EigenEagle
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Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.
The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.
IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.
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12-12-2019 01:22 PM |
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49RFootballNow
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
I'm curious to see who jumps.
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12-12-2019 01:28 PM |
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panama
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote: The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.
The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.
IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.
But...why?
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12-12-2019 02:23 PM |
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b0ndsj0ns
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
I mean they probably should reorganize into the most regionally sensible combination of 2 leagues possible, but there's no financial incentive for the Sun-Belt to add teams and none for C-USA teams to pay the buyout to go to a league that also makes essentially nothing in TV revenue.
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12-12-2019 02:25 PM |
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panama
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Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
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12-12-2019 02:31 PM |
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IWokeUpLikeThis
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
Sun Belt is only a 19-hour drive from one side to the other. It's a tight footprint.
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12-12-2019 02:46 PM |
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panama
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Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
Most of the conference is between Atlanta to Dallas
11 hours
If you want to add SoMiss and UAB, fine because it's within the existing footprint. Other than that no thanks.
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12-12-2019 03:02 PM |
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Yosef Himself
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
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12-12-2019 03:19 PM |
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b0ndsj0ns
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 02:31 PM)panama Wrote: SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
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Is this sarcasm or do you just have a different definition of tight? As someone who lives in NC I don't consider Texas "in the footprint" at all.
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12-12-2019 04:03 PM |
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BullsFanInTX
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
I haven't heard hard numbers on the Sun Belt and CUSA TV deals per year, just internet speculation. If the Sun Belt's deal is significantly more, then maybe it's feasible. While the Sun Belt was a little better on the field probably, I don't think it was significantly better, so the Sun Belt's TV deal would need to be significantly better, in either dollars or coverage, in order for a CUSA school to jump. I hardly ever see CUSA teams on TV anymore so there's that.
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12-12-2019 04:15 PM |
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Crump1
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:15 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote: I haven't heard hard numbers on the Sun Belt and CUSA TV deals per year, just internet speculation. If the Sun Belt's deal is significantly more, then maybe it's feasible. While the Sun Belt was a little better on the field probably, I don't think it was significantly better, so the Sun Belt's TV deal would need to be significantly better, in either dollars or coverage, in order for a CUSA school to jump. I hardly ever see CUSA teams on TV anymore so there's that.
The TV deal is slightly better in the SBC and it utilizes the ESPN platform. the CFP money is only divided by 10 teams and there is more to divide three of the last four years. Now, if the SBC goes to 12 teams, there is a net loss on CFP money that would have to be offset by an increase elsewhere.
I prefer we just sit down and work out a plan that realigns into two new conferences but that will not happen.
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12-12-2019 04:20 PM |
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VNova
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:03 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote: (12-12-2019 02:31 PM)panama Wrote: SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
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Is this sarcasm or do you just have a different definition of tight? As someone who lives in NC I don't consider Texas "in the footprint" at all.
I wouldn't consider a 1230 mile drive to be very tight either, but the SBC does have a footprint in line with other conferences.
ACC - 1400 miles apart from its furthest schools (Miami and BC)
AAC - 1500
CUSA - 2000
SEC - 1000
MWC - 1115 (not including Hawaii)
Big 12 - 1400
Big 10 - 1300
PAC-12 - 1529
MAC - 600
The median is 1400 and the average is 1155. CUSA is way out there and MAC is incredibly compact compared to that.
(This post was last modified: 12-12-2019 04:27 PM by VNova.)
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12-12-2019 04:22 PM |
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EigenEagle
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
You're not going to get nice, compact footprint from the two leagues no matter what you do. If you split the two leagues in east-west you have a league that stretches from Boca Raton and Miami to Huntington and Bowling Green. Is that going to save travel costs in any meaningful way if at all?
The AAC expands based on who will help the TV contract, the Sun Belt should as well. I don't doubt we could get $1 million+ a school with good adds and that will more than offset meager travel savings.
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12-12-2019 04:28 PM |
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b0ndsj0ns
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:22 PM)VNova Wrote: (12-12-2019 04:03 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote: (12-12-2019 02:31 PM)panama Wrote: SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
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Is this sarcasm or do you just have a different definition of tight? As someone who lives in NC I don't consider Texas "in the footprint" at all.
I wouldn't consider a 1230 mile drive to be very tight either, but the SBC does have a footprint in line with other conferences.
ACC - 1400 miles apart from its furthest schools (Miami and BC)
AAC - 1500
CUSA - 2000
SEC - 1000
MWC - 1115 (not including Hawaii)
Big 12 - 1400
Big 10 - 1300
PAC-12 - 1529
MAC - 600
The median is 1400. CUSA is way out there and MAC is incredibly compact compared to that.
It's just my opinion only but unless the TV revenue justifies it there's no reason to have conferences so spread out. The MWC really doesn't have much of a choice, but there's little reason with the available TV revenue for each league that C-USA and the Sun-Belt should be as spread out as they are. Either way though the Sun-Belt is far better run than C-USA and didn't chase markets just to chase them after the last raid.
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12-12-2019 04:31 PM |
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kevinwmsn
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
After you get a certain distance from a school, you will likely be flying to places. I don't think we will be adding teams because of money, not opposed to adding Southern Miss and Marshall.
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12-12-2019 05:13 PM |
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VNova
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:31 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote: (12-12-2019 04:22 PM)VNova Wrote: (12-12-2019 04:03 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote: (12-12-2019 02:31 PM)panama Wrote: SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Is this sarcasm or do you just have a different definition of tight? As someone who lives in NC I don't consider Texas "in the footprint" at all.
I wouldn't consider a 1230 mile drive to be very tight either, but the SBC does have a footprint in line with other conferences.
ACC - 1400 miles apart from its furthest schools (Miami and BC)
AAC - 1500
CUSA - 2000
SEC - 1000
MWC - 1115 (not including Hawaii)
Big 12 - 1400
Big 10 - 1300
PAC-12 - 1529
MAC - 600
The median is 1400. CUSA is way out there and MAC is incredibly compact compared to that.
It's just my opinion only but unless the TV revenue justifies it there's no reason to have conferences so spread out. The MWC really doesn't have much of a choice, but there's little reason with the available TV revenue for each league that C-USA and the Sun-Belt should be as spread out as they are. Either way though the Sun-Belt is far better run than C-USA and didn't chase markets just to chase them after the last raid.
I agree. Unless SBC can dramatically increase revenue with an addition, we're better off as is for now.
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12-12-2019 05:40 PM |
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panama
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:03 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote: (12-12-2019 02:31 PM)panama Wrote: SBC already has a tight footprint from TX to NC.
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Is this sarcasm or do you just have a different definition of tight? As someone who lives in NC I don't consider Texas "in the footprint" at all.
Post #7
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12-12-2019 06:39 PM |
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solohawks
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
I dont see why any individual school would leave Sunbelt or CUSA outside of Texas St.
Non FL CUSA east is a fairly tight footprint with a trip to Florida every year
The Florida CUSA schools are going to travel no matter what conference they are in
The Texas CUSA west schools have a tight geographical footprint and LA Tech likes being with them
USM and UAB may not be thrilled but USM would still go to Texas and LA in the Sunbelt while UAB would lose its association with more traditional basketball oriented schools
Outside of the much needed mass realignment between the two conferences, a 1 off of USM leaving for Sunbelt and Texas St for CUSA would seem to make sense. But then you still have to deal with UT Arlington so there is no easy solution for the Sunbelt to get out of Texas completely
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12-12-2019 07:30 PM |
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SkullyMaroo
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 07:30 PM)solohawks Wrote: Outside of the much needed mass realignment between the two conferences, a 1 off of USM leaving for Sunbelt and Texas St for CUSA would seem to make sense. But then you still have to deal with UT Arlington so there is no easy solution for the Sunbelt to get out of Texas completely
I’m not saying the Sun Belt should do this, but the Sun Belt could also make playing football a requirement, thus forcing out the non-football schools Texas-Arlington and Little Rock. There is a lot of history with Little Rock and Arkansas State would feel pressure to keep them, so it would likely never happen, but it is within the realm of possibility. If Texas-Arlington and Little Rock left, and the Sun Belt took in two CUSA members, then the SBC would be at 12 full members. If Texas State wanted in CUSA then they could go to CUSA and the SBC could take 3 CUSA teams. But that has to make money for the Sun Belt, because right now they’re making more money and splitting it less ways.
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12-12-2019 11:01 PM |
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Rabonchild
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RE: Is it time for the Sun Belt to raid Conference USA?
(12-12-2019 04:28 PM)EigenEagle Wrote: You're not going to get nice, compact footprint from the two leagues no matter what you do. If you split the two leagues in east-west you have a league that stretches from Boca Raton and Miami to Huntington and Bowling Green. Is that going to save travel costs in any meaningful way if at all?
The AAC expands based on who will help the TV contract, the Sun Belt should as well. I don't doubt we could get $1 million+ a school with good adds and that will more than offset meager travel savings.
I want Charlotte, ODU, Appalachian, Liberty, Georgia St, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, FAU & FIU. (Football) and George Mason, VCU, & Charleston (basketball). The rest of the CUSA east could remain with the west teams which would creat a tighter conference for all of them. Our conference would reach from D.C. to Miami, with 3 coastal schools, the mountains and six metro cities.
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12-12-2019 11:49 PM |
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