The COVID-19 pandemic has left little choice. C-USA and the Sun Belt have to realign

[RBP79]

37 minutes ago, MCMLXXX said:

That  column is originally from 2016. It says updated but still a lot of outdated info.

Yep...but the paper keeps putting it out there. Guess USM got their feelings hurt when AAC formed and they weren't invited.

[Ken14]

Im for whatever benefits the University, and puts fans in Apogee....I cant wait to get back...

[Hunter Green]

22 hours ago, dml7007 said:

Love to see this form. Far fetched but would be a great conference. 
 

football schools 

North Texas

SMU

Houston

Rice

UTSA

Texas State 

La Tech

U LA

Arkansas state

Tulane

Basketball and others 

UTA

UArk lr

 

 

 

 

Remove smut and Tulane cause they ain't gonna be part of no conference with any of the fore mentioned schools. Otherwise, I like it!

[Ken14]

I dont care if we have the Texas School for Deaf Fat Girls in our conference......lets go fill Apogee and play football....

 

[NTSU52]

8 minutes ago, Ken14 said:

I dont care if we have the Texas School for Deaf Fat Girls in our conference......lets go fill Apogee and play football....

 

Are you referring to SMU?

[Ken14]

22 minutes ago, NTSU52 said:

Are you referring to SMU?

Perhaps.... but aint nothing wrong with fat girls... as long as we can put 30,801 in Apogee, win, and have plenty of cold beer.....and burn the barrel out of Boomer...…..

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Ken14

[southsideguy]

maybe since Ark can seem to win in the SEC they would like to join a new conference (😜.

[greenb.o.g.]

The idea that a merger between C-USA and the Sun Belt is inevitable is ridiculous. Schools will cut, and cut some more, before this scenario ever happens. There are too many egos, too many lists, too many rankings, too much prestige (or lack thereof), and too many perceived or real slights that would ever allow this scenario to come about. 

Not saying the idea of a merger is right or wrong, but we're still a long way from this ever happening.

[MrAlien]

every time I read a thread about conference alignment I come away thinking the MWC would be a better fit...

also, to me it doesnt seem like the TV deal is worth it... who still has cable TV anyway??  why not allow the NCAA to produce all the sports content through its own app? 

[C Rod]

We should know more about the state of CUSA after this week. I can’t see the insurance companies agreeing to pay claims for unplayed “buy” games across the entire NCAA. I have a feeling CUSA and Sunbelt are going to be in a world of hurt.
 

https://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/conference-usa-spring-meetings-taking-place-virtually-this-week/article_c786f078-a71d-5d7f-91cc-74cf929e8525.html

Edited May 18, 2020 by C Rod

[Rudy]

12 hours ago, MrAlien said:

every time I read a thread about conference alignment I come away thinking the MWC would be a better fit...

also, to me it doesnt seem like the TV deal is worth it... who still has cable TV anyway??  why not allow the NCAA to produce all the sports content through its own app? 

With the move towards streaming, if the NCAA created a pay app that you could download and watch from a mobile device or to your Firestick, TV, etc, that would be ideal. A way to watch every game you want throughout the week, all season. 

 

Shut. Up. And. Take. My.  Money. 

[C Rod]

More chatter on the subject coming from UL Lafayette:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/sports/ul_lafayette/article_17575f02-9c7a-11ea-9bda-33d894e3e2ea.amp.html

[Aquila_Viridis]

Louisiana is the sound of desperation from the bottom of the toilet. Let's not go down the toilet to save their program. They're in the middle of nowhere. Maybe SFA and Sammy etc can save them.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Aquila_Viridis

[El Paso Eagle]

28 minutes ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

Louisiana is the sound of desperation from the bottom of the toilet. Let's not go down the toilet to save their program. They're in the middle of nowhere. Maybe SFA and Sammy etc can save them.

If were honest enough to admit the Louisiana football program is probably more well thought of than ours. It gets me how many of our fans get pissed , for example when it comes to the UNT-SMU relationship, but then turn around and act like were too good for other CUSA and Belt schools.

As a G5, we need to push for a regional conference. We need to also keep in mind sending non-revenue sports all over the map is costing a lot of money.

Maybe we can look outside the box and an option  to possibly have Football conferences that are different than Basketball and non-revenue sports conferences. Perhaps you can have a more clustered grouping in a conference for "Olympic" sports?? Not sure, but if cost are not contained more and more schools will be in trouble. 

[GrandGreen]

On 5/17/2020 at 9:48 PM, C Rod said:

We should know more about the state of CUSA after this week. I can’t see the insurance companies agreeing to pay claims for unplayed “buy” games across the entire NCAA. I have a feeling CUSA and Sunbelt are going to be in a world of hurt.
 

https://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/conference-usa-spring-meetings-taking-place-virtually-this-week/article_c786f078-a71d-5d7f-91cc-74cf929e8525.html

Every program is likely to be in a world of hurt unless this virus thing goes away.  The Belt and CUSA are no more likely than any other conference to feel the pain.   The super programs will lose millions, they may be able to survive longer; but face the same issues. 

[GrandGreen]

7 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

If were honest enough to admit the Louisiana football program is probably more well thought of than ours. It gets me how many of our fans get pissed , for example when it comes to the UNT-SMU relationship, but then turn around and act like were too good for other CUSA and Belt schools.

As a G5, we need to push for a regional conference. We need to also keep in mind sending non-revenue sports all over the map is costing a lot of money.

Maybe we can look outside the box and an option  to possibly have Football conferences that are different than Basketball and non-revenue sports conferences. Perhaps you can have a more clustered grouping in a conference for "Olympic" sports?? Not sure, but if cost are not contained more and more schools will be in trouble. 

Why do you think the ULaLa program is better thought of than NT?

Sure regional conferences make more sense than ever, but egos are involved, NT would fit better in the AAC than either the Belt or CUSA; but that is not likely.   All three of these conferences are spread out too far 

There are a lot of ways to cut down travel even with the current conference affiliations.   

If the coronavirus fades, than it will be business as usual.  If it keeps reoccurring than regional conferences may not be enough to save college sports. 

[Arkstfan]

7 hours ago, C Rod said:

More chatter on the subject coming from UL Lafayette:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/sports/ul_lafayette/article_17575f02-9c7a-11ea-9bda-33d894e3e2ea.amp.html

This one caught my attention because it’s the first one not from a CUSA AD or CUSA market. 
 

I have probably posted my theory of close but not too close. 
 

At the FBS level lacking P5 money you want opponents you can bus to. Maybe sell a few more visitor tickets but mainly cut your bills for flights and hotels and player meal allowances. 
 

BUT. You don’t want someone so close you are competing for attention from your local TV reporters, radio talk hosts, newspaper space and casual ticket buyers. That might not matter in DFW where the pros, UT, TAMU, and OU suck the air out of the room but it matters in the Monroe media market and may matter in San Antonio, it matters in El Paso. 

Until I see it happen, I don’t believe a neat clean and orderly realignment can happen. Sun Belt commissioner owes a fiduciary duty to members he faces personal liability if he negotiates a shuffle that leaves UTA and UALR out of the mix. Likewise if MTSU ends up worse off because the commissioner brokered a neat clean realignment, she’s at risk of breaching her duty. 
 

Either the eastern schools break away or USM and UAB do a Mountain West organizing their own mid-south league but coordination is improbable. 

[wardly]

If memory serves a handful of WAC presidents put together the MWC, and I don' recall legal action from those left behind. Of course I have slept since then. I think UTA and ULAR would find a place to land, but nobody wants ULM, and I could do without UTEP because of their location . However, not to happen. The MWC could do us all a favor it they took the Miners and maybe NMSU, but why would they?

[Aquila_Viridis]

I'm not saying Louisiana is a bad program; just that they're in an unfortunate location. If they moved to New Orleans, then they'd be desirable. 

[Coach Andy Mac]

1 hour ago, wardly said:

The MWC could do us all a favor it they took the Miners and maybe NMSU, but why would they?

Well they landed a national championship in basketball about 100 years ago but otherwise I do get your point.

[wardly]

So NMST, UTEP, UNT,UTSA,TSU, Rice in WEST, Ark. St.,ULL, La. Tech,So. Miss, USA, and UAB in EAST and ULM drops back to 1AA. That would be 7 CUSA programs, 4 SBC, and one independent.

[southsideguy]

Do we are hitting June and the football starts in August (maybe) how long can they juggle this until a decision has to be made?

[GrandGreen]

15 hours ago, Aquila_Viridis said:

I'm not saying Louisiana is a bad program; just that they're in an unfortunate location. If they moved to New Orleans, then they'd be desirable. 

Every been to Lafayette?  It is a great city if it hasn't gone down the last few years.   

It is also closer to Texas than NO. 

 

[UNTLifer]

1 hour ago, GrandGreen said:

Every been to Lafayette?  It is a great city if it hasn't gone down the last few years.   

It is also closer to Texas than NO. 

 

I prefer Lafayette over NOLA.

[NM Green]

Does La Tech have an issue with Louisiana?  Again deal killer if they try to cram Monroe into this group. Arkansas State I’m okay with ULL not a bad add if Tech is okay.  I really prefer leaping out of this but personally I don’t have an issue with Texas State ULL and Arkansas State. Let the Southwest and Gulf schools keep CUSA make the Atlantic seaboard the sun belt or whatever name they want to take. No Monroe Troy or south Alabama in the new CUSA. 
GMG