Topic: CUSA Statement on SBC

[BerkshireHerdFan]

?Conference USA acknowledges reports of three of our members prematurely departing. We fully expect everyone to follow our bylaws and honor their contractual obligations through the 2022-23 academic year. All fourteen members will continue to be eligible for conference championships and the postseason opportunities Conference USA provides.?

https://conferenceusa.com/news/2022/1/20/general-conference-usa-statement.aspx

[puma]

I really hope that's not the case. C-USA leadership has had their head in the sand during the whole process, hopefully it's just CYA talk and general cluelessness.

[GreenDaddy]

We gone.

[herdfan129]

LOL....they only said that because they know we are gone. CUSA leadership is PATHETIC.

[MUther]

We're supposed to vote and announce on the 26th, right?  I think that is the deadline for releasing the schedule to ESPN in the Sunbelt, too.  So they probably have that made up, either way.  But they wouldn't go through the trouble if they weren't near 100% sure we were joining in '22.  We have to do it together, though.  Can't be any wishywashy holdouts.  Just go and let CUSA decide if it's worth the effort.  I think once they realize they get the same pie split less ways they'll see the light.

[GreenDaddy]

UTA will be accepted into the WAC before the vote takes place on the 26th. That means both UTA and Little Rock will not be members in 2022. That clears the way for a 14 all sport conference beginning next year. I think us moving there for 2022 has been done for a few weeks now. This message from CUSA feels like another forced response from Judy and crew to try and save face.

Kudos to Keith Gill and the Sun Belt for the way all this was handled. They saw a chance to better the conference through realignment and took it. I am sure it was not easy for them to basically tell the 2 basketball schools to move on, but that is what serious leadership looks like. They make the hard decisions for the betterment of the overall league. This is something Judy and CUSA could have never pulled off in 100 years. The common goal of the Sun Belt members gives me hope for Marshalls future.

[wasbarryb]

So Judy wants to be tough guy huh?

I'm scared, really really scared. Ha.

Too little, too late.

[MUther]

LOL....they only said that because they know we are gone. CUSA leadership is PATHETIC.

CUSA motto should be "Always reactive, never proactive."

I love that they spent our money on a consultant to end up right where they would have been without doing that.  The guy told her to offer alliances, lol.  After we all knew we were leaving, lol.  It's like when your kid brother wants to tag along with you and your friends only there's no mom to make you let him.

[HoPPy785]

CUSA motto should be "Always reactive, never proactive."

I love that they spent our money on a consultant to end up right where they would have been without doing that.  The guy told her to offer alliances, lol.  After we all knew we were leaving, lol.  It's like when your kid brother wants to tag along with you and your friends only there's no mom to make you let him.

I bet they paid him triple figures to basically skim a message board for 10 minutes to get his wonderful plan. Judy should have been fired over that in my opinion. Shows complete incompetence.

[coalherd]

So Judy wants to be tough guy huh?

I'm scared, really really scared. Ha.

Too little, too late.

Yeah, she allegedly threw down the gauntlet!  Supposedly told MU AD O'Malley and other departing CUSA ADs that she would see to it personally that they would receive LIFETIME BANS to the Cowboys Frisco Practice Facility!!!  Now that's "MEAN"!!  ;D

[pembrook burrows III]

The statement was probably a good move for CUSA from a potential litigation standpoint. Not saying CUSA will necessarily go there. The nuclear option would be to seek an injunction, but that is a high standard to meet (irreparable harm). Hope the parties work it all out.

[miltonherdfan]

CUSA is extremely fortunate the AAC teams don't want out as badly as the SBC teams do.  if they bolted this yr as well, CUSA would be left with, what, 5 teams for next season?  :o

[Mako]

Marshall should start an "exit fee fund."  I'll contribute.   :)

[GreenDaddy]

I think CUSA is screwed. Who is going to give them a media deal? WKU and MTSU should have taken that MAC invite and rejoiced.

[pdunn]

The statement was probably a good move for CUSA from a potential litigation standpoint. Not saying CUSA will necessarily go there. The nuclear option would be to seek an injunction, but that is a high standard to meet (irreparable harm). Hope the parties work it all out.

Nothing says "success" like having to go to court to make member institutions associate with you.

[miltonherdfan]

I think CUSA is screwed. Who is going to give them a media deal? WKU and MTSU should have taken that MAC invite and rejoiced.

i was trying to think about how bad it might be for them . . . but does it get any worse than stadium & FB?

[MUonium]

i don't know but if UTA and ALR leaving now is true it could be the proof that we all join this year.  i think cusa will get their $, maybe not all at once, but eventually.  i do wonder where MU's buyout will come from- ESPN/SBC TV deal, private donors, borrow, rob peter to pay paul?

once all the dust settles after this round of "affiliation fiasco", i think the G5 pecking order will basically stay the same at least for a couple of years or so.  to see the SBC at the top or in the top two sooner than later would be a dream come true.

[GreenDaddy]

i don't know but if UTA and ALR leaving now is true it could be the proof that we all join this year.  i think cusa will get their $, maybe not all at once, but eventually.  i do wonder where MU's buyout will come from- ESPN/SBC TV deal, private donors, borrow, rob peter to pay paul?

once all the dust settles after this round of "affiliation fiasco", i think the G5 pecking order will basically stay the same at least for a couple of years or so.  to see the SBC at the top or in the top two sooner than later would be a dream come true.

ALR has already accepted a conference invitation and have notified the SBC they are leaving July 1, 2022. UTA should make an official announcement about joining the WAC within the hour, and they to will be leaving July 1, 2022.

As far as the exit fees, I have always been told we just forfeit our revenue so there is not check that we have to hand over to leave. Furthermore, if we become (we will) members of the Sun Belt in 2022 we get a full revenue share there, so that will help offset the cost. I think anyway you slice it we are going to lose a little money short term, but it will be well worth the long term gain.

[pembrook burrows III]

Nothing says "success" like having to go to court to make member institutions associate with you.

Believe me, it's all about the benjamins.

[GreenDaddy]

https://twitter.com/brianthornton2/status/1484628372160454664?s=21

[gochneaur645]

CUSA is extremely fortunate the AAC teams don't want out as badly as the SBC teams do.  if they bolted this yr as well, CUSA would be left with, what, 5 teams for next season?  :o

The soon to be AAC members probably want out just as badly, but they can't go make a 17 team conference and will have to wait til Cincy/UCF/Houston are gone.

[muherd]

For anyone who isn?t local or missed the report on WSAZ, Keith reported on the statement from CUSA however he mentioned it was from the conference and not Marshall also he through in a
Tidbit it may not even matter.

[wasbarryb]

Wanting us to stick around for another year huh?

As long as we've been in that conference, this is the first and most love I've felt from them the entire time we've been there.

Bye bye losers

[luvherd]

Virtually any contract has exit options - be it stated or law. It is just a matter of money.