Sun Belt is not in survival mode.

Therefore, the successful applicant will be:
1. A school that is in the eastern or central time zone.
2. Probably no further north than say St. Louis.
3. State supported.
4. Enrollment of 10,000 or more.
5. At least 150 miles from the nearest Sun Belt school but probably within 300 miles of the nearest Sun Belt school.
6. Academically at least 50 to 75 in US News Regional ratings or higher.
7. Has track record of recent notable success in football at least at FCS level -OR- Significant recent success in basketball -OR- Notable Division I achievements across multiple Olympic sports.

Not a lot of schools will fit that criteria and I can only think of one that doesn't that would likely get in and they aren't calling, that's Wichita State. UT Chattanooga might make it as well but they are closer than preferred to Atlanta but they are in a different state AND in a state the league isn't in.

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Sun Belt is not in survival mode.

Therefore, the successful applicant will be:
1. A school that is in the eastern or central time zone.
2. Probably no further north than say St. Louis.
3. State supported.
4. Enrollment of 10,000 or more.
5. At least 150 miles from the nearest Sun Belt school but probably within 300 miles of the nearest Sun Belt school.
6. Academically at least 50 to 75 in US News Regional ratings or higher.
7. Has track record of recent notable success in football at least at FCS level -OR- Significant recent success in basketball -OR- Notable Division I achievements across multiple Olympic sports.

Not a lot of schools will fit that criteria and I can only think of one that doesn't that would likely get in and they aren't calling, that's Wichita State. UT Chattanooga might make it as well but they are closer than preferred to Atlanta but they are in a different state AND in a state the league isn't in.

8. Not overshadowed overly by a nearby P5 team.
9. Demonstrated ability to attract fans

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Sun Belt is not in survival mode.

Therefore, the successful applicant will be:
1. A school that is in the eastern or central time zone.
2. Probably no further north than say St. Louis.
3. State supported.
4. Enrollment of 10,000 or more.
5. At least 150 miles from the nearest Sun Belt school but probably within 300 miles of the nearest Sun Belt school.
6. Academically at least 50 to 75 in US News Regional ratings or higher.
7. Has track record of recent notable success in football at least at FCS level -OR- Significant recent success in basketball -OR- Notable Division I achievements across multiple Olympic sports.

Not a lot of schools will fit that criteria and I can only think of one that doesn't that would likely get in and they aren't calling, that's Wichita State. UT Chattanooga might make it as well but they are closer than preferred to Atlanta but they are in a different state AND in a state the league isn't in.

Mo St fits those guidelines too.

(01-13-2017 03:55 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 02:38 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 11:50 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

Quote:Chattanooga, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston State, McNeese State and Central Arkansas. Even a North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Liberty could help out

Help out with what? Lowing the SOS?

For **** sake, this is ridiculous.

Even ULM and TXST are better than UNI, LU, UTC, McNeese and so forth.

One:Jacksonville State could beat any schools in the SBC as they are since they have played very well against P5 opponents. Just like Georgia Southern beaten Florida, Jacksonville State beat Ole. Miss. and came close to beaten Auburn.
2.Chattanooga is from the same conference that you guys came from. Old rivals, and could play better. 3.McNeese State had a down year last year. 4.Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State last year, and came close in beaten Oklahoma State a few years ago. Don't let facts hit you in the face.

1. One game means nothing. Can they win in all sports?

2. If no SBC school wants them in the conference, then they should not be in the SBC. Do they add any value to the conference?

Georgia State added no value to the SBC period. They had no success at D1. Appearing in 1 NCAA men's basketball tournament don't count.

Coastal Carolina has no value either. Winning one baseball national championship does not mean you are ready for bigger boys in other sports.

Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Lamar, Missouri State, McNeese State and others have been in D1 longer than Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. I reward those schools before I reward Georgia State and Coastal Carolina.

(01-13-2017 06:49 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 03:55 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 02:38 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 11:50 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

Quote:Chattanooga, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston State, McNeese State and Central Arkansas. Even a North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Liberty could help out

Help out with what? Lowing the SOS?

For **** sake, this is ridiculous.

Even ULM and TXST are better than UNI, LU, UTC, McNeese and so forth.

One:Jacksonville State could beat any schools in the SBC as they are since they have played very well against P5 opponents. Just like Georgia Southern beaten Florida, Jacksonville State beat Ole. Miss. and came close to beaten Auburn.
2.Chattanooga is from the same conference that you guys came from. Old rivals, and could play better. 3.McNeese State had a down year last year. 4.Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State last year, and came close in beaten Oklahoma State a few years ago. Don't let facts hit you in the face.

1. One game means nothing. Can they win in all sports?

2. If no SBC school wants them in the conference, then they should not be in the SBC. Do they add any value to the conference?

Georgia State added no value to the SBC period. They had no success at D1. Appearing in 1 NCAA men's basketball tournament don't count.

Coastal Carolina has no value either. Winning one baseball national championship does not mean you are ready for bigger boys in other sports.

Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Lamar, Missouri State, McNeese State and others have been in D1 longer than Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. I reward those schools before I reward Georgia State and Coastal Carolina.

Its not about fairness. Its about what the league's needs were/are at the time.

Right now there is zero need to expand. So we won't.

When and if we decide to invite additional members, we will do so given our needs. Not others.

Coastal and Georgia State were the best fits at the time. And if there were other teams at the time that were better fits, they either didn't want to jump when an opportunity existed or the membership of the Belt decided they weren't a better fit. They are in and that's that. You can't try and say 'well you took team A and I can make the same case for team B, so you should take them' credibly.

So, no, Kennesaw or West Florida aren't going to be in the SBC, probably EVER, so long as the league is comprised of its current membership. Add Jacksonville State, Lamar, Central Arkansas, McNeese, Liberty to the list of 'not in THIS Sun Belt'.

Missouri State has a slim chance. So would JMU (but they're not interested and we're not really even focused on them anymore). EKU is an emergency team, only to be taken in the case of an urgent need for members I'm afraid.

As far as I can tell, the only team for which there is significant support within the league (although less than 2/3rds) that is willing to join is ......NMSU.

---

Barring a raid on our conference (unlikely in the short to medium term), a change in the CFP revenue distrubution, or a collapse of one of our teams (like UAB), the gate to FBS is closed. CLANG. There are exactly two teams in all of D1 that can get into FBS right now. They are.....Little Rock and Texas - Arlington.

CUSA has too many members and the MAC is stable. The AAC might take ONE moveup, but even that is unlikely.

(01-13-2017 06:49 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 03:55 PM)AZcats Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 02:38 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-12-2017 11:50 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

Quote:Chattanooga, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston State, McNeese State and Central Arkansas. Even a North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Liberty could help out

Help out with what? Lowing the SOS?

For **** sake, this is ridiculous.

Even ULM and TXST are better than UNI, LU, UTC, McNeese and so forth.

One:Jacksonville State could beat any schools in the SBC as they are since they have played very well against P5 opponents. Just like Georgia Southern beaten Florida, Jacksonville State beat Ole. Miss. and came close to beaten Auburn.
2.Chattanooga is from the same conference that you guys came from. Old rivals, and could play better. 3.McNeese State had a down year last year. 4.Central Arkansas beat Arkansas State last year, and came close in beaten Oklahoma State a few years ago. Don't let facts hit you in the face.

1. One game means nothing. Can they win in all sports?

2. If no SBC school wants them in the conference, then they should not be in the SBC. Do they add any value to the conference?

Georgia State added no value to the SBC period. They had no success at D1. Appearing in 1 NCAA men's basketball tournament don't count.

Coastal Carolina has no value either. Winning one baseball national championship does not mean you are ready for bigger boys in other sports.

Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Lamar, Missouri State, McNeese State and others have been in D1 longer than Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. I reward those schools before I reward Georgia State and Coastal Carolina.

You should love us, Benson said we could be the next Boise State!

ga st got sunbelt in Georgia.
coastal got sunbelt in SC.

(01-13-2017 07:55 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 06:49 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Georgia State added no value to the SBC period. They had no success at D1. Appearing in 1 NCAA men's basketball tournament don't count.

Coastal Carolina has no value either. Winning one baseball national championship does not mean you are ready for bigger boys in other sports.

Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Lamar, Missouri State, McNeese State and others have been in D1 longer than Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. I reward those schools before I reward Georgia State and Coastal Carolina.

Its not about fairness. Its about what the league's needs were/are at the time.

Right now there is zero need to expand. So we won't.

When and if we decide to invite additional members, we will do so given our needs. Not others.

Coastal and Georgia State were the best fits at the time. And if there were other teams at the time that were better fits, they either didn't want to jump when an opportunity existed or the membership of the Belt decided they weren't a better fit. They are in and that's that. You can't try and say 'well you took team A and I can make the same case for team B, so you should take them' credibly.

So, no, Kennesaw or West Florida aren't going to be in the SBC, probably EVER, so long as the league is comprised of its current membership. Add Jacksonville State, Lamar, Central Arkansas, McNeese, Liberty to the list of 'not in THIS Sun Belt'.

Missouri State has a slim chance. So would JMU (but they're not interested and we're not really even focused on them anymore). EKU is an emergency team, only to be taken in the case of an urgent need for members I'm afraid.

As far as I can tell, the only team for which there is significant support within the league (although less than 2/3rds) that is willing to join is ......NMSU.

---

Barring a raid on our conference (unlikely in the short to medium term), a change in the CFP revenue distrubution, or a collapse of one of our teams (like UAB), the gate to FBS is closed. CLANG. There are exactly two teams in all of D1 that can get into FBS right now. They are.....Little Rock and Texas - Arlington.

CUSA has too many members and the MAC is stable. The AAC might take ONE moveup, but even that is unlikely.

Listen David K. St, I know you have a hard heart for GSU. You have since your list making posts reappeared. I'm not sure why a Wonder Boy cares what we are building down here in Atlanta but it's happening and it's substantial. What Tom just posted is about as definitive an answer as one can give to the SBC expansion process. GSU may not have taken the conventional route but people who are much more in the know, with a lot more to gain than you and I saw the potential of TX St, GS, App St, CCU, and yes, Georgia St when rebuilding the conference.
Tom is right. The door is shut again except for a very select few. THAT is why GSU jumped when we could. That is why it's important to be proactive. It does not matter if you think we deserve to be in FBS or not; we got here because our president got it done. As they say in medical school, the student graduating with the lowest GPA is still called doctor. Georgia St and Coastal Carolina are FBS. This isn't a reward system. We got it done. I'm sorry we didn't spend 40 years in medical school but we passed the exam. Now go over to the Kennesaw board and help them figure out how to triple the size of their stadium instead of why GSU doesn't deserve to be here. See you in 20 years.

(01-14-2017 11:59 AM)ChooChoo Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 07:55 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 06:49 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  Georgia State added no value to the SBC period. They had no success at D1. Appearing in 1 NCAA men's basketball tournament don't count.

Coastal Carolina has no value either. Winning one baseball national championship does not mean you are ready for bigger boys in other sports.

Jacksonville State, Chattanooga, Lamar, Missouri State, McNeese State and others have been in D1 longer than Coastal Carolina and Georgia State. I reward those schools before I reward Georgia State and Coastal Carolina.

Its not about fairness. Its about what the league's needs were/are at the time.

Right now there is zero need to expand. So we won't.

When and if we decide to invite additional members, we will do so given our needs. Not others.

Coastal and Georgia State were the best fits at the time. And if there were other teams at the time that were better fits, they either didn't want to jump when an opportunity existed or the membership of the Belt decided they weren't a better fit. They are in and that's that. You can't try and say 'well you took team A and I can make the same case for team B, so you should take them' credibly.

So, no, Kennesaw or West Florida aren't going to be in the SBC, probably EVER, so long as the league is comprised of its current membership. Add Jacksonville State, Lamar, Central Arkansas, McNeese, Liberty to the list of 'not in THIS Sun Belt'.

Missouri State has a slim chance. So would JMU (but they're not interested and we're not really even focused on them anymore). EKU is an emergency team, only to be taken in the case of an urgent need for members I'm afraid.

As far as I can tell, the only team for which there is significant support within the league (although less than 2/3rds) that is willing to join is ......NMSU.

---

Barring a raid on our conference (unlikely in the short to medium term), a change in the CFP revenue distrubution, or a collapse of one of our teams (like UAB), the gate to FBS is closed. CLANG. There are exactly two teams in all of D1 that can get into FBS right now. They are.....Little Rock and Texas - Arlington.

CUSA has too many members and the MAC is stable. The AAC might take ONE moveup, but even that is unlikely.

Listen David K. St, I know you have a hard heart for GSU. You have since your list making posts reappeared. I'm not sure why a Wonder Boy cares what we are building down here in Atlanta but it's happening and it's substantial. What Tom just posted is about as definitive an answer as one can give to the SBC expansion process. GSU may not have taken the conventional route but people who are much more in the know, with a lot more to gain than you and I saw the potential of TX St, GS, App St, CCU, and yes, Georgia St when rebuilding the conference.
Tom is right. The door is shut again except for a very select few. THAT is why GSU jumped when we could. That is why it's important to be proactive. It does not matter if you think we deserve to be in FBS or not; we got here because our president got it done. As they say in medical school, the student graduating with the lowest GPA is still called doctor. Georgia St and Coastal Carolina are FBS. This isn't a reward system. We got it done. I'm sorry we didn't spend 40 years in medical school but we passed the exam. Now go over to the Kennesaw board and help them figure out how to triple the size of their stadium instead of why GSU doesn't deserve to be here. See you in 20 years.

And another point. Until there is more MONEY for existing members as a result from expansion, there won't be any expansion.

There aren't any legitimate potential candidates out there that will help the bottom line of the Sun Belt's teams.

Please, no new additions to the SBC. I thought this subject was put aside once Coastal was admitted, if there is such a "Burning Desire", to add more teams, wait until stAte and UL leave, and then add all you want.

(01-14-2017 01:57 PM)southernwolf Wrote:  Please, no new additions to the SBC. I thought this subject was put aside once Coastal was admitted, if there is such a "Burning Desire", to add more teams, wait until stAte and UL leave, and then add all you want.

Why wait for Ark State and Lafayette? That will put you behind the eight ball. Add UTA Football and Kennesaw State now.

If the Sun Belt were dying to have more than 10 teams right now, it should extend its FB-only agreement with the school that just went 9-4 and earned the conference an extra 7-figure check for CFP performance revenue PLUS extra money for the bowl pool by playing in (and winning) a non-Sun Belt bowl that the conference never would have otherwise accessed, PLUS gives up its share of CFP money to pay Sun Belt schools for travel expenses to its home games.

But the conference doesn't seem inclined to do that, so why would it want to nurture a bunch more not-ready-for-primetime schools instead?

(01-14-2017 04:41 PM)LatahCounty Wrote:  If the Sun Belt were dying to have more than 10 teams right now, it should extend its FB-only agreement with the school that just went 9-4 and earned the conference an extra 7-figure check for CFP performance revenue PLUS extra money for the bowl pool by playing in (and winning) a non-Sun Belt bowl that the conference never would have otherwise accessed, PLUS gives up its share of CFP money to pay Sun Belt schools for travel expenses to its home games.

But the conference doesn't seem inclined to do that, so why would it want to nurture a bunch more not-ready-for-primetime schools instead?

Truth be told you are absolutely right. I think we should have held things as they are until 2 more all sports teams could be decided upon. I would prefer a 12 team all sports conference based purely on personal preference but if sharing the pie 10 ways makes the schools more money and saves on travel then that wins out. Unfortunately 10 is where it is for the foreseeable future.

As for Kennesaw State...you folks who are asking for them don't even live in the state. They aren't who you think they are. Just because they have a lot of students doesn't qualify them for the Sun Belt. And why 3 schools in one state? In the same metro area no less? Expansion needs to have purpose. That's why you see the same names over and over by other posters. Wichita State. Missouri State. Chattanooga. JMU. They're the best options in new states with either good facilities, traditions, or budgets. All Kennesaw State does is further dilute from GS and GSU, has even less of a following or tradition in Div I then we have, and will help the conference in NO WAY in future contract considerations. I have no ill will towards my brothers in Cobb County. Let them be in FCS and do their thing. If there was an uprising and need to move up their fans would be stirring like ours and Southerns and Apps were. You'd see lurkers and comments like some from Liberty, MO St, JMU and like Coastal had. They aren't here. The fans aren't there yet. Just let it go. It's not gonna happen so long as there are 2 Georgia schools in the conference or so long as they show no desire or need to move up.

You guys also forget that if you get 6 or 7 schools above 6-6? You could get a bowl slot that may have gone to a P5 when the P5 can't live up on their bargain. Staying at 10 won't help you get the extra spots. Adding two more could help out. You could just give Jacksonville State a football only invite for now. They could be 11-1 last year or 8-4, and still could get one of the Bowl slots. They could replace North Texas who was 5-7. That is a lost revenue for the SBC for not having Jacksonville State in the conference.

Basing a school's "reward" on one game or one sport is tunnel-vision; how can the entire athletic program compete, benefit, and improve the conference is what would be considered. The SBC does not want three teams in one state (except maybe Texas) and definitely not two in the same metro area. Until UT-Arlington starts football or a major re-alignment that affects the conference occurs the SBC will not be looking to expand.

Kennesaw State can go to CUSA. It satisfies that conference's marketz plan and gets them into Georgia. Maybe Jacksonville State can go to the MAC. Slim-to-no chance either one is ever under consideration for the SBC.

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  3. State supported.
4. Enrollment of 10,000 or more.

Sun Belt wouldn't take Wake Forest?? Please.

It's one thing to say that you don't think any likely candidates would fall outside these criteria anyway, but to pretend the Sun Belt would care is false.

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  6. Academically at least 50 to 75 in US News Regional ratings or higher.

Ditto.

Sun Belt wouldn't care, if the athletics were there.

(01-13-2017 05:03 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  8. Not overshadowed overly by a nearby P5 team.

Arbitrary, contrived, and patently false.

S Alabama is completely overshadowed by Alabama and Auburn. GA St is completely overshadowed by Georgia and Georgia Tech. ETC

(01-13-2017 05:03 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  9. Demonstrated ability to attract fans

Frankly I doubt this too. Sun Belt would take a winner over a program that draws big but doesn't win.

(01-15-2017 11:16 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  3. State supported.
4. Enrollment of 10,000 or more.

Sun Belt wouldn't take Wake Forest?? Please.

It's one thing to say that you don't think any likely candidates would fall outside these criteria anyway, but to pretend the Sun Belt would care is false.

(01-13-2017 04:53 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  6. Academically at least 50 to 75 in US News Regional ratings or higher.

Ditto.

Sun Belt wouldn't care, if the athletics were there.

(01-13-2017 05:03 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  8. Not overshadowed overly by a nearby P5 team.

Arbitrary, contrived, and patently false.

S Alabama is completely overshadowed by Alabama and Auburn. GA St is completely overshadowed by Georgia and Georgia Tech. ETC

(01-13-2017 05:03 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  9. Demonstrated ability to attract fans

Frankly I doubt this too. Sun Belt would take a winner over a program that draws big but doesn't win.

True story.
President of Liberty is visiting a Sun Belt president, the president expresses his concerns and says he wouldn't be in favor of adding Liberty. The Liberty president replies "so you wouldn't be in favor of adding Baylor?"

President replies, "When you become Baylor in national reputation, fan base, television value, and success on the biggest stage, call me, I can probably overlook those issues."

Thus with Wake Forest. Some small private can bring 22 NCAA appearances, 9 Sweet Sixteens, 8 Great Eights, history of being ranked in the past decade, winning bowl record as an FBS, we can overlook the failure to fit.

But if Wake Forest is an FCS wanting to join the Sun Belt, even with App State's track record, odds are strongly against them.

You don't know crap of what you are talking about regarding USA and Mobile.

I've spent a LOT of time in Mobile. Yeah there are tons of Bama fans, and smaller number of Auburn fans but I can pick up the newspaper or tune in to a Mobile television station and see a South Alabama story above the fold in the newspaper. I can (have seen!) see South Alabama be the top sports story of the night on television.

Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette have built programs in areas where an SEC team has a huge fan base but because of local media attention have built a niche that works well. You can't do what Arkansas State has done in Dallas or Miami because you literally have to beg for exposure from local TV and radio.

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  But if Wake Forest is an FCS wanting to join the Sun Belt, even with App State's track record, odds are strongly against them

A small enrollment, private, non-religious school is the perfect candidate for the Sun Belt is all other dimensions. And Sun Belt says "Sorry, no thanks ... you're perfect for us, but you're a small enrollment, private school" ????

Bunk

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Yeah there are tons of Bama fans, and smaller number of Auburn fans but I can pick up the newspaper or tune in to a Mobile television station and see a South Alabama story above the fold in the newspaper. I can (have seen!) see South Alabama be the top sports story of the night on television.

Yeah there are tons of Kentucky fans, and smaller number of Louisville fans, but I can pick up the newspaper and see a EKU story above the fold. I can see EKU be the tops sports story of the night on television.

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette have built programs in areas where an SEC team has a huge fan base but because of local media attention have built a niche that works well. You can't do what Arkansas State has done in Dallas or Miami because you literally have to beg for exposure from local TV and radio.

Agree with this. It does work for Ark St and ULL. There aren't many of those niches to be had, but the Sun Belt does have a few.

(01-15-2017 03:22 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  But if Wake Forest is an FCS wanting to join the Sun Belt, even with App State's track record, odds are strongly against them

A small enrollment, private, non-religious school is the perfect candidate for the Sun Belt is all other dimensions. And Sun Belt says "Sorry, no thanks ... you're perfect for us, but you're a small enrollment, private school" ????

Bunk

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Yeah there are tons of Bama fans, and smaller number of Auburn fans but I can pick up the newspaper or tune in to a Mobile television station and see a South Alabama story above the fold in the newspaper. I can (have seen!) see South Alabama be the top sports story of the night on television.

Yeah there are tons of Kentucky fans, and smaller number of Louisville fans, but I can pick up the newspaper and see a EKU story above the fold. I can see EKU be the tops sports story of the night on television.

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette have built programs in areas where an SEC team has a huge fan base but because of local media attention have built a niche that works well. You can't do what Arkansas State has done in Dallas or Miami because you literally have to beg for exposure from local TV and radio.

Agree with this. It does work for Ark St and ULL. There aren't many of those niches to be had, but the Sun Belt does have a few.

So much here.

First, there are significant differences between EKU and USA, beyond the obvious fact that USA has been a successful contributor to the conference for close to 40 years...

Money - EKU has 60miillion....USA ~half a billion.
Established Rivalries - EKU...0, USA - many.
Market - While the Sun Belt doesn't focus on market, its nice to actually have one.

I'm from Mobile. Alabama and Auburn have more fans, but seeing as you cannot get to either watch a game and return the same day easily, very few Mobilians ever go to either to actually attend games. The UK fans in Lexington can go to a UK game just as easily as they can go to EKU

If UK is playing Miss State and EKU is playing App, the Lexington paper will lead with UK and EKU will be an afterthought. So will the other media in Lexington. In Louisville, it will be in the 'scores around the state' section.

----

The Belt had a small, private school on the outskirts of the conference in it before....it was a very bad fit. And just like Liberty....they play hockey too.

(01-15-2017 03:44 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(01-15-2017 03:22 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  But if Wake Forest is an FCS wanting to join the Sun Belt, even with App State's track record, odds are strongly against them

A small enrollment, private, non-religious school is the perfect candidate for the Sun Belt is all other dimensions. And Sun Belt says "Sorry, no thanks ... you're perfect for us, but you're a small enrollment, private school" ????

Bunk

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Yeah there are tons of Bama fans, and smaller number of Auburn fans but I can pick up the newspaper or tune in to a Mobile television station and see a South Alabama story above the fold in the newspaper. I can (have seen!) see South Alabama be the top sports story of the night on television.

Yeah there are tons of Kentucky fans, and smaller number of Louisville fans, but I can pick up the newspaper and see a EKU story above the fold. I can see EKU be the tops sports story of the night on television.

(01-15-2017 03:08 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  Arkansas State and Louisiana Lafayette have built programs in areas where an SEC team has a huge fan base but because of local media attention have built a niche that works well. You can't do what Arkansas State has done in Dallas or Miami because you literally have to beg for exposure from local TV and radio.

Agree with this. It does work for Ark St and ULL. There aren't many of those niches to be had, but the Sun Belt does have a few.

So much here.

First, there are significant differences between EKU and USA, beyond the obvious fact that USA has been a successful contributor to the conference for close to 40 years...

Money - EKU has 60miillion....USA ~half a billion.
Established Rivalries - EKU...0, USA - many.
Market - While the Sun Belt doesn't focus on market, its nice to actually have one.

I'm from Mobile. Alabama and Auburn have more fans, but seeing as you cannot get to either watch a game and return the same day easily, very few Mobilians ever go to either to actually attend games. The UK fans in Lexington can go to a UK game just as easily as they can go to EKU

If UK is playing Miss State and EKU is playing App, the Lexington paper will lead with UK and EKU will be an afterthought. So will the other media in Lexington. In Louisville, it will be in the 'scores around the state' section.

----

The Belt had a small, private school on the outskirts of the conference in it before....it was a very bad fit. And just like Liberty....they play hockey too.

Mobile is actually slightly closer to Baton Rouge than Tuscaloosa or Auburn.

Most of the people within an hour drive of EKU can get to a UK more easily because they are closer to UK.

And to go a step further on the last time the Sun Belt had a private college, the conference changed the core requirements to be a member with a three year deadline to comply in order to expel them and soon as they were gone changed them back to allow UALR to remain after dropping a sport.