I am with UALR leadership. Of the current replacement conferences, the Summit makes the most sense. The Southland outside of Texas is a basketball wasteland culturally. The summit has basketball programs that draw reasonably well.

In about 5 years though there might be some better options…If I was in place at UALR, I might talk to the potential FBS southland schools, UTA, & TAMU-CC (maybe even UCA) about a southland breakaway if the sun Belt wanted UALR out at some distant point.

All of those schools might feel some anxiousness about their place in their current conference homes and might be very willing to seek out a more forgiving conference home.

-finite

Bevo, the problem is with the new rules, it would cost C.Oklahoma and Tarleton St. over $1 million to enter D-I. I'm not sure they can afford that. maybe they can. But if UTSA, Lamar, SHSU and Texas St. leave one of those holes needs to be filled with a bball school like UALR, UTPA, or HBU.

nomorespinsports, please turn on the sarcasm machine.

The point is, does it matter which league they join? Both leagues feature interchangeable parts; nondescript programs simply filling out a schedule.

Fresno St. Alum, the SLC wants football playing schools. Hard feelings still exist over a belief that Texas A&M; CC did or did not commitment to fielding a football team in order to gain admission.

fasbfan, geographical fit for the non-football championship conferences should be an important criteria along with academic profile. While the MoValley is an interesting thought for UALR, the league still pants over St. Louis U.

UALR needs a south central or southwestern version of the Atlantic Sun (nee the TAAC), which the Trojans belonged to at one point in its history. How about Oral Roberts, Houston Baptist, UALR, UT Arlington, UMKC, Denver, Texas A&M; CC, and possibly OCU if they decide to jump to Division I. It makes as much sense as anything else out there.

Really UALR should be talking with the SLC. They could join the SLC while UTSA and/or Texas St. join the Sun Belt. Denver should be talking to the Summit League.

The Summit League? I think the Missouri Valley would fit better for UALR. I'd like to see all the basketball only conferences reshuffle to fit better regionally. That would really cut down their travel budgets. The summit leage stretches from Michigan to Utah, that's way to big.