"With the move from the MAC to C-USA, operations costs have soared, and because Marshall hasn't won in football and men's basketball, its gate receipts have been flat - while expenses have gone up by about $3 million from '06 to '08 (fiscal years)."
I seem to recall some folks around here predicting a big increase in costs when Marshall made the C-USA move. The Herd made the move and now are lagging in funding their athletic programs. Maybe that is why they are at the bottom end of their new conference.
I really think Marshall should consider a move to the Sun Belt.
Not as competitive and they can play academic peers WKU and MTSU.
(06-05-2009 09:02 AM)Crebman Wrote: [ -> ]"With the move from the MAC to C-USA, operations costs have soared, and because Marshall hasn't won in football and men's basketball, its gate receipts have been flat - while expenses have gone up by about $3 million from '06 to '08 (fiscal years)."
I seem to recall some folks around here predicting a big increase in costs when Marshall made the C-USA move. The Herd made the move and now are lagging in funding their athletic programs. Maybe that is why they are at the bottom end of their new conference.
Looks like the Herd will be about 2nd or 3rd in CUSA East this year with S.Miss and ECU also fighting for top spot.We'll see how the Herd do against BGSU Sept 19th, their first MAC opponent since leaving the Conference.
I do think C-USA has a payout (mostly due to Memphis in NCAA hoops tourney performance) that may defray a part of that extra $3MM in operating costs, but I don't think it comes close to covering it. I think the move to C-USA has been embraced by most all Herd fans, but all those glowing predictions of gaining more $$ despite all the travel and other costs don't look to have become reality as many here predicted. Most Herdlers posting here projected a big increase in gate receipts with bigger hoops and football crowds in C-USA, plus even thought C-USA schools would have lotsa 'traveling fans" to H-Ton. Didn't happen, but part of that was due to the decline in Herd football and hoops....I think they would've seen a bump in attendance had they kept winning.
Marshall move to CUSA was a mistake for both Marshall and CUSA. CUSA should have looked at LA Tech which fits better geography. Marshall is drowing in CUSA. They don't have money to compete.
I think it's hilarious that they think they have a shot at Akron's AD. Right now he makes more than twice what Marshall's last AD made. I can't think of one thing that Marshall has that could lure him away right now. He was a finalist for the Rutgers job, and his name will get mentioned for other high-profile jobs in the near future. A move to Marshall is lateral at best and a huge step back at worst.
(06-05-2009 11:35 AM)uakronkid Wrote: [ -> ]I think it's hilarious that they think they have a shot at Akron's AD. Right now he makes more than twice what Marshall's last AD made. I can't think of one thing that Marshall has that could lure him away right now. He was a finalist for the Rutgers job, and his name will get mentioned for other high-profile jobs in the near future. A move to Marshall is lateral at best and a huge step back at worst.
chalk all of this up to Marshall's infamous arrogance and stupidity. it's the same arrogance and stupidity that caused them to make the move to C-USA which has now been proven to be a huge and costly mistake. LOL
Is C-USA a profit sharing conference like the MAC? If they are, Marshall didn't get much b/c after Memphis's cut, the rest would get divided amongst the other teams.
This makes me chuckle at all the Marshall arrogance when they moved. Anyone want to dredge up some old posts for fun?
There were an awful lot of threads with MAC and Herd fans arguing about all the perceived benefits of going to C-USA. One of the big themes was that Herd home football attendance would significantly go up when they got a decent slate of home games by getting rid of the MAC teams and bringing in C-USA teams.
Outside of the revenue and cost (and excess traveling) issues, I do think C-USA is a better fit for Marshall. The problem is that overall they don't really have a competitive men's athletic program overall, and may not have the budget to improve it all that much with the concentration they have on football.....they were brought in solely for their football program, and it has been "in the dumps" for 3-4 years now.
C-usa needs to kick out marshall and utep, let them go to the sun belt. Then take fiu and fau. Both fiu and fau would be better for our conference. And marshall and utep can be in the sun belt with the denying athletics programs.
The Sun Belt might be the best deal for Marshall. They really sucked the first time they were in the MAC (1960's) and dropping down to d-1aa not only helped them to build a solid, winning program but also put them in the top of the MAC when they did return nearly 20 years later.....Hmmm, with that said I am now thinking that they should join the Missouri Valley for 20 years then return to CUSA and dominate!
(06-05-2009 09:24 AM)Airport KC Wrote: [ -> ]I really think Marshall should consider a move to the Sun Belt.
Not as competitive and they can play academic peers WKU and MTSU.
I really think you should quit insulting the academics of WKU and MTSU. The academics of a Marshall athelete are often on par with a JC. And as for their graduate programs, well let me comment on their strengths........
They should have never switched conferences. The MAC was the best possible fit for Marshall.
MAC has lots of benefits for these schools. The low budgets and parity do help school stay competitive without having to break the bank. Marshall has found out that they can't spend at the same level as the average CUSA programs. They are at a disadvantage. CUSA also has higher travel costs. I can see Marshall coming back to the MAC when Temple comes in for all sports. I think that would be a pretty good fit.
Wait... so you mean everything isn't all rosy in C-USA like all the Hurd posters have been saying? I'm shocked. They made their bed and to their credit, haven't been whining about laying in it despite falling flat on their faces competitively. They are playing (and losing to) the Southern-based teams that they wanted. Good for them and good for us.
This issue is why I always laugh at the idea of one of the MAC teams leaving for the Big East. Which one of our schools has enough extra cash laying around to make the jump to C-USA salaries, let alone the Big East? Even without the current national recession, we are all in the middle of an economically depressed region.
Consider this. Year-in and year-out the MAC is roughly equal to C-USA in competitiveness while spending a fraction of the cash to do it.
-Dan
(06-06-2009 10:27 AM)Photodan Wrote: [ -> ]Consider this. Year-in and year-out the MAC is roughly equal to C-USA in competitiveness while spending a fraction of the cash to do it.
-Dan
That is a very good point. Some of those CUSA salaries are outrageous, particularly SMU's hiring of June Jones for 2 million for a program that can't draw flies. Calipari was getting about that amount over at Memphis but with the new bb coach making 800,000 obviously lower expectations have been factored in.
Ohio's salaries for football and basketball are comparable to what Marshall is paying for its coaches and some of the other rank and file schools. Even an Eastern Michigan is now paying 300k for a football coach so I don't know if salary is an entrance to barrier for CUSA but who wants to pay even more to join the rat race.
(06-06-2009 10:02 AM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]MAC has lots of benefits for these schools. The low budgets and parity do help school stay competitive without having to break the bank. Marshall has found out that they can't spend at the same level as the average CUSA programs. They are at a disadvantage. CUSA also has higher travel costs. I can see Marshall coming back to the MAC when Temple comes in for all sports. I think that would be a pretty good fit.
More likely I see a situation where CUSA splits in another alignment with TCU coming back to the Texas schools. Then Marshall would be left hanging and forced to join another conference.
I personally don't think they bring that much to the MAC other than another good attendance school. They aren't very close to most members other than Ohio and Miami. Academics as noted are very poor. The only reason they were accepted into the MAC was because the league was desperate at the time with talk of moving down to 1-AA.