PAC-12 melt down

[Stonewall]

Rumor mill...SMU trying to buy their way in to the ACC.Potential trickle down effect to SunBelt ?

[kornegaylw]

I’m loving the current SUNBELT set up more and more!

The Sunbelt has, seemingly overnight, become the conference for folks who like college football "the way it was." Regional footprints, close/intense rivalries, kids are getting NIL $$ but not 6-figure stuff, transfers happen but aren't earth-shaking...

I'm not sure if that's necessarily "good" for the Sunbelt in the future, but I think it makes the conference more interesting. SEC, Big 10, and Big 12 have just become the minor league conferences for the NFL. ACC, Sunbelt, MWC are more like what college football was meant to be.

I don't see whats happened driving many away from CFB but I do see people caring less about "conference play"...Sure they'll tune in to see their team team play a rival but are they really gonna care when Maryland plays Washington or Missouri plays South Carolina? I would say no they won't. What makes CFB great is being able to brag to your low life Georgia Southern friend that App beat up them up on Saturday. Who's gonna care if your Syracuse Orange beat up the Cal or if your Oregon Ducks beat up Rutgers?

Pretty loose interpretation of "friend" but otherwise spot on. I think the Sun Belt gets it. Probably were backed into getting it because they had no other real choice but I think it works for us in the long run.

I agree that the grass is pretty green for the SunBelt right now. Hopefully the "Haves" see the value in diversity and the appeal of some new teams each year.

[kornegaylw]

Agree with the sentiment of the above poster. Unless you're a fan of the specific team, no one cares if it's them playing a low level conference opponent. I actually like the merging because you're concentrating the teams that people want to see play each other into conferences....so for games not involving App, just as neutral CFB fans, fans of the sport, we're going to get more better games. Look at the SEC now...every week they have 2 or 3 games featuring ranked teams. And now it's going to get better w/ Texas and OU. I want to see Texas and OU play Bama, UGa, LSU, etc...not Texas Tech or Iowa State. Same with Southern Cal, Oregon, Washington...I want to see them play Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, etc. Same with Clemson and Florida State wherever they go eventually...sorry but those games vs Syracuse and BC just don't do it for me.

I feel for the have-nots and the left-outs, but they need to come to grips with reality as far as their place in the college football landscape. They're basically G5 programs in P5 conferences. The reason App and the Sunbelt and the G5 conferences work well is because most fans know who and what we are for the most part. Alabama, Clemson, etc, and App are all FBS citizens; but we don't live in the same neighborhoods.

I can get on board with your line of thought if you pivot a bit and say that the "Haves" are willing to kick out the Rutgers and Vanderbuilts from their neighborhood and allow the Appalachains move in.

[AppWyo]

What we have in the Sunbelt East is awesome, let us not screw it up by wanting to be in a different conference. We should not make the mistake that some schools make thinking that they would get more respect if they were in a different conference.

Every school in the Sunbelt expects to win every game, especially the Sunbelt East. That is rare in most conferences. We have the closest thing to what we once had in the SoCon. It is fine to strive for something better and higher, however, the reality is that we can compete in the Sunbelt and we are not having to sell our soul to do so.

The PAC 4 would be better off merging with the Mountain West Conference right now than staying with an Autonomous Conference.

Look at Maryland, have they gotten any better in football since they left the ACC?

[WASU 93]

What we have in the Sunbelt East is awesome, let us not screw it up by wanting to be in a different conference. We should not make the mistake that some schools make thinking that they would get more respect if they were in a different conference.

Every school in the Sunbelt expects to win every game, especially the Sunbelt East. That is rare in most conferences. We have the closest thing to what we once had in the SoCon. It is fine to strive for something better and higher, however, the reality is that we can compete in the Sunbelt and we are not having to sell our soul to do so.

The PAC 4 would be better off merging with the Mountain West Conference right now than staying with an Autonomous Conference.

Look at Maryland, have they gotten any better in football since they left the ACC?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2 ... e-trouble/

Maryland’s average announced attendance of 31,920 ranks 66th among 133 Football Bowl Subdivision schools and places the program on a tier with Boise State, Appalachian State, Navy and Stanford. The Terrapins have the second-worst attendance in the Big Ten, behind only Northwestern



Guess who is trending UP and who is trending down?

[canes_mj]

Agree with the sentiment of the above poster. Unless you're a fan of the specific team, no one cares if it's them playing a low level conference opponent. I actually like the merging because you're concentrating the teams that people want to see play each other into conferences....so for games not involving App, just as neutral CFB fans, fans of the sport, we're going to get more better games. Look at the SEC now...every week they have 2 or 3 games featuring ranked teams. And now it's going to get better w/ Texas and OU. I want to see Texas and OU play Bama, UGa, LSU, etc...not Texas Tech or Iowa State. Same with Southern Cal, Oregon, Washington...I want to see them play Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, etc. Same with Clemson and Florida State wherever they go eventually...sorry but those games vs Syracuse and BC just don't do it for me.

I feel for the have-nots and the left-outs, but they need to come to grips with reality as far as their place in the college football landscape. They're basically G5 programs in P5 conferences. The reason App and the Sunbelt and the G5 conferences work well is because most fans know who and what we are for the most part. Alabama, Clemson, etc, and App are all FBS citizens; but we don't live in the same neighborhoods.

I can get on board with your line of thought if you pivot a bit and say that the "Haves" are willing to kick out the Rutgers and Vanderbuilts from their neighborhood and allow the Appalachains move in.

Agree; I wish there was a provision to remove teams; Vandy, Rutgers, maybe Northwestern...Wake would never have gotten an invite. I've had a lot of conversations about this with friends. ACC could realize their mistake and remove BC for example. Totally agree. But on App, no... no way App ever would, could, or should be P5. It's not realistic even in the wildest of hypothetical scenarios.

[AtlAppMan]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... roadblocks

I don't think SMU is going to buy their way into ACC.
SMU also had been bandied about as a potential addition to the ACC, and those conversations aren't headed anywhere, either, sources said.

[BambooRdApp]

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/sto ... roadblocks

I don't think SMU is going to buy their way into ACC.
SMU also had been bandied about as a potential addition to the ACC, and those conversations aren't headed anywhere, either, sources said.

Recurring theme for SMU.
Paid Pony Express

[Rick83]

Just saw this on MSN...and I know it's not gonna happen...but still fun to consider:

Hey, ACC, If You’re Looking For Good Football, Try Closer To Home

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/he ... 9dce&ei=59

[AppStFan1]

Just saw this on MSN...and I know it's not gonna happen...but still fun to consider:

Hey, ACC, If You’re Looking For Good Football, Try Closer To Home

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/he ... 9dce&ei=59

Like you said it won't happen and we all know the NC schools won't want us. We also have a lot of other issues that make me not even want to join the ACC if it grows to add west coast and Texas schools along with the fact we don't have the money to compete. I would imagine the TV money increase alone would not do it and we would need the YC to bring in probably 20-25M more a year just to even tread water. Ticket prices would double and games would be so far that most fans just could not manage it. I like that we are in a regional conference now. I would even be in favor of the league dropping Texas State to add ECU if they would join but I really don't want to be in a league with west coast schools. I was glad NWMSU and Idaho left the league just from a travel standpoint.

[AppSt94]

Our infrastructure, both the school and the town of Boone weren’t ready for an invite to the AAC. Highly doubt we are ready for the ACC to come to town.

[kornegaylw]

Agree with the sentiment of the above poster. Unless you're a fan of the specific team, no one cares if it's them playing a low level conference opponent. I actually like the merging because you're concentrating the teams that people want to see play each other into conferences....so for games not involving App, just as neutral CFB fans, fans of the sport, we're going to get more better games. Look at the SEC now...every week they have 2 or 3 games featuring ranked teams. And now it's going to get better w/ Texas and OU. I want to see Texas and OU play Bama, UGa, LSU, etc...not Texas Tech or Iowa State. Same with Southern Cal, Oregon, Washington...I want to see them play Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, etc. Same with Clemson and Florida State wherever they go eventually...sorry but those games vs Syracuse and BC just don't do it for me.

I feel for the have-nots and the left-outs, but they need to come to grips with reality as far as their place in the college football landscape. They're basically G5 programs in P5 conferences. The reason App and the Sunbelt and the G5 conferences work well is because most fans know who and what we are for the most part. Alabama, Clemson, etc, and App are all FBS citizens; but we don't live in the same neighborhoods.

I can get on board with your line of thought if you pivot a bit and say that the "Haves" are willing to kick out the Rutgers and Vanderbuilts from their neighborhood and allow the Appalachains move in.

Agree; I wish there was a provision to remove teams; Vandy, Rutgers, maybe Northwestern...Wake would never have gotten an invite. I've had a lot of conversations about this with friends. ACC could realize their mistake and remove BC for example. Totally agree. But on App, no... no way App ever would, could, or should be P5. It's not realistic even in the wildest of hypothetical scenarios.

The football team may be on par with low level ACC schools but the Town of Boones' infrastructure and the mindset of the current members of the ACC will need to change before Appalachian will be in the ACC. If any current teams leave the ACC then that mindset might change. Another great few years with big wins will help our cause. Patience is key here.

[appdaze]

The only way we ever get in one of the big conferences is when after 10-20 or so years of all this pure greed based realignment blows up in everyone's faces that these super conferences are forced to break up again and form more regional conferences. The SBC would probably be split with some schools joining former P5s in the regional rebuild. Right now the teams in the SBC just need to sit back and watch the P5 super conference sand castles wash away in the sea.

[Saint3333]

Our infrastructure, both the school and the town of Boone weren’t ready for an invite to the AAC. Highly doubt we are ready for the ACC to come to town.

Not ready for Tulane, Tulsa, and UAB?

We’re hosting the biggest draw this year, the AAC isn’t really more difficult than the SBC.

Agreed on the ACC.

[Rick83]

Just saw this on MSN...and I know it's not gonna happen...but still fun to consider:

Hey, ACC, If You’re Looking For Good Football, Try Closer To Home

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/he ... 9dce&ei=59

Like you said it won't happen and we all know the NC schools won't want us. We also have a lot of other issues that make me not even want to join the ACC if it grows to add west coast and Texas schools along with the fact we don't have the money to compete. I would imagine the TV money increase alone would not do it and we would need the YC to bring in probably 20-25M more a year just to even tread water. Ticket prices would double and games would be so far that most fans just could not manage it. I like that we are in a regional conference now. I would even be in favor of the league dropping Texas State to add ECU if they would join but I really don't want to be in a league with west coast schools. I was glad NWMSU and Idaho left the league just from a travel standpoint.

I agree completely with what you've posted. I think the point of the article is to suggest adding schools like us or Marshall as opposed to going out West. Since football seems to be the driving force behind this conference realignment craziness, and we both have great football programs with strong fan support. The ACC is preparing to add members because they're anticipating losing some like Florida State, Clemson, perhaps Miami...which are their strongest football members historically.

[kornegaylw]

Our infrastructure, both the school and the town of Boone weren’t ready for an invite to the AAC. Highly doubt we are ready for the ACC to come to town.

Not ready for Tulane, Tulsa, and UAB?

We’re hosting the biggest draw this year, the AAC isn’t really more difficult than the SBC.

Agreed on the ACC.

The city's of Tulsa, New Orleans & Birmingham have substantially better tourism resource capacity within the greater city limits. They also have commerically seriviced airports within 20 minutes of campus. Boone does not.

[AppSt94]

Our infrastructure, both the school and the town of Boone weren’t ready for an invite to the AAC. Highly doubt we are ready for the ACC to come to town.

Not ready for Tulane, Tulsa, and UAB?

We’re hosting the biggest draw this year, the AAC isn’t really more difficult than the SBC.

Agreed on the ACC.

It’s a bigger issue than on field competition and butts in the seat.

[Stonewall]

Visiting teams stay in ...Hickory.Have for awhile.

[appdaze]

Visiting teams stay in ...Hickory.Have for awhile.

Liazzos catering out of the convention center has fed some of the visiting teams if I remember right.

[AppStFan1]

Just saw this on MSN...and I know it's not gonna happen...but still fun to consider:

Hey, ACC, If You’re Looking For Good Football, Try Closer To Home

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/he ... 9dce&ei=59

Like you said it won't happen and we all know the NC schools won't want us. We also have a lot of other issues that make me not even want to join the ACC if it grows to add west coast and Texas schools along with the fact we don't have the money to compete. I would imagine the TV money increase alone would not do it and we would need the YC to bring in probably 20-25M more a year just to even tread water. Ticket prices would double and games would be so far that most fans just could not manage it. I like that we are in a regional conference now. I would even be in favor of the league dropping Texas State to add ECU if they would join but I really don't want to be in a league with west coast schools. I was glad NWMSU and Idaho left the league just from a travel standpoint.

I agree completely with what you've posted. I think the point of the article is to suggest adding schools like us or Marshall as opposed to going out West. Since football seems to be the driving force behind this conference realignment craziness, and we both have great football programs with strong fan support. The ACC is preparing to add members because they're anticipating losing some like Florida State, Clemson, perhaps Miami...which are their strongest football members historically.

For sure but I hear complaints about our lack of NIL now and being called up to ACC would make that issue even worse, unless we increase giving big time.

The ACC scares me in general anyway due to the fact their leadership is getting played by ND. You see that ND is a full voting member and putting pressure on league to take Cal and Stanford but they are independent in football? ACC leadership has quite the test in front of them right now. There is a real chance they end up as a G5 league and we have a P3 by the end.