(03-18-2017 11:31 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-18-2017 09:49 AM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Most on this board would say yes to the idea of a CUSA split.

There are some problems which I am going to list:

1) CFP contract is for CUSA and not any other new conference that will be formed. This can be adjusted potentially but that is a risk of splitting. The contract is good yet for 9 more seasons so its going to be a while.

2) By the end of the B12 TV deal there may be some realignment. This realignment could give opportunities for schools like SoMiss, WKU and ODU to find a space in the AAC. Do you bother with splitting if the end game is to jump?

3) Where is the value in CUSA anyways? Is there value in creating a better basketball grouping or a better football grouping? I feel like it makes sense to focus on basketball and take in only 1 of the new Florida schools. Perhaps bring in Georgia State because of the media market and basketball.

Marshall
Old Dominion
Western Ky
Middle Tenn
Charlotte
Georgia State
UAB
Florida International

8 team conference that requires a smaller revenue split from the NCAA and CFP.

The SBC would be down to 9 and CUSA down to 6. Nobody in the SBC is going to move to CUSA at that point. SBC could instead invite FAU, SoMiss and UTSA into their conference. SBC has a good football brand these days.

That would leave UTEP, Rice and LaTech as independents. They can play with themselves, New Mexico State and BYU as a group of western independents.

Might be better in the short run to add 2 to each side of CUSA. The conference would then divide into divisions for all sports and would only play schools from the other divisions in championship games. That's basically the same as splitting--but it preserves all the autobids. You could even allow each division to shop it's 2nd tier deal separatelly. For Instance, the West Tier2 rights might be an excellent fit for Fox Sports SW. It might be easier for each division to get regional coverage that way.

Effectively, it's would be 2 conferences sharing one headquarters and a tv deal (to whatever degree that want to negotiate together).

That's the only way. That can't split the conference into two conferences and get a 2nd NCAA auto bid. That's a fact. They also can't split in two and add one of the conferences into the CFP contract, another fact. 2, 8 school divisions will save them money on travel. They don't get any tv money anyway. CUSA made a decision to add all those start up schools. No one forced them too. A lot of us thought they were making a terrible decision then, but they made their bed. Now CUSA can only try to make the most out of a very bad situation. Unless they are able to kick 4 to 6 schools out? Never seen that done, but there's the 2 schools in Florida that the others don't seem to want at all when I read the CUSA boards.
Cheers!