I’m really liking the progress the Sun Belt is making.
They are in much better conference than CUSA, performance wise.
They are in a tighter geographical footprint than CUSA.
USM would thrive in the Belt. Near by opponents.
Sun Belt is on ESPN.
CUSA doesn’t have any tv exposure.
I wouldn’t mind Marshall in the AAC (but I know it’s not likely) If not SB?
Thoughts from Southern Miss and Marshall fans; I’m not trolling.

I think that is nice as long as. those loser Texas schools don’t get pawned off on the MWC.


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(09-23-2019 06:31 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  I’m really liking the progress the Sun Belt is making.
They are in much better conference than CUSA, performance wise.
They are in a tighter geographical footprint than CUSA.
USM would thrive in the Belt. Near by opponents.
Sun Belt is on ESPN.
CUSA doesn’t have any tv exposure.
I wouldn’t mind Marshall in the AAC (but I know it’s not likely) If not SB?
Thoughts from Southern Miss and Marshall fans; I’m not trolling.

I think most people would be on board with these two teams. App St and Georgia Southern have history with Marshall. Adding them to the Sunbelt East would make for an even better division.

Because the existing Sun Belt schools would have to split the CFP payout to their conference two more ways.

(09-23-2019 10:03 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Because the existing Sun Belt schools would have to split the CFP payout to their conference two more ways.

Bigger tv payout for the Sun Belt with this add. Those schools would provide for a better renogiated ESPN contract for the SB.
2 big names coming to SB
And an even tighter geoprahocal conference
2 big names joining up. These are big names with history joining.
A CCG In New Orleans

On behalf of the Sun Belt I accept any offer to join from the two.

SBC west in football TXST, UL, ULM, AState, USM, USA.
SBC west in hoops. TXST, UT-Arlington, UL, ULM, AState, UALR, USM

SBC East in football Marshall, App, Coastal, GaSo, GaSt, Troy.
SBC East in hoops Marshall, App, Coastal, GaSo, GaSt, Troy, USA.

Works for me. USM is close to the geographic center of the league and Marshall isn’t really that big of an outlier worst trip in division for hoops is 785 miles

I don’t see either paying exit fee for what is mostly a lateral move since Belt is better in some sports and worse in others but it’d be fun and probably financial net gain for CUSA members even before the exit fees.

I know AState would love to get a Highway 49 rivalry going because USM’s last visit they brought one of the bigger visitors groups we’ve seen.


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(09-23-2019 10:13 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(09-23-2019 10:03 PM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  Because the existing Sun Belt schools would have to split the CFP payout to their conference two more ways.

Bigger tv payout for the Sun Belt with this add. Those schools would provide for a better renogiated ESPN contract for the SB.
2 big names coming to SB
And an even tighter geoprahocal conference
2 big names joining up. These are big names with history joining.
A CCG In New Orleans

ESPN might boost the money enough to keep the per team the same but not more than that.

We aren’t going to pay rent on the Superdome to play a game to determine which of the two comes back in two weeks.


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CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

(09-24-2019 12:16 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

In all seriousness while CUSA basketball generally is better than the Sunbelt on the whole it has not really mattered much in a while. In fact when was the last time CUSA was actually "good" in basketball? People like to talk like it is but it has been a while since I think someone could really say that was true.

Note not an individual team doing well but the conference on the whole being "good". I am leaving it vague as to what "good" means since I can see different opinions on what constitutes that.

Sounds like Conference USA and the Sunbelt need to merge and then divide by 2.

(09-24-2019 12:16 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

The two conferences really haven't been that different in basketball.

2013-14 RPI:
CUSA: 13
SBC: 19

2014-15 RPI
CUSA: 16
SBC: 19

2015-16 RPI:
SBC: 17
CUSA: 21

2016-17 RPI:
SBC: 13
CUSA: 23

2017-18 RPI:
CUSA: 14
SBC: 20

2018-19 RPI
CUSA: 13
SBC: 17

Avg:
CUSA: 16.6
SBC: 17.5

But honestly the SBC + Marshall/SoMiss is the type of conference that as an App fan I'd be probably "forever" happy. With historical rivals Marshall and GaSo alternating playing in KBS each year along with Troy and CCU alternating at KBS and even the cross division rivals of USM and stAte being an absolutely home run with App Fans there's no reason App wouldn't be averaging over 30k every year at The Rock.

(09-24-2019 02:05 AM)Sultan of Euphonistan Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 12:16 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

In all seriousness while CUSA basketball generally is better than the Sunbelt on the whole it has not really mattered much in a while. In fact when was the last time CUSA was actually "good" in basketball? People like to talk like it is but it has been a while since I think someone could really say that was true.

Note not an individual team doing well but the conference on the whole being "good". I am leaving it vague as to what "good" means since I can see different opinions on what constitutes that.

It would be a big step down in prestige to go to the Sun Belt. Also a step down in athletic budgets. And the Sun Belt has been very up and down. A couple years ago they did no better than FCS schools did against FBS. Nobody is going to make a decision based on a couple of good years.

I also suspect Marshall and USM are also going to want to stay with FAU and FIU for recruiting reasons.

(09-24-2019 08:21 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(09-24-2019 12:16 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

The two conferences really haven't been that different in basketball.

2013-14 RPI:
CUSA: 13
SBC: 19

2014-15 RPI
CUSA: 16
SBC: 19

2015-16 RPI:
SBC: 17
CUSA: 21

2016-17 RPI:
SBC: 13
CUSA: 23

2017-18 RPI:
CUSA: 14
SBC: 20

2018-19 RPI
CUSA: 13
SBC: 17

Avg:
CUSA: 16.6
SBC: 17.5

Those numbers don't tell the whole story. There's a decent bit of difference between being #13 and being #19. There's not a lot of difference between #19 and #31. 2 of those 6 years there wasn't a lot of difference. The other 4, one or the other was a lot better.

Might make sense geographically for USM, it may be a tough sell to their fans who are still bitter about being left behind by the AAC move ups. Makes less sense for Marshall. Really not enough money difference to do it. USM seems to be scheduling the SB programs near them OOC and Marshall has App on the OOC schedule I believe. Football performance has been up and down between the two. Both usually have a couple good teams and a lot of mediocre to bad team.

(09-24-2019 12:16 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  CUSA basketball is much better than Sun Belt basketball. That's biggest reason I wouldn't want to do it. Also would still be associated with teams I want nothing to do with.

I wish CUSA would trade the Texas schools for App St, Ga Southern, Ga State, Troy,.......THAT is a conference that would get me excited.

Define "much better"
The most recent NCAA Tournament check (which I think comes later this year) CUSA will be paid for 10 units earned and the Sun Belt 8, the grand total of the CUSA check will be about $2.8 million and Sun Belt's a touch over $2.2 million.

The value of CUSA hoops membership vs Sun Belt in hoops to Marshall is $14,000 a year.

(09-24-2019 08:52 AM)bullet Wrote:  It would be a big step down in prestige to go to the Sun Belt. Also a step down in athletic budgets. And the Sun Belt has been very up and down. A couple years ago they did no better than FCS schools did against FBS. Nobody is going to make a decision based on a couple of good years.

I also suspect Marshall and USM are also going to want to stay with FAU and FIU for recruiting reasons.

It's not necessarily (1) fair or (2) true as regards on-the-field results. But, yes, the Sun Belt is still considered less prestigious than the C-USA. By a decent margin.

Southern Miss too. They were once conference-mates with multiple schools now in the ACC or American. That would make a move to the Sun Belt even tougher on their "ego."

Egos kept JMU from the Sun Belt and are now stuck in the CAA possibly long term.

Because a CUSA with a bunch of FCS move ups, Sun Belt and WAC teams is REALLY PRESTIGIOUS.

If you want amusement. Go look at the schools that moved from Sun Belt to CUSA and their in-conference record their last two years in the Sun Belt vs their in-conference record the first two years in C-USA. Pretty much all of them saw their in-conference record improve when they quit playing Troy, Louisiana and AState.

Think like a school president.

If you’re Marshall and Southern Miss, which schools would you rather associate with? Easy. They’re in C-USA. The Sun Belt has about three or four schools that might be attractive but Marshall and USM can schedule a home and home or even a long series with the schools in Jonesboro, Lafayette and Atlanta if they choose to. Nothing is stopping them from doing so.

Even in basketball, as bad as it’s been since the 2.0 days, there’s more basketball upside and tradition than the Sun Belt. Heck, I wouldn’t be shocked if UTEP has more trips to the NCAAT than the entire Sun Belt combined.