Commissioner Banowsky on UAB situation

Coach Bill Lewis · May 14, 2015

Conference USA commissioner says if UAB reverses decision on football, Blazers will thrive

Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said he hopes Alabama-Birmingham reinstates football, and if it happens, predicts a UAB program that has long thirsted for fan and media attention would be overwhelmed with both.

“I think UAB has a chance of becoming a real strong Cinderella brand nationally,” Banowsky said. “There’s been so much national attention paid to UAB that they would have brand equity right out of the gate.

“People would root for them coast to coast. People like to see the underdog rise up.”

UAB announced on Dec. 2 that it would shut down its football program because the program was losing too much money. The announcement led to an angry backlash from students, alumni and even some state officials.

There have been heated protests calling for the dismissal of UAB President Ray Watts, who has been pilloried by fans in the social media. The decision has received broad coverage nationally and has been widely criticized by many national sports columnists.

Banowsky and other league officials have largely been silent on UAB's decision since Dec. 2. Banowsky criticized the decision then, saying he thought it was a mistake, but has otherwise said little about UAB.

However, Banowsky spoke at length about UAB Thursday afternoon, saying he’s been heartened by the outpouring of support for football there.

Ben Gooding · May 15, 2015

Ok... so should CUSA let them remain in CUSA? They will not be FBS for at least 3 years, so should CUSA associate themselves with a non FBS program for that long? I say no. Leave a spot open for them in the event that there do in fact come back, but don't associate the conference with a non a non FBS program. cherry pick the best 2 programs from anywhere in the county and when UAB comes back that will put the membership at 16, 8 in each division. I say go after ULL and NIU. Maybe throw byu the bait and see if they bite.

forevereagle · May 15, 2015

Ok... so should CUSA let them remain in CUSA? They will not be FBS for at least 3 years, so should CUSA associate themselves with a non FBS program for that long? I say no. Leave a spot open for them in the event that there do in fact come back, but don't associate the conference with a non a non FBS program. cherry pick the best 2 programs from anywhere in the county and when UAB comes back that will put the membership at 16, 8 in each division. I say go after ULL and NIU. Maybe throw byu the bait and see if they bite.

You would only want to take one for now so you can avoid another season with unbalanced divisions. If they get it together and want to come back, then you would find that second program to take with them.

Arkstfan · May 15, 2015

Ok... so should CUSA let them remain in CUSA? They will not be FBS for at least 3 years, so should CUSA associate themselves with a non FBS program for that long? I say no. Leave a spot open for them in the event that there do in fact come back, but don't associate the conference with a non a non FBS program. cherry pick the best 2 programs from anywhere in the county and when UAB comes back that will put the membership at 16, 8 in each division. I say go after ULL and NIU. Maybe throw byu the bait and see if they bite.

BYU receives $800,000 to $1.2 million from ESPN for every home game ESPN telecasts depending on the date and network. Last year they had five telecasts so assuming they got the minimum they made $4 million on television.

NIU receives $833,000 in TV money and $1 million at least from CFP in the MAC. CUSA under the current deal would offer $1 million in TV and $857,000 in CFP money. It would cost them $1.833 million to leave the MAC and if CUSA waived the entry fee it would only take NIU 77 years to recover the cost of moving to CUSA from the enhanced payout CUSA would offer and that's before factoring any difference in travel expenses.

So what if UAB has to play 2016 as an FCS, starts transition in 2017, completes transition in 2018 and is full FBS in 2019? CUSA took Charlotte and played without football the past two seasons, play this year as a transition and won't be full FBS until 2016. UAB would play as many years without playing the league schedule in football as Charlotte did and UAB at least earned the league two units last year. They made $1.5 million for the league by winning their tournament game that the league wouldn't have had and it is $1.5 million more than Charlotte produced.

Ben Gooding · May 15, 2015

Ok

NM Green · May 15, 2015

Show me the receipt show me the receipt?. If you think you are not worthy you are not worthy. Look I doubt byu would go CUSA but I never thought I would see them playing in high school gyms in Portland Santa Clara and San Diego either. Let them bring their network and expose their product in the belly of the sec.

GMG

greenit · May 16, 2015

Let BYU keep their home game TV deals and then the conference gets to sell their away games and they get some portion of that. They make more money, get guaranteed conference opponents, and the league is able to get more for their TV deal by having 4 conference games to sell.

I still don't think it would be enough.

North Texas Shep · May 17, 2015

No way, no how would BYU join CUSA. Hopefully, UAB and CUSA can get them back on board as soon as possible. The UAB president needs to step down asap.

NM Green · May 17, 2015

In am for keeping UAB but there needs to be an aggressive plan known to all. None of this 5 year stuff. Lala and arky state or even nmsu are ready with both programs now.

GMG

untjim1995 · May 18, 2015

BYU thinks they are on the brink of Big XII membership--and they may very well be. If noit, they are still basically a P5 school, as the ACC and SEC consider them that way for OOC purposes.

If BYU has to go back into a conference that isn't a P5, which I highly doubt, it will be the MWC. Don't confuse basketball with football--the West Coast Conference is one of the best non-power conferences in the country, with the A-10, the AAC, and the MVC. BYU fits perfectly with the private schools that make up that league.

CUSA will keep UAB, until its obvious they cannot. They will hold off until UAB has to admit it cannot have a football team at the FBS level anytime soon. When that occurs, they will add a school from the SBC, probably ULL. Whot eh SBC pulls up to replace them will probably be another FCS school to move up.

Arkstfan · May 18, 2015

Show me the receipt show me the receipt. If you think you are not worthy you are not worthy. Look I doubt byu would go CUSA but I never thought I would see them playing in high school gyms in Portland Santa Clara and San Diego either. Let them bring their network and expose their product in the belly of the sec.
GMG

Those "high school" gyms host the 9th best basketball league in the country. BYU's former home MWC was rated 11, CUSA 17.

They earned five units in this year's tournament to divided between 10 schools.

WCC is a big deal in hoops and it is a league that fits BYU's academic profile.

Cerebus · May 18, 2015

I really love when arkstfan posts reality around here, please come around more often.

Ben Gooding · May 18, 2015

still dirt facilities in that league for the most part and you kind of just hit on NM Green's point, BYU is carrying a lot of weight in that conference.

Arkstfan · May 18, 2015

still dirt facilities in that league for the most part and you kind of just hit on NM Green's point, BYU is carrying a lot of weight in that conference.

Gonzaga earned four units, BYU earned one. Year before Gonzaga earned two units, BYU earned one. Gonzaga is carrying the weight in the conference.

NM Green · May 19, 2015

Gonzaga plays in the awesome and large Marriott center. They belong big 12. Zags are bball power but byu is complete name school. Zags carry wcc but byu does not fit in that conference. These small private schools are nice and solid in the secondary sport of bball. Byu wants football prowess again. Dragging your football hungry power into sec acc and big 12 country while mopping the floor with CUSA programs has to peak some interest. They will not go back to mwc. You cannot go back to that newly configured league.

Still a long shot but if you don't seduce you definitely lose.

GMG

North Texas Shep · May 19, 2015

There is a better chance BYU will open Starbucks all over campus, then join CUSA. No way, no how.

Arkstfan · May 19, 2015

There is a better chance BYU will open Starbucks all over campus, then join CUSA. No way, no how.

:goodjob: Well played.

oldguystudent · May 21, 2015

There is a better chance BYU will open Starbucks all over campus, then join CUSA. No way, no how.

They will no doubt serve this

UTSA Fan · May 21, 2015

If UNT were to leave CUSA, considering recruiting, travel, t.v. deal, etc. What conference should it be?

oldguystudent · May 21, 2015

If UNT were to leave CUSA, considering recruiting, travel, t.v. deal, etc. What conference should it be?

Nobody here will admit to it, but UNT would jump at the chance to be in the AAC. Of course, the chances of that happening are about as high as monkeys flying out of my ass and protesting the inflated attendance numbers at SMU.

Mean Green 93-98 · May 21, 2015

If UNT were to leave CUSA, considering recruiting, travel, t.v. deal, etc. What conference should it be?

Other than a P5 conference, the American would be ideal. The MWC would be a step up, but the travel would obviously be an issue for the Olympic sports.