MOBILE, Ala. — The Sun Belt Conference, home to South Alabama’s athletic programs, formally introduced Karl Benson as its next commissioner on Friday, setting up a transition from longtime commissioner Wright Waters in the coming months.
Benson, who has spent 18 years as commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, will join the Sun Belt in April and assume the position full time on July 1. Waters is stepping down after 12 years leading the league.
Hawkins Outlines Conference Strengths
Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins opened the introductory teleconference with an overview of the Sun Belt’s history since its founding in 1976. Hawkins noted that the league has been one of 11 conferences in the Bowl Championship Series structure since adding football in 2001, and he said the Sun Belt ranks sixth among the 32 Division I conferences.
Hawkins also said 90 percent of Sun Belt teams have earned a multi-year Academic Progress Rate of 925 or higher.
He described the league’s regional footprint as its greatest strength. According to Hawkins, the proximity of member schools fosters natural rivalries, reduces travel costs, suits fans who follow their teams on the road and limits the time student-athletes must spend away from campus.
Benson Takes the Podium
Benson thanked the presidents and chancellors of the Sun Belt institutions for selecting him. He described the current period as an uncertain time in college athletics and said the Sun Belt is well positioned to take advantage of it.
He credited Waters and the league’s presidents and chancellors for their leadership in shaping the conference, pointing to new stadiums and arenas on member campuses, success by men’s and women’s teams, rising attendance, larger operating budgets and an increasing number of televised events.
Looking at Membership
Asked about expansion, Benson said the conference currently has 10 football-playing members and one non-football member, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“Without getting specific in terms of numbers, I think that there’s an advantage to getting to at least 12 to take advantage of additional post season opportunities,” Benson said.
He said the Sun Belt board will form a committee in the coming weeks to evaluate current and future membership. Benson noted that the conference’s geographic footprint already contains potential candidates, including current Football Bowl Subdivision members and Football Championship Subdivision schools that have expressed interest in moving up.
Keeping Current Members
Some Sun Belt schools have been mentioned as candidates for the league being formed through the merger of Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference. Benson said that interest reflects the growth of the Sun Belt’s programs.
“The Sun Belt has established itself as a credible, as a bona fide Division I BCS conference,” Benson said.
He said changes in Conference USA, the Mountain West and the WAC have raised the Sun Belt’s standing among conferences without automatic BCS qualification, and that the league intends to show its members it can deliver greater bowl, television and revenue opportunities.
“We will be able to demonstrate that the Sun Belt is on par with any other of the non-BCS conferences,” Benson said.
Moving From the WAC
Asked whether he would pursue WAC schools for the Sun Belt, Benson said his immediate focus is on the 10 football-playing members and Arkansas-Little Rock. He said he and Waters will work together in the Sun Belt office during a transition period before he turns to the bigger picture.
Benson acknowledged that moving from one conference to another can create “sensitivity and perhaps some awkwardness,” but said a commissioner’s obligation shifts with the job.
“I think everyone understands that once you change positions that you are now responsible and obligated to that conference,” he said. “I will certainly do that with the Sun Belt.”
South Alabama is among the Sun Belt’s football-playing members and is preparing for its first season of Sun Belt football competition in 2012.
Update: Benson Discusses Expansion Targets
In interviews following his introduction, Benson said his immediate priority as commissioner will be strengthening the Sun Belt’s brand during a period of change in college football.
“Today is the beginning of the message that the Sun Belt Conference is going to be a player on the college landscape,” Benson said. “We believe we provide opportunities for our existing institutions, but for any future institutions, (we) compare favorably to our peers.”
The Sun Belt’s current football-playing members are Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Troy and Western Kentucky. South Alabama will play a full Sun Belt schedule in 2012 and become a full member in 2013.
Florida International, Florida Atlantic and North Texas have been mentioned as possible targets for the yet-to-be-named conference expected to result from merger talks between Conference USA and the Mountain West. Benson said keeping a presence in both Florida and Texas is important to the Sun Belt.
Benson also said the Sun Belt will talk with Conference USA members, whom he did not name, about moving to the league, which would let those schools stay in a regional conference while bringing the Sun Belt to at least 12 football-playing members. Louisiana Tech, a member of the WAC, has publicly said it wants to join the Sun Belt. Adding Louisiana Tech would leave the league one football school short of the 12 needed for a conference championship game.
Appearing on a radio show hosted by Tony Barnhart and Wes Durham on 790 The Zone, Benson said he is aware of other schools in the region, including Georgia State and UNC-Charlotte. Georgia State does not currently plan to move to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Charlotte wants to move to the FBS but has no timeline and will play its first season of football in 2013.
Benson said his priority is adding schools that already compete in the FBS, but that the conference would consider schools with FBS aspirations if efforts to add current FBS programs are not successful.
