not sure if this has been posted or not, but here is a blog in 2012 talking about ETSU possibly joining the Big South

http://lancersblog.com/tag/etsu/

Big South is out, no interest from our side.

(01-14-2013 10:04 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  Big South is out, no interest from our side.

ok thanks for clarifying

(01-14-2013 10:04 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  Big South is out, no interest from our side.

Good.

Thank God

Are App and Ga So staying in the SoCon? I think if those two stay it makes the decision a lot easier.

I think they are on the way out.

(01-14-2013 09:50 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 08:18 PM)BucNut22 Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 10:55 AM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  I know.

I mean, I dream big. I dream of a conference like the Big East or C-USA in their reorganized state. I just look at the member schools of these conferences and think how it really isn't out of the relm of possibility for ETSU to be playing at that level with just a little more emphasis.

You have to crawl before you can walk. ETSU doesn't have minimum requirement for the Sun Belt let alone the BEAST or C-USA.

Hell the BEAST won't be around much longer.

Define minimum requirement.

Facilities for one. An actual TV market for another.

(01-14-2013 10:13 PM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  I think they are on the way out.

That complicates the issue. Based on travel costs the SoCon is obvious. But OVC seems on the way up. A tough decision.

(01-14-2013 10:04 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  Big South is out, no interest from our side.

so how would you rank them in the likelihood of adding ETSU? (CAA, SoCon, and OVC that is)

(01-14-2013 09:56 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  First of all, let's see if we end up in the CAA next year. If I'm wrong, give me all the hell you want.

Second, Belmont is #31 in RPI in a league that's currently 18th in RPI. Pretty solid. They have been as high as 16th in RPI. They weren't a rival, you're right - they kicked our ass on a regular basis. We have to win to make it a rivalry. If they were in the SoCon this year, they would likely not lose a league game.

The interested leagues are the OVC, the SoCon, the Big South. No one else is interested. Period. Why would anyone else be interested?

Now, let's get in the SoCon, start winning again, 5 years after football starts and its winning consistently and we are selling out our 15K seat stadium, then we jump to the Sun Belt with a D1 program.

Sound reasonable? Of course. Pay up. It's going to cost bigger money than anyone thinks we can fund raise. But the Sun Belt is getting a hell of a lot better, and if we're going there, we better be ready to compete at a higher level.

I agree with almost everything in this post, but it seems that the football programs that have been hitting the ground running (fiu, fau, ga state, odu, uncc...) are leap-frogging the established 1AA schools (ga southern, app, jmu). Its a good day to dream big. Tomorrow.... maybe we come back down to reality.

If App and GSU leave, we would fill a spot, but another team would be needed. How about this one...VMI. Would they be interested in moving back to the SoCon, or would the SoCon even want them?

We can get back up the ladder pretty quickly at the I-AA level. Juco transfers, along with I-A 2nd/3rd teamers looking to get on the field, and talented HS seniors to fill the gaps. If we get an outdoor stadium, get SUPPORT, market the crap out of it, make the game day experience something to remember, this can happen quickly & we can succeed relatively quickly. Look @ successful programs @ this level: Montana, App State, Ga Southern- how do they do it? This isn't re-creating the wheel here. Copy what they do, put our own spin on it, and get the students in the stands.

I'm crazy & optimistic enough to believe that this can happen and with a reasonable amount of effort & a hell of a lot faster than most people think. The region is ready & I think hungry for this to happen.

And by the way Fan1 - I love the pic.

(01-14-2013 10:40 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  We can get back up the ladder pretty quickly at the I-AA level. Juco transfers, along with I-A 2nd/3rd teamers looking to get on the field, and talented HS seniors to fill the gaps. If we get an outdoor stadium, get SUPPORT, market the crap out of it, make the game day experience something to remember, this can happen quickly & we can succeed relatively quickly. Look @ successful programs @ this level: Montana, App State, Ga Southern- how do they do it? This isn't re-creating the wheel here. Copy what they do, put our own spin on it, and get the students in the stands.

I'm crazy & optimistic enough to believe that this can happen and with a reasonable amount of effort & a hell of a lot faster than most people think. The region is ready & I think hungry for this to happen.

And by the way Fan1 - I love the pic.

I say let students come to the game for free, they'll spend money on concessions. It kind of irks me that a lot of colleges now charge students to go to the game. If you want their support and them to fill the stands, let them attend for free...they are going to pay the increased athletic fee.

(01-14-2013 10:13 PM)BucNut22 Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 09:50 PM)PittsburghBucs Wrote:  Define minimum requirement.

Facilities for one. An actual TV market for another.

like troy, alabama?

(01-14-2013 10:40 PM)GoBucsGo Wrote:  Look @ successful programs @ this level: Montana, App State, Ga Southern- how do they do it?

they win. winning changes everything

(01-14-2013 09:18 AM)72Grad Wrote:  Geographically the OVC isn't a good destination any longer with schools in Missouri and Illinois.

i hate putting limitations on any kind of opportunity

imagine if noland gets things going wild and we get an sec bid. we probably should turn it down because of far away schools in louisianna, texas, arkansas, and missouri?

if things get really wild, we should probably tell the big10, big12, and pac12 where they can shove there invite. strictly geographically, we can never have a good rivalry with ucla, kansas, or ohio state. they would never be a good draw because theyre too far flung

(01-15-2013 02:15 AM)One Of The Last Buc Linemen Wrote:  

(01-14-2013 09:18 AM)72Grad Wrote:  Geographically the OVC isn't a good destination any longer with schools in Missouri and Illinois.

i hate putting limitations on any kind of opportunity

imagine if noland gets things going wild and we get an sec bid. we probably should turn it down because of far away schools in louisianna, texas, arkansas, and missouri?

if things get really wild, we should probably tell the big10, big12, and pac12 where they can shove there invite. strictly geographically, we can never have a good rivalry with ucla, kansas, or ohio state. they would never be a good draw because theyre too far flung

You have to learn how to crawl before you learn how to run. Once or possibly twice a year the team could fly.(money games)But for the most part they will be involved in long bus rides. Distance does make a difference. Still, there is nothing wrong with dreaming big....just keep everything in perspective.

[/quote]

I say let students come to the game for free, they'll spend money on concessions. It kind of irks me that a lot of colleges now charge students to go to the game. If you want their support and them to fill the stands, let them attend for free...they are going to pay the increased athletic fee.
[/quote]

I dont think its even an option to charge students at this university to get into the games. I dont think more than 500 students would come to an ETSU game for free in the forseeable future. I fully support football coming back, but we need to be realistic with our expectations and realize what city we live in, and what kind of student population we have. ETSU would have to be a multi-year top team in a conference where we played relevant teams for more than 500 students to show up for free.

The immediate reaction is to think SOCON but I`m not convinced that the OVC isn't a better option (we flat screwed the pooch turning down the OVC the last time through). App State continues to pursue D-1A status which would take a huge chunk out of the football appeal of the SOCON. The SOCON isn't close to the same basketball wise as when we left. UTC is in shambles, App State is in shambles. CofC and Davidson are the best of the bunch and one of them is leaving.

With 5 instate teams and 3 KY schools already in the OVC I`m struggling to see how travel would suddenly become a big issue. We'd very likely end up in the East division anyway. The real questions is whether the OVC offers the kind of competition that will make fans pack the dome. In a better world the OVU would try to bump up to 14 and take both ETSU and UTC.

Wishful thinking most likely.