Since it will be a nationwide league with regional pods, it may make sense for non-fb members to be added for the following reasons:
1- They would split the tv money pie less than full members
2- Can add strong hoops teams that can earn tourney credits and add regional interest for respective pods.
3- Can add travel partners to save money for the league members in travel cost.

Obviously it would need the right schools. Other than Gonzaga, BYU, and St Mary's who won't come... Who would maybe make sense?

Off the top of my head-
Arkansas Little Rock
Oral Roberts
Denver
Boise St, SDSU(MWC pride would be an obstacle)
Seattle
UT Arlington
Creighton
Wichita State

Anyone else make sense?

(03-08-2012 03:36 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  Since it will be a nationwide league with regional pods, it may make sense for non-fb members to be added for the following reasons:
1- They would split the tv money pie less than full members
2- Can add strong hoops teams that can earn tourney credits and add regional interest for respective pods.
3- Can add travel partners to save money for the league members in travel cost.

Obviously it would need the right schools. Other than Gonzaga, BYU, and St Mary's who won't come... Who would maybe make sense?

Off the top of my head-
Arkansas Little Rock
Oral Roberts
Denver
Boise St, SDSU(MWC pride would be an obstacle)
Seattle
UT Arlington
Creighton
Wichita State

Anyone else make sense?

Boise State doesn't really offer anything so obviously they wouldn't be considered. A few more that would make sense are George Mason, VCU, ODU, College of Charleston, Missouri State, and probably several others. I like this idea a lot, and think it's a good way for all of us to save on travel without watering down the football product.

(03-08-2012 03:36 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  Since it will be a nationwide league with regional pods, it may make sense for non-fb members to be added for the following reasons:
1- They would split the tv money pie less than full members
2- Can add strong hoops teams that can earn tourney credits and add regional interest for respective pods.
3- Can add travel partners to save money for the league members in travel cost.

Obviously it would need the right schools. Other than Gonzaga, BYU, and St Mary's who won't come... Who would maybe make sense?

Off the top of my head-
Arkansas Little Rock
Oral Roberts
Denver
Boise St, SDSU(MWC pride would be an obstacle)
Seattle
UT Arlington
Creighton
Wichita State

Anyone else make sense?

Denver does makes sense in the west. They already have a well supported and successful basketball program.

Charlotte in the east since they were at one time in CUSA. Football could eventually be included too.

Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington
Charleston
Denver
Seattle
Chreighton
Wichita State
Norfolk State
Murray State
VCU

I'd throw in Charlotte too, but football would have to be included.

I think depending on what football was included, you could see some interesting schools added...

think Xavier, Butler, Cleveland St, Gonzaga, Long Beach St just to name a few.....

Basketball arena sizes of schools mentioned in this thread.

18,560k - Chreighton
17,072k - Seattle
13,610k - Cleveland State
10,506k - Wichita State
10,250k - Xavier
10,000k - Butler
8,602k - Murray State
7,617k - Virginia Commonwealth
7,200k - Denver
6,500k - Texas-Arlington
5,600k - Arkansas-Little Rock
5,100k - Charleston
5,000k - Long Beach State

If I had to make a short list of the best fits I see from a competitive, geographic, and fanbase setup right now that would at least seriously consider joining these four are for sure on it.


San Diego State - Get a well supported perennial MWC title contender with rivalry history. MWC pride probably prevents it though.
Denver - Geography and program fits well.
UA Little Rock- Helps bridge Tulsa and potentially UNT if/when they get added like most expect. Also helps if LT is added.

Charleston- Good hoops program that would ease travel issues for ECU and whatever Florida school gets added. No football program to complicate things and is stuck in a low rpi conference that rarely gets more than one bid.

I think Denver is an obvious add in the west to complement football-only Hawaii (unless a second football-only is added in the east).

(03-08-2012 04:01 PM)OrangeCrush22 Wrote:  Arkansas-Little Rock
Texas-Arlington
Charleston
Denver
Seattle
Chreighton
Wichita State
Norfolk State
Murray State
VCU

I'd throw in Charlotte too, but football would have to be included.

Norfolk State? Really?

(03-08-2012 04:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think Denver is an obvious add in the west to complement football-only Hawaii (unless a second football-only is added in the east).

If the members were ok with it I honestly would think SDSU adds more. Barring that or some improbable Gonzaga move or USU agreeing to non fb membership I think Denver is the best fit out west.

(03-08-2012 05:05 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 04:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think Denver is an obvious add in the west to complement football-only Hawaii (unless a second football-only is added in the east).

If the members were ok with it I honestly would think SDSU adds more. Barring that or some improbable Gonzaga move or USU agreeing to non fb membership I think Denver is the best fit out west.

Fairly sure USU will be in all sports. If not right away then certainly if the conference gets to 20 or more.

(03-08-2012 04:53 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  If I had to make a short list of the best fits I see from a competitive, geographic, and fanbase setup right now that would at least seriously consider joining these four are for sure on it.


San Diego State - Get a well supported perennial MWC title contender with rivalry history. MWC pride probably prevents it though.
Denver - Geography and program fits well.
UA Little Rock- Helps bridge Tulsa and potentially UNT if/when they get added like most expect. Also helps if LT is added.

Charleston- Good hoops program that would ease travel issues for ECU and whatever Florida school gets added. No football program to complicate things and is stuck in a low rpi conference that rarely gets more than one bid.

Charleston is a long way from ECU. Philly is prob closer

(03-08-2012 09:59 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

Sammy11 Wrote:Charleston- Good hoops program that would ease travel issues for ECU and whatever Florida school gets added. No football program to complicate things and is stuck in a low rpi conference that rarely gets more than one bid.

Charleston is a long way from ECU. Philly is prob closer

The issue is that Philly does not help the inevitable Florida school or possibly UAB in the travel department and it isn't that big of a difference for ecu.

Who would you add in Philly that would come?

(03-08-2012 09:59 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 04:53 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  If I had to make a short list of the best fits I see from a competitive, geographic, and fanbase setup right now that would at least seriously consider joining these four are for sure on it.


San Diego State - Get a well supported perennial MWC title contender with rivalry history. MWC pride probably prevents it though.
Denver - Geography and program fits well.
UA Little Rock- Helps bridge Tulsa and potentially UNT if/when they get added like most expect. Also helps if LT is added.

Charleston- Good hoops program that would ease travel issues for ECU and whatever Florida school gets added. No football program to complicate things and is stuck in a low rpi conference that rarely gets more than one bid.

Charleston is a long way from ECU. Philly is prob closer

I'm not so sure about that, but either way Charleston makes sense because it bridges a lot of huge gaps in eastern geography. There is a huge void between ECU and UAB with no schools in between. That's why they would make sense along with Georgia State in all sports eventually. It's why MTSU would make sense all sports for both ECU and Marshall. There are a lot of gaps that can be filled in, and I think it would be smart to do it in some cases with non-FB schools. Those are where your travel burden is much greater. In the end if your football games are for the most part on Saturdays and you have to fly to them anyway it's not a huge difference if we are going to Alabama or Texas.

(03-09-2012 11:27 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 09:59 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(03-08-2012 04:53 PM)Sammy11 Wrote:  If I had to make a short list of the best fits I see from a competitive, geographic, and fanbase setup right now that would at least seriously consider joining these four are for sure on it.


San Diego State - Get a well supported perennial MWC title contender with rivalry history. MWC pride probably prevents it though.
Denver - Geography and program fits well.
UA Little Rock- Helps bridge Tulsa and potentially UNT if/when they get added like most expect. Also helps if LT is added.

Charleston- Good hoops program that would ease travel issues for ECU and whatever Florida school gets added. No football program to complicate things and is stuck in a low rpi conference that rarely gets more than one bid.

Charleston is a long way from ECU. Philly is prob closer

I'm not so sure about that, but either way Charleston makes sense because it bridges a lot of huge gaps in eastern geography. There is a huge void between ECU and UAB with no schools in between. That's why they would make sense along with Georgia State in all sports eventually. It's why MTSU would make sense all sports for both ECU and Marshall. There are a lot of gaps that can be filled in, and I think it would be smart to do it in some cases with non-FB schools. Those are where your travel burden is much greater. In the end if your football games are for the most part on Saturdays and you have to fly to them anyway it's not a huge difference if we are going to Alabama or Texas.

Savannah is 5hrs from Apex (suburb WSW of Raleigh)...I've driven it many a time. Charleston would be less (~4.5hrs?). Not sure what it'd be from Greenville but the difference wouldn't be much. That's far closer than Philly, even Washington, DC.

This could go dozens of different ways.

West:
AFA
Colorado State
Fresno State
Hawaii (Long Beach State)
Nevada
New Mexico
San Jose State (Utah State) -- This is unorthodox but you get the better FB, BB, and larger market in one fell swoop.
UNLV
UTEP
Wyoming
(Denver)
(Seattle)

East:
ECU
FAU
La Tech
Marshall
Middle Tennessee
Rice
S. Miss
Tulsa
Tulane
UAB
(USA)
(UTA)

[quote='Sammy11' pid='7654471' dateline='1331239018']
Since it will be a nationwide league with regional pods, it may make sense for non-fb members to be added .....................QUOTE


Has the decision been made to have regional pods?

Either Denver or Seattle just to "offset" Hawaii's FB-only membership. Otherwise I don't see it.

(03-09-2012 08:27 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Either Denver or Seattle just to "offset" Hawaii's FB-only membership. Otherwise I don't see it.

SDSU non-fb would make a lot of sense if the pride factor can be overcome.

Great hoops facility, solid program, historical rival, and travel fit that would fit the same "pod" that Hawaii would be in.

Seattle would be a bad fit RPI wise. Denver is ok I guess. Honestly might make sense to push FB playing teams west in all sports but football to get a good non-fb member back east if you can't get a good one out west.

The more I think about it... College of Charleston could fit really well as an eastern non-fb if you took one. Bridges Marshall & ECU to F_U when they are added and UAB. Solid program who would help the RPI and travel budget with solid support.

IDK...

Obviously Hawaii is already in but I DISLIKE HAVING PARTIAL SPORT MEMBERS.


It really makes for split decisions...

Look at

Big East 1.0
Big East 2.0
Big East 3.0- whatever you want to say its up to with teams being added by the week....
CUSA 1.0