VCU, George Mason and possibly Butler are poised for a move to the Atlantic 10 Conference “soon,” multiple sources told SNY.tv Friday.
“There should be an announcement soon,” one industry source told SNY.tv. “I would be shocked if it doesn’t happen.”
“It’s done,” a second source confirmed. “Something will be announced shortly.”
Both sources are aligned with a Tweet by the New York Post earlier Friday that said VCU and George Mason would move from the Colonial Athletic Conference to the A-10 “on May 1” and that Butler of the Horizon League “probably” would.
CBSSports.com earlier reported that all three programs were in talks to join the A-10.
“I hope I’m completely wrong,” a source described as being directly involved in realignment discussions told DailyPress.com. “But I just get a sense that all hell is about ready to break loose.”
While the realignment in the major conferences — the Pac 12, Big 10, SEC, ACC and Big East — has been motivated by football money, these moves are basketball-driven.
With Temple set to join the Big East in 2013 for basketball, the A-10 would potentially be adding three progams that have made a combined four Final Four appearances since 2006. The league would then have 16 basketball programs.
George Mason reached the Final Four in 2006, Butler went in 2010 and ’11 and VCU advanced in 2011.
Since 2000, the A-10 has received 20 at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament while the CAA and Horizon have seven between them over that period.
