(08-01-2019 04:12 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(08-01-2019 01:32 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(08-01-2019 12:16 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(08-01-2019 11:49 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(08-01-2019 11:15 AM)panite Wrote:  Is the Independence bowl holding up the bowl announcements for the PAC-12, Sun Belt, and CUSA. I haven't seen their final bowls announcements yet. I have only read speculative articles about 2020 bowl affiliations for these conferences going forward. Is that bowl still hashing out anchor conferences, back up conferences, and potential pool groups which might include independents like BYU and Army. Will UConn potentially seek an independent pool spot with BYU and Army when they go independent for FB with their move to the BE July 1, 2020.

They may be trying to negotiate a deal to be part of the ESPN Bowl pool. ESPN honestly has them over a barrel enough that they may be forced to straight up sell the bowl to ESPN.

Whatever it is, I imagine the delays for all of these entities - the Indy Bowl, CUSA, Sun Belt, and even the PAC - are a bad sign for them, a sign that whatever is announced is going to be disappointing. The conferences and bowls with good agreements didn't hesitate to announce them, you get good news out there quick.



SJ + MS 8/1/79
40 years, RIP

I don't think CUSA or Sun Belt would consider an outcome that puts them in Shreveport to be a bad outcome.

Obviously if you are CUSA sending UNT, UTSA, Rice, La.Tech, USM, UAB and arguably MTSU or WKU to Shreveport isn't a bad outcome. Geography isn't going to undermine your ticket sales out of that pool. Now FAU going, that ain't selling.

Likewise, Sun Belt isn't complaining if AState, ULM, UL, TXST, and to a lesser degree USA or Troy go to Shreveport because if you can't sell your tickets, its probably a you problem rather than geography. But Sun Belt doesn't want Coastal getting sent to Shreveport.

If it is Pac-12, that's an uncomfortable marriage. It's awful geography for Pac-12. They've had four appearances: Arizona (vs. BC 36,917), Washington (vs Tulane 44,683), Oregon (vs Tulsa 44,621) and Oregon (vs. Wake Forest 31,337). Attendance was good with a regional opponent and not so hot without.

I suspect if Oregon State is in, its a hard sell for Beavers fans and even harder sell if facing UTSA or South Alabama.

If the PAC has to send a team all the way to Shreveport just to play a G5, that would be a massive boondoggle for them.


SJ + MS 8/1/79
40 years, RIP

You have to think if that's what it is boiled down to that the Pac-12 would surely be talking about getting into the ESPN Events pool that has some closer as well as easier to fly to games in larger metros.