Butler, VCU, and George Mason to A-10?

[UAZip0510]

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VCU, George Mason and Butler have had discussions with the Atlantic 10 and indicated to the league they have potential interest in joining for the 2013-14 school year, sources told CBSSports.com.

VCU and George Mason are currently in the Colonial Athletic Association and Butler is in the Horizon League. All three schools would need approval from their respective school boards to make the move.

Sources told CBSSports.com that VCU's Board of Visitors already has had at least two meetings about making the move, while Butler has negotiated with representatives of the Atlantic 10 for the league to assist financially for the Bulldogs to change leagues.

The three schools would help replace schools that are leaving the A-10. Temple is headed to the Big East and sources told CBSSports.com that Charlotte has received an “informal invitation” to the Sun Belt. The 49ers are starting up a football program in 2013 at the FCS level, but couldn't make a move to the FBS until 2015.

Creighton, of the Missouri Valley Conference, also has been mentioned as a possibility for the Atlantic 10. Father Timothy Lannon, Creighton's president since 2011, was previously president for eight years at St. Joseph's, so there's a political connection between the league and the school. However, Creighton – the only Catholic university in the MVC – is a poor geographical fit, so the Blue Jays might be a long shot.

Duquesne president Charles J. Dougherty mentioned the A-10's plans for expansion in an email he sent to his board of trustees explaining his decision to fire basketball coach Ron Everhart. The email was obtained by CBSSports.com.

“The A10 conference itself is on the verge of a major improvement with the addition of new high quality university programs,” Dougherty wrote. “All of this amounts to an exciting professional opportunity for a new coach.”

The addition of VCU, George Mason and Butler would be huge for the A-10. The league would be getting three schools that have made a combined four Final Four appearances since 2006. VCU went to the 2011 Final Four and George Mason to the 2006 Final Four.

Butler went to consecutive Final Fours in 2010 and 2011, losing in the title game each season to Duke and UConn, respectively. The Bulldogs are members of the Horizon League in all sports but football. Butler's football team competes in the FCS level in the Pioneer Football League.

One reason VCU, George Mason and Butler are interested in a move to the Atlantic 10 is that those programs currently reside in “one-bid” leagues. Most seasons if they don't win their conference tournament, they usually don't earn an NCAA tournament at-large berth. However, the A-10 has received multiple NCAA bids for five consecutive seasons.

Since 2000, the Colonial Athletic Association has received only four NCAA tournament at-large bids and the Horizon League three at-large NCAA bids. By comparison, the Atlantic 10 had three at-large NCAA bids just this season and has had 20 NCAA at-large bids since 2000.

Since 2006 – even with George Mason and VCU reaching two Final Fours – the CAA only accrued 24 NCAA tournament units (awarded for every round advanced in the NCAA), compared to 36 for the Atlantic 10. Each unit is worth about $250,000.

George Mason has been a charter member of the Colonial Athletic Association in 1985. VCU left the Metro to join the CAA in 1995. Butler was one of the Horizon League's seven original members when the league was formed in 1979.

[Let'sGoZips94]

That would be smart moves by all 3 schools. Creighton should stay in their conference.

[Districtballer]

That would be smart moves by all 3 schools. Creighton should stay in their conference.

Yeah good move for us. Although that would mean no more Bracketbusters and being paired up with Akron yet again!

[OZoner]

That would probably make the A-10 the best conference in the country. Not "best" in terms of ranking, but man, if you could only watch one conference, wouldn't it be that one?

[Blue & Gold]

Any chance we could get in on that?

[johnnyzip84]

Any chance we could get in on that?

Do you propose Zip football going independent in FBS or dropping to FCS? It's hard (not impossible) to see the MAC allowing us to stay for just football.

[Blue & Gold]

Do you propose Zip football going independent in FBS or dropping to FCS? It's hard (not impossible) to see the MAC allowing us to stay for just football.

True, the MAC would probably kick our football team out.

[Zipmeister]

Any chance we could get in on that?

None Slim.

[skip-zip]

Do you propose Zip football going independent in FBS or dropping to FCS? It's hard (not impossible) to see the MAC allowing us to stay for just football.

For those of us older folks (and I think you are one of us, Johnny), we remember trying to go independent in football in the mid-80s. It ended up being a struggle for the other sports to find conference affiliation, and hurt us tremendously with no automatic basketball bids for postseason. And Huggy was still here and we had teams good enough to make it to the NCAA tourney, but couldn't get the nod as an At-Large. If I recall, that was why we made such a big push to get into the MAC; the conference affiliation for all sports.

I wonder about a couple of things, because this would be different than the last time:

1) We'd have exactly what basketball needed, but could the A-10 accomodate us in our other non-football sports?

2) Could we stay in the MAC in football (Temple and UMass did it) and have A-10 affiliation in ALL other sports?

3) Could we be A-10 in basketball only, and MAC in All other sports?

4) Would risking having to possibly return to Independent in football be worth it for the benefits of being A-10 in basketball?

[johnnyzip84]

For those of us older folks (and I think you are one of us, Johnny), we remember trying to go independent in football in the mid-80s. It ended up being a struggle for the other sports to find conference affiliation, and hurt us tremendously with no automatic basketball bids for postseason. And Huggy was still here and we had teams good enough to make it to the NCAA tourney, but couldn't get the nod as an At-Large. If I recall, that was why we made such a big push to get into the MAC; the conference affiliation for all sports.

I wonder about a couple of things, because this would be different than the last time:

1) We'd have exactly what basketball needed, but could the A-10 accomodate us in our other non-football sports?

2) Could we stay in the MAC in football (Temple and UMass did it) and have A-10 affiliation in ALL other sports?

3) Could we be A-10 in basketball only, and MAC in All other sports?

4) Would risking having to possibly return to Independent in football be worth it for the benefits of being A-10 in basketball?

I am most definitely a member of elderly Zip fan nation! But, like Zippy, I'm perpetually young at heart

You've done a nice job I laying out all possible scenarios for potential A-10 hoops membership, so I'll provide my thoughts on each.

1. The A-10 currently sponsors men's & women's hoops, X-country, baseball, golf, field hockey, lacrosse, men's & women's soccer, swimming & diving, men's and women's tennis, indoor & outdoor track & field, rowing, softball, and volleyball. I'd say that means they could accommodate us quite nicely in all sports but football.

2. Like I alluded to earlier, I don't think it's impossible that the MAC could let us stay in for football only. But I still see it as pretty unlikely. I think Temple bolting so soon may give the conference cause for reconsidering the admittance (or allowance) of football only schools.

3. The only difference I see between the likelihood of this versus scenario #2 is that possibly the prestige of keeping Akron's nationally ranked soccer program might be enough to allow football to also stay. It's an interesting thought, because MAC soccer would be finished without Akron. Whether that means much to Steinbrecher and the presidents is another story.

4. This, like you said, takes us back to 1986. I do think there are some differences (facilities mainly) now that might make a go at being independent (again) more successful. It sure would be nice to get a few winning seasons under Coach Bowden before making such a move however.

It's a good topic.