(03-29-2013 11:29 AM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 11:03 AM)Ragu Wrote:  The point is that FAU/FIU are teams that just hit 10 years of having football at all. 2 big market South Florida schools with an athletic budget capable of being high. And they are both expanding the overall campus as well. For people to act like App St, Texas St, South Alabama, Georgai State, UT San Antonio etc are good adds but to act like FAU/FIU are worthless is pure ignorance. FAU/FIU have a lot of upside.

Let's see if South Alabama can win a bowl game in their 3rd/4th year of having FBS football as FAU did. I am curious to see if any of the FCS teams can do this as they come to FBS.

The problem with FIU and FIU is an apathetic fan base. You can never grow a program with 5k fans in the stands. It is an energy vampire that sucks the life out of the program.

There is a lot to do in S Florida unlike a lot of these hilljack places that nobody wants to plan a vacation around. If the programs show signs of growth instead of having bad seasons in the worst conference in FBS, more people will care.

I don't blame people for not showing up the last couple of years at FAU. They have been pathetic as a program due to Howard staying around too long. Doesn't mean they can't turn it around though. I would go to games if I were still living there but I can see why others don't choose to do so at this time.

You can only control yourself though. That is why it always cracked me up if people talked to me about attendance. I don't care if 5 or 50000 go. I cant control anyone but my group showing up for the game.

PS: I bring this up with Arkansas State fans but it applies to others as well. FAU has had football since 2001. It takes time to build a program and a fanbase. Ark St has had football 90 more years than FAU yet some of you people act like this is an even playing field. The ignorance on these boards amazes me sometimes in regards to knowing what it takes to build a program.

(03-29-2013 10:50 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 10:17 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 09:27 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 04:47 PM)Ragu Wrote:  Let's see how many more teams bolt the sinking ship and then we can know how many spots they have left to fill. I hope the member schools laughing as if FAU/FIU were not a loss enjoy being with Idaho, New Mexico State, Georgia State and maybe a few other schools in FCS like Lamar/Liberty soon :)

Sinking ship? Losing the F_Us, and UNT is more like addition through subtraction.

Granted losing MTSU and maybe WKU is a little bit of a let down but adding App State and Ga Southern is more than a break even in football, which is what this is all about.

Yeah right. Adding New Mexico St, Idaho and Georgia State is an upgrade over FAU/FIU. GTFO. Some of you guys are hilarious on here. I mean all these other programs have potential but 2 schools in big markets in South Florida are doomed to never turn it around?

Right...

I would consider App, Ga. So, Texas St. and USA to be the teams that should fill the shoes of FAU, FIU, UNT and MTSU quite well. Ga. St. is more along the lines of UNCC or UTSA while NMSU and Idaho do little for me but then there is UAB.

Why do you equate UTSA to Georgia State. 1) UTSA demolished GA St. last year. Totally dominated. 2) UTSA has a much larger fan base than GSU. 3) UTSA has 15K season ticket holders in a market not oversaturated with pro sports like ATL.

PS. UTSA also defeated the following Sun Belt teams last year. Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State, NMSU, and Idaho. Had 500 yards of total offense and 300 yards rushing against Texas State.

(03-29-2013 11:54 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 10:50 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 10:17 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 09:27 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 04:47 PM)Ragu Wrote:  Let's see how many more teams bolt the sinking ship and then we can know how many spots they have left to fill. I hope the member schools laughing as if FAU/FIU were not a loss enjoy being with Idaho, New Mexico State, Georgia State and maybe a few other schools in FCS like Lamar/Liberty soon :)

Sinking ship? Losing the F_Us, and UNT is more like addition through subtraction.

Granted losing MTSU and maybe WKU is a little bit of a let down but adding App State and Ga Southern is more than a break even in football, which is what this is all about.

Yeah right. Adding New Mexico St, Idaho and Georgia State is an upgrade over FAU/FIU. GTFO. Some of you guys are hilarious on here. I mean all these other programs have potential but 2 schools in big markets in South Florida are doomed to never turn it around?

Right...

I would consider App, Ga. So, Texas St. and USA to be the teams that should fill the shoes of FAU, FIU, UNT and MTSU quite well. Ga. St. is more along the lines of UNCC or UTSA while NMSU and Idaho do little for me but then there is UAB.

Why do you equate UTSA to Georgia State. 1) UTSA demolished GA St. last year. Totally dominated. 2) UTSA has a much larger fan base than GSU. 3) UTSA has 15K season ticket holders in a market not oversaturated with pro sports like ATL.

PS. UTSA also defeated the following Sun Belt teams last year. Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State, NMSU, and Idaho. Had 500 yards of total offense and 300 yards rushing against Texas State.

I think UTSA has better potential but it is too early to make any kind of judgement. They didn't play enough FBS schools last year to even be given a ranking in the BCS ranking system. They had great attendance but SA is on a football island and right now there is a lot of novelty to the whole thing. I suspect they will level off and be among the leaders in CUSA atendance though.

I compare the two because they were both added strictly for their market size.

(03-29-2013 11:42 AM)Ragu Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 11:29 AM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 11:03 AM)Ragu Wrote:  The point is that FAU/FIU are teams that just hit 10 years of having football at all. 2 big market South Florida schools with an athletic budget capable of being high. And they are both expanding the overall campus as well. For people to act like App St, Texas St, South Alabama, Georgai State, UT San Antonio etc are good adds but to act like FAU/FIU are worthless is pure ignorance. FAU/FIU have a lot of upside.

Let's see if South Alabama can win a bowl game in their 3rd/4th year of having FBS football as FAU did. I am curious to see if any of the FCS teams can do this as they come to FBS.

The problem with FIU and FIU is an apathetic fan base. You can never grow a program with 5k fans in the stands. It is an energy vampire that sucks the life out of the program.

There is a lot to do in S Florida unlike a lot of these hilljack places that nobody wants to plan a vacation around. If the programs show signs of growth instead of having bad seasons in the worst conference in FBS, more people will care.

I don't blame people for not showing up the last couple of years at FAU. They have been pathetic as a program due to Howard staying around too long. Doesn't mean they can't turn it around though. I would go to games if I were still living there but I can see why others don't choose to do so at this time.

You can only control yourself though. That is why it always cracked me up if people talked to me about attendance. I don't care if 5 or 50000 go. I cant control anyone but my group showing up for the game.

PS: I bring this up with Arkansas State fans but it applies to others as well. FAU has had football since 2001. It takes time to build a program and a fanbase. Ark St has had football 90 more years than FAU yet some of you people act like this is an even playing field. The ignorance on these boards amazes me sometimes in regards to knowing what it takes to build a program.

More people may care with sustained success but there is not likely to be a really high ceiling. Look at the Miami Hurricanes, Marlins and even the Dolphins to the extent that with their long history and tradition they aren't elite in terms of being difficult to get a ticket. It isn't FAU's fault, it's just a cultural problem.

(03-29-2013 01:32 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  I think UTSA has better potential but it is too early to make any kind of judgement. They didn't play enough FBS schools last year to even be given a ranking in the BCS ranking system. They had great attendance but SA is on a football island and right now there is a lot of novelty to the whole thing. I suspect they will level off and be among the leaders in CUSA atendance though.

I compare the two because they were both added strictly for their market size.

UTSA didn't qualify for BCS rankings because it technically wasn't an FBS school. They were in their first year of transition from FCS to FBS. They will be in year two of transition this season. They won't be full FBS until 2014.

(03-29-2013 01:32 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  I think UTSA has better potential but it is too early to make any kind of judgement. They didn't play enough FBS schools last year to even be given a ranking in the BCS ranking system.

Sagarin's rankings run through all of Div1 football, FBS and FCS, so despite quibbles that can be raised, it gives something to go on.

He had UTSA #150=60.89, which slots into the standings between UAB and Tulane, with Southern Mississippi at the bottom.

On that, UTSA would be a fixer-upper.

(03-29-2013 02:13 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 01:32 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  I think UTSA has better potential but it is too early to make any kind of judgement. They didn't play enough FBS schools last year to even be given a ranking in the BCS ranking system.

Sagarin's rankings run through all of Div1 football, FBS and FCS, so despite quibbles that can be raised, it gives something to go on.

He had UTSA #150=60.89, which slots into the standings between UAB and Tulane, with Southern Mississippi at the bottom.

On that, UTSA would be a fixer-upper.

Exactly.

(03-29-2013 01:42 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(03-29-2013 01:32 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  I think UTSA has better potential but it is too early to make any kind of judgement. They didn't play enough FBS schools last year to even be given a ranking in the BCS ranking system. They had great attendance but SA is on a football island and right now there is a lot of novelty to the whole thing. I suspect they will level off and be among the leaders in CUSA atendance though.

UTSA or any of the other startups in big markets will be under constant pressure to win. If they consistently go to bowl games, their attendance will be good by CUSA standards. If things get rough and they're getting regularly pounded by UTEP, Rice, La Tech, USM, etc., IMO people in San Antonio will choose other things to do with their Saturday even if KFC is still giving out 4 free UTSA football tickets when you buy a bucket of chicken.

It is a little different but back in 2000 or so, Little Rock got an Arena Football team in the new arena in town. The novelty of professional football, even arena 2, resulted in sellout crowds the first year and success for several years. As the novelty wore off, the fans left in droves, the team dropped a couple of leagues and eventually folded.

Playing NCAA football is obviously more stable than arena ball but it is about how people choose to spend their entertainment dollars and once the new and the free tickets are gone the numbers will settle to a decent but not overwhelming level.

So...if WKU departs who replaces them? Liberty is the only FCS team I know of that has actually announced of their desire to go to FBS but has not found a conference yet.

(03-30-2013 07:30 AM)PistolChad Wrote:  So...if WKU departs who replaces them? Liberty is the only FCS team I know of that has actually announced of their desire to go to FBS but has not found a conference yet.

I don't know if James Madison has verbally announced any desire, but as far as physical expressions of desire for FBS football, they built the first stage of a football stadium where the second stage would make it a quite nice mid-major football stadium. You'll find multiple pictures of the stadium earlier in this thread. A dedicated BBall-first school could have saved a bit of money by building only the first deck all around.

Don't know if they want to go to such a weak BBall conference as the Sunbelt has become, with the loss of Middle Tennessee.

And then there are the midwestern schools ~ Illinois State, Northern Iowa, North Dakota State, but those are well outside of the Sunbelt footprint.