(03-13-2023 10:18 PM)LexColonel Wrote:  Here we go again! “Unless better options present themselves”.
Deliberately ignore the obvious, but would expect nothing less from a Westetn fan.
Tarleton who just moved from D2 vs EKU and their long history in D1. That arena look s great but no better than Alumni Coliseum when the renovation is completed. Tops, if Tarleton floats your boat nothing I can say!
Btw, EKU led the Asun in basketball attendance this year, and had around 1000 more in the Asun tournament game at EKU , including the Asun championship game in that “desirable” Atlanta area that CUSA is so crazy about.

It's not that EKU might not be as good. They do need a good football stadium. But right now there are 6 Eastern teams and 4 Western teams. So EKU would not fit what's needed. Realignment could change that.

(03-14-2023 03:35 AM)jones682 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 06:33 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Unless better options present themselves. The future adds are SFA and Tarleton.** Geography, rivalries, travel saving divisions. Fills out Western division for 12 team league.

Future survival of G5 DEPENDS on--- lower travel costs-which include hotels, meals, time out of class, trans. cost. Also is aided by natural rivalries which increase ticket sales, fan interest, and local media attention.

The above are reasons given by the continually Texas-centric conference.

Could be 2026 or later-- but IMHO is likely.

**OF COURSE any MAJOR national realignment upheavals would change everything.**

What about EKU and SFA C-USA does not need Tarleton State

That leaves 7 eastern teams and 5 western teams.

(03-14-2023 01:29 PM)jones682 Wrote:  

(03-14-2023 12:04 PM)eku05 Wrote:  

Quote:Tarleton definitely needs more time in the oven. SFA and EKU should be ahead of them. Don't need to add anyone for now. Wait and see if C-USA loses anyone and how things shake out on the current media deal before we go splitting the pie additional ways.

Let it never be said that I don't at least try to be impartial.

I actually think Tarleton has the most concrete plan of anyone, to the point where they'd be a better addition than Sam Houston was, *maybe* KSU (though they have some distinct advantages. I'd also put them ahead of both EKU and SFA. People get hung up on them so recently being D2, but when you get into specifics they look pretty good to me. I'll be bummed to lose them from the WACSUN if they go.

I'd put us ahead of Tarleton *if* we were a little further along and more concrete about exactly how the football improvements will be handled. We're making progress, and it's definitely coming, but TSU has specifics. That new basketball arena of theirs looks great too which basically cancels out our renovations as terrific as they are going to be.

I don't know that baseball factors in much here, but to whatever degree people do care, we've done a lot facility-wise there and the team seems very much on the upswing.

Tarleton State have not one D1 conference title at any sport, they have not won a D1 post season game nor have the budget even close to EKU let alone KSU. Hell KSU's budget is twice Tarleton's. "Potential" facility improvements don't mean you will be a good fit. Tarleton have alot of growing to do before they think about moving to C-USA. They will be the worst team overall in this conference and that is not what we need.

Tarleton has a lot of money and facilities and their enrollment is jumping every year and I believe is more than EKU's.

(03-15-2023 11:57 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-14-2023 01:29 PM)jones682 Wrote:  

(03-14-2023 12:04 PM)eku05 Wrote:  

Quote:Tarleton definitely needs more time in the oven. SFA and EKU should be ahead of them. Don't need to add anyone for now. Wait and see if C-USA loses anyone and how things shake out on the current media deal before we go splitting the pie additional ways.

Let it never be said that I don't at least try to be impartial.

I actually think Tarleton has the most concrete plan of anyone, to the point where they'd be a better addition than Sam Houston was, *maybe* KSU (though they have some distinct advantages. I'd also put them ahead of both EKU and SFA. People get hung up on them so recently being D2, but when you get into specifics they look pretty good to me. I'll be bummed to lose them from the WACSUN if they go.

I'd put us ahead of Tarleton *if* we were a little further along and more concrete about exactly how the football improvements will be handled. We're making progress, and it's definitely coming, but TSU has specifics. That new basketball arena of theirs looks great too which basically cancels out our renovations as terrific as they are going to be.

I don't know that baseball factors in much here, but to whatever degree people do care, we've done a lot facility-wise there and the team seems very much on the upswing.

Tarleton State have not one D1 conference title at any sport, they have not won a D1 post season game nor have the budget even close to EKU let alone KSU. Hell KSU's budget is twice Tarleton's. "Potential" facility improvements don't mean you will be a good fit. Tarleton have alot of growing to do before they think about moving to C-USA. They will be the worst team overall in this conference and that is not what we need.

Tarleton has a lot of money and facilities and their enrollment is jumping every year and I believe is more than EKU's.

Add TSU to the conference and you will see that it is a bad ideal

(03-15-2023 11:53 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 06:33 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Unless better options present themselves. The future adds are SFA and Tarleton.** Geography, rivalries, travel saving divisions. Fills out Western division for 12 team league.

Future survival of G5 DEPENDS on--- lower travel costs-which include hotels, meals, time out of class, trans. cost. Also is aided by natural rivalries which increase ticket sales, fan interest, and local media attention.

The above are reasons given by the continually Texas-centric conference.

Could be 2026 or later-- but IMHO is likely.

**OF COURSE any MAJOR national realignment upheavals would change everything.**

I agree with Tarleton and SFA, unless better options present themselves. The one thing that could change that is more realignment. If UTEP and NMS left, the conference could become more SE focused and the need for both Tarleton and SFA would be less.

That would be ideal for NMSU & UTEP as well as CUSA. La Tech and SHSU fit well in a SE conference while the Aggies and Miners should be in a western leaning league. I doubt it will happen anytime soon though.

(03-16-2023 12:17 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(03-15-2023 11:53 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 06:33 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Unless better options present themselves. The future adds are SFA and Tarleton.** Geography, rivalries, travel saving divisions. Fills out Western division for 12 team league.

Future survival of G5 DEPENDS on--- lower travel costs-which include hotels, meals, time out of class, trans. cost. Also is aided by natural rivalries which increase ticket sales, fan interest, and local media attention.

The above are reasons given by the continually Texas-centric conference.

Could be 2026 or later-- but IMHO is likely.

**OF COURSE any MAJOR national realignment upheavals would change everything.**

I agree with Tarleton and SFA, unless better options present themselves. The one thing that could change that is more realignment. If UTEP and NMS left, the conference could become more SE focused and the need for both Tarleton and SFA would be less.

That would be ideal for NMSU & UTEP as well as CUSA. La Tech and SHSU fit well in a SE conference while the Aggies and Miners should be in a western leaning league. I doubt it will happen anytime soon though.

There is a shot if the MWC gets raided enough to force them to get desperate enough to invite utep/nmsu. And then maybe the MWC can invite some Texas teams . Best of both worlds for utep. Utep heavily recruits Texas, California and Arizona.

(03-16-2023 01:26 PM)PredatorUTEP Wrote:  

(03-16-2023 12:17 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(03-15-2023 11:53 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 06:33 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Unless better options present themselves. The future adds are SFA and Tarleton.** Geography, rivalries, travel saving divisions. Fills out Western division for 12 team league.

Future survival of G5 DEPENDS on--- lower travel costs-which include hotels, meals, time out of class, trans. cost. Also is aided by natural rivalries which increase ticket sales, fan interest, and local media attention.

The above are reasons given by the continually Texas-centric conference.

Could be 2026 or later-- but IMHO is likely.

**OF COURSE any MAJOR national realignment upheavals would change everything.**

I agree with Tarleton and SFA, unless better options present themselves. The one thing that could change that is more realignment. If UTEP and NMS left, the conference could become more SE focused and the need for both Tarleton and SFA would be less.

That would be ideal for NMSU & UTEP as well as CUSA. La Tech and SHSU fit well in a SE conference while the Aggies and Miners should be in a western leaning league. I doubt it will happen anytime soon though.

There is a shot if the MWC gets raided enough to force them to get desperate enough to invite utep/nmsu. And then maybe the MWC can invite some Texas teams . Best of both worlds for utep. Utep heavily recruits Texas, California and Arizona.

Short term NMS and UTEP leaving would be bad for CUSA. Long term, it might be better, allowing the conference to be more tightly fit as far as geography. But if they end up adding Tarleton/SFA to get to 12, I'm fine with it also.

(03-15-2023 11:54 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-13-2023 10:18 PM)LexColonel Wrote:  Here we go again! “Unless better options present themselves”.
Deliberately ignore the obvious, but would expect nothing less from a Westetn fan.
Tarleton who just moved from D2 vs EKU and their long history in D1. That arena look s great but no better than Alumni Coliseum when the renovation is completed. Tops, if Tarleton floats your boat nothing I can say!
Btw, EKU led the Asun in basketball attendance this year, and had around 1000 more in the Asun tournament game at EKU , including the Asun championship game in that “desirable” Atlanta area that CUSA is so crazy about.

It's not that EKU might not be as good. They do need a good football stadium. But right now there are 6 Eastern teams and 4 Western teams. So EKU would not fit what's needed. Realignment could change that.

Understand the Texas/western location.
All other parameters are subject to the “flavor of the month” criteria.
We have no control over that, does not mean I like it. EKU is an established university with a rich history in athletics. The state “flag ship” university with the deep pockets is not throwing money our way or to any other universities in the state of Kentucky.

It's NOT what "floats my boat". I am not "for" Tarleton. Don't really want to be in a conference with them.

BUT they didn't ask me.

The C-USA Texas focus folks will do as they please. Marshall and ODU got out when they could.

Six East--- Six West does make sense.

Just have to learn to deal with it.

(03-16-2023 03:13 AM)jones682 Wrote:  

(03-15-2023 11:57 PM)sstaedtler88 Wrote:  

(03-14-2023 01:29 PM)jones682 Wrote:  

(03-14-2023 12:04 PM)eku05 Wrote:  

Quote:Tarleton definitely needs more time in the oven. SFA and EKU should be ahead of them. Don't need to add anyone for now. Wait and see if C-USA loses anyone and how things shake out on the current media deal before we go splitting the pie additional ways.

Let it never be said that I don't at least try to be impartial.

I actually think Tarleton has the most concrete plan of anyone, to the point where they'd be a better addition than Sam Houston was, *maybe* KSU (though they have some distinct advantages. I'd also put them ahead of both EKU and SFA. People get hung up on them so recently being D2, but when you get into specifics they look pretty good to me. I'll be bummed to lose them from the WACSUN if they go.

I'd put us ahead of Tarleton *if* we were a little further along and more concrete about exactly how the football improvements will be handled. We're making progress, and it's definitely coming, but TSU has specifics. That new basketball arena of theirs looks great too which basically cancels out our renovations as terrific as they are going to be.

I don't know that baseball factors in much here, but to whatever degree people do care, we've done a lot facility-wise there and the team seems very much on the upswing.

Tarleton State have not one D1 conference title at any sport, they have not won a D1 post season game nor have the budget even close to EKU let alone KSU. Hell KSU's budget is twice Tarleton's. "Potential" facility improvements don't mean you will be a good fit. Tarleton have alot of growing to do before they think about moving to C-USA. They will be the worst team overall in this conference and that is not what we need.

Tarleton has a lot of money and facilities and their enrollment is jumping every year and I believe is more than EKU's.

Add TSU to the conference and you will see that it is a bad ideal

'TSU' is Texas Southern. Tarleton is Tarleton.

I know the talk of ASUN/WAC FBS has died down but if we took Tarleton and SFA that would kill any thoughts of it

I look at it this way. FIU and Tarleton will be easy wins in basketball and Football. Tarleton State will also be a easy win in baseball

If we assume CUSA plans (eventually) to move to E-W divisions, then we can safely bet there will be absolutely no expansion by CUSA until the Big XII/PAC/MWC/AAC mess above us sorts itself out.

If the dominoes fall and CUSA is unaffected, we'll need two teams in the West, so plan on having some combination of Tarleton/SFA/Mo State/McNeese/UCA joining us. (Tarleton and SFA would be the frontrunners. MoSt is the dark horse. I don't see the latter two happening, but stranger things...)

If UTEP leaves and NMSU remains (with no other changes), then we'd need three teams in the West. Things start to get sketchy here. We could add three of the above, but the league might decide to go with a solid Eastern school (EKU) rather than a 3rd western school who either doesn't want us (MoSt, if fans on message boards are to be believed) or isn't as prepared (McNeese and UCA). But EKU would throw off the E-W balance, so it would be messy.

If any dominoes fall which result in losses in the East (WKU, MTSU, Liberty, FIU, etc.) then everything goes to hell. It's Friday. Someone else will have to figure that one out.

(03-17-2023 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  If we assume CUSA plans (eventually) to move to E-W divisions, then we can safely bet there will be absolutely no expansion by CUSA until the Big XII/PAC/MWC/AAC mess above us sorts itself out.

If the dominoes fall and CUSA is unaffected, we'll need two teams in the West, so plan on having some combination of Tarleton/SFA/Mo State/McNeese/UCA joining us. (Tarleton and SFA would be the frontrunners. MoSt is the dark horse. I don't see the latter two happening, but stranger things...)

If UTEP leaves and NMSU remains (with no other changes), then we'd need three teams in the West. Things start to get sketchy here. We could add three of the above, but the league might decide to go with a solid Eastern school (EKU) rather than a 3rd western school who either doesn't want us (MoSt, if fans on message boards are to be believed) or isn't as prepared (McNeese and UCA). But EKU would throw off the E-W balance, so it would be messy.

If any dominoes fall which result in losses in the East (WKU, MTSU, Liberty, FIU, etc.) then everything goes to hell. It's Friday. Someone else will have to figure that one out.

IMO the best prepared with the best athletic department that has a fanbase and decent budget should be added. For all sports other than football, reasonable travel partners can help travel costs. EKU should be number 1. NDSU and SDSU, if ready and willing, might be interesting FB only adds and would create a buzz. If something happened that took WKU and MTSU from CUSA then EKU should be added immediately. Don't really know if Chattanooga is interested but they would be a good add from Tennessee.

(03-17-2023 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  If we assume CUSA plans (eventually) to move to E-W divisions, then we can safely bet there will be absolutely no expansion by CUSA until the Big XII/PAC/MWC/AAC mess above us sorts itself out.

If the dominoes fall and CUSA is unaffected, we'll need two teams in the West, so plan on having some combination of Tarleton/SFA/Mo State/McNeese/UCA joining us. (Tarleton and SFA would be the frontrunners. MoSt is the dark horse. I don't see the latter two happening, but stranger things...)

If UTEP leaves and NMSU remains (with no other changes), then we'd need three teams in the West. Things start to get sketchy here. We could add three of the above, but the league might decide to go with a solid Eastern school (EKU) rather than a 3rd western school who either doesn't want us (MoSt, if fans on message boards are to be believed) or isn't as prepared (McNeese and UCA). But EKU would throw off the E-W balance, so it would be messy.

If any dominoes fall which result in losses in the East (WKU, MTSU, Liberty, FIU, etc.) then everything goes to hell. It's Friday. Someone else will have to figure that one out.

If utep and nmsu leaves, I see all G5s becoming way more regional. CUSA should definitely go more regional, just as the MWC should stay regional if raided. Cutting travel costs will be important for survival.

(03-17-2023 02:30 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(03-17-2023 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  If we assume CUSA plans (eventually) to move to E-W divisions, then we can safely bet there will be absolutely no expansion by CUSA until the Big XII/PAC/MWC/AAC mess above us sorts itself out.

If the dominoes fall and CUSA is unaffected, we'll need two teams in the West, so plan on having some combination of Tarleton/SFA/Mo State/McNeese/UCA joining us. (Tarleton and SFA would be the frontrunners. MoSt is the dark horse. I don't see the latter two happening, but stranger things...)

If UTEP leaves and NMSU remains (with no other changes), then we'd need three teams in the West. Things start to get sketchy here. We could add three of the above, but the league might decide to go with a solid Eastern school (EKU) rather than a 3rd western school who either doesn't want us (MoSt, if fans on message boards are to be believed) or isn't as prepared (McNeese and UCA). But EKU would throw off the E-W balance, so it would be messy.

If any dominoes fall which result in losses in the East (WKU, MTSU, Liberty, FIU, etc.) then everything goes to hell. It's Friday. Someone else will have to figure that one out.

IMO the best prepared with the best athletic department that has a fanbase and decent budget should be added. For all sports other than football, reasonable travel partners can help travel costs. EKU should be number 1. NDSU and SDSU, if ready and willing, might be interesting FB only adds and would create a buzz. If something happened that took WKU and MTSU from CUSA then EKU should be added immediately. Don't really know if Chattanooga is interested but they would be a good add from Tennessee.

Finally, someone with some common sense and not distracted by naysayers, big cities, promises and what if’s!

I think C-USA will "ride it out" at TEN for as long as they can.

Why?

Main reason--- to see what dominoes may fall from above-- you could get yourself into quite a mess if you add school "X"--then everything TOTALLY changes due to realignment. Once you add a school--you are usually "stuck" with them. You can't kick them out to add someone "better".

Secondary reasons--we STILL don't know what will happen with future CFP money distributions and staying at ten(for now) means less mouths to feed. Currently 5E/ 5W balance seems to suit the leadership.

Since there are no "super" A+ candidates left that would add big money to the media deal, etc.-- I expect the league to "stand pat" till big dominoes fall. In fact IMO many in the conference wanted to stay at NINE-- but Media partners forced the addition of a tenth school for Television Inventory reasons. JMHO.

You keep mentioning “ super A+ school”, just who might that be?
Just to clarify, I understand the western/Texas slant to all this so you do not need to repeat that.
A+ schools? As mentioned Army? I don’t see that happening.
A few SunBelt’s returning or coming on board ? Marshall? Or maybe the coveted JMU hightailing it to CUSA? We both know that’s an extreme long shot.
Maybe old CUSA member Louisville? Not a chance!
The Dakota’s or Montana’s, can’t see that, but maybe better chance than the above.
Maybe Delaware? They are the state flagship school and good or bad, there’s the Biden connection.
After that what “super A+ university” is interested that CUSA might convince, what “super A+ school” would not have numerous offers? Really, knowing the interest of EKU and referencing “super A+ schools” while ignoring the obvious is textbook passive-aggressive.

Man I really hope the next round of expansion excludes EKU again just to see the reaction.

Quote:Tarleton has a lot of money and facilities and their enrollment is jumping every year and I believe is more than EKU's.

EKU still has the higher enrollment despite being down 2-3 thousand from pre-COVID. That will likely rebound in the next few years.