Liberty would count as FCS in 2018, and FBS in 2019. UNM buys a FCS opponent, but sells a game at the FBS rate, which should result in a nice pickup.

(03-30-2017 03:19 PM)NewTimes Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 03:16 PM)rokamortis Wrote:  According to the FBSchedules article it is just a home and home with a $750,000 cancellation fee.

"According to a copy of the contract, the teams will not trade guarantees and there is a $750,000 penalty for breaching the agreement."

I saw that mention also but other than two expected wins, what would be the upside for NM to make the trip to Lynchburg?

They get an FBS home game and don't have to pay any guarantees. They just have to travel in a a different year. Home and home series with other G5 are good for G5 schools. I also imagine at this late date there aren't many openings for 2018/2019 so Liberty may be a welcome addition for some programs needing to finalize their schedules.

Rumors are Air Force (A) and Navy (H) on the 2019 schedule. Nothing official though.

(03-30-2017 04:42 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Liberty would count as FCS in 2018, and FBS in 2019. UNM buys a FCS opponent, but sells a game at the FBS rate, which should result in a nice pickup.

No, they start their transition in 2017 and finish the second year of transition in 2018 so count as FBS that year.

(03-30-2017 04:46 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  Rumors are Air Force (A) and Navy (H) on the 2019 schedule. Nothing official though.

Navy has exactly one open OOC game a year and according to FBS Schedules the next opening isn't until 2023. I'm sure ODU is doing everything they can to schedule with Navy being right down the street from the largest Naval base in the country. I'll be pissed if Liberty gets a home game before we do. Somebody told me that Navy brought nearly 1000 people to a wrestling match at ODU.

(03-30-2017 03:37 PM)LUbball23 Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 10:21 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 08:47 AM)MplsBison Wrote:  Gross.

If I was a UNM alum/fan, I'd feel like I needed a shower.

If I were one, I'd be demanding an explanation on what levels of discrimination I'd personally face to watch my team play. Seriously, can I wear my rainbow colored shirt? Can my Trans friend use the restroom consistent with her gender identity? What hotels, hospitals, and restaurants can I go to without being humiliated or refused service simply because I'm visible?

There are practical considerations involved here.

Holy hell dude. Do you make the same crazy conspiracies with BYU and Baylor as you do with Liberty? You would have no problem wearing your rainbow shirt or even bringing your rainbow flag to campus and games. We had other team fans bring them already this year and guess what no issue! They actually had support with a few students and faculty. Considering Liberty has LGBT/trans alumni who attend games and alumni events and had no issue, I highly doubt you'll encounter one unless you're seeking attention and I get that vibe you are one of those people. Lastly, when you have 3 different colleges in Lynchburg, I doubt you'll find discrimination .

As for scheduling there is talk that Liberty has deals done with Air Force and West Point. An agreement with ODU in the future and are currently in talks with BYU.

Really, what are LU's bathroom policies? Pro-LGBT T-shirts? Rainbow flags? Seriously, just come out with a policy and let us all decide for ourselves. I'd love to see the pics of the visiting team fans with rainbow flags at your stadium. http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/03/10/...rsity.html

Again, if there's no problem, then put out a policy. Otherwise, we will continue to argue that LGBT alumni, students, fans, staff, and faculty aren't welcome, might be not safe, attending away games at LU. Or might have to put up with outrageous restrictions to do so, such as humiliating restroom treatment, targeted bans on their clothing not applicable to straight persons, or enforced invisibility.

I'm not taking the bait.

First I heard of Navy. I was told it was West Point. I just know Liberty inked deals with two military schools.

Also Liberty has the 3 home games for 2018 and is half way done for 2019. Its crazy how much they got done in a short time.

(03-30-2017 05:21 PM)LUbball23 Wrote:  I'm not taking the bait.

First I heard of Navy. I was told it was West Point. I just know Liberty inked deals with two military schools.

Also Liberty has the 3 home games for 2018 and is half way done for 2019. Its crazy how much they got done in a short time.

Air Force has an open date in 2019. They're in a similar situation where they have a conference schedule, and standing Army & Navy games. So that leaves them 2 spots to fill. Navy also plays ND every year so they only have one. Army has to fill a whole schedule every year since they don't play FB in conference. Army has 12 games scheduled in 2019 but one of them is at Hawaii so I think they can add one more. Is that right? If so then Air Force & Army would be more likely for 2019 if you're hearing military academies.

(03-30-2017 05:27 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  If so then Air Force & Army would be more likely for 2019 if you're hearing military academies.

Only rumors so you could be right. Army at home would be great.

Army, Navy and Air Force are fully booked except:

Army has one opening in 2021
// they fully schedule 5+ years in advance
Navy's have one opening every year starting in 2023 -- these usually go to a Patriot League FCS school
// they are locked into 11 games, 8 AAC, ND, Army, Air Force
Air Force has one opening in 2019 and 2021 -- these are almost certainly for an FCS opponent (they host one annually)
// they are locked into 10 games, 8 MWC, Army, Navy

Air Force does have 2 openings in 2020. This is the only realistic possibility I see. Of course the Liberty people could be referring to VMI as an academy.

(03-30-2017 06:13 PM)Liberty Fan Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 05:27 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  If so then Air Force & Army would be more likely for 2019 if you're hearing military academies.

Only rumors so you could be right. Army at home would be great.

Army inking a home and home with Liberty (or even a four-year series) actually makes a world of sense for them. Virginia and the very religious is a good mix of geography/demographics for military recruitment, and the academy can probably negotiate a pretty big block of tickets to the games at Liberty for distribution to area recruiters as part of the agreement. Army also runs into the same difficulty filling out a November schedule other indys face, so it could be a win-win for both sides.

Speaking more broadly, the more independents there are the easier it is to be independent, and with Liberty moving up and NMst going indy I wouldn't be totally shocked to see three, or all four, of the Army/Liberty/NMst/UMass group sign an agreement that gets everyone regular FBS November games with a normal home-away split. If JMU moved up or another G5 school moved to football independent that'd potentially be five members of the block, giving everyone four November games with a two-home/two-away split on an annual basis. Call it conference-lite, but it solves one of the major hurdles to independence and lets you put the FCS game earlier in the season, which is preferable.

(03-30-2017 07:02 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Army, Navy and Air Force are fully booked except:

Army has one opening in 2021
// they fully schedule 5+ years in advance
Navy's have one opening every year starting in 2023 -- these usually go to a Patriot League FCS school
// they are locked into 11 games, 8 AAC, ND, Army, Air Force
Air Force has one opening in 2019 and 2021 -- these are almost certainly for an FCS opponent (they host one annually)
// they are locked into 10 games, 8 MWC, Army, Navy

Air Force does have 2 openings in 2020. This is the only realistic possibility I see. Of course the Liberty people could be referring to VMI as an academy.

Playing Liberty in 2019 is like a FCS game being so new to FBS.

It is really exciting to see our schedule make progress. New Mexico is a solid team which has improved over the last couple of years. This will provide an opportunity for Liberty to upset a Mountain West school. I'm looking forward to see who else we can schedule. I like the rumors thus far but I'm not getting my hopes high until things are announced.

The academies are a very good fit for a school that comes from a heavy conservative fanbase. And we certainly are very familiar with the difference between our near neighbors at VMI and West Point.

(03-30-2017 11:41 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 10:48 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-29-2017 10:07 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  In a shocking announcement, Liberty has announced the scheduling of their very first FBS home game...in 2019 against New Mexico. The Lobos will host the Flames in 2018.
I Didn't see that one coming.

Doesn't surprise me. There just aren't a lot of home home opportunities within the region. From the Mountain time zone westward you only have three schools that are FBS that aren't in the MWC or Pac-12 (NMSU and UTEP who New Mexico regularly plays and BYU).

New Mexico is in better financial shape than most G5's but they can't buy FBS games so a newcomer makes perfect sense.

Something is going on with New Mexico. Look at their schedules over the past 15 years....They finished a H&H with Arizona St recently. They've played Texas Tech H&H many times throughout their history. H&H's with Mizzou, Baylor, Oregon St, Washington St, Arizona etc... i see that they bought a 1 and done with Louisiana Monroe last year...I wonder if they are getting home basketball and baseball games vs Liberty out of this?

Louisiana Monroe was scheduled as a home and home, ULM wanted out of the game in Monroe so they could go make more money on the road.

(03-31-2017 08:16 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 11:41 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 10:48 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-29-2017 10:07 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  In a shocking announcement, Liberty has announced the scheduling of their very first FBS home game...in 2019 against New Mexico. The Lobos will host the Flames in 2018.
I Didn't see that one coming.

Doesn't surprise me. There just aren't a lot of home home opportunities within the region. From the Mountain time zone westward you only have three schools that are FBS that aren't in the MWC or Pac-12 (NMSU and UTEP who New Mexico regularly plays and BYU).

New Mexico is in better financial shape than most G5's but they can't buy FBS games so a newcomer makes perfect sense.

Something is going on with New Mexico. Look at their schedules over the past 15 years....They finished a H&H with Arizona St recently. They've played Texas Tech H&H many times throughout their history. H&H's with Mizzou, Baylor, Oregon St, Washington St, Arizona etc... i see that they bought a 1 and done with Louisiana Monroe last year...I wonder if they are getting home basketball and baseball games vs Liberty out of this?

Louisiana Monroe was scheduled as a home and home, ULM wanted out of the game in Monroe so they could go make more money on the road.

Oh ok...couldn't they have made more money by playing New Mexico at home?

(03-30-2017 10:23 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  The academies are a very good fit for a school that comes from a heavy conservative fanbase. And we certainly are very familiar with the difference between our near neighbors at VMI and West Point.

Sly are most of our 2018/2019 slots filled?

(03-31-2017 09:09 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(03-31-2017 08:16 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 11:41 AM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(03-30-2017 10:48 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(03-29-2017 10:07 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  In a shocking announcement, Liberty has announced the scheduling of their very first FBS home game...in 2019 against New Mexico. The Lobos will host the Flames in 2018.
I Didn't see that one coming.

Doesn't surprise me. There just aren't a lot of home home opportunities within the region. From the Mountain time zone westward you only have three schools that are FBS that aren't in the MWC or Pac-12 (NMSU and UTEP who New Mexico regularly plays and BYU).

New Mexico is in better financial shape than most G5's but they can't buy FBS games so a newcomer makes perfect sense.

Something is going on with New Mexico. Look at their schedules over the past 15 years....They finished a H&H with Arizona St recently. They've played Texas Tech H&H many times throughout their history. H&H's with Mizzou, Baylor, Oregon St, Washington St, Arizona etc... i see that they bought a 1 and done with Louisiana Monroe last year...I wonder if they are getting home basketball and baseball games vs Liberty out of this?

Louisiana Monroe was scheduled as a home and home, ULM wanted out of the game in Monroe so they could go make more money on the road.

Oh ok...couldn't they have made more money by playing New Mexico at home?

They averaged around 12k a game in 2015. At $20 a seat that's less than a quarter million and that assumes no student admissions or discounted tickets.

Sure they found someone willing to pay more or replaced it with a regional FCS that would sell more tickets.

My hunch is the 2018 schedule will be 6 FCS and 6 FBS - it's transition, so you are allowed to do that. The FCS will be purchased home games, the FBS paid road trips or the front end of a home and home, first game on the road, like the New Mexico series.

So far the schedule is pretty empty. You can take a WAG at it by combing through the FBS schedule pages (130 schools) and see who has open slots in 2018 and 2019. Many schools (most) already have their non-conference games complete. Some only have room for an FCS.

I don't think the service academies are likely because the pattern of scheduling indicates a series would like be 5 or 6 years out. It's simply a mechanical thing, no commentary. It would not surprise me to see an Army series in 2022 and 2023, or similar. If it's Army that is usually better because they can schedule late in the year and they like to do four year contracts not two (they are an independent).

I think there is a good fit for Liberty to find one of the G5 home and home series with New Mexico State. Both schools need November opponents, and Liberty can fill the Aggies need for a school that can play the front end in Las Cruces in 2018. The return date might be 2020 or 2021 (Aggies need to push those out) but this is one I'd bet on. If not 2018 then 2019.

Good luck to Liberty, it's fun to watch the haters squirm. The same haters who would give their first born to get a home game with BYU, Baylor, ND, etc.