I know Smu is excited to be joining the ACC. But is such a long-distance, coast-to coast conference really good for a program and fan base?
Your closest conference foe will be over 1,000 miles away. Those are not drive-able games. There will only be rare office or restaurant interaction with a conference opponent fan. I think SMU will miss the TCU, Baylor, and UNT fans/games.
WSU Prez Shultz, in the article above, mentioned how some WSU fans wanted to cut all ties with UW after they left the PAC12. But they have renewed the Apple Cup rivalry game for 5 more years. He said when he was in the Big 12 he saw the same feelings when A&M left Texas alone. But then he later heard multiple admins and fans wish they had the game back...they missed the close rivalry.
Yes we've been a good program overall the past seven years, but we still only have one NCAA Tournament appearance to show for it. We have three straight NIT appearances and a championship but in my opinion less and less eyes are focused on the NIT, especially with the championship not at MSG anymore. We need to take advantage of our conference tournament being in our backyard and win the whole damn thing, make it to a Sweet 16, and keep increasing attendance to keep boosting our image as an attractive option to play home-and-homes with.
So you think teams do not need to be developed? I guess you believe they don't practice anymore.
NIL is a process now at all but a few teams, of losing your best players and replacing them with the best players you can buy. A losing game for everyone, but the players in the short run.
A longer term view, NIL will further destroy competition and ultimately most of fan interest. There will be less D1 teams and player's opportunities will substantially diminish.
It's weird how defeatist this board is. You're closer than you've ever been. Anyone ahead of you in the state has moved up, except, very debatable, UTSA.
You're next up. Get really buddy buddy with the PAC leftovers.
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