Comparing CLC Licensing Rankings (which TXST and UNT both use)...Texas State made the Top 75 list...coming in at #71.

UNT did not make the list.

http://www.clc.com/clcweb/publishing.nsf...nnual+2012

Just some more evidence to show that the TXST fanbase is at least on par with UNT's, if not larger.

(08-23-2012 10:28 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I'm not even comparing to who left. Hell Doug, we don't have a huge following. I just don't like blown smoke.

(08-23-2012 10:21 AM)RaiderDoug Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:41 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I will never understand how you can argue that the Sun Belt is "a more valuable television property" when the incoming teams barely have a following.

Did the teams that left have a huge following?

Exiting:

FIU and their 750 fans.
NT, who has a good fanbase but hasn't really moved the meter lately.

Incoming:

USA football - should be pretty good, probably equals what NT has been pulling the last few years.
Tx State - no idea, but probably better than FIU.
GSU - at least as many fans as FIU. Way more potential to be a draw than FIU has shown to be.

Looks like a net gain to me.

There will be a net gain in TV sets and interested fans, not to mention that the value of football has increased mightily recently with the other TV deals and the rise of new TV sports outlets. ESPN is the preferred partner but CBS or someone else might be willing to kick in some extra $$ to get the programming. Now is a great time to be negotiating a deal.

(08-23-2012 09:53 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:20 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 08:43 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Another thing is that the WAC is soon to be dead so what happens to those slots? Hopefully we can pick some of them up. Also, while markets will always be the biggest factor, we haven't played our cards right. We are in football country. People here watch football moreso than other parts of the country, so even if some markets in our league are smaller, if we have a higher percentage of the market watching the games (which we do) we have value to advertisers. Granted most people in this part of the country follow the SEC, if we had more games on tv we'd attract some viewers and possibly a lot more interest in our league.

This. Though people might not be too interested at first in SBC football, it feels to me like it's really starting to grow in the southeast and viewership will increase, attendance will go up, and interest will be piqued if more games are on TV.

Especially if the big time SEC games are gonna be like LSU/Alabama games last year. Talk about boring.

Those big-time games aren't going anywhere, and that has nothing to do with the "smaller" games that are shown more frequently.

(08-23-2012 10:40 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:53 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:20 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 08:43 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Another thing is that the WAC is soon to be dead so what happens to those slots? Hopefully we can pick some of them up. Also, while markets will always be the biggest factor, we haven't played our cards right. We are in football country. People here watch football moreso than other parts of the country, so even if some markets in our league are smaller, if we have a higher percentage of the market watching the games (which we do) we have value to advertisers. Granted most people in this part of the country follow the SEC, if we had more games on tv we'd attract some viewers and possibly a lot more interest in our league.

This. Though people might not be too interested at first in SBC football, it feels to me like it's really starting to grow in the southeast and viewership will increase, attendance will go up, and interest will be piqued if more games are on TV.

Especially if the big time SEC games are gonna be like LSU/Alabama games last year. Talk about boring.

Those big-time games aren't going anywhere, and that has nothing to do with the "smaller" games that are shown more frequently.

No, but I changed the channell and I imagine I wasn't the only one (I didn't even watch the SEC championship). But this really isn't indicative of a trend I don't think, there's plenty of Big5 football that's plenty exciting to watch. I was just making the point that plenty of people will choose to watch smaller programs especially if the bigger match ups aren't going to be interesting.

(08-23-2012 10:55 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 10:40 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:53 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:20 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 08:43 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  Another thing is that the WAC is soon to be dead so what happens to those slots? Hopefully we can pick some of them up. Also, while markets will always be the biggest factor, we haven't played our cards right. We are in football country. People here watch football moreso than other parts of the country, so even if some markets in our league are smaller, if we have a higher percentage of the market watching the games (which we do) we have value to advertisers. Granted most people in this part of the country follow the SEC, if we had more games on tv we'd attract some viewers and possibly a lot more interest in our league.

This. Though people might not be too interested at first in SBC football, it feels to me like it's really starting to grow in the southeast and viewership will increase, attendance will go up, and interest will be piqued if more games are on TV.

Especially if the big time SEC games are gonna be like LSU/Alabama games last year. Talk about boring.

Those big-time games aren't going anywhere, and that has nothing to do with the "smaller" games that are shown more frequently.

No, but I changed the channell and I imagine I wasn't the only one (I didn't even watch the SEC championship). But this really isn't indicative of a trend I don't think, there's plenty of Big5 football that's plenty exciting to watch. I was just making the point that plenty of people will choose to watch smaller programs especially if the bigger match ups aren't going to be interesting.

I misunderstood you. I agree, a lot of the time if it's two 'big-time' programs I'll watch a game like Ohio versus Buffalo just because I find that more interesting. I hope that plays into the favor of the SBC (and conferences like it) to get them better TV deals.

This is a great move by Benson, and at the perfect time. With the WAC coming out and disclosing that they will discontinue football in 2013, space has opened for the SBC to pitch more inventory to ESPN. Additionally, it is apparent that the Big East will leave ESPN for NBC Sports (as NBC will throw crazy money after that bad product), so ESPN will be in need of even more inventory. Irrespective of the programs lost by the SBC, we have added solid programs and retained the Dallas market area with the addition of UTA. With all of that being said, and considering the number of years we are currently committed to under our ESPN deal, I can truly see Benson going to ESPN and legitimately arguing for $400k-$500k per all sports school and $150k for each Olympic sports only school. Moreover, if the intention is to add two (2) more all sports schools, Benson could guage where ESPN sits with respect to what schools would add value to our contract and be prepared to pitch that information to the SBC Presidents for future consideration.

(08-23-2012 11:08 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 10:55 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 10:40 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:53 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:20 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  This. Though people might not be too interested at first in SBC football, it feels to me like it's really starting to grow in the southeast and viewership will increase, attendance will go up, and interest will be piqued if more games are on TV.

Especially if the big time SEC games are gonna be like LSU/Alabama games last year. Talk about boring.

Those big-time games aren't going anywhere, and that has nothing to do with the "smaller" games that are shown more frequently.

No, but I changed the channell and I imagine I wasn't the only one (I didn't even watch the SEC championship). But this really isn't indicative of a trend I don't think, there's plenty of Big5 football that's plenty exciting to watch. I was just making the point that plenty of people will choose to watch smaller programs especially if the bigger match ups aren't going to be interesting.

I misunderstood you. I agree, a lot of the time if it's two 'big-time' programs I'll watch a game like Ohio versus Buffalo just because I find that more interesting. I hope that plays into the favor of the SBC (and conferences like it) to get them better TV deals.

Yeah there's a lot of good football on any given saturday. If trhere's no team on that I'm invested in on, I tend to look for a good match-up. It really doesn't matter if both teams would get thier *sses handed to them by LSU if the match up well.

The tv deal that the Sun Belt has is terrible so I don't think it can get any worst. As far as the new additions bringing more value to this conference, I don't think so . If the new additions were all the great they wouldn't be coming to the Sun Belt. They all have potential but they're years away from contributing to this conference. The Sun Belt lost its two largest tv markets, their two largest Universities and their two highest athletic budgets. Seems like some of you don't recognize the magnitude of your losses. Hopefully Benson has more sense than that or else the Sun Belt will follow the footsteps of the WAC.

(08-23-2012 10:21 AM)RaiderDoug Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:41 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I will never understand how you can argue that the Sun Belt is "a more valuable television property" when the incoming teams barely have a following.

Did the teams that left have a huge following?

Exiting:

FIU and their 750 fans.
NT, who has a good fanbase but hasn't really moved the meter lately.

Incoming:

USA football - should be pretty good, probably equals what NT has been pulling the last few years.
Tx State - no idea, but probably better than FIU.
GSU - at least as many fans as FIU. Way more potential to be a draw than FIU has shown to be.

Looks like a net gain to me.

LOL. Your exxageration is about 2000 people less than the amount of fans at our last football game at MTSU. Please....

(08-23-2012 11:16 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  The tv deal that the Sun Belt has is terrible so I don't think it can get any worst. As far as the new additions bringing more value to this conference, I don't think so . If the new additions were all the great they wouldn't be coming to the Sun Belt. They all have potential but they're years away from contributing to this conference. The Sun Belt lost its two largest tv markets, their two largest Universities and their two highest athletic budgets. Seems like some of you don't recognize the magnitude of your losses. Hopefully Benson has more sense than that or else the Sun Belt will follow the footsteps of the WAC.

Yes we lost 2 big media markets. But we gained an entirely new big one in Atlanta, and maintained a pressence in Texas.

I have no idea how much they offset/decrease/increase the SBC's bargining power, but from a net/loss POV I we did not lose 2 markets.

(08-23-2012 11:24 AM)OwlFamily Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 11:16 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  The tv deal that the Sun Belt has is terrible so I don't think it can get any worst. As far as the new additions bringing more value to this conference, I don't think so . If the new additions were all the great they wouldn't be coming to the Sun Belt. They all have potential but they're years away from contributing to this conference. The Sun Belt lost its two largest tv markets, their two largest Universities and their two highest athletic budgets. Seems like some of you don't recognize the magnitude of your losses. Hopefully Benson has more sense than that or else the Sun Belt will follow the footsteps of the WAC.

Yes we lost 2 big media markets. But we gained an entirely new big one in Atlanta, and maintained a pressence in Texas.

I have no idea how much they offset/decrease/increase the SBC's bargining power, but from a net/loss POV I we did not lose 2 markets.

I think Benson is doing the right thing and doing it well. Who knows what these changes will entail in the future, and of course Benson has to put the best face in selling the SBC. That's a job well done.

I just hate when it prompt fans to start making simplistic, un-intelligent and derogatory comments about the new or departing programs to support their (perhaps, for now) position in all this. And as all of us know, once the dirt begins (from whichever side), it is hart to stop the dirt throwers. If we are in these (formerly knows as) "Non-AQ" conferences, it is because all of our programs need improvement in at least one area to be considered "one of them".

Please, let the season begin....

(08-23-2012 11:24 AM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 10:21 AM)RaiderDoug Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:41 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I will never understand how you can argue that the Sun Belt is "a more valuable television property" when the incoming teams barely have a following.

Did the teams that left have a huge following?

Exiting:

FIU and their 750 fans.
NT, who has a good fanbase but hasn't really moved the meter lately.

Incoming:

USA football - should be pretty good, probably equals what NT has been pulling the last few years.
Tx State - no idea, but probably better than FIU.
GSU - at least as many fans as FIU. Way more potential to be a draw than FIU has shown to be.

Looks like a net gain to me.

LOL. Your exxageration is about 2000 people less than the amount of fans at our last football game at MTSU. Please....

Good thing you're talking about football and not basketball... lol, also that game had 10,225 there, not 2750.

(08-23-2012 11:34 AM)mtsufan561 Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 11:24 AM)FIUFanatic Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 10:21 AM)RaiderDoug Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:41 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I will never understand how you can argue that the Sun Belt is "a more valuable television property" when the incoming teams barely have a following.

Did the teams that left have a huge following?

Exiting:

FIU and their 750 fans.
NT, who has a good fanbase but hasn't really moved the meter lately.

Incoming:

USA football - should be pretty good, probably equals what NT has been pulling the last few years.
Tx State - no idea, but probably better than FIU.
GSU - at least as many fans as FIU. Way more potential to be a draw than FIU has shown to be.

Looks like a net gain to me.

LOL. Your exxageration is about 2000 people less than the amount of fans at our last football game at MTSU. Please....

Good thing you're talking about football and not basketball... lol, also that game had 10,225 there, not 2750.

That's why I said football. which is what most people in this thread would assume that specific comment he meant. That is the official attendance reported, I would agree.

I like the way Benson talks so far... he definitely seems a little more proactive and aggresive than Wright Waters was. I feel better and better about the SBC getting Benson as commissioner.

(08-23-2012 10:21 AM)RaiderDoug Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 09:41 AM)johndavidblue Wrote:  I will never understand how you can argue that the Sun Belt is "a more valuable television property" when the incoming teams barely have a following.

Did the teams that left have a huge following?

Exiting:

FIU and their 750 fans.
NT, who has a good fanbase but hasn't really moved the meter lately.

Incoming:

USA football - should be pretty good, probably equals what NT has been pulling the last few years.
Tx State - no idea, but probably better than FIU.
GSU - at least as many fans as FIU. Way more potential to be a draw than FIU has shown to be.

Looks like a net gain to me.

This is right. We are going to be stronger and the following and quality has grown since just a few years ago at schools like ASU, ULL and WKU. Troy and MTSU were already strong.

It really turns into a wash with ASU and ULL gaining a lot of respect nationally. FAU has always been the stronger fanbase of the two Miami market teams, Georgia State is young, but still offers Atlanta. People vastly underestimate what Texas State has because the Bobcats have never been as historically strong as many other Texas schools. Just because the football stunk for a few years doesnt mean they dont have a growing fanbase.

South Alabama gives us complete control of the two largest media markets in Southern Alabama, and should replace anything of UNT that Texas State cannot cover. UT Arlington is a wash, as they are not as much of a basketball name, but its Dallas, and there certainly is potential there.

The biggest loss for the league to overcome is the loss of Tony Mitchell. Without him, we are left to the wrath of Chuck Norris.

(08-23-2012 11:16 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  The tv deal that the Sun Belt has is terrible so I don't think it can get any worst. As far as the new additions bringing more value to this conference, I don't think so . If the new additions were all the great they wouldn't be coming to the Sun Belt. They all have potential but they're years away from contributing to this conference. The Sun Belt lost its two largest tv markets, their two largest Universities and their two highest athletic budgets. Seems like some of you don't recognize the magnitude of your losses. Hopefully Benson has more sense than that or else the Sun Belt will follow the footsteps of the WAC.

That's false. Quit twisting the facts in attempt to make FIU's standing in the football world improve. Yes, you guys are in the Miami media market but you literally have no fans. Texas State and Ga State both have larger fan bases than FIU. That's a positve gain in my opinion.

(08-23-2012 03:25 PM)MT FAN Wrote:  

(08-23-2012 11:16 AM)CivilEng Wrote:  The tv deal that the Sun Belt has is terrible so I don't think it can get any worst. As far as the new additions bringing more value to this conference, I don't think so . If the new additions were all the great they wouldn't be coming to the Sun Belt. They all have potential but they're years away from contributing to this conference. The Sun Belt lost its two largest tv markets, their two largest Universities and their two highest athletic budgets. Seems like some of you don't recognize the magnitude of your losses. Hopefully Benson has more sense than that or else the Sun Belt will follow the footsteps of the WAC.

That's false. Quit twisting the facts in attempt to make FIU's standing in the football world improve. Yes, you guys are in the Miami media market but you literally have no fans. Texas State and Ga State both have larger fan bases than FIU. That's a positve gain in my opinion.

Literally. Really? Talk about a false statement and twisting the facts to make FIU's standing in the football world diminish. At least try to make a point in a smart way.

Again, if you were present at the football game you hosted vs. FIU, you were part of a pretty small gathering, by FIU's, MTSU's or any SBC school's standards.

I expected more out of FIU fans. Those of you who are getting the big head and trashing the Sun Belt because yall are leaving should be ashamed of yourselves.

Not really interested in the "what each conference is worth" arguement, but where exactly is all this money supposed to come from? Each BCS conference is sporting new record high TV contracts, Theres Texas, Notre Dame, theres going to be a playoff, with yet another, record payout, espn will pay out over $80 million to broadcast the Rose alone. Every single conference expects their TV payout to increase, yet unlike the US Government, ESPN, NBC, FOX, they dont print their own money when they feel like it. I dont see how EVERYONE gets more money, and the TV people STILL make record profits.