VCU joining Atlantic 10 in 2013

VCU will be leaving the Colonial Athletic Association and joining the Atlantic 10 in 2013. The move will be announced Tuesday.

On Friday, George Mason, which along with VCU and Butler had discussions with the Atlantic 10, announced it was staying in the CAA. However, sources told CBSSports.com at the present time the Atlantic 10 was looking to add only one more school and VCU got the nod over Mason.

In the latest basketball related realignment move this makes sense for the Rams as they move from a one bid league to a multiple bid league in the A-10. And don't try to sell me on how it's more competitive in the Atlantic 10 and the Rams won't be able to rule the roost in a lesser conference.

With the recent additions of Butler and VCU it makes the loss of Temple (Big East) and Charlotte (Conference USA) easier to deal with. The move also gives the Rams a natural rivalry with Richmond and George Washington.

When it comes to basketball related realignment the Atlantic 10 is a winner.      

It's official: Butler moving to Atlantic 10

For the last month it has been speculated that Butler would be leaving the Horizon League for the Atlantic 10. Speculation has now turned into reality as Butler held a news conference to announce their intention to join the Atlantic 10 to enhance their basketball program.

Butler will be joining the Atlantic 10 a year after Temple leaves for the Big East. The Bulldogs won't begin competing in the Atlantic 10 until the 2013-2014 season. The move will give Butler more exposure and it'll help that the program that it won't be in a one bid league any longer. It also gives the league more of a midwest presence along with Dayton, Saint Louis, and Xavier.

There have been rumblings about VCU and George Mason joining the Atlantic 10 but there has been no significant movement on that front.

VCU, George Mason, and Butler thinking of joining the Atlantic 10

In the latest news of conference realignment, Butler, George Mason, and VCU are having discussions about joining the Atlantic 10 for the 2013-2014 school year.

For this to happen the schools would need to get permission from their respective school boards and would have to negotiate some kind of exit fee from their conference.

The three schools would help replace schools that are leaving the A-10. Temple is headed to the Big East and sources told CBSSports.com that Charlotte has received an “informal invitation” to the Sun Belt. The 49ers are starting up a football program in 2013 at the FCS level, but couldn't make a move to the FBS until 2015.

Creighton's names has also been thrown around, but the Atlantic 10 isn't a geographical fit for the school but there have been some strange alignments before and it wouldn't shock me if a invite were given to the Blue Jays that they would say no.

Butler, VCU, and George Mason reside in one bid basketball leagues right now, although the quality of play in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) has improved in recent years. If the three schools mentioned join the Atlantic 10 the league would improve greatly.

I'm not predicting future Final Four berths for the conference, but with Xavier, St. Louis, and Dayton already there it would make the Atlantic 10 more competitive.