North Texas Feels The Sun Belt Is Better For Them

[MeanGreen61]

http://eagletalk.net/2010/06/27/north-texas-feels-the-sun-belt-is-better-for-them.aspx

[Rudy]

If a writer can't get the right teams in the conference, then I doubt he has any credibility that the WACky is a better conference for this reason or that reason.

[VideoEagle]

If a writer can't get the right teams in the conference, then I doubt he has any credibility that the WACky is a better conference for this reason or that reason.

Technically, the WAC only has four bowl tie ins in any given year. They alternate between the Emerald and Poinsettia Bowls with one in even years and an other in odd years.

[akriesman]

Personally, I thought the article was dead on.....

[Rudy]

Personally, I thought the article was dead on.....

Except that Utah and New Mexico are not in the WAC.

[foutsrouts]

If a writer can't get the right teams in the conference, then I doubt he has any credibility that the WACky is a better conference for this reason or that reason.

"The thing that sticks out about the Sun Belt Conference is almost all the games are within easy reach of North Texas fans."

He cannot quite get that one right either. It's not exactly like I went out for some Trojans last night and just stumbled into Troy. Just add us and Arky State and give us a mini eastern division. Sure beats the Hell out of visiting the neighboring "FU who's" and such.

[NT80]

"Difference one; North Texas fans can travel to almost all their Sun Belt conference away games. As a member in the WAC they would only be able to travel easily to LaTech and maybe New Mexico.

Difference two; With the Sun Belt teams closer to each other, there is a better chance North Texas will be able to build rivalries.

Difference three, the Sun Belt is more fan friendly for North Texas."

I found the article mostly factual and accurate. I would not rate the SBC as fan friendly for NT fans to travel. Many games require long, long road trips or an airplane ride. The WAC would too but the statement we can travel to almost all away games is misleading if including Denver, Troy, the FU's and a majority of the other schools, most all further than 8 hours away. A 3-time-zone conference does not build rivalries anymore than the WAC would.

The WAC may not be financially beneficial to NT at this time but other factors are in play. The perception is La Tech is at a level above us right now. It may cost them more to be there, but they are there. I hope that doesn't come to cost us in the long run when CUSA forms it's expansion list and gives points based on image factors.

Edited June 30, 2010 by NT80

[VideoEagle]

The WAC may not be financially beneficial to NT at this time but other factors are in play. The perception is La Tech is at a level above us right now. It may cost them more to be there, but they are there. I hope that doesn't come to cost us in the long run when CUSA forms it's expansion list and gives points based on image factors.

Yeah, that "perception" thing again. La Tech spends $1 million a YEAR more than ULM on travel.

As for getting into CUSA, as a Fresno fan put it on the Wac board, the Wac has certainly NOT helped La Tech get into CUSA. Counting the founding of CUSA, La Tech has be passed over three times by CUSA.

[NT80]

Yeah, that "perception" thing again. La Tech spends $1 million a YEAR more than ULM on travel.

As for getting into CUSA, as a Fresno fan put it on the Wac board, the Wac has certainly NOT helped La Tech get into CUSA. Counting the founding of CUSA, La Tech has be passed over three times by CUSA.

How many times has ULM been on CUSA's list? La Tech makes $1 million+ more than ULM being in the WAC. Yes, La Tech pays for that "perception" difference over ULM, and I think they have gained it, significantly.

[foutsrouts]

Yeah, that "perception" thing again. La Tech spends $1 million a YEAR more than ULM on travel.

As for getting into CUSA, as a Fresno fan put it on the Wac board, the Wac has certainly NOT helped La Tech get into CUSA. Counting the founding of CUSA, La Tech has be passed over three times by CUSA.

Unfortunately, if smu's grease money still counts for anything, LA Tech is still in line for that position ahead of us.

[VideoEagle]

How many times has ULM been on CUSA's list? La Tech makes $1 million+ more than ULM being in the WAC. Yes, La Tech pays for that "perception" difference over ULM, and I think they have gained it, significantly.

No, according to T_Won1, Tech just gets a net $700,000 more than ULM from the WAC. And that is under the current TV contract and having Boise make a BCS bowl every year. The TV contract is going to be halved and Boise is leaving, but the Wac will only have to slice the pie 8 way if they don't expand. Still, Tech will get more from the Wac - about $125,000 a year more but will still have $1,000,000 a year in extra expenses. So they will be paying $875,000 more than ULM for the "perception" which has yet to get them into the CUSA. This "perception" has had then rejected twice since CUSA has been founded.

[THOR]

i don't get that la tech is better perceived than north texas. they have, or had, women's bball, no rivalries. yes, they beat us in football the last two times, but so have a lot of teams. i have no idea how someone would think la tech is a better school than north texas. i'm flumoxxed!

[VideoEagle]

i don't get that la tech is better perceived than north texas. they have, or had, women's bball, no rivalries. yes, they beat us in football the last two times, but so have a lot of teams. i have no idea how someone would think la tech is a better school than north texas. i'm flumoxxed!

You are expecting rational thinking. The people who want to go to the Wac condemn the Sun Belt as being an "entry level conference full of bad teams." Then they want to move those same bad teams to the Wac and to accept entry level TSSM and UTSA. There must be magic in those Wac uniform patches. Yes, magical "perception" that only the few can understand.

[Side Show Joe]

The article talked about North Texas being able to build rivalries in the Sun Belt. After a decade in the Belt, I don't see it happening. If it ever does, it could take 20 or 30 years, because the average UNT fan doesn't care about the other teams in the Belt. Dismissing the WAC and trying to label it a bad option for North Texas will not change that.

[SilverEagle]

Just my humble opinion, but the thing we need to do is get the average North Texas student/alum into the stadium and show them such a good time that they will keep coming back. THAT is how you have consistent sell-outs. And consistent sell-outs are what get the attention of CUSA...and others. It also gets the attention of the local media. Unless it's the B-12(10)the average student, and for that matter, the average North Texas graduate (going back to...whenever) don't have much of a clue about conference affliations. It's the sports freaks (or pseudo sports freaks) that come on this board that mainly have that perception. The average student really doesn't care! All they really care about is our win/loss record, and how good a time they had at the game.

Let me illustrate my point. Our average attendance during some of our better 1-AA days.

1987- 13,764

1988- 15,319

1989- 14,289

1990- 14,783

During this period, we sold out Fouts field FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY for our games with SFA and McNeese state. We never did that during the Mitchell, Rust or Fry era.

Our average attendance during our championship/Bowl runs.

2001- 14,769

2002- 15,260

2003- 18,694

2004- 15,184

IMHO, what we need to concentrate on is GETTING BACK TO OUR WINNING WAYS AND....PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE.

The Boise State Broncos is what sells tickets to the average fan in Boise Idaho....not their opponents.

Edited June 30, 2010 by SilverEagle

[VideoEagle]

The Boise State Broncos is what sells tickets to the average fan in Boise Idaho....not their opponents.

Yes, that is it exactly. A school is always going to get a bump in attendance with certain opponents. But you can't depend on filling your stadium with those fair weather fans, you need to build a base that wants to come see your team. Make the games fun to attend first and competitive. Then promote, promote and promote some more.

[TIgreen01]

The article talked about North Texas being able to build rivalries in the Sun Belt. After a decade in the Belt, I don't see it happening. If it ever does, it could take 20 or 30 years, because the average UNT fan doesn't care about the other teams in the Belt. Dismissing the WAC and trying to label it a bad option for North Texas will not change that.

Agree 110%.

This article reads like RV, or someone within the AD's office, dictated it. The biggest thing I took away from it, though, was that we are content to wait on CUSA....our leaders feel like that conference is going to blow up and there will be opportunities in the next couple years. Obviously, this is a risky time for us. Our freaking football team needs to nut up.

Anyone wonder if RVs decision, last November, to keep TD around for next year might have been different if he knew then what we know now? Conference realignment is the hot topic....might it have made more sense to go ahead and make a splashy coaching hire? Or still better to tie it all in with the stadium opening, if it comes to that (ie--Dodge doesn't get to 7 wins)?

[KRAM1]

Careful, Silver, some on here take umbrage at anyone who suggests that there is a need for promotion within the dept. Just kidding...you know who you are.

[Quoner]

Careful, Silver, some on here take umbrage at anyone who suggests that there is a need for promotion within the dept. Just kidding...you know who you are.

God you need me.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

Except that Utah and New Mexico are not in the WAC.

Except for before that in the 3rd paragraph he names them correctly. You're saying he forgot what schools he was talking about?? More realistically he probably thought the readers were smart enough to put 2 and 2 together. Maybe you should write him and tell him you're not so next time to spell out the school in it's entirety.