Topic: Now is the time for C-USA to make a bold statement about stepping up budgets

[whf]

I know I'm an outlier, but it feels like a great move for C-USA would be to get commitment from its current members, announce a big push to increase athletic budgets and fan marketing, and add Appy State and Louisiana from the SBC.  It would be worth paying those two their income loss from the current ESPN contract and bet on C-USA being the #2 G5 conference within 5 years. This includes my forecast that Memphis and perhaps Temple will be the next move of Big 12 to 14 teams in 2025.

A C-USA with adding Louisiana to the west and Appy State to the east would be dinomite IMHO.

We should be adding by adding, not risking adding by subtracting two good programs in UAB and someone from Texas (either UTSA, Rice, probably not UNT because I don't thing SMU would ever allow that).

[Toro Toro Taxi]

 CUSA has no plans to add anyone or plans for anything.

[GreenDaddy]

I know I'm an outlier, but it feels like a great move for C-USA would be to get commitment from its current members, announce a big push to increase athletic budgets and fan marketing, and add Appy State and Louisiana from the SBC.  It would be worth paying those two their income loss from the current ESPN contract and bet on C-USA being the #2 G5 conference within 5 years. This includes my forecast that Memphis and perhaps Temple will be the next move of Big 12 to 14 teams in 2025.

A C-USA with adding Louisiana to the west and Appy State to the east would be dinomite IMHO.

We should be adding by adding, not risking adding by subtracting two good programs in UAB and someone from Texas (either UTSA, Rice, probably not UNT because I don't thing SMU would ever allow that).

That is a great plan to add Appalachian State and Louisiana, but unfortunately it is not going to happen. Despite how you or I feel, the Sun Belt conference schools feel like they are in the better league. Honestly it is hard to argue against that point when they are getting ready to TRIPLE the amount of money we make in CUSA via their media deal.

Marshall in CUSA is done, it is over. Appalachian State wants us with them and we will go the minute the SBC offers. And if ESPN says it is okay, I look for JMU, Charlotte, and Southern Miss to go as well.

 I understand your point though. But go over the SBC board and pose this question, you will see what o mean. CUSA is not desirable from those on the outside looking in. That has even been confirmed by national sports writers recently.

[herd2win]

Planning and CUSA in the same sentence will never be heard as long as Judy is the commissioner unless she talks about planning the ending of the conference.

[herdfan129]

That is a great plan to add Appalachian State and Louisiana, but unfortunately it is not going to happen. Despite how you or I feel, the Sun Belt conference schools feel like they are in the better league. Honestly it is hard to argue against that point when they are getting ready to TRIPLE the amount of money we make in CUSA via their media deal.

Marshall in CUSA is done, it is over. Appalachian State wants us with them and we will go the minute the SBC offers. And if ESPN says it is okay, I look for JMU, Charlotte, and Southern Miss to go as well.

 I understand your point though. But go over the SBC board and pose this question, you will see what o mean. CUSA is not desirable from those on the outside looking in. That has even been confirmed by national sports writers recently.

According to 990s, CUSA teams are still getting significantly more money.

Assuming we can't get any of the SBC teams to join, I think we should target JMU and Liberty. Outside of that, we should only focus on good basketball programs.

I wish CUSA would actually make a push to improve basketball across the board and put a plan in place to consistently be a multi bid league. We are very close to that, and doing so would add more money to our budgets and more exposure than anything else we could realistically do.

[HoPPy785]

I like the enthusiasm but why would anyone from Sun Belt commit to spending more money to make less money and get on Facebook instead of ESPN. Sorry guys but CUSA is a dead man walking.

[puma]

I get the impression that Sun Belt schools don't hate their conference like C-USA members do.

[whf]

I like the enthusiasm but why would anyone from Sun Belt commit to spending more money to make less money and get on Facebook instead of ESPN. Sorry guys but CUSA is a dead man walking.

The composite league members make up the negotiating power, adding the two top teams from SBC would change our value proposition extremely positively.  Plus, in order to make this happen, as I said, would take a public push that creates recognition, interest and league growth.  The foundation of C-USA isn't bad, the execution sucks today. That does not mean it must be that way. 

[HoPPy785]

The composite league members make up the negotiating power, adding the two top teams from SBC would change our value proposition extremely positively.  Plus, in order to make this happen, as I said, would take a public push that creates recognition, interest and league growth.  The foundation of C-USA isn't bad, the execution sucks today. That does not mean it must be that way.

If CUSA had a plan we would have heard something, anything. They don't and won't. Everyone wants off this POS ride and next stop is Sun Belt.

Ever worked somewhere and said to yourself, even if they fix the issues I'd still leave this place? Even if they paid me more, I'm still leaving this place. That's CUSA.

[miltonherdfan]

CUSA has no plans to add anyone or plans for anything.

Nope. They?re just cashing paychecks at the conference office.

[coalherd]

CUSA has no plans to add anyone or plans for anything.

Oh, contraire!  I'm sure plans are currently in the works for a major "bump" up in the salaries of Commish Judy and her key staff along with a major upgrade and renovation of her office facilities down there in Frisco in a show of appreciation for a job "Well Done"!

[pdunn]

I think Marshall should make a "bolt statement" and "bolt" for another conference.

[MUther]

I think Marshall should make a "bolt statement" and "bolt" for another conference.

A Thunderbolt?

[whf]

I think Marshall should make a "bolt statement" and "bolt" for another conference.

That's good, I saw it when I reread my post.

[2xBison]

I get the impression that Sun Belt schools don't hate their conference like C-USA members do.

they are all fresh out of FCS and just happy to be here.

they should hate their league about like the cusa members hate theirs.

[MUsince96]

they are all fresh out of FCS and just happy to be here.

they should hate their league about like the cusa members hate theirs.

Why?

[herdorbust]

they are all fresh out of FCS and just happy to be here.

they should hate their league about like the cusa members hate theirs.

I?m still at a loss why so much love for the belt. I get Appy st being our only rival. But other than that, I don?t get the love. CC is a 2 year fad that could fall back down to earth at any minute. Other than that a bunch of no names. Now we may have to go there and I get it, but the way the conferences stand at the Moment I would take the names in CUSA anyday when you look at football and basketball.

[2xBison]

Why?

small time league that still spans a long distance to include LA and TX. 

[MUther]

I?m still at a loss why so much love for the belt. I get Appy st being our only rival. But other than that, I don?t get the love. CC is a 2 year fad that could fall back down to earth at any minute. Other than that a bunch of no names. Now we may have to go there and I get it, but the way the conferences stand at the Moment I would take the names in CUSA anyday when you look at football and basketball.

As I stated before, your ignorance of Sunbelt schools does not make them no-names.  It just makes you ignorant.  And the CC 2 year fad has been ranked more consecutive weeks than anyone has in CUSA 3.0.  Maybe that ends, maybe it doesn't, but a lot of people look at the top 25 and they've been seeing Coastal and Sunbelt there for 2 years now.  It's all about perception and they have it and we don't.  Not in football.  The only CUSA team being talked about at all is UAB and that is because they are the best candidate to leave CUSA. 

[Herdmeister]

Oh, contraire!  I'm sure plans are currently in the works for a major "bump" up in the salaries of Commish Judy and her key staff along with a major upgrade and renovation of her office facilities down there in Frisco in a show of appreciation for a job "Well Done"!

I'm not sure why so many think the league office is in Frisco. The office is on Olympus Blvd in Dallas.  The basketball championships are in Frisco. Nothing more

[MUsince96]

small time league that still spans a long distance to include LA and TX.

What makes them small time?

[svherd]

I'm not sure why so many think the league office is in Frisco. The office is on Olympus Blvd in Dallas.  The basketball championships are in Frisco. Nothing more

The fact that its held in a football practice facility is all we need to know about this league. Add to that, no one else wanted to host it, speaks volumes about how poorly our league it thought of.

To another topic - No Belt team would want to come to CUSA, a league that pays less in media money and has a worse reputation in football. I am hoping Marshall can go to the Belt with USM, ODU and maybe WKU or ODU. jmho

[puma]

As I stated before, your ignorance of Sunbelt schools does not make them no-names.  It just makes you ignorant.  And the CC 2 year fad has been ranked more consecutive weeks than anyone has in CUSA 3.0.  Maybe that ends, maybe it doesn't, but a lot of people look at the top 25 and they've been seeing Coastal and Sunbelt there for 2 years now.  It's all about perception and they have it and we don't.  Not in football.  The only CUSA team being talked about at all is UAB and that is because they are the best candidate to leave CUSA.

That burns but it is so true. Some people also think Lane Kiffin is still at FAU, so we do have that too. I'm not sure why people continuously sh*t on the Sun Belt when C-USA hasn't done much of anything since Cato and Doughty played. The trajectories of both conferences are the complete opposites.

Basketball is a lot different but I'm not convinced the outside world really sees much of a difference between both conferences.

[herdorbust]

As I stated before, your ignorance of Sunbelt schools does not make them no-names.  It just makes you ignorant.  And the CC 2 year fad has been ranked more consecutive weeks than anyone has in CUSA 3.0.  Maybe that ends, maybe it doesn't, but a lot of people look at the top 25 and they've been seeing Coastal and Sunbelt there for 2 years now.  It's all about perception and they have it and we don't.  Not in football.  The only CUSA team being talked about at all is UAB and that is because they are the best candidate to leave CUSA.

I bow to you. But imo you are the ignorant one.

[GreenDaddy]

I would be open to staying in CUSA if the following happens:

-The Texas teams leave.
-Judy gets fired and replaced with someone that can lead and negotiate.
-CUSA totally reworks the media deal to send the most popular picks straight to CBSSN (not Facebook) and the guarantee the CCG gets sent to CBS on a Saturday.
-CBS agrees to bump the payout to 1 million a year to match the future Sun Belt payout.
-CUSA adds JMU and Liberty instead of letting them go to the Sun Belt.

That is a lot of IF?s. Or Marshall could move over to the Sun Belt with JMU and and it would solve a few of those issues fairly easily.

The guys on here arguing against basketball have a fair point, and I agree the SBC is a weaker conference in that regard. Basketball does not drive the boat though, and CUSA 3.0 will never be a 2 bid league most years. If it could have, it would have by now. So the thoughts that it will become the CUSA of old, A10, or Big East just is not going to happen. Once UAB leaves it deal another blow to that notion.