Jon Wilner tweeting NMSU a possibility for Sun Belt

[Harry]

Source: New Mexico State a potential target of expanding Sun Belt with quality bball and baseball programs

3 days ago from web

https://mobile.twitter.com/wilnerhotline/status/197729950688747520

[NT03]

This may have been answered elsewhere , but I don't want to start a whole new thread : who has the better baseball ? Sunbelt or USA ? I know baseball was probably the best thing the belt had to offer. I'm one of the biggest basball fans there are , but it's really hard to watch/follow college when there is no unt involved

Can't wait till it starts up

[Mark Gommesen]

I think NMSU to the Sunbelt is less than a sure thing. I doubt that current Sunbelt members are willing to incur the traveling expenses and time to compete with a school that has so little to offer. It is apparent from the recent expansion candidates considered by the SB that the conference wishes to remain more regionally based.

It is with that backdrop that New Mexico State president Barbara Couture and athletic director McKinley Boston issued an open letter to fans.

It read in part: “This is truly a new day when the sports, primarily football, are ruled by the potential for TV coverage. We all understand that. Now we are beginning to better comprehend just how far-reaching this new reality can be. Of course, New Mexico State University has no major media market to bring to the table. Without that market our "value" as a conference member appears to be less than other schools with less successful programs but that are located in areas with a greater population. The same thing appears to be the case for the University of Idaho.”

Hurd acknowledged that it might not be as easy for the league to rebuild as perhaps it would have been in the past.

"In previous years of departures and additions, there seemed to be ready options available," he said. "This particular time the apparent options aren't as readily noticeable or readily apparent as they were in the past and we're going to have to be creative as we look ahead."

[Mark Gommesen]

NMSU only saving grace is baseball. It is currently ranked 20th in the country. CUSA baseball is far superior to the Sunbelt. The CUSA currently has five teams ranked in the top 25. The CUSA is right up there with the Big 12 and the SEC. UNT needs baseball!