What If.....

[StrayDawg]

As it stands now, Boise, San Diego St., Houston, SMU, UCF, and Memphis are all going to the Big East, but there have been rumblings about Boise maybe backing out (probably won't) and that would have to make you think that SDSU would be in a tight spot if Boise did stay in the MWC.

There has also been talk about the basketball schools splitting and forming their own conference, which I think is a real possibility.

So, what if one of those things happens?

If Boise and/or SDSU decide to stay in the MWC, I guess the Big East could try to replace them, but he basketball schools have a pretty firm grip on things right now and they would not want to add more southeastern football teams to "their" northeastern basketball conference.

If the basketball schools break away, then the new additions (old CUSA and MWC schools) are basically homeless, along with any other school that the basketball guys did not invite to their new league.

In either case, what would happen to SMU, Houston, UCF, Memphis, etc? Would they look at heading back to CUSA/MWC? Would CUSA add them back and expand to a 16 team conference (or bigger)? Would we finally see a MWC/CUSA merger or alliance?

The writing seems to be on the wall that the BE will not be receiving BCS money, and if they are it will not be as big as before. It will cost more to travel to away games, especially for the teams who joined in all sports, and fans will be much less likely to travel with the team to away games. In the long run, that just doesn't seem sustainable. So, what finally gives, and how does it affect CUSA and Louisiana Tech?

[champion110]

As it stands now, Boise, San Diego St., Houston, SMU, UCF, and Memphis are all going to the Big East, but there have been rumblings about Boise maybe backing out (probably won't) and that would have to make you think that SDSU would be in a tight spot if Boise did stay in the MWC.

There has also been talk about the basketball schools splitting and forming their own conference, which I think is a real possibility.

So, what if one of those things happens?

If Boise and/or SDSU decide to stay in the MWC, I guess the Big East could try to replace them, but he basketball schools have a pretty firm grip on things right now and they would not want to add more southeastern football teams to "their" northeastern basketball conference.

If the basketball schools break away, then the new additions (old CUSA and MWC schools) are basically homeless, along with any other school that the basketball guys did not invite to their new league.

In either case, what would happen to SMU, Houston, UCF, Memphis, etc? Would they look at heading back to CUSA/MWC? Would CUSA add them back and expand to a 16 team conference (or bigger)? Would we finally see a MWC/CUSA merger or alliance?

The writing seems to be on the wall that the BE will not be receiving BCS money, and if they are it will not be as big as before. It will cost more to travel to away games, especially for the teams who joined in all sports, and fans will be much less likely to travel with the team to away games. In the long run, that just doesn't seem sustainable. So, what finally gives, and how does it affect CUSA and Louisiana Tech?

None of those things would be bad for us, so I am not going down the worry route again. The worst that could happen is the Big East raids again, but most programs would be stupid to take that bait - especially since they will only raid if they lose Boise and SDSU. No worries either way......

[Champ967]

There has also been talk about the basketball schools splitting and forming their own conference, which I think is a real possibility.

So, what if one of those things happens?

The bball schools wont have to break away. They'll just stop adding new members.

The fball schools eventually will be forced to look elsewhere. (If they want to keep playing football, that is.)

[domangue]

The optimal solution to all this is reverting to the coast-to-coast 32 team super conference that was broached last year, perhaps under the Big East banner, merging those remnant teams with C-USA and MWC. We're on the "inside" finally. This move would permanently shut the door to the Belt and MAC.

[champion110]

The optimal solution to all this is reverting to the coast-to-coast 32 team super conference that was broached last year, perhaps under the Big East banner, merging those remnant teams with C-USA and MWC. We're on the "inside" finally. This move would permanently shut the door to the Belt and MAC.

True.......

[StrayDawg]

None of those things would be bad for us, so I am not going down the worry route again.

I agree that none of those things are bad, and I'm not trying to get anyone worried. Just thinking out loud about possibilities. It has been speculated for a while that the basketball schools would break away, and this could expidite it. I have not thought about the other two possibilities brought up so far in this thread. I suppose the basketball schools could slowly try to smother the football schools, but that might hurt the whole conference. It would be quicker and more painless to just break away.

I have never heard the 32 team coast-to-coast model, but that would be a pretty permanent solution.

[PawDawg]

I have never heard the 32 team coast-to-coast model, but that would be a pretty permanent solution.

Tylertechsas, Champion110, and TWon were convinced it was a "done deal".

There are several threads about it.

[T_Won]

Tylertechsas, Champion110, and TWon were convinced it was a "done deal".

There are several threads about it.

The 32 team conference was a failed idea because the Big East never bought in to it. The internet / newspapers were reporting that the merger of CUSA and MWC was a done deal from October to April, and then it was called off when they found out how much money they would lose if they merged. Then they just started talking about a scheduling Alliance (probably to save face), and now they aren't talking any more at all, I guess.

I bet the Big East might be willing to listen to the idea again if they lose a couple of teams and no one in CUSA wants to leave.

[champion110]

Tylertechsas, Champion110, and TWon were convinced it was a "done deal".

There are several threads about it.

Yep! Still am convinced........ Just will take a little longer.

I bet the Big East might be willing to listen to the idea again if they lose a couple of teams and no one in CUSA wants to leave.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

Tylertechsas, Champion110, and TWon were convinced it was a "done deal".

There are several threads about it.

It's not going away just yet MD. It might take 2+years but "never say never".

[hookdown]

I bet the Big East might be willing to listen to the idea again if they lose a couple of teams and no one in CUSA wants to leave.

Probably, but I suspect that the chances are high that if asked any CUSA team would say yes in a heartbeat.

[parialex]

I don't think the 32-team model will ever be attractive to whomever remains from the Big East.

As I mentioned in a previous thread (if you remember "The Doomsday Conference", you can skip this paragraph), I think the direction things go in the event of UL/UCin/RU/UConn departures is a likely split with the basketball schools followed by the football schools simply restocking. Losing the basketball schools isn't desirable, but it would represent a good opportunity for uninterfered football expansion. Assume, also, the FBO members leave. Maybe Temple as well. The five or six schools, shed of the basketball programs, would mostly need to get the four remaining powers from C*USA (Tulsa/LaTech/USM/ECU) into a room and convince a couple of them to come along (Tulsa is a given, and I believe the others can be convinced) and that will get all four. Then pick up two or three more to get back to 12.

I believe that the remainders would be able to get whatever waiver would be required for a new conference. If you can't get the waiver, or if it makes sense to... join the MWC en masse. Or rather, get under their tent and rebrand it as a national conference. So still a megaconference, but more like 24 teams and without UAB/Tulane/UNT/FIU/etc.

The likelihood that under any scenario UH/SMU would join up with UNT/UTSA and/or that USF/UCF would join up with FIU is remote.

[HogDawg]

The likelihood that under any scenario UH/SMU would join up with UNT/UTSA and/or that USF/UCF would join up with FIU is remote.

They always said the same thing about Tulane joining up with LA Tech. Tough times makes for strange bedfellows.







HD