W K U Ad Talkin' Movin' Up In The Future

[MeanGreen61]

From the Muts board.

The AD said Western likes its spot (as a big dog) in the Sun Belt. But if WKU aspires to being perceived as a major program, I'd say at some point it has to consider a higher-profile league.

"By being I-A in football, by having a football stadium that could be expanded if we need it, if the opportunity for some kind of conference realignment emerged, we could be a major player in it," Selig said.

So can Western someday move into the gated community that houses UK and U of L and truly give college sports in Kentucky a Big Three?

There's so much -- resources, tradition, the barrier of not being in a BCS league -- that works against that, I'd still say the answer is almost certainly no.

But after the past couple of years, maybe Western can at least start to see the gate.

Said Selig: "Perception is probably the hardest thing to change. The perception, statewide, might be that WKU has a nice little program, has had a nice little run of success.

FULL ARTICLE

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/yb/131074975

[GreenBat]

BIG DOG?

[UNTflyer]

BIG DOG?

[wardly]

if you use the bubbas award as a guage, then wk and middle rank at the top of the sunbelt. since they are joined at the hip, i look for them to move to the mac if given a chance.[ strong bb and base ball programs.]i consider both the mac and wac a cut above the belt, and as regards nt football program, would also include the southland.

[NT80]

Ha, they haven't even played one down yet of official 1-A football but now consider themselves a "major player" and ready for the call to move up. The most consistent thing about 'Belt football members is that everyone wants out of it.

[GrandGreen]

if you use the bubbas award as a guage, then wk and middle rank at the top of the sunbelt. since they are joined at the hip, i look for them to move to the mac if given a chance.[ strong bb and base ball programs.]i consider both the mac and wac a cut above the belt, and as regards nt football program, would also include the southland.

Why would anyone in the Belt want to move to the MAC? I don't consider the MAC a step up now, and I believe the Belt's future looks brighter plus I believe that both teams would prefer to stay in a Southern conference. CUSA could be a step up because the overall budgets of its members are significantly bigger than the Belt, but the difference in play is not that great.

[wardly]

when is the last time north texas beat a mac team in any sport? in fact, what is the belts record in maior sports the last 5 years against the mac?

[CMJ]

Ha, they haven't even played one down yet of official 1-A football but now consider themselves a "major player" and ready for the call to move up. The most consistent thing about 'Belt football members is that everyone wants out of it.

They think so because of basketball, not football.

[UNTflyer]

when is the last time north texas beat a mac team in any sport? in fact, what is the belts record in maior sports the last 5 years against the mac?

North Texas beat Northern Illinois in 1996, 24-21 in DeKalb, IL.

North Texas is 1-3 vs. MAC.

I don't know about all sports, but the Sun Belt's overall record vs. the MAC is 32-40-1, the best record against any Div I-A conference.

[Arkstfan]

#1. The MAC is at 13 in football and generally unhappy with that number but quite happy with 12 in other sports.

#2. MAC revenue is falling because basketball has become worse so that per-team the money is basically identical to the Belt and the MAC probably not looking to split more ways.

#3. WKU talked to the MAC before committing to I-A in the Belt and I don't think they are particularly interested. My sense of MT is that they have zero MAC interest because their recruiting is all done south of Tennessee, not north.

[Greendylan]

when is the last time north texas beat a mac team in any sport? in fact, what is the belts record in maior sports the last 5 years against the mac?

Well the last time the Sun Belt and MAC met in football was the 2008 Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic 24, Central Michigan 21. As for North Texas, I'm sure our 1-11 last place team would have had quite a clash of the titans with last place Miami (OH) at 2-10. The truth is that all the non-AQ conferences trade places from year to year regarding who, at the moment, is a better overall conference.

In my opinion, all the "conference envy" conversations are purposeless when comparing the non-AQs. They are all, ultimately, in the same position: If you go undefeated you will probably get into a BCS bowl. If you don't go undefeated you probably won't. If North Texas had been 1-11 in the MWC, WAC, MAC, or C-USA, would the casual football fan have regarded us with any additional enthusiasm? If we go undefeated next year (which would mean a road win over Alabama), would UNT be snubbed by the BCS in favor of a 10-2 WAC or MAC team? That seems equally unlikely.

Don't get me wrong, I'd happily embrace an invitation to C-USA, but that's mainly because it makes sense in terms of travel costs and regional rivalries.

[badgerwolf]

when is the last time north texas beat a mac team in any sport? in fact, what is the belts record in maior sports the last 5 years against the mac?

As I recall, the SBC went 3 - 0 against the MAC on the football field last season. The MAC is not superior to the SBC in any way other than geographical location and their location sucks . . . LOL !!!

[Spaceraider]

...My sense of MT is that they have zero MAC interest because their recruiting is all done south of Tennessee, not north.

That's pretty much correct. There may be a few MT fans that would want to be in the MAC, but I think they probably have allegiances to a MAC school or ties to the area. I think it would be a very cold day in Hell before you'd see Middle Tennessee in the MAC.

[NT80]

They think so because of basketball, not football.

Probably, but schools are usually asked to join based on their location and what their football membership would bring to the conference.

[CMJ]

Probably, but schools are usually asked to join based on their location and what their football membership would bring to the conference.

Not all the time. Basketball matters quite a bit to some leagues.

[NT80]

Not all the time. Basketball matters quite a bit to some leagues.

Maybe the ACC to some extent but recent membership was still extended there based on football potential. The SBC started as a non-football league but has been slowly changing to an all-sports league (must have football). Football drives the bu$ in the BCS and upper division.

[emmitt01]

If North Texas had been 1-11 in the MWC, WAC, MAC, or C-USA, would the casual football fan have regarded us with any additional enthusiasm?

You could just ask SMU this question. The answer is that they are just as irrelevant, and in fact laughed at, everywhere that isn't called University Park.

[CMJ]

Maybe the ACC to some extent but recent membership was still extended there based on football potential. The SBC started as a non-football league but has been slowly changing to an all-sports league (must have football). Football drives the bu$ in the BCS and upper division.

How many schools that didn't play basketball were added to the Big East last go round? I think it was at least 4.

For that matter you really think Lousiville was added because of their football team? Sure they are decent enough the BE needed schools that played ----but the BE wanted that basketball program. Basketball likewise drives the bus in CUSA. What's the conferences flagship school?

Memphis.

Memphis will probably drive the decision who CUSA adds next go round. They want someone who improves basketball.

[Arkstfan]

How many schools that didn't play basketball were added to the Big East last go round? I think it was at least 4.

For that matter you really think Lousiville was added because of their football team? Sure they are decent enough the BE needed schools that played ----but the BE wanted that basketball program. Basketball likewise drives the bus in CUSA. What's the conferences flagship school?

Memphis.

Memphis will probably drive the decision who CUSA adds next go round. They want someone who improves basketball.

The Big East couldn't get the votes to expand without adding some hoop only to balance the expansion.

Basketball may drive the bus in C-USA but its a really short bus given that only Memphis has gone to the tournament the last two years and they now have NCAA buzzards circling.

[CMJ]

The Big East couldn't get the votes to expand without adding some hoop only to balance the expansion.

Basketball may drive the bus in C-USA but its a really short bus given that only Memphis has gone to the tournament the last two years and they now have NCAA buzzards circling.

Regardless, the BE is still very much a hoops league.

As far as CUSA goes, we'll see how hard the NCAA nails Memphis. If UM goes down in flames, CUSA's rep as a whole will as well. They don't have much to thump their chest over in football(conference champ usually gets beat in the Liberty vs a .500 SEC school), and if the Tigers lose their cache - their basketball rep will vaporize. Bye bye prime CBS coverage of their title game.

[Arkstfan]

Regardless, the BE is still very much a hoops league.

As far as CUSA goes, we'll see how hard the NCAA nails Memphis. If UM goes down in flames, CUSA's rep as a whole will as well. They don't have much to thump their chest over in football(conference champ usually gets beat in the Liberty vs a .500 SEC school), and if the Tigers lose their cache - their basketball rep will vaporize. Bye bye prime CBS coverage of their title game.

Memphis is the cash cow of the conference. Their bowls cost them about what they make off them. The money they make is mostly from:

1. TV rights where the greatest value is Memphis basketball.

2. NCAA Tournament proceeds (Memphis has generated all 8 of the units earned the last two years, Sun Belt earned 6 same time period).

3. Profits from the basketball tournament (who sells most of those tickets?)

Memphis doesn't even have to get it. If llosing Cal and the cloud of investigation causes Memphis to fall from being a top 10 team to a top 30 team, the impact is big.