If Tulsa Leaves who replaces them?

[shaft]

I'd rather kick out MTSU than add a 14th.

At the point where S Miss is going to be in the Western disvions I'd rather see them add an Eastern team like GA State that will add market share than a regional travel buddy like TXST.

[CurveItAround]

This guy seems to think NMSU might be next up.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fau-owls/sfl-fau-not-jumping-to-cusa-for-13-yet-20130116,0,7646687.story

That would be a little out of left field, but would provide olys the ability to kill two birds with one stone when travelling to El Paso. Las Cruces is a decent sized metro area and NMSU is pretty respected academically and nationally ranked (#189 USNWR), 18,000 students, $150mm endowment, $150mm in research grants, establishes presence in new state, and already has a rivalry with UTEP.

Not sure if it will happen, but I guess nothing surprises at this point. When MTSU and FAU were added the rumor at the time was WKU and NMSU were next in line. Maybe there was something to the rumors.

[shaft]

If we end up in a conference with New Mexico State we have truely failed.

With that said there is nothing to support NMSU as the next best program for CUSA.

[Eastwood Eagle]

1. WKU

2. Texas State

[CurveItAround]

Yep. The reporters words not mine. I simply provided some info about NSMU for those not so inclined. Would not be my choice as stated previously. Reality is that there are no adds that will move the needle for everyone, or even anyone.

Edited January 17, 2013 by CurveItAround

[JesseMartin]

As far as the conference goes, I voted nobody in regards to the fact that Tulsa and UTEP seem to be about the same media market draw, regardless of W/L records. But I can see WacKY working as a rival and fellow former SBC member, as well as Texas State working well for the butts in seats/in-state competition draw. Really, I was thinking more like "what should the conference do?", and that was, "probably hold on to either Tulsa OR UTEP, but not necessarily both."

Oh, and also, everything Emmitt said, yeah. +1.

[GrayEagle]

What must one do to get on the 'good guy' list? Of the candidates who has....

1. Won their last two bowl games? (San Diego State and East Carolina)

2. Led in average attendance the last two years? (26,000+)

3. Largely responsible for the New Orleans Bowl new attendance record? (48,000+)

4. Has the longest length of FBS service? (25+ years)

5. Has the best facilities? (OK, they're virtually tied with Arkansas State)

6. Has the best tailgating of all the candidates? (Think Cajun food)

Yet, they're behind almost everyone else in the poll. Why? Whatever happened to earning your way?

They have the top average attendance mark in the Sun Belt at more than 29,000. Only Arkansas State has come close to that mark at 25,000+. Texas State has been in the FBS one year, Western Kentucky four, and Georgia State 0. Arkansas State is much better than those but still less than Louisiana.

They have three drawbacks as I see it. Lafayette is not a larget market but they are light years ahead of Jonesboro and Bowling Green. For the time being Texas State is barely a blip in the Austin market because UT is so dominating. The second drawback is their budget. I don't know whether they can afford CUSA or not but their budget isn't that much smaller than La Tech and that didn't stop them. I'm guessing that the third hindrance is their name. They prefer to be called Louisiana; not ULL, UL-Lafayette, or Louisiana-Lafayette (too long for any marquee). The went through the channels and seemingly had approval until LSU alumni in the legislature amended their bill to have to include another institution because they thought that it gave the university too much prestige. They use Louisiana on their uniforms and in their end zones, etc. while Monroe uses ULM. Officially, they may be Louisiana-Lafayette but in the court of public opinion they can become just Louisiana. If separated from ULM it will even be easier.

Anyway, I think that Louisiana is the most deserving candidate although it wouldn't raise my enthusiasm is Tulsa leaves.

[FirefightnRick]

Yet, they're behind almost everyone else in the poll. Why?

Because very few posters here have ever been to ULL to see what they have to offer.

For me it's TxSt or ULL.

Rick

[Christopher Walker]

Their promo video

When their logo finally comes up, it struck against the pink background suddenly makes me feel we've entered Gentleman's Club advertising territory...

Texas State has also produced a very good video about pride.

Oh God, why are they staring at me!?!

Edited January 17, 2013 by Christopher Walker

[ADLER]

First choice - Louisiana . Slam dunk, and it's not even close. The Cajuns are established long term in 1A unlike every other viable candidate. The Cajuns have by far the best fan support. The Cajuns have a media market that places them as one of the top teams followed. The residents of the 500K Acadiana region, even many who also follow LSU, identify themselves as Cajuns.

I'm shocked that Louisiana has not been selected before any, or all, of the current CUSA additions.

Arkansas State would be my next selection. This may be a hard sell with several CUSA members because of limited market but Arkansas State has been making strides in recent seasons forging an identity.

If this school had chosen Arkies (a goofy regional nickname ala Hoosiers, Jayhawks, Sooners, Tarheels, Vols, Cajuns, Buckeyes) instead of Red Wolves when they were forced to replace Indians, they would have received a lot more statewide following and could have avoided the whole 'small town / no market' tag. Huge opportunity missed.

NMSU, no way. If UTEP doesn't want them then there is absolutely no reason to consider them.

If UTEP were to leave CUSA then NMSU is even more geographically undesirable.

Texas State - I really like this school as a potential rivalry but also think there are too many schools in CUSA that would oppose their admission, at least at this time. The non-Texas CUSA schools are wary of too many Texas schools being added, and UTSA has been campaigning to distance themselves from what was very recently referred to as their 'Texas Twin'.

I would love to see North Texas sign a long term home-and-home contract with this school. Each school should allow free entrance for visiting students. Instant rivalry.

WKY just finished their best football season, and it will likely forever remain their best ever, yet they garnered very little interest outside the Bowling Green community. It would always be a challenge to sell tickets for this game.

[GrandGreen]

Because very few posters here have ever been to ULL to see what they have to offer.

For me it's TxSt or ULL.

Rick

I have been to Lafayette many times, and I really like the area and have never been anywhere in Kentucky. ULL would be my second choice way ahead of ASU and TSSM.

My rationale in favor of WKU over ULL is that WKU has just moved up to FB football and is already a factor and is the most solid bb program in the Belt and would be close in CUSA. They are also in an area not as saturated with teams as Texas and Louisiana. ULL football has been good for a couple of years and has had great by Belt standards attendance. I would actually prefer ULL to La Tech, but that is not the choice.

TSSM adds next to nothing IMO. With UTSA already in, I see little value in their membership. As an aside someone above mentioned the crowds that TSSM would bring, really? Never noticed them bringing many before or many traveling to San Marcos when we were in the Southland.

[outoftown]

I am not sure who I would invite from the above list. several have appeal for differing reasons, and all bring their own disadvantages (sometimes only political like ULL which LaTech will oppose).

What i would do if I were Bankowsky though, is place phone calls to UNCC and ODU, the Big east and maybe even the MAC and sun belt telling them that those two are C-USAs most beloved and esteemed members and that C-USA would do anything for them.... for example wave entry and exit fees if they should happen to never play a game in C-USA or decide to leave after only a year.

Even at the time the move to bring those two along seemed like a desperate and badly calculated try to make ECU happy, and predictably did not do enough to keep them. And now it looks like a real hindrance to developping the conference, because it makes things more complicated geographically and waters down the product, particularly UNCC (ODU is at least a Basketball help and a bit ahead football wise of UNCC).

[UNTexas]

I will laugh when they come up with some east coast school that no one thought of.

[Green P1]

TWU

[FirefightnRick]

I have been to Lafayette many times, and I really like the area and have never been anywhere in Kentucky. ULL would be my second choice way ahead of ASU and TSSM.

My rationale in favor of WKU over ULL is that WKU has just moved up to FB football and is already a factor and is the most solid bb program in the Belt and would be close in CUSA. They are also in an area not as saturated with teams as Texas and Louisiana. ULL football has been good for a couple of years and has had great by Belt standards attendance. I would actually prefer ULL to La Tech, but that is not the choice.

I hear ya.

Not sure when you last traveled to UL but they also now have a a very nice indoor football practice facility. They also are the last Belt school, or possibly the only Belt school to have hosted Texas A&M and beat them. (Man...if that kid...(was it one of the Pertile brothers?)...hadn't fumbled that second half punt back in '97 we might have been the second...DAMNIT!!!!!!?...)

Also, they would be an instant splash in baseball and softball as both teams have made appearances in the WS, including their softball team last season making a deep run with a local player from Parker County leading the way.

Any available school who can take 40k to a local bowl game is good in my book and should be given serious consideration.

Rick

Edited January 17, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[Eagle1855]

Because very few posters here have ever been to ULL to see what they have to offer.

For me it's TxSt or ULL.

Rick

Agreed. HEY HOW ABOUT THAT?

My #1 is Texas State.

[FirefightnRick]

Agreed. HEY HOW ABOUT THAT?

My #1 is Texas State.

LOL!

Rick

[TIgreen01]

I hear ya.

Not sure when you last traveled to UL but they also now have a a very nice indoor football practice facility. They also are the last Belt school, or possibly the only Belt school to have hosted Texas A&M and beat them. (Man...if that kid...(was it one of the Pertile brothers?)...hadn't fumbled that second half punt back in '97 we might have been the second...DAMNIT!!!!!!?...)

Also, they would be an instant splash in baseball and softball as both teams have made appearances in the WS, including their softball team last season making a deep run with a local player from Parker County leading the way.

Any available school who can take 40k to a local bowl game is good in my book and should be given serious consideration.

Rick

tubby coleman.

[FirefightnRick]

tubby coleman.

Ah yes. Thank you sir.

Still pisses me off as we had the momentum till that point. Our defense was kicking some ass. A win there would have been huge for our program, especially it being only our third year back from the 1-AA abyss.

Rick

[emmitt01]

TWU

Benford could beat them (I think).

[MeanGreenWithEnvy]

I had a whole jeremiad scrawled down about ranking this one above that one and so forth, and then I realized I'd just spent half an hour of my life writing about the Sun Belt 2.0.

I deleted it.

None of the musical chairs of realignment are chiseled in stone right now, so I'm not going to mourn everyone we were all so excited about being conference mates with fleeing the conference until it actually happens. It does make me feel like we're the stinky new kid in the room who doesn't realize he stinks and is a little baffled as to why the other kids are running away.

Whatever happens, I hope we can at least make our peace with the hand we're dealt. Simply put, we need to start proving we belong at the levels we all feel we belong. We prove that by winning on the gridiron, winning on the basketball court, winning on the soccer pitch, winning on the softball diamond, and winning on the tennis courts.

[Harry]

make me feel like we're the stinky new kid in the room who doesn't realize he stinks and is a little baffled as to why the other kids are running away.

LOL

[Aquila_Viridis]

It does not matter unless we are able to kick the crap out of them every year. Oh man that in-state rivalries concept just drives me insane. However, unless our administration is going to invest in getting us to be dominant in the new CUSA, then I am all for going to whatever level they are willing for us to be dominant in, and if that means the *^%# Southland then fine and we'll have plenty of in-state rivalries until even ACU passes us by. +^%*#^%*^+>#!!!!

Oh and Georgia State is the only one that makes sense in the new CUSA given their location. ^%*+#%£¥€!

[Arkstfan]

Arkansas State would be my next selection. This may be a hard sell with several CUSA members because of limited market but Arkansas State has been making strides in recent seasons forging an identity.

If this school had chosen Arkies (a goofy regional nickname ala Hoosiers, Jayhawks, Sooners, Tarheels, Vols, Cajuns, Buckeyes) instead of Red Wolves when they were forced to replace Indians, they would have received a lot more statewide following and could have avoided the whole 'small town / no market' tag. Huge opportunity missed.

I've lived in Little Rock for 23 years except for a 7 1/2 month stint in Shreveport (purported La.Tech market, where their presence was scarce).

When I moved here I couldn't buy ASU merchandise in Little Rock. Now all of my most recent purchases except for my bowl shirt were purchased in the Little Rock metro area.

The four Little Rock stations with newscasts cover ASU regularly and all went to Mobile the last two years as well as all home games the past few years.

The Red Wolf transition has been huge for us. Giving immediately went up 10% the year of the change. The Red Wolf Foundation four years after the change is bringing in a million more a year than the year before the change. We've gone from one of the lowest pay packages in FBS to a package that is above the CUSA average in football and basketball.

Little Rock TV contracted to carry one game in 2011 and another in 2012 and actually asked to carry other games in 2012 but our now former AD refused to sell any home games to local TV in 2012. At least two stations are attempting to negotiate a package of telecasts for 2013 and one of them is saying that they will add a Fayetteville station to the broadcasts if they are approved to be the rights holder and has received some interest from a Memphis station as well. Jonesboro TV is telling both stations they want in on the deal as well.

A Little Rock based general sports site reported that 20% of all their traffic was for Arkansas State stories.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette laid off the ASU beat writer when the economy went south and went with a stringer. Even though there have been more layoffs, they ended up hiring a full-time ASU beat writer because of reader demand.

I don't think picking Arkies would have done any more than the change we made.

[Monkeypox]

Looking at the footprint of the conference and given preference to established teams that we (and some of our new conference mates) have a history with, I think I would rank them.

1) Arkansas State

1a) Louisiana - Lafayette

3) Western Kentucky

4) Georgia State

5) Texas State

The top 2 maintain both history and footprint, and are mostly interchangeable to me. At this point, I'd support either one. WKU and Georgia State both fit better in the East, which is already pretty spread out with teams (few that would make sense in the West). I wouldn't add TxST because I don't know what they give the conference that UTSA doesn't already provide. While it MIGHT benefit us as a single team, I don't think it helps the conference.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Monkeypox