[Purple Haize]

As for my recent silence, it has more to do with the fact that I haven't heard anything worth mentioning. Barring some of the already discussed moves, we are in a waiting game.

that doesn't stop the rest of us!

[jlread]

Big Sky emerges as potential lifeline for WAC

http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-sp ... feline-wac

[LU-Hoo]

I found this on a SunBelt board. It ranks various schools by their realignment value based on various criteria. Didn't see it here and thought most would find it interesting:

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2 ... ms-schools

Some schools on the list of interest here:
#93 - AppSt
#103 - ODU
#113 - GASt
#117 - Liberty
#124 - NMSt
#126 - Idaho
#127 - Charlotte

Looks like Liberty can rise in these rankings in:
- Academics: Med/Eng Schools
- Attendance: Stadium Expansion
- Revenue: Fill seats after Expansion

[PAmedic]

it was his first post: pretty sure he doesnt have the BYD post-history committed to memory.

LU-hoo welcome aboard.

[jlread]

Good post LU-hoo. I don't understand how charlotte has any points associated with football since they've never played a game. I guess they are projected points ?

[thepostman]

pretty cool graph that is for sure.

There is no doubt money wise we are ready for the next level. Maybe something like this will help you...

[JK37]

Having a lot of money doesn't make one financially appealing to a conference. Liberty is not rich in the traditional forms of financial strength, such as endowment, athletic development, etc. we all know and agree to Liberty's security, but one needs to consider it from a courting conference's perspective. Such circumstances will at least give them pause (and already have).

[thepostman]

Oh, I agree completely. I was simply saying that we are ready for the move.

[logic]

IMHO -

1 billion cash + liquid equities > 1 billion of traditional "endowment"

We can use the cash how we see fit, while tradifional endowments may be restricted or have a set maturity date. Not many schools have endowments of over a billion. A quick wiki search lists 73. No Sun Belt or MAC schools make the list, and the only two CUSA schools to make the list are also private (Rice, Tulane). Being public schools the Sun Belt balance sheets will ebb and flow with state budgets. I would MUCH rather be in our position than say...Middle Tennessee State, regardless of conference affiliation. The online cash will dry up eventually, but by that time we'll have close to 2 billion in the bank and in 10 years time we'll leave the Sun Belt far, far behind. Money may not be a big deciding factor for conference realignment, but to any forward thinking Sun Belt, MAC, or CUSA President I would think it a huge bonus on our part.

[jlread]

Liberty has its own pull "Romney doesn't show up to VT or UVA because they have good or bad academia or Football" as Long as JR keeps the kettle turning Like his pops did the added non sport/academic related value will increase!! I still liked the WAC idea....even though its prolly dead it reminded me of a "hey Were LU and will do the same thing to the Wac as we did to WARDS ROAD"

[LU-Hoo]

Interesting find, but it tells us what we already know (if you've paid attention to my posts).

Us and App state were the two primary targets of Benson's proposed expansion to 12 teams. The Presidents shut the expansion down.

ODU is out of play, having accepted a bid to C-USA. Georgia State is going to the Sun Belt already.

Once again, if Conference USA plucks a pair of Sun Belt teams, as they have indicated is a strong possibility, we will be at the top of the list.

Fairly new here, so I'll have to dig up your posts... I'm wondering why SBC Presidents stopped expansion... From an athletic perspective, going to 12 would be a benefit from football standpoint because it enables a championship game. I would guess AppSt and GA So would be leading candidates just based on footprint and football tradition (ignoring other factors here).

Conference realignment isn't over, but I wonder if it isn't slowed as we move into college football playoff. I would like to see LU in the SBC, but would settle for any FBS invite to get to the next level. If that ends up being a few years off, I would enjoy seeing a short term stint in the CAA... But that's a discussion for another thread...

[LU-Hoo]

Good post LU-hoo. I don't understand how charlotte has any points associated with football since they've never played a game. I guess they are projected points ?

Based on 100 year football history (last played in 1948) and some on future potential. Don't know the ins and outs of the ranking ratings, but they try to be fairly objective. I don't see any other such rankings anywhere. Also, schools such as JMU and Delaware weren't included as they haven't specifically declared FBS intentions. It would be interesting to see where they might fall on the list.

[LU-Hoo]

it was his first post: pretty sure he doesnt have the BYD post-history committed to memory.

LU-hoo welcome aboard.

Thanks PA... Glad to be here!

[rogers3]

IMHO -

1 billion cash + liquid equities > 1 billion of traditional "endowment"

We can use the cash how we see fit, while tradifional endowments may be restricted or have a set maturity date. Not many schools have endowments of over a billion. A quick wiki search lists 73. No Sun Belt or MAC schools make the list, and the only two CUSA schools to make the list are also private (Rice, Tulane). Being public schools the Sun Belt balance sheets will ebb and flow with state budgets. I would MUCH rather be in our position than say...Middle Tennessee State, regardless of conference affiliation. The online cash will dry up eventually, but by that time we'll have close to 2 billion in the bank and in 10 years time we'll leave the Sun Belt far, far behind. Money may not be a big deciding factor for conference realignment, but to any forward thinking Sun Belt, MAC, or CUSA President I would think it a huge bonus on our part.

Could you just refresh me on the 1B in cash and liquid equity thing? Are you talking about the campus, itself?

[logic]

Just cash, not total assets such as land, buildings, etc. Cash on hand will hit 1 billion by 2013. Land + buildings..throw in another billion, but don't worry about total assets as you can't do anything with it. 1 billion cash is the big number. I would guess LUO is pumping in close to 250 million if not more a year by now, all tax free. Figure we'll spend some of it, but if LUO keeps up the pace 2 billion cash in another 5-7 years is not out of the question.

[Chris Lang]

Charlotte is all about market size ... and the school's history with Conference USA.

Again, Georgia Southern doesn't have the money to move up right now. By the end of the decade, yes. But not now. And with Georgia State already in the fold for the Sun Belt, GSU becomes much less attractive because the SBC has a footprint in Georgia and in the Atlanta market.

[logic]

Yes I am tired of hearing about Georgia Southern. So they've won a couple of championships and everyone thinks they're in a position to move up. Not fully funded with scholarships, not fully staffed, poor budgets, etc. I talked about Marshall's low staffing levels..Yet Marshall makes GS look like a Division II program in comparison.

[Purple Haize]

I think Georgia Southerns time has passed. The had too many other issues besides the one mentioned by logic over the years. They were once a great football program.

[TH Spangler]

Sun Belt News .... XOS Digital announced that it signed an agreement with the Sun Belt Conference that will allow the company to launch and manage a new Sun Belt Digital Network

http://www.forbes.com/sites/darrenheitn ... footprint/

I think App State and Liberty would be a nice add-on to the SB footprint?

[rogers3]

Just cash, not total assets such as land, buildings, etc. Cash on hand will hit 1 billion by 2013. Land + buildings..throw in another billion, but don't worry about total assets as you can't do anything with it. 1 billion cash is the big number. I would guess LUO is pumping in close to 250 million if not more a year by now, all tax free. Figure we'll spend some of it, but if LUO keeps up the pace 2 billion cash in another 5-7 years is not out of the question.

Either you are wrong or Jerry Jr is wrong, and I'd assume it is you. He stated that there is 1B in net assets- cash is a small part of that. If we really had as much liquid cash as you think, we most likely wouldn't have floated 200M in bonds for construction. Still, a great milestone.

[logic]

That is interesting. I've heard cash at a billion this December and total assets at 2 billion. The use of low interest bonds to fund construction was to keep the cash. The graphic athletics released during the feasibility study tells a different story -

https://www.liberty.edu/media/1912/info ... -final.htm

Listing 562 million cash and another 250 in investments for 812 million "cash and investment." I read that to be cash and low risk bond types of investments, not hard assets such as building, land, etc.

So I would disagree with you, I think we do have that much cash. Perhaps we aren't as willing to share it publicly. If you look at the 990's we've been +200 million revenue minus expenses for quite some time, that amount of cash tends to add up quickly as Jerry said - we can't spend it fast enough.

By the way if anyone is listening, a great way to spend that cash would be a state of the art, stand alone business school. With Jerry's business prowess I am surprised it wasn't the first building built. Attracting the best and brightest business students means a lot of alumni giving coming back in the future. Look no further than Stanford, Penn, and Harvard business schools. HUGE alumni donations flowing into those business schools. We'll spend 50 million on the library, how about 50 million on the absolute best business school in the country? We are limited only by the size of our dreams.

[rogers3]

That is interesting. I've heard cash at a billion this December and total assets at 2 billion. The use of low interest bonds to fund construction was to keep the cash. The graphic athletics released during the feasibility study tells a different story -

https://www.liberty.edu/media/1912/info ... -final.htm

Listing 562 million cash and another 250 in investments for 812 million "cash and investment." I read that to be cash and low risk bond types of investments, not hard assets such as building, land, etc.

So I would disagree with you, I think we do have that much cash. Perhaps we aren't as willing to share it publicly. If you look at the 990's we've been +200 million revenue minus expenses for quite some time, that amount of cash tends to add up quickly as Jerry said - we can't spend it fast enough.

By the way if anyone is listening, a great way to spend that cash would be a state of the art, stand alone business school. With Jerry's business prowess I am surprised it wasn't the first building built. Attracting the best and brightest business students means a lot of alumni giving coming back in the future. Look no further than Stanford, Penn, and Harvard business schools. HUGE alumni donations flowing into those business schools. We'll spend 50 million on the library, how about 50 million on the absolute best business school in the country? We are limited only by the size of our dreams.

Graphics say 562M cash and cash equivalents. All other assets/investments are not liquid. I don't think JLFJR told half the story, as the newspaper was obviously privy to the 990s. Last time I had this discussion with someone, the 990s were available and it was obvious that we didn't have the cash that some thought. Investment (and it is pointed out in the graphic that the number refers to fair market value) most likely means investments like the Plaza, Candler's Station, etc. Cash investments don't get referred to as being at "fair market value." My bank accounts are referred to in dollars on a balance sheet, but my house and rental property can only be included at its fair market value; in your line of reasoning, I've got a butt-load of cash.
Feel free to disagree, but when you can link to the latest 990s that even hint at 1B in liquid assets, you'll prove me wrong.

By the way, do you work with BJ?

[logic]

The 562 was cash...another 250 of investments. 812 total. Add another 200+ million of cash this year and we're looking at 750+, even using your data.

[rogers3]

The 562 was cash...another 250 of investments. 812 total. Add another 200+ million of cash this year and we're looking at 750+, even using your data.

How many ways does someone have to paint you a picture to show that the 250 of investments isn't cash. No matter how you cut it, you're off base. Ask an accountant... investments aren't always cash and they are not always liquid.

Logic- Incorrect
JLFJR- Correct

Feel free to add the latest cash figures when the latest 990 comes in, but it isn't really anything you or I know or has been made public. Until then, you have to stick with your graphic and JLFJRs testimony to the N&A.

[TH Spangler]

JFJR

Just to clarify, Liberty's cash and investments is running about the same as our net assets and should also top $1B in this calendar year or very early in the new year. As of June 30, 2012, net assets will be above $860M and cash and investments will be around $840M. Gross assets will be over $1.2B ...

http://www.flamefans.com/forums/viewtop ... 13&t=16740