Just Say "no" To Conference Usa

[UNTflyer]

Conference USA? Pshhh!

I'm personally advocating that North Texas court the Mountain West to become the 10th MWC school. Here's why:

1) Enrollment. 201,000 total enrollment in MWC vs. 226,000 in CUSA. It's virtually no difference, and CUSA has 3 more schools.

2) Geography. The Mountain West offers conference opponents within traveling distance of North Texas where CUSA has several East coast schools that are considerably farther. Not to mention, the scenery of the MWC schools is far more appealing than Tulsa or Birmingham. Where would you rather spend a weekend: San Diego or Huntington, WV?

3) Exclusive TV rights. The Mountain West Sports Network will allow UNT more television coverage. Granted, it is an exclusive deal but would you rather be seen once on ESPN or every week on the Mtn.?

4) Competition. How's this for a possible conference schedule? TCU, Air Force, BYU, UNLV, Colorado State, and San Diego State.

5) Rounding out the conference. Becoming the 10th team would allow the MWC to split into two divisions: West: SDSU, UNLV, BYU, Utah, Wyoming. East: UNT, TCU, Air Force, New Mexico, Colorado State.

[GreenEddieNT]

That's as good an idea as any. It would be a huge improvement over the Sun Belt. FWIW, I once suggested it on the MWC board and the replies ranged from condescending to outright rude.

[MeanGreen61]

5) Rounding out the conference. Becoming the 10th team would allow the MWC to split into two divisions: West: SDSU, UNLV, BYU, Utah, Wyoming. East: UNT, TCU, Air Force, New Mexico, Colorado State.

Conferences are required to have a minimum of 12 to split into 2 divisions.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

I like this idea, but what do we have to offer MWC? I'm not being negative by any sense, just wondering what would our selling points be.

[GreenEddieNT]

Conferences are required to have a minimum of 12 to split into 2 divisions.

Ok, how about if they add UNT, Boise State, and Fresno State. I would have suggested Houston or UTEP instead of Boise and Fresno but neither(Houston or UTEP) seems very enthusiastic about being in a western league and they also seem to not want to be in a league with UNT. Edited May 31, 2007 by GreenEddieNT

[JayDub]

Let's build a stadium, knock off a few Sun Belt opponents, then revisit this.

And I don't think we should be so damn picky if either the MWC or CUSA were to ever come calling. Both are 100x better than the SBC as far as public perception goes. That would equal better recruiting and better alumni support.

[UNTflyer]

True JayDub... I'm just thinking that C-USA seems pretty stable for now, and the odds of C-USA coming knocking on our door anytime soon is probably remote.

MWC, on the other hand, has room to grow.

[ADLER]

I like this idea, but what do we have to offer MWC? I'm not being negative by any sense, just wondering what would our selling points be.

Not much, and we still wouldn't be among the top 3 MWC expansion targets under any circumstances. Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, and UTEP would be the logical selections, and if for any reason one of those didn't join, there would be several other current WAC schools that would absolutely sell their soul to join the MWC instead of remaining in the then decimated WAC.

[MeanGreengdub]

Any conference but the Sun Belt is fine by me. Buy I agree with jay, let's get a freaking stadium. I'm hoping Under Armour comes knocking

[Cr1028]

I think you guys have forgotten how big west Texas is.

There is only 1 MWC school within 600 miles of us, TCU.

CUSA has 6, UH, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Tulane, and Tulsa.

If we have any desire for away game attendance, CUSA would be the way to go.

Personally I would be willing to go to CUSA away games at Tulsa, SMU, Tulane, Rice and UH for sure. In the MWC, only TCU.

The average distance between Denton and MWC schools is 15.375 hrs or 1035 miles.

The average distance between Denton and CUSA schools is only 9.18 hrs or 604 miles.

[UNTLifer]

2) Geography. The Mountain West offers conference opponents within traveling distance of North Texas

See CR1028's comment above.

[greenminer]

Conference USA? Pshhh!

I'm personally advocating that North Texas court the Mountain West to become the 10th MWC school. Here's why:

1) Enrollment. 201,000 total enrollment in MWC vs. 226,000 in CUSA. It's virtually no difference, and CUSA has 3 more schools.

2) Geography. The Mountain West offers conference opponents within traveling distance of North Texas where CUSA has several East coast schools that are considerably farther. Not to mention, the scenery of the MWC schools is far more appealing than Tulsa or Birmingham. Where would you rather spend a weekend: San Diego or Huntington, WV?

3) Exclusive TV rights. The Mountain West Sports Network will allow UNT more television coverage. Granted, it is an exclusive deal but would you rather be seen once on ESPN or every week on the Mtn.?

4) Competition. How's this for a possible conference schedule? TCU, Air Force, BYU, UNLV, Colorado State, and San Diego State.

5) Rounding out the conference. Becoming the 10th team would allow the MWC to split into two divisions: West: SDSU, UNLV, BYU, Utah, Wyoming. East: UNT, TCU, Air Force, New Mexico, Colorado State.

1. Just asking, but why should enrollment matter? If there's virtually no difference, then the point seems mute anyway.

2. Already been addressed above:

I think you guys have forgotten how big west Texas is.

There is only 1 MWC school within 600 miles of us, TCU.

CUSA has 6, UH, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Tulane, and Tulsa.

The average distance between Denton and MWC schools is 15.375 hrs or 1035 miles.

The average distance between Denton and CUSA schools is only 9.18 hrs or 604 miles.

3. ESPN comes around when you win. I'd rather be on ESPN 3-4 times/year (which top CUSA teams do), then where the MWC teams are. I don't remember the last time I saw a MW team on TV. The BCS game with Utah/Pitt comes to mind from a few years ago.

4. Can't argue with that. But CUSA is getting better, too.

5. You need 12 teams to split.

[UNTflyer]

The average distance between Denton and MWC schools is 15.375 hrs or 1035 miles.

The average distance between Denton and CUSA schools is only 9.18 hrs or 604 miles.

Hmm, are you counting UCF, ECU, and Marshall in your calculations?

I still think I'd rather spend travel weekends in San Diego, Las Vegas, Provo, or Colorado Springs.

Edited May 31, 2007 by UNTflyer

[Quoner]

Hmm, are you counting UCF, ECU, and Marshall in your calculations?

I still think I'd rather spend travel weekends in San Diego, Las Vegas, Provo, or Colorado Springs.

Is that a serious question, because it's pretty obvious he did...

Let's join the Patriot league.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

I still think I'd rather spend travel weekends in San Diego, Las Vegas, Provo, or Colorado Springs.

Colorado St. is in Fort Collins....but either way I agree.

[MeanGreen61]

Colorado St. is in Fort Collins....but either way I agree.

Air Force is in Colorado Springs.

[untbowler]

Colorado St. is in Fort Collins....but either way I agree.

AFA is in Colorado Springs

[UNTLifer]

Hmm, are you counting UCF, ECU, and Marshall in your calculations?

I still think I'd rather spend travel weekends in San Diego, Las Vegas, Provo, or Colorado Springs.

Honestly, I can't afford to fly my family to ballgames on 4 fall weekends, but I sure can drive to Dallas, Houston, etc...

[emmitt01]

Hmm, are you counting UCF, ECU, and Marshall in your calculations?

I still think I'd rather spend travel weekends in San Diego, Las Vegas, Provo, or Colorado Springs.

And I'd rather spend travel weekends in Playa del Carmen, Jamaica or London...I just expect to be able to attend (and see more alumni and students while there) games in Dallas, Houston, Tulsa, or El Paso because of the price of gas/airfare.

[UNTflyer]

Colorado St. is in Fort Collins....but either way I agree.

The Air Force Academy is in Colorado Springs.

[the real grad88]

Honestly, I can't afford to fly my family to ballgames on 4 fall weekends, but I sure can drive to Dallas, Houston, etc...

Exactly, close rivalries within driving distance is what we want. MWC is not a real option anyway-just a dream. CUSA is our real opportunity, seeing how we were actually evaluated for membership. After building a new stadium (whenever that actually happens), a CUSA invite will be a done deal. Why? A bigger and nicer stadium will result in better OOC opponents which will help us to raise our attendance...which will raise revenue. Taken all together, it will be the new stadium that will be the falling dominoe for everything we want to happen.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

Colorado St. is in Fort Collins....but either way I agree.

Air Force is in Colorado Springs.

I didn't want to be the only one to not say something.

[greenjoe]

Where is the Air Force Academy located ?

[Cr1028]

Hmm, are you counting UCF, ECU, and Marshall in your calculations?

school----- time(hr)--- dist(mi)--- school----- time(hr) dist(mi)

tcu---------.75---------39----------------------------------------------------

nmex------ 9.5--------- 611-------- smu------- 0.75------- 39

af---------- 11.5------- 701-------- tulsa------- 4----------- 269

cost-------- 13--------- 896-------- uh--------- 4.5--------- 278

wy--------- 14--------- 977-------- rice-------- 4.5--------- 278

unlv------- 17.5------- 1182------- mem------ 7----------- 467

byu-------- 18.5------- 1185------- tulane----- 8.5--------- 559

sdsu------- 19.5------- 1363------- utep------- 9----------- 639

utah------- 19.5------- 1365------- uab-------- 10--------- 675

sum------- 123.75---- 8319------- mars------ 15.75------ 1015

avg-------- 13.75------ 924.33---- ucf--------- 17.5------- 1127

-------------------------------------- ecu-------- 19.5------- 1303

-------------------------------------- sum------- 101-------- 6649

-------------------------------------- avg-------- 9.1818---- 604.4545

I aligned the spreadsheet as best I could but I think I covered about anything. How many Mean Green faithful do you think has the means to go to more than one MWC away game? How about the CUSA away games? The shortest 4 CUSA distances could be day trips, only TCU for the MWC.

There was a mistake in my original data as I failed to include TCU. Even with TCU included now, the CUSA schedule still has a shorter avg driving distance of 4.5 hours and 320 miles. Go to San Diego and Colorado for vacation but most students can't afford to make a trip like that more than once a year, much less 5 times in 3 months.

[GrandGreen]

Exactly, close rivalries within driving distance is what we want. MWC is not a real option anyway-just a dream. CUSA is our real opportunity, seeing how we were actually evaluated for membership. After building a new stadium (whenever that actually happens), a CUSA invite will be a done deal. Why? A bigger and nicer stadium will result in better OOC opponents which will help us to raise our attendance...which will raise revenue. Taken all together, it will be the new stadium that will be the falling dominoe for everything we want to happen.

Unfortunately, conference selections are a political process. With the Texas privates in CUSA, I would not be surprised that NT continues to be shunned. They do not want to compete with a larger and potententially a very formidable foe. All those who think all NT needs is a stadium, a baseball team, greater attendance, winning programs or any combination of these factors to get in CUSU may be in for a big disappointment. Not that NT should not strive and achieve all these things, but there are no guarantees. There are many reasons cited for UTEP selection to CUSU over NT. Attendance, better basketball, etc., but the fact is they were chosen over a much more logical pick, NT; despite having one of the traditionally worst football programs in the NCAA and a location completely out of CUSA's footprint. IMO, UTEP big advantage in gaining the privates votes was they were not seen as serious recruiting competition being hundreds of miles from any Texas CUSA members and being historically weak in football. That added to Eastern CUSU's desire to get a basketball name to soften the blow of losing their basketball powers sealed the deal.

NT should continue to build its athletic programs and help grow the Belt and be ready for any athletic opportunities. CUSU may never happen, not only would NT have to overcome Western CUSU's fear of giving NT a competitive edge but also Eastern CUSU's probable desire to limited the number of Texas teams.