Why we have to be included

[LA_Mustang]

There are only four division 1A football schools in top 10 TV markets not in a BCS conference:
SMU (DFW #5 TV market)
North Texas (DFW #5 TV market)
U of Houston (Houston #10 TV market)
Rice (Houston #10 TV market)
Depending on what happens to the Big East, Temple (Philly #4 TV market) could be added to this list but as of now, they are BCS. Of the four schools above, it seems to be a no brainer which two are the most attractive - SMU and UH. And if we go in as a package deal, I just can't see how all of the super conferences can leave us out. The bottom line is it comes down to money and we've got the biggest stack of chips not sitting at the table.

[squire]

There are a grand total of four division 1A football schools in top 10 TV markets not in a BCS conference:
SMU (DFW #5 TV market)
North Texas (DFW #5 TV market)
U of Houston (Houston #10 TV market)
Rice (Houston #10 TV market)
Depending on what happens to the Big East, Temple (Philly #4 TV market) could be added to this list but as of now, they are BCS. Of the four schools above, it seems to be a no brainer which two are the most attractive - SMU and UH. And if we go in as a package deal, I just can't see how all of the super conferences can leave us out. The bottom line is it comes down to money and we've got the biggest stack of chips not sitting at the table.

I think this media market thing is being overhyped.
TV viewers want to see good football games, good football teams, good rivalries and matchups, and their favorite teams.
How much value is there in a team from a major media market, that no one cares about, or watches?

[gostangs]

How much value? Pretty much, when you think about a SMU team three years into a PAC conference affiliation with a 45k stadium and a ucla game followed by a USC game on the boulevard back to back. It would make a ton of sense and would be easy to love......and would be college football that everyone valued.

[smubrooks]

when you think about a SMU team three years into a PAC conference affiliation with a 45k stadium and a ucla game followed by a USC game on the boulevard back to back.

This would be absolutely awesome!!!!

[sbsmith]

There are only four division 1A football schools in top 10 TV markets not in a BCS conference:
SMU (DFW #5 TV market)
North Texas (DFW #5 TV market)
U of Houston (Houston #10 TV market)
Rice (Houston #10 TV market)
Depending on what happens to the Big East, Temple (Philly #4 TV market) could be added to this list but as of now, they are BCS. Of the four schools above, it seems to be a no brainer which two are the most attractive - SMU and UH. And if we go in as a package deal, I just can't see how all of the super conferences can leave us out. The bottom line is it comes down to money and we've got the biggest stack of chips not sitting at the table.

You're right, this market thing will be good enough to get us into the ACC once they start rebuilding after the raids.

[FriscoChuck]

If we were to play any of the big name teams such as USC, UCLA, Oregon, or Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Alabama, LSU, etc we would be a sell out each week. Same goes with basketball. If positioned correctly SMU is a potential USC in the making. With us being in Dallas and with Dallas projected to grow like it is market is almost everything. Of course we need to provide highly ranked education and we need to keep the wining ways.

[LHS81]

Most of those schools you mentioned woudn't want to play SMU at 32,000 seat Gerald Ford Stadium

[ponyboy]

Which is why you'd have to expand to 45K

[Stallion]

Sorry I doubt SMU could sellout 45,000 for ANY PAC team except perhaps USC if they were rated highly. Hell I doubt we could sellout 32,000 for any of those schools-not to mention we'd have to win to get there. We play BCS schools with huge local alumni base and there are 15,000, 18,000 sometimes 20,000 SMU fans there. Those schools wouldn't bring 1/4 of the fans that these local BCS schools do to fill the stadium. We had a Season Ticket package with the best home schedule you could draw up and we couldn't top 10,000 season tickets at $15 a game even with Aggies and Horned Frogs helping out.

[LA_Mustang]

The conference network, where a majority of the big time money will come from, is still in its infancy. TV is driving the bus. It does in professional sports and will in college. Look at the YES network for the Yankees, or the insane new cable deal the Dodgers just signed, the NFL network, NBA TV, MLB Network.....advertisers love this kind of niche programing because they know exactly what kind of audience they deliver.

The great thing about the college sports audience that it has over professional sports is you get a large female audience as well. While the average female college grad in her 20s and 30s could maybe care less about the Cowboys, Lakers, Yankees, they usually remain very interested in their beloved Ohio St Buckeyes, USC Trojans or Flo-rida Gators. Also, the average college viewer is more educated which means more spending power. So, while the Nielsen rating for these games may not be huge, they are so targeted that advertisers love them and buy them.

As for squires comment about the media market being overhyped and viewers just wanting to see good football, I get what you're saying but by a conference having a school in the actual market, it increases local media coverage, the conference will promote the games a lot more and therefore increase interest. If SMU was in the PAC-12 you would see a lot of cross-channel promotion for all PAC-12 games aired on the conference network. Why do you think the Big 10 invited Rutgers? Because by having a local school presence in the NYC/NJ market with the increased exposure and marketing, it will add a rating point or two to the conference network and that results in HUGE money.

[lwjr]

There are a grand total of four division 1A football schools in top 10 TV markets not in a BCS conference:
SMU (DFW #5 TV market)
North Texas (DFW #5 TV market)
U of Houston (Houston #10 TV market)
Rice (Houston #10 TV market)
Depending on what happens to the Big East, Temple (Philly #4 TV market) could be added to this list but as of now, they are BCS. Of the four schools above, it seems to be a no brainer which two are the most attractive - SMU and UH. And if we go in as a package deal, I just can't see how all of the super conferences can leave us out. The bottom line is it comes down to money and we've got the biggest stack of chips not sitting at the table.

I think this media market thing is being overhyped.
TV viewers want to see good football games, good football teams, good rivalries and matchups, and their favorite teams.


How much value is there in a team from a major media market, that no one cares about, or watches?

I have to agree with squire, SMU does not bring the Dallas market. UT, A&M, OU bring the Dallas Market. SMU's Dallas Market Share is about a quarter to a third of the Park Cities with a few pockets sprinkled through out North Dallas. It stinks but it is what it is.

[mr. pony]

Most of those schools you mentioned woudn't want to play SMU at 32,000 seat Gerald Ford Stadium

ever heard of JerryWorld?
Baylor plays there.

[Stallion]

Hey LA Mustang-SMU didn't play in Cotton Bowl in '24. It was the Dixie Classic at Fair Park Stadium

http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-foo ... ts-75.html

[Hoop Fan]

[/quote]I have to agree with squire, SMU does not bring the Dallas market. UT, A&M, OU bring the Dallas Market. SMU's Dallas Market Share is about a quarter to a third of the Park Cities with a few pockets sprinkled through out North Dallas. It stinks but it is what it is.[/quote]

well, that is not exactly true and is glass half empty thinking. Northwestern is playing in the Gator Bowl right now. We have as many or more alums than Northwestern. We have about as many alums as TCWho too. Look at the Boulevard, we have a healthy college football atmosphere. The honest to goodness problem is still that we still do not have a consistent enough product to sell. When you play A&M at home, SMU fans need to be confident that they won't show up to watch an embarrassing blowout. When people travel to Waco, they need to know that we are gonna compete. Too often, we do not compete. TCU fans have been able to travel and get behind the product because they can count on it. TCU doesn't get blown out or embarrassed like we did at Waco and against A&M. Can't have that, especially with an alum base like SMU's in a city like Dallas. We traveled well enough to Birmingham and Waco to support the team, but you can't get blown out like we did in Waco and kill any momentum you might have had.

[lwjr]

I have to agree with squire, SMU does not bring the Dallas market. UT, A&M, OU bring the Dallas Market. SMU's Dallas Market Share is about a quarter to a third of the Park Cities with a few pockets sprinkled through out North Dallas. It stinks but it is what it is.[/quote]

well, that is not exactly true and is glass half empty thinking. Northwestern is playing in the Gator Bowl right now. We have as many or more alums than Northwestern. We have about as many alums as TCWho too. Look at the Boulevard, we have a healthy college football atmosphere. The honest to goodness problem is still that we still do not have a consistent enough product to sell. When you play A&M at home, SMU fans need to be confident that they won't show up to watch an embarrassing blowout. When people travel to Waco, they need to know that we are gonna compete. Too often, we do not compete. TCU fans have been able to travel and get behind the product because they can count on it. TCU doesn't get blown out or embarrassed like we did at Waco and against A&M. Can't have that, especially with an alum base like SMU's in a city like Dallas. We traveled well enough to Birmingham and Waco to support the team, but you can't get blown out like we did in Waco and kill any momentum you might have had.[/quote]

Not trying to be "glass half empty", it is the reality of where SMU stands today.