Just which side of the fence – right or wrong – that WKU did end up on remains to be seen, but Stewart has seen C-USA take positive steps to address some of the concerns that led Western Kentucky to explore other conference options – namely, an improved TV deal and a long-desired change in venue for the C-USA basketball tournaments from the Dallas Cowboys’ multi-purpose training facility in Frisco, Texas, to Propst Arena in Huntsville, Ala., for the next two years.

I appreciate Stewart's transparency. He is probably a bit more "glass half full" than the fanbase, but I acknowledge he has to find the positive. The move of the basketball tournament is a big positive for WKU.

I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

(06-12-2023 08:59 AM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

The conference and Judy have done a commendable job after the 9 team exodus lit a fire. I can't say I am 100% pleased with everything that has been done, but it certainly could be worse.

I look forward to being a part of The Leaner Meaner CUSA.

(06-12-2023 10:16 AM)freshtop Wrote:  

(06-12-2023 08:59 AM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

The conference and Judy have done a commendable job after the 9 team exodus lit a fire. I can't say I am 100% pleased with everything that has been done, but it certainly could be worse.

Overall she has done exactly the route I would have taken if I were the commissioner. It’s about as good of an outcome as I think could have been created with the situation. I am cautiously optimistic about the future of CUSA.

(06-13-2023 08:38 AM)Ewglenn Wrote:  

(06-12-2023 10:16 AM)freshtop Wrote:  

(06-12-2023 08:59 AM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

The conference and Judy have done a commendable job after the 9 team exodus lit a fire. I can't say I am 100% pleased with everything that has been done, but it certainly could be worse.

Overall she has done exactly the route I would have taken if I were the commissioner. It’s about as good of an outcome as I think could have been created with the situation. I am cautiously optimistic about the future of CUSA.

Agreed. Gotta take what we've been given & run with it.

Wasn't that long ago that it was other conferences trying to figure it out with seemingly less-than ideal circumstances. If we put in the work, time will change things.

100% agree, I think she has done a heck of a job under the circumstances. My hats off to her on this one.

Ultimately, I think USM probably fits in better in the Belt anyway, due to more like-minded schools. I think most of us fans are just scarred from the years of being passed over during the constant conference realignment of the last 15 years. USM is just happy to be somewhere, where our sister schools seem to want us to be there at the moment, but I am sure that could change too.

(06-13-2023 04:34 PM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  100% agree, I think she has done a heck of a job under the circumstances. My hats off to her on this one.

Ultimately, I think USM probably fits in better in the Belt anyway, due to more like-minded schools. I think most of us fans are just scarred from the years of being passed over during the constant conference realignment of the last 15 years. USM is just happy to be somewhere, where our sister schools seem to want us to be there at the moment, but I am sure that could change too.

Seems to be the biggest difference between FCS and FBS. FBS is which conference will be your schools home while FCS was will we make the playoffs. Conference realignment wasnt a big topic most years and we moved more than most schools in FCS.

The WKU AD article and comments are mostly "AD spin". Nothing really newsworthy.

(06-12-2023 08:59 AM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

I wonder how much of that tv deal was Judy, and how much of that was the Liberty AD? Seems I remember that it was reported that he was playing a bit part in media negotiations.

The deal itself was much better than I thought could be pulled off. Getting back with ESPN is maybe the single most important thing that the league could have done. I've long maintained the belief that ESPN can make you or break you as a G5 conference. Legitimate exposure plays a big roll if your team is having a special year to get to an access bowl. I definitely chalk it up as a win for CUSA.

The additions of Liberty and Jacksonville State are solid. Both have solid fanbases and programs, and moving the basketball tournament away from the AAU setup to a real arena more centrally located is the other box checked that needed to happen.

CUSA is going to be fine.

(06-13-2023 06:35 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  The WKU AD article and comments are mostly "AD spin". Nothing really newsworthy.

Every AD in the conference has had these talking points down for months. Probably workshopped together before the deal was announced and they've all certainly had time to perfect it this spring and summer as they try to sell season tickets to games people can't attend.

Last paragraph states daily coversations ongoing of next moves. Except the new members, everyone looking to leave yesterday.

While it's good to see an AD come out and say the things he said, I still maintain that this thing can be as good as we, collectively, want it to be. I know I may catch some flack for this, but while we were in the Sunbelt, it was evident that, for the most part we were all trying to lift each other up as best we could. If we can all get on the same page and work together to raise the profile of the league, we will all be fine.

I contrast that with what I witnessed in the WAC when we first got there with Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, etc. and it was the complete opposite. Those schools (not just the three mentioned) would slit their sister's throat just to get a step ahead. It's part of the reason I really don't want anything to do with the MWC, even if it were an option. We all have to look out for ourselves at the end of the day, but man there was some hate there.

GO AGGIES!!!!

(06-14-2023 07:56 AM)NMSUIndyAg Wrote:  While it's good to see an AD come out and say the things he said, I still maintain that this thing can be as good as we, collectively, want it to be. I know I may catch some flack for this, but while we were in the Sunbelt, it was evident that, for the most part we were all trying to lift each other up as best we could. If we can all get on the same page and work together to raise the profile of the league, we will all be fine.

I contrast that with what I witnessed in the WAC when we first got there with Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, etc. and it was the complete opposite. Those schools (not just the three mentioned) would slit their sister's throat just to get a step ahead. It's part of the reason I really don't want anything to do with the MWC, even if it were an option. We all have to look out for ourselves at the end of the day, but man there was some hate there.

GO AGGIES!!!!

I agree 100% with what you said about the MW. However, I’d take it in a heartbeat, even it had a diminished membership when we could get in. At some point things in realignment will settle down in the West and there won’t be much room left for musical chairs. And at that point I hope to be in whatever the Mountain West is.

(06-14-2023 07:56 AM)NMSUIndyAg Wrote:  While it's good to see an AD come out and say the things he said, I still maintain that this thing can be as good as we, collectively, want it to be. I know I may catch some flack for this, but while we were in the Sunbelt, it was evident that, for the most part we were all trying to lift each other up as best we could. If we can all get on the same page and work together to raise the profile of the league, we will all be fine.

I contrast that with what I witnessed in the WAC when we first got there with Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, etc. and it was the complete opposite. Those schools (not just the three mentioned) would slit their sister's throat just to get a step ahead. It's part of the reason I really don't want anything to do with the MWC, even if it were an option. We all have to look out for ourselves at the end of the day, but man there was some hate there.

GO AGGIES!!!!

Didn't you also share the 'belt with USU?

And didn't the SB you were in have just as many teams bail out on you as the WAC? Including letting you and Idaho fend for yourselves?

I'm just not sure "getting on the same page and working together" makes a difference. The way we raise the profile of the conference is by being better on the field (and I guess in fundraising and somehow increasing our respective media market populations). Does it matter if we do that with a view to moving to another conference or staying in CUSA? If NMSU improves (whether or not they want to stay or not) that's good for CUSA and Louisiana Tech. I don't care about your motivations.

(06-14-2023 08:11 AM)inutech Wrote:  

(06-14-2023 07:56 AM)NMSUIndyAg Wrote:  While it's good to see an AD come out and say the things he said, I still maintain that this thing can be as good as we, collectively, want it to be. I know I may catch some flack for this, but while we were in the Sunbelt, it was evident that, for the most part we were all trying to lift each other up as best we could. If we can all get on the same page and work together to raise the profile of the league, we will all be fine.

I contrast that with what I witnessed in the WAC when we first got there with Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, etc. and it was the complete opposite. Those schools (not just the three mentioned) would slit their sister's throat just to get a step ahead. It's part of the reason I really don't want anything to do with the MWC, even if it were an option. We all have to look out for ourselves at the end of the day, but man there was some hate there.

GO AGGIES!!!!

Didn't you also share the 'belt with USU?

And didn't the SB you were in have just as many teams bail out on you as the WAC? Including letting you and Idaho fend for yourselves?

I'm just not sure "getting on the same page and working together" makes a difference. The way we raise the profile of the conference is by being better on the field (and I guess in fundraising and somehow increasing our respective media market populations). Does it matter if we do that with a view to moving to another conference or staying in CUSA? If NMSU improves (whether or not they want to stay or not) that's good for CUSA and Louisiana Tech. I don't care about your motivations.

Right, this is a stepping stone conference, so the best way to all “get on the same page” is for as many schools as possible to win bowls/win NCAAT games/improve facilities. We all benefit.

(06-14-2023 09:40 AM)EatEmUp11 Wrote:  

(06-14-2023 08:11 AM)inutech Wrote:  

(06-14-2023 07:56 AM)NMSUIndyAg Wrote:  While it's good to see an AD come out and say the things he said, I still maintain that this thing can be as good as we, collectively, want it to be. I know I may catch some flack for this, but while we were in the Sunbelt, it was evident that, for the most part we were all trying to lift each other up as best we could. If we can all get on the same page and work together to raise the profile of the league, we will all be fine.

I contrast that with what I witnessed in the WAC when we first got there with Nevada, Fresno, Utah State, etc. and it was the complete opposite. Those schools (not just the three mentioned) would slit their sister's throat just to get a step ahead. It's part of the reason I really don't want anything to do with the MWC, even if it were an option. We all have to look out for ourselves at the end of the day, but man there was some hate there.

GO AGGIES!!!!

Didn't you also share the 'belt with USU?

And didn't the SB you were in have just as many teams bail out on you as the WAC? Including letting you and Idaho fend for yourselves?

I'm just not sure "getting on the same page and working together" makes a difference. The way we raise the profile of the conference is by being better on the field (and I guess in fundraising and somehow increasing our respective media market populations). Does it matter if we do that with a view to moving to another conference or staying in CUSA? If NMSU improves (whether or not they want to stay or not) that's good for CUSA and Louisiana Tech. I don't care about your motivations.

Right, this is a stepping stone conference, so the best way to all “get on the same page” is for as many schools as possible to win bowls/win NCAAT games/improve facilities. We all benefit.

And if we do that, we may find others wanting to step into the conference, rather than abandon ship here.

C-USA has always been a stepping stone conference and will continue be one in the future. From founding member Louisville to the latest addition, Kennesaw State……the vast majority of its members will leave if a better opportunity comes. The MAC, MWC and SBC have something in common culturally and regionally. We don’t have that and it’s okay. We just need to win OOC games in FB and BB, not lose games we are not supposed to lose like FCS games, have a winning bowl record every year, improve the basketball brand which can be capitalized with the “Battle of I-10” and the “100 Miles of Hate” rivalries and get at least two teams in the NCAAT

(06-14-2023 06:03 AM)GreenDaddy Wrote:  

(06-12-2023 08:59 AM)PolymerEagle Wrote:  I see it as a very good move for Judy / CUSA to get the TV contract to be improved, and get out of the curtained facility in Dallas for basketball. Had she done some of this a little earlier, she likely could have prevented a bunch of her member schools wanting out so aggressively.

I wonder how much of that tv deal was Judy, and how much of that was the Liberty AD? Seems I remember that it was reported that he was playing a bit part in media negotiations.

The deal itself was much better than I thought could be pulled off. Getting back with ESPN is maybe the single most important thing that the league could have done. I've long maintained the belief that ESPN can make you or break you as a G5 conference. Legitimate exposure plays a big roll if your team is having a special year to get to an access bowl. I definitely chalk it up as a win for CUSA.

The additions of Liberty and Jacksonville State are solid. Both have solid fanbases and programs, and moving the basketball tournament away from the AAU setup to a real arena more centrally located is the other box checked that needed to happen.

CUSA is going to be fine.

KSU and SHSU have been better the JSU over the past 5 years.