Pac-10 Expansion Hits Roadblock

[NT80]

"One possibility for the WAC is North Texas, which would give the conference a foothold in Texas and provide a travel partner for Louisiana Tech."

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15297607?nclick_check=1

[Rudy]

Nooooo. NO, no, no, no, no, never, never, never, no, never, no, no, no, never.

[Ibleedgreen]

Ditto Rudy.

[cdizzle86]

Let's go anywhere but here.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

No... NO ... NO ... Hell NO .... WAC is in real trouble .. and will be soon be far worse than the SunBelt. With Boise it may have been better but not now.. I now rank it now the worst of all first division conferences.

There is nothing good about it... too much travel and in Western Time zone which means no media attention at all on Saturday evenings and night, especially night games. The Belt is FAR superior in basketball besides. I am sure they would love to have us.

What do they have that is so great ?? Hawaii, Nevada... ??? Nothing appeals to me. Several of our teams have a better history in basketball and other sports if you look at that area.

Which games would our fans possibly attend...?? LaTech and maybe NMSU.... and absolutely no more..... Bad situation to be in, ask LaTech.. They want out.

[ColoradoEagle]

WAC is a better basketball conference. By far, actually.

[gangrene]

There is nothing good about it... too much travel and in Western Time zone which means no media attention at all on Saturday evenings and night, especially night games.

I have to ask, what is your medium of choice for this "media attention" you seek? Local TV news? Local newspaper? How about the internet? Or ESPN News? I understand these were very valid concerns several years ago but I can't agree with the lack of media coverage argument for playing in the Pacific time zone any longer.

Now, that being said, I'm neither for or against joining the WAC. However, I think we need to seriously consider any and all options at this point. Boise State was able to achieve a tremendous amount of success in the WAC. Perhaps we could achieve the same? Regardless, I don't think it's the conference that's the problem. If we were to amass a 12-0 record while playing in the SBC, I have no doubt we'd be a top 25 team. Do that two or three years in a row and we'd be right where Boise State and TCU are now. Of course we'd have to sprinkle in a few quality OOC victories in those undefeated seasons.

[CMJ]

WAC is a better basketball conference. By far, actually.

While true, I don't think we'd do well recruiting wise playing in it.

[Side Show Joe]

The WAC has good baseball too. Fresno State won the college world series a few years back. Last I heard, we still want to add baseball.

[UNTflyer]

The WAC has only been to a BCS bowl 3 times. And their members have included such no-names as Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, TCU, Colorado State, SMU, Air Force, and Boise State.

They can't hold a candle to the Sun Belt!

[VideoEagle]

The WAC has good baseball too. Fresno State won the college world series a few years back. Last I heard, we still want to add baseball.

This year the Sunbelt had 3 baseball teams in the NCAA playoffs and those Wacy folks had 1.

[VideoEagle]

The WAC has only been to a BCS bowl 3 times. And their members have included such no-names as Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, TCU, Colorado State, SMU, Air Force, and Boise State.

They can't hold a candle to the Sun Belt!

The team who earned 2 of those 3 BCS bowls just bailed from the Wac. They were the 16th team to leave the conference, a record I believe.

[DeepGreen]

The WAC has only been to a BCS bowl 3 times. And their members have included such no-names as Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, TCU, Colorado State, SMU, Air Force, and Boise State.

They can't hold a candle to the Sun Belt!

At one time I would have agreed that the WAC might have been a better option for UNT. However, your list of former WAC teams is impressive. Compare that with today's lineup. New Mexico State, Nevada, San Jose State, Fresno State, Utah State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Hawaii (am I missing anyone?) Fact is, any one of those teams in bold could leave for another opportunity at any time. Without any of those three all you have is the Big West revisited.

As much as I want to upgrade from the Sun Belt, until the right opportunity comes along (CUSA?), the SBC may be our best choice for not.

Edited June 16, 2010 by DeepGreen

[houstonmeangreen]

"One possibility for the WAC is North Texas, which would give the conference a foothold in Texas and provide a travel partner for Louisiana Tech."

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_15297607?nclick_check=1

Bad idea

[UNTflyer]

Sure the list of FORMER WAC teams is impressive.

Care to create the list of impressive former Sun Belt teams?

The point is that the WAC could be a stepping stone to a better conference. Its history shows that. My beef with the WAC is that it needs more teams in the central time zone.

[VideoEagle]

The point is that the WAC could be a stepping stone to a better conference. Its history shows that. My beef with the WAC is that it needs more teams in the central time zone.

Wouldn't it be easier just to add La Tech to the Sunbelt? If the MWC adds a Wacy school - which I don't think they will - then La Tech will need to get out. Unless someone leaves CUSA, then the SBC is La Tech's only option.

[NT80]

The point is that the WAC could be a stepping stone to a better conference. Its history shows that.

This is the exact point that people need to think about before automatically dismissing WAC membership because of locations.

Sorry, but the SBC right now is still below the WAC and CUSA on the food chain. It was very obvious in the recent and past Conference changes and rumored moveups that there is a definite pecking order for moving up. Boise WAC>MWC, TCU CUSA>MWC, Utah MWC>PAC10, etc. There are steps. Schools don't make two-step leaps like SBC>MWC.

If the ultimate goal for us is a Big12, MWC, or like conference then the WAC would be a step up progression; not a long-term 30-year stay but a move until a lateral move into CUSA or up to MWC, but a move that must be made.

[gangrene]

I'm even coming around to the idea of adding Texas State and UTSA to the WAC if we decided to move. Like it or not, those two schools seem to be getting quite a bit of national attention, if not credibility, lately. For us, that could mean reduced travel costs and, hopefully, two teams that we should dominate for a few years. That would be two wins over FBS schools, which has been our season average over the last several years. All the recruiting benefits of playing in San Antonio that is supposedly getting schools like Arizona, Arizona State, K-State, Baylor and Houston to schedule UTSA would also exist for North Texas. At the very least, I think we should seriously consider putting them on a future schedule.

[TennesseeBoyintheRockies]

The WAC will make another run at North Texas. With fewer members and less Boise State, the WAC is wide open for the taking and more revenue distributions would be available. So much has changed across the landscape of college athletics since the old WAC super-conference and Southwest and Big West Conference dissolving.

Also, North Texas could leave without putting the Sun Belt's existence at risk. This was not the case in 2004. Other Sun Belt members were willing to follow North Texas if they left. This is very much like what we saw recently with Texas and the Big 12.

Now, UNT is in a much better position to bolt for the WAC. Believe it or not, it the return investment in the WAC would likely profit UNT in the long run more than being in the Sun Belt. It's not just about travel and ability to compete. It's about exposure and maximizing your name.

[VideoEagle]

Now, UNT is in a much better position to bolt for the WAC. Believe it or not, it the return investment in the WAC would likely profit UNT in the long run more than being in the Sun Belt. It's not just about travel and ability to compete. It's about exposure and maximizing your name.

I don't think you have been reading much lately. Those Wacy folks are going to lose over half of their TV revenue and the H-Bowl is talking about dropping them. They didn't make sense financially WITH Boise so they certainly don't without Boise. The SBC is now slightly ahead of the WAC in BSC money and about equal in TV money, before the additional travel expenses. La Tech is more desperate than ever to leave. La Tech fans still hate ULM, but are now hurling insults and no longer writing they would never be in a conference with them. That is a huge change!

As more "exposure and maximizing" our name, it's been shown over and over again going Wacy alone would not do that for a Central time zone team by itself. As for a group from the Belt doing that, why would they jump from a stable conference to a burning platform? It makes no sense.

[TIgreen01]

One thing is for sure...more talk about UNT realigning from both the media and some of the more "connected" members of this board sure looks like smoke to me. What's esp. interesting is that this talk has been picking up more and more even AFTER the Big 12 didn't implode. You'd think that realignment talk for us would start tapering off, but instead it's picking up.

Are our leaders working behind the scenes to try to couple our new stadium opening with a shiny new conference membership?

Make no mistake, I want no part of the WAC. Anyone who thinks we'll make a Boise like leap out and up from that conference is kidding themselves. There were too many built-in advantages that helped Boise along the way....namely the city and bowl game backing.

[UNTflyer]

I'm even coming around to the idea of adding Texas State and UTSA to the WAC if we decided to move. Like it or not, those two schools seem to be getting quite a bit of national attention, if not credibility, lately.

Nah. Let them pay their dues in the Sun Belt. We should take Arkansas State, UTEP, and Tulsa to the WAC.

[UNTflyer]

Make no mistake, I want no part of the WAC. Anyone who thinks we'll make a Boise like leap out and up from that conference is kidding themselves. There were too many built-in advantages that helped Boise along the way....namely the city and bowl game backing.

Yeah. We shouldn't fool ourselves reaching for the sun. We'll just end up burning.

No offense, but if you're not even going to dream big...

Edited June 16, 2010 by UNTflyer

[houstonmeangreen]

Nah. Let them pay their dues in the Sun Belt. We should take Arkansas State, UTEP, and Tulsa to the WAC.

No WAC...and who would wantt to take Texas State and UTSA(who has no football team yet) to the WAC? the Sunbelt is much better...just try to add to the Belt...w/o boise the WAC stinks.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES