(01-15-2014 10:47 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  The Hawaii exemption allowing visiting teams to play a 13th game has lost most of its appeal for two reasons: the lengthening of the regular season from 11 to 12 games (it used to be a 12th game exemption), and the scheduling of CCGs during the final weekend of regular season play. As a result, teams don't find the exemption attractive because most years it will cost them their only bye week of the season.

Today Hawaii is having trouble convincing enough teams to come to Honolulu just to fill its out-of-conference game slate. And many that do, don't even bother to play the 13th game.

This is a key reason why independence is no longer a viable option.

I guess besides the academies and BYU there aren't enough schools in the west to make an easier schedule for Hawaii as an Indy. Although, has there been any discussion of going Indy since you are paying the MW to travel costs? You already have a bowl setup for you.

(01-15-2014 11:22 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 10:47 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  The Hawaii exemption allowing visiting teams to play a 13th game has lost most of its appeal for two reasons: the lengthening of the regular season from 11 to 12 games (it used to be a 12th game exemption), and the scheduling of CCGs during the final weekend of regular season play. As a result, teams don't find the exemption attractive because most years it will cost them their only bye week of the season.

Today Hawaii is having trouble convincing enough teams to come to Honolulu just to fill its out-of-conference game slate. And many that do, don't even bother to play the 13th game.

This is a key reason why independence is no longer a viable option.

So if the ncaa expands the dates for the football season it would assist Hawaii in that regard unless it also allows all schools to schedule a 13th game.

That's exactly correct. UH athletic officials have proposed to the NCAA that the regular season be lengthened to begin one weekend sooner for all schools, but the regular season game limit be kept at 12 except for teams that play at Hawaii. This would restore the conditions that existed before the game limit was increased from 11 to 12 games and CCGs claimed the final weekend of the season, and make the Hawaii exemption attractive again. The proposal has gone nowhere.

(01-15-2014 12:47 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 10:47 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  The Hawaii exemption allowing visiting teams to play a 13th game has lost most of its appeal for two reasons: the lengthening of the regular season from 11 to 12 games (it used to be a 12th game exemption), and the scheduling of CCGs during the final weekend of regular season play. As a result, teams don't find the exemption attractive because most years it will cost them their only bye week of the season.

Today Hawaii is having trouble convincing enough teams to come to Honolulu just to fill its out-of-conference game slate. And many that do, don't even bother to play the 13th game.

This is a key reason why independence is no longer a viable option.

I guess besides the academies and BYU there aren't enough schools in the west to make an easier schedule for Hawaii as an Indy. Although, has there been any discussion of going Indy since you are paying the MW to travel costs? You already have a bowl setup for you.

There are a handful of longtime Hawaii fans who advocate independence and point to the MWC travel subsidies as a reason for pulling out of the conference. But most fans and the UH athletic administration understand that with the 13th game exemption no longer being attractive, independence would be a formula for turning the Warriors into the Road Warriors. And as much as Hawaii typically struggles on the road, that would put the program into a severe tailspin and eventually kill it.

Every UH AD has had the same view on this: Hawaii needs to be in a conference.

(01-15-2014 06:05 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I'm confident Hawaii won't leave the MWC to go indy in football. Scheduling would be a nightmare. And Hawaii's fans like the idea of competing for a conference championship. Indy is not going to happen.

If full cost of attendance stipends are implemented but the Big West votes against paying them, Hawaii might try to move non-football sports to the MWC. However I doubt the effort would succeed. The MWC doesn't want to send non-football teams on 2,500 to 3,500 mile road trips to Honolulu. And it doesn't want to trade SDSU and UNLV home-and-home series with New Mexico for SDSU and UNLV home-and-series with Hawaii. Those are prime television assets.

As boring as it is for realignment enthusiasts, I foresee the status quo of split MWC/Big West membership for Hawaii continuing for a long time to come.

Regardless of how the vote goes, what will Hawaii's reaction be if other non-CA schools ask to join the Big West? Would the Bows accept a Grand Canyon, Seattle, even an NMSU? Or do they prefer road conference games in California only?? I don't know if you guys have ever been asked about this.

UH does not have to provide any travel subs for future members. Also, there aren't any real semi-possible candidates other than GCU or Seattle at this time.

(01-15-2014 08:00 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(01-15-2014 06:05 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I'm confident Hawaii won't leave the MWC to go indy in football. Scheduling would be a nightmare. And Hawaii's fans like the idea of competing for a conference championship. Indy is not going to happen.

If full cost of attendance stipends are implemented but the Big West votes against paying them, Hawaii might try to move non-football sports to the MWC. However I doubt the effort would succeed. The MWC doesn't want to send non-football teams on 2,500 to 3,500 mile road trips to Honolulu. And it doesn't want to trade SDSU and UNLV home-and-home series with New Mexico for SDSU and UNLV home-and-series with Hawaii. Those are prime television assets.

As boring as it is for realignment enthusiasts, I foresee the status quo of split MWC/Big West membership for Hawaii continuing for a long time to come.

Regardless of how the vote goes, what will Hawaii's reaction be if other non-CA schools ask to join the Big West? Would the Bows accept a Grand Canyon, Seattle, even an NMSU? Or do they prefer road conference games in California only?? I don't know if you guys have ever been asked about this.

UH does not have to provide any travel subs for future members. Also, there aren't any real semi-possible candidates other than GCU or Seattle at this time.

It's hard to say. I know the coaches prefer road destinations that can be reached via direct, same-day flights. So I'm guessing they would be okay with adding Seattle.

GCU would be problematic since although the flight to Phoenix is direct, it's considerably longer and a red eye. Plus the school isn't a good academic fit with the rest of the conference.

I'm pretty sure Hawaii would oppose adding NMSU. Las Cruces was always one of the harder WAC destinations to reach. Two flights plus a bus ride... that's a long haul.

Actually I think the conference is at a nice size with 9, but if the Big West were to expand, I'd like to see Portland State drop football and join along with Seattle. Then hopefully UCSD would move up at some point, and we would have a 12-member league covering the San Diego, L.A., Sacramento, Portland, Seattle and Honolulu markets. From a fan perspective those are great destinations, and maybe the conference could land a few TV dollars.

The most likely scenarios in order, depending on what happens with the NCAA meetings? These only involve the far west and would have no effect on the rest of the country:

#1. Big West stays put at 9; We aren't adding anybody unless they fall into our laps or bribe us
#2. Hawaii leaves for the Mountain West as a full member; back to an all-CA bus league we go
#3. CSU Bakersfield joins the BW as a 10th member (Hawaii stays)
#4. BW grows to 12 by adding Grand Canyon, Bakersfield and Seattle; the WAC collapses
#5. UC San Diego moves up to D1 and joins the BW as the 10th member (Hawaii stays)

#6. UCSD and Bakersfield somehow join the BW together as #10 and #11; a 12th member is likely needed and one that is DEFINITELY outside California.

There are other possible scenarios but they have practically zero chance of happening.

(01-16-2014 01:11 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  It's hard to say. I know the coaches prefer road destinations that can be reached via direct, same-day flights. So I'm guessing they would be okay with adding Seattle.

GCU would be problematic since although the flight to Phoenix is direct, it's considerably longer and a red eye. Plus the school isn't a good academic fit with the rest of the conference.

I'm pretty sure Hawaii would oppose adding NMSU. Las Cruces was always one of the harder WAC destinations to reach. Two flights plus a bus ride... that's a long haul.

Actually I think the conference is at a nice size with 9, but if the Big West were to expand, I'd like to see Portland State drop football and join along with Seattle. Then hopefully UCSD would move up at some point, and we would have a 12-member league covering the San Diego, L.A., Sacramento, Portland, Seattle and Honolulu markets. From a fan perspective those are great destinations, and maybe the conference could land a few TV dollars.

Shedding the bus league image will go a long way towards improving the ESPN and Fox Sports contracts; that hypothetical 12-member Big West would do it, even though the essence of a bus league will remain intact. I only threw NMSU in because of their history in the conference and out of respect. They are more focused towards rebuilding the WAC and hopefully for them, a full Sun Belt invite in the future.

Back to the BW - while Portland State makes for an easy travel partner with Seattle, I don't believe they would go for it. PSU would not only have to drop football, they'd be required to add baseball and/or men's soccer as well. I think they will be able to solve whatever financial troubles football is currently facing so they won't be likely joining us anytime soon, or ever.

A couple things Grand Canyon have going for them are that not only do they sponsor everything the Big West does (they even have men's volleyball), but also it's a shorter bus ride to Phoenix for most of the SoCal schools (Fullerton, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Northridge) than it is busing to UCD. I do agree the academics are somewhat suspect; then again it isn't like Boise is some academic powerhouse either.

UCSD struck down a move to D1 so they aren't coming anytime soon either. I wouldn't mind bringing them in, though.