(05-11-2020 08:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-10-2020 06:09 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(05-10-2020 12:42 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  All of this talk of busing just to try and save 500k to a million and not any talk of the real damage the busing will do. If I was a coach from another conference who's not overly concerned in the 1/2 to million and still flying...

the number one point I would make when I sit down to talk with a recruit. Do you want to be sitting on a bus riding 4 to 6 hours each way? Not only that but while you are playing for my school...we have the whole country to schedule against. Those other schools are forced to play regional games. What's next? Sleeping on buses? Cut rate hotels? Sack lunches?

What each of our schools need to do is cut the fat from the AD

2019-20 Western
Director of Athletics 2,597,117
TOTAL ATHLETICS 22,849,877 (I'm fairly sure that does not include scholarship cost)

So 11.3% of the Western budget is being spent on the department of Director of Athletics
In 2014/15, 5 years ago Director of Athletics 1,978,309...increased $618,000

Western is spending another $724,000 on ticket office and Athletic Marketing both at about 50%. The ticket office is eating up 18% of tickets sold.

Come on there has to be 500k to 750k you can cut from items like above. I think more damage will be done by trying to turn the conference into a bus league. Than we end up saving

I don't care about forming a bus league, in fact I would like to see Marshall charter a flight to every away game over 3-4 hours away.

I do want to form a conference with teams our fans care about. We don't care about or associate with anyone from Texas. THAT is why I want to see a shakeup.

Exactly. Nobody with a bit of logic and a map would call the proposals to split a bus league. We don't need to travel across several timezones to play conference games though. It's as much about fan interest as it is travel savings.

If ODU can't handle the travel, then leave.

(05-11-2020 08:57 AM)Nugget49er Wrote:  I can help North Texas find a piece of land outside of Charlotte where you could build an athletics campus. Then you can join the East Division and join us when we split off.

Ha! UNT already has satellite campuses and a spinoff university. But, if you have some insider information about a real C-USA split, I'd love to see your source. From everything being reported, there will be no split or reorganization. Again, the only option for unhappy programs is to leave.

(05-11-2020 01:45 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 12:10 PM)MAN4UAB Wrote:  I don’t believe that the conference will split. Exit fees and loss of the NCAA auto bid are barriers that I doubt would be relinquished by the remaining members of CUSA. In addition, the start up costs for a new conference along with its expenses once it is up are additional financial barriers.

I can’t imagine CUSA splitting permanently....right now. But for the next season or two, it might be more attractive to eliminate the E/W conference games and try to let each school replace those with more local rivalries. (“Bus games”). Same goes for some non-conference games.
Easier said than done at this stage, I know. But I think we either do something pretty creative and bold o. By c.f. cnr we are going to be staring down the barrel of no games and no seasons in 2020-2021 and maybe beyond.

UTEP's ooc this season is very regional except for @Nevada. If conference cross over games were cancelled thar would save FIU the travel to El Paso and save UTEP the trip to Charlotte. This could be an interesting schedule.

(05-11-2020 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  How much is the exit fee nowadays? I imagine it can’t be too much given our media deal.

With a number of schools wanting to avoid the grueling trip to El Paso (an extra hour in the air for some) they should offer to pay UTEP handsomely to leave.

Wood wants to take his ball and go home? What the hell is going on at ODU? Ole Woody today says let’s just take off the entire year until vaccine? Well if we do that CUSA will be non existent which seems like he wants at this point...

(05-11-2020 02:08 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Wood wants to take his ball and go home? What the hell is going on at ODU? Ole Woody today says let’s just take off the entire year until vaccine? Well if we do that CUSA will be non existent which seems like he wants at this point...

Wow! Do you have a source for that comment?

(05-11-2020 01:58 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 01:45 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 12:10 PM)MAN4UAB Wrote:  I don’t believe that the conference will split. Exit fees and loss of the NCAA auto bid are barriers that I doubt would be relinquished by the remaining members of CUSA. In addition, the start up costs for a new conference along with its expenses once it is up are additional financial barriers.

I can’t imagine CUSA splitting permanently....right now. But for the next season or two, it might be more attractive to eliminate the E/W conference games and try to let each school replace those with more local rivalries. (“Bus games”). Same goes for some non-conference games.
Easier said than done at this stage, I know. But I think we either do something pretty creative and bold o. By c.f. cnr we are going to be staring down the barrel of no games and no seasons in 2020-2021 and maybe beyond.

UTEP's ooc this season is very regional except for @Nevada. If conference cross over games were cancelled thar would save FIU the travel to El Paso and save UTEP the trip to Charlotte. This could be an interesting schedule.

Maybe we can form a scheduling alliance with the SB for a year or two. Instead of crossover games there’s an agreement to substitute them with two games vs SB teams in our part of the country. For example instead of playing FIU and Charlotte we could play Texas St and Monroe. It sounds like a headache to a schedule though.

(05-11-2020 01:48 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 08:49 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-09-2020 09:10 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-09-2020 08:57 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(05-09-2020 11:37 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  No way. I believe there are other emerging factors that will have larger implications on the stability of G5 conferences. Any cheap gimmick movement designed to save a buck may only further weaken some programs' position within the FBS.

I my opinion smaller regional G5 conferences with few major markets will not be beneficial to its members. C-USA need to stand firm with our current line-up. Sure members have the right to tweak their OOC scheduling, if they feel the need to save money on travel. But that is voluntary. And, I don't mind if the conference works to create more regional conference play outside of football and basketball. But, we certainly don't need mandated scheduling alliances or a realignment.

Of course you don't support a realignment. You right now have multiple schools from your region and you get to associate with better programs from the East. It's a win win for you.

Both divisions have good, mediocre, and bad teams. The eastern programs benefit from getting to associate with the better programs in the west too. C-USA offers no special advantage to North Texas.

(05-10-2020 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  I want to keep playing UTEP. Are they close? No. Are they good? Not recently. But, they have been in C-USA longer than most, and bring strong fan support when they play at Apogee.

You seem to just be ignorant of the situation you're in.

Enlighten me. I loved to learn about this situation. From where I stand things look relatively good for North Texas.

Exactly my point, things do look good from NT's perspective.

I'm just pointing out the tone deafness of your statements and opinions. If you wanted to look at things from some other perspective then you'd realize that the conference doesn't offer such a nice environment for other schools. You want to keep calling us whiners, fine but don't act like the situation is the same for both of us.

(05-11-2020 01:50 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 08:56 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-10-2020 06:09 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  

(05-10-2020 12:42 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  All of this talk of busing just to try and save 500k to a million and not any talk of the real damage the busing will do. If I was a coach from another conference who's not overly concerned in the 1/2 to million and still flying...

the number one point I would make when I sit down to talk with a recruit. Do you want to be sitting on a bus riding 4 to 6 hours each way? Not only that but while you are playing for my school...we have the whole country to schedule against. Those other schools are forced to play regional games. What's next? Sleeping on buses? Cut rate hotels? Sack lunches?

What each of our schools need to do is cut the fat from the AD

2019-20 Western
Director of Athletics 2,597,117
TOTAL ATHLETICS 22,849,877 (I'm fairly sure that does not include scholarship cost)

So 11.3% of the Western budget is being spent on the department of Director of Athletics
In 2014/15, 5 years ago Director of Athletics 1,978,309...increased $618,000

Western is spending another $724,000 on ticket office and Athletic Marketing both at about 50%. The ticket office is eating up 18% of tickets sold.

Come on there has to be 500k to 750k you can cut from items like above. I think more damage will be done by trying to turn the conference into a bus league. Than we end up saving

I don't care about forming a bus league, in fact I would like to see Marshall charter a flight to every away game over 3-4 hours away.

I do want to form a conference with teams our fans care about. We don't care about or associate with anyone from Texas. THAT is why I want to see a shakeup.

Exactly. Nobody with a bit of logic and a map would call the proposals to split a bus league. We don't need to travel across several timezones to play conference games though. It's as much about fan interest as it is travel savings.

If ODU can't handle the travel, then leave.

It's not can't handle. It's just not worth it. But we're working on it.

Would independence work for ODU? I think if anyone in CUSA could be successful going Indy, it would be ODU.

(05-11-2020 02:56 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  Would independence work for ODU? I think if anyone in CUSA could be successful going Indy, it would be ODU.

If we got invited to the Big East like UCONN did sure, otherwise probably not.

Again, it's not just us. There's been a lot of AD's that made public statements advocating for regionalization. It just makes sense.

Maybe ODU football team can go into power circle of trust again and tell us what do to do moving forward..

With all do respect, I like all of our conference brethren. I think all biggest problem as a conference is not travel cost, it's stability. Part of stability is each program developing and investing in our programs. I think we need to give each other a reason to care about our conference opponents. The conference leadership does nothing to enhance our interest in the west. I spoke to a guy from the conference on championship week and said that the cross division scheduling is awful, and to just flip the home and away ever 2 years doesn't cycle through the opponents fast enough. He said its what the SEC does and it's easier to schedule this way. Well...last I check we ain't the SEC. Make our own path.

(05-11-2020 02:56 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  Would independence work for ODU? I think if anyone in CUSA could be successful going Indy, it would be ODU.

There are a lot of cons to going Indy, but ODU's location would help attract enough visitors, including local P5 teams, I think. Still, I'm not sure we have the pedigree/tradition to be successful - we need more fan support in the lean times. Ultimately, football has been on a downward trajectory since we joined CUSA.

It's an idea that has been tossed on the ODU board: A10 basketball/Indy football. I would personally be in support, but a ton of variables would have to work out. A CUSA/Sun Belt 'member swap' is much more likely to happen, and would help make a smaller league.

(05-11-2020 02:47 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 01:48 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 08:49 AM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-09-2020 09:10 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-09-2020 08:57 PM)herdfan129 Wrote:  Of course you don't support a realignment. You right now have multiple schools from your region and you get to associate with better programs from the East. It's a win win for you.

Both divisions have good, mediocre, and bad teams. The eastern programs benefit from getting to associate with the better programs in the west too. C-USA offers no special advantage to North Texas.

(05-10-2020 09:24 AM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  I want to keep playing UTEP. Are they close? No. Are they good? Not recently. But, they have been in C-USA longer than most, and bring strong fan support when they play at Apogee.

You seem to just be ignorant of the situation you're in.

Enlighten me. I loved to learn about this situation. From where I stand things look relatively good for North Texas.

Exactly my point, things do look good from NT's perspective.

I'm just pointing out the tone deafness of your statements and opinions. If you wanted to look at things from some other perspective then you'd realize that the conference doesn't offer such a nice environment for other schools. You want to keep calling us whiners, fine but don't act like the situation is the same for both of us.

My tone deafness? I was very interested in supporting every member of C-USA in hopes we could build a stronger conference. It was comments by you and a few other ODU fans that sought to diminish the western programs (mostly the Texas 4), that has changed my opinion of the situation. If I am cold to your plight it is merely a result of your continued tone deafness towards the western division. North Texas is in the same situation as the rest of C-USA. Maybe ODU just needs better leadership.

(05-11-2020 01:03 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 12:49 PM)JCMiner Wrote:  How much is the exit fee nowadays? I imagine it can’t be too much given our media deal.

It's based on all conference revenues not just media. If you gave your notice today it's be 2 times the amount of conference revenue the conference brings in for the next year divided by 14.

Given the huge drop in NCAA payments this year, due to the NCAA Tournament being cancelled, this would be the cheapest year to leave.

(05-11-2020 02:11 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 02:08 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Wood wants to take his ball and go home? What the hell is going on at ODU? Ole Woody today says let’s just take off the entire year until vaccine? Well if we do that CUSA will be non existent which seems like he wants at this point...

Wow! Do you have a source for that comment?

The article posted in the first message of this thread. The article the entire thread is about. 2nd to last paragraph. He lists it as an idea (his, not the committees). USM would leave in a heartbeat if we C-USA cancelled sorts for a year, and I doubt we'd pay a penny, since the conference would have reneged on the only thing they exist to provide their member schools.

(05-11-2020 04:12 PM)Luckyshot Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 02:11 PM)Side Show Joe Wrote:  

(05-11-2020 02:08 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  Wood wants to take his ball and go home? What the hell is going on at ODU? Ole Woody today says let’s just take off the entire year until vaccine? Well if we do that CUSA will be non existent which seems like he wants at this point...

Wow! Do you have a source for that comment?

The article posted in the first message of this thread. The article the entire thread is about. 2nd to last paragraph. He lists it as an idea (his, not the committees). USM would leave in a heartbeat if we C-USA cancelled sorts for a year, and I doubt we'd pay a penny, since the conference would have reneged on the only thing they exist to provide their member schools.

That article is two days old. I thought he reinforced those comments today.

I find it interesting that we even have a "futures committee". Baker says all of the AD's are meeting 3 days a week, discussing solutions for dealing with the current realities. Since half of the "futures committee" aren't even AD's, but lesser representatives, I wonder if the committee is just a side project meant to pacify Wood.

The realignment board came up with a scenario that adds the WAC back into FBS by bringing the Texas CUSA schools plus Texas St, NMSU, Montana (fcs), Idaho (fcs) and NDSU (fcs). I'm pretty sure it won't happen but it's an idea for when the Texas schools are kicked out.

(05-11-2020 04:34 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  The realignment board came up with a scenario that adds the WAC back into FBS by bringing the Texas CUSA schools plus Texas St, NMSU, Montana (fcs), Idaho (fcs) and NDSU (fcs). I'm pretty sure it won't happen but it's an idea for when the Texas schools are kicked out.

Since the conference offices are in Dallas, y'all can take Judy and everyone else there with you :)