Southern Miss writer suggests blowing up C-USA

[wardly]

So would I, but who would take us?

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

As I've said before, SWC 2.0 is just around the corner.  The implosion of the Big 12 will cause it. 

We have so little clout, in any case, that it really doesn't matter if the C-USA is destroyed.  We'd be just as well off/bad off in a conference that makes more sense regionally.

[untjim1995]

What I see going forward is that the SBC, CUSA, and your top FCS programs in the region will form three conferences. WIth the MAC, as well, that foursome will have OOC and bowl agreements going forward. A lot of change will occur in the future as the AAC, Big XII leftovers, and the MWC will be the new leagues that have some type of "access" to the power leagues, in terms of playing them in OOC, playing them in bowl games, and getting a spot in the BCS Bowl Games (not the playoff).

I think that the Big XII leftovers (all but UT, OU, Tech, OSU, KU, and WVU) will probably go to the MWC and AAC--I see TCU and Baylor going west, KSU and ISU going East. That would put each of the MWC and AAC at 14 teams, both with Texas ties.

That's when I see us being in this conference setup--UNT, UTEP, UTSA, Rice, Texas State, NMSU, ULL, SFA, SHSU, ULM, La Tech, and Arkansas State.

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

2 hours ago, untjim1995 said:

What I see going forward is that the SBC, CUSA, and your top FCS programs in the region will form three conferences. WIth the MAC, as well, that foursome will have OOC and bowl agreements going forward. A lot of change will occur in the future as the AAC, Big XII leftovers, and the MWC will be the new leagues that have some type of "access" to the power leagues, in terms of playing them in OOC, playing them in bowl games, and getting a spot in the BCS Bowl Games (not the playoff).

I think that the Big XII leftovers (all but UT, OU, Tech, OSU, KU, and WVU) will probably go to the MWC and AAC--I see TCU and Baylor going west, KSU and ISU going East. That would put each of the MWC and AAC at 14 teams, both with Texas ties.

That's when I see us being in this conference setup--UNT, UTEP, UTSA, Rice, Texas State, NMSU, ULL, SFA, SHSU, ULM, La Tech, and Arkansas State.

This is what I see, except for Kansas.  Their basketball and membership in the American Association of Universities will ensure that they are snapped up by either the ACC or Big Ten. 

I can see Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech refusing to go SWC 2.0 and hooking on with the MWC.  Throw Oklahoma State in there with them. 

SWC 2.0 will be something akin to what you describe.  Although, I'd bet Abilene Christian gets nods over SFA and Sam Houston.  ACU's money folk have been making it rain on the athletic department of late.  Within the time frame of which we speak, they will be a season or two into their new, on campus stadium. 

Edited June 13, 2016 by MeanGreenMailbox

[Arkstfan]

On June 12, 2016 at 4:39 AM, untjim1995 said:

 

As this column strongly suggests, the reality is that CUSA is unsustainable with this kind of geography. Aside from maybe Marshall, La Tech, and USM, nobody really attracts attention when they play a football game. And has been mentioned before, schools like these three and WKU are never going anywhere else because they provide no media market. This is probably it for them.

For the rest of CUSA, including us, the reality is that we may provide the markets, but we aren't good enough to really attract attention in those markets without beating some big names. And the AAC above us is just a more successful and recognized version of what we want CUSA to be again. Just like with CUSA 2.0 before us, we aren't getting in there with SMU already there, just from a market standpoint. And the MWC knows that realignment will bring them the Texas ties they want when the Big XII falls apart.  That's when the potential arises that Tech, Baylor, TCU, Rice, UTEP, and UTSA will be available ahead of us for choosing.

 

Years ago ECU's AD made no secret that he felt the best interest of CUSA was to go to 16 and eventually split into two 8 team leagues that would add some other regional schools. He argued that ECU fans didn't care when a Texas team came in and the fans in Texas didn't care when ECU came in to play. 

That was in CUSA 2.x

[TheWestie]

On 6/11/2016 at 4:53 PM, Harry said:

AAC not an option as long as SMU there.

Depends on how many more NCAA violations they can rack up in the next couple years!

[untjim1995]

4 hours ago, Arkstfan said:

Years ago ECU's AD made no secret that he felt the best interest of CUSA was to go to 16 and eventually split into two 8 team leagues that would add some other regional schools. He argued that ECU fans didn't care when a Texas team came in and the fans in Texas didn't care when ECU came in to play. 

That was in CUSA 2.x

Yep, Terry Holland was right then, and it's ESPECIALLY right now for CUSA 3.0 and SBC 2.0.

 

[VideoEagle]

Back in the olden days when the NCAA handled all the TV rights, the reason to be on TV was to grow your fan base and any money was just gravy. For many schools, growing the fan base via TV coverage isn't even gravy - it's an alien concept! OU and Georgia didn't NEED to build a fan base when they sued the NCAA over TV rights, they just wanted the money. There are very few - if any - G5 schools that don't need to build their fan base more to get a steady revenue stream from ticket sales and donations. I'm including the AAC and the MWC in that - they simply don't have the fan base numbers of most of the established P5. 

There is a thought that conferences, especially G5, won't grow the total number of members because the revenue sharing from the playoff means more members equals less dollars. But grow enough to get two divisions that are basically self sustaining and then build your fan base with rivalries. There is more money in FANS than in TV for all G5 schools. 

[southsideguy]

you know if some universities had the foresight and the guts it might be time to step ahead of all the bs and form a regional league since the TV deals are going south.  But no one is ready to leave the leagues before they collapse.  The big 12 days are numbered and not all the teams will end up in the super conferences.

Edited June 14, 2016 by southsideguy

[Arkstfan]

13 hours ago, VideoEagle said:

Back in the olden days when the NCAA handled all the TV rights, the reason to be on TV was to grow your fan base and any money was just gravy. For many schools, growing the fan base via TV coverage isn't even gravy - it's an alien concept! OU and Georgia didn't NEED to build a fan base when they sued the NCAA over TV rights, they just wanted the money. There are very few - if any - G5 schools that don't need to build their fan base more to get a steady revenue stream from ticket sales and donations. I'm including the AAC and the MWC in that - they simply don't have the fan base numbers of most of the established P5. 

There is a thought that conferences, especially G5, won't grow the total number of members because the revenue sharing from the playoff means more members equals less dollars. But grow enough to get two divisions that are basically self sustaining and then build your fan base with rivalries. There is more money in FANS than in TV for all G5 schools. 

 

The SEC was offered fat money from Comcast to start an SEC network. The presidents declined because they felt the early window over the air syndicated deal was too important, giving fans another game they could watch without a pay tv subscription. A few years later ESPN arrived with tractor trailer loads of money and that concern about exposure went out the window.

I still think there is a window of opportunity for the G5 to get a decent 11am Central syndicated deal. ASN sort of fills that but in many markets games are on subchannels. Here in Little Rock unless you have Comcast you can't get ASN without an antenna.

I think it would take some really hard work but if schools are going to have to pay production costs I believe it is feasible to establish a quasi-network of independent stations for a 7pm Eastern 6pm Central "game of the week" format for the schools now in CUSA and Sun Belt. Get the stations onboard and let them pick their games. Tech v. UNT in Dallas, Shreveport and Monroe, AState vs. USA in Jonesboro, Little Rock and Mobile but if the next Saturday UNT has an open date and AState is playing a weeknight game, Dallas might carry UTEP-USM, Little Rock and Jonesboro might pick up ULM-Troy,

Use the ESPN3 content to build an ad hoc network that is showing the content but doesn't scare off a Little Rock or Dallas station by telling them they might get stuck with Charlotte-FIU or GaSo vs. GaSt.

As to the point on fans.

Years ago former Arkansas AD Frank Broyles (who was Satan personified but absolutely brilliant in many ways, tried to break up the CFA deal by forming a league with select SWC, Big 8 and SEC teams to cut their own TV deal, went into the facilities race when everyone else was playing the coach salary game) said the key to building a conference a rivaries was proximity so losing to the other team hurt.

14 hours ago, southsideguy said:

you know if some universities had the foresight and the guts it might be time to step ahead of all the bs and form a regional league since the TV deals are going south.  But no one is ready to leave the leagues before they collapse.  The big 12 days are numbered and not all the teams will end up in the super conferences.

 

With a two year deal, you have to wonder how strong the marriage is. Just going short cost money and there are only two justifications for doing that. One, crossing fingers hoping for something better in the next deal, or playing the CUSA bylaws which apparently tie departure fees at least in part to TV value.

Really wondering what happens to UAB. With the mandate that athletic assistance is capped at the current level, losing that much revenue means either cutting the budget or raising enough to replace it year after year. The Bama board would apparently enjoy the chance to use this as an excuse.