[ballcoach15]

UCF

When is the last time you were there?

About 3 or 4 years ago.

[tyndal23]

LU pitch. Offer 10 year deal where all sports become Big12 except Football. Football stays independent BUT has a fixed schedule alliance that pays each Big 12 team that visits 2.2 million and we only take $200k for an away game. LU can’t play for Conference Title and takes no ( or very limited tv rev ) This alleviates Big having to split the tv revenue pie, allows LU to grow its football program. At end of 10 year we have option to be full member. ( something like that )..that would jump LU ahead of a lot of schools.

[cruzan_flame13]

LU pitch. Offer 10 year deal where all sports become Big12 except Football. Football stays independent BUT has a fixed schedule alliance that pays each Big 12 team that visits 2.2 million and we only take $200k for an away game. LU can’t play for Conference Title and takes no ( or very limited tv rev ) This alleviates Big having to split the tv revenue pie, allows LU to grow its football program. At end of 10 year we have option to be full member. ( something like that )..that would jump LU ahead of a lot of schools.

I guess we have to use a lot of money somehow lol. Although it would be beneficial to us it for research and community service.

[tyndal23]

LU pitch. Offer 10 year deal where all sports become Big12 except Football. Football stays independent BUT has a fixed schedule alliance that pays each Big 12 team that visits 2.2 million and we only take $200k for an away game. LU can’t play for Conference Title and takes no ( or very limited tv rev ) This alleviates Big having to split the tv revenue pie, allows LU to grow its football program. At end of 10 year we have option to be full member. ( something like that )..that would jump LU ahead of a lot of schools.

I guess we have to use a lot of money somehow lol. Although it would be beneficial to us it for research and community service.

A politician would say “ Invest” not “Use or Spend”. Our ESPN contract gets much better in that scenario so it’s not all going out the door...

[ballcoach15]

If Liberty were to become a member of Big 12, athletics, research, academics and most other facets of the university would improve. (and much of it would improve overnight)

[Whatisthetruth]

If Liberty were to become a member of Big 12, athletics, research, academics and most other facets of the university would improve. (and much of it would improve overnight)

What about the executive leadership?

[JK37]

If Liberty were to become a member of Big 12, athletics, research, academics and most other facets of the university would improve. (and much of it would improve overnight)

What about the executive leadership?

What leadership?

(Sorry, wrong thread? Couldn’t help it.)

[JK37]

Tyndal, I’m almost on board. But do we know we have enough money? That’s a lot! Should there be a cap on how many B12 teams take advantage every year, or during the ten-year period?

[olldflame]

I love the general concept, but the numbers he is talking about sound pretty extravagant to me.

[Sly Fox]

Agreed. It would also put us at a pretty significant competitive disadvantage. We would battling those schools with a proverbial arm tied behind our back from a revenue standpoint. And can we assume the LU Online riches can continue unabated into the future now that every university has test run their online programs via the pandemic? I am tad more fiscally cautious. As a result I wouldn't want any proposal to extend more than five years from entry. Same goes for AAC if we were squeezing into that league.

I don't see us being particularly attractive without the sport they are prioritizing. The only exception is if AFA were to accept a football only invitation and we were the olympic counterpart with an ND-esque football scheduling agreement. Once again we don't have that much cachet built up yet. As crazy as it sounds, Gonzaga might be tempted into the travel challenges that the Big XII would present. But that is assuming that AFA would walk away from their front range rivals for access to Texas. They could easily establish annual neutral site games with northern Big XII teams in San Antonio where they have a massive presence as well as Houston & Dallas where they recruit both players but also cadets. Such a set up would make the Big XII VERY attractive to them.

The longer I absorb the realignment landscape the more nervous I become about there being significant expansion opportunities. If BYU were to accept an invitation to the Big XII, I could easily envision just one AAC school being invited (UC or UH) to get back up to ten to meet media and CCG obligations. The AAC could easily stand pat or just bring in one more school where we would not likely be atop that list. In other words, we really need for the Big XII to invite at least three AAC schools for us to be in play for any attractive options. Otherwise we keep on keepin' on as an indy possibly with Navy as another independent option.

Then there is this proposal from Pete Thamel of Yahoo about going REALLY big with the Big XII:

Think big: Here is one way to save the Big 12

Pete Thamel
Fri, August 27, 2021, 3:30 PM

To understand the defiant spirit of the remaining eight teams in the Big 12 conference, it’s instructive to consider that the mascots of nearly half of the remaining schools carry guns. This is not a group that’s wired to accept defeat.

Here is the essence of his modest suggestion:

West: Boise State, BYU, Colorado State and San Diego State

Midwest: Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State

Texas: Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and Houston (Tulane could go here if the egos of the Texas schools foolishly block Houston.)

East: Cincinnati, West Virginia, UCF and USF (Memphis could go here if two Florida schools aren't wanted.)

Click Here for Full Story

In the highly unlikely event that this were to go down, I don't see the AAC leftovers being a particularly attractive group for us to join.

[LUOrange]

The B12's top targets, as per various Athletic articles, seem to be BYU, Boise, Houston, Cincy, & UCF. If I'm in charge of the B12, I'd take them all and Memphis. That gives you the best non-P5 football brands left, and with the exceptions Boise and UCF, good basketball schools that adds to the B12 MBB rep. That also puts them mostly on par with 3 of the other 4 P5 conferences at 14.

Since they've ost ther 2 most reputable and marketable schools, I think they have to go to at least 12. Their in somewhat of a reputation rebuild, so as the Athletic presumes, they need eyeballs. That means BYU and then Houston, Cincy, and probably UCF. Sorry guys, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if we get the call.

[tyndal23]

Agreed. It would also put us at a pretty significant competitive disadvantage. We would battling those schools with a proverbial arm tied behind our back from a revenue standpoint. And can we assume the LU Online riches can continue unabated into the future now that every university has test run their online programs via the pandemic? I am tad more fiscally cautious. As a result I wouldn't want any proposal to extend more than five years from entry. Same goes for AAC if we were squeezing into that league.

I don't see us being particularly attractive without the sport they are prioritizing. The only exception is if AFA were to accept a football only invitation and we were the olympic counterpart with an ND-esque football scheduling agreement. Once again we don't have that much cachet built up yet. As crazy as it sounds, Gonzaga might be tempted into the travel challenges that the Big XII would present. But that is assuming that AFA would walk away from their front range rivals for access to Texas. They could easily establish annual neutral site games with northern Big XII teams in San Antonio where they have a massive presence as well as Houston & Dallas where they recruit both players but also cadets. Such a set up would make the Big XII VERY attractive to them.

The longer I absorb the realignment landscape the more nervous I become about there being significant expansion opportunities. If BYU were to accept an invitation to the Big XII, I could easily envision just one AAC school being invited (UC or UH) to get back up to ten to meet media and CCG obligations. The AAC could easily stand pat or just bring in one more school where we would not likely be atop that list. In other words, we really need for the Big XII to invite at least three AAC schools for us to be in play for any attractive options. Otherwise we keep on keepin' on as an indy possibly with Navy as another independent option.

Then there is this proposal from Pete Thamel of Yahoo about going REALLY big with the Big XII:

Think big: Here is one way to save the Big 12

Pete Thamel
Fri, August 27, 2021, 3:30 PM

To understand the defiant spirit of the remaining eight teams in the Big 12 conference, it’s instructive to consider that the mascots of nearly half of the remaining schools carry guns. This is not a group that’s wired to accept defeat.

Here is the essence of his modest suggestion:

West: Boise State, BYU, Colorado State and San Diego State

Midwest: Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State

Texas: Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and Houston (Tulane could go here if the egos of the Texas schools foolishly block Houston.)

East: Cincinnati, West Virginia, UCF and USF (Memphis could go here if two Florida schools aren't wanted.)

Click Here for Full Story

In the highly unlikely event that this were to go down, I don't see the AAC leftovers being a particularly attractive group for us to join.

It will have to be a proposal that is completely beneficial to Big 12 financially and borderline dumb for LU to actually be considered/accepted. 10 years and the $ amount can be tweaked and I was assuming only BYU would be the other addition - keeping the pie split at 9. Combine our cash in per game ( vs a big lump sum buy in up front ) and factor in the additional 10% Big 12 schools keep by not splitting the pie - equates to roughly 20% savings of going with LU vs a UCF or Cinci. That is real $. Does LU have the $ ? I don’t know, but apparently we increased our online by 6k students and biggest on campus class ever - so I would assume so...BYU adds real value ( and so does UCF ) to a degree - our proposal would have to be out of the box and the economics favorable whatever the “tweak” is.

[Sly Fox]

I honestly believe Boise is a very unlikely candidate for the Big XII. Academically they won't impress the ones who vote and their olympics are not Big XII ready. The football coaches who built up the BSU program are now all gone. They no longer have the national recruiting pop they had 5-10 years ago. They simply don't bring much to the table at this stage for the Big XII in comparison to eastern candidates with the lone exception of brand awareness.

USF bring the Tampa/St. Pete market and very little else to the table. So their candidacy is primarily as a travel partner for UCF. Then you have to question the true value that UCF brings to the table with solid football and large enrollment ... but very little cachet in Florida marketplace that is their primary drawing card.

The San Jose Mercury News yesterday claimed that inside sources show that Houston is the Pac 12's top candidate for expansion even though they are highly likely to invite anyone.

[tyndal23]

The B12's top targets, as per various Athletic articles, seem to be BYU, Boise, Houston, Cincy, & UCF. If I'm in charge of the B12, I'd take them all and Memphis. That gives you the best non-P5 football brands left, and with the exceptions Boise and UCF, good basketball schools that adds to the B12 MBB rep. That also puts them mostly on par with 3 of the other 4 P5 conferences at 14.

Since they've ost ther 2 most reputable and marketable schools, I think they have to go to at least 12. Their in somewhat of a reputation rebuild, so as the Athletic presumes, they need eyeballs. That means BYU and then Houston, Cincy, and probably UCF. Sorry guys, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if we get the call.

Ha. We aren’t getting a call period and probably not even getting our call returned. Overnight proposal with “signature required” and they might open it...

[JK37]

Thamel’s proposal is one sweet MBB league. Irrelevant, but just saying. Add Memphis, and WOW!

[Sly Fox]

Here's a potential situation that could have an ASUN impact:

UTC happy in SoCon, but college football upheaval could change things

Gene Henley, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
Sun, August 29, 2021, 3:00 AM

Aug. 29—The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was not in a position to move during the most recent period of major conference realignment in college football, a stretch that consumed the majority of the first half of the past decade.

In early 2013, the Sun Belt expressed interest in UTC, a move that would have shifted the Mocs from the Southern Conference and NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision to its Football Bowl Subdivision. At the same time, though, the university was looking for a president, an athletic director and a head coach for each of its basketball programs.

Fast-forward to 2021 and what seems to be another period of big changes being kicked off by the FBS conferences popularly referred to as the Power Five, which make up the very highest level of college football.

Click Here for Full Story

We have brought this up before in this thread. But this is the first confirmation from Chatty that the school might have a wandering eye.

[ATrain]

Here's a potential situation that could have an ASUN impact:

UTC happy in SoCon, but college football upheaval could change things

Gene Henley, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Tenn.
Sun, August 29, 2021, 3:00 AM

Aug. 29—The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was not in a position to move during the most recent period of major conference realignment in college football, a stretch that consumed the majority of the first half of the past decade.

In early 2013, the Sun Belt expressed interest in UTC, a move that would have shifted the Mocs from the Southern Conference and NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision to its Football Bowl Subdivision. At the same time, though, the university was looking for a president, an athletic director and a head coach for each of its basketball programs.

Fast-forward to 2021 and what seems to be another period of big changes being kicked off by the FBS conferences popularly referred to as the Power Five, which make up the very highest level of college football.

Click Here for Full Story

We have brought this up before in this thread. But this is the first confirmation from Chatty that the school might have a wandering eye.

Wouldn't be the first time they've window shopped. They were hoping for the OVC roughly 15 years ago.

[rmiller1959]

"Let's stay together" (sung to the tune of the Al Green song):

https://pistolsfiringblog.com/big-12-an ... -together/

[alabama24]

"Let's stay together" (sung to the tune of the Al Green song):

https://pistolsfiringblog.com/big-12-an ... -together/

Yeah, that is completely worthless. If you were one of the 8, of course you would say: "lets stay together" UNTIL you already had another offer. You wouldn't want anyone else bailing BEFORE you had the chance to do so.

[Sly Fox]

In other words, since we have learned there is nowhere for us to go we have decided to stick together. In other news, water is still wet.

There is no rush to expand for the R8. Until there is clarity on the UT-OU exit they will just be putting out feelers. Their only viable short term candidate sits in Provo. Everyone else has exit fees and notices to worry about. It is possible they could extend invitations based on the 2025 exit of the Horns & Sooners and then move up the timeline if it comes into play. I suspect if BYU agrees, they will be the first along with one other AAC school to get to back to ten. I suspect I either Cincy or Houston depending on the temperature of the room at the moment.

Our best hope is that the R8 pick four AAC schools creating a void big enough that we would make a ton of sense. Of course with the top four gone from AAC (Houston, Cincinnati, UCF & USF/Memphis) the league loses a ton of luster.

[tyndal23]

In other words, since we have learned there is nowhere for us to go we have decided to stick together. In other news, water is still wet.

There is no rush to expand for the R8. Until there is clarity on the UT-OU exit they will just be putting out feelers. Their only viable short term candidate sits in Provo. Everyone else has exit fees and notices to worry about. It is possible they could extend invitations based on the 2025 exit of the Horns & Sooners and then move up the timeline if it comes into play. I suspect if BYU agrees, they will be the first along with one other AAC school to get to back to ten. I suspect I either Cincy or Houston depending on the temperature of the room at the moment.

Our best hope is that the R8 pick four AAC schools creating a void big enough that we would make a ton of sense. Of course with the top four gone from AAC (Houston, Cincinnati, UCF & USF/Memphis) the league loses a ton of luster.

Sly, what if BYU came in as Football only and kept their other sports in WCC ( due to Sunday play ). Would some cash from LU be enough to get our other sports in Big 12? Meaning don’t even bother with trying to get football in at this stage, but we might be the only school willing to put the rest of our sports in Big 12. Thoughts ?

[TH Spangler]

In other words, since we have learned there is nowhere for us to go we have decided to stick together. In other news, water is still wet.

There is no rush to expand for the R8. Until there is clarity on the UT-OU exit they will just be putting out feelers. Their only viable short term candidate sits in Provo. Everyone else has exit fees and notices to worry about. It is possible they could extend invitations based on the 2025 exit of the Horns & Sooners and then move up the timeline if it comes into play. I suspect if BYU agrees, they will be the first along with one other AAC school to get to back to ten. I suspect I either Cincy or Houston depending on the temperature of the room at the moment.

Our best hope is that the R8 pick four AAC schools creating a void big enough that we would make a ton of sense. Of course with the top four gone from AAC (Houston, Cincinnati, UCF & USF/Memphis) the league loses a ton of luster.

AAC add Liberty, Army, App State and keep the 12 team playoff and it might be interesting. Liberty, App State, ECU, Navy, Army, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and South Florida?

[rmiller1959]

Looks like the usual suspects are in play. Sly, you've been a steely-eyed missile man on this topic!

https://theathletic.com/news/big-12-exp ... ZvjXPK0mL1

[Sly Fox]

Sly, what if BYU came in as Football only and kept their other sports in WCC ( due to Sunday play ).

P5s don't roll that way. Honestly the rest of the BYU atheltic department is a valuable even without football. They will be all or nothing which factors into whether they value joining the Big XII enough to give up independence.

Would some cash from LU be enough to get our other sports in Big 12? Meaning don’t even bother with trying to get football in at this stage, but we might be the only school willing to put the rest of our sports in Big 12. Thoughts ?

Wichita State sits in the footprint without football. While KU & KSU would fight their inclusion, they make much more sense than a school in Virginia. I don't see any plausible way we factor into Big XII.

AAC add Liberty, Army, App State and keep the 12 team playoff and it might be interesting. Liberty, App State, ECU, Navy, Army, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and South Florida?

I think a more likely scenario would be Navy pulls out of AAC and Army stays indy. SMU, Tulane & Tulsa would pull heavily for Rice to be included. If 3 or 4 AAC schools are plucked then we likely will be clearly in play. I am not 100% sure that App State would make that move even with the possibility of rivalry with ECU. UAB, Ohio and Marshall are likely more attractive candidates. I don't see a way that JMU is a serious candidate in spite of what they believe over on their board. Ditto for UMass.

[tyndal23]

In other words, since we have learned there is nowhere for us to go we have decided to stick together. In other news, water is still wet.

There is no rush to expand for the R8. Until there is clarity on the UT-OU exit they will just be putting out feelers. Their only viable short term candidate sits in Provo. Everyone else has exit fees and notices to worry about. It is possible they could extend invitations based on the 2025 exit of the Horns & Sooners and then move up the timeline if it comes into play. I suspect if BYU agrees, they will be the first along with one other AAC school to get to back to ten. I suspect I either Cincy or Houston depending on the temperature of the room at the moment.

Our best hope is that the R8 pick four AAC schools creating a void big enough that we would make a ton of sense. Of course with the top four gone from AAC (Houston, Cincinnati, UCF & USF/Memphis) the league loses a ton of luster.

Sly, what if BYU came in as Football only and kept their other sports in WCC ( due to Sunday play ). Would some cash from LU be enough to get our other sports in Big 12? Meaning don’t even bother with trying to get football in at this stage, but we might be the only school willing to put the rest of our sports in Big 12. Thoughts ?

To follow up on this, BYU board is stating football only offer. Are there other schools better situated and willing to add only non football to Big 12 ? AAC has Wichita State with no football, that could leave an option for football only IF we decide to move away from Indie.