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http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/os-conference-usa-expansion-20100517,0,6621600.story
Lots of good stuff in this Orlando Sentinel story from the C-USA meetings going on right now. Definitely read through all of it, but this comment from Banowsky was interesting to me:

"We reviewed an idea over a year ago to grow the league to 16 teams and it kind of made its way to our presidents and chancellors," he said. "... And they elected at that time to not do anything preemptively. They generally liked the grouping that we have, the 12 schools that we have. They liked the amount of traction we seemed to be getting working together and beginning to see the first indications of new rivalries being built and those kinds of things, so they opted not to do that a year ago, but it's something that constantly gets discussed as one of the possibilities."

I like the Banowsky reply because I have met him, like his confidence and it's obvious that he thinks outside the BCS box which will eventually be good for SMU, BCS or not. He's got CUSA in his best interest. We will end up on top. Mark my opinionated word.

North Texas and La Tech and what two other schools?

RGV Pony wrote:North Texas and La Tech and what two other schools?

From what can be discerned from ECU athletic director Terry Holland's comments when he pushed for that, the schools were WKU, Troy, MTSU, and one other in the East...he only wanted Eastern schools.

I doubt it was NTSU...more likely La Tech, Ball State, Troy, and someone else from the MAC.

In other words, ridiculously weak.

ECU & UCF draw 40,000 plus per game. They are the ripe fruit of CUSA.
SMU is lucky at this point to even be in CUSA. When we win and build out Ford
pack in 38000 per game, perhaps the Sunbelt will stop licking their chops.
Get real!
.

ECU though does not have much of a market. Since NC State, Duke, UNC dominate the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill triangle and ECU is east of them, they don't really have a huge market- they are sort of the UTEP of the east. Great attendance, but they are in a small market. UCF does get good play in the Orlando market which is a solid market and they would be a target in my opinion. ECU has been a bit of a diva. Holland has been demanding more easterly teams to cut travel costs. That is why MTSU and W Ky were mentioned as well as Troy. None of those are from big markets and would not increase our TV contract. It would help the eastern schools save costs, but not do much else. I understand ECU's angst. They are on the eastern edge of CUSA with the closest team 8 hours away by car. Contrast that with UTEP which is on the western edge of CUSA and tickled to death to be in CUSA. Funny thing is that MTSU and W Ky still would be a long haul for ECU and not bus distance either. So, in reality, they would be trading an annual game with USM for a game with Troy. Not a big change there.

21348

ECU has a much larger market than you may think, spanning most of VA and even into DC. They are carried on MASN network, and they have an enormous following in NC. They may not get as much play as UNC, NC State or Duke, but that is mostly due to conference affiliation and historical rivalries.

They do, however, carry a much bigger market than Wake Forest, a school I have always compared somewhat to SMU.

They are carried on MASN in DC, but that is partly because to stay on basic cable MASN has to have original programming all year long. Since MASN is a creature of the Baltimore Orioles and to a lesser extent the Washington Nationals, it needed to add programming. With U. Maryland, DC United, Capitals, Wizards alreadly locked into Comcast, they have had to pick up sports. They have been creative. They added ECU, CAA (which added such schools as James Madison, Richmond, William and Mary, Towson State) and Georgetown to their programming. These were kind of last minute deals. I suspect, they will be aggressive in their bidding come the next round of bidding for the Capitals and Wizards. I do think they'll keep their agreement with Georgetown and the CAA which have delivered surprising ratings for them.

Mestengo wrote:ECU & UCF draw 40,000 plus per game. They are the ripe fruit of CUSA.
SMU is lucky at this point to even be in CUSA. When we win and build out Ford
pack in 38000 per game, perhaps the Sunbelt will stop licking their chops.
Get real!
.

I think Marshall is closer to averaging in the 30's than SMU is. if Holliday gives them a good first year, they'll right there and make a powerful triumvirate in the east. After all, Houston was on the cusp of a BCS buster-type season, and what did they draw for their homecoming (wasnt that our game?), 24k or so?

If we're talking butts in seats, ECU/UCF/Marshall in the East, and UTEP in the west.

I think Baylor will be available before long.

Here's the numbers boys.
.............................


East Carolina 7 292,191 41,742

UCF 7 266,543 38,078

Southern Miss. 6 184,178 30,696

UTEP 6 174,058 29,010

Memphis 6 154,769 25,795

Houston 6 151,450 25,242

Tulane 6 150,884 25,147

Tulsa 6 135,010 22,502

Marshall 6 133,415 22,236

SMU 6 128,085 21,348

Rice 6 81,309 13,552




2009 NCAA DIVISION I FBS TEAM-BY-TEAM ATTENDANCE (this is sold tickets)
School G Attendance Average
Air Force 6 213,937 35,656
Akron 6 104,293 17,382
Alabama 7 644,084 92,012
Arizona 6 315,330 52,555
Arizona St. 7 339,890 48,556
Arkansas 7 455,783 65,112
Arkansas St. 5 88,445 17,689
Army 6 167,984 27,997
Auburn 8 676,911 84,614
Ball St. 6 65,327 10,888
Baylor 6 217,837 36,306
Boise St. 7 229,472 32,782
Boston College 7 250,009 35,716
Bowling Green 6 84,261 14,044
Buffalo 6 95,758 15,960
BYU 6 385,416 64,236
California 6 356,830 59,472
Central Mich. 5 98,508 19,702
Cincinnati 6 203,741 33,957
Clemson 7 530,553 75,793
Colorado 6 300,527 50,088
Colorado St. 6 141,856 23,643
Connecticut 6 229,376 38,229
Duke 6 157,881 26,314
East Carolina 7 292,191 41,742
Eastern Mich. 5 25,080 5,016
FIU 5 51,018 10,204
Fla. Atlantic 5 76,630 15,326
Florida 7 634,446 90,635
Florida St. 6 446,067 74,345
Fresno St. 5 167,889 33,578
Georgia 6 556,476 92,746
Georgia Tech 6 309,501 51,584
Hawaii 7 257,074 36,725
Houston 6 151,450 25,242
Idaho 6 75,273 12,546
Illinois 6 357,267 59,545
Indiana 6 250,997 41,833
Iowa 7 491,499 70,214
Iowa St. 6 277,453 46,242
Kansas 6 303,488 50,581
Kansas St. 6 280,579 46,763
Kent St. 6 93,072 15,512
Kentucky 7 487,156 69,594
La.-Lafayette 6 111,998 18,666
La.-Monroe 5 69,443 13,889
Louisiana Tech 5 100,000 20,000
Louisville 6 194,702 32,450
LSU 7 647,420 92,489
Marshall 6 133,415 22,236
Maryland 7 311,163 44,452
Memphis 6 154,769 25,795
Miami (FL) 6 285,306 47,551
Miami (OH) 5 59,052 11,810
Michigan 8 871,464 108,933
Michigan St. 7 523,186 74,741
Middle Tenn. 6 123,104 20,517
Minnesota 7 355,635 50,805
Mississippi 7 390,368 55,767
Mississippi St. 7 376,544 53,792
Missouri 6 384,719 64,120
Navy 6 190,366 31,728
Nebraska 7 601,216 85,888
Nevada 6 104,999 17,500
New Mexico 6 161,661 26,944
New Mexico St. 6 99,064 16,511
North Carolina 7 396,250 56,607
North Carolina St. 8 451,377 56,422
North Texas 6 109,367 18,228
Northern Ill. 6 89,335 14,889
Northwestern 7 169,332 24,190
Notre Dame 7 565,565 80,795
Ohio 6 107,682 17,947
Ohio St. 7 736,830 105,261
Oklahoma 6 508,670 84,778
Oklahoma St. 8 429,750 53,719
Oregon 7 409,806 58,544
Oregon St. 6 253,969 42,328
Penn St. 8 856,066 107,008
Pittsburgh 7 374,119 53,446
Purdue 7 353,197 50,457
Rice 6 81,309 13,552
Rutgers 7 343,788 49,113
San Diego St. 6 146,785 24,464
San Jose St. 6 92,062 15,344
SMU 6 128,085 21,348 Bus sold tickets included
South Carolina 7 527,580 75,369
South Fla. 6 315,319 52,553
Southern California 6 508,796 84,799
Southern Miss. 6 184,178 30,696
Stanford 7 290,049 41,436
Syracuse 8 312,343 39,043
TCU 6 229,121 38,187
Temple 6 104,276 17,379
Tennessee 8 793,760 99,220
Texas 6 607,049 101,175
Texas A&M 7 537,602 76,800
Texas Tech 7 351,742 50,249
Toledo 5 81,424 16,285
Troy 5 92,066 18,413
Tulane 6 150,884 25,147
Tulsa 6 135,010 22,502
UAB 5 89,933 17,987
UCF 7 266,543 38,078
UCLA 6 387,283 64,547
UNLV 7 159,423 22,775
Utah 6 270,929 45,155
Utah St. 5 79,857 15,971
UTEP 6 174,058 29,010
Vanderbilt 6 210,092 35,015
Virginia 7 335,902 47,986
Virginia Tech 6 397,398 66,233
Wake Forest 7 222,537 31,791
Washington 7 450,491 64,356
Washington St. 6 155,455 25,909
West Virginia 7 401,216 57,317
Western Ky. 6 84,616 14,103
Western Mich. 5 101,652 20,330
Wisconsin 7 560,764 80,109
Wyoming 6 116,963 19,494



http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome ... index.html

Michigan 8 871,464 108,933


That is Crazy...

NickSMU17 wrote:Michigan 8 871,464 108,933


That is Crazy...

Thus da big house.

2009 NCAA DIVISION I FBS ATTENDANCE TEAM LEADERS
Rank School G Attendance Average
1. Michigan 8 871,464 108,933
2. Penn St. 8 856,066 107,008
3. Ohio St. 7 736,830 105,261
4. Texas 6 607,049 101,175
5. Tennessee 8 793,760 99,220
6. Georgia 6 556,476 92,746
7. LSU 7 647,420 92,489
8. Alabama 7 644,084 92,012
9. Florida 7 634,446 90,635
10. Nebraska 7 601,216 85,888
11. Southern California 6 508,796 84,799
12. Oklahoma 6 508,670 84,778
13. Auburn 8 676,911 84,614
14. Notre Dame 7 565,565 80,795
15. Wisconsin 7 560,764 80,109
Rank School G Attendance Average
16. Texas A&M 7 537,602 76,800
17. Clemson 7 530,553 75,793
18. South Carolina 7 527,580 75,369
19. Michigan St. 7 523,186 74,741
20. Florida St. 6 446,067 74,345
21. Iowa 7 491,499 70,214
22. Kentucky 7 487,156 69,594
23. Virginia Tech 6 397,398 66,233
24. Arkansas 7 455,783 65,112
25. UCLA 6 387,283 64,547
26. Washington 7 450,491 64,356
27. BYU 6 385,416 64,236
28. Missouri 6 384,719 64,120
29. Illinois 6 357,267 59,545
30. California 6 356,830 59,472