Conference realignment in progress?

[methodistmustang]

I was listening to the TICKET this morning and on a ticker I heard something interesting. I couldn't make it all out because I wasn't paying that much attention. I heard "SMU....Deal...conference...agreed to 5 million dollar exit fee." Could someone please fill in the gaps?????!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike Damone]

Haven't heard anything about it.

[NavyCrimson]

HERE'S the link......... its on the WAC board & this is what benson is seeking......

<A HREF="http://www.owlzone.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config2.pl?read=54333" TARGET=_blank>http://www.owlzone.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config2.pl?read=54333</A>

[methodistmustang]

That is a ridiculous offer to WAC schools. I don't think one team in the WAC other than Boise State is happy with their conference alignment.

[Water Pony]

Why would we want to sign it? Without a WAC East which would need to include TCU, Tulane, Houston, etc., we have no incentive to sign.

Plus, Boise State as well as Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii would look hard at a MWC opportunity, if MWC wanted two more.

How does Benson pull this off?

[Water Pony]

Why would we want to sign it? Without a WAC East which would need to include TCU, Tulane, Houston, etc., we have no incentive to sign.

Plus, Boise State as well as Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii would look hard at a MWC opportunity, if MWC wanted two more.

How does Benson pull this off?

[EastStang]

We need to look at the fine print. If it says that it only takes effect IF AND ONLY IF TCU, UH, and/or Tulane (2/3) join and IF AND ONLY IF SDS, UNLV, UNM, and/or NMSU join (2/4), then it might fly. Otherwise, we're committing to a continued bad marriage. We need divisional play to reduce travel and if this will aid and gaining quality teams for that goal, great. But it has to have an out for us to leave if the others don't come. I would rather play SJS only every six years at home if I could get away with it. Obviously, there should be an out as well if your school gets a BCS conference bid.

[Southland]

Double-edge sword...

all variables holding, it is a bad deal for us.

if moves made by the ACC and Big East take down CUSA, and Tulane, TCU and Houston want in, surely we would want commitments signed by Fresno, Hawaii, Boise, etc.

Clearly, our board would not commit to a partnership at this time... four months from now, who knows...

[MeanGreenGem]

Like another MeanGreener said, "not sure if I were a WAC school I'd sign a deal where the exit fee was 100x's what you are making because you are in the WAC."

[Hoop Fan]

Well, its a poker game, with the WAC East on one side of the table and the West on the other side. What if the MWC invites the 4 schools speculated and what if at the same time CUSA either holds together or doesnt want all or any of the EWAC schools? In short, we are screwed, ie Sun Belt at that point. This scenario is very possible. On the other side, what if the MWC decides not to expand, but CUSA wants 2 or more EWAC schools. The WAC is hurt pretty bad, almost to the point of it not making sense to have an Eastern prescence. In end, this 5 year agreement would be an insurance policy that says if you are the one left behind, you will at least get some cash out of it and that schools will think twice about a lateral move financially.

[MeanGreenGem]

First all, please don't misconstrue this as campaigning for SMU to drop the WAC for a mad dash to the SBC because you all need to to what is best for you, just as UNT is taking its own steps to do what is best (longterm) for its own football successes.

I'm certainly not saying the 2 year old SBC football league is going to give the Big 10 a run for their money any time soon, but one SMU Mustang (your whole contingency) trip to the New Orleans Bowl and the royal treatment you would see them give your school (as the NO's Bowl Association has bestowed on each & every school the last 2 years); nevertheless, I think that would rapidly change your mind on what I think your perception of the SBC is all about, then again, maybe it won't.

<>*<> All I know is that the SBC has provided for UNT the vehicle to where we have gone to 2 nationally televised bowl games in a row now. This Fall the Mean Green will be on national television for 2 regular season games and having that opportunity for us was most likely based on 2 NO's Bowl trips in a row.

If the college FB college magazines are believable, UNT will have a 3'rd nationally televised game in 2003 in the Big Easy. We did not get that in the previous western based league we were in before the SBC and, hence, my reason for being shy about the west for anything except an occasional OOC game or 2 once in a while. I truly hope the WAC works out well for SMU in time.

BUT...After all, aren't non BCS confences (at least the football part) all about where your team can go bowling? If not, what are the percs for us all being in these far flung conferences we're in if we know the bowl game we would get as our "reward" sucks?

BACK TO THE BIG EASY: A large majority of both visiting school's constituencies at the NO's Bowl in 2001 and 2002 almost all agreed it was the best bowl they had been to. They raved about the royal treatment. One said, "hell, you'd thought we were playing for a national championship the way New Orleans laid out the red carpet."

Of course, the tourist destination aspects of the city of New Orleans has much to do with that and with the added ingrediants that your school is not there just to party on Bourbon Street. but to be in a nationally televised game that a helluva lot of Texas HS potential recruits are going to watch since its also the only game in the USA and on TV that night. I suppose having a great time, though, is what bowls are mostly about anyway from your coaches, players, students, alums and fans standpoint now isn't it?

[QUOTE]What if the MWC invites the 4 schools speculated and what if at the same time CUSA either holds together or doesnt want all or any of the EWAC schools? In short, we are screwed, ie Sun Belt at that point.



[This message has been edited by MeanGreenGem (edited 08-07-2003).]