(01-31-2024 06:43 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  The MW and pac2 will "merge" or the pac2 will find other homes. No dominoes coming from the West. Lots of reasons.

ASK yourself this. Do university administrators know more about what is going on behind the scenes---THAN posters on this board? YES. Not everything--but a good deal more-right?

With that taken into consideration it would not be sensible for Missouri St., Tarleton or UMASS to join a conference with entrance fees, departure fees, and GOR penalties totaling in the SIX Million Dollar "range"--only to change leagues again a year later.

Those three ARE currently pursuing membership in CUSA.

If some huge realignment is coming in 2024 or '25 (or even Might occur) then they would stand pat and see what happens first.

Altho I see where you're coming from, it also might be worth considering that an FCS (i.e. Missouri St, Tarleton, EKU, etc) would go ahead and take advantage of an opportunity to transition now so that should that big shakeup occur in a couple years, they'd already be FBS instead of just another FCS wanting to move up.

(01-31-2024 07:33 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(01-31-2024 06:43 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  The MW and pac2 will "merge" or the pac2 will find other homes. No dominoes coming from the West. Lots of reasons.

ASK yourself this. Do university administrators know more about what is going on behind the scenes---THAN posters on this board? YES. Not everything--but a good deal more-right?

With that taken into consideration it would not be sensible for Missouri St., Tarleton or UMASS to join a conference with entrance fees, departure fees, and GOR penalties totaling in the SIX Million Dollar "range"--only to change leagues again a year later.

Those three ARE currently pursuing membership in CUSA.

If some huge realignment is coming in 2024 or '25 (or even Might occur) then they would stand pat and see what happens first.

Altho I see where you're coming from, it also might be worth considering that an FCS (i.e. Missouri St, Tarleton, EKU, etc) would go ahead and take advantage of an opportunity to transition now so that should that big shakeup occur in a couple years, they'd already be FBS instead of just another FCS wanting to move up.

If that is the case, think Missouri State would be the 12th member.

(01-31-2024 07:33 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(01-31-2024 06:43 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  The MW and pac2 will "merge" or the pac2 will find other homes. No dominoes coming from the West. Lots of reasons.

ASK yourself this. Do university administrators know more about what is going on behind the scenes---THAN posters on this board? YES. Not everything--but a good deal more-right?

With that taken into consideration it would not be sensible for Missouri St., Tarleton or UMASS to join a conference with entrance fees, departure fees, and GOR penalties totaling in the SIX Million Dollar "range"--only to change leagues again a year later.

Those three ARE currently pursuing membership in CUSA.

If some huge realignment is coming in 2024 or '25 (or even Might occur) then they would stand pat and see what happens first.

Altho I see where you're coming from, it also might be worth considering that an FCS (i.e. Missouri St, Tarleton, EKU, etc) would go ahead and take advantage of an opportunity to transition now so that should that big shakeup occur in a couple years, they'd already be FBS instead of just another FCS wanting to move up.

Excellent statement. I'm just pointing out--IMHO-- those changes are doubtful if there is imminent big movement in '24, '25, or even '26.

(01-31-2024 09:30 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  

(01-31-2024 07:33 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(01-31-2024 06:43 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  The MW and pac2 will "merge" or the pac2 will find other homes. No dominoes coming from the West. Lots of reasons.

ASK yourself this. Do university administrators know more about what is going on behind the scenes---THAN posters on this board? YES. Not everything--but a good deal more-right?

With that taken into consideration it would not be sensible for Missouri St., Tarleton or UMASS to join a conference with entrance fees, departure fees, and GOR penalties totaling in the SIX Million Dollar "range"--only to change leagues again a year later.

Those three ARE currently pursuing membership in CUSA.

If some huge realignment is coming in 2024 or '25 (or even Might occur) then they would stand pat and see what happens first.

Altho I see where you're coming from, it also might be worth considering that an FCS (i.e. Missouri St, Tarleton, EKU, etc) would go ahead and take advantage of an opportunity to transition now so that should that big shakeup occur in a couple years, they'd already be FBS instead of just another FCS wanting to move up.

Excellent statement. I'm just pointing out--IMHO-- those changes are doubtful if there is imminent big movement in '24, '25, or even '26.

I agree with both of you. I don't expect the eventual 2PAC/MWC merger to impact any CUSA teams. Sure, it COULD happen, but the chances are very low.

At the same time, I feel FCS teams, even with all the fees and GORs and general uncertainty, are probably looking at the long game here. If you *ever* want to move up, you need to move up as soon as possible, even if it's not your "preferred" landing spot. When/if a slot in your preferred conference did come open, you'd be much more attractive as a current FBS team than you'd be as an FCS call-up.

I think most of the hesitance at this point is coming from CUSA. Expanding will cost us money. (Inutech may have expressed an opinion on this once or twice...) We need to be sure that we WANT to expand, we need to have a good reason to go beyond 12 (meaning, assurances from CBS/ESPN that we'd receive a bump in revenue by doing so), and most of all, we'd need to know precisely which team(s) to invite. You have UMass out there, then you have a bunch of FCS programs who've expressed FBS interest, nearly all of whom would immediately say yes if asked.

But just because they'd accept an invitation doesn't mean they're necessarily the best fit. Since it's highly unlikely we'll take more than 1-3 teams total, and those are pretty much the only vacancies at this level, we can't afford to guess wrong. If we choose poorly, we'll be stuck with that bad choice for a long, long time.

If you are FCS, you cannot move up without a conference. The United wanted to make a run at it but seems to have been shutdown for now.

The money to move up is not an issue. It is still a bargain. The problem is in getting into a conference that will allow you into the money game. That generally only happens when you have conference shakeups and they have to move people up to meet TV demands.

The Mountain West is the only conference that has not been impacted. They are the last of the valuable properties. So change is probably coming. This is a game of musical chairs.