JulesFIU07

Old Dominion also has very deep pockets, it won't be hard for them to continue to build their football program.

Exactly. The SBC doesn't get the richest school, ODU, nor does it get the Charlotte and Norfolk metro areas.

As important as football is, and it is the driving force in all of this, one must remember that the ability of some of these schools to strengthen C-USA in basketball and baseball means more tournament placements and more NCAA payouts.

Exactly. Two of the teams added to C-USA were 8-5 in FBS last season, FIU and LaTech, and SoMiss, Tulsa, Marshall and ECU have all been very successful FBS programs. Old Dominion sees a huge bump in basketball, and their FCS campaign has been very promising thus far. They also have more in the way of financial resources than any other new member. UNC-Charlotte is a great baseball program, a solid basketball program, and they are located in a big metro area. Every program being added either has solid facilities or is in the process of upgrading them, and UNT, FIU, UNC-Charlotte, UTSA and ODU are all in large metro areas.

You're still looking at two teams that were 8-5 last season joining C-USA in LaTech and FIU, which gives you a bigger media market than Orlando. UNT is clearly better than Memphis, and brings in DFW. UTSA has lots of potential, and their growth will be accelerated thanks to the move. When you consider that the SBC will now feature GSU, USA and TSU it is clear that C-USA is much better. I just wish they'd go to 14 and take MTSU and Appalachian State.

How on earth did they come to that conclusion?

It has certainly kept them more relevant than the ACC despite their shared lack of success versus the SEC.

Agreed. Southern Miss, Tulsa and ECU have shown periods of sustained success, certainly more than UCF, and close to that of Houston and SMU over the last decade. This is still a solid football conference, and if Louisville bolts from the BE there won't be much difference between C-USA and the BE.

And in the end both conferences are merging anyway, as it increases their leverage with networks and post-season opportunities.

The merger probably takes place in 2014.

Oh, we must work at the same company.

Clearly they feel that by adding schools in major metro areas with large student bodies that the potential for a large, built in fan base exist.

The half-dozen campuses scattered around town is FAU, not FIU. We have a few smaller offices around town, one in the financial district specifically geared towards the MBA program, and one in South Beach specifically geared towards the music program (a stone's throw from the New World Symphony). We only have two true campuses, the main one and the Biscayne Bay Campus. Once again, the football stadium and basketball arena are both being further enhanced, the remaining facilities are more than adequate, so that isn't a big detriment. The football team's record historically could be held against it, but recent success both on and off the field points to a continued upward trajectory, which I am sure is what C-USA is thinking. That combined with the Miami market is what would drive C-USA's decision making. Basketball, as bad as it has been, is clearly a tertiary aspect of this conference expansion.

Agreed. App St. has a solid following and sustained success, they'd seem the more natural fit.

We are working on improving that. The stadium is being enclosed this year, and there are plans for a second series of skyboxes, press facilities, and a second deck of seating.

That's fine. I thought I was being pretty respectful in presenting my position, and never downed your school or athletic program, but hey you're entitled to your opinion.

I know they announced they aren't a candidate, as to why I care? It is simple, I saw people coming up with multiple reasons why my school isn't good enough. Be it stadium, fan support, revenues, or academics, there seemed to be a concerted effort to say FIU is not good enough. I came on here to say that we are good enough. That our athletic department is really no different than that of UNT, MTSU or WKU. Furthermore, that academically we are just as good, and probably better than most schools in the Belt. That's fine if you percieve FAU as being better than FIU because of their new stadium, nevermind our's is being expanded, but ultimately what matters in expansion is performance and media market. FAU was never truly in the running because their market is too small and they have been a perenial loser for the last three years. Actually UCF, in terms of total dollar amount, takes in more than we do, though it is a smaller percentage of their overall income.

Most of FIU's progress in athletics has been over the last six years. Prior to Pete Garcia taking over, our athletic department was a joke, however in that time frame we have covered an awful lot of ground. Given that UNT has had college athletics since 1913, long before FIU was even in existence, we have definitely created overall institutional parity within that time. Once again, it was mentioned on here that fees were being raised to make the department more competitive with other AD's. Fact of the matter is that most every non-AQ relies heavily on student fees to make their departments work. If you really want to take shots at us for that, fine, but there are plenty of schools that pay more per student than we do, FAU included The idea that the stadium alone is what makes FAU "better" than FIU is just laughable. They are a smaller department, with less income (despite having higher students fees than FIU), and in a smaller media market. And yes, UF's Heavener Field House is better than our R. Kirk Landon, but the difference in size between FSU's weight room and our's is a mere 700 sq ft, so the facility itself matches up with most AQ's, just not the very top of the college world. However I was never comparing FIU with UF, I was comparing FIU with peer institutions in the SBC and said that, overall, our facilities are on par with our peers and some of our facilities even match what is seen at some AQ's. Anyway, I have said over and over again that I think both FIU and UNT will be invited to The Alliance, my point of contention is that FAU is a more viable candidate than FIU.

The cameras are exposed to the elements, which actually isn't unusual in a stadium. That picture is outdated as the "box" to the far left of the picture is now closed. I'd love to have an all poured concrete stadium, however that would probaby cost $120-150 million. The basketball arena, which is undergoing improvements, is pretty standard for a 1980's era basketball arena. The size itself isn't the biggest issue, it can hold around 5,000 people, it is the asthetics. This is a bit aspirational, but I'd ultimately like to see an arena built on the south east corner of the current Miami-Dade Fair Grounds after they are incorporated into the campus as future student village, and a poured cement stadium with other facilities built where Tamiami Park now is.

A bit hyperbolic?

In that case 79 million in Denton goes a lot further than 70 million in Boca. Ultimately I hope we do replace our stadium with something similar to the Sammy Ofer sports complex in Haifa, Israel.

I am pretty sure I differentiated between the pressbox/skybox area, which you just posted a picture of, and the rest of the stadium.

FIU, like all state universities, allows students who graduated from community colleges to enroll in the school, therefore we get a lot of students who graduate from MDC that then enroll in FIU. Many prominent Miamians that also happen to be FIU alums have taken this route, and MDC is generally considered a very good CC. We aren't talking about taking C students either, these are mostly A and B students. Keep in mind MDC has roughly 165,000 students. There wasn't a pressbox two years ago, that is where this whole story comes from. That problem has since been rectified and there are now two press facilies on the east and west ends of the stadium, as well as a smaller box in the middle that I know for a fact has been used for television broadcasts. I actually do take umbrage with the idea that our numbers are inflated. That might have been true in past seasons, especially the 3-9 2009 season, but in 2011 we most certainly did put butts in seats. Once again, neither us or UNT drew like ULL did this year, so that is a poor argument. I would also call into question the statement that NT is a better athletic program. I have seen on this board that "athletic fees" are being increased by up to 50% precisely to cover budget gaps and make the school more competitive. We have seen increased ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations, the support base is growing, and that is undeniable. I also think the two departments not comparing well is bogus. Your department had a massive seven-million dollar shortfall in 09-10, something we've never come close to. Furthermore, while you have been more successful in basketball, we have done better in football as of late, and just signed our best recruiting class in program history. We have been quite successful in a number of women's sports, like volleyball and basketball, and have been very successful in baseball. Our biggest sore spot is men's basketball, can't say too much about that except we need a better coach. The idea that people recognize FAU's new stadium, while failing to recognize that FIU has been to back-to-back bowl games, won a conference championship, and was on ESPN half-a-dozen times last year is ludicrous. You can believe that if you want, but it doesn't make it true. I've never said that it is either FIU or UNT, I think both FIU and UNT are going to The Alliance, my point of contention is with those who would say that FIU and FAU are comparable institutions, they aren't.

The eyesore part is the old bleachers, which are being removed, and the lack of "skining" on the stadium. Fact is that all stadiums that are being built these days are basically "erector sets," as someone who works in the development field I can simply say it is the cheapest and most efficient way to build. The plans call for expansion up to 45,000 seats, roughly 45 skyboxes, and a decoritive facade to skin the stadium. Much like the brick facade on most of Apogee, no stadium today is built from cement. While your skybox area is indeed built of "brick and mortar," most of your stadium is simply metal on a cement foundation. Frankly it isn't a big enough difference to deter anyone from considering a team for conference expansion. Our attendance has grown year-to-year by about 3,000 people, with 48,000 students and 180,000 alums it shouldn't be that hard to draw enough people to eventually fill the 45,000 seat finished stadium. Keep in mind that many people who attend UM aren't from Miami, their stadium isn't on campus, and most "UM fans" in Miami have no connection to any college. In regards to your comparable attendance numbers, we saw a boost in our first season in the new stadium, coming off a 3-9 season and 1-23 in the two years before that. The first year in a new stadium always sees a boost, sustained success simply grows the number of people coming. You also have a much longer history of playing football than we do. There are people that actually grew up with UNT football, the same cannot be said for FIU. We are continuing to upgrade our basketball arena, our women's team is very successful and our men's team will eventually get a competent coach. Our baseball stadium is one of the best mid-sized parks in the country, and we have consistently been bringing in top recruits while going to regionals in back-to-back years and being in two conference finals and winning one in the last two years. Safe to say that, with the exception of men's basketball, our athletic department has shown sustained success in multiple sports. We also recently hired Kenny Arena, the son of LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, and a former assistant at UCLA as well as the U-16 squad coach for the LA Galaxy, which won the youth national title this past season. That particular hire has been talked about by many in the soccer world. I don't see it as Miami vs DFW, the point that was being made on here originally is that FAU is a better candidate than FIU. I think both FIU and UNT are excellent candidates for The Alliance, and I think both are being considered. To answer your question though, Miami has basically the same things to offer as DFW. Big city, big metro area, a lot of major corporations, fertile recruiting grounds, etc. We also have a robust tourism industry that makes the prospect of new bowl games and conference tournaments in Miami very attractive, especially for sports like baseball and soccer where we are tops in producing future college and professional talent.

You'd have to explain what "Prom Prom" is supposed to mean. Pretty sure it isn't a reference to the Proms in the UK, or a school dance, so if you can elaborate it would be easier to respond.