said. "Having a conference championship game, I think, could be a positive thing, if it can be sold and it can become a revenue-producer. ( Full Article)
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