It's inevitable: Conference USA as we know it is going to change

[Minerinciter]

This is from Harry Minium of The Virginian- Pilot in Norfolk, VA about C- USA consolidating with the Sun Belt Conference.
http://pilotonline.com/sports/colle...19e86f15-f21e-53f4-8868-505de84abcf2.amp.html
(via @mattsarz)

 

[Hot For Keitha]

At this point, whatever.

 

[MinerInWisconsin]

We have east/west divisions. Would be pretty easy to concentrate conference competition within those divisions to cut travel costs. No need to send UTEP's women soccer team to ODU or FIU. I think travel is overblown.

 

[JCorona]

I would be more in favor of simply adding two western team like Arkansas St and Lafayette.

West
UTEP
RICE
UTSA
UNT
Arkansas St
La Tech
Lafayette
USM

East
Marshall
UAB
ODU
FIU
FAU
WKU
MTSU
Charlotte

In football play seven games against your division and one crossover game. East and West champion meet in the CUSA championship game. In basketball play h&a against the seven division rivals and four against the other division. Every two years alternate the four cross divisional games. We would basically be two leagues operating as one. Travel cost would be minimal with very few trips to the other division. This way we are able to keep the best of both worlds. The proposal of the ODU writer doesn't really benefit anyone. There are some good teams on both the east and west divisions there is no need to further dilute our competetion by completely separating those teams and replacing them with weaker regional universities.

 

[UTEPDefense]

If I interpreted the article correctly, then the summary of the article is that consolidation needs to happen as a way to reduce travel costs. So again, if traveling two time zones away is now such a big deal, then why are we not in the MWC, where there are some schools actually located in our time zone. Yes, yes, I understand that the MWC has to want us, but this again gets back to the lack of vision from our current administration as they should have been doing everything possible to us get into the MWC, instead of having such a passive attitude, back when San Jose State was taken instead.

Also, why would two one-bid conferences want to join together, thus eliminating one bid to their schools. This now places 16 teams fighting eachother for one bid.

 

[Minerinciter]

If I interpreted the article correctly, then the summary of the article is that consolidation needs to happen as a way to reduce travel costs. So again, if traveling two time zones away is now such a big deal, then why are we not in the MWC, where there are some schools actually located in our time zone. Yes, yes, I understand that the MWC has to want us, but this again gets back to the lack of vision from our current administration as they should have been doing everything possible to us get into the MWC, instead of having such a passive attitude, back when San Jose State was taken instead.

Also, why would two one-bid conferences want to join together, thus eliminating one bid to their schools. This now places 16 teams fighting eachother for one bid.

That includes a bus trip to UNM.

 

[axingfools1]

MWC ASAP please Natalicio and Stull! Payout is 1.7 million per school while CUSA is down to 200K. Fan interest and recruiting would take a jump as well. Plus, another reason to hit up Vegas in March.

 

[FeralFelidae]

MWC ASAP please Natalicio and Stull! Payout is 1.7 million per school while CUSA is down to 200K. Fan interest and recruiting would take a jump as well. Plus, another reason to hit up Vegas in March.

But if we move to the MWC we will no longer be aligned with "the Texas teams" anymore! And we won't benefit from the "east coast bias" press from all those CUSA east coast teams.

 

[FarWestTexas]

Can't wait for UTRGV to join CUSA!