C-USA contacts Temple; MWC merger changes weekly - Brett McMurphy, CBSSports.com

After Memphis’ decision to leave for the Big East on Tuesday, Conference USA officials immediately contacted Temple to gauge the Owls’ interest in moving from the Mid-American Conference to C-USA, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.

Temple thought it would receive the Big East’s invitation and was stunned the Big East invited Memphis. The Owls were former Big East members before getting dismissed from the league in 2004. Temple has been a member of the MAC since 2007 and in the past three seasons has a 26-12 record under former coach Al Golden and current coach Steve Addazio.

It’s unknown if the Owls would welcome a move to C-USA since there’s still the possibility the Big East could have more future openings if the Big 12 expands to 11 and takes Louisville. If that happens, Temple would be back on the Big East’s radar.

Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

Sad that it took Memphis leaving for Ban-ban to contact Temple. But so goes CUSA "leadership"...

(02-08-2012 12:57 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

Maybe football only, not all-sports.

I'm kind of skeptical of them biting. I mean- right now they're in a great geographical setup with the MAC for football, then A10 for hoops. In Basketball, it would be a step backwords this year in Sagarin, A10 is 8 CUSA is 10- and with Memphis leaving that number won't change much(despite losing 2 worst teams). A10 has 9 top 100 teams this year(and 11 top 120).

And- not to mention the travel situation. I don't see it worth it for Temple to join at all...

(02-08-2012 01:07 PM)stever20 Wrote:  I'm kind of skeptical of them biting. I mean- right now they're in a great geographical setup with the MAC for football, then A10 for hoops. In Basketball, it would be a step backwords this year in Sagarin, A10 is 8 CUSA is 10- and with Memphis leaving that number won't change much(despite losing 2 worst teams). A10 has 9 top 100 teams this year(and 11 top 120).

And- not to mention the travel situation. I don't see it worth it for Temple to join at all...

The MAC just added A-10 partner UMass as well to help with building regional rivalries.

I know the conference hierarchy argument, but if I'm Temple, I think I stay in the MAC at this point, certainly wouldn't be interested in anything other than football-only.

(02-08-2012 12:57 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

(02-08-2012 01:02 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

(02-08-2012 12:57 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

Maybe football only, not all-sports.

What is the tv contract of the MAC like? Unless there's a pretty big difference in tv money I doubt Temple would switch to the current C-USA or the C-USA/MWC, even for fb only.

I think temple has a huge mac buyout, so unless its the big east, don't see the point of moving. I really don't see the point of the alliance anymore either...much better off creating 2 regional leagues.

(02-08-2012 12:57 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

Ala TCU to the Big East/Big XII...

The Big East will take Temple, ECU or anyone else they want and whenever. These universities obviously don't want to spend mega bucks flying from one conference to another...but the ground is settling and the spots remain few and far between now. Better move and pray you get another shot upwards. Stay and you could be done.

I'm sure C-USA would come calling later anyways but there's also money to be gained by making the move, especially if the second ticket never cashes in.

Not sure if they will come but I would like to get Temple back on the Football Schedule for ECU. We have played in the past and Philly gives ECU fans a very driveable OOC game plus we have a ton of alumni in Washington DC metro and NJ/NYC area.

MAC TV deal was 1.1 million last year. CUSA is around 15-16 million per year.

no idea what the Alliance will look like TV wise though.

(02-08-2012 01:44 PM)Pir8inRichmond Wrote:  MAC TV deal was 1.1 million last year. CUSA is around 15-16 million per year.

no idea what the Alliance will look like TV wise though.

Didn't realize the disparity. Of course, CUSA has now been gutted of its largest markets, and who knows what the Alliance will bring.

(02-08-2012 12:57 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Tough call for Temple, but I think they'll bite. They just need to work a deal that lets them jump from CUSA to the Big East without penalty if the Big East comes calling.

Temple is likely not going to spend 2.5 million dollars to go all in to a conference which would at least double their travel expenses, pull down their hoops profile, and most likely not being ok with a 0$ buyout.

CUSA is not interested in a FB Only member.

Relevant discussions on the Temple message boards:

http://temple.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid...18&style=2

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=186&f=3506&t=8624858

The fan reaction seems mixed but there are a number who think joining CUSA or a merged CUSA-MWC would be a good move, even for basketball. An interesting wrinkle is that leaving the MAC would free Temple of its obligation to play a certain number of OOC basketball games with MAC teams, allowing it to upgrade its OOC schedule.

(02-08-2012 02:41 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Relevant discussions on the Temple message boards:

http://temple.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid...18&style=2

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=186&f=3506&t=8624858

The fan reaction seems mixed but there are a number who think joining CUSA or a merged CUSA-MWC would be a good move, even for basketball. An interesting wrinkle is that leaving the MAC would free Temple of its obligation to play a certain number of OOC basketball games with MAC teams, allowing it to upgrade its OOC schedule.

That is a good point about getting out of the MAC BB scheduling agreement.

My insiders say that the alliance would be receptive to a football only in Temple's cast just because they value the large media market they provide that much.

It's funny- I think the alliance showing interest in Temple, with Temple showing interest back, may be the quickest way to get Temple in the Big East. Temple would be the last market with a viable team that the Alliance could take in a good market.

(02-08-2012 02:58 PM)stever20 Wrote:  It's funny- I think the alliance showing interest in Temple, with Temple showing interest back, may be the quickest way to get Temple in the Big East. Temple would be the last market with a viable team that the Alliance could take in a good market.

Another thought I'm having is that if Air Force will be needed in 2013 to balance divisions (whether Pitt/Syracuse are gone or not) that in 2015 when Navy comes on board Temple might be the right #14 school as they further enhance basketball.

East: Cincinnati, Temple, Rutgers, UConn, Navy, USF, USF
West: SDSU, Boise, Air Force, SMU, Houston, Memphis, Louisville

Now if Louisville leaves by 2015 as some are speculating the BE may never get to 14 full football members and there might or might not be room for Temple at the Inn.

Adding Temple, even if it is FB only...would give the East part of the merger a FB only to go along with Hawaii on the west side. It could allow the Merger to go to 18, with two 9 team FB divisions but 8 all sports programs that could play just within the division for travel purposes.

Add La Tech in all sports to the East, move UTEP to the West and you are done.

(02-08-2012 05:31 PM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  Adding Temple, even if it is FB only...would give the East part of the merger a FB only to go along with Hawaii on the west side. It could allow the Merger to go to 18, with two 9 team FB divisions but 8 all sports programs that could play just within the division for travel purposes.

Add La Tech in all sports to the East, move UTEP to the West and you are done.

If AFA leaves, then you don't have to add any all-sports members; you can have two 7-team divisions for sports other than football:

East: Marshall, ECU, UAB, USM, Tulane, Rice, Tulsa, Temple

West: UTEP, UNM, CSU, Wyoming, UNLV, Nevada, Fresno, Hawaii