Why would ODU be more appealing to the SBC than WKU?

WKU has better football, basketball, and is a better cultural fit with mostly rural programs.

ODU has a better recruiting area, historically good basketball, and can sell football tickets.

Marshall wants ODU first. App wants ODU for travel and brand exposure in the Tidewater of Virginia and northeast NC.

They bring good basketball, they made investments in facilities in football, they will sell out their stadium when winning, and they have a decent following.

Most importantly, they didn't leave the Sun Belt previously.

Both would be good adds.

I would say ODU is more of a flight risk being in a good sized market, but their current AD seems to prioritize playing teams close to home over being part of the AAC geographical mess. Neither would be going anywhere else any time soon (unless it was part of the mythical unicorn east coast league).

(10-22-2021 09:40 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  Marshall wants ODU first. App wants ODU for travel and brand exposure in the Tidewater of Virginia and northeast NC.

They bring good basketball, they made investments in facilities in football, they will sell out their stadium when winning, and they have a decent following.

Most importantly, they didn't leave the Sun Belt previously.

Technically, ODU did leave the Sun Belt previously, but that was a different time and a different Sun Belt. I'm sure one of the older, more knowledgeable USA, ULL, Ark St, ODU, or WKU posters on here could explain the whole Sun Belt/Metro/Great Midwest/American South shuffle of the early 90s better than I

I think the better question is why JMU over WKU?

better travel partner with JMU and better baseball is my guess..

(10-22-2021 09:52 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  I think the better question is why JMU over WKU?

Better Football upside, Softball and better travel partner with ODU is my guess

(10-22-2021 09:51 AM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 09:40 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  Marshall wants ODU first. App wants ODU for travel and brand exposure in the Tidewater of Virginia and northeast NC.

They bring good basketball, they made investments in facilities in football, they will sell out their stadium when winning, and they have a decent following.

Most importantly, they didn't leave the Sun Belt previously.

Technically, ODU did leave the Sun Belt previously, but that was a different time and a different Sun Belt. I'm sure one of the older, more knowledgeable USA, ULL, Ark St, ODU, or WKU posters on here could explain the whole Sun Belt/Metro/Great Midwest/American South shuffle of the early 90s better than I

The only school ODU shared SBC membership with is South Alabama.

JMU over WKU?

Easy. WKU left the Sunbelt and has refused to schedule SBC schools in any sport since leaving. We don't need friends like that.

(10-22-2021 09:57 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 09:51 AM)AppfanInCAAland Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 09:40 AM)ericsaid Wrote:  Marshall wants ODU first. App wants ODU for travel and brand exposure in the Tidewater of Virginia and northeast NC.

They bring good basketball, they made investments in facilities in football, they will sell out their stadium when winning, and they have a decent following.

Most importantly, they didn't leave the Sun Belt previously.

Technically, ODU did leave the Sun Belt previously, but that was a different time and a different Sun Belt. I'm sure one of the older, more knowledgeable USA, ULL, Ark St, ODU, or WKU posters on here could explain the whole Sun Belt/Metro/Great Midwest/American South shuffle of the early 90s better than I

The only school ODU shared SBC membership with is South Alabama.

That's kinda what I meant by "a different Sun Belt".

I honestly figured it was because WKU is a basketball first school and JMU is a football first culture. Just didn't know if anyone knew the exact reason.

Make this a JMU vs WKU discussion, and I'm on board.

(10-22-2021 09:37 AM)Saint3333 Wrote:  Why would ODU be more appealing to the SBC than WKU?

WKU has better football, basketball, and is a better cultural fit with mostly rural programs.

ODU has a better recruiting area, historically good basketball, and can sell football tickets.

Since ODU joined CUSA, they have more conference wins in basketball than WKU. Since that time ODU's record against WKU in basketball is 9 wins & 6 losses, including a 2-1 record against them in the 3 games they have met over the years in the CUSA Tournament.

Since 2013-14, ODU ranks first in the league for overall road wins (54) and road wins within C-USA play (40). Old Dominion ranks second in the league for total wins (168) since 2013-14, as well as home victories (53) and overall C-USA wins (94). I'm pretty sure that it is LA Tech with just 1 more win than ODU for the most conference wins.

Also, ODU brings better baseball to the mix than WKU.

To my WKU friends, none of this is meant as a slight on WKU. They are a good sports school as well.

(10-22-2021 09:52 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  I think the better question is why JMU over WKU?

Same

(10-22-2021 10:12 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 09:52 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  I think the better question is why JMU over WKU?

Same

Yes

Personally, I’d prefer a program with a history of championship pedigree over a former conference backstabber that pumps their chest undeservingly.

(10-22-2021 10:12 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(10-22-2021 09:52 AM)herdfan129 Wrote:  I think the better question is why JMU over WKU?

Same

the more i think about this, the Western teams could have made this call, if we had to move to 14. travel partner in VA. for everyone plus better football and Softball success, oh and as you have read, some hard feelings may still exist.

An overlooked aspect of getting ODU/JMU is that you can blanket a new market from East to West. ODU is the only game in town for a major metro area, and JMU adds eyes in Richmond, NoVa, and the western part of the state. Maybe ESPN said we'd like that market?

For travel, teams could easily fly into Richmond and have under 2 hours to Harrisonburg or Norfolk.

It also opens up fertile new recruiting grounds to SBC schools.

I’ve heard from an ok source that there was little interest in bringing in the formers of MTSU, WKU or FIU.

(10-22-2021 10:28 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  An overlooked aspect of getting ODU/JMU is that you can blanket a new market from East to West. ODU is the only game in town for a major metro area, and JMU adds eyes in Richmond, NoVa, and the western part of the state. Maybe ESPN said we'd like that market?

For travel, teams could easily fly into Richmond and have under 2 hours to Harrisonburg or Norfolk.

It also opens up fertile new recruiting grounds to SBC schools.

Local sports talk radio here in Richmond seems really excited/positive about JMU and ODU to the SBC these last few days.