Metro Conference

[sc49erfan15]

I recently got on one of those "Wikipedia trains" where I end up at a Wikipedia page, then end up clicking a link off of that page, which leads to another link...and before I know it, I've been on Wikipedia for an hour.

This one had to do with NCAA athletics conferences - specifically, the Metro Conference. I'm sure quite a few members here remember the Metro. The Metro existed from 1975-1995, and at one time contained quite a few big-name teams - namely, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Memphis (then known as Memphis State), Florida State, Virginia Tech, and South Carolina. The Metro merged with the Great Midwest Conference (whose membership mostly broke away from the Metro) to form Conference USA in 1995.

Anyway, I've never seen a logo for the Metro Conference (whose official name was the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and Google searches give me nothing.Surely they had to have something...does anyone know anything about a Metro Conference logo?

[sc49erfan15]

There's a logo in the top left corner of this media guide, and there's a similar blue circle with "metro" in it (similar to the NCAA logo) on a baseball media guide. That's all I could find.

[VandyDelphia Mike]

YouTube screen grab of a 1990 Metro Conference quarterfinal on Prime Network!

Confirms the first eBay link, at least. The schools that would put the conference name in front of the free throw line would use the metro wordmark on its own.

[neo_prankster]

YouTube screen grab of a 1990 Metro Conference quarterfinal on Prime Network!

Confirms the first eBay link, at least. The schools that would put the conference name in front of the free throw line would use the metro wordmark on its own.

Ah yes, the Prime Network, aka the original Prime Ticket.

I really think the regional sports channels were much better before they became Fox Sports (Insert Region Here).

[dfwabel]

There's a logo in the top left corner of this media guide, and there's a similar blue circle with "metro" in it (similar to the NCAA logo) on a baseball media guide. That's all I could find.

That was their logo and that was the font. FSU and VT were in the Metro back in the 80's and I remember seeing that on their banners.

[sc49erfan15]

Ah, I didn't even think about going on YouTube. Good shot!

[illwauk]

YouTube screen grab of a 1990 Metro Conference quarterfinal on Prime Network!

Confirms the first eBay link, at least. The schools that would put the conference name in front of the free throw line would use the metro wordmark on its own.

Even though I know South Carolina didn't join the SEC until 1992(?), it looks weird to see them in any other conference. It sort of seems like they should've been in the SEC since the beginning.

[BigDmo]

This is the first time I've learned about the Metro conference. Definitely interesting that so many big schools who are established in other conferences were actually in this one. It seems pretty random.

[apeman33]

This is the first time I've learned about the Metro conference. Definitely interesting that so many big schools who are established in other conferences were actually in this one. It seems pretty random.

Actually, it's the changes since the demise of the Metro (or at least the split of the schools that joined the Great Midwest) that seems random.

* Louisville and Memphis went from the Metro to the Great Midwest to Conference USA to the Big East (Was Marquette in the Metro?).

* Memphis also was in the Great Midwest but has stayed in Conference USA.

* South Carolina went to the SEC the same year Arkansas was admitted.

Basically, though many conference changes in recent years have been motivated by football, it could stand to reason that the shakeups began with the formation of the Great Midwest. It was good for the basketball schools but did nothing for the football programs of the schools that had them (those teams had to play as independents). Once it became less desireable to remain a football independent, the other changes began to happen.

[John in KY]

This is the first time I've learned about the Metro conference. Definitely interesting that so many big schools who are established in other conferences were actually in this one. It seems pretty random.

Actually, it's the changes since the demise of the Metro (or at least the split of the schools that joined the Great Midwest) that seems random.

* Louisville and Memphis went from the Metro to the Great Midwest to Conference USA to the Big East (Was Marquette in the Metro?).

* Memphis also was in the Great Midwest but has stayed in Conference USA.

* South Carolina went to the SEC the same year Arkansas was admitted.

Basically, though many conference changes in recent years have been motivated by football, it could stand to reason that the shakeups began with the formation of the Great Midwest. It was good for the basketball schools but did nothing for the football programs of the schools that had them (those teams had to play as independents). Once it became less desireable to remain a football independent, the other changes began to happen.

No, Louisville never joined the Great Midwest; they stayed in the Metro until the bitter end when it merged with the Great Midwest to form Conference USA.

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

South Carolina was in the ACC for years; had some kind of falling out and were independent for a while before joining the Metro.

I have to agree - football has driven a lot of the conference consolidation over the past 20 years.

[FirearmofMutiny]

YouTube screen grab of a 1990 Metro Conference quarterfinal on Prime Network!

Confirms the first eBay link, at least. The schools that would put the conference name in front of the free throw line would use the metro wordmark on its own.

Ah yes, the Prime Network, aka the original Prime Ticket.

I really think the regional sports channels were much better before they became Fox Sports (Insert Region Here).

It was awesome in the 90s when we in MN had the Timberwolves on Prime and the Twins/North Stars on Midwest Sports Channel (M! S! C!). You're right, it sucks that it's all Fox Sports regional; now there's only one "local" sports network per territory. (MN tried to make another with Victory Sports, which would have had the Twins and Gophers, but it failed miserably.)

[Titanole]

Here is an article I ran across a few years ago that tells the tale of the late great Metro Conference during the time of all the conference realignment of the early 1990's. (The article is a little slow to come up so give it a few moments.) Instead of the Metro Conference adding football it was the Big East who gathered the football independents and the rest is history.

What Could Have Been: Metro Conference

I look back fondly on the ol' Metro, despite watching FSU get bounced from the basketball conference tourney in the first round every year and seeing Louisville and Memphis State dominate.

[The_Admiral]

I miss the days of drop-shadowed yellow and white Helvetica Condensed for everything. Simpler times. The scoreboard didn't have to make beeping sounds. Sometimes it wasn't there!

[illwauk]

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

Marquette, and I think DePaul too (along with Notre Dame) were members of the Midwest Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) before joining the Great Midwest.

[NCCoachArete]

Does anyone know what font was used for the metro conference?

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

IIRC, Marquette and DePaul were members of the Midwest Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) before joining the Great Midwest. It was the first conference Marquette was ever part of and I think DePaul was independent when they joined too, but I think they also had brief stints in a couple of short lived conferences before they hooked up with the MCC.

[raysfan24]

Biggest I could find. I know in Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati Bearcats), they have the logo on one of the banners.

[nuordr]

Biggest I could find. I know in Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati Bearcats), they have the logo on one of the banners.

The conference that Louisville created so they could win easily back in the day. In fact, only Louisville and Tulane remained in the league from start to finish.

[-kj]

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

Marquette, and I think DePaul too (along with Notre Dame) were members of the Midwest Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) before joining the Great Midwest.

See also: Saint Louis and Xavier (now of the A-10). I remember watching MCC games back in the day. I don't remember ND being in it, but I definitely remember Xavier and DePaul.

[nuordr]

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

Marquette, and I think DePaul too (along with Notre Dame) were members of the Midwest Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) before joining the Great Midwest.

See also: Saint Louis and Xavier (now of the A-10). I remember watching MCC games back in the day. I don't remember ND being in it, but I definitely remember Xavier and DePaul.

Charter Members:

Cincinnati - 75-91

Georgia Tech - 75-78

Louisville - 75-95

Memphis - 75-91

St. Louis - 75-82

Tulane - 75-91

Later Joined:

FSU - 76-91

VT - 79-95

SMU - 82-95

South Carolina - 83-91

[rams80]

Marquette and DePaul weren't in the Metro. I'm not sure about their conference before they joined the Great Midwest - were they both independent?

Marquette, and I think DePaul too (along with Notre Dame) were members of the Midwest Collegiate Conference (now known as the Horizon League) before joining the Great Midwest.

See also: Saint Louis and Xavier (now of the A-10). I remember watching MCC games back in the day. I don't remember ND being in it, but I definitely remember Xavier and DePaul.

Charter Members:

Cincinnati - 75-91

Georgia Tech - 75-78

Louisville - 75-95

Memphis - 75-91

St. Louis - 75-82

Tulane - 75-91

Later Joined:

FSU - 76-91

VT - 79-95

SMU - 82-95

South Carolina - 83-91

They were talking about the Midwestern Collegiate Conference