(09-03-2023 03:24 PM)APPdiesel Wrote: (09-03-2023 03:18 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote: A lot of you want ECU in the Sun Belt. The more I see of them the more I feel they’d bring a poisonous attitude with them and I’m not sure it’s worth it.
I’d caution against lumping all fans in with the one who created this graphic. We just can’t know how representative of the overall fan base this one person is or isn’t. He could represent a paltry 10% or an overwhelming 80%.
There could be a significant percentage who feel like the matchups in the SBC are more interesting but understand the school can’t walk away from their current tv contract and exit fees. It would be difficult to get an honest response from a significant number of Pirate fans to truly know how most of them feel.
On that note, gauging an overall fan base's range of opinions on realignment is hard to assess on message boards. After all, message boards are but a small segment of fans. Many people who buy tickets or follow sports, whether casually or constantly, don't join csnbbs or the reddits or Facebook groups.
I know a very nice man who's I think about 65. Florida State fan/graduate who lived for many years in Tallahassee. He even knew Bobby Bowden. We got to talking about sports. A few weeks ago, when FSU was saber rattling about leaving and before SMU/Stanford/Cal rumors emerged, he said to me that he really thinks the ACC should invite App State. And he listed the reasons why: winning culture, geographic sense, passionate fans, and so on. I told him I considered that a compliment of my school but that was just not going to happen and that it's not how these things ever shake out. But he persisted.
I am fairly certain he is the kind of fan who follows the sports articles but doesn't delve deep into message boards or blogs. A lot of fans think that way, but they aren't represented when people try to gauge the pulse of a fanbase. Only the loudest are heard.
So, we don't know how ECU or any other fan base would really think about joining anyone from the Sun Belt to the ACC to the Big 12, just as we don't know how the quieter fans from FSU or other schools really think.
the bed against an FCS school from a Charlotte suburb. That’s progress for that program. One day they’ll upset ECU and the Pirate fans will full melt down.
