(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 08:54 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-22-2022 06:37 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  That's for sure.

Not sure about your opinion that OCS is automatically a better environment. But one thing I can guarantee would enhance the environment and experience is 10,000 or 15,000 additional butts in the seats at Liberty Stadium. That would also demonstrate to all the commitment to Tiger football.

Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Don't know where you get that most support an OCS. Most of the Tiger fans on this board dont believe that an OCS is the answer. Those of you who believe this are entitled to your belief, but none of your reasons for that belief are merely opinions. I have been to many OCS games that disprove your argument. But like I said you can believe anything you want. In this nation we have freedom of religion.

(07-24-2022 12:19 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 08:54 PM)Keeper Wrote:  Not sure about your opinion that OCS is automatically a better environment. But one thing I can guarantee would enhance the environment and experience is 10,000 or 15,000 additional butts in the seats at Liberty Stadium. That would also demonstrate to all the commitment to Tiger football.

Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Agree totally.

All I know is as an alum my loyalty and attachment to Memphis is as great as any alum to any university. I cant imagine how sad not having that must be.

(07-24-2022 08:51 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 08:54 PM)Keeper Wrote:  Not sure about your opinion that OCS is automatically a better environment. But one thing I can guarantee would enhance the environment and experience is 10,000 or 15,000 additional butts in the seats at Liberty Stadium. That would also demonstrate to all the commitment to Tiger football.

Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Don't know where you get that most support an OCS. Most of the Tiger fans on this board dont believe that an OCS is the answer. Those of you who believe this are entitled to your belief, but none of your reasons for that belief are merely opinions. I have been to many OCS games that disprove your argument. But like I said you can believe anything you want. In this nation we have freedom of religion.

I don't think I have been to a game at on OCS that wasn't a better "experience" than what LBMS offers. It also gets people on campus, which is likely a huge benefit when it comes to alumni interest, which would likely impact giving. It also creates a bridge to the college for those who give out of "civic obligation." Those living on campus get an easily accessible, and affordable form of entertainment that's literally at their front door. I've posted before, that the only thing that ties a MBB or football game to the University is the school name on the front of the jersey. The MBB games and Grizzlies games are a very similar atmosphere, the only obvious difference is the presence of the band. Had we been investing in football during the early 2000's, I think we could have been included with UCF and Cincinnati's invitation to the B12. We may be at a too little, too late position for the foreseeable future. Our likely path to moving "up," likely revolves around the ACC getting poached, and us backfilling one of those spots. I doubt that would be announced in the next 10 years as their GOR is good until 2036. We may get a call up around 2034ish if there's movement made public by then. Hopefully our conference brethren haven't passed us in facilities, leaving us on the "outside looking in" once more.

(07-24-2022 08:55 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 12:19 PM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Agree totally.

All I know is as an alum my loyalty and attachment to Memphis is as great as any alum to any university. I cant imagine how sad not having that must be.

You miss the point of OS' comment - not playing on campus prevents you from having an OC experience, doesn't get alumni back on campus. Everybody here is s big Memphis fan or they wouldn't spend the time to talk about our university but factually speaking we do not & cannot have an OC experience because we do not play on-campus. This isn't opinion, just simple, straight forward factual information. No reason to infer by us saying it, to question our loyalty or commitment to the university. Some of us just think there could be a stronger, more committed alumni if we had reason to be on campus on game day - especially those who work a regular weekly schedule or live out of town. Gameday is our primary opportunity to connect (with the university proper physically/visually, spend $$ OC, speak to admin folks, connect & reconnect with school friends - which means more than you seem to think..... & get more students into gameday activities which would also serve to get them back after graduation.

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but mine is the OCS experience is only slightly preferable, but doesn’t move the needle for me to be upset the decision was an OCS wasn’t achievable right now. I will attend games wherever they are. I have attended both, & not all OCS experiences are what you see with most of the SEC schools with overflowing student sections. I don’t think anyone should assume an OCS magically gives us 10K+ more butts in seats from our students & even if it did, is having a smaller stadium with 25-30% of the seats reserved for those who get in free really going to improve our financial situation since we would then have to pay all operating, maintenance, & likely debt financing costs? There is only so high you can raise the price point for the paying audience before you start forcing them to watch the games on tv. I guess I don’t see an OCS as the magic wand some seem to believe it can be & I also don’t believe it’s the golden ticket to moving up in realignment, it’s the commitment to invest $ in football that does & I believe the renovation plans meet that need. To me an OCS would be more of a luxury/want than a need.

(07-25-2022 07:46 AM)hk25 Wrote:  Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but mine is the OCS experience is only slightly preferable, but doesn’t move the needle for me to be upset the decision was an OCS wasn’t achievable right now. I will attend games wherever they are. I have attended both, & not all OCS experiences are what you see with most of the SEC schools with overflowing student sections. I don’t think anyone should assume an OCS magically gives us 10K+ more butts in seats from our students & even if it did, is having a smaller stadium with 25-30% of the seats reserved for those who get in free really going to improve our financial situation since we would then have to pay all operating, maintenance, & likely debt financing costs? There is only so high you can raise the price point for the paying audience before you start forcing them to watch the games on tv. I guess I don’t see an OCS as the magic wand some seem to believe it can be & I also don’t believe it’s the golden ticket to moving up in realignment, it’s the commitment to invest $ in football that does & I believe the renovation plans meet that need. To me an OCS would be more of a luxury/want than a need.

With the current "state" of realignment projections, and the likelihood of us getting "in" dwindling for now, why not make a "long-term" goal, maybe 5-7 years to fund an OCS? I understand your reasons behind it being a "luxury/want," but I have a hard time believing that funding $400 million for an OCS in 5 years won't be easier than funding the $200 million for municipal upgrades. Not only are you getting interest from donors who want to contribute to upgrades, but you also get the donations of those who truly believe that an OCS is what will help propel Memphis to the top of the list the next time realignment kicks in. I have a bad feeling we're waiting on the ACC to get picked apart close to their GOR ending. By then, AAC conference mates like USF, who fit better geographically, will have their OCS built and running. I think the LBMS facelift is a short-term/temporary fix for a problem that has been neglected for far too long.

(07-25-2022 08:01 AM)TigerFan38134 Wrote:  

(07-25-2022 07:46 AM)hk25 Wrote:  Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but mine is the OCS experience is only slightly preferable, but doesn’t move the needle for me to be upset the decision was an OCS wasn’t achievable right now. I will attend games wherever they are. I have attended both, & not all OCS experiences are what you see with most of the SEC schools with overflowing student sections. I don’t think anyone should assume an OCS magically gives us 10K+ more butts in seats from our students & even if it did, is having a smaller stadium with 25-30% of the seats reserved for those who get in free really going to improve our financial situation since we would then have to pay all operating, maintenance, & likely debt financing costs? There is only so high you can raise the price point for the paying audience before you start forcing them to watch the games on tv. I guess I don’t see an OCS as the magic wand some seem to believe it can be & I also don’t believe it’s the golden ticket to moving up in realignment, it’s the commitment to invest $ in football that does & I believe the renovation plans meet that need. To me an OCS would be more of a luxury/want than a need.

With the current "state" of realignment projections, and the likelihood of us getting "in" dwindling for now, why not make a "long-term" goal, maybe 5-7 years to fund an OCS? I understand your reasons behind it being a "luxury/want," but I have a hard time believing that funding $400 million for an OCS in 5 years won't be easier than funding the $200 million for municipal upgrades. Not only are you getting interest from donors who want to contribute to upgrades, but you also get the donations of those who truly believe that an OCS is what will help propel Memphis to the top of the list the next time realignment kicks in. I have a bad feeling we're waiting on the ACC to get picked apart close to their GOR ending. By then, AAC conference mates like USF, who fit better geographically, will have their OCS built and running. I think the LBMS facelift is a short-term/temporary fix for a problem that has been neglected for far too long.

The school made it clear that there was a sense of urgency for the IPF. When you look back, it was a miracle that we were able to turn things around with all of the disadvantages we had before Tiger Lane and the IPF. The project wasn't as sexy as funding for an OCS, but it came at 10% of the cost, and funding should have been a slam dunk. It wasn't.

The whales looked at the situation and didn't have confidence that the fanbase would be able to or willing to fund half of it. That is most likely the reality.

(07-25-2022 06:50 AM)TigerFan38134 Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:51 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Don't know where you get that most support an OCS. Most of the Tiger fans on this board dont believe that an OCS is the answer. Those of you who believe this are entitled to your belief, but none of your reasons for that belief are merely opinions. I have been to many OCS games that disprove your argument. But like I said you can believe anything you want. In this nation we have freedom of religion.

I don't think I have been to a game at on OCS that wasn't a better "experience" than what LBMS offers. It also gets people on campus, which is likely a huge benefit when it comes to alumni interest, which would likely impact giving. It also creates a bridge to the college for those who give out of "civic obligation." Those living on campus get an easily accessible, and affordable form of entertainment that's literally at their front door. I've posted before, that the only thing that ties a MBB or football game to the University is the school name on the front of the jersey. The MBB games and Grizzlies games are a very similar atmosphere, the only obvious difference is the presence of the band. Had we been investing in football during the early 2000's, I think we could have been included with UCF and Cincinnati's invitation to the B12. We may be at a too little, too late position for the foreseeable future. Our likely path to moving "up," likely revolves around the ACC getting poached, and us backfilling one of those spots. I doubt that would be announced in the next 10 years as their GOR is good until 2036. We may get a call up around 2034ish if there's movement made public by then. Hopefully our conference brethren haven't passed us in facilities, leaving us on the "outside looking in" once more.

Atmosphere for Grizzlies game vs atmosphere for MEMPHIS Tigers game is far different. Grizzlies have dancers dancing, music playing and t-shirts falling from the ceiling, all while the game clock is ticking. The NCAA doesn't permit music, dancers dancing, t-shirt giveaways during play. Thta stuff is reserved for timeouts and halftime. The college gameday experience is about the game and the pageantry. The NBA is about entertainment.

Side note: Kentucky uses timeouts to energize the crowd. You don't call a timeout at Kentucky to take the crowd out of it. Calling a timeout in Rupp Arena allows their cheerleaders and mascot to get involved in leading the cheers. I do NOT like Kentucky but I love the way they use timeout time in the arena. Just like, I don't like Duke but I love how they put students in the seats by court to make an impact on the game.

(07-25-2022 08:44 AM)gusrob Wrote:  

(07-25-2022 06:50 AM)TigerFan38134 Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:51 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Don't know where you get that most support an OCS. Most of the Tiger fans on this board dont believe that an OCS is the answer. Those of you who believe this are entitled to your belief, but none of your reasons for that belief are merely opinions. I have been to many OCS games that disprove your argument. But like I said you can believe anything you want. In this nation we have freedom of religion.

I don't think I have been to a game at on OCS that wasn't a better "experience" than what LBMS offers. It also gets people on campus, which is likely a huge benefit when it comes to alumni interest, which would likely impact giving. It also creates a bridge to the college for those who give out of "civic obligation." Those living on campus get an easily accessible, and affordable form of entertainment that's literally at their front door. I've posted before, that the only thing that ties a MBB or football game to the University is the school name on the front of the jersey. The MBB games and Grizzlies games are a very similar atmosphere, the only obvious difference is the presence of the band. Had we been investing in football during the early 2000's, I think we could have been included with UCF and Cincinnati's invitation to the B12. We may be at a too little, too late position for the foreseeable future. Our likely path to moving "up," likely revolves around the ACC getting poached, and us backfilling one of those spots. I doubt that would be announced in the next 10 years as their GOR is good until 2036. We may get a call up around 2034ish if there's movement made public by then. Hopefully our conference brethren haven't passed us in facilities, leaving us on the "outside looking in" once more.

Atmosphere for Grizzlies game vs atmosphere for MEMPHIS Tigers game is far different. Grizzlies have dancers dancing, music playing and t-shirts falling from the ceiling, all while the game clock is ticking. The NCAA doesn't permit music, dancers dancing, t-shirt giveaways during play. Thta stuff is reserved for timeouts and halftime. The college gameday experience is about the game and the pageantry. The NBA is about entertainment.

Side note: Kentucky uses timeouts to energize the crowd. You don't call a timeout at Kentucky to take the crowd out of it. Calling a timeout in Rupp Arena allows their cheerleaders and mascot to get involved in leading the cheers. I do NOT like Kentucky but I love the way they use timeout time in the arena. Just like, I don't like Duke but I love how they put students in the seats by court to make an impact on the game.

OK but I think we're primarily talking OC atmosphere for FB. And even so, we're talking about visiting an open bookstore pre/post game where they would be selling a wide range of Tiger gear, meeting friends for a pre/post game meal, speaking with admin folks, getting a look at progress on campus many of us haven't seen in years, having the opportunity to hear about funding opportunities firsthand from a real person face-to-face, seeing a wide range of students invloved etc.

Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Mississippi State all used to play home games off campus. They stopped.

(07-25-2022 03:20 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Mississippi State all used to play home games off campus. They stopped.

Add Georgia and Florida

(07-25-2022 03:20 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Mississippi State all used to play home games off campus. They stopped.

Because $EC money allowed them to expand their campus stadiums.

Arkansas had to fight the legislature to play less games in Little Rock.

(07-26-2022 10:36 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(07-25-2022 03:20 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Mississippi State all used to play home games off campus. They stopped.

Because $EC money allowed them to expand their campus stadiums.

Arkansas had to fight the legislature to play less games in Little Rock.

All those teams took big paydays out of Memphis' stadiums and reinvested the money in their own facilities.

(07-26-2022 10:36 AM)Tiger46 Wrote:  

(07-25-2022 03:20 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Mississippi State all used to play home games off campus. They stopped.

Because $EC money allowed them to expand their campus stadiums.

Arkansas had to fight the legislature to play less games in Little Rock.

Miss. St. last home game off campus was 32 years ago my freshman yr in '90 in Jackson. Long before any SEC TV money rolled in. JP game of the week. #GoldenFlake

(07-21-2022 12:03 PM)gusrob Wrote:  Yep. FedEx, GMC, Yum, Coca-Cola, Kroger, Delta, WalMart, Proctor & Gamble combine forces to run the conference utilizing NIL to their benefit. Kids are back working for millionaires.

Memphis is fielding a competitive football team under HC Brady White. and basking in the glow from our 2 Bball National Championships under Head Coach Penny Hardaway and coach in waiting, ALo.

Claw leads charge to new OC mega-sports-complex after winning Powerball. Innovative ideas create a new major/curriculum based on sports entertainment. Law school puts out the most successful agents in most sports. New gameday experience created in which home viewers join the fanfare and live viewers experience the show of a lifetime, all interactive and individualized.

Tonight's Mega Millions is at $810 Million. I have a ticket.

10 years could go by in the blink of an eye.

(07-25-2022 06:50 AM)TigerFan38134 Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:51 PM)Keeper Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 08:52 AM)Original Sabretooth Wrote:  

(07-24-2022 06:26 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(07-23-2022 09:49 PM)CRM114 Wrote:  Seeing that everything is driven by TV revenue, I don’t buy into the fan atmosphere or OCS arguments. If our games drew 2-3 million viewers per game, we could play home games in Whitehaven HS stadium and still get into a P5 conference.

Main problems we face are TV market size and economics, school size, low growth rates, and size/affluence of alumni base.

School size, growth rates & size/affluence of the alumni base could all be positively affected by an OCS. Take in some games where schools play OC. There is a tremendous difference in the atmosphere & experience - and an OCS gets alumni back on campus, causing them to stay connected & give more. The only thing Memphis can do about market size is win more consistently year to year & play an exciting brand of FB that viewers enjoy watching.

We have so many fans of the football program who are not alumni, which is wonderful, but they see Tiger football only through the lens of football; where most alumni support the OCS for the reasons outlined in the post above. I think a large part of the university’s problem is most of its large benefactors are not alumni of the school. They support the school out of civic obligation but there is not the irrational attachment to the school that an Ole Miss, LSU or Arkansas enjoy. The alumni of those schools enjoy an attachment to their schools that Memphis alumni, unfortunately, envy.

Don't know where you get that most support an OCS. Most of the Tiger fans on this board dont believe that an OCS is the answer. Those of you who believe this are entitled to your belief, but none of your reasons for that belief are merely opinions. I have been to many OCS games that disprove your argument. But like I said you can believe anything you want. In this nation we have freedom of religion.

I don't think I have been to a game at on OCS that wasn't a better "experience" than what LBMS offers. It also gets people on campus, which is likely a huge benefit when it comes to alumni interest, which would likely impact giving. It also creates a bridge to the college for those who give out of "civic obligation." Those living on campus get an easily accessible, and affordable form of entertainment that's literally at their front door. I've posted before, that the only thing that ties a MBB or football game to the University is the school name on the front of the jersey. The MBB games and Grizzlies games are a very similar atmosphere, the only obvious difference is the presence of the band. Had we been investing in football during the early 2000's, I think we could have been included with UCF and Cincinnati's invitation to the B12. We may be at a too little, too late position for the foreseeable future. Our likely path to moving "up," likely revolves around the ACC getting poached, and us backfilling one of those spots. I doubt that would be announced in the next 10 years as their GOR is good until 2036. We may get a call up around 2034ish if there's movement made public by then. Hopefully our conference brethren haven't passed us in facilities, leaving us on the "outside looking in" once more.

Don't get me wrong. I agree that an OCS would be an awesome addition to the gameday experience, great for alumni and community connection to the University and transformative for the campus. I just don't think it is "the answer" for a P5 invite as some have suggested. Or, put another way, it is not the main reason why we were left out while UCF, Houston and Cincinnati were invited to the Big 12. I continue to believe that TV market size, school size, regional economics, and the growth trajectory of all three played a far bigger role than the location and ownership of the football stadium.

The $200M upgrade on the Liberty Bowl may be more fiscally realistic for our present circumstances than building an OCS. But I also have doubts whether the LB project would move the needle either, because an upgraded stadium will not directly boost our media revenue potential enough to get us into any P5 conference as they are currently constructed. And it's media revenue that is driving the bus here. I don't think many people decide which game to watch on TV based on how pretty the stadium is, or whether it's on the school's campus. The top factors are some long-term affiliation to the school itself - either alumni, family member of alumni, or geography (living in or near the place that the school is named for) - and of course winning consistently.

To Atlanta's point, perhaps an OCS would provide some measurable increase in fan affiliation and winning that grows the university and makes us more attractive to another conference. Maybe it even does so far better than a LB upgrade that it's worth an extra $100M or more of spending. But either option is probably a roundabout way to get there where focusing on other, less massive expenditures (coaches salaries, NIL for example) could get you there faster.

An OCS would benefit the university, its alumni & the fan base. If the university starts acting in its own best interest, then the rest will work itself out.

Marc Mensa,
The A.D. wants a diet of Cupcakes and a lot of fans agree

(07-26-2022 07:42 PM)memphisike Wrote:  Marc Mensa,
The A.D. wants a diet of Cupcakes and a lot of fans agree

Lol

I am sorry to inform the board I did not win the $800 million plus Mega Millions drawing last night.

However, no one else did either.

Next Jackpot is over 1 BILLION with a cash value of $600 million.

If I hit it, it will be a nice On-Campus Stadium in the shape of ..... A CLAW!