Topic: Hoping we can somehow, someway be that 4th AAC team.

[THECHAMPISHERE]

This would be huge.

Memphis

SMU
ECU
South Florida
Temple
Tulane
Navy
Tulsa

Just about every single team above has a bigger budget, better history, and has has more success (been in top 25) in the last 5 years than anything in CUSA or the Sun Belt....these are all real schools folks.

Then you add

UTSA
UAB
FAU

All nice markets. These are all solid pick-ups. UTSA can be a winner, just as Memphis was, by going to the AAC. The TV package for the above schools will dwarf anything CUSA or the Sun Belt would have.

Then you add Marshall.

East
Marshall
ECU
FAU
Navy
South Florida
Temple

West
SMU
Tulane
Tulsa
UTSA
UAB
Memphis

The above would be a dream. And if Memphis leaves...we pick up another solid school and all is well. There is nothing in the Sun Belt and surely not CUSA after it gets raided again that comes close to this.

[marshall fanatic]

We would just need Navy and ECU to push our name to the other university.


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[MUsince96]

Colorado State, Air Force, and UAB are the reported three in the lead. With UTSA as the potential 4th.

Not sure the line up of CSU, AF, and UAB changes your opinion but those seem to be the main 3. Not UAB, FAU and UTSA.

[herdfan129]

No thanks. That conference does little to nothing for me to be honest. Definitely not worth a $10 million entry fee.

[svherd]

Who in the heck wants Temple? They suck, as does Philly. Nasty town.

[THECHAMPISHERE]

Who in the heck wants Temple? They suck, as does Philly. Nasty town.

Now that is just silly. The 5 years before Covid Temple had a better record than us, was in the top 25 twice, had two 10 win seasons, and went 7-1 in the AAC THREE times.

This is the problem. A lot of the teams you all don't think are attractive would win the Sun Belt just about every year.

No thanks. That conference does little to nothing for me to be honest. Definitely not worth a $10 million entry fee.

If that does nothing for you I can't imagine how atrocious you would think the Sun Belt is once you get past Appy State. CC was 5-7, 5-7, 3-9 prior to last year.

[forphase1]

Yes, if we can get into the AAC, that should be the first choice.  However, I just don't see it happening. In some ways they are pulling a CUSA and chasing markets.  UAB was DOA just a few years ago, UTSA has never been any good, CSU hasn't won more than 7 games since 2015 and has only been ranked once since 2004, not exactly cream of the crop.  AFA I get as having another academy is a huge plus and should help them retain Navy.  I know the AAC fans are trying to act like replacing Cincy, UCF and Houston with UAB, UTSA, CSU and AFA is not a big deal, but it's a HUGE drop in both performance and markets.  Now I'd still rather join that group than stay in CUSA or go to the Sun Belt as the money and exposure would be better.  But I just don't think it's in the cards for us.  Our only chance, I think, was if the western expansion failed and they decided to stay east or south-east.  But if they are getting AFA and CSU, I think that makes us just not an option for them.  Thus my support for the Sun Belt.  We should try for AAC, but I think it's very unlikely at this point.

[THECHAMPISHERE]

Yes, if we can get into the AAC, that should be the first choice.  However, I just don't see it happening. In some ways they are pulling a CUSA and chasing markets.  UAB was DOA just a few years ago, UTSA has never been any good, CSU hasn't won more than 7 games since 2015 and has only been ranked once since 2004, not exactly cream of the crop.  AFA I get as having another academy is a huge plus and should help them retain Navy.  I know the AAC fans are trying to act like replacing Cincy, UCF and Houston with UAB, UTSA, CSU and AFA is not a big deal, but it's a HUGE drop in both performance and markets.  Now I'd still rather join that group than stay in CUSA or go to the Sun Belt as the money and exposure would be better.  But I just don't think it's in the cards for us.  Our only chance, I think, was if the western expansion failed and they decided to stay east or south-east.  But if they are getting AFA and CSU, I think that makes us just not an option for them.  Thus my support for the Sun Belt.  We should try for AAC, but I think it's very unlikely at this point.

I agree with all of that. To me going to the AAC is like a 9...and the absolute best a school like Marshall could hope for during all of this. A depleted CUSA would be, without being overdramatic, pretty much a 0-2. A move to the sunbelt would be a 2-3. IMO there isn't a whole lot of difference between getting stuck in CUSA and moving to the SunBelt. Both are and will be bottom tier G5 leagues. Both are chalked full of schools nobody cares about.

[forphase1]

Interesting scale.  I'd say for me AAC would be an 8 or so, CUSA a 1.25, depending on what is left and who we bring up, and SBC a 2-4, depending on who comes with us.

[98HerdAlum]

I'd much rather rejoin the MAC than stay in the, even further watered down C-USA.  As for joining the Sunbelt, that's a step up from the MAC but, in my opinion, it's a short step.  Leaving the MAC for C-USA was not a well thought out decision and has probably cost Marshall tons of money throughout the years.  The visions of grandeur that our leadership had back in 2005 did not pan out like they expected and we are now paying the price for that.  My vote is joining the AAC if it is offered up and if not, begging the MAC to take us back.

[marshallmark]

I'd much rather rejoin the MAC than stay in the, even further watered down C-USA.  As for joining the Sunbelt, that's a step up from the MAC but, in my opinion, it's a short step.  Leaving the MAC for C-USA was not a well thought out decision and has probably cost Marshall tons of money throughout the years.  The visions of grandeur that our leadership had back in 2005 did not pan out like they expected and we are now paying the price for that.  My vote is joining the AAC if it is offered up and if not, begging the MAC to take us back.

I've seen people post things like this and its just flat not true.  Let me break it down - at the time Marshall was being courted by C-USA, the MAC was paying its member institutions $35,000 a year in media rights fees.  That's right... $35k.  C-USA was paying its members about $1.4 million each.  Marshall knew that travel costs would eat into that, but estimated that those travel costs would be somewhere between $400-600k, leaving between $800k and $1,000,000 in extra money for MU's athletic programs.  Not chump change, but certainly low enough that Marshall didn't just jump to change conferences because of the extra money.

Here's the kicker - at the time Marshall was contemplating moving, the NCAA had passed a rule that schools that didn't average $15k in attendance could not remain FBS.  There were 4-5 MAC schools that were looking at, in effect, relegation to 1-AA.  Kent, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan were all hovering or way below that threshold.  There was a very real fear the MAC was going to disintegrate because of this new rule, so that tipped the scales about whether MU would go or not.  Subsequently, the NCAA let schools count (in effect) neutral games as part of the attendance calculations so Akron (Army), Kent (Boston College), Bowling Green (Wisconsin) and Toledo (Ohio State) all "hosted" games at Cleveland Browns Stadium.  Miami hosted Kentucky in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincy for the same benefit.  Eventually, the NCAA did away with the 'rule' and now those schools still in large part draw flies to their home games (Akron drew <9000 for its home game vs. Bryant last Saturday).

Also keep in mind that C-USA today isn't nearly what C-USA was when MU agreed to join.  I can't say that the powers that be didn't anticipate that other members of C-USA would be leaving before MU's move was finalized, but when Marshall signed on the proverbial dotted line, C-USA still had Cincy, Louisville and South Florida as members, and DePaul and Marquette were still in the conference for basketball.

To say that Marshall didn't think a move through to its current conference is just silly.

[SuperAnjario]

I've seen people post things like this and its just flat not true.  Let me break it down - at the time Marshall was being courted by C-USA, the MAC was paying its member institutions $35,000 a year in media rights fees.  That's right... $35k.  C-USA was paying its members about $1.4 million each.  Marshall knew that travel costs would eat into that, but estimated that those travel costs would be somewhere between $400-600k, leaving between $800k and $1,000,000 in extra money for MU's athletic programs.  Not chump change, but certainly low enough that Marshall didn't just jump to change conferences because of the extra money.

Here's the kicker - at the time Marshall was contemplating moving, the NCAA had passed a rule that schools that didn't average $15k in attendance could not remain FBS.  There were 4-5 MAC schools that were looking at, in effect, relegation to 1-AA.  Kent, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan were all hovering or way below that threshold.  There was a very real fear the MAC was going to disintegrate because of this new rule, so that tipped the scales about whether MU would go or not.  Subsequently, the NCAA let schools count (in effect) neutral games as part of the attendance calculations so Akron (Army), Kent (Boston College), Bowling Green (Wisconsin) and Toledo (Ohio State) all "hosted" games at Cleveland Browns Stadium.  Miami hosted Kentucky in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincy for the same benefit.  Eventually, the NCAA did away with the 'rule' and now those schools still in large part draw flies to their home games (Akron drew <9000 for its home game vs. Bryant last Saturday).

Also keep in mind that C-USA today isn't nearly what C-USA was when MU agreed to join.  I can't say that the powers that be didn't anticipate that other members of C-USA would be leaving before MU's move was finalized, but when Marshall signed on the proverbial dotted line, C-USA still had Cincy, Louisville and South Florida as members, and DePaul and Marquette were still in the conference for basketball.

To say that Marshall didn't think a move through to its current conference is just silly.

Somewhat correct.  However, the CUSA we joined never had UC, Louisville, USF, DePaul, or Marquette.  We came in as a result of those teams departing. 

[marshallmark]

Somewhat correct.  However, the CUSA we joined never had UC, Louisville, USF, DePaul, or Marquette.  We came in as a result of those teams departing.

Don't forget that we were invited to join C-USA in 2001, but declined when the Horizon League pulled its invite for the rest of our teams. 

[herdfan129]

Now that is just silly. The 5 years before Covid Temple had a better record than us, was in the top 25 twice, had two 10 win seasons, and went 7-1 in the AAC THREE times.

This is the problem. A lot of the teams you all don't think are attractive would win the Sun Belt just about every year.

If that does nothing for you I can't imagine how atrocious you would think the Sun Belt is once you get past Appy State. CC was 5-7, 5-7, 3-9 prior to last year.

Memphis will be gone soon. Temple is TRASH man. They are exactly like UAB. Had a stretch of a few good seasons only one time in their entire history. I also expect them to leave and go to the A10 once Memphis and Wichita St leave.

That conference is not worth a $10 million entry fee imo.

[herdfan129]

I'd much rather rejoin the MAC than stay in the, even further watered down C-USA.  As for joining the Sunbelt, that's a step up from the MAC but, in my opinion, it's a short step.  Leaving the MAC for C-USA was not a well thought out decision and has probably cost Marshall tons of money throughout the years.  The visions of grandeur that our leadership had back in 2005 did not pan out like they expected and we are now paying the price for that.  My vote is joining the AAC if it is offered up and if not, begging the MAC to take us back.

I would be fine with the MAC if we had a sweet heart TV deal with them where we were not forced to play homes games on Tues/Weds. They could work the schedule out for us to play back to back road games on Tues/Weds if they wanted and I'd be fine with that.

Outside of that though....NO WAY.

[marshallmark]

I would be fine with the MAC if we had a sweet heart TV deal with them where we were not forced to play homes games on Tues/Weds. They could work the schedule out for us to play back to back road games on Tues/Weds if they wanted and I'd be fine with that.

Outside of that though....NO WAY.

The MAC will not let us back in.  There's a feeling, and rightfully so, that Marshall is always looking to go to a better conference and they're not going to be burned twice.  I've heard that 2nd hand from MAC school reps.

[herdfan129]

The MAC will not let us back in.  There's a feeling, and rightfully so, that Marshall is always looking to go to a better conference and they're not going to be burned twice.  I've heard that 2nd hand from MAC school reps.

Fine by me as I wouldn't want to join unless we got the special treatment anyways.

[herd2win]

Not a doomsday person but I really don?t like our options.  I wish there was some true leadership and forge ahead with a 9 to 10 team regional conference.

Everything I read states UAB is gone.  There may be others but right now that is a given.   If some of the rumors are true about USM going to the Sunbelt that is a loss.  My guess is the AAC will lose Memphis for sure and possibly USF.

[svherd]

Now that is just silly. The 5 years before Covid Temple had a better record than us, was in the top 25 twice, had two 10 win seasons, and went 7-1 in the AAC THREE times.

This is the problem. A lot of the teams you all don't think are attractive would win the Sun Belt just about every year.

If that does nothing for you I can't imagine how atrocious you would think the Sun Belt is once you get past Appy State. CC was 5-7, 5-7, 3-9 prior to last year.

They currently suck. Its a what have you done for me lately world.

[herdfan129]

Not a doomsday person but I really don?t like our options.  I wish there was some true leadership and forge ahead with a 9 to 10 team regional conference.

Everything I read states UAB is gone.  There may be others but right now that is a given.   If some of the rumors are true about USM going to the Sunbelt that is a loss.  My guess is the AAC will lose Memphis for sure and possibly USF.

Marshall and App are the two schools who can force an eastern based conference if we really want to.

[Herdmeister]

I've seen people post things like this and its just flat not true.  Let me break it down - at the time Marshall was being courted by C-USA, the MAC was paying its member institutions $35,000 a year in media rights fees.  That's right... $35k.  C-USA was paying its members about $1.4 million each.  Marshall knew that travel costs would eat into that, but estimated that those travel costs would be somewhere between $400-600k, leaving between $800k and $1,000,000 in extra money for MU's athletic programs.  Not chump change, but certainly low enough that Marshall didn't just jump to change conferences because of the extra money.

Here's the kicker - at the time Marshall was contemplating moving, the NCAA had passed a rule that schools that didn't average $15k in attendance could not remain FBS.  There were 4-5 MAC schools that were looking at, in effect, relegation to 1-AA.  Kent, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan were all hovering or way below that threshold.  There was a very real fear the MAC was going to disintegrate because of this new rule, so that tipped the scales about whether MU would go or not.  Subsequently, the NCAA let schools count (in effect) neutral games as part of the attendance calculations so Akron (Army), Kent (Boston College), Bowling Green (Wisconsin) and Toledo (Ohio State) all "hosted" games at Cleveland Browns Stadium.  Miami hosted Kentucky in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincy for the same benefit.  Eventually, the NCAA did away with the 'rule' and now those schools still in large part draw flies to their home games (Akron drew <9000 for its home game vs. Bryant last Saturday).

Also keep in mind that C-USA today isn't nearly what C-USA was when MU agreed to join.  I can't say that the powers that be didn't anticipate that other members of C-USA would be leaving before MU's move was finalized, but when Marshall signed on the proverbial dotted line, C-USA still had Cincy, Louisville and South Florida as members, and DePaul and Marquette were still in the conference for basketball.

To say that Marshall didn't think a move through to its current conference is just silly.

You nailed it

[IM4DHERD]

Don't forget that we were invited to join C-USA in 2001, but declined when the Horizon League pulled its invite for the rest of our teams.

DShoe told me over a beer after a BG event that he was at Pres. Dan Angel's house with Pruett when the Commish of the MAC called and threatened to sue if MU left the MAC.  Angel flinched and it was all over.