Number of NCAA bids by school:

23 - Western Kentucky
17 - UTEP
15 - UAB
12 - Old Dominion
11 - Charlotte
9 - Middle Tennessee State
6 - Marshall
5 - Louisiana Tech
4 - Rice
4 - UTSA
3 - North Texas
3 - Southern Miss
1 - Florida Atlantic
1 - Florida International

The six core schools have 87 NCAA’s combined. The current SBC lineup have 46 or 50 if you include the vacated wins. That’s why it’s unacceptable C-USA is a one bid league. The bottom of the league sucks especially the Florida twins.

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

This is what literally everyone is always trying to do. The fact is CUSA is a one-bid league for years running now and even with a nice string of NCAA tournament wins the NCAA tournament units are really a pittance. Is that really going to change by firing Judy McCleod and getting a new commissioner who will tell the member schools to 'get better'?

(03-20-2019 03:37 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 03:22 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

I think I agree with this. Both CUSA and SBC have their foundations set. Both leagues have found a good balance between the two revenue generating sports with strong core group of schools carrying the torch for football and basketball respectively. Trying to min/max football and basketball potentials with brand new conferences is a silly idea. If Georgia State is only committed to basketball, we would've never left the CAA where we played with Drexel, Hofstra, George Mason, and other basketball schools.

Exactly. I wish ODU and Charlotte fans would think the same way. They left the CAA and A-10 respectively because of their football program otherwise they could’ve stayed in a stronger basketball league. Sometimes you have to compromise for the benefit of the entire athletic department.

The Sun Belt has grown constantly in this changing television deal and conference realignment. C-USA can do the same.

We know the value of our football program. We just don't like some of the decisions of our conference (namely the decision to keep the basketball tourney in Frisco 4 years running) and aren't going to be quiet about it. The CAA was a sinking ship when we left. We probably could have taken GMU's spot in the A-10 if we were committed to FCS football but we weren't. Leaving was the right thing to do at the time. Going to CUSA was the right move at the time. I've enjoyed our time in CUSA, like the schools, hate some of their fans (not a bad thing). But if breaking up CUSA is the right thing to do for our schools progression then I want our admin to work towards that just like you want yours to work towards moving to the MWC. The AAC has zero incentive to add anyone, the Sun Belt or MAC isn't an improvement so we have few options for improving our conference situation. I don't think now is the right time to break up CUSA but I think it'll come.

(03-20-2019 04:26 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

This is what literally everyone is always trying to do. The fact is CUSA is a one-bid league for years running now and even with a nice string of NCAA tournament wins the NCAA tournament units are really a pittance. Is that really going to change by firing Judy McCleod and getting a new commissioner who will tell the member schools to 'get better'?

Worth a shot.

(03-20-2019 04:26 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

This is what literally everyone is always trying to do. The fact is CUSA is a one-bid league for years running now and even with a nice string of NCAA tournament wins the NCAA tournament units are really a pittance. Is that really going to change by firing Judy McCleod and getting a new commissioner who will tell the member schools to 'get better'?

The commissioner does what the Presidents tell her to do. Judy is one of the symptoms but not the disease. I think it’s the different agendas on individual schools that’s keeping the conference from moving forward. It’s nothing new. It happened in 2.0 (2005-13) where it was a one bid league and our champ losing in the Liberty Bowl more often than not plus we had schools trying to join the Big East. Adding more SBC or FCS schools or splitting won’t change anything. The conference has added 15 schools since 2005. Look at the football and basketball records. Nothing has changed. That’s why I laugh when people throw all these scenarios about splitting or merging with the SBC. You’ll go from one mediocre conference to another.

(03-20-2019 04:28 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 03:37 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 03:22 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

I think I agree with this. Both CUSA and SBC have their foundations set. Both leagues have found a good balance between the two revenue generating sports with strong core group of schools carrying the torch for football and basketball respectively. Trying to min/max football and basketball potentials with brand new conferences is a silly idea. If Georgia State is only committed to basketball, we would've never left the CAA where we played with Drexel, Hofstra, George Mason, and other basketball schools.

Exactly. I wish ODU and Charlotte fans would think the same way. They left the CAA and A-10 respectively because of their football program otherwise they could’ve stayed in a stronger basketball league. Sometimes you have to compromise for the benefit of the entire athletic department.

The Sun Belt has grown constantly in this changing television deal and conference realignment. C-USA can do the same.

We know the value of our football program. We just don't like some of the decisions of our conference (namely the decision to keep the basketball tourney in Frisco 4 years running) and aren't going to be quiet about it. The CAA was a sinking ship when we left. We probably could have taken GMU's spot in the A-10 if we were committed to FCS football but we weren't. Leaving was the right thing to do at the time. Going to CUSA was the right move at the time. I've enjoyed our time in CUSA, like the schools, hate some of their fans (not a bad thing). But if breaking up CUSA is the right thing to do for our schools progression then I want our admin to work towards that just like you want yours to work towards moving to the MWC. The AAC has zero incentive to add anyone, the Sun Belt or MAC isn't an improvement so we have few options for improving our conference situation. I don't think now is the right time to break up CUSA but I think it'll come.

Other than El Paso, which city would embrace the conference tournament? Why don’t you contact the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce on why they’re not putting the $1 million bid to host the tournament? El Paso and Birmingham did it, why not Norfolk and Charlotte?

The article mentioned the tournament will be profitable next year on just corporate sponsorships. That’s all you need to know (it’s all about the $$$$$) why it’ll be in Frisco the next two years, who knows, it might become the permanent venue. Judy is part of the problem but the bigger problem are the Presidents and athletic directors.

As much as I criticize this conference, at the end of the day we need a school or two to separate themselves from the rest of the conference in both revenue sports. Nobody associates UCF with Tulane nor Boise State with San Jose State. Those two schools earned their reputation by separating from the rest.

(03-20-2019 04:34 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 04:26 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

This is what literally everyone is always trying to do. The fact is CUSA is a one-bid league for years running now and even with a nice string of NCAA tournament wins the NCAA tournament units are really a pittance. Is that really going to change by firing Judy McCleod and getting a new commissioner who will tell the member schools to 'get better'?

The commissioner does what the Presidents tell her to do. Judy is one of the symptoms but not the disease. I think it’s the different agendas on individual schools that’s keeping the conference from moving forward. It’s nothing new. It happened in 2.0 (2005-13) where it was a one bid league and our champ losing in the Liberty Bowl more often than not plus we had schools trying to join the Big East. Adding more SBC or FCS schools or splitting won’t change anything. The conference has added 15 schools since 2005. Look at the football and basketball records. Nothing has changed. That’s why I laugh when people throw all these scenarios about splitting or merging with the SBC. You’ll go from one mediocre conference to another.

I actually think schools are doing what needs to be done to move forward. Seemingly good hires in FB & BB. New ADs at Charlotte and NT that seem to be moving in the right direction. Our bottom in bb this year was a lot better but our top was down. I think our team last year was better, not to take anything away from our squad this year. They worked for and earned what the title. But last years WKU, Marshall And ODU all we’re better teams. And the prior years MT for sure was. We’ve had multiple teams that were NCAA teams but for different reasons didn’t have the resume. It’s a tight line you have to walk but I think we’re getting there. Footballs a little harder to string together because once any of us have success on a national level the coach is gone.

(03-20-2019 04:43 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 04:28 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 03:37 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 03:22 PM)GSUALUM17 Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

I think I agree with this. Both CUSA and SBC have their foundations set. Both leagues have found a good balance between the two revenue generating sports with strong core group of schools carrying the torch for football and basketball respectively. Trying to min/max football and basketball potentials with brand new conferences is a silly idea. If Georgia State is only committed to basketball, we would've never left the CAA where we played with Drexel, Hofstra, George Mason, and other basketball schools.

Exactly. I wish ODU and Charlotte fans would think the same way. They left the CAA and A-10 respectively because of their football program otherwise they could’ve stayed in a stronger basketball league. Sometimes you have to compromise for the benefit of the entire athletic department.

The Sun Belt has grown constantly in this changing television deal and conference realignment. C-USA can do the same.

We know the value of our football program. We just don't like some of the decisions of our conference (namely the decision to keep the basketball tourney in Frisco 4 years running) and aren't going to be quiet about it. The CAA was a sinking ship when we left. We probably could have taken GMU's spot in the A-10 if we were committed to FCS football but we weren't. Leaving was the right thing to do at the time. Going to CUSA was the right move at the time. I've enjoyed our time in CUSA, like the schools, hate some of their fans (not a bad thing). But if breaking up CUSA is the right thing to do for our schools progression then I want our admin to work towards that just like you want yours to work towards moving to the MWC. The AAC has zero incentive to add anyone, the Sun Belt or MAC isn't an improvement so we have few options for improving our conference situation. I don't think now is the right time to break up CUSA but I think it'll come.

Other than El Paso, which city would embrace the conference tournament? Why don’t you contact the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce on why they’re not putting the $1 million bid to host the tournament? El Paso and Birmingham did it, why not Norfolk and Charlotte?

The article mentioned the tournament will be profitable next year on just corporate sponsorships. That’s all you need to know (it’s all about the $$$$$) why it’ll be in Frisco the next two years, who knows, it might become the permanent venue. Judy is part of the problem but the bigger problem are the Presidents and athletic directors.

As much as I criticize this conference, at the end of the day we need a school or two to separate themselves from the rest of the conference in both revenue sports. Nobody associates UCF with Tulane nor Boise State with San Jose State. Those two schools earned their reputation by separating from the rest.

If we weren’t required to have two courts we would certainly bid. As it is the only other arena is under contract to host the MEAC tourney for the next three years. I’d prefer to have it in El Paso as opposed to the BS set up we have in Frisco. Money be damned. Hell, putting it in UTSAs high school gym would be better. At least it’s a basketball arena. But yeah, it should be in the east every other year.

Sun Belt > MAC or MAC > Sun Belt?

(03-21-2019 12:55 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  Sun Belt > MAC or MAC > Sun Belt?

That's a tough question to answer being that they are simply two conferences that are not very much alike. The MAC is very stable, they have their identity with reputable academics, and the schools are close in geographic proximity to each other.

On the other hand, the Sunbelt seems to want to grow and have made some good additions and some not so good. Whether true or not, the Sunbelt seems to have some problems being identified with less academic qualifications than all the other FB conferences. The Sunbelt is much more spread out than is the MAC.

(03-21-2019 12:55 AM)AuzGrams Wrote:  Sun Belt > MAC or MAC > Sun Belt?

Check out the head to head record of MAC vs Sun Belt since 2014, I'd wager it's quite lopsided towards the Sun Belt

(03-20-2019 04:34 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 04:26 PM)EigenEagle Wrote:  

(03-20-2019 02:21 PM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  What about improving the product you already have? That’s a better idea than starting a conference from scratch.

I don’t know much Sun Belt basketball but C-USA has UTEP, UAB, Old Dominion, Western Kentucky, Charlotte and Middle Tennessee. That’s a six hardcore group of basketball schools plus upcoming Louisiana Tech. There’s no excuse why it’s a one bid league. In football, we need a school or two to separate from the rest but we had that issue back in the 2.0 days.

This is what literally everyone is always trying to do. The fact is CUSA is a one-bid league for years running now and even with a nice string of NCAA tournament wins the NCAA tournament units are really a pittance. Is that really going to change by firing Judy McCleod and getting a new commissioner who will tell the member schools to 'get better'?

The commissioner does what the Presidents tell her to do. Judy is one of the symptoms but not the disease. I think it’s the different agendas on individual schools that’s keeping the conference from moving forward. It’s nothing new. It happened in 2.0 (2005-13) where it was a one bid league and our champ losing in the Liberty Bowl more often than not plus we had schools trying to join the Big East. Adding more SBC or FCS schools or splitting won’t change anything. The conference has added 15 schools since 2005. Look at the football and basketball records. Nothing has changed. That’s why I laugh when people throw all these scenarios about splitting or merging with the SBC. You’ll go from one mediocre conference to another.

Agreed. You can hear it in the different ideas proposed by the fans of different C-USA programs. And, any realignment between C-USA and the Sun Belt would just create more regionally mediocre conferences, with even less national appeal.

Obviously, I hope this doesn't happen, as a fan of an AAC school, but what the Sun Belt and CUSA needs to do is simply get better. The rest will follow, including dollars. If a team can make a mini Boise or UCF run in football, or make a few deep runs in the NCAA tournament, that will do wonders for your reputation. Next, sustain that and get several programs involved so you're not a one trick pony, like the AAC has done with UCF, Houston, Memphis, USF, Navy, Cincinnati, etc, and you have the recipe for long term success.

Merge, then split later.

Do you think a 24 team CUSA/SB mega merger would work. Split up into 4 divisions, create a mini 4 team playoff (draw eyeballs), and also give the top teams good opponents to play against enroute to championship. Try to get a good bowl to take the champ of the mini playoff. Might create some excitement, rather than the same old, same old.

Since SBC is about going to be locked in with ESPN through 2028 I took a look at what CUSA could do with an All-In with Stadium.

Sell all Football games to Stadium and demand 3 games a week to air; two on Saturday and one Friday night game (with the rest on the Stadium Plus app and/or Stadium on Facebook). They'd need to work into the contract that the games will be on the main OTA channel (not subchannel) on all Sinclair owned stations that don't have ABC/Fox/CBS as the main affiliate. If that deal was in place they would have this as a broadcast package (cable/sat in parenthesis)

Main Channel OTA during games (cable):

Dallas – Channel 47.1 (Charter 22 / TW 24 / Dist 47 / DirecTV 47)
Nashville – Channel 58.1 (Charter 290 / TW 228)
Norfolk – Channel 33.1 (Cox 111)
Biloxi – Channel 7.1
Charlotte – Channel 40.1
Houston – Channel 32.1
San Antonio – Channel 35.1
West Palm Beach – Channel 48.1
Cincinnati – Channel – 12.1 (TW 978)
Orlando – Channel 10.1 and 13.1
Raleigh – Channel 22.1 (Charter 197 / TW 1260 / CenturyLink 23)
Wilmington – Channel 10.1 (Charter 176)

OTA During Games on Secondary Channel (cable):

Birmingham – 58.3 (Charter 193)
Huntington – 11.2
El Paso – 14.4
Columbus OH – 28.3 (TW 987)
Columbia SC – 57.2 (TW 1250)
Greensboro – 45.2 (TW 1240)
Roanoke – 13.2 (Comcast 205)



Also, Stadium has their App on every major OTT box (FireTV, Roku, AppleTV) and are bundled with PlutoTV, Roku Channel, Xumo, SlingTV, etc. etc.

Have CBSSN purchase a major bulk of the basketball games and sell Stadium Tier 2 rights.


This surely would net them more money than they have now. And a decent exposure while giving ESPN the middle finger.

They left 2 cents worth

(03-23-2019 01:00 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  Do you think a 24 team CUSA/SB mega merger would work. Split up into 4 divisions, create a mini 4 team playoff (draw eyeballs), and also give the top teams good opponents to play against enroute to championship. Try to get a good bowl to take the champ of the mini playoff. Might create some excitement, rather than the same old, same old.

So, you are talking about something like this:

Southwest Division

UTEP, UTSA, Texas State, Rice

South Division

Louisiana, S. Miss, FIU, FAU

North Division

N. Texas, LA Tech, Ark State, ULM

Northeast Division

MT, WKU, Marshall, App State

East Division

ODU, Charlotte, Coastal, GA Southern

Southeast Division

UAB, S. Alabama, Troy, GA State