Liberty offers C-USA $24 Million to join; C-USA takes a pass

[Coach Bill Lewis]

Liberty even offered to open its checkbook. Sources told me that in 2016, Liberty offered Conference USA millions of dollars more than the usual $2 million admission fee for an invitation.

How many millions more? One source pegged the offer at $24 million. The offer coincidentally came at about the same time C-USA was learning its TV revenue would soon crater, going from paying $1.1 million per school annually to about $200,000.

Read more:  https://pilotonline.com/sports/columnist...7fa70.html

 

[TheColonyEagle]

@Harry you made a comment in another thread about CUSA offering them. Looks like they had a chance. I don't if I believe that number. 

$24 million to join? The money they're putting into their programs is amazing  

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by TheColonyEagle

[BTG_Fan1]

Would have been nice taking the $24 Million... Woulda been $2M per school, which is idiotic to not take... Also, would have been nice to add in the Liberty TV network as well. 

[Mean Green 93-98]

$24 million?  I just have a hard time believing that anyone would offer that much to join C-USA or that C-USA would think they were in a place to turn that down cold.

[UNTFan23]

A challenge at this point is adding one school means needing to find a worthy second school to add as well to keep the scheduling balanced.

For whatever reason, papers covering eastern division schools have been reporting that all sorts of schools that are interested in joining CUSA; the latest being Liberty. Why we haven't seen any papers covering schools in the west mentioning a similar level of interest is a little odd (likely because there really isn't any), especially given that CUSA HQ is located in Irving, TX.

[BTG_Fan1]

10 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

A challenge at this point is adding one school means needing to find a worthy second school to add as well to keep the scheduling balanced.

For whatever reason, papers covering eastern division schools have been reporting that all sorts of schools that are interested in joining CUSA; the latest being Liberty. Why we haven't seen any papers covering schools in the west mentioning a similar level of interest is a little odd (likely because there really isn't any), especially given that CUSA HQ is located in Irving, TX.

I"m going to guess that they asked to join when UAB quit football..

That would have given CUSA multiple years to find someone 

[Wag Tag]

If this is true, my response would be WTF!!!

[Aquila_Viridis]

That article is some woeful drivel. I wonder how much they paid him.

NT should not be in a conference with them nor even play them and should stay as far away from them as possible. At some point it will become evident what a mistake it was to do a deal with them.

[letsgiveacheer]

10 hours ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

That article is some woeful drivel. I wonder how much they paid him.

NT should not be in a conference with them nor even play them and should stay as far away from them as possible. At some point it will become evident what a mistake it was to do a deal with them.

I agree that we should not be in a conference with them but if I am fairly certain that Liberty will end up in someone's (AAC is my bet) conference in due course. Jerry Falwell Sr.  wanted Liberty to be the "Notre Dame of protestantism" and it is well on the way. I live about an hour away and am always amazed at not only their athletic facilities but the campus in general. That place has money to burn.

As far as Liberty paying Harry Minium, ODU's beat writer,  I suspect you were joking. I have known Harry for over 50 years since our junior high days and his integrity is beyond reproach.

[Cerebus]

If this is true I am proud of CUSA. 

 

Memberships decisions are made by university presidents, not athletic directors.  They do not want to be affiliated with the academics at Liberty. For one example, their business school is not AACSB accredited.  That has zero to do with religion:  In Texas alone SMU,  TCU, Abilene Christian, St Mary's, St. Thomas, and Trinity are AACSB accredited.   But Liberty failed to get that accreditation.  

 

Liberty is desperate to get into ANY FBS conference, but none of them want them.  In a world where NMSU, Idaho, and UMASS can't get into a FBS conference, I don't see how Liberty is going to get into one.  Especially when you couple their hiring of Baylor's coverup AD to their academic problems.  

 

ETA:

Quote

And the Flames are spending profusely to attract opponents. They will write a check for $1.32 million to Old Dominion when the Monarchs come to Lynchburg next season, for example. They’re paying Southern Miss and Marshall $500,000 each for a home-and-home series.

So we not only have to play a 1-1 with Liberty, we left money on the table?  Ugh.  

Edited September 8, 2017 by Cerebus

[Matt from A700]

2.4 million?

[All About UNT]

13 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

Would have been nice taking the $24 Million... Woulda been $2M per school, which is idiotic to not take... Also, would have been nice to add in the Liberty TV network as well. 

It's pretty much a for-profit school. It was the right decision to make. And no one gives a shit about the Liberty TV network except the Fighting Jerry Falwells.

[Ben Gooding]

53 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

If this is true I am proud of CUSA. 

 

Memberships decisions are made by university presidents, not athletic directors.  They do not want to be affiliated with the academics at Liberty. For one example, their business school is not AACSB accredited.  That has zero to do with religion:  In Texas alone SMU,  TCU, Abilene Christian, St Mary's, St. Thomas, and Trinity are AACSB accredited.   But Liberty failed to get that accreditation.  

 

Liberty is desperate to get into ANY FBS conference, but none of them want them.  In a world where NMSU, Idaho, and UMASS can't get into a FBS conference, I don't see how Liberty is going to get into one.  Especially when you couple their hiring of Baylor's coverup AD to their academic problems.  

 

ETA:

So we not only have to play a 1-1 with Liberty, we left money on the table?  Ugh.  

Yes, this is kind of old news. We got worked at the negotiation table...

Here is a recorded clip of when negotiations were happening...

 

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

If they continue to beat "bigger" schools, then end up in the AAC...that's my jumping off point.  Hard enough seeing UTSA start up a program that is put into a conference with us...then, have us drop three of the first four to them. 

Another program we pooh-pooh because its "Christian."  Problem is, those "Christians" tend to be loyal to the places they identify with...and, open their checkbooks.

It's why ACU is now FCS.  All of those people who went to classes in the new buildings they built in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s are now looking around and the only thing left to upgrade is the athletic facilities...and, so they are giving millions there. 

Looks like Liberty, with their former Baylor Rape Cover Upper AD are not waiting to be invited, they are going to push the issue.

[All About UNT]

14 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

If they continue to beat "bigger" schools, then end up in the AAC...that's my jumping off point.  Hard enough seeing UTSA start up a program that is put into a conference with us...then, have us drop three of the first four to them. 

Another program we pooh-pooh because its "Christian."  Problem is, those "Christians" tend to be loyal to the places they identify with...and, open their checkbooks.

It's why ACU is now FCS.  All of those people who went to classes in the new buildings they built in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s are now looking around and the only thing left to upgrade is the athletic facilities...and, so they are giving millions there. 

Looks like Liberty, with their former Baylor AD are not waiting to be invited, they are going to push the issue.

Why wait?  I'm sure Liberty could use some t-shirt alumni.  The fact that you envy an AD with the former Baylor AD sums it all up for me.  You can pretend that this is all about shitting on them because they are "Christians".  No.........it's because they suck ass at life.  

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

2 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

Why wait?  I'm sure Liberty could use some t-shirt alumni.  The fact that you envy an AD with the former Baylor AD sums it all up for me.  You can pretend that this is all about shitting on them because they are "Christians".  No.........it's because they suck ass at life.  

And, yet...as much as they "suck ass at life," they've gone on the road and beaten a Big 12 school.  Please list for me the last time we've beaten a Big 12 school on the road.  I think we'd be looking back almost 20 years for that.

[TreeFiddy]

26 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

If they continue to beat "bigger" schools, then end up in the AAC...that's my jumping off point.  Hard enough seeing UTSA start up a program that is put into a conference with us...then, have us drop three of the first four to them. 

Another program we pooh-pooh because its "Christian."  Problem is, those "Christians" tend to be loyal to the places they identify with...and, open their checkbooks.

It's why ACU is now FCS.  All of those people who went to classes in the new buildings they built in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s are now looking around and the only thing left to upgrade is the athletic facilities...and, so they are giving millions there. 

Looks like Liberty, with their former Baylor AD are not waiting to be invited, they are going to push the issue.

A little bit surprised Liberty is willingly playing the Lions of Old Dominion.  I do not predict that it will end well for the non Lions.  Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

[All About UNT]

17 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

And, yet...as much as they "suck ass at life," they've gone on the road and beaten a Big 12 school.  Please list for me the last time we've beaten a Big 12 school on the road.  I think we'd be looking back almost 20 years for that.

Don't GAF about who they beat.  There is more to life than football

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

And, if I want to post non-football things about Liberty, I'll take it to the non-football board...right?

Sounds like you don't like losing the football part of the argument. Sorry.  It's not my fault that Liberty has beaten a Big 12 school on the road in the 21st Century and we haven't.

[UNTLifer]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

And, if I want to post non-football things about Liberty, I'll take it to the non-football board...right?

Sounds like you don't like losing the football part of the argument. Sorry.  It's not my fault that Liberty has beaten a Big 12 school on the road in the 21st Century and we haven't.

No, you missed the point.

[All About UNT]

2 minutes ago, MeanGreenMailbox said:

And, if I want to post non-football things about Liberty, I'll take it to the non-football board...right?

Sounds like you don't like losing the football part of the argument. Sorry.  It's not my fault that Liberty has beaten a Big 12 school on the road in the 21st Century and we haven't.

Hail Liberty!!!

 

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

Just now, UNTLifer said:

No, you missed the point.

No, I didn't.  I made the point.

[UNTLifer]

Just now, MeanGreenMailbox said:

No, I didn't.  I made the point.

You missed his point which doesn't surprise you.  Twist however you wish to make yourself feel better.

[Ben Gooding]

2 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

Don't GAF about who they beat.  There is more to life than football

[MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF]

Just now, UNTLifer said:

You missed his point which doesn't surprise you.  Twist however you wish to make yourself feel better.

Okay.  I can twist just as well as you can.  It changes nothing in the big picture, though:  Liberty is, in fact, actively trying to move up; and, they have, in fact, beaten a Big 12 school on the road...in this century.

So, twist away!

Show me our offers to move up, and show me our Big 12 road win(s) in the 21st Century.  Twist, twist, twist.