Who has the most to prove

Well we have seen this movie before.. I hope A&T can look at TSU and find our pitfalls and prevent themselves from falling into them.

Unfortunately, they have fans that are still balking at the move to the Big South. I work with several NCA&T alum and only those that are football fanatics are following them no matter what. Sounds familiar. Two of them have said they just don't get their fans that just don't care about any of their games against Big South schools. They are hoping those fans overall are in the minority. But they fear that they are not. Hampton and NCA&T have never been rivals, so even that games isn't of much interest. I also work among Hampton grads as well. They didn't like leaving the MEAC and they only game they are looking forward to this year is Howard and their whomever they play for homecoming. One would think if nothing else the Hampton/NCA&T game would become a bit more significant for them. I told them that TSU fans would love to have at least one other HBCU in the OVC. The real supporters get it. The others just shrug it off and said, we still are not in an HBCU conference anymore.

I think with HBCU fans, it's about brands. Actually, I won't generalize to just HBCU fans, because I've heard co-workers that are SEC fans say the same. They love seeing brands they recognize or have a championship pedigree show up on their schedule. I can remember one year, UGA had a horrible schedule and they gave it to their AD because they didn't feel the ticket prices matched the value of the opponents (in their eyes). They also felt like the program deserved to see better opponents.

Fans want to see brands, whether it's a: championship pedigree brand, regional brand or cultural brand. As well as traditional rivals. The problem with HBCUs is, outside of the larger HBCU brands, we are not usually located near, invited to play home & homes, or invited to conferences with those brands. The SoCon back when they had App State & Georgia Southern...I bet FAMU, SCSU would not have had a problem showing up for those schools. However, asking people to show up to see schools in the OVC that are not a brand just does not draw. I'm not sure the Big South provides that for A&T fans either. You add in the lack HBCU opponents on their schedule and I think you'll see the complaints roll in.

Granted Monmouth was good the last two seasons, they're not a brand yet. Kennesaw State isn't either, as they came up from D-II or D-III not so long ago. Honestly, I think A&T is in a tough spot. They're growing enrollment wise and building a brand athletics wise, but I don't see a conference that fits their brand or needs. I think they outgrew the MEAC, and honestly think their brand is bigger than the Big South when you add in track and field.

Time will tell, but if they're able to keep growing, I hope they're able to move up to FBS sooner than later.