Per this article, it sounds obvious that more schools will be added in the future.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/201...-12-season

Quote:The other schools joining C-USA in 2013 are Old Dominion, Florida International, Texas-San Antonio and Charlotte.

Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky was one of the architects of the Mountain West/C-USA alliance that could have been as big as 28 programs. He admitted Wednesday that outside schools are still reaching out to the league in pursuit of membership.

"Our options were really to rest completely or to continue to work on improvement through membership strategies," Banowsky said. "Our board felt like we should continue to work."

Banowsky expects to have an "ongoing conversation" with the league's officials this year as they consider expansion.

At the start of the 2015 season, C-USA is set to have 14 all-sports members.

On Wednesday, Banowsky said he wasn't sure on how that league would be divided geographically.

"We haven't gotten into the discussion of divisions," he said. "Some of that will depend on maybe our future expansion strategies."

That statement by Banowsky indicates a league that's not close to settling for 14 teams, and the league's coaches said Wednesday they support the commissioner's efforts to strengthen the league.

Who are your picks? I personally think the front runners will be FAU, Texas State, Delaware, Toledo, UMASS, Georgia State, James Madison, New Mexico State.

Out of those schools, if I had to pick two (one for each side) I'd go FAU in the East and Texas State in the West. If they go beyond two schools I think you go after Delaware or Georgia State and then go after New Mexico or New Mexico State. Thoughts?

(07-27-2012 09:35 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  Per this article, it sounds obvious that more schools will be added in the future.

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/201...-12-season

Quote:The other schools joining C-USA in 2013 are Old Dominion, Florida International, Texas-San Antonio and Charlotte.

Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky was one of the architects of the Mountain West/C-USA alliance that could have been as big as 28 programs. He admitted Wednesday that outside schools are still reaching out to the league in pursuit of membership.

"Our options were really to rest completely or to continue to work on improvement through membership strategies," Banowsky said. "Our board felt like we should continue to work."

Banowsky expects to have an "ongoing conversation" with the league's officials this year as they consider expansion.

At the start of the 2015 season, C-USA is set to have 14 all-sports members.

On Wednesday, Banowsky said he wasn't sure on how that league would be divided geographically.

"We haven't gotten into the discussion of divisions," he said. "Some of that will depend on maybe our future expansion strategies."

That statement by Banowsky indicates a league that's not close to settling for 14 teams, and the league's coaches said Wednesday they support the commissioner's efforts to strengthen the league.

Who are your picks? I personally think the front runners will be FAU, Texas State, Delaware, Toledo, UMASS, Georgia State, James Madison, New Mexico State.

Out of those schools, if I had to pick two (one for each side) I'd go FAU in the East and Texas State in the West. If they go beyond two schools I think you go after Delaware or Georgia State and then go after New Mexico or New Mexico State. Thoughts?

All 8 for a total of 22 with 11 in each division, 10 game round robin in each division, 1 crossover game, 1 ooc game!

Texas State in the West and MTSU in the East.

I feel sorry for East Carolina, Tulsa and Southern Miss.

Pick 2 from the east and move USM west.
A couple of MAC teams who want to move beyond the MAC model might be interesting.
Don't need any more deep south or Texas teams.
But I don't see why we need more expansion.

No to Umass, Toledo, NMSU & Texas State. I seriously doubt CUSA expands as far north as Umass or Northern Ohio. NMSU is a market duplication that's horrible at football. Texas State is also a market duplication, 45 mins outside of UTSA and honestly brings very little to the table. The rest I think are legitimate options except for maybe JMU. I think these are the most likely combinations.....

MTSU + WKU (only scenario in which omits FAU, not sure how divisions would split here)
FAU + Del/GSU/JMU (USM slides west)
Ark St + FAU (traditional E / W split)

At this point if we DO expand to 16 I don't see how FAU isn't taken. It doesn't make any sense to not take them given the FIU "island situation". By having both FIU/FAU there is a lot to gain in travel efficiency for all of the other sports.

I really don't care for adding more east coast teams, mainly because I would like some rivalries back for UTEP

1. UNM
2. AFA
3. UNLV
4. FSU

I don't know if AFA comes over with out CSU and Wyoming

I think in a "few" years we will be at 16. Who 15 and 16 are would be anyone's guess. I do think that if ODU and Charlotte pan out.... some MAC teams will definitely think about moving over for East Side.

(07-27-2012 09:49 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  No to Umass, Toledo, NMSU & Texas State. I seriously doubt CUSA expands as far north as Umass or Northern Ohio. NMSU is a market duplication that's horrible at football. Texas State is also a market duplication, 45 mins outside of UTSA and honestly brings very little to the table. The rest I think are legitimate options except for maybe JMU. I think these are the most likely combinations.....

MTSU + WKU (only scenario in which omits FAU, not sure how divisions would split here)
FAU + Del/GSU/JMU (USM slides west)
Ark St + FAU (traditional E / W split)

At this point if we DO expand to 16 I don't see how FAU isn't taken. It doesn't make any sense to not take them given the FIU "island situation". By having both FIU/FAU there is a lot to gain in travel efficiency for all of the other sports.

FAU is market duplication, fwiw. I doubt FIU would like that either.
Ark State - no money, small state, small market, have never done much at all in any sport (had a good football team last year) other than winning a sunbelt title now and then. Don't get this one at all.
WE don't need southern teams. The southern teams weren't the ones asking for this "regional approach" anyway. All that does is trend us toward a sun-belt type league.
I think we should expand to Ohio. It's a big state with only Cincy and Ohio State in a league above C-USA. Toledo and Ohio U are solid programs - light years ahead of Arkansas State. Yea, it expands geography - just like the major conferences are doing; just like the Big East did.

(07-27-2012 09:51 PM)randaddyminer Wrote:  I really don't care for adding more east coast teams, mainly because I would like some rivalries back for UTEP

1. UNM
2. AFA
3. UNLV
4. FSU

I don't know if AFA comes over with out CSU and Wyoming

This is what we should have done the first time.

I've been all for staying in CUSA.


But if they choose to expand too much, then the conference will be on the verge of completely losing its identity.

Then (and only then), I could see the pendelum swing as the majority of the UTEP fans will have a preference for MWC. I can only guess that Tulsa and Rice fans may feel the same way.

I hope this is only a way of keeping other schools engaged in the event of further poaching. I hope the intent is not to bring too many small schools into the conf just for the sake of bringing them in.

(07-27-2012 10:01 PM)EdisonDoyle Wrote:  FAU is market duplication, fwiw. I doubt FIU would like that either.

FAU isn't in the same market as FIU. They're just far enough away from each other to have their own media markets. FIU is in the Miami market. FAU is in the West Palm Beach market (Boca Raton) which is ranked #38 in the US, pretty darn good.

http://www.truckads.com/Affiliate/West_P...ce.htm#map

(07-27-2012 10:04 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  I've been all for staying in CUSA.

But if they choose to expand too much, then the conference will be on the verge of completely losing its identity.

CUSA lost it's identity the day we lost UL, UC, USF, Marquette, DePaul & Marquette. The identity was one of the best mid major hoops conferences in the nation. I think the expansion is a good way to create a new identity. 16 works out better for scheduling and travel. It essentially is 2 bus leagues under the same banner.

(07-27-2012 10:00 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I think in a "few" years we will be at 16. Who 15 and 16 are would be anyone's guess. I do think that if ODU and Charlotte pan out.... some MAC teams will definitely think about moving over for East Side.

From what I've heard, many Mac schools have let CUSA known of their interest to get in. Just not sure if CUSA has interest in them.

(07-27-2012 09:48 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  I feel sorry for East Carolina, Tulsa and Southern Miss.

Stop hijacking the thread.

Besides, talk about feeling sorry for somebody. I feel sorry for Houston. You guys will get crushed consistently in BE basketball with no rivalries in the league other than SMU. Have fun with that....lol

Lets steal New Mexico from MWC

(07-27-2012 10:05 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(07-27-2012 10:04 PM)RUNVSFD MINER Wrote:  I've been all for staying in CUSA.

But if they choose to expand too much, then the conference will be on the verge of completely losing its identity.

CUSA lost it's identity the day we lost UL, UC, USF, Marquette, DePaul & Marquette. The identity was one of the best mid major hoops conferences in the nation. I think the expansion is a good way to create a new identity. 16 works out better for scheduling and travel. It essentially is 2 bus leagues under the same banner.

But we aren't even talking comparable programs anymore.
Opinions will vary, and all are entitled to it, but I see the writing on the wall.

RUNSFDMNR........SMU, UH, Rice and UCF were comparable to who in the original CUSA? They were all pretty horrible in football and basketball when they were added to CUSA. I honestly don't know enough about UTEP to say one way or the other regarding football, at least you were good at hoops though. We haven't had a good identity since the 1st Big East raid in my opinion but like you say, everybody's opinion varies.

No offense but it just seems like UTEP fans complain the most about expansion. I just don't see what really changes for you guys either way.

know my school is a newbie, but I'd like to just settle in at the current 14.

(07-27-2012 09:48 PM)CougarRed Wrote:  I feel sorry for East Carolina, Tulsa and Southern Miss.

I feel sorry for the big east

(07-27-2012 10:22 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  RUNSFDMNR........SMU, UH, Rice and UCF were comparable to who in the original CUSA? They were all pretty horrible in football and basketball when they were added to CUSA. I honestly don't know enough about UTEP to say one way or the other regarding football, at least you were good at hoops though. We haven't had a good identity since the 1st Big East raid in my opinion but like you say, everybody's opinion varies.

No offense but it just seems like UTEP fans complain the most about expansion. I just don't see what really changes for you guys either way.

FWIW, UH had a lot in common with the original CSUA. They were in the original CUSA as a founding member.

If anymore come from the CAA Delaware and James Madison are the logical picks. I lean more towards Delaware because their fans are not as arrogant as JMU. Delaware has good facilities and a huge Football fan base.