Question?

[couch 'em]

Truth

SMU wouldn't even come close to sellouts against PAC teams even if we were in a P5 conference-they don't travel and our fans could care less. I'm sure many will deny this-but its the truth. Marginal improvement in our attendance. Remember we've actually played a few teams in the PAC on which to base this conclusion

While I don't think PAC schools would magically create sellouts, it is worth noting that we have not played any PAC schools with a reasonable expectation of being competitive or winning.

[Stallion]

yep we are in better shape than we probably deserve-folks we are headed in the right direction-we have now proven that we can produce a top 25 Basketball team and went to 4 straight bowls with a Coach and staff doing half their job. Now its just about executing the game plan under coaches that can and will get it done. The Basketball probation sucks but I still think we are better positioned to accomplish great things than we have been in 30 years. Easily

[MustangStealth]

Yet another kitten dies from an expansion thread. I don't see us going to the Pac-12 unless they get desperate for ANY entre into the Texas market. What I see as the very few plausible chances at a P5 are as follows: Big Ten wants to get must carry in two large TV markets Dallas and Houston (#4 and 7) adding SMU and UH does that. Those two markets mean probably $20 Million in cable revenue for that network. Indiana, Illinois, Rutgers and Maryland would probably support SMU and UH so that they aren't doormats anymore. Problem (neither is AAU). ACC wants into Texas to recruit. Has more private schools than any other P5 conference (Wake, Duke, U, and two publics that act like privates UVA and UNC). Again, Dallas and Houston provide TV sets.

There is an unfortunate reality buried in here that does not bode well for SMU. You are right about Rutgers and Maryland and the Big Ten Network. However, those TV deals were made by 20th century executives living in a 20th century media world. Cable subscriptions are dropping for the first time in history, and Sony and Verizon are both working on a-la-carte TV services.

The TV deals that are negotiated 10-15 years from now will be done by 21st century people and media market size will likely be a much smaller factor. People will be picking and choosing who they want to watch to a much higher degree. I think it will soon be too late for us (if it isn't already) to rely on our media market as a selling point.

[StallionsModelT]

I agree that TV deals done under the old "eyeballs in a region" strategy will be a thing of the past. Digital is the future. It won't matter if you're in Texas or Maine moving forward when new deals are negotiated. The only real tangible advantage SMU's location has would be access to recruiting and large alumni bases here in DFW that would love an opportunity to see their school play every other year.

I actually think there should be talk of The American expanding. The conference has clearly demonstrated itself to be the most competitive G5 conference. If we could somehow get Boise State and one of BYU, Colorado State, San Diego State, Air Force to join you'd have a conference that would be on par with the ACC most years and better in some.

West - Boise State, BYU (or CSU/SDSU/AFA), SMU, Tulsa, Memphis, Houston, Tulane
East - UConn, Navy, Temple, East Carolina, Cincinnati, USF, UCF

Keep three or four teams hovering around the Top 25 and I think there is a strong case that the winner of that conference deserves a place in an 8 team playoff.