CUSA commish likes 16-team league, but won't guarantee it

[Harry]

RUSTON — Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky said Thursday he likes a 16-member football model, but he said he doesn’t know if the league will expand soon.

Banowksy visited the Louisiana Tech campus to chat with outgoing president Dan Reneau, a long-time friend, and to meet other officials as Tech prepares for its official move to C-USA this summer.

“People that know me know that I am comfortable with large models of conferences,” Banowsky said. “There are efficiencies that grow from a two-division model of eight in each division that’s beneficial.

“I also know that we want to manage the growth in a way that we continue to create stability as opposed to volatility. I’m not sure yet whether we will move to a platform of 16 members, but I know I’ve been asked to model 16, so that’s what I plan on doing.”

Louisiana Tech is in a large group of schools joining C-USA, including fellow Western Athletic Conference member Texas-San Antonio, Sun Belt Conference schools Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic, Florida International and North Texas, Atlantic 10 member North Carolina-Charlotte and Colonial Athletic Association member Old Dominion.

Western Kentucky will join in 2014 and ODU and UNCC will play C-USA football in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Banowsky didn’t mention specific schools in which C-USA might pursue to get to 16, but Sun Belt members Arkansas State and ULL could be attractive.

ULL athletics director Scott Farmer told The Daily Advertiser in April that the Ragin’ Cajuns would be interested in the move.

Conference USA’s membership grab is in response to four schools leaving for the American Athletic Conference this year (Memphis, Houston, Central Florida and Southern Methodist) and three next year (Tulane, Tulsa and East Carolina).

Banowsky said he believes C-USA still has a national brand, and that by adding the San Antonio market and keeping the Dallas market, the conference is moving in a positive direction.

He added that the C-USA trend has been to add large universities in populated markets, but Tech was the exception.

Read more: http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20130510/SPORTS/305100023/CUSA-commish-likes-16-team-league-won-t-guarantee-it

[cdizzle86]

Sounds like Banowsky is positioning himself to be the leader of the havenots.

[GTWT]

I favor expansion as long as expansion doesn't include any more Sun Belt refugees. Which means I don't favor expansion.

[Eagle1855]

Sounds like Banowsky is positioning himself to be the leader of the havenots.

Which I think is smart. Grab Texas State and ULL and call it a conference.

[UNTexas]

What sucks is its looking like we and many other schools are about to become the D1aa equivalent since we aren't in the 5.