http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...membership


There's the Sunbelt's 12th team apparently.

It would be solid.

So a conference that spans from Mass to Idaho down to New Mexico over to South Florida on shoe string TV revenue. Sounds great.

Would they ask NMSU to join for all sports? Or will they just wait to find another eastern school eventually when the Sunbelt exercises their option to let Idaho go after 2019?

A true national league is born.

Was full membership in the MAC really that bad for UMass that they'd go for this?

This has been one of the worst kept secrets in realignment over the last month or so.

Boom

(05-14-2014 11:31 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  Was full membership in the MAC really that bad for UMass that they'd go for this?

It keeps travel costs down for Olympic sports, and keeps basketball in the A10.

(05-14-2014 11:34 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  Boom

WKU's last day in the Sun Belt is June 30th.

lets see- they would have
1 Idaho fb only
2 New Mexico St fb only
3 Texas St
4 Arkansas St
5 La-Lafayette
6 La-Monroe
7 Troy
8 So Alabama
9 Georgia St
10 Ga Southern
11 Appalachain St
12 UMass fb only
13 UALR non-football
14 Texas Arlington non-football

really no reason to invite New Mexico St all sports from a league perspective. They have 11 basketball right now with 2 Texas schools they can travel parter easily. The divisions would set up really easily actually 1-6 being west and 7-12 for east. Don't think it'd be automatic that Idaho would be replaced by an eastern school in a few years actually.

(05-14-2014 11:31 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  Was full membership in the MAC really that bad for UMass that they'd go for this?

You mean, was BBall so powerful at UMass that they'd prefer Sunbelt FB-only and A10 BBall to MAC all-sports? And the answer is ... yes, yes it is.

(05-14-2014 11:27 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  So a conference that spans from Mass to Idaho down to New Mexico over to South Florida on shoe string TV revenue. Sounds great.

The power of the CFP money ... if they split up the whole $1m for adding UMass as a pure travel subsidy, it would be $125,000 per game. Or they could peel off $200,000 affiliation payment to the conference and make the travel subsidy $100,000 per game.

UMass needed an FBS home.

The Sun Belt needed a 12th team for a championship game.

Works well for everyone. The travel isn't really a big deal since the 3 outliers are football only members.

If this becomes official, the B12 is the only FBS conference without a title game, correct?

(05-14-2014 11:27 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  So a conference that spans from Mass to Idaho down to New Mexico over to South Florida on shoe string TV revenue. Sounds great.

Well CUSA has flushed football down the toilet chasing after the fools gold of TV revenue. At least the SBC learned from their folly.

The SBC was the top non-aq conference last year, and the two FCS schools they are bringing up have more upside in football than all the schools that left to joined CUSA combined.

Probably better PR to add existing FBS programs like NMSU, Idaho and Umass, even for football only, whenever possible.

At least they know the results will be better than CUSA.

(05-14-2014 12:06 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(05-14-2014 11:27 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  So a conference that spans from Mass to Idaho down to New Mexico over to South Florida on shoe string TV revenue. Sounds great.

Well CUSA has flushed football down the toilet chasing after the fools gold of TV revenue. At least the SBC learned from their folly.

The SBC was the top non-aq conference last year, and the two FCS schools they are bringing up have more upside in football than all the schools that left to joined CUSA combined.

Probably better PR to add existing FBS programs like NMSU, Idaho and Umass, even for football only, whenever possible.

At least they know the results will be better than CUSA.

Is there a reason you're citing CUSA?

(05-14-2014 11:31 AM)Hokie4Skins Wrote:  Was full membership in the MAC really that bad for UMass that they'd go for this?

I think MAC all sports really would have been terrible for them. They made the right call here. The Sun Belt is pretty good for them. A lot of up and coming programs from the south, a few that I'm sure they're pretty familiar with from being a good FCS squad. App St. or ULL at McGuirk should actually get a decent turn out.

(05-14-2014 12:10 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(05-14-2014 12:06 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  At least they know the results will be better than CUSA.

Is there a reason you're citing CUSA?

Three reasons:

First, the footprints have such a heavy overlap;

Second, with the loss of programs like ECU to the American, CUSA is a target of opportunity; and,

Third, with the CUSA raiding the Sunbelt to replace the schools that abandoned them for the American, there's a natural desire to want to show up the schools that abandoned you.

It's always sunny in Amherst...I guess.

The Sun Belt might be a good temporary fit but this brings up the bigger issue that is not being addressed- Does UMass have a realistic understanding of what it takes to have an FBS level football program? There seems to be this attitude from UMass that they can just walk in, look around, and do as they please. Its as if they believe that they deserve to be in a P5 conference right away, but will settle for the AAC as a temporary consolation prize if absolutely necessary. Yeah, so do the rest of us! So why should the MAC, and now possibly the Sun Belt, allow UMass to park a woefully underdeveloped football program in their conference with zero sacrifice until a better offer comes along?

If UMass is truly serious about being in the FBS long term they are going to have to make some hard decisions and get fully committed. This half in/half out approach is not sustainable long term, its a recipe for disaster. I wish them the best of luck.