SoMiss/ODU/Marsh/JMU announcements

[WASU 93]

Boone to GaSo 337 mile drive (5 hours 39 minutes)
Boone to GaSt Football Stadium (288 miles 4:55)
Boone to Coastal (286 miles 4:40).
Boone to ODU (349 miles 5:33)
Boone to JMU (281 miles 4:17)
Boone to Marshall (269 4:38)

Most likely routes

There is almost a common rhythm to each road game in the East

Sounds like, at best, flying once a year to a west division team and to our bowl game. We made out like bandits on this one. ODU is definitely the most improved though.

Side effect of going for regionally strong programs. Well done SBC.

Not to mention how it could positively affect travel for other sports. If we play the majority of our games in the East in Conference, we (and the Sun Belt as a whole) may really have minimized travel expenses for all programs.

[AppinVA]

Boone to GaSo 337 mile drive (5 hours 39 minutes)
Boone to GaSt Football Stadium (288 miles 4:55)
Boone to Coastal (286 miles 4:40).
Boone to ODU (349 miles 5:33)
Boone to JMU (281 miles 4:17)
Boone to Marshall (269 4:38)

Most likely routes

There is almost a common rhythm to each road game in the East

Sounds like, at best, flying once a year to a west division team and to our bowl game. We made out like bandits on this one. ODU is definitely the most improved though.

Side effect of going for regionally strong programs. Well done SBC.

Not to mention how it could positively affect travel for other sports. If we play the majority of our games in the East in Conference, we (and the Sun Belt as a whole) may really have minimized travel expenses for all programs.

Between the new TV contract, increased ticket sales, and shorter travels in conference, we might have around $3 million more/saved money a year to play with.

[VNova]

Boone to GaSo 337 mile drive (5 hours 39 minutes)
Boone to GaSt Football Stadium (288 miles 4:55)
Boone to Coastal (286 miles 4:40).
Boone to ODU (349 miles 5:33)
Boone to JMU (281 miles 4:17)
Boone to Marshall (269 4:38)

Most likely routes

There is almost a common rhythm to each road game in the East

Sounds like, at best, flying once a year to a west division team and to our bowl game. We made out like bandits on this one. ODU is definitely the most improved though.

Side effect of going for regionally strong programs. Well done SBC.

Not to mention how it could positively affect travel for other sports. If we play the majority of our games in the East in Conference, we (and the Sun Belt as a whole) may really have minimized travel expenses for all programs.

Between the new TV contract, increased ticket sales, and shorter travels in conference, we might have around $3 million more/saved money a year to play with.

It'll be interesting to compare the expenses in a couple years vs today. If the new AAC members have the same payout that we get, they'll be hurting. Just using UNCC's likely East Division as a comparison point to ours, they're driving distance to ECU and maybe Birmingham (3.75 hours & 6 hours drive). They have to fly to 4 other schools.



For reference, square is east and circle is west. Blue is AAC, Lavender is SBC, and White is CUSA. Thank you to the original map maker of all 130 current FBS schools for making the base map.

For anyone interested in calculating distances: https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid ... yj_aRBYH-z

[Stonewall]

I am told that ODU wanted to stay in CUSA.Tried to work a deal with Liberty and JMU to leverage Marshall into staying.MU and JMU nixed the idea .They see the Belt as the top G5 and want to be a part of it. ODU really had no other recourse as CUSA struggles .Some talk that MTSU and WKU have or may look north to escape.In any event , we are in a very good place.

[TheMoody1]

[APPdiesel]

I've said it before, CUSA should re-focus its efforts away from its current footprint. Basically they'd only have to lose FIU, but form a triangle from Louisiana to New Mexico up to the Dakotas. There's a massive hole there between the MWC and western flanks of MAC, SB, and AAC. Trying to exist as the 3rd best G5 conference in the same footprint with a rag tag group of FCS programs willing to move up will not work.

It is interesting seeing the spigot of FCS teams wanting to make the jump completely shut off. We all thought the best ones will steadily move up one by one, but Covid losses have FINALLY made programs look hard at making a move if they can't afford it.

[Stonewall]

And there you go.How can CUSA realistically recover?

[goapps93]

UTEP should look to the MWC. Not sure what FIU and LA Tech should do. Don't think SBC would welcome FIU back and, well, there are issues with LA Tech.

[TheMoody1]

Yikes!

[Stonewall]

A dump of a conference.

[WVAPPeer]

a decent FCS conference however )

[WVAPPeer]

Article from WV Metro Sports about Marshall/Sunbelt

https://wvmetronews.com/2021/11/02/opin ... -worth-it/

[spong]

It looks like WAC might have some openings.

This might be how we can get rid of UTA and Little Rock.

[T-Dog]

Remember the "at the latest July 1, 2023" language from the announcements so far?

Looks like JMU is eyeing July 1, 2022 to join the Sun Belt. And because as soon as they announce, they'll be barred from all CAA Championships. The exact same thing they voted to uphold when Georgia State, Old Dominion, VCU and George Mason all left a decade ago.

https://richmond.com/sports/college/caa ... 6ac6e.html

[t4pizza]

That really does suck for the kids, no way around that. Just because a bunch of "adults" that run schools got their feelings hurt over JMU leaving the CAA should not mean that the JMU athletes can't compete for conference titles. In the immortal words of Jed Clampett, "Pitiful".

[AtlAppMan]

They should just cut their loses and rip the bandaid off. It stinks for kids but the quicker you get through the process the better. I know that was hard on our players, not really fair to them but they paid their dues for the good of the program. I also think it is in the best interest of the Sun Belt to get all of the four new members on board asap. If we can do it for 2022 then let's get it on. Let's keep building a stronger conference and leave the AAC and CUSA behind.

[Yosef84]

I doubt it will happen for 2022. I'm only saying that because the teams going to the B12 (from the AAC) have to give a 27 month notice, so they'll still be in the AAC in 2022. Never know though.

[AppSt94]

I doubt it will happen for 2022. I'm only saying that because the teams going to the B12 (from the AAC) have to give a 27 month notice, so they'll still be in the AAC in 2022. Never know though.

It would be difficult for them to do for football. They will need to get to 85 scholarships and I don’t know that they would be allowed to sign enough kids between now and then.

[Yosef84]

I doubt it will happen for 2022. I'm only saying that because the teams going to the B12 (from the AAC) have to give a 27 month notice, so they'll still be in the AAC in 2022. Never know though.

It would be difficult for them to do for football. They will need to get to 85 scholarships and I don’t know that they would be allowed to sign enough kids between now and then.

Right. For FCS teams moving up, there is a 2 year transition. One year exiting FCS and one years entering FBS. There would have to be a waiver if it were accelerated (I assume).

Also, apologies....I've been bouncing around the topics and didn't realize the comment was specific to JMU. My original comment was in reference to the teams moving from CUSA to SBC.

[spong]

The Marshal Press Conference is worth a watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM6RE5oL13w&list=WL&index=8