Why the GA State moved happened

[shaft]

http://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-state/georgia-state-ready-for-1411838.html

"Finances played into the timing. Georgia State must pay an exit fee of at least $250,000 to leave the CAA. The conference is scheduled to vote on Tuesday whether to increase the exit fee to $1 million, which sped up negotiations. Levick said Georgia State will not participate in Tuesday's vote. There also will be a $300,000 entry fee to join the Sun Belt."

The SBC made the move to save GA State $750k.

[Rudy]

Why should the SBC care about saving them money? What do they bring?

[GrandGreen]

Ga State might have committed now to avoid a big pay out but I doubt it played big in Benson/Belt decision. Benson likes big markets and he landed one, I would guess he also went after UTSA but they aren't committing until hopes of the Alliance are gone. The decision also hints that he expects to lose multiple teams.

[Harry]

Ga State might have committed now to avoid a big pay out but I doubt it played big in Benson/Belt decision. Benson likes big markets and he landed one, I would guess he also went after UTSA but they aren't committing until hopes of the Alliance are gone. The decision also hints that he expects to lose multiple teams.

Yeah the whole deadline thing was bs...Benson wanted a good market for his TV and bowl negotiations and he landed it. The CAA or whatever would have delayed the buyout had they thought they could have kept GSU in.

I'll give Benson credit...he isn't pussyfooting around. he's making some bold moves and earning his salary.

[techdawg88]

The only teams I expect to leave the Sun Belt are FIU & UNT

[GTWT]

The only teams I expect to leave the Sun Belt are FIU & UNT

I agree. If more SBC teams were to come the only others I would be happy about are Louisiana & FAU.

I fully expect La Tech in the Alliance. If another WAC school is invited do you prefer Texas State of UTSA?

[untbowler]

Ga State was a founding member of the Sun Belt back in the 70's so they could be coming back home since they have added football.

[techdawg88]

I agree. If more SBC teams were to come the only others I would be happy about are Louisiana & FAU.

I fully expect La Tech in the Alliance. If another WAC school is invited do you prefer Texas State of UTSA?

Texas St, because they've actually been playing football a while and UTSA fans are getting big heads for people whose team hasn't even played FBS football

[Harry]

Considering the CAA just had to reschedule the vote, it looks like the threat was overblown.

More than anything else it shows to me that there are about to be more defections from the CAA in basketball

Don't get me wrong, GS has market and potential but the deal about having to get this done prior to the CAA vote was BS. Benson is backfilling to offset the impact of the eventual Alliance moves.

[ValleyBoy]

Don't get me wrong, GS has market and potential but the deal about having to get this done prior to the CAA vote was BS. Benson is backfilling to offset the impact of the eventual Alliance moves.

I agree with you Harry that Benson jumped the gun in adding GaSt. This fall GaSt will be lucky if they win 3 games & you can take that to the bank.

Just my gut feeling but I believe that the SunBelt has more options of schools to add that the WAC. So why jump the gun by adding a school that will be a conference doormat for years.

Georgia State will be a doormat within the SunBelt when it comes to football. And without winning being located in a major market will mean squat to delivering that market.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

Why should the SBC care about saving them money? What do they bring?

They bring Atlanta. If we have UTSA, that brings San Antonio.

Yes, we finally have a commissioner who will play the TV market game. This isn't a bad thing.

I'm telling you, we keep laughing off these programs that are new and aiming high. We need to be embracing them as part of growth.

What if we never receive an invite to a higher conference? Doesn't it makes sense, then, for the commissioner to make the conference as strong as possible?

We've got now got facilities. We've now got a name coach. Georgia State has that. UTSA has that. That's why they are good targets for the conference we are now in.

Edited April 10, 2012 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[shaft]

I think the GA Addition gives us a good idea of what's really going on.

LA Tech & UTSA said they wanted to see how things played out with the alliance/merger.

The school presidents all agreed on Georgia State because of the market and previous connection to the SBC, but were ready to wait out the merger as well.

CAA comes along and tries to hold GA State up for an extra $750k, and the SBC throws their new little buddy a break.

I just don't like the new SBC divisions.

East

FIU

FAU

WKY

MTSU

GA St

Troy

West

USA

ULL

ULM

ARK St

UNT

+1