Tech's best possible, REALISTIC conference movement

[PawDawg]

Ga. Southern-38 (SBC)
La. Tech-3 (CUSA)

Yes, Lafayette and the SBC finally had a good year. China Virus Baby!

Nice classy TD at the end of the game for Lafayette last night.

[Tech79]

Ga. Southern-38 (SBC)
La. Tech-3 (CUSA)

2003 La. Tech-34 UL-L -3 (SBC)
2004 La. Tech-24 UL-L-20 (SBC)
2014 La. Tech-48 UL-L-20 (SBC)
2015 La. Tech-43 UL-L-14 (SBC)
2015 La. Tech-47 Arkansas St.-28 (SBC Undefeated Champions)
2017 La. Tech-34 South Alabama-16 (SBC)
2018 La. Tech-30 South Alabama-26 (SBC)

Okay, so that makes Tech 7-1 All-Time versus the SBC.

[Champ967]

2003 La. Tech-34 UL-L -3 (SBC)
2004 La. Tech-24 UL-L-20 (SBC)
2014 La. Tech-48 UL-L-20 (SBC)
2015 La. Tech-43 UL-L-14 (SBC)
2015 La. Tech-47 Arkansas St.-28 (SBC Undefeated Champions)
2017 La. Tech-34 South Alabama-16 (SBC)
2018 La. Tech-30 South Alabama-26 (SBC)

Okay, so that makes Tech 7-1 All-Time versus the SBC.

I think there may have also been a couple of wins vs UNT when they were still SBC.

[Tech79]

I think there may have also been a couple of wins vs UNT when they were still SBC.

Yes sir, forgot about those two. I stand corrected.

2005 La. Tech-40 UNT-14
2006 La. Tech-34 UNT-31


So 9-1 All-time versus the SBC.

[CajunDave1]

I love history. Unfortunately in today’s world it’s all being erased so no one cares.

[Tech79]

I love history. Unfortunately in today’s world it’s all being erased so no one cares.

Yet you're the one who brought up past scores.

[Dwayne From Minden]

Unfortunately I don't think there will be an opportunity for advancement -

And realistically we may take a step back if we are offered a chair at the SBC table and refuse the invite...

We need to follow USM, UNT and UTSA go where they go

[CajunDave1]

It’s time to face reality, the only FBS conference that might be worse than CUSA is possibly the MAC. You can keep your blinders on and keep telling yourself that CUSA still maintains a similar status that it did 4 or 5 years ago. However, those in the know on the national scene have made it very clear that the SBC has elevated its status above CUSA. So we can argue and disagree on various message boards all we want to, but that will not change any facts. In today’s NCAA football landscape, the SBC > CUSA, and I think we can agree that football drives the bus.

[Bulldog Tom]

And basically nailing their coffin shut. Someone on the CUSA board put it like this:

"It is to ESPN's advantage to keep the Sun Belt a bargain basement conference. That's how they sell you on those weekday games."

The comment is not meant as a slight to the SBC schools, rather what he's saying is that ESPN has more or less told them to "know their place" -- if Marshall and USM are cool with relegating themselves to "knowing their place" -- not sure what to tell them. I personally have much more respect for both of them, and hope they think long and hard about what that move would ultimately mean for them.

Yeah, who wants to play on ESPN in a nationally televised game, especially being the only one on at that time? I remember watching teams like Rutgers (Big 10), Louisville (ACC), Syracuse (ACC), Pittsburgh (ACC), West Virginia (Big 12) and Cincinnati (future Big 12) playing on those Wednesday and Thursday night games on ESPN when they had the Big East fill those spots. Why would you want all that prime-time exposure? All that does is build your brand, enlarge your fan base, and grow your budget. Those teams now must battle it out in Power 5 conferences, while being paid tens of millions of dollars. Who wants that trouble? No thank you sir!

Tech and CUSA has it figured out. It is best to play your games on the most obscure platform possible. That way you can read sportdawg’s post about how to watch the game, spend an hour or so figuring out how to get it all set-up, maybe even typing in your credit card number, before you watch a little wheel spin or hearing no audio. That’s the best way to watch a football game, right? That way you will never build your brand, enlarge your fan base, and grow your budget. The advantage of this is when conference expansion takes place you never have to worry about what you should do, as the growing conferences have no idea you even exist.

[ChuckK3]

You make good points for sure, Tom. I guess I am thinking more about the overall future of "traditional TV" --- ESPN's subscriber base is down about 6% YoY --- I assume they're trying to get all they can, while they can.

[Tech79]

We all know what really drives the bus in money. There is an interesting thread on the CSNBBS message board (C-USA Conference) where a Marshall fan has listed the revenues for all five G5 conferences for 2019 and 2020, and the SunBelt is definitely the pipsqueak of the bunch. Why would C-USA schools want to take a cut in revenues to join that conference?

[johnnylightnin]

Marshall and USM aren’t going to the Belt. Look at the financials.

[Bulldog Tom]

You make good points for sure, Tom. I guess I am thinking more about the overall future of "traditional TV" --- ESPN's subscriber base is down about 6% YoY --- I assume they're trying to get all they can, while they can.

You are right ESPN has lost some marketshare, they have paid too much for some programming. But just like the Big 12 isn't dead, ESPN isn't dead yet either. They still largely control how college football is watched. It will be very interesting how ESPN pays the Pac 12 when their tv deal runs out in 2024. Do they make the deal better than what the Big 12 has? If not, could the Big 12 follow up on the idea to raid the weak Pac 12?

[PawDawg]

3.5 minimum for a college football game on ESPN3 vs less than 3 for an nfl game. Tough to watch either one, but the red hats (commercials) are the problem with college, not the clock issues.

[stodgdog]

I’m not doing any studying of this and don’t think it matters much where Tech goes. We’ll do the same things we always do regardless of who we play. In the end I wouldn’t be surprised one bit to find that ULM and ULL are better off. If we didn’t suck so bad at taking advantage of our opportunities we would’ve left them miles behind already.

Hope you are wrong. I think joining the AAC would be mutually beneficial to Tech and the conference.