Episode Details

JMU is leaving the Sun Belt for the American Conference, and Bennett and Jack break down everything behind the move.

They cover the reported $23 million entry fee funded by corporate sponsors and private donors, why media rights revenue could roughly triple, and how the timeline could work, with JMU in the American no later than July 1, 2028. They also explain why the American turned JMU down in 2022 and why this time it said yes.

They also get into what the move means for football, basketball and the playoff conversation, the Sun Belt fans’ “we made you” reaction, a road trip comparison of the Sun Belt’s small towns and the American’s big cities, and what happens next with the American’s odd number of teams. They confirm that JMU stays eligible for the postseason while it’s in the Sun Belt and that the Liberty series is unaffected.

Plus: your listener questions on realignment, a quick look at the Georgia Southern win and the secondary, and Overreaction Corner.

️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Intro: JMU is headed to the American Conference 2:11 – The worst performance of the season and a very convenient announcement 3:40 – Secondary concerns and the homecoming game vs. Georgia State 5:01 – Why App State fans are the angriest 6:28 – Exit fees, the $23M entry fee and the move timeline 7:41 – Which sports are moving (and why field hockey stays in the Mac) 8:29 – Why the American said no in 2022 and yes now 10:41 – The P4 ambition behind the move 13:27 – What the Sun Belt looks like without JMU 15:08 – TV exposure and the ESPN deal 17:26 – Men’s basketball and the KenPom gap 18:26 – Media rights: from about $2.5M to about $7M 21:05 – Building a national résumé 23:54 – Why JMU is moving fast, and who else wants out 27:56 – Postseason eligibility and the Liberty series 31:19 – Road trips: Hattiesburg and Troy vs. New Orleans and Philly 40:04 – Responding to Sun Belt fans: “we made you” 46:10 – Student fees, terrible realignment maps and burner account “sources” 49:42 – What the American does next (Miami (OH), Liberty, UConn) 51:58 – Listener questions 1:03:18 – Overreaction Corner 1:11:37 – Wrap-up and Georgia State preview

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