Why Not Expand The Sbc?

[TIgreen01]

Good grief....I can't believe all the angst over comparing the WAC to the SBC. What possible good does it do UNT for our fan message board to denigrate the conference we are currently associated with?? Anyone who truly believes that the WAC or MAC are markedly better conferences than the SBC is either kidding themselves or uneducated. PERIOD.

The only thing I can make of all of this recent talk is that something really is up at the AD/President's office. Too many of the longtime gmg board die-hards who have inside sources are suddenly blasting the SBC and promoting the WAC/MAC. It definitely has me worried about what is going on behind the scenes...

[Travis]

Yes, all 13 former WAC schools started or received promotions into a better conference. How many schools from the SunBelt Football Conference have been promoted? I believe three (3)...all promoted TO the WAC.

They got "promoted" only because of their geographic location. Not because of anything they actually did.

[wardly]

i find it hard to complain about the wac, when n.t. has won about 10 games the last 5 seasons, and is the "worst of the worst" at this point. in fact, our overall belt record is around 50% won/loss. we probably should be happy that anyone wants us until/if football program turns around.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

Yes, all 13 former WAC schools started or received promotions into a better conference. How many schools from the SunBelt Football Conference have been promoted? I believe three (3)...all promoted TO the WAC.

Thank you NT80, I couldn't have said it any better. I would add how many of those WAC schools left because the WAC was "so terrible" and joined the Belt? None.

Such a "stable" conference because no one wants in. And those that are locked in, have trouble getting enough recognition to get out. And we're boasting about this???

[cdizzle86]

Thank you NT80, I couldn't have said it any better. I would add how many of those WAC schools left because the WAC was "so terrible" and joined the Belt? None.

Such a "stable" conference because no one wants in. And those that are locked in, have trouble getting enough recognition to get out. And we're boasting about this???

If WAC never works out for us, then I'm sure we can always go back to the stable Sun Belt conference.

[VideoEagle]

Thank you NT80, I couldn't have said it any better. I would add how many of those WAC schools left because the WAC was "so terrible" and joined the Belt? None.

Such a "stable" conference because no one wants in. And those that are locked in, have trouble getting enough recognition to get out. And we're boasting about this???

So I should buy a home in the Nevada nuclear test grounds because since no one wants to live there and they found a better place I would find a better place too? That logic is insane!

[Rudy]

I have a novel idea, why don't we don't start our own Mean Green television network? Think of the millions of dollars we could earn!

If the people who run NTTV and KNTU run it, no thanks.

Yes, all 13 former WAC schools started or received promotions into a better conference. How many schools from the SunBelt Football Conference have been promoted? I believe three (3)...all promoted TO the WAC.

NMSU and Utah St never wanted to join due to geography. LA Tech had a pissing contest with WW.

[UNTGuy5]

If the people who run NTTV and KNTU run it, no thanks.

Take it easy on NTTV. It's completely student run, and they gain a ton of experience from it. KNTU, thats a different story...

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

So I should buy a home in the Nevada nuclear test grounds because since no one wants to live there and they found a better place I would find a better place too? That logic is insane!

That would all depend on where you currently live wouldn't it? Once you answer that you realize the logic is not insane at all.

[Rudy]

I've seen several schools with top notch TV stations. I wish they would learn some from them. WKU is an example, or at least it used to be.

[GreenLegend37]

Lol why does everyone hate KNTU so much? That is student run as well.

[buff64]

I say sunbelt with football only members = 9....add Houston, Memphis, USM, ECU, UTEP UAB and UCF = 16 members and fit pretty well..and rename the 16 team conference to something else....so long small private schools...hello more fans in southern us.

Moratorium ends spring 2011.

[wardly]

i find it hard to complain about the wac, when n.t. has won about 10 games the last 5 seasons, and is the "worst of the worst" at this point. in fact, our overall belt record is around 50% won/loss. we probably should be happy that anyone wants us until/if football program turns around.

EXACTLY! in addition, new mex.st. has NO INTEREST in moving to belt.[ denton would be a 10 hr. drive, with all others futher west.]. a 10 team belt conference works well with 9 league games, 3 ooc. i would like to boot denver and ualr, and replace with utsa and texas st. when available. this would give us a west division with ark st., ull, ulm, utsa, and tex. st. wac is desperate to find a 9th school because of concerns regarding staying power of la. tech, who will not join belt as long as ulm is a member.if ulm were to drop back to southland because of finances, then la. tech might move to the belt. it will be interesting to see what consultant recomends. if it looks like cusa door to the future is closed, perhaps wac makes sense for us.

[foutsrouts]

Lol why does everyone hate KNTU so much? That is student run as well.

Could it be because they were not smart enough to fix their name back when we had the '88 name change?

[CMJ]

Lol why does everyone hate KNTU so much? That is student run as well.

Not only that, but it's pretty highly regarded as student radio stations go. I think maybe it's the fact that they're a jazz station?

[bstnsportsfan3]

Im an RTVF student and a DJ at KNTU....nothing wrong with the way or station is run or the people who run it. remember that every on-air person you hear is a student and we are all learning and adapting to something we hope is our future career. so take it easy on bashing something that means alot to the university.

[foutsrouts]

Thank you NT80, I couldn't have said it any better. I would add how many of those WAC schools left because the WAC was "so terrible" and joined the Belt? None.

Such a "stable" conference because no one wants in. And those that are locked in, have trouble getting enough recognition to get out. And we're boasting about this???

Yes, the janitor in my building has been in the same position for over 30 years so I guess I should admire his stability. Lucky guy.

[GreenLegend37]

I think the Late Edition is pretty good, and that Monday sports anchor is pretty decent, Tyler Boldin I think?

[GrandGreen]

We're not going to get UTSA because they're going C-USA.

And, guys...I hate to say this, but...maybe Texas State goes C-USA as well. You look at their marketing, they were what, almost a Top 50 seller of their brand, beating out many FBS schools already.

We've got to just do what we can control - and that is KEEP WINNING, BABY!

So two teams that have never played fb division ball are going to beat out NT for a CUSA bid. Both schools are in the wild expectations phase of moving up. Fans support maybe high now, but wait till the reality of being another underfunded fb division program sets in. They are still a long way from being successful and both I would imagine are praying for a WAC bid. I think people including many of their fans greatly underestimate the task ahead of them. For example, both are expanding based on passing student fees that were $10 a hour to the state maximum of $20. That is an increase of $10 per hour, UNT currently has a dedicated athletic fee of $3 that go to $10 a hour but can also be increased to $20 an hour without another vote. So UNT has at least the opportunity of increasing their fee by $17 versus the newcomer twins increase of $10.

I really think that TSSM is going to have the rougher go being literally in the shadows of UT and UTSA starting a program just South. They do have an advantage of already having a program but I really don't think they are going to be anywhere close to the factor they hope for in the Austin/San Antonio market. UTSA has the plus of being in a huge City with little athletic competition. However, they have had a division 1 program in BB for ages and still average around 1500.

It will be interesting to watch their progression, but lets wait until they actually establish a fb division football program before we get overly concerned about the competition. They both because of their athletic fees and student body size will be comparatively well funded for the bottom tier of the fb division, but UNT will also have that advantage plus the added decades of fb division competition. As far as CUSA, IMO they will take a wait and see view toward the new programs. If either of these schools average 25,000 in football attendance and play decent football, they could be attractive to CUSA or the Belt, but I think their only chance now is a desperate WAC.

[VideoEagle]

UTSA and TSSM could join CUSA, but I just doubt it happening very quickly. I mean before the 2020 season.

UTSA is very proud of having Larry Coker as their coach. But remember that no university at any level that actually had a team wanted the guy. NONE! Their entire football program is based in a near instantaneous (three years is nothing in the life of a football program) jump to FBS ball. Yes, they have a number of contracts for home games against some big name FBS teams, but those games don't take place till AFTER they have made the jump to FBS ball. To make the jump they have to average 15K against, um, well no one knows. Once they announce officially the move, they are out of the Southland and the other Southland schools have good reason not to schedule them. Who will play them?

TSSM is in much better shape and they still have troubles of their own. They have done a great job upgrading their facilities, but their stadium still needs expansion to meet the FBS requirements. They need to improve their team. Yes, NT does too, but TSSM has only had four winning seasons in 24 or 25 years. We are terrible and still have been to four BOWL games in the last decade. They also have the problem with scheduling and being booted from the Southland once they announce. But they have an established program and it should be at least somewhat easier for them to schedule.

Getting into CUSA is a challenge on it's own. Unless CUSA has an opening, why expand beyond 12 unless whomever they bring in will guarantee more revenue than 1/14th of what CUSA gets now. Just because a team is in a large market does NOT guarantee lots of viewers and that is what ESPN looks at. Also the small privates are not going to be keen on either program adding to the competition. That's 4 no votes. The eastern schools keep saying they think the conference is too Texas heavy already so there are some more no votes. Somehow, UTSA and TSSM will need to find 8 or 9 (I think it's 2/3, but it might be 3/4) votes and that won't be easy.

Edited July 15, 2010 by VideoEagle

[Graddean]

I think all of the LA schools LA Tech, ULL and ULM have a lot to worry about. The state has announced a 23% cut in funding for all schools. LSU is looking at draconian cuts. If they are not able to get some additional taxes passed all of the schools are looking at serious problems. I don't see how the athletic programs can expect not to have large cuts. We have already seen UNO stepping down to D III. Costs may force some decisions on these schools that they have avoided making.

[shaft]

The SBC isn't expanding right now because there aren't any viable candidates.

South Alabama is already in the pipeline. And LA Tech is clinging to the WAC, but finances will force them to reconsider in the upcoming years.

I think it more realistic that the SBC would look to the MAC for expansion candidates over UTSA & Texas State. The conferences has been expanding east not west.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

And LA Tech is clinging to the WAC, but finances will force them to reconsider in the upcoming years.

Thats not going to happen.

I think it more realistic that the SBC would look to the MAC for expansion candidates over UTSA & Texas State. The conferences has been expanding east not west.

Wouldn't this just create another WAC geographically (with the exception of Hawaii)? And lets be more realistic and realize no other conference team wants to downgrade to the Sunbelt. While the MAC may get little respect, the Sunbelt gets even less. Even if a school had no other option for conferences, chances are they would shoot for independent over the SBC. I just find it funny that people are thinking a little more highly of the belt than they ought to and thinking that another D1 school would actually desire to get into this conference. Bottom line is that history will repeat itself and when TxSt and UTSA and all the other DII schools are able to move up, they will be the fresh blood in the Sunbelt. So if the Sunbelt wants to expand, that is going to be its only option.

And remember: Long live the Sunbelt!

[VideoEagle]

Thats not going to happen.

Why? Other sources have said the President of La Tech has talked to at least two SBC Presidents about coming back. A number of La Tech's most "in the know" fans who post on message boards report they would have already come back if not for ULM being in the conference. ULM being a member is the barrier to La Tech, no some perceived "drop" in status.

By the way, neither TSSM nor UTSA are Division II. Both are Division I.

[shaft]

It all depends on when the SBC needs to expand. If the conference can wait it will pick up LA Tech and UTSA by 2016-17. It will take UTSA that long to become a full D1/FBS school. And give LA Tech five season in the WAC without the BCS cash from Boise to offset their travel costs and they won't really have a choice. As much as LA Tech has based its capital campaign on differentiate itself from UL-M, its not going to have much of a choice give the state's budget.

If the SBC has expand sooner because of something like a raid from another conference, it will look to the MAC. There are a few schools close to WKU and MTSU that would fit in the SBC footprint.