(03-01-2013 01:52 PM)blazr Wrote: (03-01-2013 12:27 PM)johnbragg Wrote: (03-01-2013 12:24 PM)blazr Wrote: (03-01-2013 10:16 AM)AndreWhere Wrote: I think it's silly discussing all of these money-related minutiae. Everyone knows the pecking order, and that's all that matters. CUSA is not going to get rich off of exit fees and leap over the whatchamacallit conference, any more than the Sun Belt is going to do it to CUSA or the ACC is going to do it to the Big 10.
It is silly if the goal is to argue nBE vs. CUSA vs. MWC.
It's not silly at all, in fact it is of paramount importance, when you consider the other option on the table - create a Western Conf (name it what you like, but leveraging MWC's existence is the most efficient cost- and process-wise) and create an Eastern Conf (ditto the previous). Hell, leverage MWC and CUSA but get members to agree to a name change...makes no difference.
The above is going to happen eventually. Do it now and everyone can chill out for a bit.
But there are too many schools in (or scheduled to be in) the Aresco LEague and CUSA for just one conference. Plus, there's now much less gap between CUSA and the Sun Belt, so are the Sun Belt schools in the Eastern Conference(s)? Does the MAC go into the stewpot too?
To the first part, some of the western schools in what is now CUSA would go west. The thinking is that each conference (or division if they create one conf, but that's highly unlikely) would wind up with 12 to 16 schools.
MWC has 12, NBE has 11 (for now), CUSA has 14 when Charlotte and ODU make it to FBS. That's 37, which is more than 2 x 16. So either you're kicking someone out, or you're going to 20. Either of which is a much bigger (and more expensive) transition than just leaving the Aresco League teams alone and letting SMU tell themselves that they're a cut above UNT.
Quote:To the second part I would simply ask what part of realignment has been based on merit so far?
You can call it merit, or you can call it pecking order, but the question remains. If you're saying no more lower-FBS conferences based on NBE/CUSA/SBC prestige tiers, what happens to the Sun Belt?
And if you leave the Sun Belt alone, why exactly does Tulane have to be forced back into a conference with Louisiana Tech, but not Louisiana-Monroe?
Quote:Keep in mind that the whole point of this option is that there is no longer any financial justification for the millions in expenses to join what the nBE will now be and it will still lack stability. So, according to the planners, they'll take the opportunity to create something new that can survive and thrive in the newest incarnation of the Cartel's world.
I think some of the expenses (CUSA exit fees) are overestimated, and some (NBE entry fees) can just be negotiated away. So if SMU and Tulane and UCF can afford to spend a little more on travel so that they can act like UNT and LT and FIU have conference-BO, what difference does it make?
I could see CUSA and the Sun Belt shuffling into two regional leagues when CUSA's TV deal is up. But that would be their decision, not the NCAA's.
I still don't understand who is going to make them do this. If lower-FBS schools want to not associate with other lower-FBS schools, and can do it within the existing rules, I don't see what power-brokers would be willing to spend the capital to have and win the fight to force Memphis into a league with Middle Tennessee or UAB into a league with Troy if they don't want that.