(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

This entire prognostication of yours is based on the assumption that the quality of the 2 remnants of an East/West CUSA split will be so high that any SunBelt team to be blessed enough to receive this golden ticket of yours would jump at it at first opportunity. What would be left in the East of CUSA after a split that would make App and GS jump at the offer? The F_U's? Surrrrrre. They can play Marshall and WKU in OOC if they want those games bad enough.

In your mind, CUSA (a fractured one, even, in your split scenario) is Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. In reality, they're the redneck guys who sun dry deer jerky on their back porch.

Come on now.

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

I'm not going to hire you to run my athletic department.

Based on past history, if you split CUSA into two conferences the CFP will likely treat the two pieces like one conference and split $10 million plus performance between the two. Worst case, they deem CUSA dead and tell the two leagues to wait until the next CFP agreement.

You absolutely have to be in a situation where CUSA and Sun Belt survive. They don't have to keep the names but they have to show they are in fact the same two conferences without being dissolved or a new league created.
Remember Big XII claimed it was a new league EXCEPT when dealing with the NCAA because they wanted to keep the Big 8 units, for NCAA purposes they could show they were still the Big 8.

Again no Sun Belt team has interest in joining CUSA as it is today. Either total realignment or a small group, 2 maybe 3, of CUSA's most influential come to the table and try and negotiate a deal with the neater, smaller, tighter, Sun Belt.

A. The top of the Sun Belt will make accommodations for the top CUSA defectors. The bottom will not. The week get separated from the pack and a new deal is done.

or

B. The revers: The more influential of CUSA approach the top teams in CUSA to form a new conference. The Sun Belt has no interest in what remains and the Sun Belt clearly gains more leverage surpassing the two new conferences.

or

C. Total realignment.

(05-12-2017 02:35 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

I'm not going to hire you to run my athletic department.

Based on past history, if you split CUSA into two conferences the CFP will likely treat the two pieces like one conference and split $10 million plus performance between the two. Worst case, they deem CUSA dead and tell the two leagues to wait until the next CFP agreement.

You absolutely have to be in a situation where CUSA and Sun Belt survive. They don't have to keep the names but they have to show they are in fact the same two conferences without being dissolved or a new league created.
Remember Big XII claimed it was a new league EXCEPT when dealing with the NCAA because they wanted to keep the Big 8 units, for NCAA purposes they could show they were still the Big 8.

I hope you're right, because I'd hate to see anyone left behind. It happens to Rice all the time. I prefer a scheduling alliance or merger, but history and intuition tells me that egos would get in the way of that. I know that no one in the West will want to play with ULM, and Alabama is outside our geography, unless Southern Mississippi wants one of the three schools as a nearby rival. As far as CFP payouts and NCAA basketball units are concerned, there's a way around everything. Loopholes are found and exploited everyday. Smart people make a living off it. If a hand full of Sun Belt schools are left behind in the end, the NCAA won't care. There wouldn't even be enough of them to be considered a "conference."

(05-12-2017 01:46 PM)CoastalAlum2011 Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

This entire prognostication of yours is based on the assumption that the quality of the 2 remnants of an East/West CUSA split will be so high that any SunBelt team to be blessed enough to receive this golden ticket of yours would jump at it at first opportunity. What would be left in the East of CUSA after a split that would make App and GS jump at the offer? The F_U's? Surrrrrre. They can play Marshall and WKU in OOC if they want those games bad enough.

In your mind, CUSA (a fractured one, even, in your split scenario) is Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. In reality, they're the redneck guys who sun dry deer jerky on their back porch.

Come on now.

Don't take it so personal.

It think people keep forgetting that it is CUSA that everyone looks at and immediately sees a problem that needs fixing, and that includes some CUSA AD's that have commented publicly.

Almost everyone makes note of the fact that the SBC is headed in the right direction, other than it could be more regional.

Every post I've seen where posters were asked to create better conference for their school, none ended up with their current membership. They ended up with a regional conference with schools from both conferences, and an occasional AAC team thrown in.

That CUSA got it wrong is a fact that will never be excepted the fans of the former SBC schools, none of whom were considered top SBC programs in football.

Marshall and USM fans are more likely to be open minded to change. La Tech fans are just closed minded.

(05-12-2017 12:58 PM)rknj8993 Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 10:55 AM)AppManDG Wrote:  Something is definitely going on. There is simply too much noise from some infuential players not to. Exactly what is hard to pin down. Lots of hurt feelings and egos to massage, but ultimately schools do what is best for their survivalist.

Sent from my XT1254 using CSNbbs mobile app

What noise are you referring to? Am I out of the loop or just missing something?

AD's from USM, MTSU & ODU practically saying they're wanting realignment.

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

You may not have intended it as such, but that strikes me as one of the most arrogant and condesending posts I've ever read on this board. So ALMIGHTY CUSA may split and offer certain underprivileged peasants from the Sunbelt a safe place to land? That's absurd. If anything the Sunbelt is far more attractive to CUSA schools. I promise you there are far more than just the administrations at MTSU, USM and ODU who are fed up with CUSA and looking for a way out. No I won't tell you how I know. It probably won't happen, but if SB presidents got aggressive and pulled in a few select teams they could relegate CUSA to also ran status. Adding those select sschools could boost the leagues TV appeal and boost the SB into a virtual tie for 2nd in the G5.

(05-11-2017 11:56 PM)sparty54 Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 11:39 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 11:33 PM)sparty54 Wrote:  

(05-11-2017 11:16 PM)ChooChoo Wrote:  

I like this combo. Add Charlotte and UAB to the East / USM and UTSA to the West. Now THAT's a Sun Belt Conference.

need two more team from west

Why...that's 7 in each division. I still like what we have.

I don't see 7 or 8 on west the east already have 8, you tell me who team on 7and 8 ?

Count all the schools in green. Then count all the schools in the purple. 7 in each color. Use all 10 fingers if you need to.

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

Lmao this guy thinks App and GS would ever want to be in a conference with UNCC and the F_Us. That's rich.

Marshall and MT? Yes
UAB and ODU? Okay sure.

But those other three are rocks in the paper ship that is CUSA. Y'all wouldn't be struggling nearly as much if it weren't for them.

Give me GS, GAST, App, MT, UAB, Troy, WKU, ODU, JMU, USM, Ark State, and Marshall and let's call it a day

(05-12-2017 04:13 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  It think people keep forgetting that it is CUSA that everyone looks at and immediately sees a problem that needs fixing, and that includes some CUSA AD's that have commented publicly.

Almost everyone makes note of the fact that the SBC is headed in the right direction, other than it could be more regional.

Every post I've seen where posters were asked to create better conference for their school, none ended up with their current membership. They ended up with a regional conference with schools from both conferences, and an occasional AAC team thrown in.

That CUSA got it wrong is a fact that will never be excepted the fans of the former SBC schools, none of whom were considered top SBC programs in football.

Marshall and USM fans are more likely to be open minded to change. La Tech fans are just closed minded.

I think from now to 2020 we will see a TON of posturing and positioning throughout the G5. The AAC will continue pandering to the B12. The CUSA will continue making our "discomfort" known, too. I think the primary goal is a ticket to AAC as far as CUSA East is concerned. Whomever in the East is leftover breaks away and goes after JMU for ODU, and probably GAST to bridge to the FL TWINS and facilities (TURNER FIELD). The Panthers are a better cultural fit for CUSA East than anybody else in Sun Belt land except maybe Louisiana.

(05-12-2017 05:30 PM)BKTopper Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 04:13 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  It think people keep forgetting that it is CUSA that everyone looks at and immediately sees a problem that needs fixing, and that includes some CUSA AD's that have commented publicly.

Almost everyone makes note of the fact that the SBC is headed in the right direction, other than it could be more regional.

Every post I've seen where posters were asked to create better conference for their school, none ended up with their current membership. They ended up with a regional conference with schools from both conferences, and an occasional AAC team thrown in.

That CUSA got it wrong is a fact that will never be excepted the fans of the former SBC schools, none of whom were considered top SBC programs in football.

Marshall and USM fans are more likely to be open minded to change. La Tech fans are just closed minded.

I think from now to 2020 we will see a TON of posturing and positioning throughout the G5. The AAC will continue pandering to the B12. The CUSA will continue making our "discomfort" known, too. I think the primary goal is a ticket to AAC as far as CUSA East is concerned. Whomever in the East is leftover breaks away and goes after JMU for ODU, and probably GAST to bridge to the FL TWINS and facilities (TURNER FIELD). The Panthers are a better cultural fit for CUSA East than anybody else in Sun Belt land except maybe Louisiana.

Interesting. Not to bash but just curious. How does Ga state fit "culturally" into CUSA?

(05-12-2017 06:31 PM)Oldyeller Wrote:  Interesting. Not to bash but just curious. How does Ga state fit "culturally" into CUSA?

Marketz I guess.

(05-12-2017 06:31 PM)Oldyeller Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 05:30 PM)BKTopper Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 04:13 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  It think people keep forgetting that it is CUSA that everyone looks at and immediately sees a problem that needs fixing, and that includes some CUSA AD's that have commented publicly.

Almost everyone makes note of the fact that the SBC is headed in the right direction, other than it could be more regional.

Every post I've seen where posters were asked to create better conference for their school, none ended up with their current membership. They ended up with a regional conference with schools from both conferences, and an occasional AAC team thrown in.

That CUSA got it wrong is a fact that will never be excepted the fans of the former SBC schools, none of whom were considered top SBC programs in football.

Marshall and USM fans are more likely to be open minded to change. La Tech fans are just closed minded.

I think from now to 2020 we will see a TON of posturing and positioning throughout the G5. The AAC will continue pandering to the B12. The CUSA will continue making our "discomfort" known, too. I think the primary goal is a ticket to AAC as far as CUSA East is concerned. Whomever in the East is leftover breaks away and goes after JMU for ODU, and probably GAST to bridge to the FL TWINS and facilities (TURNER FIELD). The Panthers are a better cultural fit for CUSA East than anybody else in Sun Belt land except maybe Louisiana.

Interesting. Not to bash but just curious. How does Ga state fit "culturally" into CUSA?

Markets.

(05-12-2017 03:08 PM)Oldyeller Wrote:  Again no Sun Belt team has interest in joining CUSA as it is today. Either total realignment or a small group, 2 maybe 3, of CUSA's most influential come to the table and try and negotiate a deal with the neater, smaller, tighter, Sun Belt.

A. The top of the Sun Belt will make accommodations for the top CUSA defectors. The bottom will not. The week get separated from the pack and a new deal is done.

or

B. The revers: The more influential of CUSA approach the top teams in CUSA to form a new conference. The Sun Belt has no interest in what remains and the Sun Belt clearly gains more leverage surpassing the two new conferences.

or

C. Total realignment.

Ummmm...airport meeting

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

(05-12-2017 04:43 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

You may not have intended it as such, but that strikes me as one of the most arrogant and condesending posts I've ever read on this board. So ALMIGHTY CUSA may split and offer certain underprivileged peasants from the Sunbelt a safe place to land? That's absurd. If anything the Sunbelt is far more attractive to CUSA schools. I promise you there are far more than just the administrations at MTSU, USM and ODU who are fed up with CUSA and looking for a way out. No I won't tell you how I know. It probably won't happen, but if SB presidents got aggressive and pulled in a few select teams they could relegate CUSA to also ran status. Adding those select sschools could boost the leagues TV appeal and boost the SB into a virtual tie for 2nd in the G5.

I'm pretty sure App's AD is on record saying the same things. If CUSA does split the two separate entities might not look great to a lot of schools but they would to TXST & App, maybe another. So the rest could stay and invite EKU if they want but at that point the two offsprings of CUSA start looking better and better. If all the Sun Belt refuses then great, the league is in good shape but these outliers have to look out for their own schools not the conference and it'll only take one or two defectors because there's not a lot left in FCS worth picking.

App's administration is looking at this thing from the standpoint of who gives us a greater oppportunity to sell tickets and move the needle with our fans base. Forget about TV dollars because that revenue stream is drying up. Schools need to regain control of reasonable dates and start times to accomodate their fans.

A few years into the Sunbelt its pretty obvious the current model (CUSA as well) isn't sustainable. From a football standpoint I'd love App to be in a confernce with USM, Troy, A State, La Tech and Louisiana rather than Coastal, UNCC, ODU and Ga State. However that just isn't realistic. While UNCC football isn't great by any means their basketball and baseball programs generate a lot of interest with App fans. It doesn't hurt that Charlotte is home to App's largest alumni base. Along with Coastal, Ga State, Ga Southern, Marshall and ODU gives App 6 opponents within a 6 hour drive of campus. Toss in MTSU 5 hr 45 min, WKU 6 hr 30 min and there are nine schools where the longest drive between schools is 11 hours. Charlotte would basically be the center of that group and a great place for conference tournaments.

What people are advocating for in going beyond ten members is a huge cut in pay. Going to 11 cuts the base payment near $100,000 per team. Going to 12 cuts the base by almost $170,000. Add in the incentives for being in the top league and it is still a cut as well, 10 to 12.

Were it not for Western Michigan, the SBC would have had revenues higher than them and CUSA. The conference finished third in the G5 rankings. Is there a school out there that would vault the SBC into second? I doubt it, which means you are asking each team to take a $250,000 to $300,000 to add these other 2-4 teams.

Many on here are gloating that the SBC has passed CUSA. They did it by keeping the number of teams slim and increasing the per school payout. I'd caution against adding anyone, even Southern Mississippi and Marshall. Their name did not help CUSA stay out of last and I'd be willing to bet they'd not get the SBC into 2nd overall. If they don't do that, then all they do is takeaway money from everyone else.

(05-12-2017 04:43 PM)AppManDG Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Guys, I can assure you that no one is leaving CUSA for the Sun Belt. If a scheduling agreement isn't reached, what we'll most likely see is a east-west split. Each new conference would then invite select Sun Belt members to get to 10 each. I think the core West schools all stay together, minus UAB due to geography. It will depend on whether or not Southern Mississippi wants an Alabama rival. I can't conceivably imagine USM and Louisiana Tech going east. That's very unlikely. Their fans and recruits are all in Texas and Louisiana. My money would be on the "West Conference " adding Texas State, Arkansas State, ULL, and one Alabama school. The "East Conference " would definitely want Georgia Southern and Appalachian State, but beyond that I really don't know. History tells me that none of it will be clean and easy. Some schools would be left behind and would have some big decisions to make. They could keep the Sun Belt name and just move forward.

You may not have intended it as such, but that strikes me as one of the most arrogant and condesending posts I've ever read on this board. So ALMIGHTY CUSA may split and offer certain underprivileged peasants from the Sunbelt a safe place to land? That's absurd. If anything the Sunbelt is far more attractive to CUSA schools. I promise you there are far more than just the administrations at MTSU, USM and ODU who are fed up with CUSA and looking for a way out. No I won't tell you how I know. It probably won't happen, but if SB presidents got aggressive and pulled in a few select teams they could relegate CUSA to also ran status. Adding those select sschools could boost the leagues TV appeal and boost the SB into a virtual tie for 2nd in the G5.

My intention is definitely not to offend anyone, it's just the way I see things shaking out in the end if there's no agreed upon merger or alliance. The two CUSA divisions may get tired enough of one another that they split and form their own respective conferences. It's only natural that those two entities would attempt to pull from the Sun Belt. There's nowhere else to pull from. It's happened before. If no one in your conference is interested, so be it, but I doubt that would be the case. CUSA is seen nationally as the stronger conference, whether or not that's true is up for discussion.

(05-12-2017 08:45 PM)FoUTASportscaster Wrote:  What people are advocating for in going beyond ten members is a huge cut in pay. Going to 11 cuts the base payment near $100,000 per team. Going to 12 cuts the base by almost $170,000. Add in the incentives for being in the top league and it is still a cut as well, 10 to 12.

Were it not for Western Michigan, the SBC would have had revenues higher than them and CUSA. The conference finished third in the G5 rankings. Is there a school out there that would vault the SBC into second? I doubt it, which means you are asking each team to take a $250,000 to $300,000 to add these other 2-4 teams.

Many on here are gloating that the SBC has passed CUSA. They did it by keeping the number of teams slim and increasing the per school payout. I'd caution against adding anyone, even Southern Mississippi and Marshall. Their name did not help CUSA stay out of last and I'd be willing to bet they'd not get the SBC into 2nd overall. If they don't do that, then all they do is takeaway money from everyone else.

Do you, as a fan of one of the non-football schools, not like the idea of the Sun Belt taking two of CUSA's stronger basketball members (e.g. perhaps MTSU and WKU)? Are you sure enough you'll have football agains soon enough that you care what we get from the CFP?

Not trying to be a smart-***, just honest curiosity.

(05-12-2017 09:06 PM)Ourland Wrote:  My intention is definitely not to offend anyone, it's just the way I see things shaking out in the end if there's no agreed upon merger or alliance. The two CUSA divisions may get tired enough of one another that they split and form their own respective conferences. It's only natural that those two entities would attempt to pull from the Sun Belt. There's nowhere else to pull from. It's happened before. If no one in your conference is interested, so be it, but I doubt that would be the case. CUSA is seen nationally as the stronger conference, whether or not that's true is up for discussion.

What you are describing here is going to require the creation of another FBS conference. The Power 5 is not going to create another G5 league with which they have to share $10 million of the CFP money.