Is the Alliance Dead?

[UNTflyer]

I think if this story about C-USA expanding to 12 is true, then the Alliance has been crushed and Young Skywalker is ours.

[VideoEagle]

Depends on what you call "the alliance." Merger between MWC and CUSA isn't happening yet. But the MWC is shutting down their TV network and they and CUSA appear to be proceeding on a joint marketing (and perhaps scheduling) program. There were too many dollars on the table from exit fees and NCAA basketball units to kill off the conferences yet. CUSA still has a current TV contract that calls for a championship game and to do that you need 12 football members. MWC doesn't but needs at least one more to be a FBS conference.

This doesn't mean an eventual merger won't take place later.

[UNTflyer]

I don't know. A major selling point of the Alliance was that they were going to lobby to become an AQ conference.

[Harry]

I don't know. A major selling point of the Alliance was that they were going to lobby to become an AQ conference.

AQ is going away...its all about TV contracts now.

[JulesFIU07]

Depends on what you call "the alliance." Merger between MWC and CUSA isn't happening yet. But the MWC is shutting down their TV network and they and CUSA appear to be proceeding on a joint marketing (and perhaps scheduling) program. There were too many dollars on the table from exit fees and NCAA basketball units to kill off the conferences yet. CUSA still has a current TV contract that calls for a championship game and to do that you need 12 football members. MWC doesn't but needs at least one more to be a FBS conference.

This doesn't mean an eventual merger won't take place later.

The merger probably takes place in 2014.

[UNTflyer]

AQ is going away...its all about TV contracts now.

Precisely my point. Without an AQ at stake, is there really a big benefit in forming the Alliance? TV contracts may make a bigger pie, but that doesn't necessarily mean we all get more pie.