2 Texas schools in each half of the merger

1 Florida school in the East

2 California schools in the West (or 1 if Fresno leaves)

If Air Force leaves replace with Idaho.
Help the Vandals stay in FBS if the WAC ends.

ECU / Marshall gap closed with additions of MTSU and ODU.

More regional in nature, but some decent markets added as well.

3 OOC games

What might make the TV contract more interesting is some kind of out of conference scheduling agreement first with the BE in order to have matchups like:

Boise v Idaho
ECU v UCF
Houston v Rice
Mid Tenn St v Memphis
Fresno St v San Diego St
SMU v North Texas

If they marketed the games the right way, they could play the angle of "us versus them"

Second get out of conference games that are regional in nature but against the other AQ conferences like:

ECU v NC State
Southern Miss v Ole Miss
Nevada v Arizona St
Old Dominion v Virginia
Tulsa v Oklahoma

Again marketability of "us versus them"

Third game against Sunbelt / MAC

then

9 conference games for total of 12.
5 intrapod games
4 crossover games (Atlantic v Plains) (Pacific v Mountain)

one thing that would be interesting- alliance vs Big East- Navy/Air Force game could be there if Air Force doesn't go to the Big East.

(04-13-2012 06:53 AM)ECUPirated Wrote:  

2 Texas schools in each half of the merger

1 Florida school in the East

2 California schools in the West (or 1 if Fresno leaves)

If Air Force leaves replace with Idaho.
Help the Vandals stay in FBS if the WAC ends.

ECU / Marshall gap closed with additions of MTSU and ODU.

More regional in nature, but some decent markets added as well.

3 OOC games

What might make the TV contract more interesting is some kind of out of conference scheduling agreement first with the BE in order to have matchups like:

Boise v Idaho
ECU v UCF
Houston v Rice
Mid Tenn St v Memphis
Fresno St v San Diego St
SMU v North Texas

If they marketed the games the right way, they could play the angle of "us versus them"

Second get out of conference games that are regional in nature but against the other AQ conferences like:

ECU v NC State
Southern Miss v Ole Miss
Nevada v Arizona St
Old Dominion v Virginia
Tulsa v Oklahoma

Again marketability of "us versus them"

Third game against Sunbelt / MAC

then

9 conference games for total of 12.
5 intrapod games
4 crossover games (Atlantic v Plains) (Pacific v Mountain)

A lot of interesting stuff. The "us versus them" idea sounds great but the BE may want to avoid it. If they are trying to give the impression that they are a step above the alliance, playing these games doesn't help. Losing them would be disastrous.

(04-13-2012 07:32 AM)joe4psu Wrote:  A lot of interesting stuff. The "us versus them" idea sounds great but the BE may want to avoid it. If they are trying to give the impression that they are a step above the alliance, playing these games doesn't help. Losing them would be disastrous.

We don't need any fancy Alliance-Big East contract arrangement to get Rice-UH in the future. That is a series which resonates with the fans in Houston, and the leadership on Cullen Boulevard and South Main Street are above the childish behavior we see in Austin and College Station.

There's no team in the BE outside of Navy I really care if we play. I've always thought a series with Rutgers would make sense with the large NJ presence in NC and at ECU, and our growing alumni up in that area, but it hasn't happened. Other than that I couldn't care less. It would be nice to continue easy wins over Memphis, but it's not like it would be anything worth getting excited over.

(04-12-2012 10:20 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  If true, congrats to UTSA. They are probably the biggest winners in realignment. Incredible how they're becoming a player so quickly.

I think USF and UCF won the football lottery. They only started playing FBS level football about 15 years ago.....

(04-13-2012 08:10 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  There's no team in the BE outside of Navy I really care if we play. I've always thought a series with Rutgers would make sense with the large NJ presence in NC and at ECU, and our growing alumni up in that area, but it hasn't happened. Other than that I couldn't care less. It would be nice to continue easy wins over Memphis, but it's not like it would be anything worth getting excited over.

A 24 team Alliance that is formed made up with two 12 team conferences allows ECU to have a regional division within the CUSA. From what I have seen on this board, alot of ECU fans want more regional rivalries. I think that is exactly what you guys are going to get and you will be the big dogs in that regional division. You will also get some coverage playing across the country.

I think you are right and that the Alliance may very well end up the better fit for ECU than the Big East.

(04-13-2012 08:47 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(04-13-2012 08:10 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  There's no team in the BE outside of Navy I really care if we play. I've always thought a series with Rutgers would make sense with the large NJ presence in NC and at ECU, and our growing alumni up in that area, but it hasn't happened. Other than that I couldn't care less. It would be nice to continue easy wins over Memphis, but it's not like it would be anything worth getting excited over.

A 24 team Alliance that is formed made up with two 12 team conferences allows ECU to have a regional division within the CUSA. From what I have seen on this board, alot of ECU fans want more regional rivalries. I think that is exactly what you guys are going to get and you will be the big dogs in that regional division. You will also get some coverage playing across the country.

I think you are right and that the Alliance may very well end up the better fit for ECU than the Big East.

Now there is a second part to all that though, we are still in a conference that pays next to nothing, still falling further and further behind our real competition the "Big 4" ACC schools, and the merger helps with none of that. The "regional rivalries" being pushed by our administration aren't rivalries we want. We don't want to be rivals with Charlotte or App. We were rivals with App, and we went independent and they decided to stay in the SOCON.

(04-13-2012 09:33 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(04-13-2012 08:47 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(04-13-2012 08:10 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  There's no team in the BE outside of Navy I really care if we play. I've always thought a series with Rutgers would make sense with the large NJ presence in NC and at ECU, and our growing alumni up in that area, but it hasn't happened. Other than that I couldn't care less. It would be nice to continue easy wins over Memphis, but it's not like it would be anything worth getting excited over.

A 24 team Alliance that is formed made up with two 12 team conferences allows ECU to have a regional division within the CUSA. From what I have seen on this board, alot of ECU fans want more regional rivalries. I think that is exactly what you guys are going to get and you will be the big dogs in that regional division. You will also get some coverage playing across the country.

I think you are right and that the Alliance may very well end up the better fit for ECU than the Big East.

Now there is a second part to all that though, we are still in a conference that pays next to nothing, still falling further and further behind our real competition the "Big 4" ACC schools, and the merger helps with none of that. The "regional rivalries" being pushed by our administration aren't rivalries we want. We don't want to be rivals with Charlotte or App. We were rivals with App, and we went independent and they decided to stay in the SOCON.

Yeah, I know it is not the optimal situation but I can see how the Alliance is serving those greater conferences right now AND the major networks. If the alliance has decent negotiators working for it they will not go forth with the program presented to them without a decent tv contract.

(04-13-2012 08:43 AM)ConanX Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 10:20 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  If true, congrats to UTSA. They are probably the biggest winners in realignment. Incredible how they're becoming a player so quickly.

I think USF and UCF won the football lottery. They only started playing FBS level football about 15 years ago.....

2012 will be USF's 16th year.

UCF actually started about 30 years ago or so, but they spent more time in DII and 1AA than USF did.

(04-13-2012 08:10 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  There's no team in the BE outside of Navy I really care if we play. I've always thought a series with Rutgers would make sense with the large NJ presence in NC and at ECU, and our growing alumni up in that area, but it hasn't happened. Other than that I couldn't care less. It would be nice to continue easy wins over Memphis, but it's not like it would be anything worth getting excited over.

Would be a great series to get on the schedule. I think it would benefit both schools greatly.

If the alliance is willing to add these lesser programs why doesn't C-USA just go back to 12 with the same schools? Although I believe they should just add FIU and stay at 9, if they can make more money then why not say screw the alliance and build back up C-USA:

C-USA
East
Marshall
ECU
FAU (or LaTech)
FIU
UAB
S. Miss

West
Tulane
Rice
Tulsa
N. Texas
UTSA
UTEP (if they go MWC then put LaTech here and keep FAU)

(04-13-2012 09:38 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(04-13-2012 08:43 AM)ConanX Wrote:  

(04-12-2012 10:20 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  If true, congrats to UTSA. They are probably the biggest winners in realignment. Incredible how they're becoming a player so quickly.

I think USF and UCF won the football lottery. They only started playing FBS level football about 15 years ago.....

2012 will be USF's 16th year.

UCF actually started about 30 years ago or so, but they spent more time in DII and 1AA than USF did.

UCF is the first program to play in each of the 4 divisions of the NCAA, having started in DIII in 1979, then working all the way up to FBS in 1996. USF started FBS in 2001, but had only started football in 1997.

UTSA will have gone from no football team to FBS in two years.

I heard from a few different places that Akron, Toledo, Buffalo, and Ohio have quietly been looking into joining a 24-team alliance. They're trying to keep it low-key.

(04-13-2012 09:56 AM)uakronkid Wrote:  I heard from a few different places that Akron, Toledo, Buffalo, and Ohio have quietly been looking into joining a 24-team alliance. They're trying to keep it low-key.

MAC/SBC Maintain your regional ties. You could make a strong argument that a MAC/SBC alliance works better for the MAC and SBC than a CUSA/MWC alliance works for those two respective conferences.

come on, makes no sence
Lous T gets in at 24, only if Air Force leaves for BE
Fla schools won't get in untill next exp
UtSA has to show it's cabable of holding them atten #'s
for more than 1 season

(04-13-2012 10:05 AM)templefootballfan Wrote:  come on, makes no sence
Lous T gets in at 24, only if Air Force leaves for BE
Fla schools won't get in untill next exp
UtSA has to show it's cabable of holding them atten #'s
for more than 1 season

The 4 makes all the sense in the world.
LT- beign WAC champ huge
NT- gets Dallas market
UTSA- potential big time in a football area.
FIU- keeps CUSA in Florida- which is a must for recruiting

(04-13-2012 10:05 AM)templefootballfan Wrote:  come on, makes no sence
Lous T gets in at 24, only if Air Force leaves for BE
Fla schools won't get in untill next exp
UtSA has to show it's cabable of holding them atten #'s
for more than 1 season

Is what you wrote above a poem or were you just trying to save money by not using standard capitalization and punctuation (or a spell checker)? = )

I like this start...and I believe the ECU Chancellor and AD statements allude to this...Terry Holland has clearly stated that the direction of expansion would be looking at Big. Southern. Schools. FIU fits the bill, UNT and UTSA also. La Tech has tradition and history and is very southern.

As well, Steve Ballard indicated that ECU would be playing Southern Miss "every" year. If 5 team divisions are set up with 20 total, Southern Miss and ECU would remain together.

Texas and Florida are where the recruits are and if you want to be relevant, you have to play games where recruits are.

From an ECU standpoint, I dont think anyone gives a crap about not playing Memphis or UCF. I'd rather head to South Beach than Orlando for a road trip anyway.

Only point me and Bonds seem to disagree on is the regionality. I've said before that it's great for each of the Alliance teams to make more money and try to keep up with the AQ leagues, but the reality is we've all hung around for a long time now and are still "doing our thang" which is usually more with less. We can't make the networks love us, we can't make the AQ conferences take us so we do the best with what we've got and I really don't care about the gobs of money that's out there as none of it goes it my pocket. Would season ticket prices or concessions go down in price? Maybe, but probably not. I like the thought that I can get in a car and drive anywhere from 1 to 7 hours down the road to support my Pirates. I also like the thought of "lightening" the OOC schedule some. Had we done that over the last 10-15 years, we might have had a few Boise like seasons and more consideration.

I am not over excited about the Alliance and all the ramifications of it, but I think it has potential. The CUSA / MWC is more relevant together "in some fashion" then each as individual conferences.