UAB announced Tuesday it was ending the school’s football program following a study that concluded the program was financially unsustainable. The decision will have a rippling effect throughout the remaining athletic programs, including the basketball team. What’s next for Blazer basketball?
Tears. Anger. Disbelief.
There were plenty of emotions to go around Tuesday afternoon as UAB President Ray Watts delivered the fatal news of the Blazer football program to players, coaches and parents.
The decision followed an 18-month study conducted by a consulting firm which concluded the football, rifle and bowling teams were not fiscally sustainable. Watts said the university has no plans right now of cutting any other programs.
Although the other programs are not in danger, the teams do face another problem: They may have to find a new conference.
That’s because Conference USA bylaws require all members to sponsor football. Watts said UAB plans to remain a member of C-USA, but that will require an amendment to be passed by the conference’s Board of Directors.
UAB has been a member of C-USA since the conference’s inception, and Watts hopes the Blazers’ loyalty throughout recent conference realignment will convince the conference to change its rules.
However, early signs do not look good for UAB. C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky released a statement following the announcement, saying the conference disagreed with the decision.
"“We are aware of the study but disappointed with the decision to discontinue the sport of football at UAB, particularly because of its effect on the lives of the student-athletes and coaches that have worked so hard to restore the quality of the program. We don’t fully understand the decision, nor agree with it, but do respect it and the authority of the UAB Administration to make it."
If Banowsky’s statement is any inclination, UAB faces an uphill battle convincing the conference to amend its bylaws and allow the school to remain a member.
If UAB is kicked out of C-USA, the rippling effects will be felt in every athletic program, including mens basketball. The Blazers would have to “sell” themselves to a lesser conference — a task that is as awkward as it is desperate.
UAB’s recent performance isn’t helping its cause. The Blazers have made the NCAA tournament only four times since 2002, and the most recent trip was in 2011. That’s not a track record of success to attract successful basketball-only conferences like the Atlantic-10 and Big East.
So what options, if any, might the Blazers have?
The most logical fit for UAB both geographically and competitively would be the Sun Belt Conference, especially since the conference currently has an uneven number of members. But the Sun Belt has strongly promoted football in recent years, and its unclear whether or not the conference would take on a member without a football team.
Other potential landing spots include the Southern Conference and Atlantic Sun Conference. Both are a huge step-down in talent and name recognition from C-USA, but unfortunately the Blazers — a team with three Sweet 16’s, an Elite Eight appearance, and multiple NIT Final Fours — are desperate.
The best-case scenario would be the Ohio Valley Conference, a conference with several established basketball programs such as Murray State and Belmont.
The Ohio Valley has enjoyed success in recent NCAA tournaments, and the thought of adding UAB — a team that has experienced success in the past and has name recognition– into the mix would be intriguing.
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The next month will be a trying time for the Blazer basketball team. The uncertainty surrounding UAB and C-USA may eventually lead to lost recruits and players transferring out of the program, but for now the team must come together and remain focused at the task at hand.
The Blazers played a daunting early-season schedule, but were competitive against Florida and UCLA. The schedule doesn’t get much easier, with matchups against North Carolina and LSU later this month. There will be plenty of opportunities for the Blazers to impress and show C-USA why it should keep them, or convince other conferences to welcome them as new members.
UAB is supposed to host the C-USA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments this spring. If the conference decides to keep the tournaments there, it might be the last hurrah for UAB in C-USA.
But the Blazers can’t get ahead of themselves. Right now, they are playing for their basketball lives.
Next: Which Conference USA Teams Made the Preseason Mid-Major Power Rankings?