[Sly Fox]

That's not necessarily a bad thing depending on what they do next. Sadly, that's one less FBS league existing. It all but assures the WAC will stick around in some fashion if for no other reason than they already have FBS membership at a time when new leagues can't be formed (with the merger/rearrangement withstanding).

[LUminary]

I wonder if the NCAA might now be more receptive to the formation of a new conference (including programs who want to hop to to FBS) now that there is one less conference? Wonder if that possibility might be explored, to fill the void and take up the charter, so to speak, left by a disbanded conference?

[Sly Fox]

That is a question being posed to them discreetly right now. But there are other ways a new league could be assembled without killing auto bids for non-revenue sports in the interim. Everything is on the table being discussed right now.

[Purple Haize]

USA Moutain Conference?
Conference Moutain USA?
Transcontinental Conference?
To Big To Fail Conference?
If You Can't join a Real Conference Join This conference?

[jcmanson]

Universities involved in the discussions were the United States Air Force Academy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Colorado State University, East Carolina University, Fresno State, University of Hawai'i, Marshall University, University of Nevada, Reno, University of New Mexico, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Rice University, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Texas at El Paso, Tulane University, The University of Tulsa and University of Wyoming. With the exception of Hawai'i as a football-only member, the participation would involve all sports.

I can see us fitting in with those schools. Temple has also already been mentioned as possibly joining. Outside of Temple, ECU, and Marshall, there is no real mid-Atlantic presence to this conference. I say they add us and App State to balance it out.

[jcmanson]

[Sly Fox]

It is tough to tell what they envision at this point. Banowsky's long-held directives seem to have disappeared under the weight of university presidents' whims.

What i can tell you is that the C-USA brass are well versed on our candidacy as well as some of the other schools wanting in. But the moving in & out that we may see over the coming weeks of this new league will create its own opportunities for us.

I would suspect the new league will try to land teams in Florida and likely additional ones in Texas first.

And obviously the map above no longer includes Memphis.

[LUconn]

They should sell the CUSA or MWC name and conference rights to FCS teams wanting to move up. I don't know if that's possible but it seems like they're wasting existing privileges that other are gunning for.

[Blessed1]

If the C-USA/ MWC merger is allowed, I feel the NCAA should allow FCS schools to form a new conference. I think they're several good east coast schools that could fit this profile:

Liberty
James Madison
Old Dominion
Delaware
Appalachian State
UNC-Charlotte
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State

[Purple Haize]

If the C-USA/ MWC merger is allowed, I feel the NCAA should allow FCS schools to form a new conference. I think they're several good east coast schools that could fit this profile:

Liberty
James Madison
Old Dominion
Delaware
Appalachian State
UNC-Charlotte
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State

I'd be in favor of that conference!

[TallyW]

Wouldn't going to that type of conference be sort of a joke? The entire nation would see it as a 1AA+. Not really raising the bar of athletes we'd attract b/c it's a bunch of FCS schools "moving up" to call themselves something else.

I know it could be a step forward to bigger things... but strikes me as a potential pool of mediocrity that we may never be able to escape. I'd prefer we took our lumps with some proven FBS schools until we attracted the type of talent it will take to compete with the bigger boys. I just can't see that level of talent coming to play in a D-Leage of FBS.

[jmdickens]

If the C-USA/ MWC merger is allowed, I feel the NCAA should allow FCS schools to form a new conference. I think they're several good east coast schools that could fit this profile:

Liberty
James Madison
Old Dominion
Delaware
Appalachian State
UNC-Charlotte
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State

I like this but I could see us at the bottom and I do not like that!!!

[Blessed1]

Wouldn't going to that type of conference be sort of a joke? The entire nation would see it as a 1AA+. Not really raising the bar of athletes we'd attract b/c it's a bunch of FCS schools "moving up" to call themselves something else.

I know it could be a step forward to bigger things... but strikes me as a potential pool of mediocrity that we may never be able to escape. I'd prefer we took our lumps with some proven FBS schools until we attracted the type of talent it will take to compete with the bigger boys. I just can't see that level of talent coming to play in a D-Leage of FBS.

I wouldn't see it that way. Most of the teams in the alliance are in the southwest or the west coast. If anything the potential schools I named would be considered "too regional". I was saying that if the NCAA would allow C-USA/MWC to merge, then they should allow schools on the east coast (possibly FCS come-ups) to do the same. I believe there is a huge hole in the east coast that could be filled with schools like us.

Expansion is about : 1) having a marquee name; 2) being located in a big market; and/or 3) having a huge following. These things, among other things, are considered profitable to TV executives and potential conferences. In Liberty's case, our best bet is to market ourselves as a school with a huge following. This is what makes BYU "attractive" to the Big 12 despite their religious beliefs.

[ALAFlamesFan]

Wouldn't going to that type of conference be sort of a joke? The entire nation would see it as a 1AA+. Not really raising the bar of athletes we'd attract b/c it's a bunch of FCS schools "moving up" to call themselves something else.

I know it could be a step forward to bigger things... but strikes me as a potential pool of mediocrity that we may never be able to escape. I'd prefer we took our lumps with some proven FBS schools until we attracted the type of talent it will take to compete with the bigger boys. I just can't see that level of talent coming to play in a D-Leage of FBS.

I agree TallyW. A I-AA conference (I am sorry that is what people would see it as regardless of how many scholarships you give out) like this is a dead end. Plus we truly have a national alumni base. This type of highly regional and obscure conference would be the last choice option.

[Purple Haize]

I'll Show my age here, but new conferences can be very successful. Anyone remember the Big East? Started as a basketball only conference. Very regional. Did pretty well. Or how about the Great Midwest Conference. Look at how tough THAT conference was in basketball and look where those schools are now. And for those of you who don't remember it, it was the precursor to Conf USA. I think the proposed new conference would be a huge success. People will have a deep emotional investment in these teams. Getting games against 'Big Boys' would not be difficult early bc it would be a quality FBS team.
Being regional will be the biggest plus for this FlameFans Conference because you will be able to build upon grass roots support to give these programs a nice solid foundation

[TH Spangler]

Liberty
James Madison
Old Dominion
Delaware
Appalachian State
UNC-Charlotte
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
Jacksonville State

I like it, there might be a current FBS team or two looking to move to something like this? Giving it more credibility?

[LUconn]

Man, that would be tough recruiting through the mid atlantic.

[ALAFlamesFan]

I'll Show my age here, but new conferences can be very successful. Anyone remember the Big East? Started as a basketball only conference. Very regional. Did pretty well. Or how about the Great Midwest Conference. Look at how tough THAT conference was in basketball and look where those schools are now. And for those of you who don't remember it, it was the precursor to Conf USA. I think the proposed new conference would be a huge success. People will have a deep emotional investment in these teams. Getting games against 'Big Boys' would not be difficult early bc it would be a quality FBS team.
Being regional will be the biggest plus for this FlameFans Conference because you will be able to build upon grass roots support to give these programs a nice solid foundation

I am with you haize IF we were talking just basketball. There are plenty of slots on the schedule to go out of conference, games can be played any night of the week and plenty of TV timeslots to be had, and the NCAA tournament to make some noise (of course we could do that where we are now and haven't... I was thinking primarily football where you have less opportunities to get national exposure. A regional league like this especially with no "national" schools would be a hard sell to any TV outlet and therefore we would have a harder time getting our name out beyond the mid-atlantic. i am not saying the new CUSA-MWC would be any better quality in terms of product on the field but in terms of more national exposure and opportunities for alumni across the country to talk about their team and have their friends have any idea where LU is and that they actually have a team...well it would do wonders! Not to mention recruiting. If we are looking for christian athletes and selling ourselves like a ND or BYU then we need to either play a lot of big names in those first 4 out of conference games or we need a conference with a broader footprint imo... It is all in what you feel the purpose is.

[Sly Fox]

You guys are starting to see the big picture. We are once again prepared to return to national prominence and we're positioning ourselves athletically to support that rise in visibility.

And that last concern we have right now is recruiting in the Mid-Atlantic region. We don't recruit that region much any sport these days beyond football. And the new staff has already expressed a desire to expand our recruiting grounds.

[RVAparks]

We are once again prepared to return to national prominence and we're positioning ourselves athletically to support that rise in visibility.

Not trying to be rude, but I'm just curious... "return" to national prominence? When was the first arrival?

[NotAJerry]

A regional league like this especially with no "national" schools would be a hard sell to any TV outlet and therefore we would have a harder time getting our name out beyond the mid-atlantic.

Would a league like this "need" a national TV outlet initially? Just to give an idea of some of the cache being brought to the table by some of those teams, the CAA just signed a TV deal for basketball and football with NBCSN. That's a national deal for a very regional league. This is actually a very good time to push the boundaries on a TV deal with a new national sports network trying to fill out its schedule.

http://augustafreepress.com/2012/02/13/ ... -football/

[Schfourteenteen]

Man, that would be tough recruiting through the mid atlantic.

Yeah it's even tougher for a school from the Big South trying to do it.

[Sly Fox]

We are once again prepared to return to national prominence and we're positioning ourselves athletically to support that rise in visibility.

Not trying to be rude, but I'm just curious... "return" to national prominence? When was the first arrival?

1980s ... we were a household name and recruiting both students & athletes from across the nation and around the world in the Pre-PTL era.

[ALAFlamesFan]

One guy's take on a 24 team Mount USA league...

1.Southern Miss (No. 48)
2.Tulsa (No. 50)
3.Air Force (No. 54)
4.Nevada (No. 60)
5.East Carolina (No. 64)
6.Temple (No. 70)
7.Fresno State (No. 71)
8.Hawaii (No. 72)
9.Louisiana Tech (No. 80)
10.Marshall (No. 89)
11.UTEP (No. 93)
12.FIU (No. 95)
13.Utah State (No. 100)
14.Colorado State (No. 101)
15.Rice (No. 103)
16.Wyoming (No. 104)
17.UAB (No. 105)
18.North Texas (No. 111)
19.UNLV (No. 112)
20.New Mexico (No. 118)
21.Tulane (No. 119)
22.New Mexico State (No. 120)
23.Appalachian State (N/A)
24.UT-San Antonio (N/A)

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2 ... erence-usa

We are not even on his radar...which is the problem we find ourselves in. No fan or media person even puts us in a football discussion. Fortunately, the folks making the decisions should know us better but it does illustrate what I was saying about exposure outside the region...

[Purple Haize]

ALA- we would be starting something new. It will need a strong regional support base before moving nationally. I think it would be easier to schedule opponents as we would count as an FBS win as opposed to an FCS game. It might take some creative 2-1 contracts but could be done. I don't see a Oklahoma or Florida State doing that, they'd rather pay us to go there, but other teams would be interested