With the popularity of the SportsNation polls on ESPN, I thought I'd add a poll(s) on how the board feels on certain subjects closer to home; here's the first:

If hypothetically App St. got an invite tomorrow (no strings attached, just a brand new member) what would your initial 'gut feeling' be?

(05-11-2011 09:13 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  With the popularity of the SportsNation polls on ESPN, I thought I'd add a poll(s) on how the board feels on certain subjects closer to home; here's the first:

If hypothetically App St. got an invite tomorrow (no strings attached, just a brand new member) what would your initial 'gut feeling' be?

There's needs to be a third option. An in between one. They might could hang in football, but there's still a chance they won't with their coach leaving within the next few years, or them just not being able to adapt. And what of their other big time sports? It's complicated. I like them, more than any other FCS, but if they got an invite it'd be interesting to see where it goes.

(05-11-2011 10:43 AM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  

(05-11-2011 09:13 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  With the popularity of the SportsNation polls on ESPN, I thought I'd add a poll(s) on how the board feels on certain subjects closer to home; here's the first:
If hypothetically App St. got an invite tomorrow (no strings attached, just a brand new member) what would your initial 'gut feeling' be?

There's needs to be a third option. An in between one. They might could hang in football, but there's still a chance they won't with their coach leaving within the next few years, or them just not being able to adapt. And what of their other big time sports? It's complicated. I like them, more than any other FCS, but if they got an invite it'd be interesting to see where it goes.

Yes, it's very complicated, but I guess the point of the poll is whether or not you'd be receptive to inviting a new dog into the house. Esp. of the App St. breed (demographics, location, quality of academics, visibility for the conference, etc.). In a yes or no, do they fit.

First and foremost, I'm not really on board with expansion.

Secondly, if we do expand, I'd prefer it not to expand the footprint.

Lastly, I'd prefer it to not involve FCS schools.

So I wouldn't be thrilled with the invite.

That said, I'll contradict myself a bit and say that IF the invite was extended, I'd want it to be as a package with Old Dominion.

This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

(05-15-2011 04:25 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

What % of App's fanbase would you think is in favor of moving to the SB?

(05-15-2011 07:10 AM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 04:25 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

What % of App's fanbase would you think is in favor of moving to the SB?

I hate to disappoint you, but most Appy fans would rather go to the Sun Belt than stay in the SoCon.

They would much rather play North Texas, Middle Tenn., Ark. State and ULL. Than going on the road to play at Samford, Wofford, or Elon.

Im sure Samford, Wofford and Elon are great schools. But the fact is those schools will never have a home game with 25K plus in the stands. Not even historical SoCon teams like Furman or Western Carolina will have 25K plus at a game. Paladin Stadium at Furman holds 16K and E. J. Whitmire Stadium at Western Carolina holds 13.7K.

Largest Crowd at Furman 19,058- Furman vs Appy State 1981.
Largest Crowd at Western Carolinia- Can't find a number for them.

Even if Appy goes to North Texas or ULL and only 17-18K show up its better than playing infront of 5-6K at Samford or Elon.

And don't give me the Appy can't win a national championship at IA. Maybe not, but every bowl game beat out the national championship game in attendance and ratings. The lowest attended bowl last year was the Beef'o'Brady's bowl that had 20,317. The national championship game had 13,027. Thats a difference of 6990 people.

(05-15-2011 07:10 AM)GSU Eagles Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 04:25 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

What % of App's fanbase would you think is in favor of moving to the SB?

I think the largest question about moving to the SB (for the pro-FBS crowd) is can we afford the travel in the SB. Obviously CUSA is our #1 choice but, from reading this board, that's no different for us than it is for the many teams already here in the SB anyway. I trust our leadership, if they say the #'s work, I'm for a move. I don't think my opinion is very much different than most of our pro-FBS crowd. You'll see some who bash the SB, but IMO they're mainly against a move to the FBS in general and the SB is the most likely and thus the most bashed. If the anti-FBS crowd thought the MAC was the most logical place for our move to FBS then that would be the target of their negativity.

As for a %, I think our fanbase is 70-80% pro FBS. I have no real polls to back this up, just what I perceive from talks with other fans and internet banter, although I'm probably too much of a fanatic to accurately gauge the casual fan.

IMO an east/west divisional split would work well for us. Quite honestly a 14 team conference with 6 divisional games and only 2 cross-divisional games would probably save more in travel than the extra teams cost in conference revenue sharing.

(05-16-2011 08:57 AM)97App Wrote:  As for a %, I think our fanbase is 70-80% pro FBS. I have no real polls to back this up, just what I perceive from talks with other fans and internet banter, although I'm probably too much of a fanatic to accurately gauge the casual fan.

I can't answer for you all but we had a few of those that didn't want to move up either. They thought being a shark in a bathtub was better than taking on new challenges.

I don't see that much in common that Appy has with the SoCon anymore. The school and conference looks like they are on 2 separate paths now. The SoCon is reverting back to its roots before Appy, Marshall UTC and ETSU joined.

The SoCon at one time was heavy on private schools with Richmond, William and Mary, Furman, Davidson and George Washington. Appy joined in 1971. George Washington withdrew in 1970. Then Richmond left in 1976 and William and Mary in 1977. Marshall, UTC and Western Carolina joined in 1976 and ETSU in 1978.

Marshall leaves in 1996, and the SoCon brings in Woffod a small private school. In 2003 VMI is traded to the Big South for Elon. Even though Elon has more students its still trading a public university for a privte. And in 2004 ETSU withdraws from the SoCon as a result of droping football. In 2008 they are replaced by Samford University another private university.

I don't think that Appy has outgrew the SoCon I just think that both Appy and the SoCon are on different paths and somewere along the way there will have to be a fork in the road.

Im glad Marshall moved up when they did. I assume most Midde Tennessee and Troy fans are also.

(05-15-2011 04:25 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

I'm not suprised. You have shown everyone on here time and again that you are a supporter of our Conference and a poster who, while not being an "official member" of the Belt, is a fan of the league.

I hope your team ends up in the Sun Belt someday, sooner the better.

(05-16-2011 05:05 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  

(05-15-2011 04:25 AM)GoApps70 Wrote:  This might surprise everyone, but I would be in favor of App State being invited to the Sun Belt. Surprised right?

I'm not suprised. You have shown everyone on here time and again that you are a supporter of our Conference and a poster who, while not being an "official member" of the Belt, is a fan of the league.

I hope your team ends up in the Sun Belt someday, sooner the better.

Well, I was being facetious; but I guess everyone realised that!
I wish Appalachian had been playing in the Sun Belt for years. Even those members that hate the idea of any FCS school being added would be interesting games to see us go there or them come to Boone and play in front of 40,000 fans (well, we average almost 30,000 per regular season game now, so would imagine some real competition would bring in another ten thousand.) It would make the Sun Belt games something to look forward to.
Would be really interesting seeing most of the SB fans change their opinions about us over a couple of years.

Will probably make a lot of Sun Belt fans hate me, but I have kind of pulled for Troy for years. Don't know why exactly, just always liked watching them and began to follow their games and scores. Been a little envious of MTSU for a few years now since they started playing some great home games. Not been too envious of WKU in football the last few years, but felt they went to FBS for basketball recruiting mainly and that football is slowly getting better. I know the SB competition would be a lot harder than those Eastern schools we have been playing for years, but would sure like to see it before I turn much older. [/i][i]