re: I feel like we are getting left out in terms of the benefits of this merger.

A lot of this depends on how they organize the conference. Hopefully they realize we need to actually be a single conference instead of two separate conferences with cross conference playing agreement.

This means they should adapt either a pod system without any cross pod permanent games, or my preference, no divisions of any kind with 3 permanent opponents. Either would mean home and away games with every non permanent opponent over four years.

So if none of AL, AU, or FL is part of your pod or permanent games, you will only miss them every other year. But you will gain home and away with other teams that we rarely see now: e.g. GA TN, OK, TX.

If they don't frick up the organization, this is a good thing.