All this expansion talk has me thinking... If you could combine the C-USA and Sun Belt, how would you do it?

I like 12 members in a conference. Here is how I would have the combined Sun Belt/C-USA:

East
MTSU
UAB
USA
USM
Tulane
WKU

West
Houston
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
ULL
UNT

Reasons these schools didn't make the 12:

ASU: actually had them in ahead of ULL but re-thought my decision.

UTEP: Too far West; want a travel friendly conference

Memphis: Will probably end up in Big East anyway

FAU/FIU/UCF: Too far South; want a travel friendly conference

Marshall/ECU: Too far East; want a travel friendly conference

UALR: no football

Troy: UAB would probably try and block 3 teams from its state; could add Troy and drop ULL and move Tulane to the West; however Troy isn't in a big market probably

UNO: moving to Div II

Denver: Only a million miles away; no football; not in conference footprint

ULM: I think Tulane is a better pick;

I like how this conference would lay out. I like the spacing. I also like how it is almost a hybrid mirror of the SEC+BIG12. Thoughts? How would your conference look?

Here it is visually:

SkullyMaroo WKU is in KY. and MTSU is in Tn.

What happened to the five missing CUSA teams?

(02-17-2010 03:51 PM)TOPPERTOM Wrote:  SkullyMaroo WKU is in KY. and MTSU is in Tn.

L M F A O

(02-17-2010 03:07 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  All this expansion talk has me thinking... If you could combine the C-USA and Sun Belt, how would you do it?

I like 12 members in a conference. Here is how I would have the combined Sun Belt/C-USA:

East
MTSU
UAB
USA
USM
Tulane
WKU

West
Houston
Rice
SMU
Tulsa
ULL
UNT

Reasons these schools didn't make the 12:

ASU: actually had them in ahead of ULL but re-thought my decision.

UTEP: Too far West; want a travel friendly conference

Memphis: Will probably end up in Big East anyway

FAU/FIU/UCF: Too far South; want a travel friendly conference

Marshall/ECU: Too far East; want a travel friendly conference

UALR: no football

Troy: UAB would probably try and block 3 teams from its state; could add Troy and drop ULL and move Tulane to the West; however Troy isn't in a big market probably

UNO: moving to Div II

Denver: Only a million miles away; no football; not in conference footprint

ULM: I think Tulane is a better pick;

I like how this conference would lay out. I like the spacing. I also like how it is almost a hybrid mirror of the SEC+BIG12. Thoughts? How would your conference look?

Here it is visually:

EAST:
UAB
Troy
USA
MT
WKU
UCF

WEST:
USM
UL
La Tech
Houston
ASU
ASU

(02-17-2010 03:51 PM)TOPPERTOM Wrote:  SkullyMaroo WKU is in KY. and MTSU is in Tn.

I redid that picture 4 times. The first pic the jpeg saved format lost quality. Second picture I wasn't satisfied. Third picture I had ASU and not ULL. Fourth picture is this one...

Cut me a break, a simple typo! I don't see an embarassed icon... but I have corrected this issue.

EAST (Athletic Budget)
USM ($18,623,250)
Memphis ($35,356,090)
UAB ($22,620,615)
Troy ($14,389,423)
WKU ($21,002,792)
MTSU ($17,204,861)

WEST
Houston ($29,620,164)
North Texas ($16,621,986 - Adding $7,000,000 plus in 2011)
UTEP ($22,990,846)
Tulsa ($27,130,674)
SMU ($35,386,090)
Rice ($30,671,822)

MTPiKapp nailed mine exactly.

(02-17-2010 03:40 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

Nice setup here, geography-wise. Good for keeping travel costs down and encouraging regional rivalries. Could add a another team.

I have Memphis, UCF, and East Carolina going to the Big East first...

Great basketball with UAB, WKU, Marshall, and UNT among other programs like Houston, SMU, MTSU, Troy, and Louisiana that would be consistently solid.

Great football with Troy, Marshall, FAU, Houston, SMU, Southern Miss, and MTSU being top teams (if this were to happen tomorrow).

Great baseball. Every program in this conference has pretty good baseball.

Too bad it won't happen.

East
Troy
UAB
Marshall
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Western Kentucky

West
Houston
North Texas
SMU
Southern Miss
Middle Tennessee
Louisiana

I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

I actually like ASU and had them in the West in ULL's place. But it came down to ULL larger student body and larger revenue, so I swapped them out.

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

Mine was predominantly geographical. If USA weren't adding football or I was only using schools that were playing FBS football right now, stAte would be who I would add.

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

Athletic $$$$$ for my list.

116.) Louisiana-Lafayette $12,122,861
117.) Arkansas State $10,745,253
118.) Louisiana-Monroe $7,907,960

(02-17-2010 11:38 PM)MeanGreen61 Wrote:  

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

Athletic $$$$$ for my list.

116.) Louisiana-Lafayette $12,122,861
117.) Arkansas State $10,745,253
118.) Louisiana-Monroe $7,907,960

So it's all about money with you folks?

(02-18-2010 03:04 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(02-17-2010 11:38 PM)MeanGreen61 Wrote:  

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

Athletic $$$$$ for my list.

116.) Louisiana-Lafayette $12,122,861
117.) Arkansas State $10,745,253
118.) Louisiana-Monroe $7,907,960

So it's all about money with you folks?

Of course, except when its about potential. Then you list how many million people live or drive within 50 ft of the stadium and never stop and enter it.

Not particularly concerned my self. I think ASU has other issues to worry about than athletic revenue and I'm not convinced this realignment is going to touch the Sun Belt.

(02-17-2010 09:33 PM)CardinalBlackTrojan Wrote:  I have Memphis, UCF, and East Carolina going to the Big East first...

Great basketball with UAB, WKU, Marshall, and UNT among other programs like Houston, SMU, MTSU, Troy, and Louisiana that would be consistently solid.

Great football with Troy, Marshall, FAU, Houston, SMU, Southern Miss, and MTSU being top teams (if this were to happen tomorrow).

Great baseball. Every program in this conference has pretty good baseball.

Too bad it won't happen.

East
Troy
UAB
Marshall
Florida Atlantic
Florida International
Western Kentucky

West
Houston
North Texas
SMU
Southern Miss
Middle Tennessee
Louisiana

That is a big geographical footprint.

Ive always that that FAU/FIU were way out of the way geographically for any confrence.

Our redeeming features are the fertile recruiting grounds of S. Florida and a large, growing TV market.

I understand compeletly why people would want to cut us out based on travel expenses.

Id LOVE to see a all Florida Football confrence but thats certainly never going to happen.

(02-18-2010 03:04 AM)statefanatic Wrote:  

(02-17-2010 11:38 PM)MeanGreen61 Wrote:  

(02-17-2010 11:04 PM)statefanatic Wrote:  I see a pattern where nobody wants ASU. Can somebody give me an answer as to why ASU doesn't make the list.

Athletic $$$$$ for my list.

116.) Louisiana-Lafayette $12,122,861
117.) Arkansas State $10,745,253
118.) Louisiana-Monroe $7,907,960

So it's all about money with you folks?

Folks is plural. It was my thoughts based on location and athletic $$$. Nothing personal against ASU.