Maybe I missed a thread about actual realignment issues, if so i apologize.

Does UAB go with an unbalanced schedule?

Do they look to the SoConn or MAC for the replacement?

Would this have any impact on media deals? Seems like there wouldn't be any or very minimal but perhaps it opens things up for a new negotiation.

Are there any trickle down effects? Obviously it's just CUSA so there are only a couple other conferences it could impact but interesting nonetheless.

Perhaps more importantly, are there other schools thinking about doing the same thing?


FWIW I hate the idea of what they are talking about but it is odd that there are no OOC games scheduled past 2016, like really odd.

[quote='Sam Minuteman' pid='11351828' dateline='1415502050']
Maybe I missed a thread about actual realignment issues, if so i apologize.

Does UAB go with an unbalanced schedule?

Do they look to the SoConn or MAC for the replacement?

Would this have any impact on media deals? Seems like there wouldn't be any or very minimal but perhaps it opens things up for a new negotiation.

Are there any trickle down effects? Obviously it's just CUSA so there are only a couple other conferences it could impact but interesting nonetheless.

Perhaps more importantly, are there other schools thinking about doing the same thing?


FWIW I hate the idea of what they are talking about but it is odd that there are no OOC games scheduled past 2016, like really odd.
[/quote

Simplest is to pick up army or UMass if they can. Next would be a sun belt school. Trickle down would end there if sun belt stayed at ten or maybe they finally go to 12 with Chattanooga etsu liberty or jmu.

These are the schools that are being thrown around.

Louisiana
Akron
or
Texas State

My preference?...Akron. The likely selection?...Louisiana or Texas state.

They grab Arkansas State.

(11-08-2014 11:15 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  These are the schools that are being thrown around.

Louisiana
Akron
or
Texas State

My preference?...Akron. The likely selection?...Louisiana or Texas state.

Louisiana seems to make a lot of sense right in the middle of the footprint, but you really can't go wrong with a school in Texas. A little surprised they might not consider one of the teams in Georgia, the Atlanta market might be nice to get into for any conference.

(11-08-2014 11:29 PM)Sam Minuteman Wrote:  

(11-08-2014 11:15 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  These are the schools that are being thrown around.

Louisiana
Akron
or
Texas State

My preference?...Akron. The likely selection?...Louisiana or Texas state.

Louisiana seems to make a lot of sense right in the middle of the footprint, but you really can't go wrong with a school in Texas. A little surprised they might not consider one of the teams in Georgia, the Atlanta market might be nice to get into for any conference.

Louisiana has a pretty good fan base and really lobbied hard for CUSA this last go around. Texas State....they are early in their development but they do have a location that is really ideal for the West division of CUSA. Akron...they are the longer shot of the trio but do have some positives for CUSA. First of all, CUSA doesn't have a representative school in Ohio and would like to tap that Canton/Cleveland market. Akron also brings a good basketball replacement and good facilities.

As for Georgia Southern or Georgia State....it would make geographic sense for CUSA to consider a team from Georgia. At this point it appears that Southern is the higher upside play but I've heard nothing in the form of chatter from those two schools.

A western addition makes for cleaner divisions - that means Louisiana, Arkansas State, or Texas State. New Mexico State or Missouri State would be dark horse picks.

I think they pick up the Cajuns.

The program is on fire growing right now and that looks to continue. A conference move will just add to that. There is a lot of untapped potential in Lafayette. The same is true for Texas State though. ASU would also be a strong addition but I think most would agree there is a little less growth potential for whatever reason there, but still a fantastic addition.

Louisiana-Lafayette makes a great deal of sense, but since the conference has a team in Louisiana already and not in Georgia, I'd think Georgia State or Georgia Southern as first guesses (although would have to look a lot more at the schools to say that beyond a first guess).

I think Louisiana and Georgia Southern are the best two full-member options.

The question I have is what happens to UAB Olympic sports? Are they kicked to the curb too? Would CUSA ever consider keeping UAB as a non-football member and then adding a football-only member like UMASS?

I wonder if NIU would be an option.
They left the MAC once before and may see it as a step towards the AAC. Even if it really would not be a step up. They have a little more national interest than the other candidates. NIU would probably help the next T.V. negotiations the most.

The MAC would have plenty of options if that happened.

No additions, unless BYU is listening. Every program mentioned has nowhere else to go and will always be available. C-USA went to 14 expecting more losses. Maybe we knew UAB was in a tough spot?

BYU may need a conference. If it is MWC, C-USA probably loses UTEP, too. A 12-team C-USA would be fine.

La Tech blocks Louisiana from joining. Georgia Southern fills the Georgia gap on the CUSA map. The two games the Eagles played in Atlanta this year (Tech, State) show what kind of footprint we have in that market. 15K fans at Bobby Dodd, ~20K in the Georgia Dome.

(11-09-2014 10:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  I wonder if NIU would be an option.
They left the MAC once before and may see it as a step towards the AAC. Even if it really would not be a step up. They have a little more national interest than the other candidates. NIU would probably help the next T.V. negotiations the most.

The MAC would have plenty of options if that happened.

I don't see NIU leaving the MAC for C-USA. Too much of a lateral move.

New Mexico State was first team left out when WKU was added. They'd still make sense if UTEP would allow it.


But we ain't going nowhere.

I don't think UAB is dropping football but if it did happen maybe CUSA could throw them a bone an add UALR to pair with UAB than add another football school like Ga Southern.

(11-09-2014 11:43 AM)nbcards Wrote:  

(11-09-2014 10:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  I wonder if NIU would be an option.
They left the MAC once before and may see it as a step towards the AAC. Even if it really would not be a step up. They have a little more national interest than the other candidates. NIU would probably help the next T.V. negotiations the most.

The MAC would have plenty of options if that happened.

I don't see NIU leaving the MAC for C-USA. Too much of a lateral move.

I would say its a step down.

Academics in the MAC are better. The MAC has more tradition. TV deal with ESPN. That all goes away with a move to CUSA.

A lot of the CUSA schools are smaller in enrollment. LaTech, Marshall, Rice, So Miss ect. Miami is the smallest in the MAC and it still 20,000 system wide.

(11-09-2014 09:55 AM)HuskyU Wrote:  I think Louisiana and Georgia Southern are the best two full-member options.

Agree.

I like the potential of Georgia State but if that is 10 years down the road CUSA can look at them at a later date.

There is a clear need to balance with somebody in the West because MTSU, WKU, MU, UNCC, ODU, FAU, FIU are all going to want to play ball in the East. That is why I think Louisiana is the way to go because they make for a nice regional rival with Rice, UNT, LaTech, So Miss. They just expanded to 37,000 seats. That is the kind of school CUSA likes to add.

CUSA West: UTEP, UTSA, UNT, Rice, LaTech, Louisiana, So Miss
CUSA East: MTSU, WKU, Marshall, Charlotte, ODU, FAU, FIU

It makes for a set of very geographically clear divisions. I likey...

(11-08-2014 11:15 PM)MUHERD76 Wrote:  These are the schools that are being thrown around.

Louisiana
Akron
or
Texas State

My preference?...Akron. The likely selection?...Louisiana or Texas state.

As a MAC fan it would be nice if you could take Akron off our hands. They are the FIU of the MAC.

Then the MAC could drop back to 11 schools and split the TV/CFP money less ways. Play a 20 school round robin in basketball. Set up the midweek games to have MAC title implications.

(11-09-2014 10:40 AM)MJG Wrote:  I wonder if NIU would be an option.
They left the MAC once before and may see it as a step towards the AAC. Even if it really would not be a step up. They have a little more national interest than the other candidates. NIU would probably help the next T.V. negotiations the most.

The MAC would have plenty of options if that happened.

No interest in NIU from what I hear. The only Mac schools that I've heard could be on the radar is Akron. Their location and facilities is what make them attractive. They also bring a good basketball product to replace UAB. Other schools with chatter are the obvious ones in Louisana and Texas State. Have heard nothing in relation to Georgia State or Southern.