I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

Link found on ESPN RumorCentral

La. Tech not subject to buyout

Quote:“We knew all along that Louisiana Tech desired to be in Conference USA,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. “We as a conference feel that geographically they belong in Conference USA and we didn't want to stand in the way of that.”

(08-25-2010 09:58 AM)trojanbrutha Wrote:  Link found on ESPN RumorCentral

La. Tech not subject to buyout

Quote:“We knew all along that Louisiana Tech desired to be in Conference USA,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. “We as a conference feel that geographically they belong in Conference USA and we didn't want to stand in the way of that.”

Let Me translate that Quote: " Will somebody PLEASE take these ignorant, arrogant hillbillies off our hands?"

(08-25-2010 09:26 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

(08-25-2010 10:28 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 09:26 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

just as question. how much does your athletic dept. pump out to cover the costs for the georgia dome?

(08-25-2010 10:40 PM)CajunFan89 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 10:28 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 09:26 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

just as question. how much does your athletic dept. pump out to cover the costs for the georgia dome?

About $100,000 per game. It's actually quite a deal for us at that price. If we were to build our own stadium, for say $20 million, it would take us renting the Dome for over 33 years to reach that $20 million figure. The Dome is a 3-minute walk from campus, and we get a pro-facility without paying a dime for upgrades, taxes, maintenance, etc. Plus, the facility is just as much as ours as it is the Falcons. The GA World Congress Center, which owns the facility, has already painted the visiting locker rooms with our GSU colors, and even re-did their website to include us. http://www.gadome.com/

Quote:“We knew all along that Louisiana Tech desired to be in Conference USA,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. “We as a conference feel that geographically they belong in Conference USA and we didn't want to stand in the way of that.”

[/quote]

La Tech is like the red headed step-child. WAC didn't want them, CUSA doesn't want them, the SBC doesn't want them. Hmmm...

(08-25-2010 11:10 PM)CrushMI Wrote:  

Quote:“We knew all along that Louisiana Tech desired to be in Conference USA,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. “We as a conference feel that geographically they belong in Conference USA and we didn't want to stand in the way of that.”

La Tech is like the red headed step-child. WAC didn't want them, CUSA doesn't want them, the SBC doesn't want them. Hmmm...
[/quote]

Hell...Independent doesn't want them either...and that's sayin' a lot!

(08-25-2010 11:08 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 10:40 PM)CajunFan89 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 10:28 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 09:26 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

just as question. how much does your athletic dept. pump out to cover the costs for the georgia dome?

About $100,000 per game. It's actually quite a deal for us at that price. If we were to build our own stadium, for say $20 million, it would take us renting the Dome for over 33 years to reach that $20 million figure. The Dome is a 3-minute walk from campus, and we get a pro-facility without paying a dime for upgrades, taxes, maintenance, etc. Plus, the facility is just as much as ours as it is the Falcons. The GA World Congress Center, which owns the facility, has already painted the visiting locker rooms with our GSU colors, and even re-did their website to include us. http://www.gadome.com/

$20 million won't get you crap. UNT is spending $78 million for a 30,000 seat stadium. With the exception of one end zone, the stadium is all concrete, unlike the UCF erector set.

(08-25-2010 10:28 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

GAState doesn't have a foothold in the Atlanta market. GT barely has one. I know there is a lot of excitement about this first season, but it's a BIG stretch to say that GAState delivers the Atlanta market to anyone, or ever will.

But, I'm not going to crusade against GAState, and I doubt anyone else really will. It's just a long road ahead, and the car's not even cranked yet.

UNT and Temple would get in CUSA before La Tech...

i don't speak for UNT fans..but i believe they would welcome CUSA membership.

new stadium...2 recent NCAA tourneys...La Tech brings zero without Dooley

(08-25-2010 10:28 PM)SaintDK10 Wrote:  

(08-25-2010 09:26 AM)bluephi1914 Wrote:  I found this quote with regard to expansion from ECU's Chancellor to be very enlightening. It confirms that expansion is motivated by tv markets.

Ballard: "The bad news is there is no question in my mind that TV revenues control everything. All the things that we can control, the eight or nine variables from facilities to performance to integrity and all those things, may account for 10 to 15 percent of any conference realignment.

If you can't bring new revenues to whoever might be looking at you, and unfortunately that has an awful lot to do with the number of TV sets and a little bit to do with the perceived recruiting area that you're in, then you're not going to be considered like univeristies in the bigger cities unfortunately. That does not ever help Greenville."

So if TV Market is the main driving force, then wouldn't Georgia State be a good candidate for the Sun Belt provided we can average over 15,000 fans per game?

Maybe I missed something along the way but I have never seen anything to indicate the Georgia State Administration has indicated their intention to be a FBS member. All I have read is their intention to be a member of FCS and join either the Colonial or Southern Conference.

Georgia State's administration may have never said they want to try to go FBS, but 99.9% of their fans have yakked about it so much on CAA conference boards that they openly kid them about it.

Ga. St. is a ways off from being FBS, but they probably have aspirations for it considering they are playing Alabama, and they have Bill Curry as their HC.

I'm not sure they don't provide a good fit for the Sunbelt too. Even though they may not have a large following, they will have a student population that is not going elsewhere in the fall much except to football games. They would suffer the same issues most Belt schools do, in that we are overshadowed by bigger in-state schools. Their biggest schedule consideration would be to try not to have home games the same weekend as GT.

Looking at the footprint of the Sunbelt, in terms of larger markets, we have Dallas, Miami and Nashville. Adding Atlanta would be good for the Belt. Presence in those cities would increase the profile of the Sunbelt, not to mention adding Ga. St. would be a nice addition to the academic side.

Also consider that a lot of our schools have alumni that live in the ATL. I think a visiting game to ATL would not only attract those alumni, but a lot of students and other alumni wouldn't mind a trip to Atlanta in the fall for a game in the Ga. Dome.

The only thing about Ga. St. coming to FBS and the Belt is that it will take a few years, and with the speed at which the landscape is currently changing, the current snapshot may be completely different from what it will look like in four or five years when Ga. St. would be able to complete their transition.

I like the possibility though.

(08-26-2010 08:18 AM)Troy87 Wrote:  adding Ga. St. would be a nice addition to the academic side.

Where is this coming from?

I'm not saying they aren't academically sound... but Georgia State is where North Georgia kids go when they qualify for a Hope Grant but don't have the grades to force their way in to Georgia or Georgia Tech.

They don't take anything away from the conference on the academic side... But they aren't going to boost our academic profile, either.

That was maybe in 1994. Things have changed. We have 31,400 students and are classified as a National Research University. We have outstanding Business, Law and Nursing programs. We are now the first choice for a lot of students. We received 12,000 applications for Fall 2010 and accpted only 3000. But I agree that the Sun Belt is most likely a poor fit.

(09-20-2010 09:29 AM)panama Wrote:  That was maybe in 1994. Things have changed. We have 31,400 students and are classified as a National Research University. We have outstanding Business, Law and Nursing programs. We are now the first choice for a lot of students. We received 12,000 applications for Fall 2010 and accpted only 3000. But I agree that the Sun Belt is most likely a poor fit.

If the Sun Belt needs new teams in the next few years, we'll certainly have options. I'm open-minded enough to say Ga State may grow into one of those options, but if it's far enough down the road than Kennesaw State may as well.
Academically Ga State would be a fine addition, although I would still be skeptical of claims that a large number of undergrads straight from high school who were accepted at Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State chose State. Nothing against the academic offerings at State, just the perception of what those other schools have to offer will get the draw.

The problem with Kennessaw, and this is not a flame, is that they will most likely be an FCS staple for the foreseeable future. Lets be real. The only reasons that GSU is being talked about for FBS is size, (31k students, 180k alumni) , stadium (71,000 Georgia Dome less than 20 years old and recently renovated) and staff (New Prez, AD and HC all pushing football). Kennessaw State is a regional GA university (Western Suburbs) that does not even pull students from the EAST side of Atlanta Metro. Add to that the fact that their stadium is brand new but only seats 8300. I doubt you even look at anyone to move up to FBS if you have less than 30k seats. I looked online but was unable to find if their stadium was built to be expandable or if they would have to build another. Either way you're talking a lot of $$$ for a school with an endowment of $25 million. Like I keep saying, if the Dome was not 4 blocks from campus we would be in the same boat.

(09-20-2010 11:16 AM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  

(09-20-2010 09:29 AM)panama Wrote:  That was maybe in 1994. Things have changed. We have 31,400 students and are classified as a National Research University. We have outstanding Business, Law and Nursing programs. We are now the first choice for a lot of students. We received 12,000 applications for Fall 2010 and accpted only 3000. But I agree that the Sun Belt is most likely a poor fit.

If the Sun Belt needs new teams in the next few years, we'll certainly have options. I'm open-minded enough to say Ga State may grow into one of those options, but if it's far enough down the road than Kennesaw State may as well.
Academically Ga State would be a fine addition, although I would still be skeptical of claims that a large number of undergrads straight from high school who were accepted at Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State chose State. Nothing against the academic offerings at State, just the perception of what those other schools have to offer will get the draw.

That was a reasonable and well-presented response and I think you're right in your comparison for the present day. As you know, though, football changes things. They may make huge strides in a short time if they attract the right kind of support.
BTW, I believe the KSU stadium is expandable but I'm not sure what the ultimate capacity may be.

(09-20-2010 12:26 PM)panama Wrote:  The problem with Kennessaw, and this is not a flame, is that they will most likely be an FCS staple for the foreseeable future. Lets be real. The only reasons that GSU is being talked about for FBS is size, (31k students, 180k alumni) , stadium (71,000 Georgia Dome less than 20 years old and recently renovated) and staff (New Prez, AD and HC all pushing football). Kennessaw State is a regional GA university (Western Suburbs) that does not even pull students from the EAST side of Atlanta Metro. Add to that the fact that their stadium is brand new but only seats 8300. I doubt you even look at anyone to move up to FBS if you have less than 30k seats. I looked online but was unable to find if their stadium was built to be expandable or if they would have to build another. Either way you're talking a lot of $$$ for a school with an endowment of $25 million. Like I keep saying, if the Dome was not 4 blocks from campus we would be in the same boat.

That was a reasonable and well-presented response and I think you're right in your comparison for the present day. As you know, though, football changes things. They may make huge strides in a short time if they attract the right kind of support.
BTW, I believe the KSU stadium is expandable but I'm not sure what the ultimate capacity may be.

(09-20-2010 11:16 AM)AtlantaJag Wrote:  

(09-20-2010 09:29 AM)panama Wrote:  That was maybe in 1994. Things have changed. We have 31,400 students and are classified as a National Research University. We have outstanding Business, Law and Nursing programs. We are now the first choice for a lot of students. We received 12,000 applications for Fall 2010 and accpted only 3000. But I agree that the Sun Belt is most likely a poor fit.

If the Sun Belt needs new teams in the next few years, we'll certainly have options. I'm open-minded enough to say Ga State may grow into one of those options, but if it's far enough down the road than Kennesaw State may as well.
Academically Ga State would be a fine addition, although I would still be skeptical of claims that a large number of undergrads straight from high school who were accepted at Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State chose State. Nothing against the academic offerings at State, just the perception of what those other schools have to offer will get the draw.

Of the potential members, how's their basketball?