(03-13-2012 01:13 PM)Glassonion Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 01:01 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(03-13-2012 12:37 PM)Glassonion Wrote:  ODU probably has the greatest potential of all the FCS startups, large metro area, no NFL team, excellent recruiting ground, good fanbase, and the leadership to continue to grow. Adding App, ODU and JMU, woud give the belt, three very promising programs, and the footprint would basically be the original Southern Conference. It would also make the SB a great destination for UNCC and Ga St when the get their programs rolling, which would bring in that large media market. I'd think in a decade maybe less, ECU, and USM may be more inclined to join. I dont see the alliance lasting, its basically built on TV deals, but honestly, the CUSA teams arent that attractive media wise.

Id think Benson needs to plan ahead, and not take too much of a bite at the apple immediately, and end up choking on it.

It sounds nice, but just too much of a eastward shift. If we lost UNT to the Alliance, I'd at least be interested in considering that move instead of going back into Texas with UTSA/TSU.

Is it too much of a move east if it were to draw in ECU and Marshall in five years? And if ECU is out of the alliance, chances are USM comes with them. That footprint has worked well in the past, and covers all bases in a 2 phase shift.

And yes, I know Panama, ODU isnt exactly next door to Ga St, but it puts Ga State almost smack dab in the middle of the Sun Belt instead of them becoming an outlier, there shouldnt be any travel complaints from them, especially with UNCC in the belt.

I am not saying dont take ODU. Just giving people an idea that if you take ODU you are stretching your footprint. I have a feeling that ODU's preferences are Alliance followed by MAC. We wouldnt be an outlier in a divisional format. We are close to Mobile. Closer to Troy and close to MT.