North Alabama To The OVC?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Looks like the OVC has someone on their shopping list already now that Samford is gone...

http://www.championshipsubdivisionne...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

The Lions have had success in Division II through the years, most notably with three football and two men’s basketball national championships.

The presentation outlined how UNA compares to other schools in the Gulf South Conference, top Division II programs nationwide and to Division I schools that participate in the Ohio Valley Conference and Southland Conference.

When compared to the top 10 football-playing schools in Division II, UNA’s athletic budget of $4.03 million is 29 percent below the average $5.67 million budget. UNA’s budget ranked second in the Gulf South Conference, behind Delta State.

Williams said UNA would need to raise its athletic budget to at least the Ohio Valley Conference of $7.4 million to be competitive in Division I.

OVC, right? Or is it close enough to the SLC's footprint to warrant discussion about going there?

Discuss.

[Purple Pride]

They've always complained about traveling to the Arkansas schools in the GSC. I wouldn't think they'd be interested at all in traveling to Texas, or any of the Southland schools for that matter.

[Gamecocks99]

Looks like the OVC has someone on their shopping list already now that Samford is gone...

http://www.championshipsubdivisionne...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1



OVC, right? Or is it close enough to the SLC's footprint to warrant discussion about going there?

Discuss.

These few lines in the article says it all. they will go to the OVC if they go at all

The proposal pointed out several UNA strengths that would make a move to Division I easier. Among those strengths are the tradition of the program, the support and size of the community, institutional support, good facilities and membership interest from the Ohio Valley Conference.

Williams also pointed out that a move to Division I would allow UNA to renew rivalries with teams such as Jacksonville State, Troy and Alabama A&M, which would almost certainly increase ticket sales.

“UNA doesn’t really have a big rival now that most of the old GSC teams have gone Division I,” Williams said. “When I played at UNA, the Jacksonville State game was huge. With Samford leaving, the OVC is looking for another team and UNA would be a great fit geographically for the conference.”

[TexasTerror]

I do not think we'll see them head to the Southland. OVC makes more sense. If the SLC goes anywhere outside of Texas-Louisiana-Arkansas, it'd be into Mississippi or Oklahoma. As the article notes, they got some teams in the OVC that would be better fits rival-wise.

[EKU05]

I think the OVC is very much a possibility, but it would be several years down the road seeing as how they can't even start the transitional process until at least 2011.

[Killtoppers90]

Williams also pointed out that a move to Division I would allow UNA to renew rivalries with teams such as Jacksonville State, Troy and Alabama A&M, which would almost certainly increase ticket sales.[/B]

With the advent of the new "no 1-AA teams" rule in the SBC, I doubt that Troy will be in their sights.

[dakotadan]

I'm sure the fact that South Alabama is adding football may make a few more boosters push the idea.

[EKU05]

With the advent of the new "no 1-AA teams" rule in the SBC, I doubt that Troy will be in their sights.

The article is about their athletics program moving to Division I...that woudl affect a lot of sports other than just I-AA football.

[catdaddy2402]

With the advent of the new "no 1-AA teams" rule in the SBC, I doubt that Troy will be in their sights.

They could still play Troy without being FBS or in the Sun Belt. Maybe not in football every year, but I imagine they would face off in every other sport yearly.

[Eyes of Old Main]

I see the OVC as a good fit for UNA from a travel and member mix standpoint.

UNA has nice facilities from what I've seen and heard about, they are committed to winning, and they are in a nice (albeit somewhat secluded) area.