If the 'Belt decides to invite a FCS program to join the conference, my vote goes to the best FCS football program, year-in-and-year-out, in the country.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN



The Eagles have solid Football, Baseball and Golf programs, a new President who is a HUGE fan of Athletics, a student body that surpassed 20,000 this Fall, and fans that love to travel. They are breaking ground on a new 50,000 sq.ft. Football complex this Spring and already have architects plans drawn to expand their stadium to 30,000 seats.

On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

.

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  If the 'Belt decides to invite a FCS program to join the conference, my vote goes to the best FCS football program, year-in-and-year-out, in the country.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN



The Eagles have solid Football, Baseball and Golf programs, a new President who is a HUGE fan of Athletics, a student body that surpassed 20,000 this Fall, and fans that love to travel. They are breaking ground on a new 50,000 sq.ft. Football complex this Spring and already have architects plans drawn to expand their stadium to 30,000 seats.

On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

.

Take note of the trends in current conference alignment. Market is probably the number one thing that moves the meter. I wouldn't be opposed to adding Southern(provided we are dead set on adding somebody), but I do not think they are the best add.

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  If the 'Belt decides to invite a FCS program to join the conference, my vote goes to the best FCS football program, year-in-and-year-out, in the country.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

I agree. Say no to NMSU and GA State!!

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  If the 'Belt decides to invite a FCS program to join the conference, my vote goes to the best FCS football program, year-in-and-year-out, in the country.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN



The Eagles have solid Football, Baseball and Golf programs, a new President who is a HUGE fan of Athletics, a student body that surpassed 20,000 this Fall, and fans that love to travel. They are breaking ground on a new 50,000 sq.ft. Football complex this Spring and already have architects plans drawn to expand their stadium to 30,000 seats.

On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

.

No thanks. Don't need any FCS move ups.

"No thanks. Don't need any FCS move ups."

I tend to agree with MG61 on this.

Seriously, can we stop with the suggestion of any FCS teams, I mean, seriously, its getting old and all it does is feed their schools delusional trolls. I swear, tomorrow we will probably have 20 posts from Georgia State and Georgia Southern fans talking about how they'll come in and dominate the conference in a week, and that we're "ridiculous" if we don't want to add their crappy fan bases.

No FCS teams. That will do nothing for our conference. If we keep adding FCS schools, we will continue to be looked at as a stepping stone. I say we build our conference with "established" FBS teams and leap over conferences one by one.

(09-21-2011 09:07 PM)MeanGreenFan123 Wrote:  No FCS teams. That will do nothing for our conference. If we keep adding FCS schools, we will continue to be looked at as a stepping stone. I say we build our conference with "established" FBS teams and leap over conferences one by one.

Agreed. I think we are seeing this as we speak.

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

They have history with stAte? We've played only one game. ??

(09-21-2011 10:28 PM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

They have history with stAte? We've played only one game. ??

Must have been one for the ages....

(09-21-2011 04:35 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(09-21-2011 11:30 AM)ntmeangreen11 Wrote:  As much as I hate to say it, and as much as I hate a few of Tech's posters and arrogant fans, adding them and New Mexico State and one of Tx State or UTSA would let us have the divisional split.

Now...I'm just gonna cut and paste from the last time this subject was brought up, but here's why... NO TO NEW MEXICO STATE!!! Having said that here's the geographic breakdown I posted last time we were talking about this subject.

Las Cruces is.

680 miles from Denton
970 miles from Monroe
1000 miles from Little Rock
1010 miles from Lafayette
1125 miles from Jonesboro
1260 miles from Mobile


Speaking purely geographically, the best options are clearly La Tech and Georgia State.

Personally I would prefer adding one to the east and one to the west(which La Tech and Georgia State would accomplish) but I wouldn't have a problem with adding two to the east or adding two to the west, just so long as they are the best overall options considering their athletic programs and their geography. If that means 2 out of 3 of La Tech, Texas State, and UTSA than so be it, add two schools to the west and make MG61 happy, but if the best two overall packages are in the east, then I'm definitely for that and not for catering to our most westward school's desires before anyone else.

The bottom line here folks is, no matter what, JUST SAY NO TO NEW MEXICO STATE!

The WAC is functionally dead as a football conference. There is little chance that the Big 12 will not take at least one MWC school and the MWC has no option than to raid two or three from the WAC. Put a fork in it.

First off, very few fans endorse the addition of NMSU. I do not dislike New Mexico State, but as you've clearly stated, it is way the hell out in the middle of nowhere, and hopefully they will find refuge in the MWC.

My preference is, if there are no league defections to CUSA, that the Sun Belt eventually move to a 14 school league with seven schools in each division. Seven team divisions creates balanced scheduling by having 3 home and 3 away games within your division, and then just one home game and one away game playing the other division. The travel cost savings would more than offset the slightly reduced conference distribution.

Add La Tech and Texas State for the 2012 season since they will both be full FBS members. Add UTSA and one of the eastern schools that are currently FCS for all sports except football, and then include them for football only after they have completed their transition to FBS.

That will give the Sun Belt 7 schools west of I-55 and 7 schools east of I-65; two relatively tight geographic regions, and potentially adding the Austin, San Antonio, and Atlanta markets to the Sun Belt footprint.

(09-22-2011 01:08 AM)Adler Wrote:  ...My preference is, if there are no league defections to CUSA, that the Sun Belt eventually move to a 14 school league with seven schools in each division. Seven team divisions creates balanced scheduling by having 3 home and 3 away games within your division, and then just one home game and one away game playing the other division. The travel cost savings would more than offset the slightly reduced conference distribution.....

I'd like to see some numbers on that. Real numbers. I don't believe it - not for any of the usual suspects, I mean candidates, mentioned in these threads.

(09-21-2011 10:52 AM)T_Won1 Wrote:  I found this article interesting:

http://louisianatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1267935

Sounds like there have been some serious discussions between Tech and Wright Waters.

First things, first. CONGRATULATIONS on becoming a Tier 1 school. Thats bigtime. We arent far behind, but you achieved it first so, credit where credit is due.

Secondly, even though your AD isnt very smart and opens his mouth at most inopportune times...If y'all wanna come back.....COME ON!!

3rd...J Ford has got to be the biggest D bag on the planet, but Im sure his momma loves hime, so thats something.

Z

+

(09-22-2011 07:14 AM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(09-21-2011 10:52 AM)T_Won1 Wrote:  I found this article interesting:

http://louisianatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1267935

Sounds like there have been some serious discussions between Tech and Wright Waters.

First things, first. CONGRATULATIONS on becoming a Tier 1 school. Thats bigtime. We arent far behind, but you achieved it first so, credit where credit is due.

Secondly, even though your AD isnt very smart and opens his mouth at most inopportune times...If y'all wanna come back.....COME ON!!

3rd...J Ford has got to be the biggest D bag on the planet, but Im sure his momma loves hime, so thats something.

Z

+1

Enhancement is not revenue dollars alone.

As MTPiKapp's data shows there are expansion options who offer tighter geography. If Arkansas State or Troy replace a flight with a bus trip, the savings enhances the overall athletic budget at ASU and Troy.

If those closer teams result in your fans traveling to an away game, that bolsters their overall connection to their favorite team. Those traveling fans improve gate receipts at the host school and bolster the gameday atmosphere. Two things that need improving. Fans traveling improve rivalries and make them more important. Fans with a rival to get fired up about strengthen the league.

The equation just simply isn't about NCAA revenue sharing, TV revenue, and BCS revenue share, it is about improving the overall health of the league.

(09-22-2011 08:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Enhancement is not revenue dollars alone.

As MTPiKapp's data shows there are expansion options who offer tighter geography. If Arkansas State or Troy replace a flight with a bus trip, the savings enhances the overall athletic budget at ASU and Troy.

If those closer teams result in your fans traveling to an away game, that bolsters their overall connection to their favorite team. Those traveling fans improve gate receipts at the host school and bolster the gameday atmosphere. Two things that need improving. Fans traveling improve rivalries and make them more important. Fans with a rival to get fired up about strengthen the league.

The equation just simply isn't about NCAA revenue sharing, TV revenue, and BCS revenue share, it is about improving the overall health of the league.

Concur, and that is why I agree with Adler's thoughts WRT Tx State and eventually UTSA in the West as opposed to NMSU. I like NMSU, but as he said - it's way the h*ll out there!

(09-21-2011 02:04 PM)T_Won1 Wrote:  

(09-21-2011 10:59 AM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  Would it be the end of the world if Tech joins? I'm relatively new to the SBC (started at TROY in 2008) so I'm not an expert on the relationship between La Tech and the SBC. Nor am I an expert when it comes to La Tech...

- What's their student population?
- Do they have nice facilities?
- What's their attendance like?
- Are their "other sports" any good?
- Will they add prestige to the conference?

- 13,000 ?
- OK
- Around 20K
- MBB is up and down. WBB is very good. Baseball is below avg
- Yes

Enrollment Fall 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total: 11,581 (-223 from Fall 2010)

Freshman enrollment up 2% to 1,632
Transfer students to Tech up 12% to 423
Grad Students down to 2,144 (no % decrease given)
Undergrad enrollment up 1.5% to 9,137

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/cus...37519963.story

(09-21-2011 05:35 PM)gatadotcom Wrote:  If the 'Belt decides to invite a FCS program to join the conference, my vote goes to the best FCS football program, year-in-and-year-out, in the country.
The Eagles have solid Football, Baseball and Golf programs, a new President who is a HUGE fan of Athletics, a student body that surpassed 20,000 this Fall, and fans that love to travel. They are breaking ground on a new 50,000 sq.ft. Football complex this Spring and already have architects plans drawn to expand their stadium to 30,000 seats.

On top of that, they also have a history with Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Troy and Middle Tennessee.

I can see GS moving and they would be a cultural fit but they have some financial hurdles to get over. I think their current budget is about $10 million and a 12,000 seat stadium expansion is going to come in at about $50 million on the low side and will have to come from private donations in this economy.

(09-21-2011 05:36 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  Take note of the trends in current conference alignment. Market is probably the number one thing that moves the meter. I wouldn't be opposed to adding Southern(provided we are dead set on adding somebody), but I do not think they are the best add.

Adding someone just because is never a good idea.

(09-21-2011 05:37 PM)troy4ever21 Wrote:  I agree. Say no to NMSU and GA State!!

I never understood the NMSU candidacy. Way too far away. As for us its pretty obvious at this point that we are sitting on our hands.

(09-21-2011 05:40 PM)MG61 Wrote:  No thanks. Don't need any FCS move ups.

(09-21-2011 08:06 PM)BlueRaiderDave Wrote:  "No thanks. Don't need any FCS move ups."

I tend to agree with MG61 on this.

(09-21-2011 08:36 PM)Tuffguy21 Wrote:  Seriously, can we stop with the suggestion of any FCS teams, I mean, seriously, its getting old and all it does is feed their schools delusional trolls. I swear, tomorrow we will probably have 20 posts from Georgia State and Georgia Southern fans talking about how they'll come in and dominate the conference in a week, and that we're "ridiculous" if we don't want to add their crappy fan bases.

I am the only person I know of posting as a Georgia State poster and I know I have never said we would dominate anything. As for crappy fan bases you are right. We only averaged 17k fans at home last year which is disappointing. If you can only average 17k fans then yes your fan base should be termed crappy.

(09-21-2011 09:07 PM)MeanGreenFan123 Wrote:  No FCS teams. That will do nothing for our conference. If we keep adding FCS schools, we will continue to be looked at as a stepping stone. I say we build our conference with "established" FBS teams and leap over conferences one by one.

Got some bad news, if you are not in the SEC or ACC you are effectively a stepping stone.

If you only looked at football, it would be a much easier decision....but you don't. You invite all sports.

(09-22-2011 11:31 AM)Fanof49ASU Wrote:  If you only looked at football, it would be a much easier decision....but you don't. You invite all sports.

This is a good point that is overlooked.



It all depends on what criteria are for adding a school. Ultimately it should be some combination of academics, institutional support for football (because it drives the boat), support for basketball and other sports, facilities, market, potential, cultural fit and alumni/student/community support (attendance and financial). But we all know that different conferences gave greater and lesser weight to each of those criteria. So are the prospective schools a cultural fit to the conference? What is their athletic budget currently? What are their facilities like? Is it $10 million and do they play in a 20k seat stadium? If so are there initiatives from the administration to increase the budget to your conferences' level? To improve facilities? Then there is always potential. Where will the school and program be in 5, 10, 15 years?