With Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee staying in C-USA, the league now has nine members moving forward in 2023. My question is: should we expand further? If so, how many members should the conference have, and who should be added?

If it were me, I would add Stephen F. Austin as school #10. They are highly competitive in mens basketball, and also Sam Houston State's main rival. Adding a third school located in Texas would also create balance between divisions. Consider:

WEST: NMSU, UTEP, SFA, SHSU, LTU
EAST: LU, WKU, MT, JSU, FIU.

If you wanted to get to 12, I would add two schools west of the Mississippi River, and one school east of the Mississippi River. That maintains the balance between east and west. Lots of choices exist regarding schools to vet, so there's no rush to get to 12 members.

Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

We should want 10 members at a minimum so we can have divisions and a conference title game in football.

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

Yes. For conference to get the base payout of $10 million. At nine you only get $9 million.

(11-10-2021 11:25 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

Yes. For conference to get the base payout of $10 million. At nine you only get $9 million.

That wouldnt make much difference would it? 9 million divided by nine is 1 million. 10 million divided by 10 is 1 million.

(11-10-2021 11:21 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

We should want 10 members at a minimum so we can have divisions and a conference title game in football.

My understanding is you dont have to have 10 to have a CCG. The conference just has a process to determine who plays it...i.e. with 9, after a round robin, the top two play the CCG. I believe I read that somewhere.

I think if Sam Houston State shows some success with the move to the FBS, Stephen F. Austin will want to position itself to join its rival in CUSA. Much like MTSU and WKU, these two Texas schools seem to be joined at the hip. Stephen F. Austin triggered the move to the WAC and in short order, Sam Houston State followed. Now that Sam Houston is in CUSA, I don't think Stephen F. Austin wants to be left behind. Also, they have Tarleton State nipping at its heel with aspiration of being in the FBS.

(11-10-2021 11:36 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  I think if Sam Houston State shows some success with the move to the FBS, Stephen F. Austin will want to position itself to join its rival in CUSA. Much like MTSU and WKU, these two Texas schools seem to be joined at the hip. Stephen F. Austin triggered the move to the WAC and in short order, Sam Houston State followed. Now that Sam Houston is in CUSA, I don't think Stephen F. Austin wants to be left behind. Also, they have Tarleton State nipping at its heel with aspiration of being in the FBS.

While I consider Tarleton State an option for #10, I would rank my top five candidates in this order: Stephen F. Austin, Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese State, and Tarleton State. Given that at least two of those schools (Lamar and McNeese State) want to be FBS ahead of Tarleton State, I don't think Tarleton State will get the nod. Only take them IF the other candidates are found to be deficient during the vetting process.

Now that y’all seem to have found some stability the best thing will be to just stay at 9 for a while. There are currently no schools out there that are both well prepared to make the jump and in your geographical footprint. It would be a huge mistake to panic and add another school not fully knowing if they will end up being good for the conference.

Once a school proves itself to be deserving of a spot you’ll have a spot waiting for them.

To me Stephen F. Austin makes the most sense in the west. I'd put Tarleton State second. Both would sure up the western wing of the conference. Missouri State may be 1st but I thought they were not interested? As for the East, that's tougher. Delaware, EKU....unless they go UConn or UMass football only, which I am not a huge fan of. EKU wants to move up but I am not sure WKU wants that.

Missouri State.

(11-10-2021 11:36 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  I think if Sam Houston State shows some success with the move to the FBS, Stephen F. Austin will want to position itself to join its rival in CUSA. Much like MTSU and WKU, these two Texas schools seem to be joined at the hip. Stephen F. Austin triggered the move to the WAC and in short order, Sam Houston State followed. Now that Sam Houston is in CUSA, I don't think Stephen F. Austin wants to be left behind. Also, they have Tarleton State nipping at its heel with aspiration of being in the FBS.

Stephen F. Austin averages 8,324 fans a game (2019). They have a pretty good rating in basketball as well. Baseball they are passable. Geographically they make a ton of sense.

NDSU, SDSt, MoSt

(11-11-2021 12:25 AM)Huan Wrote:  NDSU, SDSt, MoSt

North Dakota State and South Dakota State are too far outside the footprint to merit inclusion.

I would consider Missouri State, but I don't know if they are much better than the other candidates mentioned thus far.

(11-10-2021 11:34 PM)WKUApollo Wrote:  

(11-10-2021 11:21 PM)rtist Wrote:  

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

We should want 10 members at a minimum so we can have divisions and a conference title game in football.

My understanding is you dont have to have 10 to have a CCG. The conference just has a process to determine who plays it...i.e. with 9, after a round robin, the top two play the CCG. I believe I read that somewhere.

Correct. Or with 9, you could do one division of 5 and one division of 4 and do a divisional round-robin and host a CCG between the division leaders. How you described it is exactly what the AAC is doing. Rather than have a self-proclaimed champ based on the team with the best record in the season, the two teams with the best league records will meet in a conference championship game.

(11-11-2021 12:39 AM)rtist Wrote:  

(11-11-2021 12:25 AM)Huan Wrote:  NDSU, SDSt, MoSt

North Dakota State and South Dakota State are too far outside the footprint to merit inclusion.

That may be the "conventional wisdom," but it's not necessarily so:

SDSU is 10 miles closer to LIberty U. than is SHSU.

Liberty to NDSU: 1112
Liberty to SDSU: 1034
Liberty to SHSU: 1044

SDSU isn't much farther from WKU than SHSU is:

SHSU: 678
NDSU: 865
SDSU: 740

Nor is it much farther from NMSU than Missouri St. is:

Missouri St: 836
NDSU: 1138
SDSU: 952

.

Moreover, travel distance isn't the only important factor. Viewership and brand recognition may be equally, or more important. NDSU and SDSU would be two of the highest-profile football schools that the CUSA could add.

.

(11-10-2021 11:18 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  Before considering who the best catch is for #10, make sure that having 10 is even necessary in the first place. If it is, okay. But the burden of proof is on the pro-expansion side. Fewer is better.

That's what some AAC fans who argued that "fewer is better" were saying a couple of years ago, when they were discussing whether to replace UConn, but they turned out to be wrong.

Their side prevailed, and they didn't replace UConn when they could have, but from the standpoint of most of the AAC remainers, they should have, because...

...two years later:

The AAC was raided and had to add at least one school to survive.

The "fewer is better" side said "just add one school," because "8 would be best."

When they talked to the network, they found out that they would have to add six schools in order to maintain their revenue.

Was the "fewer is better" crowd correct in either case?

No - because from the broadcasters' standpoint, "more is better."

They made this crystal clear when they pushed the SEC and the Big 12 and the Sun Belt and the MAC to expand this year.

.

I would bring in UMASS and UCONN as football only members then UMAiNE and UNH a couple years from now to give them time to transition from FCS to FBS. That gives you 13 teams in C-USA for football. It also gives C-USA a presence in New England and the Boston TV and Hartford TV and Portland Maine markets.

(11-11-2021 08:30 AM)basketball_guy Wrote:  I would bring in UMASS and UCONN as football only members then UMAiNE and UNH a couple years from now to give them time to transition from FCS to FBS. That gives you 13 teams in C-USA for football. It also gives C-USA a presence in New England and the Boston TV and Hartford TV and Portland Maine markets.

David St.?!?

Is that you??

I think a conference championship game in football is a top priority. It adds a highly valuable game to our inventory which will provide money and exposure. If we can have one without adding anyone, great. But I believe we must have at least 10 members.

I think FIU needs a travel partner while Liberty should have one, but it isn't as bad for LU. I'm good with non-football schools and think Florida Gulf Coast would be the best partner for FIU. Maybe UNC-Wilmington isn't happy in the CAA with JMU leaving and we look like an upgrade. If not, I don't see an obvious add. How does North Carolina A&T look?

Jacksonville State looks east so any new football playing member needs to be in the west. Adding NC A&T would need two western schools to be added to keep JSU east. Missouri State is my top choice but they seem unlikely. I am unfamiliar with FCS programs, especially those in the southwest. I'll defer to others' opinions. I don't want too big of a concentration in Texas, even with how big it is but I'll take the best programs.

I'm against a Dakota and/or Montana group whether football-only or all sports. I do respect their brand but they look like a classic program that maxes out at FCS and is overwhelmed in FBS. I think they get a lot of recruits looking to win a championship instead of be at a G5 fighting for a bowl. Take that away and they don't have a good recruiting area they can lean on. I can easily see them turning into a UMass or UConn but without the media market.

TL, DR: Get Missouri State. If not, wait for a western FCS school to pull ahead. Host a football conference championship game with nine if possible. Get FIU a travel partner (FGCU) and maybe Liberty too. Quality over quantity.