(12-13-2019 10:43 AM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 10:20 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  There are two groups of fans that will keep any current CUSA from joining Sun Belt.

The hardcore TEAM fan who doesn't follow college football closely and thus doesn't recognize the potential benefits.
The casual fan who is a pain to keep buying tickets already and would not recognize the benefits.

Sun Belt isn't getting [INSERT TEAM NAME] to join unless it is part of a rebrand. You can pick off those two groups by selling them on the idea that [INSERT TEAM NAME] is part of a NEW conference even if it is all Sun Belt teams.

I'm inclined to agree. Perception can be slow/difficult to change. One end around is a rebrand like you suggest. KFC comes to mind.

FWIW, to my memory, "KFC" had a much larger cultural presence back in the 1970s, when it was "Kentucky Fried Chicken" than it has had since moving to KFC.

I could see Texas State wanting to play other Texas schools in CUSA, but unless the fees get dropped it won't happen. Didn't the Belt add the Exit fees a few years after the last RAID? I am wondering how many teams would have left if the Sunbelt would have had an exit fee back then.

(12-13-2019 04:32 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.

The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.

IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.

Didn't WKU and La Tech JUST jump ship for CUSA? They are both doing reasonably well, despite WKU being a little bad lately. No need to drop back down.

"drop back down" you say, please explain this for the group.

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

(12-13-2019 04:47 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

Did I say I agreed with the decision on JMU's part not to jump at the Sun Belt a bit back? No, I wish we did... but you really can't think Coastal was a better addition than JMU right? I believe most current Sun Belt schools would rather have JMU than Coastal (despite us not having a small stadium at a beach lol).

(12-13-2019 04:50 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:47 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

Did I say I agreed with the decision on JMU's part not to jump at the Sun Belt a bit back? No, I wish we did... but you really can't think Coastal was a better addition than JMU right? I believe most current Sun Belt schools would rather have JMU than Coastal (despite us not having a small stadium at a beach lol).

I like Coastal. They're pretty good at all sports and have nice fans. The MMB is going to help the eastern members of the SBC/AAC/MAC/CUSA have a closer bowl game. Now I do wish JMU was FBS. Even if it was an OOC game I'd like to have some games against the Dukes. Hope the next chance they get they take it. No matter the conference. I'm sure they're looking at App and are thinking that they can do it too.

(12-13-2019 04:50 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:47 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

Did I say I agreed with the decision on JMU's part not to jump at the Sun Belt a bit back? No, I wish we did... but you really can't think Coastal was a better addition than JMU right? I believe most current Sun Belt schools would rather have JMU than Coastal (despite us not having a small stadium at a beach lol).

Coastal is VASTLY superior to JMU.

JMU was asked if there was interest and replied they had no interest despite the school's study indicating there was no financial difference in choosing Sun Belt, CUSA and MAC>

Coastal when asked if interested began working on plans to expand their stadium.

When you are need of a 10th football playing member, the one willing to expand their stadium and make the move wins. It was a four horse race. NMSU lost because of geography and EKU and Liberty lost because Coastal had the financial ability and athletic success.

JMU loses that debate every time until JMU desires FBS membership.

(12-13-2019 04:32 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.

The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.

IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.

Didn't WKU and La Tech JUST jump ship for CUSA? They are both doing reasonably well, despite WKU being a little bad lately. No need to drop back down.

We "jumped" because the WAC got raided by the MWC. Granted we wanted CUSA forever because we were the outlier of the WAC once the Texas and central US schools jumped ship for CUSA. CUSA with Tulsa, UTEP, etc. was a much better fit for us regionally. And we competed in the WAC and have competed in CUSA as well.

(12-13-2019 04:43 PM)kevinwmsn Wrote:  I could see Texas State wanting to play other Texas schools in CUSA, but unless the fees get dropped it won't happen. Didn't the Belt add the Exit fees a few years after the last RAID? I am wondering how many teams would have left if the Sunbelt would have had an exit fee back then.

this would be a massive mistake for Texas State

they suck in the Sunbelt right now, but that is certainly not the fault of the Sunbelt and if they can get rolling in The Sunbelt it will be much easier for them to maintain that because they will offer something unique and apart from what 4 other G5 members in Texas offer

similar to how TCU offered that differentiation when they moved away from other Texas teams and on their own to the MWC

yes TCU made other commitments to athletics at that time, but that was all a part of deciding to differentiate themselves from SMU, uH, and Rice at the same time.....it was a conscious part of the plan and a very important part

(12-13-2019 04:32 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.

The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.

IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.

Didn't WKU and La Tech JUST jump ship for CUSA? They are both doing reasonably well, despite WKU being a little bad lately. No need to drop back down.

We had one bad year last season, 8 wins this year (9 if we win our bowl game).

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(12-13-2019 04:50 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:47 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

Did I say I agreed with the decision on JMU's part not to jump at the Sun Belt a bit back? No, I wish we did... but you really can't think Coastal was a better addition than JMU right? I believe most current Sun Belt schools would rather have JMU than Coastal (despite us not having a small stadium at a beach lol).

Bowl in Harrisonburg? Naw

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(12-13-2019 07:29 PM)panama Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:50 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:47 PM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:42 PM)jmu18 Wrote:  

JMU will be in the realignment conversation come TV contract renewal time (and honestly, a reconfigured regional league would be appealing for JMU).

JMU could have already been in the FBS instead of Coastal. Glad Coastal had the balls to jump, and now we have the Myrtle Beach bowl coming and that wouldn't have happened with the school in Harrisonburg

Did I say I agreed with the decision on JMU's part not to jump at the Sun Belt a bit back? No, I wish we did... but you really can't think Coastal was a better addition than JMU right? I believe most current Sun Belt schools would rather have JMU than Coastal (despite us not having a small stadium at a beach lol).

Bowl in Harrisonburg? Naw

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Haha no one is saying there should be a bowl in Harrisonburg... I just like the fact that people state that a Bowl in Myrtle is a good argument of why Coastal was a good fit for the Sun Belt

The Bowl
Not being a school in VA
Not being a schools in a one horse town.
Being pretty good in sports...

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Realignment ALWAYS has a cost in terms of diluting whatever recognition of existing conference teams that has been built up among the fanbases of the existing teams.

So an expansion needs to have a clear and substantial benefit to offset that.

SBC is also in a position where it's CFP money will also be diluted by expansion. That just increases the cost to the SBC of expansion.

So short answer: even if it is assumed that the SBC can raid CUSA, there is no benefit available that offsets the cost of doing so.

(12-13-2019 09:23 PM)panama Wrote:  Not being a schools in a one horse town.

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Assume you are throwing in the whole Redneck Riviara along with the bowl site (Conway)? Otherwise Harrisonburg looms much larger. In its own unique way Dirty Myrtle is also a one horse town.

In order to be raided, one conference has to offer something that other conference to be raided doesn't have.

The Sun Belt or CUSA doesn't have what it takes to raid one another. It's really that simple.

Add Rice and FAU

(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.

The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.

IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.

(12-13-2019 06:58 PM)freshtop Wrote:  

(12-13-2019 04:32 PM)CoastalJuan Wrote:  

(12-12-2019 01:22 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  The Sun Belt is likely to finish ahead of CUSA and the MAC in the CFP conference rankings again, which would make it 3 of the last 4 years. This as 4 of the 10 SBC teams had a first-year coach and a 5th had major staff changes.

The Sun Belt's TV contract is supposedly worth more than CUSA (the numbers from neither league has been made public) and the SBC is picking up Saturday ESPN real estate (4 regular-season games). The Sun Belt's CCG also got higher ratings than any G5 league other than the AAC.

IMO the Sun Belt needs to add 2 of Marshall, WKU, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Miss. We could close the gap between the MWC in football with two of those program and put distance between CUSA and the MAC.

Didn't WKU and La Tech JUST jump ship for CUSA? They are both doing reasonably well, despite WKU being a little bad lately. No need to drop back down.

We had one bad year last season, 8 wins this year (9 if we win our bowl game).

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The oddity of the CUSA raids was that WKU was last pick, but by just about any measure of competition the Toppers were the biggest loss to the Belt.