because of ESPN's investment in the game- each conference gets a $1M payout, which helps schools from both of those conferences that struggle economically. Both conferences have divides between schools that aspire to have a higher athletic profile & can afford it, like Hampton or A&T, and the schools whose athletic departments are barely scraping by & are primarily funded by "buy" games, particularly the SWAC schools. The bowl payout is money that the latter schools can't afford to pass up, and is better for them than an FCS playoff birth b/c you have to pay to host those and get nothing for it other than travel expenses. There will probably be more schools that make a jump to a better conference (I could see Howard leaving at some point), but the SWAC & MEAC aren't going anywhere.