(01-18-2015 12:19 AM)ARSTATEFAN1986 Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 03:35 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 03:31 PM)Ralphus Wrote:  Gents,

God speed to the Dragon fans..
But CUSA needs a BOISE-esque fb BRAND for upcoming media negotiations; and NIU to CUSA helps BOTH parties too much for it not to happen. Their continued recent success in contending for that access spot, can give CUSA a shot in the arm after the defections. They are a relevant football program, and their brand name, NIU, just looks more like CUSA brand than a MAC brand. It would also give CUSA play in Chicago.
Lets be honest here, the MAC's new TV deal sucks. They have always viewed NIU as a step child. Their treatment of NIU reflects their poor treatment of Marshall when they were dominating as well. CUSA gave Marshall a life vest then; and UABs demise is an extremely fortuitous event that gives CUSA an opportunity to make a Statement regarding its football identity.
Besides bringing a recognizable football name in a new market, NIU evens the divisions by establishing a Western presence.
This is the only move that moves the needle, perception-wise, and hives CUSA a push toward that access spot that Marshall NEVER had a legit chance at. It would also BADLY damage the MAC to lose their most decorated football program of late.

its time to pull the trigger, and ensure CUSA's next television contract doesn't take a hit. CUSA needs to wrap future negotiations in the newsprint of Jordan Lynch.

RIP UAB

I agree.

Northern Illinois is the one brand out there that could help CUSA a lot.

Why would they or anyone else of the other G5 conferences want to make a latteral move to CUSA?

Idk, ask all the sunbelt schools that left.

(01-17-2015 11:16 PM)AntiG Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 09:38 PM)ChrisLords Wrote:  What about UMass or JMU?

And by UMass I mean with their basketball program. Not as a football only member.

JMU has a larger athletics budget than any one in the MAC, CUSA or Sunbelt other than ODU. I can see why CUSA wouldn't want a second Virginia school but other than that they'd be a good fit.

UMass had no interest in moving their basketball away from the strong A-10 conference for the MAC, so they'd have no interest in that for CUSA either, where the teams are farther. Football-only I'm sure they'd love to.

The only way UMass would leave the A-10 is for a situation where they are in a better basketball conference - the new Big East or the AAC (I won't even consider the P5 at this point).

Another point people miss about NIU is that the MAC has really strong wrestling, and the only other conference on par with them is the B1G. Almost every school in the MAC are very strong in wrestling, so it would be a poor choice to move away unless its for a significant payday and upgraded conference (which CUSA is not).

You raise a key point, the MAC is a power conference when it comes to Wrestling.

1) Missouri
2) Northern Iowa
3) Central Michigan
4) Kent State
5) Old Dominion
6) Eastern Michigan
7) Northern Illinois
8) Ohio
9) Buffalo

For NIU to leave the MAC they would be marooning their wrestling program since CUSA doesn't have wrestling (hence why ODU is in the MAC). That is a big risk to take.

The MAC is better than CUSA right now in basketball too. Its better on the student athlete.

The problem with the MAC I think is more in football with the midweek games hurting attendance. Now at most MAC schools midweek football hurting gate isn't a factor but if you're NIU and you want to build up to 30-40k in attendance with that expanded stadium those Midweek games hurt momentum in fan support.

Which is the one positive of CUSA.....they don't have a midweek FB TV package. However that could always change if Fox or whomever they sign with forces Midweek football as part of the next TV deal.

Why can't NIU keep wrestling in the MAC like ODU (a CUSA member) does?

ODU never left the MAC. What could happen is a joint C-USA/Big 12 Wrestling conference:

Old Dominion
Northern Illinois
West Virginia
Iowa State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State

C-USA sponsored rowing when there were as many or even more Big 12 schools competing in C-USA than C-USA schools. Old Dominion is already a Big 12 member in rowing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

The TV deal is largely irrelevant because whatever the increase or the decrease it does not matter. The power conferences make millions more so increase or decreasing a few hundred thousand dollars is not really a benefit to a school.

I always see you guys praising the availability of CUSA games but I literally did not see a single CUSA conference game on tv even flipping through the channels this year. How will this be any more beneficial than when ESPN goes content crazy for their streaming channel and literally puts everything on ESPN 3?

You see the picture of teams who have no chance of improving their situation past being in CUSA. What's best for NIU would be for them to wait things out until they can get in the AAC.

T.V. deals are never irrelevant. If that were the case, Sun Belt schools wouldn't leave for C-USA. In the age of P5 autonomy, every program needs more income and a larger presence on television.

This season every North Texas game was on T.V. That never happened when we were in the Belt. If you didn't find a C-USA game on, than you weren't looking. Every week C-USA had games airing on various Fox regional channels, Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports, and the American Sports Network package. I hate ESPN3 and refuse to watch games that are streamed. Maybe someday that platform will provide a quality experience, but that day isn't here yet. If watching games streamed on ESPN3 was all that great, every P5 conference would be discontinuing their networks and doing it. I'm sorry the Sun Belt and MAC have been saddled with so many ESPN3 games. Y'all need to hold your commissioners accountable for that.

What is best for NIU is to improve their situation. The best way to do that right now is by joining C-USA. C-USA is a rapidly improving football conference. None of the other G5s thought this conference could contend with the MWC or the AAC for the title of the best G5, but C-USA was able to step up this season and be part of that conversation. We had the best OOC record against other G5s, and it wasn't even close. C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too. You speak as if C-USA were a dead-end conference with no room for growth. That is ridiculous. The MAC has those issues, with their long term ESPN(3) deal, poor attendance, and weak bowl ties. C-USA programs don't need to look for other conferences, we have a fantastic collection of schools that our fans get excited about playing. Rivalries are developing and things keep getting better for our conference.

I'm going to take a pass on NIU. To far out of the footprint. I would rather see CUSA continue staying a Southern League. Besides, I'd rather see a school with better fan support. 12-15K a game just doesn't look good on TV. NIU is where they belong in the Mac. Its good for them and good for the Mac.

(01-18-2015 12:32 AM)SigNuTopper Wrote:  

(01-18-2015 12:19 AM)ARSTATEFAN1986 Wrote:  Why would they or anyone else of the other G5 conferences want to make a latteral move to CUSA?

Idk, ask all the sunbelt schools that left.

Ask the C-USA schools who left for the AAC.

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

TCU could make the math work and MWC gave them a significant leg up in the pursuit of BCS at-large berths.

CUSA is an upgrade of roughly $30,000 per year in league revenue and not significantly more likely to get NIU in an access berth while sky-rocketing their travel expenses.

The analogy fails.

(01-18-2015 09:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

The TV deal is largely irrelevant because whatever the increase or the decrease it does not matter. The power conferences make millions more so increase or decreasing a few hundred thousand dollars is not really a benefit to a school.

I always see you guys praising the availability of CUSA games but I literally did not see a single CUSA conference game on tv even flipping through the channels this year. How will this be any more beneficial than when ESPN goes content crazy for their streaming channel and literally puts everything on ESPN 3?

You see the picture of teams who have no chance of improving their situation past being in CUSA. What's best for NIU would be for them to wait things out until they can get in the AAC.

T.V. deals are never irrelevant. If that were the case, Sun Belt schools wouldn't leave for C-USA. In the age of P5 autonomy, every program needs more income and a larger presence on television.

This season every North Texas game was on T.V. That never happened when we were in the Belt. If you didn't find a C-USA game on, than you weren't looking. Every week C-USA had games airing on various Fox regional channels, Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports, and the American Sports Network package. I hate ESPN3 and refuse to watch games that are streamed. Maybe someday that platform will provide a quality experience, but that day isn't here yet. If watching games streamed on ESPN3 was all that great, every P5 conference would be discontinuing their networks and doing it. I'm sorry the Sun Belt and MAC have been saddled with so many ESPN3 games. Y'all need to hold your commissioners accountable for that.

What is best for NIU is to improve their situation. The best way to do that right now is by joining C-USA. C-USA is a rapidly improving football conference. None of the other G5s thought this conference could contend with the MWC or the AAC for the title of the best G5, but C-USA was able to step up this season and be part of that conversation. We had the best OOC record against other G5s, and it wasn't even close. C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too. You speak as if C-USA were a dead-end conference with no room for growth. That is ridiculous. The MAC has those issues, with their long term ESPN(3) deal, poor attendance, and weak bowl ties. C-USA programs don't need to look for other conferences, we have a fantastic collection of schools that our fans get excited about playing. Rivalries are developing and things keep getting better for our conference.

As usual you ignore viewership. NIU has been able to top a million viewers on multiple occasions for MAC vs. MAC games. No CUSA has drawn even close to half of that in viewers for league games.

Why would NIU choose to play across the country to get viewer numbers that at times resemble ESPN3 numbers without the upside large audiences they currently get?

(01-18-2015 11:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(01-18-2015 09:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  [quote='Side Show Joe' pid='11671471' dateline='1421545192']

As usual you ignore viewership. NIU has been able to top a million viewers on multiple occasions for MAC vs. MAC games. No CUSA has drawn even close to half of that in viewers for league games.

Why would NIU choose to play across the country to get viewer numbers that at times resemble ESPN3 numbers without the upside large audiences they currently get?

Maybe NIU has done that but certainly not this past season. Only 1 game hosted by a MAC team topped a million and that game was on on Friday night at Buffalo hosting Baylor. I guess C-USA should be after Buffalo. The MAC draws good viewership on espn2 or espn but the u still is not great other than being on nights no one else wants to play so there is less competition for eyeballs. The MAC and C-USA champ games were both on espn2 and C-USA had slightly higher ratings. I don't think C-USA is behind the MAC in any real terms.

I don't think NIU wants C-USA and I doubt C-USA would be going after any school other than ULL, ASU and possibly one of the Georgia SBC schools.

UMASS won't bring their basketball and neither the SBC nor C-USA wants UMASS for FB only.

(01-18-2015 11:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(01-18-2015 09:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

The TV deal is largely irrelevant because whatever the increase or the decrease it does not matter. The power conferences make millions more so increase or decreasing a few hundred thousand dollars is not really a benefit to a school.

I always see you guys praising the availability of CUSA games but I literally did not see a single CUSA conference game on tv even flipping through the channels this year. How will this be any more beneficial than when ESPN goes content crazy for their streaming channel and literally puts everything on ESPN 3?

You see the picture of teams who have no chance of improving their situation past being in CUSA. What's best for NIU would be for them to wait things out until they can get in the AAC.

T.V. deals are never irrelevant. If that were the case, Sun Belt schools wouldn't leave for C-USA. In the age of P5 autonomy, every program needs more income and a larger presence on television.

This season every North Texas game was on T.V. That never happened when we were in the Belt. If you didn't find a C-USA game on, than you weren't looking. Every week C-USA had games airing on various Fox regional channels, Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports, and the American Sports Network package. I hate ESPN3 and refuse to watch games that are streamed. Maybe someday that platform will provide a quality experience, but that day isn't here yet. If watching games streamed on ESPN3 was all that great, every P5 conference would be discontinuing their networks and doing it. I'm sorry the Sun Belt and MAC have been saddled with so many ESPN3 games. Y'all need to hold your commissioners accountable for that.

What is best for NIU is to improve their situation. The best way to do that right now is by joining C-USA. C-USA is a rapidly improving football conference. None of the other G5s thought this conference could contend with the MWC or the AAC for the title of the best G5, but C-USA was able to step up this season and be part of that conversation. We had the best OOC record against other G5s, and it wasn't even close. C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too. You speak as if C-USA were a dead-end conference with no room for growth. That is ridiculous. The MAC has those issues, with their long term ESPN(3) deal, poor attendance, and weak bowl ties. C-USA programs don't need to look for other conferences, we have a fantastic collection of schools that our fans get excited about playing. Rivalries are developing and things keep getting better for our conference.

As usual you ignore viewership. NIU has been able to top a million viewers on multiple occasions for MAC vs. MAC games. No CUSA has drawn even close to half of that in viewers for league games.

Why would NIU choose to play across the country to get viewer numbers that at times resemble ESPN3 numbers without the upside large audiences they currently get?

I highly doubt NIU had multiple conference games with a million viewers this season.

In the MAC, NIU ends up with almost half of their games on ESPN3. I think that stinks.

(01-18-2015 11:35 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

TCU could make the math work and MWC gave them a significant leg up in the pursuit of BCS at-large berths.

CUSA is an upgrade of roughly $30,000 per year in league revenue and not significantly more likely to get NIU in an access berth while sky-rocketing their travel expenses.

The analogy fails.

Currently, C-USA's financial advantage over the MAC is slight, but the MAC is locked into their bad deal for 13 years. C-USA is working on signing a new deal. C-USA should see a larger dollar amount than what the MAC received. I'd think with NIU as a member, C-USA would certainly increase that dollar amount.

You want to focus on comparing the MAC's new 13 year contract with C-USA's old contract which is expiring. That's not a real portrayal of what each conference will have to offer.

The simple truth is that C-USA has and will almost certainly continue to have a better media contract, better bowls, and with NIU in it, would clearly be a stronger football conference than the MAC. Those are great advantages, and in my opinion, outweigh the issue of NIU's location.

(01-17-2015 03:31 PM)Ralphus Wrote:  Gents,

God speed to the Dragon fans..
But CUSA needs a BOISE-esque fb BRAND for upcoming media negotiations; and NIU to CUSA helps BOTH parties too much for it not to happen. Their continued recent success in contending for that access spot, can give CUSA a shot in the arm after the defections. They are a relevant football program, and their brand name, NIU, just looks more like CUSA brand than a MAC brand. It would also give CUSA play in Chicago.
Lets be honest here, the MAC's new TV deal sucks. They have always viewed NIU as a step child. Their treatment of NIU reflects their poor treatment of Marshall when they were dominating as well. CUSA gave Marshall a life vest then; and UABs demise is an extremely fortuitous event that gives CUSA an opportunity to make a Statement regarding its football identity.
Besides bringing a recognizable football name in a new market, NIU evens the divisions by establishing a Western presence.
This is the only move that moves the needle, perception-wise, and hives CUSA a push toward that access spot that Marshall NEVER had a legit chance at. It would also BADLY damage the MAC to lose their most decorated football program of late.

its time to pull the trigger, and ensure CUSA's next television contract doesn't take a hit. CUSA needs to wrap future negotiations in the newsprint of Jordan Lynch.

RIP UAB

Screw that! NIU should join the American, that way the Huskies could play the Huskies every year. I realize that most people wouldn't care, but I think that it would be the greatest thing ever (I'm a sucker for that kind of cornyness), and my opinion means a lot to me.

Nebraska should take a hard look at joining, too. Huskers v. Huskies is also priceless.

It would be like the Hokie Mark v. TexanMark kind of thing.

(01-18-2015 09:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

The TV deal is largely irrelevant because whatever the increase or the decrease it does not matter. The power conferences make millions more so increase or decreasing a few hundred thousand dollars is not really a benefit to a school.

I always see you guys praising the availability of CUSA games but I literally did not see a single CUSA conference game on tv even flipping through the channels this year. How will this be any more beneficial than when ESPN goes content crazy for their streaming channel and literally puts everything on ESPN 3?

You see the picture of teams who have no chance of improving their situation past being in CUSA. What's best for NIU would be for them to wait things out until they can get in the AAC.

T.V. deals are never irrelevant. If that were the case, Sun Belt schools wouldn't leave for C-USA. In the age of P5 autonomy, every program needs more income and a larger presence on television.

This season every North Texas game was on T.V. That never happened when we were in the Belt. If you didn't find a C-USA game on, than you weren't looking. Every week C-USA had games airing on various Fox regional channels, Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports, and the American Sports Network package. I hate ESPN3 and refuse to watch games that are streamed. Maybe someday that platform will provide a quality experience, but that day isn't here yet. If watching games streamed on ESPN3 was all that great, every P5 conference would be discontinuing their networks and doing it. I'm sorry the Sun Belt and MAC have been saddled with so many ESPN3 games. Y'all need to hold your commissioners accountable for that.

What is best for NIU is to improve their situation. The best way to do that right now is by joining C-USA. C-USA is a rapidly improving football conference. None of the other G5s thought this conference could contend with the MWC or the AAC for the title of the best G5, but C-USA was able to step up this season and be part of that conversation. We had the best OOC record against other G5s, and it wasn't even close. C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too. You speak as if C-USA were a dead-end conference with no room for growth. That is ridiculous. The MAC has those issues, with their long term ESPN(3) deal, poor attendance, and weak bowl ties. C-USA programs don't need to look for other conferences, we have a fantastic collection of schools that our fans get excited about playing. Rivalries are developing and things keep getting better for our conference.

Spoken like a true homer.

Let's be honest, UNT did not leave the SBC because they were going to be making more money. They left because the Sun Belt is not as established and there was no other Texas team at the time. Another reason they left is the fear that someone else may leave.

Same with FIU, since moving to CUSA has FIU actually improved? No. But they left because they knew FAU may leave. And again at the time CUSA was much stronger than the Sun Belt. Money was not the deciding factor.

All your doing is throwing about a bunch of single season selective statistics like "C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too" So how many good P5 teams did CUSA beat in bowl games or even play?

I don't speak as if CUSA is a dead end CUSA compared to other G5 conferences. It's just not as great as you belive it is for NIU. You fail to see what's best for UNT is not what's best for everyone else because UNT has no other options.

NIU is not going to CUSA, NIU is not going to the Big 12, NIU is not dropping football to FCS to join the Horizon or the MVC, and wresting's final conference home is not a concern if an when a new conference decision needs to be made for the good of the entire NIU brand

NIU is staying in the MAC unless the AAC comes-a-callin'.

Hope this is clear.

(01-19-2015 06:37 AM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-18-2015 09:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 11:05 PM)TrojanCampaign Wrote:  

(01-17-2015 08:39 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  A month ago I was on here stating how NIU was the only good candidate for the 14th spot in C-USA, if we were to expand. NIU really is the only addition that would improve the brand and possibly the value of our next contract. Some on here believe moving to C-USA isn't in the best interest of NIU, but I don't think most of those people can see the larger picture. TCU left long established historic rivals to join the MWC, a conference not in their region. That seemed to work out well for TCU. Also, the Big12 added West Virginia, a team no where near another conference member. Location doesn't seem to be as big an issue as some on here want it to be.

C-USA in it's current state may not appear to have enough stroke to lure NIU from the MAC, but who really knows what is going on behind the scenes with the T.V. negotiations? If C-USA and Fox approach NIU and tell them, the new contract will be this much more than what you are getting from the MAC, and you will appear a minimum of X number of time per season on national T.V., plus all of your other football games will be televised throughout the country, and basketball will get air time, along with other Olympic sports... than NIU would be joining C-USA.

I still believe NIU is the only good option for C-USA, and I think there is a higher likelihood of them joining than many believe. That's just my take, but time will tell.

The TV deal is largely irrelevant because whatever the increase or the decrease it does not matter. The power conferences make millions more so increase or decreasing a few hundred thousand dollars is not really a benefit to a school.

I always see you guys praising the availability of CUSA games but I literally did not see a single CUSA conference game on tv even flipping through the channels this year. How will this be any more beneficial than when ESPN goes content crazy for their streaming channel and literally puts everything on ESPN 3?

You see the picture of teams who have no chance of improving their situation past being in CUSA. What's best for NIU would be for them to wait things out until they can get in the AAC.

T.V. deals are never irrelevant. If that were the case, Sun Belt schools wouldn't leave for C-USA. In the age of P5 autonomy, every program needs more income and a larger presence on television.

This season every North Texas game was on T.V. That never happened when we were in the Belt. If you didn't find a C-USA game on, than you weren't looking. Every week C-USA had games airing on various Fox regional channels, Fox Sports 1, CBS Sports, and the American Sports Network package. I hate ESPN3 and refuse to watch games that are streamed. Maybe someday that platform will provide a quality experience, but that day isn't here yet. If watching games streamed on ESPN3 was all that great, every P5 conference would be discontinuing their networks and doing it. I'm sorry the Sun Belt and MAC have been saddled with so many ESPN3 games. Y'all need to hold your commissioners accountable for that.

What is best for NIU is to improve their situation. The best way to do that right now is by joining C-USA. C-USA is a rapidly improving football conference. None of the other G5s thought this conference could contend with the MWC or the AAC for the title of the best G5, but C-USA was able to step up this season and be part of that conversation. We had the best OOC record against other G5s, and it wasn't even close. C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too. You speak as if C-USA were a dead-end conference with no room for growth. That is ridiculous. The MAC has those issues, with their long term ESPN(3) deal, poor attendance, and weak bowl ties. C-USA programs don't need to look for other conferences, we have a fantastic collection of schools that our fans get excited about playing. Rivalries are developing and things keep getting better for our conference.

Spoken like a true homer.

Let's be honest, UNT did not leave the SBC because they were going to be making more money. They left because the Sun Belt is not as established and there was no other Texas team at the time. Another reason they left is the fear that someone else may leave.

Same with FIU, since moving to CUSA has FIU actually improved? No. But they left because they knew FAU may leave. And again at the time CUSA was much stronger than the Sun Belt. Money was not the deciding factor.

All your doing is throwing about a bunch of single season selective statistics like "C-USA had the best bowl season of the G5s too" So how many good P5 teams did CUSA beat in bowl games or even play?

I don't speak as if CUSA is a dead end CUSA compared to other G5 conferences. It's just not as great as you belive it is for NIU. You fail to see what's best for UNT is not what's best for everyone else because UNT has no other options.

I'm only pointing out the benefits of a C-USA with NIU in it. As for North Texas, we wanted to be in a conference with other established Texas programs, and we got that. But money and television exposure was the overarching reason all Sun Belt programs left for C-USA. I did not include UNT specific reasons. You did.

LA Tech played Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl and beat the pants off of them 35-18.

I'm not on here promoting this because I think it is great for UNT. NIU isn't anywhere near us. Adding NIU would not exactly be convenient for North Texas. I'm only stating that they are the only good option if C-USA were to expand. So North Texas has options. C-USA West has an opening, and UNT along with the rest of the conference will make a choice about that spot. Believe me, I'd be just as happy to stay at 13. I certainly believe UNT has more options than Troy. You don't have to think C-USA is all that. That is your opinion. I believe in what is happening in C-USA. I see a very bright future for C-USA, as long as there are no further disruptions to our membership.

(01-19-2015 09:17 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  NIU is staying in the MAC unless the AAC comes-a-callin'.

You don't fit the institutional profile for the AAC.

(01-19-2015 09:17 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  NIU is not going to CUSA, NIU is not going to the Big 12, NIU is not dropping football to FCS to join the Horizon or the MVC, and wresting's final conference home is not a concern if an when a new conference decision needs to be made for the good of the entire NIU brand

NIU is staying in the MAC unless the AAC comes-a-callin'.

Hope this is clear.

NIU may very well have no interest in C-USA. C-USA may have no interest in NIU. I don't know. I do believe NIU joining C-USA would be good for both parties, but I don't make those decisions.

The prudent thing to do would be to wait until the new C-USA media deal is announced before dismissing the notion.

(01-19-2015 09:44 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(01-19-2015 09:17 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  NIU is staying in the MAC unless the AAC comes-a-callin'.

You don't fit the institutional profile for the AAC.

I only know that NIU is making improvements to it's Athletics brand and it's Institutional brand. What the final goal is, is debatable.

(01-19-2015 09:47 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(01-19-2015 09:17 AM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  NIU is not going to CUSA, NIU is not going to the Big 12, NIU is not dropping football to FCS to join the Horizon or the MVC, and wresting's final conference home is not a concern if an when a new conference decision needs to be made for the good of the entire NIU brand

NIU is staying in the MAC unless the AAC comes-a-callin'.

Hope this is clear.

NIU may very well have no interest in C-USA. C-USA may have no interest in NIU. I don't know. I do believe NIU joining C-USA would be good for both parties, but I don't make those decisions.

The prudent thing to do would be to wait until the new C-USA media deal is announced before dismissing the notion.

Only from a CUSA perspective is it a better situation. I highly doubt the CUSA is going to get some big-time tv contract and open their own tv network, so for NIU, the difference in pay and exposure don't measure up to the major increases in cost to travel (remember all sports need to move, not just football, and its not only players/coaches that need to travel), conference exit and entrance fees, gigantic downgrade in wrestling (arguably their #2 or 3 sport), minor downgrade in basketball, loss of their long-time rivals in all of their sports. All this to get slightly better tv exposure and upgraded recruiting grounds, in a conference where the competition might be a bit better (there were some years the MAC was stronger than the old CUSA before the AAC expansion).

Its just not a practical choice for NIU nor is it a better situation.