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Interesting tid-bit of info, Calipari would encourage Temple to be new CUSA member.

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/7640544.htm

If Navy ever considers some alignment as a partial member with Army, Temple would be compatiable for both schools and provide improved access to the East market for CUSA, especially for BB.

:hmm:

Why did Temple get kicked out of the Big East?

Originally posted by OldPony:
Why did Temple get kicked out of the Big East?

The biggest reason is that Big East charter member Villanova has successfully campaigned against Temple for more than a decade when Temple has been discussed for full membership.

In football, Temple was there to plug a hole in the Big East alignment, and has always had attendance problems. Once UConn made the leap to Division 1A, they no longer were needed.

I believe they had football attendance issues - lowest in DI at the time. Temple has had problems drawing fans since Bill Cosby was the FB

temple football team always post a lousing season and poor attendance. when the big east had miami,
virgina tech, boston college they had swagger and kicked out temple. temple basket ball is always good.

I like to see SMU play football in Philly or at least in the north east.

http://www.owlsports.com/sports/football/schedule.asp

We could add that the schedule was demanding and they played many games tight, including OT.

the more I think about this, the more attractive Temple becomes as a CUSA east member. This would mean that USM would join the west alongside nearby rival Tulane and while Temple's football attendance was poor by Big East standards, it might not be bad compared to several CUSA programs. There's no question they would bring more bball credibility compared to adding La Tech. Philly is also an easy flight from Dallas and is a trip that will only be made every other year in hoops and every 4 years in football.

I would still prefer that TCU stay in CUSA, but if they feel they have to move on, Temple is as good a candidate as may be out there.

Originally posted by Charleston Pony:
the more I think about this, the more attractive Temple becomes as a CUSA east member. This would mean that USM would join the west alongside nearby rival Tulane and while Temple's football attendance was poor by Big East standards, it might not be bad compared to several CUSA programs. There's no question they would bring more bball credibility compared to adding La Tech. Philly is also an easy flight from Dallas and is a trip that will only be made every other year in hoops and every 4 years in football.

I would still prefer that TCU stay in CUSA, but if they feel they have to move on, Temple is as good a candidate as may be out there.

Agreed. Temple is the best choice in a sea of poor candidates. There is not a school that will improve the football conference; Temple will improve the basketball side.

I would echo that. I would prefer TCU to stay, but if they are stupid enough to go to the MWC, I would look at Temple as a legitimate addition to our eastern flank for all the reasons already stated. Also, Philly is only a three hour drive and two hour train ride from here.

Originally posted by OldPony:

Why did Temple get kicked out of the Big East?

Answers (some of which have been previously noted in this thread) (Temple is a football-only member of the BE):

Publically stated reasons -
* Temple contributed nothing to the financial health of BE Football

* Temple did not have scheduling control of a football stadium. Prior to the 2003 season, Temple played home games at Veterans Stadium (Eagles/Phillies had priority) and Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania has priority). Locations, dates and times for Temple football games were sometimes changed only weeks before kickoff. Some seasons Temple went without a true football marketing campaign because of scheduling unknowns.

* Until the 2003 season, Temple's first in the spectacular new Lincoln Financial Field, Temple Football attracted about 5,000 fans per home game for the past 20 years. Temple's 2003 home attendance figures got a one-time boost because thousands of people attended a Temple game ($5. for a ticket from a "scalper") with the sole intention of experiencing LFF.

Eagles games are sold-out and tickets are expensive.

* Before Edberg-Olsen Hall (http://www.owlsports.com/sports/footbal ... e/hall.asp) opened in 2000 as a football training/practice facility Temple practiced on a gloomy worn debris littered astroturf field surrounded by a ten-foot high barbed-wire-topped cyclone fence. The football team's weightroom consisted of a few pieces of equipment behind (but within five feet of) the decrepid team lockers in the basement of McGonigle Hall. E-A Hall, although a tremendous improvement, is only 23,600 feet in size.

* Student apathy about Temple Football makes SMU students seem rabid.

Not-publically stated reasons -

* Lack of genuine commitment to football. Successive administrations have privately considered dropping football only to have a few influential alumni and/or politicians keep the program alive.

* Temple's main campus is located in a very poor/struggling neighborhood that recruits with other D-1A offers/options frequently decide to avoid.

* Temple football fans do not travel well. For example, less than 600 Temple fans would typically attend a football game at Rutgers (75 minutes drive from Philadelphia). About 1000 would typically travel to Penn State (3.5 hour drive).

Temple Football has accomplished more-with-less than any other D-1A school in the northeast during recent decades considering their numerous disadvantages.

I admire Temple Football's grittiness but I have serious doubts that the program would be anything but a liability to CUSA.

<small>[ 01-07-2004, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: Cheesesteak ]</small>

you might take that liability to get their bball credibility... just a thought.

and the other CUSA members aren't talking about SMU as perhaps the biggest football liability? Look at our attendance and how well we travel!

Temple has over 33,000 students and more than 230,000 living alumni.

Philadelphia, the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States, has more potential college football fans than Dallas or the Metroplex.

Temple's attendance woes and lack of fans who travel is a substantially worse problem than SMU's distressful situation.

CUSA knows SMU has much more upside potential.

with a name like chesesteak, how can you not support adding a school located in Philly???

I think Temple would help CUSA in basketball. In football, it could be a benefit. AND network executives when they make TV contracts look at markets. Having a team in a top 10 northeast market won't hurt. As the Big East will sink in football importance and the ACC rises, having as much NE presence as we can get will ultimately help CUSA. Especially if Temple, Tulane, SMU, UH, start winning. If we add Temple, we'll have a team in Philly, Dallas, 2 teams in Houston, N.O., Orlando, Memphis. If Navy and Army become an affiliate members that adds Washington, D.C. We are awash in Annapolis and West Point grads here. In other words CUSA could slowly improve its market share which would be good for everyone.