Conference affiliation

[M i n e r]

Maybe we should worry about competing in C-USA before re-thinking conference affiliation, but how much guaranteed money would a small conference need to have the conference tournament at the Haskins Center every year?

Is there a conference that would add UTEP to do this?

 

[Sports Talk Carlos]

I don’t see a conference where it would be a win for both sides.

I agree we need to be able to compete in CUSA first. Maybe one day get to the MWC. They play in Vegas I believe which would be great for me.

 

[JCorona]

Maybe we can go Indy in football and join the WAC for other sports. That’s probably the only way we could get the tournament in El Paso. Even then there is no guarantee we would get it every year.

It’s irritating because if our b-ball team was good and averaging close to 10k and the arena was already built I’m sure we would host the CUSA tournament.

 

[M i n e r]

Or maybe what I meant to ask isn't if a conference would do this but how much guaranteed money would a conference need from the school and/or City of El Paso to add UTEP and have the tournament here every year.

 

[Sports Talk Carlos]

Rumor has it that in the past the MWC would have taken us if we could deliver the Sun Bowl game.

 

[JCorona]

Rumor has it that in the past the MWC would have taken us if we could deliver the Sun Bowl game.

That would be a sweet deal if it can still get done. I would like for the MW champ to get the autobid to the Sun Bowl vs a #4-5 PAC team.

Since both teams would be west based there’s a good probability of having both fan bases travel. It would also be nice to win the conference and play in our own Sun Bowl. Imagine the football team being good enough to host two championship games. The MW title and the Sun Bowl game.

 

[Sports Talk Carlos]

Great points but we would probably lose CBS.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

And isn’t the Sun Bowl game itself a whole other entity? They would be crazy to make a deal on behalf of UTEP, which could prove detrimental to the long term success of the bowl game.

 

[66CHamps]

Rumor has it that in the past the MWC would have taken us if we could deliver the Sun Bowl game.

UTEP had an opportunity to join the MWC without the Sun Bowl. UTEP chose not to negotiate and raise money for the exit fee from CUSA. The offer was on the table.

 

[FeralFelidae]

UTEP had an opportunity to join the MWC without the Sun Bowl. UTEP chose not to negotiate and raise money for the exit fee from CUSA. The offer was on the table.

Is there any proof of that?

 

[RanDaddy8inks]

Utep was asked to join when Boise and San Diego St were headed to the Big East. Memphis, ECU, Tulane, and Tulsa were still in CUSA. And before San Jose and Utah St were added. They would have been in instead of San Jose St.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Let’s just win and keep winning. It’s our only hope. If that is true it definitely ranks as a massive failure for Stull and co.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Utep was asked to join when Boise and San Diego St were headed to the Big East. Memphis, ECU, Tulane, and Tulsa were still in CUSA. And before San Jose and Utah St were added. They would have been in instead of San Jose St.

But where's the proof?

 

[PURPLEFIRE]

Winning cures all.... how about we forget conference affiliation and worry about that when we have winning programs

 

[Minerinciter]

Winning cures all.... how about we forget conference affiliation and worry about that when we have winning programs

That and getting around to upgrading the facilities not just for conference affiliation but to get the fans to start attending more athletic events.

 

[Sports Talk Carlos]

Winning cures all.... how about we forget conference affiliation and worry about that when we have winning programs

It’s a message board. Why not discuss both?

 

[El Paso 777]

I would like for the MW champ to get the autobid to the Sun Bowl vs a #4-5 PAC team.

That would be a terrible idea and would end the Sun Bowl's relationship with CBS.

 

[jdubb66]

But where's the proof?

What kind of proof do you want? What would satisfy you?

 

[JCorona]

That would be a terrible idea and would end the Sun Bowl's relationship with CBS.

What if in five years CBS doesn’t renew the tv contract and one of the P5 conferences also pulls out. Would it still have been such a terrible idea to use the Sun Bowl as leverage to improve UTEP’s conference affiliation?

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

Is The Sun Bowl association directly associated with UTEP in any way? If the University has no control over them (other than the use of their stadium) what benefit would it be for them to take a potentially lesser deal by ditching the current conference affiliations for the sake of the Mountains West/UTEP?

 

[66CHamps]

What if in five years CBS doesn’t renew the tv contract and one of the P5 conferences also pulls out. Would it still have been such a terrible idea to use the Sun Bowl as leverage to improve UTEP’s conference affiliation?

UTEP and the Sun Bowl are totally separate entities with different missions. The Sun Bowl exists to promote the City of El Paso and bring as many visitors as possible through fans of teams and also a 3 hour advertisement on national TV for the City.

You are asking one entity to diminish its product and diminish it's impact for El Paso. How does this benefit the Sun Bowl and El Paso?

UTEP needs to stand on its own two feet. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego is not affiliated with the MWC, San Diego State's league. Camping World Bowl and Citrus Bowl both in Orlando have no relationship with Central Florida. Do you think SMU asked the Cotton Bowl to take an AAC team in order to help them get in that league?

 

[JCorona]

UTEP and the Sun Bowl are totally separate entities with different missions. The Sun Bowl exists to promote the City of El Paso and bring as many visitors as possible through fans of teams and also a 3 hour advertisement on national TV for the City.

You are asking one entity to diminish its product and diminish it's impact for El Paso. How does this benefit the Sun Bowl and El Paso?

UTEP needs to stand on its own two feet. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego is not affiliated with the MWC, San Diego State's league. Camping World Bowl and Citrus Bowl both in Orlando have no relationship with Central Florida. Do you think SMU asked the Cotton Bowl to take an AAC team in order to help them get in that league?

I completely understand where everyone is coming from. Yes I agree it doesn’t benefit the Sun Bowl. But all I’m saying is if and when it’s time to negotiate the conference tie ins this supposed proposal should be in the back of the committees mind. If the ACC says we are sending you our #8-9 team we shouldn’t just take it for the sake of having a P5 conference tie in.

As far as your examples I totally understand what you’re trying to say. But the Holiday Bowl was created in 1978 as an auto bid for the WAC champion the same exact season SDSU started competing in the WAC. Coincidence? Also of interest it was the same season the WAC lost the auto bid to the Fiesta Bowl to the PAC10. Which also happened to be the same season the Arizona schools joined the PAC from the WAC. Coincidence? While I can’t 100% confirm that those bowls were used as leverage to get into certain leagues the timing of it does indicate there might have been some backroom deals done. But other than that you’re right UTEP should stand on their own two feet.

 

[66CHamps]

If the ACC says we are sending you our #8-9 team we shouldn’t just take it for the sake of having a P5 conference tie in.

The ACC 9 this year was Florida State.

 

[UTEPfan1966]

I've never been a fan of attaching the Sun Bowl with a conference move, but....

Am I understanding you guys right when you want the Sun Bowl kept separate because of the CBS tie in and the connection with a P5 conference?

I need to know, why do we care about CBS? Do you guys not have cable or satellite on your TVs? Maybe we could get more money and viewers on fox?

Do you think we could not get more FANS in the city from a mountain west team?

I personally could give a rats ass about a 6th place team from a P5 school. F the P5. Give me a #2 team from the mountain west anyday

 

[USAFminersfan]

UTEP and the Sun Bowl are totally separate entities with different missions. The Sun Bowl exists to promote the City of El Paso and bring as many visitors as possible through fans of teams and also a 3 hour advertisement on national TV for the City.

You are asking one entity to diminish its product and diminish it's impact for El Paso. How does this benefit the Sun Bowl and El Paso?

UTEP needs to stand on its own two feet. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego is not affiliated with the MWC, San Diego State's league. Camping World Bowl and Citrus Bowl both in Orlando have no relationship with Central Florida. Do you think SMU asked the Cotton Bowl to take an AAC team in order to help them get in that league?

Not sure about the others, but the citrus bowl and camping world bowl are both played at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando. That stadium is located near downtown and not affiliated with ucf in any way. UCF has their own stadium on campus

 

[El Paso 777]

What if in five years CBS doesn’t renew the tv contract and one of the P5 conferences also pulls out. Would it still have been such a terrible idea to use the Sun Bowl as leverage to improve UTEP’s conference affiliation?

Even if that was true, I don't think it would even be legal.

 

[JCorona]

Even if that was true, I don't think it would even be legal.

What’s not legal?

 

[El Paso 777]

What’s not legal?

The Sun Bowl using the bowl as leverage to get UTEP in a better conference. I would say that's not legal.

 

[FarWestTexas]

Won’t matter cause Weekend at Bernie will keep running it into the ground.

 

[jdubb66]

One more time. UTEP and the Sun Bowl game are not affiliated at all.

And no, we couldn't get more fans here from Nevada than we can from South Carolina. It's a pipe dream. We can get more fans from a 9th place PAC 16 team than from a first place MW team other than Boise St.

 

[utep2step]

Is The Sun Bowl association directly associated with UTEP in any way? If the University has no control over them (other than the use of their stadium) what benefit would it be for them to take a potentially lesser deal by ditching the current conference affiliations for the sake of the Mountains West/UTEP?

I believe there is a "UTEP" clause in the contract; however, it's kind of a if there are no teams available and if UTEP is eligible (with an attractive record) then break glass only of necessary, but sponsor has right at first refusal.

In other words, the SB will never take UTEP. The contract is up in two years but because of the heavy hotel/motel tax and airports taxing fee's the Sunny is actually in pretty good shape (I think some some of the taxing fee for airlines goes to the Sun Bowl but I'm not totally certain). So associated in any way? Yes. Don't forget the UT system declared eminent domain on El Paso some years back so UTEP has more than "association", they have total leverage. The festivities, game and such belong to the association. So you can't have a bowl in El Paso without UTEP unless Tim Foster and his sports group decided to build a stadium or El Paso wants to piss off the taxpayers more and build one, too.

 

[66CHamps]

I believe there is a "UTEP" clause in the contract; however, it's kind of a if there are no teams available and if UTEP is eligible (with an attractive record) then break glass only of necessary, but sponsor has right at first refusal.

In other words, the SB will never take UTEP. The contract is up in two years but because of the heavy hotel/motel tax and airports taxing fee's the Sunny is actually in pretty good shape (I think some some of the taxing fee for airlines goes to the Sun Bowl but I'm not totally certain). So associated in any way? Yes. Don't forget the UT system declared eminent domain on El Paso some years back so UTEP has more than "association", they have total leverage. The festivities, game and such belong to the association. So you can't have a bowl in El Paso without UTEP unless Tim Foster and his sports group decided to build a stadium or El Paso wants to piss off the taxpayers more and build one, too.

Wow what an amazing post.....Rarely do you read one that is 100% not true and completely made up.

 

[El Paso 777]

So associated in any way? Yes.

The Sun Bowl is not associated with UTEP. The Sun Bowl could have taken NMSU if there were no teams available from the ACC or Pac 12. Any bowl can pick pick teams out of their respective conferences if there are no teams available.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

Wow what an amazing post.....Rarely do you read one that is 100% not true and completely made up.

What is so amazing to me is you are so ready to pounce on something you obviously have no clue about. 2step is right about their being a clause for UTEP's inclusion with some stringent qualifiers. I can't find it via google but I remember very well that the Sun Bowl committee included UTEP in a round about way in order to pacify Miner fans. I'll keep looking for "proof", but it does or at least did exist.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

If I recall correctly every time UTEP has been bowl eligilbe I’m the last 17 years there’s always been a rumbling for The Sun Bowl to somehow take UTEP. And correct me if I’m wrong didn’t Bernie Olivas say that they could work out a deal with another bowl game to essentially swap teams? But the problem is that they would lose money taking UTEP even though they would almost be guranteed a sell out especially under Price or the 2000 WAC champ season. The city would be losing out on all the fans coming to El Paso and all of the hotel/rental car tax money etc. On The Sun Bowl website it says there is a 12-15 million dollar economic impact for the city. If you’re looking at he bottom line he worst thing that could happen economically for the city might be having UTEP in The Sun Bowl. Just because he fans are here and so there is no outside money coming in.

http://www.sunbowl.org/about

 

[FiliUTEP]

When will C-USA get a better T.V deal??? I think CUSA is 2nd best non power 5 conference. CUSA should have a TV deal better than Mountain West.

 

[EPTUTEP]

When will C-USA get a better T.V deal??? I think CUSA is 2nd best non power 5 conference. .

Haaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaa. Lay off the drugs.

 

[UTEPMiners8106]

When will C-USA get a better T.V deal??? I think CUSA is 2nd best non power 5 conference. CUSA should have a TV deal better than Mountain West.

Way to bring this thread back from the dead.

 

[unihom]

When will C-USA get a better T.V deal??? I think CUSA is 2nd best non power 5 conference. CUSA should have a TV deal better than Mountain West.

When Memphis and Louisville come back. MWC is on ESPN channels all the time and is a better respected conference. Plus they don't have UTEP dragging down their RPI

 

[FiliUTEP]

Way to bring this thread back from the dead.

its on the sticky threads so its not dead. Learn how to use a message board.