(01-05-2013 01:06 PM)techdawg88 Wrote:  I doubt either Tulane or ECU will be able to admit the nBE isn't as good as they once thought and will return to CUSA

Seriously do CUSA really want Tulane and ECU back? As a poster, ECU fans made this messageboard miserable to read.

(01-05-2013 02:31 PM)baruna falls Wrote:  ECU will not return to Conf USA unless the BE collapses. There will be to much pressure on the Administration to ever return to Conf USA. The big problem for ECU is gate receipts. Gate receipts are not projected to be good with many of the new additions to Conf Usa. The financial pressure and competitive pressures would be to great imo for ECU to return.

ECU is always welcomed. Tulane can go to the SBC.

Regarding ODU/Chalotte, by most of the public accounts that I have read, the ODU and Charlotte additions came about after LaTech and UTSA were added after the MWC put the WAC out of business. ECU (could have been others as well, but I have seen ECU specifically identified) was upset with the western adds and demanded teams in the east to balance the league.

(01-06-2013 09:36 AM)Rabonchild Wrote:  

(01-05-2013 02:31 PM)baruna falls Wrote:  ECU will not return to Conf USA unless the BE collapses. There will be to much pressure on the Administration to ever return to Conf USA. The big problem for ECU is gate receipts. Gate receipts are not projected to be good with many of the new additions to Conf Usa. The financial pressure and competitive pressures would be to great imo for ECU to return.

ECU is always welcomed. Tulane can go to the SBC.

It's a question and problem well-communicated by Terry Holland and others over the years. Too much geography in C-USA 2.0. From a West perspective, Tulane is absolutely welcome back. ECU is just too far away from Texas to carry that same kind of interest.

I understand the opposite perspective from a Charlotte fan.

(01-05-2013 12:37 PM)Southern Miss Alum Wrote:  Remember when East Carolina and Tulane announced they were leaving C-USA back on Nov. 27? Remember how the Pirates and Green Wave joined the stampede to the Big East? Remember how Banowsky quickly countered by inviting Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic to join C-USA?

It was a prime example of "The Domino Effect" where every action has a reaction.

But what happens if the dominoes un-fall?

What then?

That is precisely the premise Banowsky and C-USA just might be facing.

What if East Carolina and Tulane take a hard, honest look at a Big East Conference that has been gutted like a mackerel and decide it isn't worth leaving C-USA?

It is a distinct possibility.

"East Carolina and Tulane haven't formally withdrawn from Conference USA," said Courtney Morrison-Archer, C-USA's Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs. "They have one full year to do that."

HERALD-DISPATCH: Schools playing dominoes vs. C-USA

We haven't formally withdrawn yet because we stilll have worked out what the final number for the exist fee will be with C-USA. But, ECU and Tulane have already paid the 500K. And it's laughble to think either team will pay anything close to 7 million to get out of C-USA, more like 3 to 4 million at most. This is nothing more than a play to try and keep ECU and Tulane.

(01-06-2013 12:41 PM)ecumbh1999 Wrote:  

(01-05-2013 12:37 PM)Southern Miss Alum Wrote:  Remember when East Carolina and Tulane announced they were leaving C-USA back on Nov. 27? Remember how the Pirates and Green Wave joined the stampede to the Big East? Remember how Banowsky quickly countered by inviting Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic to join C-USA?

It was a prime example of "The Domino Effect" where every action has a reaction.

But what happens if the dominoes un-fall?

What then?

That is precisely the premise Banowsky and C-USA just might be facing.

What if East Carolina and Tulane take a hard, honest look at a Big East Conference that has been gutted like a mackerel and decide it isn't worth leaving C-USA?

It is a distinct possibility.

"East Carolina and Tulane haven't formally withdrawn from Conference USA," said Courtney Morrison-Archer, C-USA's Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs. "They have one full year to do that."

HERALD-DISPATCH: Schools playing dominoes vs. C-USA

We haven't formally withdrawn yet because we stilll have worked out what the final number for the exist fee will be with C-USA. But, ECU and Tulane have already paid the 500K. And it's laughble to think either team will pay anything close to 7 million to get out of C-USA, more like 3 to 4 million at most. This is nothing more than a play to try and keep ECU and Tulane.

I am still waiting to hear why the BE is not good for ECU? What does Conf USA offer ECU that the teams in the BE don't? Even if UConn and Cincy go, the BE could just ask Tulsa and Southern Miss to join. You could argue that Conf USA is just as unstable as the BE.

LOL at some of the schools in this thread acting like they're above Tulane. Play a down in CUSA fb before you smack talk plz. K TY

The only way Tulane and ECU return is if the BE is dissolved. Otherwise, whoever is left in the BE will hang together and try to pull in teams from other leagues (successfully, imo).
Abandoning a small expansion with the Alliance for the Banowsky-induced expansion is the prime reason Tulane was looking to leave for another non AQ league (ECU had wanted a more eastern based league for years) and why others are looking to leave. And it's not the individual expansion teams; just the large mass.

These threads are fun.

To be honest about it all, the truth is that anything can happen now, and anyone set in their devotion to the Big East might find themselves left out in the cold. The key factor is what the MWC, ACC, does because they can upset the whole apple cart and are very likely to do so. The other big conferences could suddenly decide they want to go to 16 teams each and starve off the smaller conferences who can not financially compete. C-USA was founded with certain things in mind and those things have not changed, just might have been added to. Any school who shuts any door right now and takes a dogmatic attitude could find themselves out in the cold. It is basically about money and schools like Southern Miss, Tulane, ECU, Tulsa, Marshall, Temple, etc. all have problems that are going to be hard to overcome. Others are just too new to the level and need time although they might have a better market to work in.

It is not possible to see what is going to happen so right now everyone is just guessing, or holding on to blind beliefs which might be a determining factor by accident, in their future. I think most of our teams will find a way to survive, and I see a radical reorganization taking place in the Big East hang overs, C-USA, and the Sun Belt. I would not be surprised to see some schools swallow their pride and arrogance and make moves their fans will be upset by and the school will realize more than the fans, it is do it or go down. Regardless, I see the big boys getting stronger and the mid-majors getting further behind back to being pawns to be used by the big boys. I just hope these conferences are smart enough to realize if they don't work together and compromise with each other, they are only screwing themselves.

I think the benefit CUSA, MWC, SBC, MAC & Maybe the nBE have is FOX, CBS, & NBC. While ESPN drives the bus these other sports channels are going to be looking for something to put on their channel. In fact I am expecting FCS teams to start playing their games and play off during the spring. That would give FCS teams more coverage because they would not have to compete with the FBS team's fall schedule. College football almost year round.

(01-06-2013 11:52 PM)Rabonchild Wrote:  In fact I am expecting FCS teams to start playing their games and play off during the spring.

That will never happen. What I do look for in the next 5 years is the NAIA, DII, DIII and IAA playoffs and championship game be pushed off the network and be an ESPN3 exclusive.

(01-06-2013 02:50 PM)SgtGoldenEagle Wrote:  It is basically about money

:bcs::bcs:

Quote:I just hope these conferences are smart enough to realize if they don't work together and compromise with each other, they are only screwing themselves.

They've never been that smart before.