Rebranding The Sun Belt

[meangreenbob]

Yes, I know that it would cost a bunch of money for the member schools but maybe it's time we change the name of the Belt to something that gives the Conference a better image. The current name of the Conference is too deeply associatad with mediocrity. We badly need a name change. We need a classy name!

Maybe the Conference can have a contest for coming up with a new name and give the winner 4 tickets and an all expense paid trip to the Conference Basketball Tournament in Hot Springs?

Also, and please this is just my opinion but maybe it's time we look for a new commissioner. Someone younger, more energetic, more proactive and creative who can promote the Conference. Thats just an opinion. Maybe Waters is the right guy.

Edited January 25, 2011 by meangreenbob

[MDH]

I could see changing names if the conference saw major changes and accepted a considerable number of new members, but if the Belt schools start being competitive that will help the conference's image the most.

[UNTLifer]

I could see changing names if the conference saw major changes and accepted a considerable number of new members, but if the Belt schools start being competitive that will help the conference's image the most.

Yes, but I agree with meangreenbob on the need for a new commissioner, but changing the name does nothing. Someone please tell me what Waters has done for the Sun Belt besides creating the New Orleans Bowl?

Edited January 25, 2011 by UNTLifer

[rcade]

Yes, I know that it would cost a bunch of money for the member schools but maybe it's time we change the name of the Belt to something that gives the Conference a better image.

Changing the name would mean absolutely bupkiss.

[eppy4life]

Would simply changing the name satisfy guys like Dumpsalot? I doubt it.

[FloMoGrad]

I like the proactive thinking Bob but I don't know if it does us much good. I think winning, consistently, along with some better OOC performances conference wide are our only salvation on changing the Belt's perception.

Again though, I like the though, just not sure if the execution would play out the way we intend it.

[Green Mean]

Re-branding doesn't do anything....we need teams to make noise in our conference. That will improve the Belt's perception...not any kind of re-branding in my opinion.

[UNT90]

Re-branding doesn't do anything....we need teams to make noise in out of our conference. That will improve the Belt's perception...not any kind of re-branding in my opinion.

Fixed it for you.

[eppy4life]

The Sunbelt is a collection of schools who each thinks they're on their way out soon. Every AD is saying that the Belt is a growing conference and a great place to be.

But the truth is that every AD is desperately trying to get in a better conference and not be part of the group left out.

At least we may be able to host playoff games soon!

[PlummMeanGreen]

Re-arranging all the deck chairs on the Titanic would not have produced different results.

To quote the late Bill Blakely: "You can't turn chicken sh*t into chicken salad.

How many times North Texas changed its shade of green, unis', what was on our helmets and most the time still produced the same results?

Paint Obama green and you still have the most far leftist radical thinking president in US history and skin color had nothing to do with his politics now did it?

If Condaleeza Rice or JC Watts had run for president I would have campaigned proudly for either one of them door to door and that's a fact--jack.

We are what we are, folks, and cosmetic changes for the SBC will not trick anyone in the NCAA. We just need to get the MAC's sportswriters who seem to bloc vote their best teams into Top 25 polls to look at recent bowl results with the SBC versus the MAC and ask them to consider our best teams, too. That is what will change opinions concerning the SBC and that is our bowl rep being in the Top 25--at least it would be a good first dramatic step.

GMG!

Edited January 25, 2011 by PlummMeanGreen

[rcade]

Re-branding doesn't do anything....we need teams to make noise in our conference. That will improve the Belt's perception...not any kind of re-branding in my opinion.

The Belt needs its own Boise State -- a team that crashes the Top 25 and stays there for a while. I nominate North Texas.

[meangreenbob]

Re-arranging all the deck chairs on the Titanic would not have produced different results.

To quote the late Bill Blakely: "You can't turn chicken sh*t into chicken salad.

How many times North Texas changed its shade of green, unis', what was on our helmets and most the time still produced the same results?

Paint Obama green and you still have the most far leftist radical thinking president in US history and skin color had nothing to do with his politics now did it?

If Condaleeza Rice or JC Watts had run for president I would have campaigned proudly for either one of them door to door and that's a fact--jack.

We are what we are, folks, and cosmetic changes for the SBC will not trick anyone in the NCAA. We just need to get the MAC's sportswriters who seem to bloc vote their best teams into Top 25 polls to look at recent bowl results with the SBC versus the MAC and ask them to consider our best teams, too. That is what will change opinions concerning the SBC and that is our bowl rep being in the Top 25--at least it would be a good first dramatic step.

GMG!

Yes! Winning OOC games and filling our stadiums will certainly change the perception and acceptance of the Sun Belt.

But that isn't going to happen any time soon. And since everyone wants out of the Sun Belt why don't we do the next best thing until that happens.

Add two teams, and change the name of the conference to a classier name. It would have a tremendous phycological effect on the schools, players and recruits. It may be putting lipstick on a pig but re-branding is done all the time and I think shedding the stigma of what the Sun Belt name is associated with would do more good than many think. By adding two teams and changing the name we could all be in a new conference in some respects.

Maybe find a new commissioner to boot.

[meangreendork]

Yes, I know that it would cost a bunch of money for the member schools but maybe it's time we change the name of the Belt to something that gives the Conference a better image. The current name of the Conference is too deeply associatad with mediocrity. We badly need a name change. We need a classy name!

Maybe the Conference can have a contest for coming up with a new name and give the winner 4 tickets and an all expense paid trip to the Conference Basketball Tournament in Hot Springs?

Also, and please this is just my opinion but maybe it's time we look for a new commissioner. Someone younger, more energetic, more proactive and creative who can promote the Conference. Thats just an opinion. Maybe Waters is the right guy.

Wow, I can't even fathom this one. A new name isn't worth anything if the product is still the same.

[UNTLifer]

Wow, I can't even fathom this one. A new name isn't worth anything if the product is still the same.

Exactly.

Then again, "That Classy Southern League" has a certain ring to it.

[NM Green]

True about the product, but I am wondering when BP is going to make that necessary move. Maybe they never will, but roaming around the south in December I made sure every gas station I rolled into was that tragic oil giant. You slap a new logo, new color and tagline on it and maybe I don't know who you are anymore. How many people have no idea who is in the Belt? I know hardcore college fans who have no idea who makes up our league. We go to 12 or 14, throw a championship game together in Birmingham, fly a new flag and all of a sudden who do we look like - that really good CUSA league. Hardcore football fans would simply equate us to the other CUSA, and frankly I think Troy, Middle, FIU, FAU and hopefully North Texas have as good a chance of making noise as Central Florida, SMU and East Carolina do.

GMG

[Travis]

I will tell you what will hurt perception... adding more D-1AA teams to our conference. The WAC is doing it out of necessity. We aren't in that position. So we take NMSU and La Tech and that is it....

Edited January 25, 2011 by Travis

[PlummMeanGreen]

I will tell you what will hurt perception... adding more D-1AA teams to our conference. The WAC is doing it out of necessity. We aren't in that position. So we take NMSU and La Tech and that is it....

Since I've been an alum and even as a student, perception has rarely been a friend of North Texas.

GMG

[golfingomez]

yeah... we could rebrand the league... call it the Awesome-O League

Instead of traditional divisions, we could call one the 'The Justice League of America', and the other would be called 'The Avengers'

[TheTastyGreek]

Someone please tell me what Waters has done for the Sun Belt besides creating the New Orleans Bowl?

He's made great breakthroughs in theoretical mathematics, "proving" you don't need to count to 1 to break a tie.

He gives North Texas an annual opportunity to recruit the fertile basketball territory of Kentucky.

He got us a ton of publicity with that "memorandum of understanding" a few years back that didn't actually result in any Sun Belt teams getting a bowl that at least two thought they had earned.

- - - - -

On the other hand, he did force through the 150 rule. And he tried to convince us that hiring Dodge was a bad idea.

[TIgreen01]

...And he tried to convince us that hiring Dodge was a bad idea.

Whoa....what?! Is that true?

[Green Gas]

I will tell you what will hurt perception... adding more D-1AA teams to our conference. The WAC is doing it out of necessity. We aren't in that position. So we take NMSU and La Tech and that is it....

Isn't half the belt D1-AA move ups? Troy, FIU, FAU, and WKY?

We do not need to slap new paint on this pig we need a new conference. Even if these teams do better as a whole or a couple teams do really great no one in this part of the world is going to care outside a few die hards.

[Aquila_Viridis]

Actually this rebranding is the most ingenious idea anyone on here has had in awhile. It's simple. We just start calling the league 'Conference USA' and we'll see if they are man enough to fight us for it. My guess is they'll back down, and if they do it with grace maybe we'll let them have our old name.

[Texas Stranger]

By ading WAC remnants, we could become the Western and Dixie(WAD)Conference.

[forevereagle]

By ading WAC remnants, we could become the Western and Dixie(WAD)Conference.

I am a fan of naming it the Southern United Conference.