ESPN can pull plug on new conference

[10Eagle10]

...but some are more equal than others...

Based on the proposed NBC Sports contract, ESPN can terminate the contract with the unnamed 10 if 2 conference members leave. The contract even breaks them into groups...a group A consisting of Cincinnati, UConn, cougar high, and Temple

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9071683/big-east-media-rights-deal-terminated-two-more-school-exits-according-sources

poor ponies

[LakeTravis]

I'd like to hear what the Tulane president has to say about this.

Hahaha

[adman]

That kills it. Simply because that wording will scare, at the least, an A and a B to jump and jump soon. Big East is dead, officially, before August.

[foutsrouts]

Interesting article. If CUSA wouldn't have added so many after NT and LT then I suspect that we would have some near-term blowback teams to CUSA. With the way it stands now, who knows.

[Arkstfan]

Interesting article. If CUSA wouldn't have added so many after NT and LT then I suspect that we would have some near-term blowback teams to CUSA. With the way it stands now, who knows.

But what if the A1 had its act together instead of moving piecemeal and had added ECU and Tulane at the same press conference when Memphis was added?

CUSA would have been down to: UTEP, Tulsa, Rice, USM, UAB, and Marshall.

[UNTLifer]

If "if's and but's" were candy and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas.

[Eagle1855]

Heard former UH/UT basketball coach Tom Penders on the radio in Houston, yesterday. Said that he thinks it's going to be a very strong conference and that they have a good chance of adding Georgia Tech, which I found to be HILARIOUS. GT will be in the Big XII long before it considers the A-1.

[H-towngreen]

Heard former UH/UT basketball coach Tom Penders on the radio in Houston, yesterday. Said that he thinks it's going to be a very strong conference and that they have a good chance of adding Georgia Tech, which I found to be HILARIOUS. GT will be in the Big XII long before it considers the A-1.

hahahhahahahahaha....Yes Georgia Tech would leave the ACC to join the A-1. Ok....sure. If for some reason they were to leave it'd be for Big12, SEC, or Big10

[Arkstfan]

Sure he meant Georgia State.

[outoftown]

put the following together: you have a conference that

a) has several members that would like to bolt for greener pastures rather yesterday than tomorrow.

b ) you have a tv contract that makes the consequences of that happening a serious problem

what do you get: serious doubts for anyone wanting to join.

So I totally agree: if c-USA had not rushed to invite Charlote, OD MTSU and FAU, it just might have gotten some members back. it might still happpen thoug.

[UNTFan23]

Sure he meant Georgia State.

As if that will help A-1's image as a start up conference.

[JesseMartin]

The funny thing is that with all of the CUSA additions, if the previous members ask to return (and are allowed to), you'd be looking at a ridiculously big conference. That makes me wonder; what is the biggest conference, and how many members does it have? Looks like the SEC with 14, so that would make CUSA the largest overall in FBS.

[Green P1]

CUSA can't kick us out when these other teams come crawling back... Right?

[JesseMartin]

CUSA can't kick us out when these other teams come crawling back... Right?

Contractually, I'm pretty sure that unless they could scrape up a reason to do so, they would have the option to buy us out and send us Independent until somebody else let us in. If they had teams return, they would probably just stick to a large conference. MAC had 13 last year and SEC had 14 so even if CUSA hit 15 it's not like we'd be way above the norm. Is there a maximum number of teams allowed per conference? That might be one of the only caveats to cause a problem.

[Eagle1855]

Sure he meant Georgia State.

Yes, that makes a lot more sense. Also, doesn't help the conference much at all, in my opinion. Which admittedly is worth about as much I was paid to type it.

[GrayEagle]

The payout doesn't seem all that great. Let's see, $126 million for 7 years = $18 million per year divided by 10 teams = $1.8 million per team if they all get the same. If they add two more teams that will reduce the payout to $1.2 million per team. I wonder if Group A will get a bigger share.

[Arkstfan]

The payout doesn't seem all that great. Let's see, $126 million for 7 years = $18 million per year divided by 10 teams = $1.8 million per team if they all get the same. If they add two more teams that will reduce the payout to $1.2 million per team. I wonder if Group A will get a bigger share.

That presumes that new teams add no value and the title game adds no value.

Pretty reliable person tells me A1 has to get to 12 because of the TV contract.

[Dr. Seuss]

The funny thing is that with all of the CUSA additions, if the previous members ask to return (and are allowed to), you'd be looking at a ridiculously big conference. That makes me wonder; what is the biggest conference, and how many members does it have? Looks like the SEC with 14, so that would make CUSA the largest overall in FBS.

According to many sports economist a 12 team league is optimum... But no one pays attention to economist, I mean profit maximaztion isn't a major theory in Microeconomics

[JesseMartin]

According to many sports economist a 12 team league is optimum... But no one pays attention to economist, I mean profit maximaztion isn't a major theory in Microeconomics

It makes sense why it would be optimal, especially when you consider the different types of payouts, bowl deals, TV rights, etc. If there was a longer season, more bowl games, less conferences with larger memberships, that would probably shift, but right now it's certainly sensible. But just because that's the ideal doesn't mean it's required; plus, if you have something up your sleeve to create an outlier in terms of revenue (snag some extra regional TV money, possibly an extra bowl or two, etc), then you can trump the standardized expectations of per-team payouts based on conference size, and possibly even create a paradigm shift. Not that that's necessarily going to happen, nor is the CUSA expansion to 15 likely, I'm just throwing out different possibilities.

[Eastwood Eagle]

CUSA can't kick us out when these other teams come crawling back... Right?

Most likely they can if they are willing to pay the price (buy out or litigation expenses) which makes it doubtful that a struggling conference would go through that expense.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Eastwood Eagle

[VideoEagle]

I don't mean this bad but I honestly get Georgia State and Georgia Southern confused. Which one just joined the Sunbelt? I know the one NOT joining wanted in so I'm curious which is the one the A-whatever might add.

[GrayEagle]

Georgia State joined the Sun Belt. They're in a much bigger market (Atlanta) but do not yet compare with Georgia Southern (Statesboro/Savannah) in strength of program or attendance. The football program is only a couple of years old. Georgia State is competitive in other sports.

[GrayEagle]

CUSA can't kick us out. Nor would they try. They could take the defectors back and increase the conference size to 20 but no one would be kicked out without just cause.

[Eastwood Eagle]

CUSA can't kick us out. Nor would they try.

Contracts get breached every day.

I'm w/ you. They would be ill advised to kick any of the new teams out.

[Arkstfan]

According to many sports economist a 12 team league is optimum... But no one pays attention to economist, I mean profit maximaztion isn't a major theory in Microeconomics

The only study I've seen was done before ACC, SEC, Big 10, went larger than 12. I suspect that the new data from their results would find 14 or 16 to be the ideal.