Topic: ECU - Fit for SBC?

[IM4DHERD]

So ECU left CUSA for the AAC in 2014, logically a move we were then jealous of.  Now they are basically back in CUSA-3 and the SBC has recently been ranked the #1 Group of 5 conference for football.  ECU has traditionally been very strong in baseball and the SBC is ridiculously strong there as well.  I'd love to see ECU move to the SBC with some solid Western division school as well to get to 15

[herd2win]

Agree.  I like playimg ECU as their fans care.

[MUther]

There is a $5M paygap between OG AAC teams and SBC teams.  Not happening for a long time.

[luvherd]

Just live LIV these financial structures for leagues can change. You would have to know the details in the definitive agreement. May have a clause about if TV ratings drop below a certain metric payouts revenue sharing could change. Lawyers tend to protect their client for potential risks.

[HerdEcon]

ECU would be a solid addition.  It is not going to happen anytime soon and right now is a unlikely.

Since the SunBelt already has a school in NC and the ODU market that reaches into NC, a school from another untapped media market may make better financial sense, increase exposure, and would allow the SunBelt to maintain a regional focal point.  ECU may have a solid football team or athletic department but they are not anything special.  If the SunBelt could add some other regional team that opens a new market area it may be better for the conference and its members collectively. 

For scheduling purposes the SunBelt would want to add at least 2 teams.  East and West.

[W0lfman]

Would love to have ECU in conference. Hell a lot of their fans believe it's a better fit as well.

[gochneaur645]

Since the SunBelt already has a school in NC and the ODU market that reaches into NC, a school from another untapped media market may make better financial sense, increase exposure, and would allow the SunBelt to maintain a regional focal point.

I don't think you could afford to worry about market saturation if you ever have a chance to add a program as good as ECU.

[ironcheftvdinner]

ECU would be a solid addition.  It is not going to happen anytime soon and right now is a unlikely.

Since the SunBelt already has a school in NC and the ODU market that reaches into NC, a school from another untapped media market may make better financial sense, increase exposure, and would allow the SunBelt to maintain a regional focal point.  ECU may have a solid football team or athletic department but they are not anything special.  If the SunBelt could add some other regional team that opens a new market area it may be better for the conference and its members collectively. 

For scheduling purposes the SunBelt would want to add at least 2 teams.  East and West.

The only people who care about ODU in that market of NC are ODU alumni. That market is dominated by the likes of Duke, UNC, NCSU, Wake Forest and the many other NC schools in the area.

EasyU, aka the best six or seven years of your life, is also in a different market than Appy. Plus it's four plus hours between the two schools.

EasyU has a very solid following all over the state and carries a chip on its shoulder due to the likes of UNC trying to keep them under their thumb. UNC blocked EasyU from adding a medical school for what seemed like decades. They are looking for every chance they can get to improve and show the bigger brother in the state system they are for real.

[bbcard1]

I don't care whether it's CUSA, SBC, AAC or whatever...Marshall and ECU are tied by fate and should be in the same conference.

[GreenDaddy]

I think ECU will eventually move over to the SBC. It'll probably take place around the next round of media deals in the early 2030's. That's when the AAC's deal will start to sink a little. They won't be able to keep those legacy members at $7 million forever.

[miltonherdfan]

I've had my fill of picking conference mates by how big their hometown is. It doesn't matter if nobody there watches or cares. I'll take quality programs every time.

[coalherd]

The only people who care about ODU in that market of NC are ODU alumni. That market is dominated by the likes of Duke, UNC, NCSU, Wake Forest and the many other NC schools in the area.

EasyU, aka the best six or seven years of your life, is also in a different market than Appy. Plus it's four plus hours between the two schools.

EasyU has a very solid following all over the state and carries a chip on its shoulder due to the likes of UNC trying to keep them under their thumb. UNC blocked EasyU from adding a medical school for what seemed like decades. They are looking for every chance they can get to improve and show the bigger brother in the state system they are for real.

Gee that last paragraph sounds awfully familiar.  Sort of reminds me of a lot of NEER A-Holes up in Morganhole and in and around Charleston and how they've acted and schemed against Marshall over the  last 5 or 6 decades or so!!!

[Flat Tire 2]

I don't care whether it's CUSA, SBC, AAC or whatever...Marshall and ECU are tied by fate and should be in the same conference.

I always thought it was interesting that ECU and MU didn't play each other regularly until we ended up in the same conference (CUSA) in 2005. We played a four game series (3 of the games at ECU and one at MU) at the time of the plane crash. We didn't play again until 1978 and that game was at ECU. We didn't play again till the bowl game in Mobile 2001. That is a long stretch of time between games and the majority of the games 4 out of 5 were played at ECU. When MU joined the Southern Conference, ECU left the SC. During the period of time before we joined CUSA; ECU played  wvu 17 times and only played MU 6 times.

 I always wondered if ECU not playing MU had something to do with ECU's desire to build a relationship with wvu?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Carolina%E2%80%93Marshall_football_rivalry

https://wvusports.com/sports/football/opponent-history/east-carolina-university/3

[Tim Hensley]

I'd love to see ECU come to the Sun Belt!  That would really complete the league.

[IM4DHERD]

ECU has always strived to put themselves in the best position they could, all the way back to when Hamrick pushed for their facilities upgrades as he did for us.  If and when the $$$ becomes somewhat equal to the AAC, which I am sure it will, the geographical aspect and, for them, the baseball level of the SBC will lure them to us.  Would like to see UAB move with them into the West Division for many of the same reasons.

[chris88]

Geographically a great fit. Would need a western team for balance. Outside BB they have very solid athletic dept.  FB would be in top third of SB schools.

BTW, SMiss hosts game 3 winner take all vs Tenn. today (Mon) in super regional to determine who goes to College World Series. Other SB schools all eliminated.

[herdfan429]

Ecu isn?t leaving the aac