Fox 26 Houston TV reports Army & Navy ...

[NavyCrimson]

interesting thread on the c-usa board re / army- navy being 'federated' members of the conference...even after the alledged 'alignments' coming us?

here it is.....

http://www.killerfrogs.com/cusa/index.php?act=ST&f=4&t=6726&s=6e3c318245ab441ca0bebd5b02fecfea

[MustangSally]

This is what someone posted on the CUSA forum:

East
Marshall
East Carolina
Memphis
UAB
Central Florida
Southern Miss

West
Houston
TCU
SMU
Rice
Tulsa
Tulane

Federated Football Members (not shown in league standings)
Army
Navy

One reason Army and Navy are not in divisions is that the Army-Navy game will conflcit with the C-USA championship game. Another is they want freedom to schedule 7-8 regional and traditional games. Another is that they only want to play the C-USA private schools.

Army & Navy will play 4 games each in C-USA against the private schools. These games will be counters in the league standings for the private schools. And these games, both home and away, will be part of the C-USA inventory for TV. No word yet on the Army-Navy game TV revenue.

Army and Navy, if bowl eligible, can be selected by C-USA bowls, but cannot win the the C-USA championship. Conference championship determined by the title game.

With this lineup, these markets, and a champ game, C-USA should not experience any significant decline in TV revenue, and should maintain or increase bowl ties.

--------------------------------------------
None of this is for certain yet, but I like this new setup alot. Why do Army/Navy only want to play the private schools? Is it just because they like the idea of playing us more than ECU or USM? Either way, this is cool.

[Water Pony]

The possibility of Army and Navy aligning with CUSA in a limited way is great for and expanded CUSA and us, if we are invited.

Academy schools increase attendance where ever they go. Both offer East exposure and markets. Navy is on the up swing, though Army has a long way to go, like us.

CUSA appears more attractive with this move.

[PonyFan]

Agreed, we can only benefit if Army and Navy are there. But hasn't Army already announced they're gone?

[MustangSally]

I think Army is gonna attempt to leave the league as a full member but "rejoin" as a partial schedule football only member. Where would they play all their other sports? That Patriot League that Navy plays in now? I assume this is what would happen.

[Nacho]

Brilliant move by C-USA. The BE has been shocked and awed. BE is teetering. Louisville and Cincy are going to come out big losers on this.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Recall that NAVY met with SMU recently about some sort of affiliation (or was it army??)

[NavyCrimson]

if this happens its the best of both worlds...we all come out big winners...the academies have a lot of political pull which can help in many-many areas - including the bcs-bs.

yep - it was the academies we met with this past summer & it looks like this may be one of the payoffs...good move jim copeland!

[Charleston Pony]

Mustang Sally: Army was never a full member in CUSA. In fact, they joined for football only and with the exception of a year or two during their stay, they have been the SMU (doormat) of CUSA football. They play other sports with Navy in the Patriot League.

I haven't seen anything that outlines what this plan might be, but I like it. I thought the Big East would make a pitch to Army/Navy as "associate" football members, encouraging them to play as many as 4 Big East opponents and enhancing their TV viability in the process. As bad as they are, Army/Navy still have a large national following and attract viewers.

If they confine their CUSA games to the CUSA-west and play only the 5 private schools, I can't see how those games will count as conference games for the western group. Will CUSA play the much talked about 5/2 schedule, minimizing the number of games the west will play against eastern teams? That may be a great way to control travel costs for football, but won't do a lot to build rivalries outside of your division.

Should be very interesting to see how this all shakes out.