[bradyfan]

I usually go to away games at VMI and sometimes Radford. And now that Longwood has joined the conference, that's another close away game. And, yes, I was at the NC State game, too.

Yeah, I mean I get that. There's always going to be a handful of fans that travel to the away games but I think it's safe to argue it's not the case for your average fan. Even if it were, would you rather have the ability to travel to Radford, Longwood and VMI or would you rather us be in a conference with Mid Tenn State, two Florida schools and potentially App State & Georgia State? Obviously it's nice to have opponents so close to home but I think we limit our potential if we make this an issue. Looking at every other conference, the big schools don't care about opponent proximity as much. We'll have to follow suit if we want bigger and better things IMO.

[drumnColby757]

ok.... well....
A friend I have in athletics told me he saw a retweet on his twitter thread about my original post saying that sunbelt heads were on our campus and that the person said to expect a huge announcement in late April.....the fact that we have been unable to find the original tweet has made my appearance lax on this thread.

I have great faith that this is credible even though pleading my case without hard evidence is futile

[Cider Jim]

Sweat, I'm not necessarily complaining (though most old guys don't like change), but if we join the Sun Belt, most of our away games, for Lynchburg fans, will involve flights rather than road trips.

But if Mrs. Cider agrees to some South Florida road games, I may be loving the Sun Belt.

[drumnColby757]

Thanks Cider, I hope i'm not the new laughing stock of Flamefans...

[LUGrad2000]

I would imagine if LU gets an invite, it would be coupled with App St., GA St., and UNCC. Inviting up and coming FCS schools would be a big gamble/foresight for Benson. Liberty is on the verge of greatness. Georgia State is a sleeping giant. App. St. will be a solid FBS school.

I would like to see the above rather than JMU or ODU. They are regional at best.

Of course, I'm sure there is a bunch of positioning behind the scenes we will not be aware of until Sly let's us know or when the Sun Belt makes an announcement sometime after Benson takes over April 1.

I would love to go to a conference game against GA State in the Dome. UNCCs' new stadium looks pretty cool as well. Two hours away from Augusta in both cases. Makes a difference during football season as I coach and Sat. is my only day off. I like being married, so driving all the way to Lynchburg and back is hard in one day.

[Purple Haize]

Sweat, I'm not necessarily complaining (though most old guys don't like change), but if we join the Sun Belt, most of our away games, for Lynchburg fans, will involve flights rather than road trips.

But if Mrs. Cider agrees to some South Florida road games, I may be loving the Sun Belt.

I think he is just arguing the obvious. It's no great suprise that most average fans don't travel to road games, especially long distance ones.
IMO geography should come into play. If we have JMU and App St coming in it will be easier to get people to come see N Texas and Louisiana Monroe. If we don't have a geographically close school make the jump there could be a LOT of empty seats. To play off SWEATS point, the average fan can't even name 3 teams in the Sun Belt and have no interest in learning them.

[LU_legal_eagle]

Thanks Cider, I hope i'm not the new laughing stock of Flamefans...

Im not laughing at you. Its nice to know the source in order to weigh the credibility. As far as I am concerned rumors are fun also as long as we know they are rumors.

[Hold My Own]

I'm not giving up hope for the Va+AppCon. I really think the Virginia Plus Application State Conference has a nice ring to it and quite a bit of potential!

Dont worry Colby, as long as BJ is still alive and kicking (or typing) you'll be fine

[Purple Haize]

I'm not giving up hope for the Va+AppCon. I really think the Virginia Plus Application State Conference has a nice ring to it and quite a bit of potential!

Dont worry Colby, as long as BJ is still alive and kicking (or typing) you'll be fine

The Confederate Conference?
Founding Fathers Conference?
New Kids on the Block Conference?

[NotAJerry]

I would like to see the above rather than JMU or ODU. They are regional at best.

I think you mean local, as there's no way App St is anything other than local except for the 1 big win (JMU has one of those as well).

You might be able to argue that with JMU despite them having a 25k stadium and playing WVU at FedEx Field this year. They've got a pretty good following in DC and its burbs these days. ODU, however, is in a fairly large and growing market, not far behind Charlotte but not growing as quickly, that happens to be a hotbed of HS sports. ODU has the ability to at least be a large regional presence and maybe more than that if they lock down the top 757 athletes. They're already off to a great start.

I'd like both of them along with UNCC, GA St. and App St. Places like WVU and Nebraska are proof that you can build a TV ratings juggernaut just about anywhere in college football.

[Cider Jim]

the average fan can't even name 3 teams in the Sun Belt and have no interest in learning them.

I'm beginning to memorize the list, just in case we make the move to the Sun.

[Purple Haize]

Yes but you are not average, you are 'special'

[LUGrad2000]

Looking at their stadiums, we will have (After Phase 2,3) one of, if not the best stadium in the conference.

[SuperJon]

If it happens, our CLOSEST away games would be at Middle Tennesse State and Western KY.

Yes please.

[BJWilliams]

the average fan can't even name 3 teams in the Sun Belt and have no interest in learning them.

I'm beginning to memorize the list, just in case we make the move to the Sun.

Arkansas State Red Wolves
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Florida International Panthers
Florida Atlantic Owls
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
North Texas Mean Green
Louisiana Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Louisiana Monroe Warhawks
Troy Trojans
South Alabama Jaguars
Arkansas Little Rock Trojans
Denver Pioneers

[jcmanson]

I've seen rumblings online where Sunbelt officials were on our campus as far back as September

[Kricket]

The funny part is that if LU ends up in the Sun Belt soon, most of the country will be baffled as to why LU got the invite. I can't wait to read all the confused comments.

[LUGrad2000]

The funny part is that if LU ends up in the Sun Belt soon, most of the country will be baffled as to why LU got the invite. I can't wait to read all the confused comments.

We will get the most favorable reaction from the Southern states, the Sun Belt states.

[From the class of 09]

Sunbelt would be cool but I'm very intrigued by the new Conf USA merger thing. With online that could have some hidden upside.

[LUGrad2000]

I wonder what kind of stability the Mountain USA will have if they go to 24 schools?

[LUaddict]

The funny part is that if LU ends up in the Sun Belt soon, most of the country will be baffled as to why LU got the invite. I can't wait to read all the confused comments.

Kricket, you read my mind. If we do have an invite I cannot wait to look at the faces of my friends that knock on LU as a university.

[drumnColby757]

http://www.collegegridirons.com/sunbelt.htm
We really will have one of the best stadiums! FAU and North Texas are great stadiums though!

[NotAJerry]

I love the new stadiums at FAU (Schnellenberger did wonders for them) and UNT. Both are on par with what JMU, App. St. and Liberty are doing.

Arkansas St has a nice little stadium but it's missing the modern amenities that the new places are all getting.

La-Lafayette has a nice place as well.

I wonder if FIU can expand their stadium out a bit. They've got suites in place and Miami is a great place to recruit to. (The answer is yes, stadium will be 20-25k starting this season http://www.fiusports.com/ViewArticle.db ... =205266860)

Looking at that page, and seeing how many upgrades have been done, makes me want to visit the MTSU stadium and see how good the condition is for a place initially built in 1933.

In reality, I'd take the Sun Belt stadiums over the MAC stadiums in a heartbeat. The only ones without the luxury suites and other expected aspects of modern stadiums are Arkansas St. and La-Lafayette.

The established teams linked to the conference, La Tech and UAB are interesting situations. La Tech has a nice place but none of the luxury suite stuff. UAB is in huge Legion Field but is trying to get the state to let them build an on campus stadium much like the one SMU did in Dallas.

That really looks like it would be a great fit for where Liberty is going to be as a program in the very near future.

[ballcoach15]

When LU finishes the next round of stadium expansion and tie in the east/west sides of stadium into a horseshoe, LU will have a tremendous stadium upgrade.
LU has more room to grow as a university than probably any school in the country. Most schools have peaked, where as LU continues to grow.

[Purple Haize]

So where are we gonna get all the people to fill those seats? We still have plenty of good seating still available under our current configuration