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Post by brandon on Nov 3, 2021 11:06:04 GMT -6
phone call was that we have been talking to both CUSA and the ASUN, and the ASUN have been talking to CUSA. Partnership? Who knows.
I do know what the new AD has in mind for UNA and going in full boar seems to be his M.O.
FBS is the end goal for UNA, remember when we announced we wanted to go D1, we talked to the OVC, SoCon and the Sun Belt. I asked the question back then why are we talking to the Sun Belt when we have to be FCS for a while and the answer I got was, "So we will know what we have to do to go FBS."
I've also saw a picture of a document that was printed out with goals for the next 10 years, (this was in 2018) and it plainly stated that the goal was to be in position for an invitation to the AAC. I know thats a high goal, but of you want the moon, you shoot for the stars, right?
On that document also had statistics and numbers to support UNA in moving.
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Post by lion1979 on Nov 3, 2021 12:36:15 GMT -6
Would an FBS conference be willing to take a team playing in Braly? Better get that stadium built..
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Post by unalions on Nov 3, 2021 12:41:25 GMT -6
Would an FBS conference be willing to take a team playing in Braly? Better get that stadium built.. Not without millions being spent for an overhaul. You might be able to put lipstick on the pig for several million if you had to have something fast.
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Post by unafied on Nov 3, 2021 15:26:04 GMT -6
The stadium plan would likely need to change to being a minimum of 20,000 seats, I’d think.
My guess is, if C-USA adds New Mexico State, Liberty, Jacksonville State, and Sam Houston, they’ll likely be at 7 members. They’ll need at least one more school, which will probably be another FCS. They would be better off being at 10 or 12, with 14 being an outside possibility. So not including what’s already been announced, there may eventually be 7 openings. Are we one of the 7 most attractive schools? We DO have geography in our favor, since I don’t see an NDSU or SDSU joining. Our competition would likely be limited to schools in Texas, the southeast, and maybe the Midwest.
I still think it’s a long shot, because we don’t currently have a stadium, and our budget is far from being FBS ready. I’d also worry that Flowers wouldn’t be good enough for this conference. It might be time to check back with the folks at the ag center to see if we could arrange something with the arena there.
I’m excited to see what Looney does as AD. If he pulls this off and gets us an invitation, he’ll be worth whatever we can pay him.
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Post by unalions on Nov 3, 2021 16:50:34 GMT -6
The stadium plan would likely need to change to being a minimum of 20,000 seats, I’d think. My guess is, if C-USA adds New Mexico State, Liberty, Jacksonville State, and Sam Houston, they’ll likely be at 7 members. They’ll need at least one more school, which will probably be another FCS. They would be better off being at 10 or 12, with 14 being an outside possibility. So not including what’s already been announced, there may eventually be 7 openings. Are we one of the 7 most attractive schools? We DO have geography in our favor, since I don’t see an NDSU or SDSU joining. Our competition would likely be limited to schools in Texas, the southeast, and maybe the Midwest. I still think it’s a long shot, because we don’t currently have a stadium, and our budget is far from being FBS ready. I’d also worry that Flowers wouldn’t be good enough for this conference. It might be time to check back with the folks at the ag center to see if we could arrange something with the arena there. I’m excited to see what Looney does as AD. If he pulls this off and gets us an invitation, he’ll be worth whatever we can pay him. Same issues I read in this article: A move to FBS for Sam Houston at this point is a reach for the program, with major hurdles to jump over. The first hurdle, money. The five remaining programs left in Conference USA averaged a $31.5 million budget, while Sam Houston’s is still under $20 million. The lowest budget in Conference USA is Louisiana Tech, which runs at a budget of $23 million — still $5 million more than Sam Houston’s. Over the last month, Sam Houston had a student body vote to increase the athletic fee by $3 per credit hour and it was voted down. The increase would have seen an estimated $1.8 million revenue increase by the students towards athletics, which could have potentially been enough to make the move, as approximately 72% of the funding comes from student fees and university funding. The second hurdle, Elliot T. Bowers Stadium. Bowers stadium was opened in 1986 and has since had little face-work. The FBS minimum requirement for attendance is 15,000 over a rolling two-year period, Sam Houston averages about 8,000, or so, on a good day. The maximum attendance at Bowers is 14,000 attendees, so stadium renovations would be expected with a move to FBS. www.itemonline.com/sports/sam-houstons-speculated-move-to-conference-usa-brings-questions-concerns/article_7ddcf974-3c0d-11ec-8daf-bb95ebb6ade0.html
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Post by northalaspectator on Nov 3, 2021 18:42:23 GMT -6
I’m hearing that Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State negotiations with the MAC has came to halt. Because the MAC is insisting on a 25 Year GOR agreement.
Question:
If Middle Tennessee State remain in the CUSA, would they block UT-Chattanooga, North Alabama, Austin Peay from becoming members?
Agree to let the FCS schools end under the current circumstances.
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Post by unafied on Nov 4, 2021 6:27:40 GMT -6
I’m hearing that Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State negotiations with the MAC has came to halt. Because the MAC is insisting on a 25 Year GOR agreement. Question: If Middle Tennessee State remain in the CUSA, would they block UT-Chattanooga, North Alabama, Austin Peay from becoming members? Agree to let the FCS schools end under the current circumstances. My guess is they're also hesitant to join a conference that is centered on Ohio. Both schools, but especially MTSU, would probably rather stay in a conference that plays in the southeast for recruiting purposes. The MAC was seen as a lifeline in case C-USA completely dissolved. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they back out and stay in C-USA. If that happens, I'd say Eastern Kentucky and UTC will be blocked from joining. They would have 9 (assuming NMSU/Liberty/JSU/Sam Houston do join). They could probably invite someone like Missouri State and call it a day.
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Post by ekusteve on Nov 4, 2021 10:36:21 GMT -6
I’m hearing that Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State negotiations with the MAC has came to halt. Because the MAC is insisting on a 25 Year GOR agreement. Question: If Middle Tennessee State remain in the CUSA, would they block UT-Chattanooga, North Alabama, Austin Peay from becoming members? Agree to let the FCS schools end under the current circumstances. The Marshall poster that put it out from his sources was wrong. 15 yrs is apparently the number, which would go to the end of the updated MAC TV deal with the mouse.
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Post by unafan on Nov 5, 2021 12:25:03 GMT -6
C-USA to formally announce Jax State, Liberty, New Mexico State and Sam Houston this afternoon.
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Post by unalions on Nov 5, 2021 13:01:52 GMT -6
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Post by roaringsince96 on Nov 5, 2021 13:07:21 GMT -6
Wow. Guess we just missed the cut. I hate Jax State will have the advantage again on us. How do we recruit against FBS? Wonder what the plan is for the ASUN to replace Jax State? Come on UTC.
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Post by unaman on Nov 5, 2021 13:26:18 GMT -6
Sad day for UNA again and bad day for the ASUN. Jax state would have provided rivals and good travel partners for all parties in ASUN. At least this gives ASUN a year and half to get 3 more schools. Samford should be one IMO, UTC, and another Louisiana school.
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Post by northalaspectator on Nov 5, 2021 14:59:03 GMT -6
There is talk mention that WAC May lose their status as an grandfather former FBS Conference. If that’s the case then The current ASUN members have slim chance of moving up.
As of right now no one knows what this upcoming changes will be until after the recommendation is made and voted on.
On Sam Houston’s press conference, president Alisa White says the WAC’s hopes to become an FBS conference may not happen because of a coming solidification of FBS with NCAA governance changes, so Sam Houston had to make this C-USA move now.
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Post by unalions on Nov 5, 2021 15:10:36 GMT -6
Liberty and JSU will remain in the ASUN until July 1, 2023. Lots can and will happen before that date.
One will be the NCAA Constitutional Committee's findings next month. That will be VERY interesting.
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Post by unafied on Nov 5, 2021 15:43:45 GMT -6
I’m just sad. Sad we have been passed by them again. Sad our administration didn’t start planning for this 30 years ago, like theirs did. But also just sad to lose the rivalry after finally getting it back. I’m not old enough to remember the “glory days” of this rivalry or the one with Troy, but I was hoping we’d have years in front of us to make new memories. Now we don’t have JSU, we don’t have Valdosta, we don’t have Delta. It just sucks, honestly.
If building a new stadium isn’t priorities 1, 2, and 3 for our administration, they need to be shown the door immediately.
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