MVC Expansion

[Sycamorefan96]

Rumors from where?

ISU is my school so I can't stop rooting for them, but if Murray State is left out I am done with the MVC.

Can't agree more. This is not the MVC my ISU or y'alls ISU joined back in the late 70's and early 80's. Back then it was ISU red, ISU blue, SIU, Tulsa, NM St, West TX State, Wichita, Bradley, Drake, and Creighton. I believe Bradley and Creighton were the only two schools without football. Assuming Murray St is left out we're going to be in a conference of 5 football and 7 non-football.

I'd also like to point out that this isn't the MVC of the first decade of the 2000's either. The MVC used to take pride in having schools with basketball tradition and passionate fan bases. Since then the past 5 adds will be schools with hardly any fans and once again none of them have football.

SIU can eat rocks if they're blocking MSU, but ILSU, MOSU, and INSU need to find a better home for our programs. The MVC is slowly becoming a dumpster fire.

 

[Redbird222]

Take this with a grain of salt until confirmed. UMKC is out. UIC is in. It’s down to UTA and Murray. UTA is in and Murray might be to go to 13. Evansville and SIU are trying to block Murray.

So the two schools closest to Murray are trying to block them? I know Murray offers regional scholarships and Maybe that hurts SIU attendance. I don't get why Evansville would block them.

MVC baseball will be better with UIC and Texas Arlington. We will get to see a game in Chicago.
I don't see any upsides other than that. If Murray doesn't get added it's time to join a conference that thinks about all of the sports

 

[ISUBird]

So the two schools closest to Murray are trying to block them? I know Murray offers regional scholarships and Maybe that Hurst their attendance. I don't get why Evansville would block them.

MVC baseball will be better with UIC and Texas Arlington. We will get to see a game in Chicago.
I don't see any upsides other than that. If Murray doesn't get added it's time to join a conference that thinks about all of the sports

I know that SIU doesn't want them because they are afraid of losing even more students to Murray State. Maybe Evansville is the same because that's why the private schools wanted big markets to begin with.

 

[Sycamorefan96]

I heard Evansville was one of the biggest supporters of adding Murray State in 2017. It would be kind of odd if they did a 180 unless what I heard in 2017 was false.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

I know that SIU doesn't want them because they are afraid if losing even more students to Murray State. Maybe Evansville is the same because that's why the private schools wanted big markets to begin with.

The person I spoke with says they 3 compete for students in that tri state area. I don’t know why the rest of the MVC would let those 2 have such power.

 

[ISUBird]

The person I spoke with says they 3 compete for students in that tri state area. I don’t know why the rest of the MVC would let those 2 have such power.

I don't know either. Winning cures all so they'd be a great addition. It really seems like we are adding UIC so there's your big market. Why can we not add the best, by far, mid major team available as well?

 

[BirdGrad2011]

I don't know either. Winning cures all so they'd be a great addition. It really seems like we are adding UIC so there's your big market. Why can we not add the best, by far, mid major team available as well?

I bet the ESPN contract dictated Chicago to be honest. I don’t know why we are letting the privates drive for the other add.

 

[ISU86]

I bet the ESPN contract dictated Chicago to be honest. I don’t know why we are letting the privates drive for the other add.

is it public vs private or schorlarship vs non-scholarship/no football? At this point that is one in the same, but the two potential adds are public/no football.

Question: is Belmont an active participant since they are not (yet) an official member?

 

[Seven]

ISU is my school so I can't stop rooting for them, but if Murray State is left out I am done with the MVC.

I've always loved the MVC but this is exactly my position as well. If Murray St is left out, I'm done with this league.

 

[Seven]

The person I spoke with says they 3 compete for students in that tri state area. I don’t know why the rest of the MVC would let those 2 have such power.

Thanks for passing the info. Evansville blocking Murray St seems weird. Evansville AD has stated publicly he wants Murray in the Valley. Granted it wasn't recently, but it was a couple years ago and he's still the AD.

I've always been worried about the Drake/Bradley/SIU trio blocking Murray. I sense that us/Missouri St/Indiana St are pushing hard for Murray.

If your source's info is correct, it would seem Drake & Bradley are on board with Murray, which is good. That's actually a rosier outlook than I feared.

Hopefully your source has better news soon.

 

[Localfan]

Can't agree more. This is not the MVC my ISU or y'alls ISU joined back in the late 70's and early 80's. Back then it was ISU red, ISU blue, SIU, Tulsa, NM St, West TX State, Wichita, Bradley, Drake, and Creighton. I believe Bradley and Creighton were the only two schools without football. Assuming Murray St is left out we're going to be in a conference of 5 football and 7 non-football.

I'd also like to point out that this isn't the MVC of the first decade of the 2000's either. The MVC used to take pride in having schools with basketball tradition and passionate fan bases. Since then the past 5 adds will be schools with hardly any fans and once again none of them have football.

SIU can eat rocks if they're blocking MSU, but ILSU, MOSU, and INSU need to find a better home for our programs. The MVC is slowly becoming a dumpster fire.

Sadly, it will take a few years of winning for the Redbirds to find a new conference.

 

[Dmills]

is it public vs private or schorlarship vs non-scholarship/no football? At this point that is one in the same, but the two potential adds are public/no football.

Question: is Belmont an active participant since they are not (yet) an official member?

I was wondering this as well. I would think Belmont would be all for Murray State joining? They can keep their rivalry and I am sure they are extremely interested in keeping the competitiveness of the conference.

 

[Yogi]

none of us know what is going on I am a redbird fan and thus a fan of the MVC I was a bird fan before they joined I am sure some mvc fans didnt want us back then. I would like to see MState added. I will just wait and let the big shots make the call and root for the birds and the mvc

 

[TBS_20]

Rumor is cusa. I am the source

 

[Aggie]

If Murray State is left out then one has to wonder what the football public’s then do? I still would argue Illinois STATE has more in common with Murray, Missouri, Indiana, South Dakota, North Dakota STATE then a bunch of smaller non football privates. I also believe Illinois State has more in common with Northern Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, then the privates. Carbondale should realize this also, but I think we all know with declining enrollment and political influence Southern Illinois used to have they are probably running pretty paranoid considering the competition just to the south of them.
Just my opinion but, the big school to the east of ISU, ISU, Edwardsville, and UIC have a decent future. Schools including, Western, Eastern and Carbondale in a downstate declining population scenario need to have hard decisions made. So where am I going Illinois State needs to show some leadership and hopefully get the football public’s mentioned above along with UIC and go that direction. Back in the early 80s I was all for joining the Valley but the Valley is not what it once was. Not as much as a move but a realignment with other public Universities more in tune with what ISU’s future is.

 

[BirdGrad2011]

Thanks for passing the info. Evansville blocking Murray St seems weird. Evansville AD has stated publicly he wants Murray in the Valley. Granted it wasn't recently, but it was a couple years ago and he's still the AD.

I've always been worried about the Drake/Bradley/SIU trio blocking Murray. I sense that us/Missouri St/Indiana St are pushing hard for Murray.

If your source's info is correct, it would seem Drake & Bradley are on board with Murray, which is good. That's actually a rosier outlook than I feared.

Hopefully your source has better news soon.

Yeah initially was a hard no on Murray then came back with league may go to 13. The only real take away I have and have seen elsewhere is UIC is a yes and UMKC is least likely.

 

[DaveBird10]

This MVC expansion has me intrigued. I do like the idea of UIC, that could be a good rivalry if they get going and good under Yak. as for the Murray State in terms of basketball that seems like no brainer. What does UTA bring? a big market and decent basketball. Murray brings a rabid fan base that could excite rivalries and make the MVC what it once was. If I am guessing based on what I have read the voting on Murray probably looks like this.

YES- ISU, Indiana State, Missouri State
NO- Drake, SIU, Bradley, Valpo, UNI and Evansville according to the this.

If UNI doesn't want another plane ride but they'll have to have a plane ride either UTA or Murray State. Wouldn't you want Murray State the school who might get an at-large bid and make for bigger shares in return to the conference.

 

[TBS_20]

I agree that ISUr and MoSt. Need to step up and start a realignment with other publics. Outside of going CUSA this is the best option.

 

[TBS_20]

I also believe Edwardsville will absorb Carbondale at some point considering Edwardsville is in the st Louis metro area.

 

[Yogi]

that is why I think the MVC should ask Edwardsvile to join