Temple and Florida Int. being eyed for CUSA/MWC Merger

[Harry]

Temple and Florida International are being evaluated for invitations should there be an all-sports merger by Conference USA and the Mountain West, the Memphis Commercial Appeal has reported.

"That's the first I heard of that," Temple athletic director Bill Bradshaw said Wednesday night when asked about the report, which was posted on the newspaper's website hours earlier.

There has been speculation for months that Temple had a chance to become a Big East member for football. That's still a possibility.

Click here to read more: http://articles.philly.com/2012-01-05/sports/30593403_1_temple-mountain-west-conference-usa-merger-invitations

[Harry]

Based on this article the order appears to be:

1. Temple

2. FIU

3. ?

Will Temple accept? That appears to be the big question.

[Harry]

Temple board discussion on CUSA/MWC option.

[GrayEagle]

Based on this article the order appears to be:

1. Temple

2. FIU

3. North Texas

Will Temple accept? That appears to be the big question.

The reason that I add North Texas is market. They're going after the largest markets for TV contract negotiations. The fact is that we may have already agreed so there is no need to publicize that at this time.

The west could add San Jose State and pick up four huge markets to add to their totals. I looked at the county that the university is in and the adjacent counties (actually abut the locale county) and came up with the following: Temple 3.401M, FIU 4.537M, San Jose State 4.770M and North Texas 5.777M. That's more than 18 million people in those four markets alone. Using the same criterion that would raise the total exposure in the merged conference to more than 38 million people. That's just people within their own state; I did not cross state lines.

Does that mean that each team dominates their particular market? Of course not but it also doesn't mean that viewers don't (or won't) watch more than one team in their market. So that's a lot of exposure.

Adding those four teams to the conferences after defections would bring the total to 20 teams. They could stop there or add two or four teams for quality. Louisiana Tech is really the only team that fits that billet but Utah State might be included in the west for balance.

That's my take and only Temple will require any selling. The other three would no doubt jump at the opportunity. The league would have to be structured in such a way that Temple only had to make a trip or two to the west per year (for the major sports).

There are several things that I don't like about FIU. Mostly their disjointed campus and their crappy stadium (which I think affects attendance) but the stadium is correctable. They are a big market with a pretty decent team though and that will likely weigh enough to get them included.

[LakeTravis]

They obviously want FIU's Sunny Side Retirement Home market

[Zeke]

They are obviously after the large basketball crowds FIU brings

[DeepGreen]

They are obviously after the large basketball crowds FIU brings

Are you talking about this huge BB crowd last light? And CUSA is big on basketball. Say goodbye to Memphis and replace them with FIU.

[foutsrouts]

What gives FIU such an edge over FAU? Is it because FAU is not quite officially in Miami, even though they're in the same metro area? Except for the VERY recent state of their football programs, I've always looked at them as interchangeable twins, with a slight edge to FAU beause of their new stadium and Schnellenberger's brief success. Isaiah sure hasn't magically built a basketball powerhouse as FIU had hoped. Go figure.

[aprice]

I can't understand the emphasis on recent football success. How short sighted can one be? Because a team has been good for 2 years they want to invite them to their conference permanently? What kind of logic is that? Have they forgotten they were one of the worst teams in college football for years prior to 2010? They are terrible at basketball. Their facilities are not good. They have no fan base whatsoever. It just makes no sense to me.

[GrayEagle]

What gives FIU such an edge over FAU? Is it because FAU is not quite officially in Miami, even though they're in the same metro area? Except for the VERY recent state of their football programs, I've always looked at them as interchangeable twins, with a slight edge to FAU beause of their new stadium and Schnellenberger's brief success. Isaiah sure hasn't magically built a basketball powerhouse as FIU had hoped. Go figure.

Per Nielsen, FAU is considered to be in the West Palm Beach marketing area. It ranks 38th with about 788,000 households; a little more than half of the Miami TV HH.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Hopefully after this weekend's Alliance meeting we can all move on from every bit of this--and for UNT to move on to a separate CUSA consortium of schools.

GMG!

[Side Show Joe]

Hopefully after this weekend's Alliance meeting we can all move on from every bit of this--and for UNT to move on to a separate CUSA consortium of schools.

GMG!

I agree. I like the Sun Belt, but C-USA would be better for us, and these rumors of Benson being the next commissioner really bother me. I hope North Texas won't have to be around if that comes to pass.