CUSA would need to add 4 to get back to having a Championship game.

MWC would, I assume, try to get back to per-realignment numbers.


CUSA most likely targets SBC and MAC still.

MWC most likely looks at SBC and WAC.

The unpicked of WAC and SBC be default cause a WAC/SBC merger. Although, with some of the issues the MWC and CUSA merger ran into... would the SBC and WAC do it?

MWC and Sunbelt would probably finish off the WAC

IF, IF it's a no-go......MWC absorbs all of WAC - LaTech. CUSA expands with LaTech, FIU, FAU & MTSU? No matter what happens it's tough to imagine WAC surviving as a FB league at this point.

I don't think it is a no-go. I just think they have to rethink the dissolution of the two and instead think about joining one or the other.

If the merger is off (including one conference accepting 8 football-only members), then why would C-USA bother to get back to 12 for a Championship Game that ESPN doesn't pay a dime for?

I could see adding a 9th member to even out schedules and provide a little bit of realignment insurance. Maybe adding FIU, UNT, Charlotte and Georgia State makes sense in terms of market alchemy, but I don't see C-USA by themselves going to 12 just so they can play a CCG

(03-26-2012 07:01 PM)4x4hokies Wrote:  I don't think it is a no-go. I just think they have to rethink the dissolution of the two and instead think about joining one or the other.

But I think they had to do the dissolution for tv negotiation purposes.

(03-26-2012 07:16 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  

(03-26-2012 07:01 PM)4x4hokies Wrote:  I don't think it is a no-go. I just think they have to rethink the dissolution of the two and instead think about joining one or the other.

But I think they had to do the dissolution for tv negotiation purposes.

They still want the safety in numbers provided by merging so some sort of merger will still happen even if television money stays the same.

But it's not off so this is a moot point!!!

What I have long thought is why doesn't CUSA just expand with 6 Mountain West schools to 14?

West: Fresno, Nevada, UNLV, Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico, UTEP

East: Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, So Miss, UAB, Marshall, East Carolina

Football schedule: 6 divisional games/2 crossover
Basketball schedule: 12 divisional games/2 crossover


Hawaii then can drop back to the WAC, giving that conference once again the required 8 football members. UTSA and Charlotte go to the Sun Belt then the WAC could invite Montana and Montana State (who is now finally ready) as replacements.

Dissolving is a no-go, I think there are still plans to merge in some form.

With the BCS credits that the MWC has, it may make sense for the MWC to offer football-only membership to the remaining 8 CUSA schools and once they accept the CUSA would be "forced" to stop sponsoring football but remain CUSA in name and Olympic sports.

This may successfully circumvent the system and allow CUSA and the MWC to keep all buyout fees due and retain all tourney bids.

(03-26-2012 07:57 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  Dissolving is a no-go, I think there are still plans to merge in some form.

With the BCS credits that the MWC has, it may make sense for the MWC to offer football-only membership to the remaining 8 CUSA schools and once they accept the CUSA would be "forced" to stop sponsoring football but remain CUSA in name and Olympic sports.

This may successfully circumvent the system and allow CUSA and the MWC to keep all buyout fees due and retain all tourney bids.

Doesn't that put everybody in the black hole of the MTN network?

For a merger to work, there would have to be some creative negotiating and thinking among C-USA, MWC, CBS-SN, Fox and Comcast. That's a lot of moving parts for a not-that-valuable property.

(03-26-2012 08:06 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(03-26-2012 07:57 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  Dissolving is a no-go, I think there are still plans to merge in some form.

With the BCS credits that the MWC has, it may make sense for the MWC to offer football-only membership to the remaining 8 CUSA schools and once they accept the CUSA would be "forced" to stop sponsoring football but remain CUSA in name and Olympic sports.

This may successfully circumvent the system and allow CUSA and the MWC to keep all buyout fees due and retain all tourney bids.

Doesn't that put everybody in the black hole of the MTN network?

For a merger to work, there would have to be some creative negotiating and thinking among C-USA, MWC, CBS-SN, Fox and Comcast. That's a lot of moving parts for a not-that-valuable property.

The idea would be that because the make-up of the league drastically changed the TV contract would be renegotiated.

EDIT: If the MWC doesn't mind losing its BCS points (don't know if it still plans on petitioning for an AQ bid), the MWC and CUSA can talk TV contract renegotiation with their respective current TV rights holder and basically have them bid against each other. Whichever conference secures the most lucrative renegotiated contract is the conference that issues the football-only invites.

Regardless of what happens...It really now will be CDOA. I see very little to be thrilled about as an ECU fan. I guess we will have to continue to schedule like hell OOC to keep attendance up. This sh!t sucks.

(03-26-2012 08:59 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  Regardless of what happens...It really now will be CDOA. I see very little to be thrilled about as an ECU fan. I guess we will have to continue to schedule like hell OOC to keep attendance up. This sh!t sucks.

Disagree. It won't be any different if you ask me. Most fans couldn't care less about SMU, UCF, Houston or Memphis football either. We need to schedule OOC lighter so we have a shot at 10 win seasons, the crap we're doing right now doesnt work.

(03-26-2012 09:36 PM)NoQuarter08 Wrote:  

(03-26-2012 08:59 PM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  Regardless of what happens...It really now will be CDOA. I see very little to be thrilled about as an ECU fan. I guess we will have to continue to schedule like hell OOC to keep attendance up. This sh!t sucks.

Disagree. It won't be any different if you ask me. Most fans couldn't care less about SMU, UCF, Houston or Memphis football either. We need to schedule OOC lighter so we have a shot at 10 win seasons, the crap we're doing right now doesnt work.

Yeah it's time to start scheduling some damn wins, instead of beating our heads against the wall, finishing with 5-8 wins every year and never getting anywhere. We gotta start winning games, and a lot of them.

(03-26-2012 06:50 PM)NoQuarter08 Wrote:  IF, IF it's a no-go......MWC absorbs all of WAC - LaTech. CUSA expands with LaTech, FIU, FAU & MTSU? No matter what happens it's tough to imagine WAC surviving as a FB league at this point.

I agree. The WAC at best would survive as a non f/b conference by adding schools such as Cal St Bakersfield, Utah Valley, and Texas Pan American to Denver, Seattle, Texas Arlington, Boise St and which ever WAC f/b schools that go to the Sun Belt as f/b only schools, and which ever Mtn West school that goes to the Big East for f/b only.

(03-26-2012 10:40 PM)RUfan03 Wrote:  

(03-26-2012 06:50 PM)NoQuarter08 Wrote:  IF, IF it's a no-go......MWC absorbs all of WAC - LaTech. CUSA expands with LaTech, FIU, FAU & MTSU? No matter what happens it's tough to imagine WAC surviving as a FB league at this point.

I agree. The WAC at best would survive as a non f/b conference by adding schools such as Cal St Bakersfield, Utah Valley, and Texas Pan American to Denver, Seattle, Texas Arlington, Boise St and which ever WAC f/b schools that go to the Sun Belt as f/b only schools, and which ever Mtn West school that goes to the Big East for f/b only.

The WAC is in much stronger shape than what people realize.

-The allure of moving up to FBS with the new playoff money is very attractive.

-Air Force will be booted from the MWC and will need a home.

-The Dakota schools may if added en masse prefer an invite to the WAC over staying in the Summit.

-The WAC is capable of pulling in schools in the Southeast if needed. UA-Little Rock might be available or even New Orleans now that they have recommitted to Division 1.

-The WAC has an autobid to the NCAA tournament. The Great West doesn't.

-The WAC has been in business at the Division 1 level for 50 years and has loads of tradition which is important to schools wanting to find their way into an established conference.

The WAC for 2013 is expected to have 11 Division 1 basketball members and 7 that play FBS football.

Their situation is not as good as any of the the other FBS conference but compared with the Summit or Great West they have an enviable position.

If the Summit can survive all these years there is no reason why the WAC can't especially if they maintain a FBS conference.

The Summit has more to worry about if the Horizon conference needs to reload or the Big Sky lands all of the Dakota schools. I guess they could steal from the Great West to keep afloat or upgrade St. Cloud and Minot State to D1.

Just to throw this out with my own thread for the train of thought...


Would CUSA go after MAC and Sun Belt schools to get to two more geographically sound divisions?

I'm pretty sure we would expand by 4 to get to 12 so we can keep the Championship Game in tact.

(03-27-2012 10:39 AM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  Just to throw this out with my own thread for the train of thought...


Would CUSA go after MAC and Sun Belt schools to get to two more geographically sound divisions?

I'm pretty sure we would expand by 4 to get to 12 so we can keep the Championship Game in tact.

no body from the MAC would jump. Not enough money to cover the extra travel costs.