(07-10-2019 10:33 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 09:49 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  We identify better with a southern based conference.

This.

While we are the northernmost School in Conference USA, culturally we are a better fit in CUSA.

Also as others have pointed out, when we left the MAC, TV rights in Conference USA were much more attractive, and the bowl situation.

Now in 2019 with much worse leadership, the TV payout has substantially worsened.

Improve the leadership in Conference USA and things would look a lot better.

Leadership isn't going to get us a better TV deal. We have no leverage. Leadership isn't going to suddenly make us win games that garner interest and eyeballs. The conference is lucky to have any money coming in from TV. The money has been divided that is out there and the only way we get more is to take it by becoming a better product on the field and gaining more fan support. That is up to the teams not the conference.

The only way Marshall could increase their revenue in the immediate future is to be granted our own TV rights to sell as we see fit. That way we aren't sharing an average slice of pie with teams that have no fans. That's it. That's the whole enchilada. Until that happens, it doesn't matter what conference we form out of the misfits.

The same goes for USM, LaTech, and any school that has a little bit of a name still left out there.

(07-10-2019 09:08 PM)MUther Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 10:33 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 09:49 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  We identify better with a southern based conference.

This.

While we are the northernmost School in Conference USA, culturally we are a better fit in CUSA.

Also as others have pointed out, when we left the MAC, TV rights in Conference USA were much more attractive, and the bowl situation.

Now in 2019 with much worse leadership, the TV payout has substantially worsened.

Improve the leadership in Conference USA and things would look a lot better.

Leadership isn't going to get us a better TV deal. We have no leverage. Leadership isn't going to suddenly make us win games that garner interest and eyeballs. The conference is lucky to have any money coming in from TV. The money has been divided that is out there and the only way we get more is to take it by becoming a better product on the field and gaining more fan support. That is up to the teams not the conference.

The only way Marshall could increase their revenue in the immediate future is to be granted our own TV rights to sell as we see fit. That way we aren't sharing an average slice of pie with teams that have no fans. That's it. That's the whole enchilada. Until that happens, it doesn't matter what conference we form out of the misfits.

The same goes for USM, LaTech, and any school that has a little bit of a name still left out there.

This is what I've been saying since this new version of CUSA was formed. Let each team have sell their own content. Marshall would come out much better doing this than we are now.

So would So Miss and a few other teams. Let these "market" teams face reality as to who is carrying this conference in terms of media deals.

Preach.

(07-10-2019 09:00 PM)TodgeRodge Wrote:  I would imagine at some point many of the MWC teams started to look back at why the WAC failed and realized that a merged MWC/CUSA would head down the same path

The WAC was fine and almost the perfect conference for years. Then the Big West folded and the SWC morphed into the Big 8. At that time the WAC took on to many schools and things went down from there. Had the WAC have been selective and taken the best 2 programs, there would have never been a MWC form. At that time the 2 programs that were in the best situation was UNLV (Basketball) and Tulsa (Basketball).

That would have left Rice, SMU, TCU and San Jose State to fend for themselves somehow.

(07-10-2019 08:10 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  I would love something like this. I think this conference would be solid in both football and basketball. I think this conference would be much better than the current CUSA, MAC, or Sun Belt.

North

Marshall
WKU
MTSU
ODU
Toledo
Ohio

South

So Miss
UAB
FAU
Charlotte
App State
Ga Southern

It would almost make too much sense wouldn't it?

Only caveat I would make to this is even though I'm a fan of Toledo and what they bring to the table its too far north. Birmingham is almost as far away from Toledo as Fort Lauderdale.

I would move Charlotte to the north and put La Tech in the south. And I think that would be a good enough league for Tech to split with the Texas schools.

(07-10-2019 09:55 PM)Noodles Wrote:  Preach.

Word!

I would like to hear from some Ohio fans. Because they are the only remaining charter member of the MAC I feel like they would be the hardest school to convince.

Any Ohio fans lurking. Would you guys as fans want to be affiliated with a league like this that reunites you with Marshall and is more southern based but put together to compete with the AAC? And do you think your administration would be interested?

Graphically, I thought it would be interesting to see what this would look like.

Pretty tight IMO if you look at the attachment. You can make other arguments for one team over another that aren't mentioned, but this would be a solid and formidable league with a tighter geographic footprint.

Three reasons UTEP prefers CUSA over MWC

1. East coast recruiting (population is much larger in the east & Southeastern recruits.
2. ETS conference (potentially more TV viewers).
3. In a conference with other Texas schools

There is also a reason the Dallas Cowboys prefer an eastern conference.


The reason Marshall prefers CUSA:

Southeastern recruits ( especially Florida)

(07-10-2019 05:03 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 02:09 PM)MU ATO Wrote:  I’d rather Marshall drop back down to 1-AA than go back to the MAC.

I know Athens OH, Ypsilanti, MI or Muncie IN isn't the most sought out places to play but they are better than Cullowhee, NC, Johnson City TN or Lexington VA.

Plus half or even over half of IAA doesn't fully fund their football programs. We talk about some IA programs that need to drop down to IAA. Well there are just as many IAAs that need to drop to DII.

I wasnt actually serious about wanting to go to 1-AA

(07-11-2019 08:07 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  I would like to hear from some Ohio fans. Because they are the only remaining charter member of the MAC I feel like they would be the hardest school to convince.

Any Ohio fans lurking. Would you guys as fans want to be affiliated with a league like this that reunites you with Marshall and is more southern based but put together to compete with the AAC? And do you think your administration would be interested?

I’ve always been a proponent of Ohio in CUSA. Close to Marshall & long standing natural rivalry. Don’t know nor care if they want in or not.

(07-11-2019 08:49 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Graphically, I thought it would be interesting to see what this would look like.

Pretty tight IMO if you look at the attachment. You can make other arguments for one team over another that aren't mentioned, but this would be a solid and formidable league with a tighter geographic footprint.

No FIU? FAIL.

(07-11-2019 09:05 AM)MU ATO Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 08:49 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Graphically, I thought it would be interesting to see what this would look like.

Pretty tight IMO if you look at the attachment. You can make other arguments for one team over another that aren't mentioned, but this would be a solid and formidable league with a tighter geographic footprint.

No FIU? FAIL.

You like FIU over FAU? Are both necessary? Or are you being facetious?

As I've said before I think if it's either or then FAU is likely better just because of the fickle nature of the Miami sports fan. FIU is always going to face a growth challenge because of the reality of the culture there in that city.

(07-11-2019 09:20 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 09:05 AM)MU ATO Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 08:49 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Graphically, I thought it would be interesting to see what this would look like.

Pretty tight IMO if you look at the attachment. You can make other arguments for one team over another that aren't mentioned, but this would be a solid and formidable league with a tighter geographic footprint.

No FIU? FAIL.

You like FIU over FAU? Are both necessary? Or are you being facetious?

As I've said before I think if it's either or then FAU is likely better just because of the fickle nature of the Miami sports fan. FIU is always going to face a growth challenge because of the reality of the culture there in that city.

Could be sarcasm again. Hard to tell sometimes.

While on the topic of mixing MAC & C-USA. Does anyone remember anything about Toledo being an addition to C-USA 2.0? I thought I remembered reading that they along with Marshall were leaving the MAC in 2005. But for whatever reason it didn't happen. Anyone know? And who took their spot if so?

(07-11-2019 08:50 AM)Rabonchild Wrote:  Three reasons UTEP prefers CUSA over MWC

1. East coast recruiting (population is much larger in the east & Southeastern recruits.
2. ETS conference (potentially more TV viewers).
3. In a conference with other Texas schools

There is also a reason the Dallas Cowboys prefer an eastern conference.

The reason Marshall prefers CUSA:

Southeastern recruits ( especially Florida)

Best answer so far !

(07-11-2019 08:58 AM)MU ATO Wrote:  I wasnt actually serious about wanting to go to 1-AA

I understand that and it would never happen. We are far away from ever having to do what Idaho done and what New Mexico State, UConn and UMass should do. I would say ULM also but they are actually protected by being in the Sun Belt. Same with San Jose State and the MWC.

(07-11-2019 09:26 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While on the topic of mixing MAC & C-USA. Does anyone remember anything about Toledo being an addition to C-USA 2.0? I thought I remembered reading that they along with Marshall were leaving the MAC in 2005. But for whatever reason it didn't happen. Anyone know? And who took their spot if so?

IIRC, it was football only and the MAC wasn't going to let them stay, but I might be mistaken.

(07-10-2019 09:08 PM)MUther Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 10:33 AM)rileylives Wrote:  

(07-10-2019 09:49 AM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  We identify better with a southern based conference.

This.

While we are the northernmost School in Conference USA, culturally we are a better fit in CUSA.

Also as others have pointed out, when we left the MAC, TV rights in Conference USA were much more attractive, and the bowl situation.

Now in 2019 with much worse leadership, the TV payout has substantially worsened.

Improve the leadership in Conference USA and things would look a lot better.

Leadership isn't going to get us a better TV deal. We have no leverage. Leadership isn't going to suddenly make us win games that garner interest and eyeballs. The conference is lucky to have any money coming in from TV. The money has been divided that is out there and the only way we get more is to take it by becoming a better product on the field and gaining more fan support. That is up to the teams not the conference.

The only way Marshall could increase their revenue in the immediate future is to be granted our own TV rights to sell as we see fit. That way we aren't sharing an average slice of pie with teams that have no fans. That's it. That's the whole enchilada. Until that happens, it doesn't matter what conference we form out of the misfits.

The same goes for USM, LaTech, and any school that has a little bit of a name still left out there.

This. Lets not blame the commissioner for our poor performance. There have been athletic directors in this conference who have made some bad hires over the years. Our schools also don't have many fans, and none of us command our market. That's why we're here.

If McCloud were such an awful commish, she would have already been fired. Be realistic. We have very little to sell.

(07-11-2019 09:26 AM)MUsince96 Wrote:  While on the topic of mixing MAC & C-USA. Does anyone remember anything about Toledo being an addition to C-USA 2.0? I thought I remembered reading that they along with Marshall were leaving the MAC in 2005. But for whatever reason it didn't happen. Anyone know? And who took their spot if so?

I wish the PMs would have been saved when this board switched in like 2011 or 12. I had several conversations with RocketFootballFan and even OddBall. Both of them wanted out of the MAC.

At 1 time it just wasn't Toledo it was Toledo, Temple and Miami OH that was offered as a group. Miami OH quickly said no and John Chaney wouldn't leave the A10. When it came down to just Toledo the MAC put pressure and an unreasonable time table on then to make a decision.