Middle Tennessee Schedules Series With Mizzou

James329 · August 27, 2015

Let the excuses begin.

GrandGreen · August 27, 2015

Excuses, for not signing an 1 to 2 series?

Mean Green 93-98 · August 27, 2015

Excuses, for not signing an 1 to 2 series?

It's better than we're doing. It basically works out to one bodybag game plus a home-and-home.

Ben Gooding · August 27, 2015

Tulsa involved in this?

GreenTexan13 · August 27, 2015

Shoot... I'd go for a 2 body bag game set on our schedules. If we are promised to have the body bagger come to Apogee in 7 years.

UNT90 · August 27, 2015

Well, Iowa was close. Only thing missing is the return game...

foutsrouts · August 27, 2015

Well, Iowa was close. Only thing missing is the return game...

Have to concur on that one. Ridiculous, especially considering the connections.

MeanGreenTexan · August 27, 2015

C'mon people. Try to follow... You guys either graduated from UNT, or are currently students, so I know you're smart enough to understand.

A 2-for-1 means you go to <P5 team> 2 times for $0.
They then return to your stadium to grace you with their presence.
You're gambling on the gate you pull from the 1 return game being equivalent to 2 body bag game paychecks. Follow?

The Million Dollar Question:
Not sure what the numbers would be, but even if we sold out Apogee & had SRO sold out as well, would it equal $1.6-2million (roughly the amount of 2 bodybag/paycheck games)?
If no, then why are 2-for-1's even discussed as something any of you would be OK with? They're a terrible deal and they put your Athletic Department's budget in serious jeopardy.
If yes, then you have a decision to make: Gamble with your budget, sign the 2-for-1, and just hope that your football team is good enough to pack the house when <P5 team> comes to call? Not a smart gamble if you ask me. Oh, and be ready for your ticket price for that particular game to skyrocket.

Stop bringing up going to Iowa 2 times with no return.... IOWA IS PAYING US $1.6MILLION FOR THOSE TWO GAMES!

Good grief, it's like some of you have never had to budget anything before.

The entire athletic department (not just football) hinges on these P5 paycheck games. That is the sad truth. If our attendance was considerably & consistently better, maybe we wouldn't have to schedule these paycheck games, and we could start looking at 1-for-1's.

We, as fans (including hardcore fans like us, and casual fans), have 5 years to prove we don't need the body bag games to keep the budget afloat. Can we do it?

forevereagle · August 27, 2015

We doing this again?

Jon-Stewart-Eagerly-Watching-Eating-His-

foutsrouts · August 27, 2015

C'mon people. Try to follow... You guys either graduated from UNT, or are currently students, so I know you're smart enough to understand.

A 2-for-1 means you go to <P5 team> 2 times for $0.
They then return to your stadium to grace you with their presence.
You're gambling on the gate you pull from the 1 return game being equivalent to 2 body bag game paychecks. Follow?

The Million Dollar Question:
Not sure what the numbers would be, but even if we sold out Apogee & had SRO sold out as well, would it equal $1.6-2million (roughly the amount of 2 bodybag/paycheck games)?
If no, then why are 2-for-1's even discussed as something any of you would be OK with? They're a terrible deal and they put your Athletic Department's budget in serious jeopardy.
If yes, then you have a decision to make: Gamble with your budget, sign the 2-for-1, and just hope that your football team is good enough to pack the house when <P5 team> comes to call? Not a smart gamble if you ask me. Oh, and be ready for your ticket price for that particular game to skyrocket.
Stop bringing up going to Iowa 2 times with no return.... IOWA IS PAYING US $1.6MILLION FOR THOSE TWO GAMES!

Good grief, it's like some of you have never had to budget anything before.

The entire athletic department (not just football) hinges on these P5 paycheck games. That is the sad truth. If our attendance was considerably & consistently better, maybe we wouldn't have to schedule these paycheck games, and we could start looking at 1-for-1's.

We, as fans (including hardcore fans like us, and casual fans), have 5 years to prove we don't need the body bag games to keep the budget afloat. Can we do it?

OK, OK!! But just out of curiosity, how do other teams in our conference (and other G5's) with similar attendance numbers manage to pull it off? TIA.

MeanGreenTexan · August 27, 2015

OK, OK!! But just out of curiosity, how do other teams in our conference (and other G5's) with similar attendance numbers manage to pull it off? TIA.

A lot of people like to point to ARSt. Sometime very recently, they procured some donors that are pouring all kinds of money in the AD coffers. Attendance be damned, they have donors with deep pockets. Unfortunately, we don't have that. What we do have are sheer numbers, and that should bode well for our attendance to be the bankroll... but the fruit of several decades of apathy = extreme disinterest. That is only very recently turning.

If you want to see a crystal clear picture of the football climate in and around Denton, TX, take a look at this:
http://issuu.com/lmcbride/docs/drc_football_2015?e=1568302/15020728
You have a dude who is on the Biletnikoff award watch list for the nation's top Wide Reciever in all of NCAA football... But usurping him is a H.S. quarterback (granted, he's a pretty special player, but a H.S. player nonetheless). People in this area have been more exited about Ryan/Guyer football than UNT football for as long as I can remember.

A lot of people also like to point to ULM. And I cannot for the life of me figure out how they're doing it. Voodoo?

untjim1995 · August 27, 2015

I saw somewhere that Eastern Michigan is playing Kentucky in a 2 for 1 series, but will still get $1.2 million dollars out of the entire deal. So, yeah, getting 2 games in Iowa for $1.6 million without a return game to Denton looks like a lazy deal to me...

GrandGreen · August 27, 2015

It's better than we're doing. It basically works out to one bodybag game plus a home-and-home.

It works out to more 5 home game seasons. There are also great financial issues depending on the contract as well commented on above.

James329 · August 27, 2015

Like I said: excuses, excuses. It's possible everywhere else but here. But (shrug) keep on toeing the company line and being satisfied with things the way they are.

MeanGreenTexan · August 27, 2015

Like I said: excuses, excuses. It's possible everywhere else but here. But (shrug) keep on toeing the company line and being satisfied with things the way they are.

Where is the money coming from then? How do we balance the budget?

GRN-WHT · August 27, 2015

We're giving Iowa a discount.

We've been getting more for our games vs Texas and Alabama, etc. We're selling ourselves short. If we're going to do a money game, do it big, we should be getting at least 900k per game, especially when we have to turn around and give a big chunk to whatever pathetic FCS team we play.

untjim1995 · August 27, 2015

Where is the money coming from then? How do we balance the budget?

Here's the thing about your budget. If things are that bad, financially, we have no business paying to play a FCS game here. We need the $$$ that another home-and-home series or extra bodybag game produces. If that's true, then we need to be told that. Right now, the actions tell us that its just far easier to whore ourselves out for a big payday, pay a spare FCS school to play here for 1/4 of what the P5 pays us, then play SMU and someone else.

If Eastern Michigan can do it, if MUTS can do it, if Arkansas State can do it, then why can't we? Because the AD and head coach apparently get their way with our schedules in the easiest route possible. RV gets his $$$ game, Mac gets his padded win game, and the program's PR takes more of a hit as we lose to the team that gets our fans interest, while we beat a team that no one cares about.

MeanGreenTexan · August 27, 2015

Here's the thing about your budget. If things are that bad, financially, we have no business paying to play a FCS game here. We need the $$$ that another home-and-home series or extra bodybag game produces. If that's true, then we need to be told that. Right now, the actions tell us that its just far easier to whore ourselves out for a big payday, pay a spare FCS school to play here for 1/4 of what the P5 pays us, then play SMU and someone else.
If Eastern Michigan can do it, if MUTS can do it, if Arkansas State can do it, then why can't we? Because the AD and head coach apparently get their way with our schedules in the easiest route possible. RV gets his $$$ game, Mac gets his padded win game, and the program's PR takes more of a hit as we lose to the team that gets our fans interest, while we beat a team that no one cares about.

I'm pretty sure Rick has said this several times. It's not a secret.

In order to get the money from these paychecks AND have a 6-game home schedule consistently, we must pay a school (any school) to come here and play. Heaven forbid we have another 5-game home schedule again. I think the AD has felt the backlash around that.

We could pay to get another G5 team in here, but they're likely charging the same amount for a "paycheck game" as we are. So, we'd be essentially giving Iowa's money to some other G5 school. Or, we can pay 1/3 of that for the FCS school.

I have no idea what Eastern Michigan's deal was. Someone said they got money AND a 2-for-1? If so, Wow! Bravo! Good for them. If this is an isolated case, then they are supremely lucky. If there are other teams getting money AND 2-for-1's, then add that to the laundry list of things Rick is doing wrong (I've never said the dude was perfect).
It's looking like MT is heading for a 5 home game schedule somewhere down the line, unless they come up with $ somewhere for a purchase game to balance the 2-for-1.
ARSt. has a booster, or boosters, with big money to burn. Would be nice to have one or more of those outside of Ernie.

HoustonEagle · August 27, 2015

A lot of people like to point to ARSt. Sometime very recently, they procured some donors that are pouring all kinds of money in the AD coffers. Attendance be damned, they have donors with deep pockets. Unfortunately, we don't have that. What we do have are sheer numbers, and that should bode well for our attendance to be the bankroll... but the fruit of several decades of apathy = extreme disinterest. That is only very recently turning.
If you want to see a crystal clear picture of the football climate in and around Denton, TX, take a look at this:
http://issuu.com/lmcbride/docs/drc_football_2015?e=1568302/15020728
You have a dude who is on the Biletnikoff award watch list for the nation's top Wide Reciever in all of NCAA football... But usurping him is a H.S. quarterback (granted, he's a pretty special player, but a H.S. player nonetheless). People in this area have been more exited about Ryan/Guyer football than UNT football for as long as I can remember.

A lot of people also like to point to ULM. And I cannot for the life of me figure out how they're doing it. Voodoo?

ULM plays Arkansas in Arkansas at a "neutral" site and gets to call it a home game every other year. They are not doing it......

James329 · August 27, 2015

Just a quick review of upcoming home games for our conference mates:

FAU- Miami, USF, UCF

Charlotte - Duke, Temple

FIU - Maryland, Miami, Indiana, UCF

Marshall - Purdue, Louisville, NC State, ECU, Pitt

MTSU - Vandy, Duke, Missouri

ODU - NC State, North Carolina, Va tech, Wake Forest

WKU - Vandy, Indiana

La Tech - Miss St, Baylor

Rice - Baylor, Stanford, A&M, Wake Forest, Houston, Northwestern, Boise state

So Miss - Miss St, BYU, Kentucky

UTEP - Arizona, Texas Tech, Boise St

untjim1995 · August 27, 2015

I'm pretty sure Rick has said this several times. It's not a secret.
In order to get the money from these paychecks AND have a 6-game home schedule consistently, we must pay a school (any school) to come here and play. Heaven forbid we have another 5-game home schedule again. I think the AD has felt the backlash around that.
We could pay to get another G5 team in here, but they're likely charging the same amount for a "paycheck game" as we are. So, we'd be essentially giving Iowa's money to some other G5 school. Or, we can pay 1/3 of that for the FCS school.

I have no idea what Eastern Michigan's deal was. Someone said they got money AND a 2-for-1? If so, Wow! Bravo! Good for them. If this is an isolated case, then they are supremely lucky. If there are other teams getting money AND 2-for-1's, then add that to the laundry list of things Rick is doing wrong (I've never said the dude was perfect).
It's looking like MT is heading for a 5 home game schedule somewhere down the line, unless they come up with $ somewhere for a purchase game to balance the 2-for-1.
ARSt. has a booster, or boosters, with big money to burn. Would be nice to have one or more of those outside of Ernie.

I think the reality here is that the dependence on a bodybag game hurts us, scheduling wise, but its the insistence of playing 6 games in Denton with a game against teams that Guyer or Ryan can beat in the eyes of the local residents.

Play 5 games at Apogee, but make sure that home game is someone good. ULM scheduled Baylor and Wake Forest as their only home games in past seasons. I'd take something like that right now over playing Podunk FCS State just to get an extra home game. Not even counting the debacle of 2012 or this year's home schedule, if you have a season where you play @‌SMU, Army at home, and @‌P5 giant, then sign a home-and-home with BYU or Boise State or Air Force to get them here, even if it means that we only get 5 home games at some point. To me, the SMU games makes it a close neutral site game anyway, so take advantage of that. Beating a G5 name program can help you just as much as beating a P5 also-ran like Indiana. beating Nicholls State and Texas Southern and Portland State do nothing for you--and if we lose to one of those FCS teams, that's going to be where a large percentage of your diehards just throw in the towel and quit, joining the rest of the people who just come to school here and never even try to follow the team.

Edited August 27, 2015 by untjim1995

MeanGreenTexan · August 27, 2015

I think the reality here is that the dependence on a bodybag game hurts us, scheduling wise, but its the insistence of playing 6 games in Denton with a game against teams that Guyer or Ryan can beat in the eyes of the local residents.
Play 5 games at Apogee, but make sure that home game is someone good. ULM scheduled Baylor and Wake Forest as their only home games in past seasons. I'd take something like that right now over playing Podunk FCS State just to get an extra home game. Not even counting the debacle of 2012 or this year's home schedule, if you have a season where you play @‌SMU, Army at home, and @‌P5 giant, then sign a home-and-home with BYU or Boise State or Air Force to get them here, even if it means that we only get 5 home games at some point. To me, the SMU games makes it a close neutral site game anyway, so take advantage of that. Beating a G5 name program can help you just as much as beating a P5 also-ran like Indiana. beating Nicholls State and Texas Southern and Portland State do nothing for you--and if we lose to one of those FCS teams, that's going to be where a large percentage of your diehards just throw in the towel and quit, joining the rest of the people who just come to school here and never even try to follow the team.

That's certainly a solution (honestly, one I'm not opposed to), though, one the AD was chided for in 2012 (re-arranging schedules so Houston would be the 1st opponent in Apogee & K-State would be the Fouts Finale). Of course, you're still losing some revenue and banking on high attendance for the P5 return game.

It's really all water under the bridge though until about 2018 or so. That's when we can start looking forward to future schedules in the 2020's. If we can find a way to fund the AD without the paycheck games (be it a big donor/donors, or improved, consistent attendence) then maybe we can do away with the paycheck games and start making 1-for-1 deals.

foutsrouts · August 27, 2015

Just a quick review of upcoming home games for our conference mates:
FAU- Miami, USF, UCF
Charlotte - Duke, Temple

FIU - Maryland, Miami, Indiana, UCF

Marshall - Purdue, Louisville, NC State, ECU, Pitt

MTSU - Vandy, Duke, Missouri

ODU - NC State, North Carolina, Va tech, Wake Forest

WKU - Vandy, Indiana

La Tech - Miss St, Baylor

Rice - Baylor, Stanford, A&M, Wake Forest, Houston, Northwestern, Boise state

So Miss - Miss St, BYU, Kentucky

UTEP - Arizona, Texas Tech, Boise St

You left out:

UTSA - K.State, Colorado State, Arizona State, Baylor

and of course:

NT - Army, smu

I envy all of our conference mates OOC schedules. If smu would start bringing more than a minivan full of fans to Denton I would be a little happier.

untjim1995 · August 27, 2015

That's certainly a solution (honestly, one I'm not opposed to), though, one the AD was chided for in 2012 (re-arranging schedules so Houston would be the 1st opponent in Apogee & K-State would be the Fouts Finale). Of course, you're still losing some revenue and banking on high attendance for the P5 return game.
It's really all water under the bridge though until about 2018 or so. That's when we can start looking forward to future schedules in the 2020's. If we can find a way to fund the AD without the paycheck games (be it a big donor/donors, or improved, consistent attendence) then maybe we can do away with the paycheck games and start making 1-for-1 deals.

You're exactly right about water under the bridge with this until actually 2021, I believe. By then, who know what level we are playing at within FBS or some other name or if P5s even play G5s or FCS teams anymore.

What I think would be nice beyond 2021 is to have a home-and-home series with a local regional team and a G5 team in another league. Assuming that the P5 bodybag game will be with us until they stop playing us, the other thing that CUSA could very well do is to just add another conference game, meaning you have 5 CUSA home games every other year, with 4 home CUSA home games in the other years. In the years you get 5 conference games, you play @‌ Army and @ bodybag and SMU at home to get to 6. In the other years, you get Army, 4 CUSA home games, and a neutral site game at Dallas, plus @‌ bodybag game. You get 6 home games every other year this way and 5.5 home games the other years.

Green Mean · August 27, 2015

If we just win and win consistently including being more than relevant I can assure you that the financial stuff will work itself out. Positive and consistent results on the field/court etc will cure just about anything.