The Sun Belt is examining expansion. The league is considering adding up to four schools...

[Hondo 77]

Mentions CUSA interested in existing FBS schools such as UConn UMass and NMSU over FCS interest currently receiving.

The Big East never disbanded. It became the AAC.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Vowelguy]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Vowelguy]

Old Dominion getting an invite anywhere has gotta rank up there as one of the most batXXit crazy things ever in FBS.

FB: 1 winning season since going FBS in 2014
MCBB: 1 NCAA bid in last 10 years (0-1)

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Vowelguy]

It’s Mississippi. Would be more helpful if it were Seymour d’Books or Seymour d’Class.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Pudge]

I guess I am hung up.

They keep talking in the $500k range for the ESPN rights in the Sun Belt; and all that leverage. 5 (FIVE) schools are the beneficiaries of the Exit Fees. $36m. Divided by 5. What am I missing?

At that largesse, you can throw cash at some of the newby targets. Both Sunbelt and CUSA are what we think they are: Training ground for the next realignment; platform for start-ups in top markets (UTSA, Charlotte, Georgia State); a fun Saturday throwaround.

Of course, UCONN got a whole pile of exit fees back in the day - none of it seemed to come to me.

 

[Slasher]

I guess I am hung up.

They keep talking in the $500k range for the ESPN rights in the Sun Belt; and all that leverage. 5 (FIVE) schools are the beneficiaries of the Exit Fees. $36m. Divided by 5. What am I missing?

At that largesse, you can throw cash at some of the newby targets. Both Sunbelt and CUSA are what we think they are: Training ground for the next realignment; platform for start-ups in top markets (UTSA, Charlotte, Georgia State); a fun Saturday throwaround.

Of course, UCONN got a whole pile of exit fees back in the day - none of it seemed to come to me.

Where are you getting 36M for the C-USA exit fees? Everything I've read said 3M per member. 12 members aren't leaving.

 

[huskymedic]

Where are you getting 36M for the C-USA exit fees? Everything I've read said 3M per member. 12 members aren't leaving.

Yup… “Yahoo is also noting that each school's exit fee for departing Conference USA would be roughly $3 million apiece, giving the league a good base with which to rebuild.”

 

[huskymedic]

The visual…

 

[How Sway?!]

The visual…

This is how G5/G6 leagues should be. All schools in a geographical area, within drivable distance.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[UConnJim]

This is how G5/G6 leagues should be. All schools in a geographical area, within drivable distance.

That map is somewhat misleading as you need to add Marshall and Old Dominion. Old Dominion is 1600 miles from Texas St. For Marshall, Appalachian State is the nearest school which is about 270 miles and the next closest school is almost 500 miles away. This is a far flung conference although some schools do have some driveable games.

 

[huskymedic]

That map is somewhat misleading as you need to add Marshall and Old Dominion.

It was accurate the day it was posted. Now updated w/ODU.



Marshall & JMU logos standing by…

 

[Guapo]

I love the Sun Belt.

I think Southern Miss and Marshall, especially, can be really great in it. Perhaps JMU too. We shall see about ODU, that seems to be more of a recruiting territory play

 

[noeynox]

That looks like a reasonable football conference to me. All they need is a Florida school.

 

[noeynox]

I love the Sun Belt.

I think Southern Miss and Marshall, especially, can be really great in it. Perhaps JMU too. We shall see about ODU, that seems to be more of a recruiting territory play

I agree. It's a better version of the MAC where the geography makes sense but the Football is better.

 

[Guapo]

I agree. It's a better version of the MAC where the geography makes sense but the Football is better.

It’s also generally not played on Wednesday nights and there are fun rivalries!

 

[billybud]

That Sun Belt graphic looks contiguous...but it is still over 1200 miles from Appalachian State to Texas State and 1000 miles to UTA...

...and Old Dominion is 1546 miles from UTA and 1169 miles from Lafayette and 1000 miles from the Arkansas schools.

The western outliers in Arkansas and Texas and the eastern outliers in Virginia and North Carolina have long distances between them.