Forgive The Ignorance: Unt Repeatedly Turned Down The Wac?

ProfessorPickles · August 20, 2010

Hi Guys. This is my first post.

I'm a UNT alum and I was shocked today when I read the Andy Katz article today on ESPN.com that said that UNT has turned down the WAC a number of times.

I have never heard anything of the sort. Does anyone have any info on this? Why would UNT turn down the WAC?

cwb · August 20, 2010

Because RV talked to that wizard guy.

UNTLifer · August 20, 2010

Lot's of history on this board if you want to do the search, but in a nutshell here are the main reasons:

1. Travel costs when your closest conference foe would be New Mexico State in Las Cruces.

2. Flashbacks to the Big West and how it was a nightmare.

3. Poor media coverage when you Saturday night games end at 12:00pm local time. No Sunday coverage in the paper and it becomes buried on Monday due to the Cowboys.

4. The WAC wouldn't agree to also take Ark. St. and ULL as travel partners thus creating an eastern WAC division to off set travel expenses.

5. Look at La. Tech's budget for all you need to know.

BTW, welcome to the board.

Edited August 20, 2010 by UNTLifer

ProfessorPickles · August 20, 2010

Thanks, Lifer. Appreciated.

Mean Green 93-98 · August 20, 2010

At this point, I think we can all be thankful.

foutsrouts · August 20, 2010

Lot's of history on this board if you want to do the search, but in a nutshell here are the main reasons:

1. Travel costs when your closest conference foe would be New Mexico State in Las Cruces.
2. Flashbacks to the Big West and how it was a nightmare.
3. Poor media coverage when you Saturday night games end at 12:00pm local time. No Sunday coverage in the paper and it becomes buried on Monday due to the Cowboys.
4. The WAC wouldn't agree to also take Ark. St. and ULL as travel partners thus creating an eastern WAC division to off set travel expenses.
5. Look at La. Tech's budget for all you need to know.

BTW, welcome to the board.

Although I have always wanted to leave the entry level conference, I admit I have had some mixed feelings from time to time about going WACKY. I'm not sure I agree with all your points though.

1. Our closest conference foe would be in Ruston which is a lot closer than Las Cruces.

2. The Big West was a nightmare (IMO) because we and most of our conference mates were coming out of 1AA and basically sucked.

3. Since we would likely have only 4 conference road games, it's very likely that only 3 (or less depending on afternoon games) FB games per season would have late endings local time.

4. I would like an Eastern WAC, but even without one, travel expenses vs. the SBC wouldn't be massively different if you take out a Hawaii trip which I think would be a plus.

5. We ain't rich, but we ain't LA Tech either.

Arkstfan · August 20, 2010

What is really important in comparing costs is to not use the fraudulent comparison that Tech touts.

Compare Tech to ULM not Tech to ULL, because ULM due to location can bus to sites that ULL can't and Tech could bus to any place ULM could bus to.

Danish43 · August 20, 2010

5. We ain't rich, but we ain't LA Tech either.

untgeorge · August 20, 2010

Although I have always wanted to leave the entry level conference, I admit I have had some mixed feelings from time to time about going WACKY. I'm not sure I agree with all your points though.

1. Our closest conference foe would be in Ruston which is a lot closer than Las Cruces.
2. The Big West was a nightmare (IMO) because we and most of our conference mates were coming out of 1AA and basically sucked.
3. Since we would likely have only 4 conference road games, it's very likely that only 3 (or less depending on afternoon games) FB games per season would have late endings local time.
4. I would like an Eastern WAC, but even without one, travel expenses vs. the SBC wouldn't be massively different if you take out a Hawaii trip which I think would be a plus.
5. We ain't rich, but we ain't LA Tech either.

As to item 2 - partly true; New Mexico State and UtahSt were never 1AA and Nevada beat us out of 1AA by five years. But the basketball schools were not new to D1.

As to item 3 - we play sports other than football. It is not like we had no experience to draw on; our Big West experience showed most conference games did not make the 10:00 new or the papers the next day.

As to item 4 - travel in the BW was horrendous for sports other than fb. Those sports go commerical, and you don't fly to Boise or Idaho or Nevada, etc, you fly elsewhere and catch another flight on another airline. Cost and travel time was out of sight. and a Thursday/Saturday road trip meant more difficulties. Trips to WKy, MTSU, ULL, ULM, ASU and UALR are much easier.

VideoEagle · August 20, 2010

Although I have always wanted to leave the entry level conference, I admit I have had some mixed feelings from time to time about going WACKY. I'm not sure I agree with all your points though.

1. Our closest conference foe would be in Ruston which is a lot closer than Las Cruces.
2. The Big West was a nightmare (IMO) because we and most of our conference mates were coming out of 1AA and basically sucked.
3. Since we would likely have only 4 conference road games, it's very likely that only 3 (or less depending on afternoon games) FB games per season would have late endings local time.
4. I would like an Eastern WAC, but even without one, travel expenses vs. the SBC wouldn't be massively different if you take out a Hawaii trip which I think would be a plus.
5. We ain't rich, but we ain't LA Tech either.

Since the WAC is now a dead conference walking, aren't you glad we didn't join?