PAC or ACC - Selling our assets

[Drum Major]

I haven't seen much mention of this, and I am hoping that those who are "representing" us to these new conferences are selling the concept that the PAC or ACC members would have an opportunity to play up to 6 games each year in Dallas, either at Ford or Jerryworld (as another option), for the sake of the collective recruiting in the conference. I would think this to be a huge selling point since they all keep talking about wanting to get a better recruiting hold on Texas. Is this being discussed as a selling point aside from the TV media market? Seems like this would make us even more favorable to anyone. The visibility and opportunity for recruits of these other schools on the West or East coasts to see them play near a recruiting hotbed (or home) seems pretty tempting.

[BUS]

Dr. Turner.... bing,bing,bing.

[Terry Webster]

i think having the mayor and city involved is helping this already. The whole DDD connection is a big part of our pitch.

[stlpony]

Here is what our mayor, Eric Johnson, stated at Dallas Morning News. So yes, these assets are being sold to both the PAC and ACC. I believe this article outlines the exact talking points from our university. It would be great if these talking points were on all of the sites reporting rumors, etc. as our name is in all of them. Also, it would be great to stop seeing SMU as being referred to as a religious-affiliated university...we need people on the coasts to remove that recurring theme.

Per Eric Johnson:
"Now, here’s why all that should matter to a major conference: Dallas is the place to be right now. This is a growing, dynamic and thriving city — the ninth-largest in the nation and the engine of the fastest-growing and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Dallas is also the most football-crazed market in the country, and it’s a city full of college football fans, many of whom grew up here watching the “Pony Express” during the early 1980s.

Having these passionate fans’ eyes on their league’s product — coupled with home games played in the nationally friendly Central time zone — would be a boost for any conference. And with two major airports with direct flights to locations throughout the nation — all less than 3 1/2 hours long — as well as some of the nation’s finest restaurants and amazing entertainment options, Dallas is an easy and enjoyable place for football fans to visit.

And we are teeming with talent. For example, football coaches and administrators should know that Texas produces more blue-chip recruits than some conferences’ entire footprint."

[Drum Major]

Good! All solid points from the mayor. And I agree with you, every media report I see seems to feel some necessity to shame us for religious involvement. Realistically, it is almost non-existent on campus now.

[stlpony]

Good! All solid points from the mayor. And I agree with you, every media report I see seems to feel some necessity to shame us for religious involvement. Realistically, it is almost non-existent on campus now.

I believe the official wording is that SMU is a private, non-sectarian university with about 14% (probably less in 2022) of its undergraduate students identifying as Methodist. In 2019, SMU changed its articles of incorporation to make it clear that SMU is solely maintained and controlled by its board of trustees as the ultimate authority for the university. In addition, SMU deleted a phrase saying the school was "forever owned, maintained and controlled by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church." President Turner issued a statement where he appreciated SMU's Methodist roots, but he also clarified its day-to-day operations were not under church control. Last, with all that said, SMU has provided assurances that Methodist representation will be on the Board of Trustees and will continue to have influence in the governance of SMU.

All in all, a little confusing. I think we should market ourselves as a private, non-sectarian university that is solely managed by our Board of Trustees, and all of the University's articles of incorporation represent the same. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS)!