(07-29-2012 12:06 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I look at the what CUSA needed at this time of expansion:

1: TV Markets
2: Basketball help via loss of Memphis
3: Possibly replacing lost markets in Texas
4: Opportune time to get some regional rivalries
5: Continue in a position of power behind the BE but above Sun Belt / CUSA and MWC are still even overall
6: Replacement in the Florida market via loss of UCF
7: Schools that would actually want come on board with what we have


So

Charlotte, former member for all sports but football.
--YES, I DISLIKE a call up for a program starting at ground zero in football but considering Charlotte market now with a football team plus ECU games in the viewing area.... CUSA covereved NC end to end. App State might have been sexy in football but when you look at my 7 factors Charlotte clears a lot more than App State. Also a solid basketball and baseball add from previous stint in CUSA.

ODU
--IF you want to add a FCS team why not add one that fills its stadium and has a waiting list for tickets since its inception of 1aa football. Huge media market + opens new territory for CUSA. Helps out Marshall and ECU geographically. Helps CUSA basketball.

FIU
--Really started to show improvement in football and probably the best Florida replacement for UCF. Kind of adds a new market as well.

La Tech
--Wanted to be here and is pretty strong all the way around. Has good attendance. Fits CUSA geography.

UNT
--Replaces 1 of 2 Texas teams that left CUSA. Decent football. Decent attendance. Decent baseball.

UTSA
--Replaces 1 of 2 Texas teams that left CUSA. Gives us a large media market. Opening seasons as 1aa team showed strong signs of solid attendance in football.


Basically CUSA took some good options for now and the future. While disliking the 1aa/start from scratch call ups for football about the only other schools we could have gotten would have been MAC or the "lesser than" teams out of the SBC/WAC. Maybe those schools didn't want to come....weren't sure about coming, somehow thought their current situation was better--who knows the factors and schools that were considered, possibly invited, but said no. Either way we have schools that want to be here and we can build something better.

UNT does not have baseball.

(07-30-2012 12:31 AM)Cat79 Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 12:06 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I look at the what CUSA needed at this time of expansion:

1: TV Markets
2: Basketball help via loss of Memphis
3: Possibly replacing lost markets in Texas
4: Opportune time to get some regional rivalries
5: Continue in a position of power behind the BE but above Sun Belt / CUSA and MWC are still even overall
6: Replacement in the Florida market via loss of UCF
7: Schools that would actually want come on board with what we have


So

Charlotte, former member for all sports but football.
--YES, I DISLIKE a call up for a program starting at ground zero in football but considering Charlotte market now with a football team plus ECU games in the viewing area.... CUSA covereved NC end to end. App State might have been sexy in football but when you look at my 7 factors Charlotte clears a lot more than App State. Also a solid basketball and baseball add from previous stint in CUSA.

ODU
--IF you want to add a FCS team why not add one that fills its stadium and has a waiting list for tickets since its inception of 1aa football. Huge media market + opens new territory for CUSA. Helps out Marshall and ECU geographically. Helps CUSA basketball.

FIU
--Really started to show improvement in football and probably the best Florida replacement for UCF. Kind of adds a new market as well.

La Tech
--Wanted to be here and is pretty strong all the way around. Has good attendance. Fits CUSA geography.

UNT
--Replaces 1 of 2 Texas teams that left CUSA. Decent football. Decent attendance. Decent baseball.

UTSA
--Replaces 1 of 2 Texas teams that left CUSA. Gives us a large media market. Opening seasons as 1aa team showed strong signs of solid attendance in football.


Basically CUSA took some good options for now and the future. While disliking the 1aa/start from scratch call ups for football about the only other schools we could have gotten would have been MAC or the "lesser than" teams out of the SBC/WAC. Maybe those schools didn't want to come....weren't sure about coming, somehow thought their current situation was better--who knows the factors and schools that were considered, possibly invited, but said no. Either way we have schools that want to be here and we can build something better.

UNT does not have baseball.

He must have meant basketball.

(07-29-2012 01:58 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 01:48 PM)Runner Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 01:40 PM)DFWMINER Wrote:  Looks like a Texas high school stadium.

I have yet to see a Texas high school football stadium that looks like that. Track field is gone. I'm not a TxSt. fan but have to admit its a nice stadium.

I think it looks great as well. If you look at the "artist rendering" you see that the track will be gone once everything is finished.

The track is gone now. That construction picture is old. The current seating capacity is 30,000 with the new endzone addition. The artist rendering has two more build outs taking the seating capacity to 45,000 when complete.

(07-30-2012 12:25 AM)randaddyminer Wrote:  Program wise, the distance between CUSA and the big east has narrowed.

Perception wise agreed. However Pitt and Syracuse didn't add much to the BE in recent years while Boise is a suitable replacement for West Va. In basketball, I agree to an extent but that gap barely closed at all. Memphis and Temple make up for Pitt and WVa more or less and while Syracuse is an obvious blow, Houston and SMU are putting together the pieces to be solid programs and UCF has potential (but :rolleyes:, how long have we been saying that?).

There were comments in this thread that this was a lateral move by the defectors and that, to me, is highly inaccurate deserving to be called for what it is.

(07-29-2012 11:57 PM)Kronke Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 11:09 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  But it's not a higher quality of football.

All the statistics, attendance numbers, bowl tie-ins, TV ratings, and $$$ generated by each conference strongly disagree.

True, but they won't disagree quite as strongly when all those figures are based upon the new conferences' lineups rather than the old ones.

Most of what gave CUSA the value it currently has (footprint, market presence, highly successful mid-major programs at that top) still exists. The conference certainly didn't improve its standing, but common sense says trading SMU for North Texas, Houston for UTSA, and Memphis for La Tech isn't going to be nearly as detrimental to our TV & bowl contracts as swapping out Syracuse, Pitt, and West Virginia for UCF, SMU, and UH will be to the BE's.

Don't get me wrong, here. I'm not at all implying the BE doesn't have the upper hand or that USM wouldn't jump in a heartbeat, but when citing the greatness of the BE or predicting what it will do, you do have to account for the fact that it's going to be a vastly different conference in the near future, much more so than CUSA will. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the gap will close. It's just a matter of how much and for how long. It's always better to have the head start, though.

(07-30-2012 01:00 AM)HarborPointe Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 11:57 PM)Kronke Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 11:09 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  But it's not a higher quality of football.

All the statistics, attendance numbers, bowl tie-ins, TV ratings, and $$$ generated by each conference strongly disagree.

True, but they won't disagree quite as strongly when all those figures are based upon the new conferences' lineups rather than the old ones.

Most of what gave CUSA the value it currently has (footprint, market presence, highly successful mid-major programs at that top) still exists. The conference certainly didn't improve its standing, but common sense says trading SMU for North Texas, Houston for UTSA, and Memphis for La Tech isn't going to be nearly as detrimental to our TV & bowl contracts as swapping out Syracuse, Pitt, and West Virginia for UCF, SMU, and UH will be to the BE's.

Don't get me wrong, here. I'm not at all implying the BE doesn't have the upper hand or that USM wouldn't jump in a heartbeat, but when citing the greatness of the BE or predicting what it will do, you do have to account for the fact that it's going to be a vastly different conference in the near future, much more so than CUSA will. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the gap will close. It's just a matter of how much and for how long. It's always better to have the head start, though.

I think this pretty much sums it up.

(07-29-2012 08:02 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:53 PM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:08 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 06:35 PM)Purplehook Wrote:  So If you only care about ECU winning and don't care about our conference mates, Then why would you want to move to the Big East or SEC? We can win in any league. In fact moving up will only make winning more difficult.

Well I'd care about conference mates worth caring about. I dreamed about us being in the Big East with VT and WVU, schools we have had long time relationships with and would be big draws and exciting games for our fans. ODU and Charlotte are never going to be that. Then not to mention 10's of millions more we could use to build new facilities, improve recruiting, and actually be able to compete for more than just the JV trophy and participation bowl we get for winning this league.

Huh......so, you're fortune teller as well ....I'm glad most ECU fans I know (and on here) are not as arrogant as you to look down your nose at other schools to this extent.

You really think I am supposed to have a damn bit of respect for a program that hasn't taken a single snap as a football program? No I don't. You'll get respect from me when you earn it, and not a second sooner. You'll earn it when you win some games and accomplish something other than residing in a large market. Also it doesn't take me being a fortune teller to know you are never going to be WVU or VT.

You don't KNOW anything dude! Oh, and by the way.....we're coming in for all sports, not just football and we sure as hell are ECU's equal (atleast) in every other sport besides football as well as academically. You might want to remember that while football is the most important sport, it is NOT the only one.

Is 919R the new immature troll of the board?

(07-30-2012 08:00 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 08:02 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:53 PM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:08 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 06:35 PM)Purplehook Wrote:  So If you only care about ECU winning and don't care about our conference mates, Then why would you want to move to the Big East or SEC? We can win in any league. In fact moving up will only make winning more difficult.

Well I'd care about conference mates worth caring about. I dreamed about us being in the Big East with VT and WVU, schools we have had long time relationships with and would be big draws and exciting games for our fans. ODU and Charlotte are never going to be that. Then not to mention 10's of millions more we could use to build new facilities, improve recruiting, and actually be able to compete for more than just the JV trophy and participation bowl we get for winning this league.

Huh......so, you're fortune teller as well ....I'm glad most ECU fans I know (and on here) are not as arrogant as you to look down your nose at other schools to this extent.

You really think I am supposed to have a damn bit of respect for a program that hasn't taken a single snap as a football program? No I don't. You'll get respect from me when you earn it, and not a second sooner. You'll earn it when you win some games and accomplish something other than residing in a large market. Also it doesn't take me being a fortune teller to know you are never going to be WVU or VT.

You don't KNOW anything dude! Oh, and by the way.....we're coming in for all sports, not just football and we sure as hell are ECU's equal (atleast) in every other sport besides football as well as academically. You might want to remember that while football is the most important sport, it is NOT the only one.

I'm well aware you are coming for all sports, and if you were coming for all but football I'd be thrilled. I think we should have kept partial members back in the day and you and St Louis should have been allowed to stay, but that's just my opinion. Don't let my disgust for your football program make you think I have no respect for your other programs. Those are completely separate in my mind. You and ODU will be great for ECU and the league in basketball and non-revenues. That however doesn't change the fact I have zero respect for your football program, and won't until you actually accomplish something, however long that takes to happen.

(07-30-2012 09:09 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 08:00 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 08:02 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:53 PM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:08 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Well I'd care about conference mates worth caring about. I dreamed about us being in the Big East with VT and WVU, schools we have had long time relationships with and would be big draws and exciting games for our fans. ODU and Charlotte are never going to be that. Then not to mention 10's of millions more we could use to build new facilities, improve recruiting, and actually be able to compete for more than just the JV trophy and participation bowl we get for winning this league.

Huh......so, you're fortune teller as well ....I'm glad most ECU fans I know (and on here) are not as arrogant as you to look down your nose at other schools to this extent.

You really think I am supposed to have a damn bit of respect for a program that hasn't taken a single snap as a football program? No I don't. You'll get respect from me when you earn it, and not a second sooner. You'll earn it when you win some games and accomplish something other than residing in a large market. Also it doesn't take me being a fortune teller to know you are never going to be WVU or VT.

You don't KNOW anything dude! Oh, and by the way.....we're coming in for all sports, not just football and we sure as hell are ECU's equal (atleast) in every other sport besides football as well as academically. You might want to remember that while football is the most important sport, it is NOT the only one.

I'm well aware you are coming for all sports, and if you were coming for all but football I'd be thrilled. I think we should have kept partial members back in the day and you and St Louis should have been allowed to stay, but that's just my opinion. Don't let my disgust for your football program make you think I have no respect for your other programs. Those are completely separate in my mind. You and ODU will be great for ECU and the league in basketball and non-revenues. That however doesn't change the fact I have zero respect for your football program, and won't until you actually accomplish something, however long that takes to happen.

I'm glad you clarified this then......all of your previous posts just trashed "Charlotte" (no clarification that you were only referring to football)......I understand your position on football ONLY then, however I predict you will be pleasantly surprised within a few short years.

(07-30-2012 08:58 AM)ECUgradstudent Wrote:  Is 919R the new immature troll of the board?

(07-30-2012 09:18 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 09:09 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 08:00 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 08:02 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 07:53 PM)919R Wrote:  Huh......so, you're fortune teller as well ....I'm glad most ECU fans I know (and on here) are not as arrogant as you to look down your nose at other schools to this extent.

You really think I am supposed to have a damn bit of respect for a program that hasn't taken a single snap as a football program? No I don't. You'll get respect from me when you earn it, and not a second sooner. You'll earn it when you win some games and accomplish something other than residing in a large market. Also it doesn't take me being a fortune teller to know you are never going to be WVU or VT.

You don't KNOW anything dude! Oh, and by the way.....we're coming in for all sports, not just football and we sure as hell are ECU's equal (atleast) in every other sport besides football as well as academically. You might want to remember that while football is the most important sport, it is NOT the only one.

I'm well aware you are coming for all sports, and if you were coming for all but football I'd be thrilled. I think we should have kept partial members back in the day and you and St Louis should have been allowed to stay, but that's just my opinion. Don't let my disgust for your football program make you think I have no respect for your other programs. Those are completely separate in my mind. You and ODU will be great for ECU and the league in basketball and non-revenues. That however doesn't change the fact I have zero respect for your football program, and won't until you actually accomplish something, however long that takes to happen.

I'm glad you clarified this then......all of your previous posts just trashed "Charlotte" (no clarification that you were only referring to football)......I understand your position on football ONLY then, however I predict you will be pleasantly surprised within a few short years.

Yeah I guess my posts have made it look like I have disgust and contempt for all of Charlotte's programs. I certainly don't. For everything other than football you and ODU were home run additions for East Carolina and really the league as a whole. We'll see about football. It would be better for the league if you guys can have immediate success but your timeline is so fast from not existing to being in C-USA that I think it could be a really bad couple of years. ODU I think has a chance to be competitive much quicker, but that's an unknown you never know how any program will respond to moving up.

I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC.

At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC. At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

Me2......remember though, this type of thing can't happen overnight. Also, considering we haven't had football I think we have done pretty well.......Imagine ECU without having ever had a football program.

(07-30-2012 10:54 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC. At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

Me2......remember though, this type of thing can't happen overnight. Also, considering we haven't had football I think we have done pretty well.......Imagine ECU without having ever had a football program.

Certainly...but you'll hear better things from ECU fans about ODU than you will Charlotte because ODU is rapidly doing what I listed. Locally, they are already saying its a football school....and its only been three years. I fully understand you have to have something to root for, but I'm very familiar with Charlotte and I know its history is of being a commuter campus. Its time to throw out the ACC allegiances ON YOUR CAMPUS. ECU struggles with this as well (as kids come in brainwashed). Your students have to buy in and get your alums excited.

(07-30-2012 11:02 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:54 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC. At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

Me2......remember though, this type of thing can't happen overnight. Also, considering we haven't had football I think we have done pretty well.......Imagine ECU without having ever had a football program.

Certainly...but you'll hear better things from ECU fans about ODU than you will Charlotte because ODU is rapidly doing what I listed. Locally, they are already saying its a football school....and its only been three years. I fully understand you have to have something to root for, but I'm very familiar with Charlotte and I know its history is of being a commuter campus. Its time to throw out the ACC allegiances ON YOUR CAMPUS. ECU struggles with this as well (as kids come in brainwashed). Your students have to buy in and get your alums excited.

Just curious if the bolded is in humor or serious. ODU, who is a fine addition, is perceived as a better conference partner because they are "saying" they are a football school?

(07-30-2012 11:58 AM)oldtiger Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 11:02 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:54 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC. At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

Me2......remember though, this type of thing can't happen overnight. Also, considering we haven't had football I think we have done pretty well.......Imagine ECU without having ever had a football program.

Certainly...but you'll hear better things from ECU fans about ODU than you will Charlotte because ODU is rapidly doing what I listed. Locally, they are already saying its a football school....and its only been three years. I fully understand you have to have something to root for, but I'm very familiar with Charlotte and I know its history is of being a commuter campus. Its time to throw out the ACC allegiances ON YOUR CAMPUS. ECU struggles with this as well (as kids come in brainwashed). Your students have to buy in and get your alums excited.

Just curious if the bolded is in humor or serious. ODU, who is a fine addition, is perceived as a better conference partner because they are "saying" they are a football school?

It's more than they are saying they are a football school it's that they are proving it by selling out every single game they have played in their history, and have a season ticket waiting list in the thousands. If Charlotte can do anything close to that then I'll be impressed. ODU has shown they have fans who deeply care about football from day 1. Lets see if Charlotte can find that many who care that much that quickly. Lets see if the average Charlotte students and fans dump their other FB allegiances and jump all in on Charlotte football, or is Charlotte going to be like a lot of other "city" schools who have fans who show up when they are good and disappear when they aren't.

(07-30-2012 12:41 AM)Saint Greg Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 12:31 AM)Cat79 Wrote:  UNT does not have baseball.

He must have meant basketball.

I thought UNT had baseball.... aren't they building a new baseball field?

If they are already decent in basketball then sweet... another plus.

(07-30-2012 11:58 AM)oldtiger Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 11:02 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:54 AM)919R Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  I haven't read this whole thing, but some of the newbies will have to give fans from schools like ECU and Southern Miss some real time to adjust. And more expansion talk just fuels the fire. When you watch programs like USF and UCF start up football when you have been playing and, for the most part, succeeding at it and then talked about nationally as more relevant, thats a tough pill to swallow.

My opinion on this is that any CUSA add "for football (the money sport)" need to be serious about it. We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics). CUSA needs to become relevant nationally and has the ability to if we have serious members. And by serious, I'm not talking about 25K football stadiums. 40K should be the standard. CUSA programs need to promote traveling fan bases, and expanding their fan bases to the point where they have extensive local coverage. Then CUSA can make money. And the whole point of being in a conference is to make money. We need members that are trying to be the best in their area and not cow-towing to the "flagship"...see UAB. When I go to Charlotte, I want to see Charlotte merchandise on the shelves next to the ACC crap. I want to see entire stores dedicated to Charlotte stuff. I want to see restaurants entirely catering to Charlotte fans, multiple websites and media dedicated to Charlotte sports....and then we want to see it expand to Concord, Gastonia, Huntersville, etc...and it spread into other media markets like the Triad and Upstate SC. At that point, ECU football fans will be satisfied.

Me2......remember though, this type of thing can't happen overnight. Also, considering we haven't had football I think we have done pretty well.......Imagine ECU without having ever had a football program.

Certainly...but you'll hear better things from ECU fans about ODU than you will Charlotte because ODU is rapidly doing what I listed. Locally, they are already saying its a football school....and its only been three years. I fully understand you have to have something to root for, but I'm very familiar with Charlotte and I know its history is of being a commuter campus. Its time to throw out the ACC allegiances ON YOUR CAMPUS. ECU struggles with this as well (as kids come in brainwashed). Your students have to buy in and get your alums excited.

Just curious if the bolded is in humor or serious. ODU, who is a fine addition, is perceived as a better conference partner because they are "saying" they are a football school?

ODU has a larger and more loyal fanbase than probably 75% of CUSA right now. I'd say that includes departing AND incoming members.

(07-30-2012 10:29 AM)HP-TBDPITL Wrote:  We dont need more UAB's, Rice's and Tulane's in our conference (at least Rice and Tulane can blame academics).

UAB has the same academic requirements as Rice and Tulane for athletes. It is more difficult to qualify academically as an athlete at UAB than as a regular student. SMU has the same elevated standards but they give out waivers to anyone with a pulse