DMN: SMU at crossroads moment with football

[Johnny Utah]

How are you minor league if you start a 32-40 group/conferences that pays its players and allows them to share in the revenue they generate? Let the contracts void, who cares. I mean, isn't that where the Power-5 are headed? Why not beat them to the punch? Please explain to me the benefit the non-power teams are currently receiving from the NCAA anyway?

It just seem moronic to follow the strategy of fighting 65 other schools for a spot in the Power 5 ? Too many stars have to align..... and I'm sick of hearing about "follow TCU's example".... To do that, you would need a time machine...TCU made the right moves at the right time. Conditions have changed making it utterly impossible for SMU....

[CoxMustangFan]

Step 1: Have brand
Step 2: Build brand; have a brand worth something
Step 3: Monetize brand
Step 4: Recycle investment (spend $)

If you want to skip to step 4, then you (and 50+ other schools) better be ready to write big checks (without an income stream...because you have no brand value).

[Nacho]

i don't know how to give up.

[SoCal_Pony]

All but 2 of the power conferences has 14 members. Big 12 has 10 members and Pac 12 has 12 members. Notre Dame and BYU get in which leaves 4 spots. That is it fellas - 4 open spots. The power conferences are not going to expand beyond this - would you want to split the pie more ways if we were in? Hell no, and neither do they. There is no market share available to gain in real terms by bringing in more teams. Oh, and by the way, Texas is not going to let us join the Big 12 so there is that as well.

And as far as March Madness goes, that will become the tournament for the Power Conferences. ESPN or Fox will create a tournament for the have nots - they need content. They'll do the same for football.

Those are my thoughts as well regarding FB. We will see more of an NFL-type playoff system because there's more money to be made. Can't have a true playoff system without uniformity among the conferences. ND to Big10 is a natural, but they already have their 14 schools. Could a school actually be forced out of the Big10?

I really really wanted the Big12 to poach some ACC schools as I thought that was a natural home for us, but that ship has apparently sailed.

4 spots left and we represent the most desirable TV market (Coogs a close second).

Do we make it?, probably not. Do we quit?, absolutely not.

[SoCal_Pony]

And the way we deliver ratings is by fielding a team people respect...no conference will add a joke team, we need to get the right man in the job, we need to recruit and we need to win.

Most desirable conference came close in Rutgers.

Btw, question for SMU fans.

Which venue will have more Pony fans in the stands with 5:00 remaining in the game, Ford or Moody?

My $$$ is on Moody.

[indianamustang]

All but 2 of the power conferences has 14 members. Big 12 has 10 members and Pac 12 has 12 members. Notre Dame and BYU get in which leaves 4 spots. That is it fellas - 4 open spots. The power conferences are not going to expand beyond this - would you want to split the pie more ways if we were in? Hell no, and neither do they. There is no market share available to gain in real terms by bringing in more teams. Oh, and by the way, Texas is not going to let us join the Big 12 so there is that as well.

And as far as March Madness goes, that will become the tournament for the Power Conferences. ESPN or Fox will create a tournament for the have nots - they need content. They'll do the same for football.

Those are my thoughts as well regarding FB. We will see more of an NFL-type playoff system because there's more money to be made. Can't have a true playoff system without uniformity among the conferences. ND to Big10 is a natural, but they already have their 14 schools. Could a school actually be forced out of the Big10?

I really really wanted the Big12 to poach some ACC schools as I thought that was a natural home for us, but that ship has apparently sailed.

4 spots left and we represent the most desirable TV market (Coogs a close second).

Do we make it?, probably not. Do we quit?, absolutely not.

ND is essentially already in the ACC which means when they become a full member, the ACC will be looking for a new member to even it out. So there are potentially a lot more spots than 4 if we assume the P5s want an equal number of teams in each conference

[Nacho]

nd is more equal than other schools.
they are a p5 school and yet not in a football conference.

[Johnny Utah]

Central Florida won the Fiesta Bowl last year and have been competitive year in an year out? Why are they not in a Power Conference? They did everything you all preach on this site insofar as following the TCU model....Where has that gotten them? So what would SMU need to do beyond winning a major bowl in order to get to say the Big 12?

On the flip side, Rutgers and Syracuse have never seen a major bowl and are average year in and out, yet they get in to the Big 10?

[Nacho]

good point about syracuse which is a methodist school.

[Stallion]

BYU and then Central Florida are probably next in line. Rutgers and Syracuse are in great TV markets and have stronger fan bases than most any non-P5 program.

[CoxMustangFan]

BYU and then Central Florida are probably next in line. Rutgers and Syracuse are in great TV markets and have stronger fan bases than most any non-P5 program.

Where does BYU fit? No on Pac (religion). No on Big 10 (location and non-AAU). No on SEC (many reasons). No on ACC (location). Maybe Big 12 if they're still around in 12 years?

[RGV Pony]

By that I guess you mean Syracuse delivers nyc the way tech delivers dfw?

[SoCal_Pony]

ND is essentially already in the ACC which means when they become a full member, the ACC will be looking for a new member to even it out. So there are potentially a lot more spots than 4 if we assume the P5s want an equal number of teams in each conference

If I were ND I would select B10 over ACC. Don't see 17 team conferences, so you are talking about adding an additional 10 teams to get to 16. That seems too many for me.

Advantage for SMU is that spots are needed in the Pacific & Central time zones.

And to Stallion's point about Rutgers fan support, they used a lot of Mustang Mania tactics over several years to get to where they are.

[sbsmith]

Central Florida won the Fiesta Bowl last year and have been competitive year in an year out? Why are they not in a Power Conference? They did everything you all preach on this site insofar as following the TCU model....Where has that gotten them? So what would SMU need to do beyond winning a major bowl in order to get to say the Big 12?

Right now UCF just isn't a fit for any P5 conference. Two have existing Florida coverage (SEC & ACC), two are geographic impossibilities (Big 10 & Pac 12) and the Big 12 isn't expanding unless a move significantly increases payouts for their members (which currently rules out G5 schools). Like us they're stuck in the AAC until the P5 starts cannibalizing each other.

[lwjr]

Central Florida won the Fiesta Bowl last year and have been competitive year in an year out? Why are they not in a Power Conference? They did everything you all preach on this site insofar as following the TCU model....Where has that gotten them? So what would SMU need to do beyond winning a major bowl in order to get to say the Big 12?

On the flip side, Rutgers and Syracuse have never seen a major bowl and are average year in and out, yet they get in to the Big 10?

Syracuse played Florida in the 1999 Orange bowl, Auburn in the 1988 Sugar Bowl. Before that it was early 60's when they were a national power in football. But you are right that have not done a whole lot since the 99 Sugar Bowl.

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/ ... anges.html