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CLUE 3: ESPN IS THE GODFATHER OF SPORTS AND THE GODFATHER MAY NOT BE PLEASED WITH CONFERENCE USA: In 2011 ESPN and Conference USA settled a law suit in which ESPN claimed Conference USA ditched its tv contract agreement with them. As a result, Fox Sports won the right to broadcast most of the Conference USA games leaving ESPN with only the Conference USA Title Game.(the ESPN title game ends in 2015) Conference USA gambled that Fox Sports would soon rival ESPN and put most of its proverbial eggs in the Fox basket. In hindsight, this was as bad as betting the house on the XFL( a horrible league pro football league that folded almost as quickly as it started) vs the NFL. In short, Conference USA rolled the dice and made a mistake in not keeping ESPN as its money maker. Now ESPN is even stronger, more powerful and most importantly in a position to make or break College Conferences. Conference USA challenged the bull, and the bull won.

Now instead of having the full weight of ESPN behind it, even it meant playing week night games, ESPN seems to have chosen the AAC as its most important G5 portfolio product. Does ESPN have room for Conference USA to come back? Of course it does , but Conference USA would most likely be stuck with a majority of its games on ESPN 3, and on Tuesday and Wed nights. This strategy has worked for the MAC, it remains to be seen however, if it would work for Conference USA.( ESPN's cheap gamble on the AAC seems to be paying off, as the highest rated bowl games among the G5 belonged to the AAC)
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CONFERENCE USA: Unfortunately the one network that could provide long term stability to Conference USA seems to have no interest in the conference at the moment. With its current contacts with the MAC, the AAC, the SunBelt and The MWC, it seems unlikely that Conference USA would benefit financially or from the limited exposure ESPN would be willing to give the conference in a new tv deal.