(04-11-2011 06:49 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:45 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:43 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:23 PM)SouthernPirate55 Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 05:50 PM)saxamoophone Wrote:  Well until Houston makes their stadium plan OFFICIAL with donors all lined up and construction starting, I would take them off the list short term..... If I were the BE id say: Show me the money, then we can talk =)

I wonder if the nova disaster will lead to new leadership from the BE?

That's fine and dandy with building the stadium, but there's still a matter of filling it. UH has trouble drumming up support even when they've got a great product on the field. Same goes for NOVA. Assuming they can build a stadium of 30k or outbid temple for the linc, Can they put 30k in the seats? Legit question, I know nothing about Nova's football program.

The same was said about Cincinnati. In fact I remember the C-USA board burying us and laughing and claiming we would be the new Temple. Once we joined a Big Six conference support increased big time. A Big East invite would ignite Houston support.

Not that butts in the seats matters one bit, but if a Big East invite would ignite Houston support what would one do to ECU support?

I completely agree with you, I think a Big East tag would make ECU a power, they're a football school. The thing is, igniting Houston would be like igniting a volcano. Waking up the Cincinnati football program gave the Big East a chunk of a monster market (Ohio). Imagine the Big East igniting the Houston market?

Only difference I would say is Houston at one point in time was in a true power conference, and really never had the best of support in those days, and they played nothing but the power schools in Texas. Cincy had never had the chance to be at that level so you couldn't really know what their true potential was. Can Houston argue that things will be better now than when they played A&M, UT, Arkansas and the rest of the old SWC?

Houston has much more potential, but there's no guarantee. ECU would be more of a sure thing, but the ceiling isn't as high.

Catsclaw, my question was mainly about Nova. Would they develop into a WF kind of school or would it be Duke where people are going to football games trying to earn credits to get into a basketball game?

(04-11-2011 06:20 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 05:50 PM)saxamoophone Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 05:43 PM)jaredf29 Wrote:  So who is it for ten then? Cougar Red or Knights of Gold? I just mention these cause of the feasible candidates they are the ones with most potential for tv markets. Not a slight to our ECU brethren I believe they would make a fine addition too.

Well until Houston makes their stadium plan OFFICIAL with donors all lined up and construction starting, I would take them off the list short term..... If I were the BE id say: Show me the money, then we can talk =)

I wonder if the nova disaster will lead to new leadership from the BE?

How do you know that Houston hasn't made their plans officials? As far as showing the money, the Big East knows what's up. You don't know anything that is going on there. And this wasn't a "disaster." You can take them off the list because you want UCF in, but the Big East isn't taking them off the list.

They were suppose to announce it last week but that obviously hasn't happened.

Hopefully it'll happen soon for them, but all I'm saying is it's one thing to have a plan, it's another to take action and do it.

No disrespect to Houston, they just need to finish their efforts!

And yes, this was pretty embarrassing for the conference, don't try to sugarcoat it with your "insider knowledge".

(04-11-2011 06:49 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:45 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:43 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 06:23 PM)SouthernPirate55 Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 05:50 PM)saxamoophone Wrote:  Well until Houston makes their stadium plan OFFICIAL with donors all lined up and construction starting, I would take them off the list short term..... If I were the BE id say: Show me the money, then we can talk =)

I wonder if the nova disaster will lead to new leadership from the BE?

That's fine and dandy with building the stadium, but there's still a matter of filling it. UH has trouble drumming up support even when they've got a great product on the field. Same goes for NOVA. Assuming they can build a stadium of 30k or outbid temple for the linc, Can they put 30k in the seats? Legit question, I know nothing about Nova's football program.

The same was said about Cincinnati. In fact I remember the C-USA board burying us and laughing and claiming we would be the new Temple. Once we joined a Big Six conference support increased big time. A Big East invite would ignite Houston support.

Not that butts in the seats matters one bit, but if a Big East invite would ignite Houston support what would one do to ECU support?

I completely agree with you, I think a Big East tag would make ECU a power, they're a football school. The thing is, igniting Houston would be like igniting a volcano. Waking up the Cincinnati football program gave the Big East a chunk of a monster market (Ohio). Imagine the Big East igniting the Houston market?

it's a super volcano with increased seismic activities.

The one good thing that will come out of this if the BE doesn't take any of the cusa teams is that we're all gonna have some pretty banging facilities due to the arms race. UCF's are already pretty tight. Our football stadium is big, the new practice facility for basketball, and the athletic village thing that ECU is working on. Combine that with the work that Memphis and USM has done. There's a lot of quality facilities in cusa already. There's some less than adequate situations as well, but hopefully rising tides will raise all ships.

Can't speak for his previous posts but the reason he was talking about UH was that I brought it up that they have trouble getting support even with a great product on the field. ECU was brought in by bonds. Nothing was really mentioned about UCF, but we all know they're a monster down there in florida just waiting to be released.

yeah I think BE jumped the gun with the first invite/informal investigation or whatever. I also think that Nova should realize that if they legitimately want to play with the BCS boys, you can't do it in a 18k or even 30k stadium. Like all good investigations or studies, it ends with "more research needed"

I don't think this was embarrassing by any means for the league. This happened as I've predicted on the Louisville boards. Now both parties (Football schools and Nova) can run along and say "We tried" to the basketball only schools and save some face. This frees the football schools to add who they want. If you've paid any attention to Marianatto, this shouldn't have been a surprise to you. By saying the Big East wouldn't wait on Nova, he was all but letting the cat out of the bag as to what was going to go down. The question is, who do we add? Personally, I've said from the start that I still think we can get Kansas and K-State....

(04-11-2011 07:55 PM)SouthernPirate55 Wrote:  yeah I think BE jumped the gun with the first invite/informal investigation or whatever. I also think that Nova should realize that if they legitimately want to play with the BCS boys, you can't do it in a 18k or even 30k stadium. Like all good investigations or studies, it ends with "more research needed"

I think the last comment in bold about even a 30,000 "expanded" soccer stadium example is key...as one Rutgers fan (AreYouNUTS) said this: (in regards to securing 6 necessary votes from Big East Football Members for inclusion):

I don't think they'll get 6 "yes" votes with a 60,000 seat stadium.

When Nova's "perfect dream scenario" includes an expanded soccer stadium (with no funds for expansion) to 30,000 seats (and if all seats are full for every Nova game), it just screams small time...and certainly not "BCS".

There are several candidates that already have "Big East" ready stadiums in place (on-campus ones too) and with dedicated football fans in place (wouldn't have to go find them like Nova would have) so those factors might play a much larger role (i.e. current facilities/investments already in place) vs "future promises" of new facilities and "potential" fan bases.

I agree that there are much better candidates out there but Nova's family and the BE was gonna try the easy route but realized it was just too much of an uphill battle. I still think that UCF is packing their bags as we all speak.

Am I the only one who thinks that Villanova will still get approved in the next few weeks?

I Think it is Houston time.

I guess it goes back to "Why did the BE invite Nova in the first place"? This was their idea, not Nova's. Lot's of things coming out of the BE just don't add up. Why was Marrinatto going around saying we are not waiting on Villanova...but here we are. Now when everything goes as expected, suddenly the stadium is an issue.....really?!? Look Nova should have no problem meeting the 15k minimum NCAA attendance requirement but now we are saying they need more than 30k?!? Well if that was the case....why did you invite them....because even with WVU and Rutgers fans, Nova will probably not average anything close to 30k anytime soon.

(04-11-2011 08:32 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Am I the only one who thinks that Villanova will still get approved in the next few weeks?

Sounds like all they will have to do is either get PPL to sign off on a plan of expansion to 30K (unlikely) or swallow their pride and go to Penn and rent Franklin Field (more likely).

15K in a 52k stadium.

NOT!

Cheers,
Neil

P.S. for those who think Nova was trying to do this on the cheap end only, I suspect renting Franklin Field was probably the cheapest option available.

(04-11-2011 08:37 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 08:32 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Am I the only one who thinks that Villanova will still get approved in the next few weeks?

Sounds like all they will have to do is either get PPL to sign off on a plan of expansion to 30K (unlikely) or swallow their pride and go to Penn and rent Franklin Field (more likely).

15K in a 52k stadium.

NOT!

Cheers,
Neil

P.S. for those who think Nova was trying to do this on the cheap end only, I suspect renting Franklin Field was probably the cheapest option available.

Would playing at another university's 115 year old stadium on another school's campus really be that better of an option?

I think I've read somewhere that (being on Penn's campus) was one of the reason's Franklin wasn't seriously being considered.

(04-11-2011 08:37 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  

(04-11-2011 08:32 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Am I the only one who thinks that Villanova will still get approved in the next few weeks?

Sounds like all they will have to do is either get PPL to sign off on a plan of expansion to 30K (unlikely) or swallow their pride and go to Penn and rent Franklin Field (more likely).

15K in a 52k stadium.

NOT!

Cheers,
Neil

P.S. for those who think Nova was trying to do this on the cheap end only, I suspect renting Franklin Field was probably the cheapest option available.

Odds are...Penn is not hurting for cash at this time ($6 Billion Endowment) as they may not want to "give up their campus" to a cross town school for 6 Saturdays in the fall for just a few bucks (i.e. $10,000-$20,000 per game?)

That's one reason why Franklin Field wasn't an option...as Penn does not want them.

Think Nova still has a shot but I really don't think they will be the 10th.
All Nova needs to do is produce a plan for funding stadium expansion.

New Nova Plan (simplified)

Next few months: Figure out a plan to fund an expansion of PPL Park and see if you can get the MLS team to approve this plan. (BEast approves plan)
2011- Start raising money for stadium expansion, with FCS schedule
2012 - Make the move to FBS football as independent and using 18,500 PPL Park. Continue fund raising.
2011-2013 - continue as independent and raise money for stadium expansion... try to win a few football games too lol
Spring/Summer 2014 - Hope you raised enough money for expansion because its ground breaking time. Build your 30k stadium, bask in the glory that your almost there
2014 - Hope Big East finally allows you in as a football member (probably already guaranteed at this point)

That's not too unrealistic is it?

Yeah I still think Nova is an option, the Big East basically said, we have some concerns, let us get back to you. Why even say that is Nova is totally out of the picture?

I don't see many scenarios where the basketball schools would approve anyone else if Nova isn't part of the deal.

(04-11-2011 06:49 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  I completely agree with you, I think a Big East tag would make ECU a power, they're a football school. The thing is, igniting Houston would be like igniting a volcano. Waking up the Cincinnati football program gave the Big East a chunk of a monster market (Ohio). Imagine the Big East igniting the Houston market?

Honestly, I don't know if I buy that. I'm not convinced that Texas residents are going to jump onto the Big East float the second they roll into town. I just don't see a Northeastern based conference getting a large market share. I can't see a TCU/Houston vs. Syracuse/UConn/Cincinnati/Louisville/Pitt/etc game drawing in unattached fans.

So Nova has to convince the Big East that they can either get a larger stadium or that the 18,000 stadium will work for the time being and can be further expanded to 30,000. Even if they convince the Big East and get a formal acceptance, Nova could still vote no. I also doubt that the PPL stadium will be expanded solely for Nova. I believe it will be expaned if the soccer team requires it and Nova would benefit.