Folks, whether they are any better on the field or not the AAC is doing a whale of a job on marketing. They graphics and social media used during the game were phenomenal, really competing with and surpassing the P5.

When is CUSA gonna get bold and start being aggressive to that end?

I agree. This conference really needs to start to do something to standout, we need at least one game a week on nat tv. Whether Tues or Wednesday. This espn+ isn't working. We gotta do something soon. Make a short contract with espn & only play our best teams or rival teams. Or teams with most attendance. Just get on tv somehow or standout somewhere.

Basically give them 2 games on Wednesday free for 2 years so we can get some attention.

As soon as they have a budget for it. The AAC has a much bigger media pay out than cusa. It's good they are investing it in OR for their new media negotiations

(12-02-2018 09:26 PM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  I agree. This conference really needs to start to do something to standout, we need at least one game a week on nat tv. Whether Tues or Wednesday. This espn+ isn't working. We gotta do something soon. Make a short contract with espn & only play our best teams or rival teams. Or teams with most attendance. Just get on tv somehow or standout somewhere.

This! Whether you agree or not with how the American projects itself as a "Power" conference, the fact is, they're the most outspoken of the so called Group of 5 conferences and are a constant reminder to the status quo that they will not be ignored. And I like that in a conference! This post season "playoff" needs to be expanded and there needs to be an inclusion of some G5 representatives. Having UCF lead the way by example as they have has been great. And some school's fan bases in Conference USA have taken notice. They want in if our own conference won't step up their marketing game. From your vantage point, where should Conference USA begin to change its downward trend? Because fact is, Conference USA as it is now, is living on borrowed. And when you're running on fear...don't stop for gas...

(12-02-2018 09:14 PM)LouisianaEagleEdD Wrote:  Folks, whether they are any better on the field or not the AAC is doing a whale of a job on marketing. They graphics and social media used during the game were phenomenal, really competing with and surpassing the P5.

When is CUSA gonna get bold and start being aggressive to that end?

Great question...I asked the conference this very thing myself via social media. As I would encourage fans like yourself and others to do. I've yet to get a response, but surely they won't ignore an ocean of inquiries.

We gottta go to ESPN & basically give them 2 years of free football to get our brand out there. Flex our teams into a Wednesday game. So we have the best product on the field and people start to become familiar with cusa. We have no choice. We need to spread our brand. On those games wear the best uniforms and crowds need to come out. Come up with a nickname like macnation has but for cusa. After 2 years see where we are at. Then maybe we could get a decent deal. We need this so bad espn+ is awful, be in is awful, our Champ games aren't on espn. Let's make Wednesday cusa football night, have 4 teams play. Start off rivalry games and then go to the teams with best records. That's what needs to be done. Or have team not play on Saturday but play right before Monday night foootball & get rid of the million shows they have for pre game.

(12-02-2018 09:14 PM)LouisianaEagleEdD Wrote:  Folks, whether they are any better on the field or not the AAC is doing a whale of a job on marketing. They graphics and social media used during the game were phenomenal, really competing with and surpassing the P5.

When is CUSA gonna get bold and start being aggressive to that end?

Never. Takes too much effort to do that. It’s better just to get in the La-z-boy and watch ‘Bama, LSU, Notre Dame, etc. than to take the time and the effort to get a grass roots effort to address the issue.

The conference needs a more charismatic leader. Listening to Judy Macleod speak is like taking a sleeping pill.

CUSA games need to be on Saturday. Playing on ESPNU on Tuesday nights in front of stadiums with a fraction of our current attendance IS NOT going to turn CUSA into the next AAC and will lose money in the long run. If you think our fan bases are small now wait until you lose a generation of kids not attending games with their parents because of weeknight games.

(12-04-2018 05:43 AM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  CUSA games need to be on Saturday. Playing on ESPNU on Tuesday nights in front of stadiums with a fraction of our current attendance IS NOT going to turn CUSA into the next AAC and will lose money in the long run. If you think our fan bases are small now wait until you lose a generation of kids not attending games with their parents because of weeknight games.

You are absolutely wrong, man. The results of doing just what you have stated has already proved to be our downfall.

(12-04-2018 08:06 AM)nastybunch Wrote:  

(12-04-2018 05:43 AM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote:  CUSA games need to be on Saturday. Playing on ESPNU on Tuesday nights in front of stadiums with a fraction of our current attendance IS NOT going to turn CUSA into the next AAC and will lose money in the long run. If you think our fan bases are small now wait until you lose a generation of kids not attending games with their parents because of weeknight games.

You are absolutely wrong, man. The results of doing just what you have stated has already proved to be our downfall.

Well, it definitely hasn't helped the MAC by playing mid-week football games. Their attendance or their perception. They just get to semi-feel good about being on TV.

The advantage the AAC had is they were not starting from rock bottom. They were already sitting midway between the P5 and G5, plus were built from a former BCS conference.

As a league, we need 4 teams that are consistently battling for top spot in the conference. These should be our biggest brands. We need 4 teams that are consistently at the bottom. That is the only way to generate real noise and be capable of contending for a NY6 spot.

I haven't checked, but this season may be our worst in attendance. We are trending in the wrong direction and that looks bad when negotiating a TV contract.

Agreed on points above about a more charismatic leader and marketing. Love or hate Aresco, he beats the drum for their conference very well. Right or wrong, the tone of the conference starts at the top and Judy just doesn't inspire confidence.

And our C-USA branding. Sheesh. That #theCUSAway commercial looks like a senior class project for an Audio/Visual class.

I've also sent 2 to 3 very polite emails to conference officials asking questions on different topics. No replies.

(12-04-2018 05:30 AM)jaminniner Wrote:  The conference needs a more charismatic leader. Listening to Judy Macleod speak is like taking a sleeping pill.

Yes! This conference will continue to drown as long as MacLeod is the commish. She has not pushed the envelope on the national landscape on one single issue. Terrible leadership under her is killing this conference.

Im all for women in high positions, but I cant stand when companies or leagues just put any woman at the top just to say they were the first to do so. Get the right woman for the job or man or whatever! Just make sure that person is actually going to do something. Judy MacLeod is not the right person and will are all suffering because of her lack of effort. The AAC is miles ahead of us and she is doing nothing to close the gap.

(12-04-2018 05:30 AM)jaminniner Wrote:  The conference needs a more charismatic leader. Listening to Judy Macleod speak is like taking a sleeping pill.

I've been a Blue Raider for approaching twenty years and a member of this network for a little more than ten, if you go by the chatter here, the conference commissioner has always been the problem, be that Wright Waters, Karl Benson or Judy Macleod.

I think the commissioner is an easy scapegoat and people place entirely too much blame on the position, I'm not sure if there are many men or women who could make real change in this conference from that position and the ones that can we likely can't afford.

While I have never beenoverly impressed with Commissioner Judy; I lay a far greater degree of responsibility on the 14 Conference Presidents and their ADs. She reports to them. I don't expect her to be Aresco; but I do expect the CUSA to do a better job of Promotion, and TV Programming. On those points, we have failed miserably. AAC has positioned themselves far better relative to TV Exposure and in its relationship with the Evil Empire known as ESPN. And, Aresco keeps that conference in the News!

Not sure a new commish could do any better. Just know the current one sucks. Roll the dice...

And! tie the commish's compensation to actual results, not just a fat salary for doing nothing.

(12-04-2018 08:40 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  Agreed on points above about a more charismatic leader and marketing. Love or hate Aresco, he beats the drum for their conference very well. Right or wrong, the tone of the conference starts at the top and Judy just doesn't inspire confidence.

And our C-USA branding. Sheesh. That #theCUSAway commercial looks like a senior class project for an Audio/Visual class.

I've also sent 2 to 3 very polite emails to conference officials asking questions on different topics. No replies.

This is exactly right. Until Judy is fired, nothing will improve.

Brand perception really flourishes when you're games aren't having to be streamed on the Whataburger App.

(12-04-2018 02:49 AM)Lizard Breath Wrote:  We gottta go to ESPN & basically give them 2 years of free football to get our brand out there. Flex our teams into a Wednesday game. So we have the best product on the field and people start to become familiar with cusa. We have no choice. We need to spread our brand. On those games wear the best uniforms and crowds need to come out. Come up with a nickname like macnation has but for cusa. After 2 years see where we are at. Then maybe we could get a decent deal. We need this so bad espn+ is awful, be in is awful, our Champ games aren't on espn. Let's make Wednesday cusa football night, have 4 teams play. Start off rivalry games and then go to the teams with best records. That's what needs to be done. Or have team not play on Saturday but play right before Monday night foootball & get rid of the million shows they have for pre game.

So we want to do what the MAC currently does now and draw 5k on a Tuesday night? MAC already has those time slots....You want to sell our souls for FS1 or some random channel on a Tues. night? Any of those ideas will not move the needle for CUSA, no one cares about the MAC either...