With yesterday's news regarding both C-USA and the Sun Belt's bowl ties through 2025, it would seem the (too) much debated topic of a realignment is finally over. When also considering the LA Tech AD's comments stating that there has never been talk of realignment by the C-USA leadership, it now seems crystal clear that the topic is dead.

My question is... What is the next step for those that were adamantly promoting the rebellion? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

They’re not going anywhere.

There are no advantages to merging with the lowest conference. Horrible bowls, terrible academics, Tuesday night games, Pitiful basketball attendance.

The only advantage would be they could rack up a bunch of easy wins. At the end of the season they could say “We were 9-0 in the Sunbelt!”
Then be sent to a low rated bowl to play UAB.

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

If we were really concerned with Geography, we could just kick out UTEP and Charlotte and tighten up the conference just fine. We would also improve our football by removing two of the lower performing teams.

I'm not saying we should do that at all, but it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to merge with the Sun Belt. Southern Miss/ ODU and Marshall aren't going anywhere. They can and should schedule App or whoever else they want from the Sun Belt OOC and leave it at that.

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

You're both right.

1. It will continue to be the topic of countless message board threads.

but

2. Pretty unlikely any real realignment happens anytime soon. Always possible, but this has always been fan board stuff more than reality. But, when has that ever stopped a good flame war between fan bases?

If a scheduling alliance is formed I predict eastern based CUSA/SBC schools and Texas schools start to enjoy the increased ticket revenue and reduced travel costs. This will lead to offseason discussions of taking this a step forward. I would put the likelihood of a wholesale realignment of the two conferences within five years at 80%.

(05-29-2020 01:54 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  If a scheduling alliance is formed I predict eastern based CUSA/SBC schools and Texas schools start to enjoy the increased ticket revenue and reduced travel costs. This will lead to offseason discussions of taking this a step forward. I would put the likelihood of a wholesale realignment of the two conferences within five years at 80%.

It would bump then fade. We had similar situations in the 90s and early 2000s where we scheduled three game series that would pack the stadium the first game or two then the third game would be half attended. It comes in cycles with fans. Unless there is true rivalry that is not one sided, fans lose interest. We have been lucky with our FCS games because we schedule local teams and rotate them out so that fans stay interested.

(05-29-2020 01:54 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  If a scheduling alliance is formed I predict eastern based CUSA/SBC schools and Texas schools start to enjoy the increased ticket revenue and reduced travel costs. This will lead to offseason discussions of taking this a step forward. I would put the likelihood of a wholesale realignment of the two conferences within five years at 80%.

People way overestimate the affect of proximity. Our series with ULL wasn't particularly booming attendance wise (ULL can say the same thing). Even our games against North Texas and Southern Miss are the same way. Absence makes these games better attended as well. I would be curious to hear which close rivals people have played that showed a significant boost in attendance. I'm sure it happens, particularly if both are good, but if you are playing year in and year out the interest wanes and it's usually more about how good the home team is doing overall. Travel cost savings are also way overestimated IMO. I think playing in divisions will save most of the travel costs that would be saved by merging anyway. I would put the likelihood of a wholesale realignment of the two conferences within five years at 20%. That might go up some if CUSA gets raided by the AAC or something.

(05-29-2020 01:43 PM)DETLTU Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

If we were really concerned with Geography, we could just kick out UTEP and Charlotte and tighten up the conference just fine. We would also improve our football by removing two of the lower performing teams.

I'm not saying we should do that at all, but it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to merge with the Sun Belt. Southern Miss/ ODU and Marshall aren't going anywhere. They can and should schedule App or whoever else they want from the Sun Belt OOC and leave it at that.

I actually floated that idea in another thread a while back....


POST #26
Reducing our membership to 12 would equate to more CFP money distribution to each member. That extra revenue alone would help with travel budgets.

Looking at this from a business perspective, and without targeting any particular programs.... From the 2013-14 realignment, who are the two weakest programs in C-USA 3.0? We get rid of those programs and the 12 remaining benefit.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-898765-page-2.html

Answer to Saint3333. A scheduling alliance seems to be in doubt right now. Bureaucracies that turn at about the speed of the Titanic. EGO. Coaches who would rather play low-mids to pad their record and save their job. Lack of a strong united leadership.

A watered down version may be completed just for show. Hope I am wrong. Unbelievable with all this economic pressure/ budget cutting they still can't get anything significant done.

(05-29-2020 02:25 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  A scheduling alliance seems to be in doubt right now. Bureaucracies that turn at about the speed of the Titanic. EGO. Coaches who would rather play low-mids to pad their record and save their job. Lack of a strong united leadership.

A watered down version may be completed just for show. Hope I am wrong. Unbelievable with all this economic pressure/ budget cutting they still can't get anything significant done.

This theory kind of reminds me of the old "Bracket Buster" basketball scheduling we have for a few years. It started out as a great idea and Tech got some great games out of it but it fizzled into nothing.

Very difficult (if not impossible to kick out members). Great theory, though.

(05-29-2020 02:25 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Answer to Saint3333. A scheduling alliance seems to be in doubt right now. Bureaucracies that turn at about the speed of the Titanic. EGO. Coaches who would rather play low-mids to pad their record and save their job. Lack of a strong united leadership.

A watered down version may be completed just for show. Hope I am wrong. Unbelievable with all this economic pressure/ budget cutting they still can't get anything significant done.

I don't think that is a fair assessment. Some programs are working to build good quality schedules, and that can't be done with just bus travel. If some choose to schedule more local OOC games, that is their choice.

The OOC aspects of scheduling cooperation was always going to be voluntary. I doubt C-USA could or would try to mandate that. I think more divisional in conference games will be a bigger part of the conference plan than an OOC scheduling alliance arrangement.

(05-29-2020 12:49 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  With yesterday's news regarding both C-USA and the Sun Belt's bowl ties through 2025, it would seem the (too) much debated topic of a realignment is finally over. When also considering the LA Tech AD's comments stating that there has never been talk of realignment by the C-USA leadership, it now seems crystal clear that the topic is dead.

My question is... What is the next step for those that were adamantly promoting the rebellion?Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

What is this rebellion you speak of, and what programs have "adamantly promoted the rebellion"?

(05-29-2020 02:25 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Answer to Saint3333. A scheduling alliance seems to be in doubt right now. Bureaucracies that turn at about the speed of the Titanic. EGO. Coaches who would rather play low-mids to pad their record and save their job. Lack of a strong united leadership.

A watered down version may be completed just for show. Hope I am wrong. Unbelievable with all this economic pressure/ budget cutting they still can't get anything significant done.

Not to mention current contracts.

It'd be fine for the conferences to take a larger role in scheduling OOC games, but it's never going to be as simple as message board fans drawing up a "simple, this team plays that team and this team plays that team for X years" plan because there are contracts in place and differing plans for money games and FCS home games, etc.

If your travel budget is looking tight, and you want a closer OOC game - just call up the other school (in this case, the nearby schools from the other conference) but if they're booked, you've got to move to the next closest option. If it isn't worth it to the other school, then the problem has either been over-stated or at the very least is being viewed through a difference lens.

I don't know why it's such a big deal to have a scheduling alliance. What's stopping CUSA and SB teams from playing now?

(05-29-2020 02:37 PM)ODU BBALL Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 12:49 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  With yesterday's news regarding both C-USA and the Sun Belt's bowl ties through 2025, it would seem the (too) much debated topic of a realignment is finally over. When also considering the LA Tech AD's comments stating that there has never been talk of realignment by the C-USA leadership, it now seems crystal clear that the topic is dead.

My question is... What is the next step for those that were adamantly promoting the rebellion?Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

What is this rebellion you speak of, and what programs have "adamantly promoted the rebellion"?

No CUSA programs have supported a rebellion. Just realignment message board warriors. Football needs to hurry up and start! Looking forward to getting summer workout reports, tired of reading about conference realignment nonsense.

(05-29-2020 02:23 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:43 PM)DETLTU Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

If we were really concerned with Geography, we could just kick out UTEP and Charlotte and tighten up the conference just fine. We would also improve our football by removing two of the lower performing teams.

I'm not saying we should do that at all, but it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to merge with the Sun Belt. Southern Miss/ ODU and Marshall aren't going anywhere. They can and should schedule App or whoever else they want from the Sun Belt OOC and leave it at that.

I actually floated that idea in another thread a while back....


POST #26
Reducing our membership to 12 would equate to more CFP money distribution to each member. That extra revenue alone would help with travel budgets.

Looking at this from a business perspective, and without targeting any particular programs.... From the 2013-14 realignment, who are the two weakest programs in C-USA 3.0? We get rid of those programs and the 12 remaining benefit.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-898765-page-2.html

It definitely makes the most sense. Nobody wants to kick UTEP into the wilderness though with no where to go. Any of the other teams could probably be picked up by the Sun Belt, but nobody who came from the Sun Belt wants to go back. The only fans who suggest their school might be better off in the Sun Belt are the ones who never spent time in the conference.

(05-29-2020 02:37 PM)ODU BBALL Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 12:49 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  With yesterday's news regarding both C-USA and the Sun Belt's bowl ties through 2025, it would seem the (too) much debated topic of a realignment is finally over. When also considering the LA Tech AD's comments stating that there has never been talk of realignment by the C-USA leadership, it now seems crystal clear that the topic is dead.

My question is... What is the next step for those that were adamantly promoting the rebellion?Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

What is this rebellion you speak of, and what programs have "adamantly promoted the rebellion"?

By “PROGRAMS” he means a few internet message board fans

(05-29-2020 02:48 PM)DETLTU Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 02:23 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:43 PM)DETLTU Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:16 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-29-2020 01:05 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  Man you're a fool if you think this topic is dead. It's an evergreen topic, and it will continue to be discussed as long as our league stretches from Norfolk to Miami to El Paso.

Realignment is dead! Long live Realignment!

Your a fool if you think there will actually be a realignment agreement. If you can't get the conference leadership to open official realignment conversations at this time (pandemic/economic catastrophe), than you never will. So, what is plan "B"? Will those programs swallow their pride and commit to growing in C-USA? Will they individually approach the Sun Belt seeking invitations? Or, will they go independent?

If we were really concerned with Geography, we could just kick out UTEP and Charlotte and tighten up the conference just fine. We would also improve our football by removing two of the lower performing teams.

I'm not saying we should do that at all, but it would be a heck of a lot easier than trying to merge with the Sun Belt. Southern Miss/ ODU and Marshall aren't going anywhere. They can and should schedule App or whoever else they want from the Sun Belt OOC and leave it at that.

I actually floated that idea in another thread a while back....


POST #26
Reducing our membership to 12 would equate to more CFP money distribution to each member. That extra revenue alone would help with travel budgets.

Looking at this from a business perspective, and without targeting any particular programs.... From the 2013-14 realignment, who are the two weakest programs in C-USA 3.0? We get rid of those programs and the 12 remaining benefit.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-898765-page-2.html

It definitely makes the most sense. Nobody wants to kick UTEP into the wilderness though with no where to go. Any of the other teams could probably be picked up by the Sun Belt, but nobody who came from the Sun Belt wants to go back. The only fans who suggest their school might be better off in the Sun Belt are the ones who never spent time in the conference.

That is an incredibly true observation. +2 for you.