(10-21-2021 03:57 PM)TxSt1992 Wrote:  The Sunbelt needs to decide whether to proceed with two or four. The Sunbelt, I think, would prefer Marshall with JMU being a great consolation prize should they go the two-school route. Marshall, JMU, Liberty/ODU would only be considered if the the Sunbelt agrees to a four-school addition which is not 100% at this time. Even if four schools were in play the Sunbelt would have to solve the fourth school should be. It could either be a true western division school i.e.Missouri St or have Troy move west before considering yet another eastern school.

I would say that Southern Miss would be one of the four. Perhaps Marshall, ODU and JMU as the other three.

(10-21-2021 03:44 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 03:38 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  ... I don't think Liberty is going to CUSA regardless of what JMU/ODU/Marshall do.

If it comes down to taking Liberty and not getting the CFP money, my guess would be CUSA holds their nose and invites Liberty.

I meant that I don't think Liberty would accept a CUSA offer. They don't need the $$$ and like being an independent.

(10-21-2021 12:48 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  If I’m C-USA, I’m presenting incredibly friendly deals to both JMU and Liberty right now in hopes of keeping the league together. NMSU is there too as a fall back but hopefully it doesn’t resort to that.

NM St is at least close to UTEP and keeps them company out on the fringes.

It’s almost funny that ODU and JMU both might have to chum around with Liberty. More JMU than ODU, since JMU could have been one of those other schools safely avoiding the topic had they not thumbed their nose at Sun Belt for the likes of the now sinking CUSA ship.

And nothing against Liberty. In fact, I think I might enjoy watching these other schools scramble to find a way to keep up against those pockets after trying for years to keep away from them.

From what I have heard, Marshall wants either ODU or WKU in with them. I think the Sun Belt would be willing to take either, but they draw the line at Liberty and Louisiana Tech, unless the Sun Belt presidents know something that I don't, which could be the case.

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Even if JMU gets solid offers from both, I think if they can bring Marshall and ODU with them to the Sun Belt thats the better option long-term. In a conference move where they're going to be for a the foreseeable future, if they're smart they're considering the media rights that would come with it.

Sun Belt is on ESPN and CUSA is on CBS Sports, Stadium, and Facebook of all places. Especially with Disney+ being so popular these days (which includes ESPN+), an ESPN deal seems like a guarantee for more coverage to me.

https://conferenceusa.com/news/2018/3/14..._2018.aspx
https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2021/7/22...rship.aspx

(10-22-2021 12:10 AM)itGoesJMU Wrote:  Even if JMU gets solid offers from both, I think if they can bring Marshall and ODU with them to the Sun Belt thats the better option long-term. In a conference move where they're going to be for a the foreseeable future, if they're smart they're considering the media rights that would come with it.

Sun Belt is on ESPN and CUSA is on CBS Sports, Stadium, and Facebook of all places. Especially with Disney+ being so popular these days (which includes ESPN+), an ESPN deal seems like a guarantee for more coverage to me.

https://conferenceusa.com/news/2018/3/14..._2018.aspx
https://sunbeltsports.org/news/2021/7/22...rship.aspx

I agree completely. That game Wednesday Night between Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina on National TV via ESPN2 is exposure and promotion CUSA cannot match. The SBC is in a much stronger position. Southern Miss is gone, Marshall and James Madison are going to choose this option -- for Jame Madison there is nowhere near the exit fee worry from the CAA as opposed to that of CUSA.

(10-21-2021 11:09 PM)DawgNBama Wrote:  From what I have heard, Marshall wants either ODU or WKU in with them. I think the Sun Belt would be willing to take either, but they draw the line at Liberty and Louisiana Tech, unless the Sun Belt presidents know something that I don't, which could be the case.

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This appears to be the case, and is consistent with all the reports I've seen in the media.Old Dominion might be digging their grave hugging too closely to Judy MacLeod. They had better be ready to pivot and go with Marshall and JMU to the Sun Belt, or risk losing their spot to WKU.

Louisiana Tech dug themselves a hole, Middle Tennessee is hung out and geography dooms UTEP and FIU. If Old Dominion gets stuck it'll be their own damned fault.

(10-22-2021 12:47 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Old Dominion might be digging their grave hugging too closely to Judy MacLeod. They had better be ready to pivot and go with Marshall and JMU to the Sun Belt, or risk losing their spot to WKU.

I might be missing some context here - what is the history behind Judy MacLeod and ODU? Quick Google search didn't turn up much.

Keith Gill (commissioner of the Sun Belt) is the former AD at University of Richmond so I'd assume (possibly incorrectly) that he has a better relationship with the Virginia schools. I thought that might work in JMU and ODU's favor in convincing them to move over to Sun Belt as a pair.

(10-22-2021 12:59 AM)itGoesJMU Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 12:47 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Old Dominion might be digging their grave hugging too closely to Judy MacLeod. They had better be ready to pivot and go with Marshall and JMU to the Sun Belt, or risk losing their spot to WKU.

I might be missing some context here - what is the history behind Judy MacLeod and ODU? Quick Google search didn't turn up much.

Keith Gill (commissioner of the Sun Belt) is the former AD at University of Richmond so I'd assume (possibly incorrectly) that he has a better relationship with the Virginia schools. I thought that might work in JMU and ODU's favor in convincing them to move over to Sun Belt as a pair.

ODU is driving the effort to keep CUSA afloat, lobbying schools not to go to the SBC. They are the drover of the "eastern front" plan. This is what I meant about hugging too close to Judy. It may not go over well with the SBC folks. And if Marshall is as happy to join the SBC with WKU as with ODU, then ODU could get left behind when Marshall follows Southern Miss into the SBC bring two schools with them, perhaps WKU and JMU, with ODU left behind.

They are going to have to pivot from being leader of the eastern front campaign to leading defector. Marshall can play that game as the primary target, but ODU is a secondary target, replaceable with others. That's a dangerous game to signal a preference to remain in CUSA.

C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

(10-22-2021 03:21 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

(10-22-2021 03:57 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:21 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

I wasn’t forgetting. You’re right. The C-USA is damned to hell for the rest of eternity.

(10-22-2021 04:41 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:57 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:21 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

I wasn’t forgetting. You’re right. The C-USA is damned to hell for the rest of eternity.

Seems to be the general consensus. Dennis Dodd at CBS Sports is saying that Sun Belt is planning on closing the deal with JMU, ODU, Marshall, and Southern Miss as early as next week.

Also this out of CBS Sports earlier today: https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...next-week/

They seem very excited about this considering C-USA is failing before their eyes and CBS Sports is the only major media broadcaster for C-USA.

(10-22-2021 03:41 PM)itGoesJMU Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 04:41 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:57 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:21 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

I wasn’t forgetting. You’re right. The C-USA is damned to hell for the rest of eternity.

Seems to be the general consensus. Dennis Dodd at CBS Sports is saying that Sun Belt is planning on closing the deal with JMU, ODU, Marshall, and Southern Miss as early as next week.

Also this out of CBS Sports earlier today: https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...next-week/

They seem very excited about this considering C-USA is failing before their eyes and CBS Sports is the only major media broadcaster for C-USA.

As the main media partner they probably have more ears to get the news

(10-22-2021 03:54 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:41 PM)itGoesJMU Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 04:41 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:57 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:21 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  C-USA can survive if JMU gets called up over stealing another school like WKU.

C-USA will most likely need to remain at least 5 current schools, bring in NMSU & Liberty, and bring up an FCS like Missouri State, Delaware, or some other one like SHSU/etc.

You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

I wasn’t forgetting. You’re right. The C-USA is damned to hell for the rest of eternity.

Seems to be the general consensus. Dennis Dodd at CBS Sports is saying that Sun Belt is planning on closing the deal with JMU, ODU, Marshall, and Southern Miss as early as next week.

Also this out of CBS Sports earlier today: https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...next-week/

They seem very excited about this considering C-USA is failing before their eyes and CBS Sports is the only major media broadcaster for C-USA.

As the main media partner they probably have more ears to get the news

They probably don't even mind that much either. They get to talk about realignment in every game broadcast until 2023 and then they can just walk away or continue to pay whatever frankenconference is left the same old peanuts. Free publicity galore.

(10-22-2021 03:59 PM)freshtop Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:54 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:41 PM)itGoesJMU Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 04:41 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 03:57 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  You forget the MAC, who could take Middle Tennessee and whichever of Old Dominion and WKU is left behind.

That leaves you with FIU, Louisiana Tech and UTEP. That is not saveable.

I wasn’t forgetting. You’re right. The C-USA is damned to hell for the rest of eternity.

Seems to be the general consensus. Dennis Dodd at CBS Sports is saying that Sun Belt is planning on closing the deal with JMU, ODU, Marshall, and Southern Miss as early as next week.

Also this out of CBS Sports earlier today: https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...next-week/

They seem very excited about this considering C-USA is failing before their eyes and CBS Sports is the only major media broadcaster for C-USA.

As the main media partner they probably have more ears to get the news

They probably don't even mind that much either. They get to talk about realignment in every game broadcast until 2023 and then they can just walk away or continue to pay whatever frankenconference is left the same old peanuts. Free publicity galore.

ESPN doesn't mind sublicensing games to them either