DFW HOYA Wrote:[quote=bluesox]
And what is the state of New York's land grant college? Cornell.

Probably either Binghamton, Buffalo or Albany. I assume you are aware that Cornell is private?

gotigers Wrote:FYI

The Memphis Metropolitan population is around 1.3M.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/200...aring-13m/

Okay, but just playing devil's advocate...that is not that attractive. Actually UD capures the Philly AND Baltimore markets, which is incredibly huge. Maybe not everyone in that market cares about UD, but they would give BE football and basketball coverage in Philly AND Baltimore and even possibly DC. Memphis gives the BE 1.3 million people in western Tennessee? I can't say that excites me.

Orange Eagles Wrote:

DFW HOYA Wrote:[quote=bluesox]
And what is the state of New York's land grant college? Cornell.

Probably either Binghamton, Buffalo or Albany. I assume you are aware that Cornell is private?

gotigers Wrote:FYI

The Memphis Metropolitan population is around 1.3M.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/200...aring-13m/

Okay, but just playing devil's advocate...that is not that attractive. Actually UD capures the Philly AND Baltimore markets, which is incredibly huge. Maybe not everyone in that market cares about UD, but they would give BE football and basketball coverage in Philly AND Baltimore and even possibly DC. Memphis gives the BE 1.3 million people in western Tennessee? I can't say that excites me.

He just gave you Shelby County's population.

Memphis delivers the entire mid south as a media market. Add North
Miss, East Arkansas, and SW Missouri to that.

I doubt that excites you much either though.

Orange Eagles Wrote:

DFW HOYA Wrote:[quote=bluesox]
And what is the state of New York's land grant college? Cornell.

Probably either Binghamton, Buffalo or Albany. I assume you are aware that Cornell is private?

Cornell does have a private and public sector of the University. However, I've always heard that the title of 'New York's Land Grant University' is shared between all four major univeristies in the SUNY system: Bighamton, Buffalo, Albany and Stony Brook. As far as Big East Expansion goes, SUNY-Buffalo and SUNY-Stony Brook are the only ones likely to make noise.

Orange Eagles Wrote:

gotigers Wrote:FYI

The Memphis Metropolitan population is around 1.3M.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/200...aring-13m/

Okay, but just playing devil's advocate...that is not that attractive. Actually UD capures the Philly AND Baltimore markets, which is incredibly huge. Maybe not everyone in that market cares about UD, but they would give BE football and basketball coverage in Philly AND Baltimore and even possibly DC. Memphis gives the BE 1.3 million people in western Tennessee? I can't say that excites me.

And I thought I was in love with the Blue Hens

With Memphis, you really have to look at the entire package. The school brings an established New Years Day Bowl Game, Top tier basketball, and a healthy, if average, football program. Plus, the addition of Memphis could be the first step towards the Big East getting a permanent tie in to the orange bowl, as FED EX sponsors UMemphis, The Orange Bowl, and the Liberty Bowl. Perhaps most important of all is that Memphis' two big rivals are already in the conference: Louisville and Cincinatti. While the entire mid-south might be a bit of an exaggeration because of the SEC teams Mississippi and Arkansas, Memphis has little to worry about from instate teams UT and Vandy. As a Knoxville resident, the distance between UT and Memphis is about equal to the distance between UT and UNC. In fact, during several visits to Nashville, I remeber seeing more gold [or blue] than Tennessee Orange. UMemphis' reach extends far beyond the immeadiate metro area.

It'd be an uphill climb for UDelaware to claim either Philiadelphia or Baltimore. At best, they'd likely be the second college team in both markets, behind Rutgers or Penn State in Philly and behind Maryland in Baltimore. If given D-1 access, I like the chances of Delaware cracking the Philiadelphia market. Northeasterns like a local team; but failing a sufficient one, they'll gladly take a winner. Philiadelphia, Like Boston, lacks a dominant College Sports Team. Delaware has the facilities, commitment and money to win in FBS given time.

Despite being at a Alumni disadvantage, I think UD is a few 7-win FBS seasons of overataking Temple in Philly; atleast during November. Even if they can't make the papers in Philadelphia or Baltimore, UD can fall back on New Castle County [500,000 strong] and is a good bet to draw 30k a game. Judging from UD's FCS play, I think they can atleast be competitive in the Big East even if they fail to attract attention from the larger metro areas. If Temple can't draw attention in Philiadelphia, what will become of Temple Football? Will they continue with the 2-10, 15k attendance seasons?

TheLurker Wrote:With Memphis, you really have to look at the entire package. The school brings an established New Years Day Bowl Game, Top tier basketball, and a healthy, if average, football program. Plus, the addition of Memphis could be the first step towards the Big East getting a permanent tie in to the orange bowl, as FED EX sponsors UMemphis, The Orange Bowl, and the Liberty Bowl. Perhaps most important of all is that Memphis' two big rivals are already in the conference: Louisville and Cincinatti.

Thank you Lurker

That is what many of the pro-Memphis crowd, including me, have been saying. Yes, there is an emotional bias component there, but it's obvious that we think they're a viable option for substantially more than the simple fact that they're "our buddies".

And do not forget Memphis has Beale Street and Corky's!

It is not an issue of Memphis vs. Temple like some people keep trying to twist these discussions into. We could easily end up with both schools and that would probably be the best situation anyway.

Krocker Krapp Wrote:Here we go a-freakin-gain!

yup.....and despite it all I find myself reading every post.....some things never change.

bluesox Wrote:Probably either Binghamton, Buffalo or Albany. I assume you are aware that Cornell is private?

Cornell is a private/public hybrid. And, yes, it's the land grant university for New York.

http://www.higher-ed.org/resources/land_...lleges.htm

As for "market size". The Memphis market is big enough that we have played Division 1 football for 50 years. And the NBA considered it big enough to put a team here. Seems to me if it's ok to tout Delaware, it's ok to mention Memphis.

Why am I responding? Can't help it.....


I like Delaware's location for sure....but I'd still rather have Memphis.

Bearcats#1 Wrote:I like Delaware's location for sure.

Yep ... it is a wonderful location ... for the ACC.

Delaware could capture phila market, give me a break, when I go down the Beach, phila girls & Nj girls ask me what state Delaware in. Granted it was 30yrs ago, but I can't imagine these branics are home watching college FB.

templefootballfan Wrote:Delaware could capture phila market, give me a break, when I go down the Beach, phila girls & Nj girls ask me what state Delaware in. Granted it was 30yrs ago, but I can't imagine these branics are home watching college FB.

The beautiful thing is that once you get in a BCS conference and start going to bowls, things like that change. Especially in the Northeast, it only takes a few good years and every joe and jane is in love with your football program. Ask Boston College or Rutgers or even someone like Marshall.

And Delaware is alot closer to this level of competition than Temple or Villanova. UD often posts better attendance against Richmond and Villanova than Temple posted against Pittsburgh and Miami.

Delaware vs. FBS: 56-65-1
Temple Since 1991: 35-156

I rest my case.

DFW HOYA Wrote:

bluesox Wrote:Probably either Binghamton, Buffalo or Albany. I assume you are aware that Cornell is private?

Cornell is a private/public hybrid. And, yes, it's the land grant university for New York.

http://www.higher-ed.org/resources/land_...lleges.htm

It's a private school with one college (the NYS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) being funded by the state of New York. Technically, yes a private school but a hybrid in a very limited sense.

Hey, what did Delaware?
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a New Jersey!

Bambu Wrote:He just gave you Shelby County's population.

Memphis delivers the entire mid south as a media market. Add North
Miss, East Arkansas, and SW Missouri to that.

I doubt that excites you much either though.

Shelby County's population was about 900,000 in the last census.

TexanMark Wrote:

Bambu Wrote:He just gave you Shelby County's population.

Memphis delivers the entire mid south as a media market. Add North
Miss, East Arkansas, and SW Missouri to that.

I doubt that excites you much either though.

Shelby County's population was about 900,000 in the last census.

Urban flight after a crazy mayor is re-elected?

No seriously, I wouldn't have a clue about population. So I'm sure
your info is probably correct. I was just pointing out that the Memphis
market includes a hell of a lot more than west TN.

I'm not saying that I am a supporter of Delaware, I just started this thread to stir the pot and I found that article to be interesting. Though it does offer some interesting potential, there are other candidates if needed that would probably make more sense at the end of the day than upgrading a I-AA schools. I can't help responding to all this Memphis talk, though.

I just don't see the benefit of Memphis.

Built in rivalries with two BE schools? Hmm, I'm not sure that's a top priority.

A New Years Day bowl game? Well, the BE now has a new bowl in St. Pete and in two years will negotiate some better deals, so I can't say one bowl game in a stadium that's in disrepair is too much of a big deal.

Arkansas and Missouri? Well I think Boston and Philly speak a bit louder. I can't say that capturing western Tennessee and parts of those midwestern states is a good fit for the Big EAST!

I know many of you just really want to be in the same conference with the Tigers again and some of you clearly are Memphis fans and wish to be in a BCS conference. I just don't see the benefit. I could be wrong in the end, but call me unimpressed by the prospect of Memphis joining the conference. Not for a lack of quality athletics, but for what it doesn't bring to the table and how it doesn't much fit with (most of) the conference's schools.

Orange Eagles Wrote:I'm not saying that I am a supporter of Delaware, I just started this thread to stir the pot and I found that article to be interesting. Though it does offer some interesting potential, there are other candidates if needed that would probably make more sense at the end of the day than upgrading a I-AA schools. I can't help responding to all this Memphis talk, though.

I just don't see the benefit of Memphis.

Built in rivalries with two BE schools? Hmm, I'm not sure that's a top priority.

A New Years Day bowl game? Well, the BE now has a new bowl in St. Pete and in two years will negotiate some better deals, so I can't say one bowl game in a stadium that's in disrepair is too much of a big deal.

Arkansas and Missouri? Well I think Boston and Philly speak a bit louder. I can't say that capturing western Tennessee and parts of those midwestern states is a good fit for the Big EAST!

I know many of you just really want to be in the same conference with the Tigers again and some of you clearly are Memphis fans and wish to be in a BCS conference. I just don't see the benefit. I could be wrong in the end, but call me unimpressed by the prospect of Memphis joining the conference. Not for a lack of quality athletics, but for what it doesn't bring to the table and how it doesn't much fit with (most of) the conference's schools.

You say Boston, but you prob aren't going to see BC come back. So what are you saying? UMass is the only other school that has proved to deliver Boston.

I don't see the state university of Delaware delivering Baltimore or Philly either. Although if Temple and Delaware were brought along that would be a nice rivalry week gridiron game.

Orange Eagles Wrote:I just don't see the benefit of Memphis.

Quote:Built in rivalries with two BE schools? Hmm, I'm not sure that's a top priority.

No, but worth SOMETHING - especially in TV negotiations. The basketball rivalries are nationally known.

Quote:A New Years Day bowl game? Well, the BE now has a new bowl in St. Pete and in two years will negotiate some better deals, so I can't say one bowl game in a stadium that's in disrepair is too much of a big deal.

Class and tradition count in bowl games. The Liberty Bowl is now 50 years old and has a long list of very prestigious participants.

Quote:Arkansas and Missouri? Well I think Boston and Philly speak a bit louder. I can't say that capturing western Tennessee and parts of those midwestern states is a good fit for the Big EAST!

I believe ratings analysts speak in terms of "area of dominant influence". The NBA was apparently favorably impressed with the numbers.

Quote:call me unimpressed by the prospect of Memphis joining the conference. Not for a lack of quality athletics, but for what it doesn't bring to the table and how it doesn't much fit with (most of) the conference's schools.

Memphis is closer to most BE schools than Tampa, has an established nationally known rivalry with two members, and like most BE schools is an urban institution. In our view, we certainly think the BE is our best fit.