OK - disclaimer: There is no official confirmation, so like many comments on this board, it is purely conjecture on my part.

I believe there is a $7 mil exit fee for a member leaving for a different conference. But - IF CUSA were to dissolve due to financial hardship, I would think the exit fee would be null & void.
My main thought vis a vi the members is this:
IF the conference was to disband, where would your school most likely go?
I know for the newer members, they moved up from FCS level to FBS level, meaning there would not be a horizontal path to another G5 conference affiliation. For the older members of CUSA 2.0, they came from other G5 conferences that prob no longer exist...
Where would you see your team going if CUSA goes belly up?

We would not go back to the MAC. I think you would see the SunBelt extend an offer OR the leftovers would petition the NCAA for the creation of a new and smaller eastern conference.

(04-07-2020 10:00 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  We would not go back to the MAC. I think you would see the SunBelt extend an offer OR the leftovers would petition the NCAA for the creation of a new and smaller eastern conference.

I agree with you, but wouldnt Marshall be better off in the MAC than the SunBelt? Heck, theres a decent argument you'd be better in the MAC than CUSA.

As for ODU, who knows. We could go to the MAC too, but that would have many of the same issues as CUSA does for us and weeknight games. Same with the Belt. The AAC is a perfect fit, but would they have us? We could go independent in football and join the A10 (which I would like), but Im told thats a non-starter with our admin. Also, dropping back to FCS and the CAA seems sensible, but Im told thats a non-starter as well. So our best bet seems to be a brand new conference. Hopefully, ODU, Marshall, WKU and Charlotte can stick together somehow.

MAC is not happening.

Sorting through the details won’t be easy. And in the end, Marshall and some others may have to bite the bullet and cough up an exit fee. But one way or the other, I firmly believe that you will see G5 programs realign into a more geographically-coherent arrangement within a decade of now.

The status quo is simply not sustainable, and everyone who is informed, serious, and honest about this, knows it.

If Marshall does go to the MAC, will you take ODU with you, so we don't have to endure these ridiculous realignment threads every off-season?

C-USA will not collapse. There are enough solvent programs to keep it going.

So wait, this is based purely on your conjecture, and your premise is that C-USA collapses due to financial hardship, but conferences like the Sun Belt (whose programs generally have less students and less money) survive. This seems silly. Shoot the messenger.

I usually don't get into conference speculation, but just a question here: Is there a rule that if a group of schools have been together long enough if they decided to go their own way they could be recognized immediately as separate conference? And those remaining their own conference as well? Something along the lines of the airport meeting? If that's possible along east/west lines I'm all for it.

The MAC will never happen, let me say that again NEVER HAPPEN. When we went to the MAC the 2nd time after the 1996 season not 1 program wanted us there and not one program ever made Marshall feel welcome.

Something will most likely happen within the next 3-5 years but it will be one of the following: 1)CUSA/Sun Belt reorg. 2)East/West split 3)East Split with leftover AAC schools. Something of that nature. But it won't be Marshall back in the MAC.

Dream MAC

MAC East:
Marshall
Miami
Ball St
Ohio
Akron
Kent

MAC West:
Toledo
Bowling Green
EMU
CMU
WMU
NIU

(If Buffalo hadn't dropped FB in 1970, they would've developed into a Big East school IMO)

(04-07-2020 11:27 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Dream MAC

MAC East:
Marshall
Miami
Ball St
Ohio
Akron
Kent

MAC West:
Toledo
Bowling Green
EMU
CMU
WMU
NIU

(If Buffalo hadn't dropped FB in 1970, they would've developed into a Big East school IMO)

Muck the FAC!!!

(04-07-2020 10:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  If Marshall does go to the MAC, will you take ODU with you, so we don't have to endure these ridiculous realignment threads every off-season?

C-USA will not collapse. There are enough solvent programs to keep it going.

The SEC has “It Just Means More”. The MWC has “At the Peak”. The Sun Belt has “Together We Rise”. Hell, even the Aack! has the silly “#P6” thing.

But what slogan does Conference USA have? I think SSJ may have stumbled on a marketing goldmine, here.

C-USA: “We’re Not Going to Collapse!”
C-USA: “Solvent Programs!” or “Keep It Going!”

(04-07-2020 12:09 PM)Cardiff Wrote:  

(04-07-2020 10:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  If Marshall does go to the MAC, will you take ODU with you, so we don't have to endure these ridiculous realignment threads every off-season?

C-USA will not collapse. There are enough solvent programs to keep it going.

The SEC has “It Just Means More”. The MWC has “At the Peak”. The Sun Belt has “Together We Rise”. Hell, even the Aack! has the silly “#P6” thing.

But what slogan does Conference USA have? I think SSJ may have stumbled on a marketing goldmine, here.

C-USA: “We’re Not Going to Collapse!”
C-USA: “Solvent Programs!” or “Keep It Going!”

I like my personal catch phrase for North Texas, "The Show Goes On!"

Marshall is best in CUSA. The MAC and Sun Belt are the Tuesday/Wednesday leagues. Marshall has better fan support that would be killed in a T/W league. UTEP, UTSA, Rice and USM are not going to a T/W league. Not that they have great fan support, but they can draw sometimes.

That's the biggest issue with any of these geographic realignments of CUSA. Who is willing to do T/W and/or is Sun Belt willing to give it up?

(04-07-2020 12:30 PM)bullet Wrote:  Marshall is best in CUSA. The MAC and Sun Belt are the Tuesday/Wednesday leagues. Marshall has better fan support that would be killed in a T/W league. UTEP, UTSA, Rice and USM are not going to a T/W league. Not that they have great fan support, but they can draw sometimes.

That's the biggest issue with any of these geographic realignments of CUSA. Who is willing to do T/W and/or is Sun Belt willing to give it up?

Some other issues that are troublesome are the budget levels (especially those programs with the lowest spending), basketball commitment, urban schools easily accessible by scheduled major airlines versus those more difficult to reach, and three Louisiana schools to find homes for (two of which are in the same small media market).

(04-07-2020 10:17 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  If Marshall does go to the MAC, will you take ODU with you, so we don't have to endure these ridiculous realignment threads every off-season?

C-USA will not collapse. There are enough solvent programs to keep it going.

Dang Joe! Getting feisty. I like it.

Western Kentucky fits the midwest profile just like Marshall.

Short of the AAC, I think what Marshall wants is (1) access to Florida, and (2) games against regional SOUTHERN rivals.

They are not being served being in a league with Texas and Louisiana schools. They would rather be in a league with schools like former SoCon rivals (and now successful G5 programs) App State an Ga. Southern.

I could see Marshall fighting for Southern Miss to be included in an eastern breakaway. That may or may not work out.

As for the MAC, I don't think Marshall wants anymore than a game a year against an Ohio or Miami (OH). Marshall recruits the South and, as others have pointed out, did not make Marshall feel welcome in the league from 1997 to 2005.

Besides, if Marshall fans don't like the idea of one weekday night home game in the Sun Belt, imagine 2-3 of them in the MAC in late October/early November!

(04-07-2020 12:30 PM)bullet Wrote:  Marshall is best in CUSA. The MAC and Sun Belt are the Tuesday/Wednesday leagues. Marshall has better fan support that would be killed in a T/W league. UTEP, UTSA, Rice and USM are not going to a T/W league. Not that they have great fan support, but they can draw sometimes.

That's the biggest issue with any of these geographic realignments of CUSA. Who is willing to do T/W and/or is Sun Belt willing to give it up?

I think you're overstating the T/W thing for the Sun Belt. Just off of memory I dont think any team has played midweek more than twice in a season. Excluding any wierd Friday or Thursday start to kick off the season most just play midweek once a year. And its 50/50 chance its an away game so you dont always lose a home game.

Tuesday Wednesday league means pretty decent exposure and I don’t recall anyone in the Sun Belt playing two of those at home.