That’s what Matt Brown is reporting. I sure hope this is true and I sure hope it happens (if nothing happens with the AAC.) The big question... do we go to 10 teams or 12? Does So Miss and UAB come with us or do they go West?

https://twitter.com/mu96___/status/14219...02020?s=21

Interesting. I figure MTSU and WKU would be on board for that once our AAC bubble is burst (anyone can see it is never going to happen but have to let the dominoes fall first I suppose). I don't know if we would really have much in the way of poaching power from the SBC unless their Eastern teams are more gung ho to split than they are letting on.

I think this is best case scenario if we're all stuck in the same position, would be okay with a belt merger or just picking up a couple of others on the east coast. I'm sure JMU and Liberty would be interested at the least.

(08-02-2021 11:54 AM)49ShadesOfGreen Wrote:  I think this is best case scenario if we're all stuck in the same position, would be okay with a belt merger or just picking up a couple of others on the east coast. I'm sure JMU and Liberty would be interested at the least.

Yeah, with the addition of those 2 we would go from a far flung conference to an actual regional conference.

The NCAA basketball auto bid is one thing but the other is the CFP monies
Are the power brokers and money grabbers going to want 11 conferences to pay out of the college football playoff dough instead of just 10.

Better have that covered before you form an additional league.

(08-02-2021 11:50 AM)freshtop Wrote:  Interesting. I figure MTSU and WKU would be on board for that once our AAC bubble is burst (anyone can see it is never going to happen but have to let the dominoes fall first I suppose). I don't know if we would really have much in the way of poaching power from the SBC unless their Eastern teams are more gung ho to split than they are letting on.

I figure so as well. I would actually like that version of a conference to be honest.

Could add either Liberty or JMU to get to 10 (if So Miss/UAB join us.)

(08-02-2021 11:58 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  The NCAA basketball auto bid is one thing but the other is the CFP monies
Are the power brokers and money grabbers going to want 11 conferences to pay out of the college football playoff dough instead of just 10.

Better have that covered before you form an additional league.

I’m sure they will still share the same amount of money with the G5/6 conferences and that will just be split amongst us? I have no idea how that works to be honest.

Maybe this is all being discussed now before the next CFP negotiations for this very reason?

It's a possibility. This was shared a few days ago and the general consensus seems to be that once the other dominos fall, this is a viable option for the remaining teams. I'm of the opinion that instead of waiting until all the other dominos fall, that this action be taken sooner rather than "last".

Regardless, I know WKU isn't likely to be invited anywhere else but I do prefer to be associated with a more eastern/southeastern league of schools rather than an ArkLaTex group of schools. Although I do respect and miss Ark St and ULL...both quality programs during our tenure in the Sun Belt. Of the current CUSA, LaTech is my favorite ArkLaTex area program...one of the better all around programs.

This would be great even if UAB & USM joined the new league. I would miss UAB mbb though. Hopefully LT would stay west.

(08-02-2021 12:04 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(08-02-2021 11:58 AM)Hilltop75 Wrote:  The NCAA basketball auto bid is one thing but the other is the CFP monies
Are the power brokers and money grabbers going to want 11 conferences to pay out of the college football playoff dough instead of just 10.

Better have that covered before you form an additional league.

I’m sure they will still share the same amount of money with the G5/6 conferences and that will just be split amongst us? I have no idea how that works to be honest.

Maybe this is all being discussed now before the next CFP negotiations for this very reason?

That makes the most sense. Have the split take affect at the time of the new cfp contract.

I like this idea if we can add a few more regional teams. Marshall, ODU, MTSU, WKU, Charlotte make a nice core. Maybe UAB or FAU comes along too. Add in JMU and Liberty, maybe App St, GaSo, and GSU want to come as well, and if the dominoes really fall in our favor... ECU.

Core: Marshall, ODU, Charlotte, MTSU, WKU
Probable: JMU, Liberty
Maybe: App, GSU, ECU, UAB, CCU
Longshot: UMass, Army, MAC schools, Temple

Is there a minimum number of teams a conference has to have to get the auto bid? Could a basketball league with the core 5, UAB, Liberty, UAB and GSU be a two bid league? I think it's possible.

And if its a brand new league there are no pre-conceived notions. Nobody is leaving for a better or worse league. That may be appealing to SB teams who dont want to make CUSA better.

"Pushing the most..." meaning others are as well just maybe not as vocal. Thought that carried more weight than it seems at first read.

(08-02-2021 12:05 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  It's a possibility. This was shared a few days ago and the general consensus seems to be that once the other dominos fall, this is a viable option for the remaining teams. I'm of the opinion that instead of waiting until all the other dominos fall, that this action be taken sooner rather than "last".

Regardless, I know WKU isn't likely to be invited anywhere else but I do prefer to be associated with a more eastern/southeastern league of schools rather than an ArkLaTex group of schools. Although I do respect and miss Ark St and ULL...both quality programs during our tenure in the Sun Belt. Of the current CUSA, LaTech is my favorite ArkLaTex area program...one of the better all around programs.

I love the ODU/WKU basketball rivalry and hope we stay together. Looks promising.

Bring in Liberty and the Liberty Flames Sports Network as well. It would be great if we could work out a deal where they professionally produced (key word here is professionally) all our conference games. Then delivered them via independent stations and/or ESPN +.


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I think FAU/FIU would be a package deal. I know most programs value the recruiting grounds they bring to the conference, but the SBC seems to be getting along well enough without them. Not having them does condense the geography of an Eastern league considerably. Would be a toss up for me depending on who else is available.

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(08-02-2021 12:28 PM)ODU1986 Wrote:  Bring in Liberty and the Liberty Flames Sports Network as well. It would be great if we could work out a deal where they professionally produced (key word here is professionally) all our conference games. Then delivered them via independent stations and/or ESPN +.


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Do you guys (CUSA teams) not produce your own in-house content? Unless it's a linear game, we (GS) produce everything in house and hand off to ESPN to carry it. The exception would be some of the remote commentators last year during COVID.

I thought most teams invested heavily into their fiber and multimedia capabilities years ago.

(08-02-2021 12:31 PM)The Demoralizer Wrote:  

(08-02-2021 12:28 PM)ODU1986 Wrote:  Bring in Liberty and the Liberty Flames Sports Network as well. It would be great if we could work out a deal where they professionally produced (key word here is professionally) all our conference games. Then delivered them via independent stations and/or ESPN +.


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Do you guys (CUSA teams) not produce your own in-house content? Unless it's a linear game, we (GS) produce everything in house and hand off to ESPN to carry it. The exception would be some of the remote commentators last year during COVID.

I thought most teams invested heavily into their fiber and multimedia capabilities years ago.

Can't speak for everyone, I know WKU has been producing their own games for decades with the Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network (HSSN). We have had independent deals with Fox College Sports in the past before conference deals superseded our own.

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(08-02-2021 12:28 PM)ODU1986 Wrote:  Bring in Liberty and the Liberty Flames Sports Network as well. It would be great if we could work out a deal where they professionally produced (key word here is professionally) all our conference games. Then delivered them via independent stations and/or ESPN +.


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Most of us do. Professionally though, that’s a different matter. What LFSN produces is far and away better than anything I have seen any CUSA school produce.


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(08-02-2021 12:17 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  "Pushing the most..." meaning others are as well just maybe not as vocal. Thought that carried more weight than it seems at first read.

That’s an excellent point. I didn’t catch that at first.

(08-02-2021 12:28 PM)ODU1986 Wrote:  Bring in Liberty and the Liberty Flames Sports Network as well. It would be great if we could work out a deal where they professionally produced (key word here is professionally) all our conference games. Then delivered them via independent stations and/or ESPN +.


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No