PonyFans.com

check out the very last paragraph

http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2095712

Hard to believe that the article is correct--no one would with any common sense would obligate themselves to such an open ended obligation. Perhaps the frogs were just fearfull of the SWC teams joining up again, as I don´t believe they were successfull in the SWC in my lifetime.

CUSA will have trouble enforcing that TV provision. How do you determine whether TCU or Louisville or S.Fla or Cincy's leaving is going to impact CUSA's TV deal...and how much does each impact the deal? Same thing in hoops. Obviously TCU knows their leaving doesn't hurt the league's bball appeal. USM & Marshall have been among the most popular TV draws. TCU helped generate interest in the league's football this year, but tough to argue they would do that every year. After all, they did blow the big one at USM.

My only point is that TCU had no way of predicting that they would be joined by other teams or exit alone. It is difficult to believe any school would sign such an open commitment--perhaps one of their football alumn acted aslegal advisor. Secondly, there will be adequate measures provided by the network in the negotiation process to allocate amongst the two sports. Then it is simply up to negotiations toallocate amongst the schools. The losses can be measured by the result of the renegotiation, these losses allocated between sports as the network will attempt to demonstrate. Again, how can a school enter into such an open ended obligation. I doubt the article is correct.

If the open-ended clause for leaving the C-USA is in the by-laws, then SMU has just agreed to these condtions too.

The biggest lie in business, is that "well we can not deviate from our standard contract". Seems to me the conference does not any more bargaining strength that the three new schools.

The Frogs played three nationally televised games this year, plus a bowl game that had pretty good ratings. The rest of CUSA I think played two nationally televised games. Those Trustees better have some good numbers crunchers. $5.7 Million/year. If it goes down to $1 Million. Difference $4.7 Million/year x 4 years =18.8 Million x 30% = $5.7 Million. Reduce that to present value=$4.95 Million. If I was CUSA that's what I would ask for. Let them come in with a lower figure and justify it. The problem is that S. Florida apparently won't be paying any exit fee, they're just agreeing to play so many away games at CUSA schools. TCU probably figures that they'll get the same deal.

Eastang, just my point, every deal made by the conference and it´s members is different. There is no "standard contract" that can´t be uniquely negotiated. I certainly don`t know the numbers, but if the new television contract is reduced by $35 million dollars as suggested on the frog site, go after those numbers. The network marketing people will have reams of statistics to prove that a new contract should not have the value of the old one. What could be a simpler starting point? Then add your numbers to them. Wouldn`t that shake the froggie faithfull`s confidence? Could you imagine a $10-12 million claim? It would make the increase in travel expenses look like a tip at Dairy Queen! Obviously I am not serious, but these conferences have been hurt. The remaining teams would be more that justified to go after the schools that abandon them and it would not be so far fetched that one day we will see awards of that magnitude, if such contracts were signed.

Who cares?

check out the very last paragraph

okay, it says

Thompson said the Mountain West has no immediate plans for further expansion. With nine teams, each will play eight conference football games and 16 MWC basketball games a year.

what is so spectacular about that?

TC