(09-01-2015 02:49 PM)TribePride91 Wrote:  I obviously am a W&M grad, but am a native of Lynchburg. I am curious as to all of the angst and fervor over going FBS. I do not see much benefit to Liberty in any other sports other than football for a move to the Sun Belt. I do not believe recent moves for ODU, App St, Ga Southern and others to have been wildly successful. Only the move of VCU from the CAA to the A10 was a significant success. Since it appears likely that the P5 conferences are going to shortly form their own division and playoff and Liberty, JMU, ODU and many others will not have a seat at that table, I question whether the additional cost and resources for a move are worth it. I do not doubt JMU and Liberty's ability to occasionally play well against an ACC opponent or another P5 school(as JMU did in beating VT and W&M did in beating UVA), but the chasm between those football schools and ours is significant. Look to ODU's shortened 80-10 loss to UNC as some evidence of the uphill climb.

If in the next 5 years, the top 3-4 FCS conferences and the lower G5 conferences end up all in a similar division, the angst will have been for nothing. I am curious as to the thoughts of Liberty alumni as to the possibility of a move to the CAA for all sports vs. independent status in all sports or just Big South but football independent. JMU fans(some, not all, and perhaps not its administration) seem to feel that they are ready to move even though many of their sports are not at the top of the CAA and their football is not the flagship of the CAA either. The question is: what are you really moving to? There is great utility in building rivalries and having long-term conference affiliation. I remember Dr. Falwell saying he dreamed of a day when Liberty would defeat Notre Dame in football. I am not saying that is not possible, I am just not sure whether it is an immediate goal. My guess is from the postings is that Liberty believes they will get 20,000-30,000 fans regardless of the opponent. Given the last 10 years that is likely true. But, isn't playing Coastal or an actual rival more fun that schools from the far Southwest that you have nothing in common with? Our only local experience is ODU and many of them wish they had not made the move to FBS at this point from a competition/rivalry standpoint. Just wondering if it is an FBS or nothing thought from a Liberty prospective. Perhaps the ultimate answer is not about competition or excitement but only money. Not being critical at all, just wondering what the 3 year plan is.

Welcome to the board!

To answer your question, different schools and different fans are going to want different things. Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors of ice cream after all.

I think Liberty wants to not only beat Notre Dame, but to be peers on the field/court/playing field and be at the very top of the mountain. There is a place for regional sports but I believe Liberty wants to be national if not worldwide. That doesn't happen at FCS, and it would still unlikely happen in a G5 conference. Liberty wants and needs to be P5.

As a fan, I want to compete at the highest level. I see the Big 12 as being the gateway to the P5 and Liberty is in a unique position to be close enough to be a bridge to West Virginia but also be in a new state to not overlap media coverage. Liberty is in a solid location to replace either Virginia ACC school, or to expand further north/south for the Big Ten/SEC if those conferences can't get into Virginia because of grant of rights from the ACC schools.

If Liberty is unable to get to FBS then I'd be okay with going to the CAA for all sports. I don't see the point in creating bad blood by leaving the Big South for another FCS conference (instead of an FBS conference which they would understand) and then to last there for a couple years before going FBS would likely upset them. I think the CAA is better than the Sun Belt in most sports but the FBS football is what puts them over the top. I don't have a problem with being in a conference that would be strung out across the country for two reasons: Liberty wants to brand itself nationally and they have alumni all over (thanks to the online program) and secondly I believe great rivalries can be made no matter the distance between schools.

It's hard to get a read on what Liberty wants to do. They obviously want to go FBS but what are they willing to do to get there? Will they fight for FBS independence? Or is Liberty going to sit on their hands and wait for an invitation and watch as they get passed over by their peers like JMU?