[jcmanson]

OK, I'll bite. Please explain to me the correlation between winning games and moving up, how winning at the FCS level has anything to do with getting an invitation to join an FBS league? I don't see it.

Because conferences want to bring in schools that have lots of wins and have been dominant on the lower level. Do you think that when they announce us to their conference - they are going to breakdown our schedule? They're going to say - Liberty with 4 straight 10 win seasons has proven they can win at the FCS level and now are ready for the next challenge. When they review potential teams - do you think the teams that have won more rise to the top faster? or do you think they look at each team despite their records thinking that their schedule just must have been tougher?

Proto, explain to me Georgia State. What does/did the SunBelt say when adding them?

[chukels911]

OK, I'll bite. Please explain to me the correlation between winning games and moving up, how winning at the FCS level has anything to do with getting an invitation to join an FBS league? I don't see it.

for the most part conferences are tied to television, and other than Notre Dame most schools only have local and regional TV coverage. However, if you make a conference you can reach a larger audience and which in turn means more money that the TV can make.

TV coverage=$
TV coverage + winning=$$$
National TV coverage + winning=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

more importantly, the four largest bowl games, Fiesta, Sugar, Rose and Orange, are all tied to conference WINNERS.

So ask yourself, Why would any BCS conference want Liberty, when we can't beat mid-level teams who also have relatively now TV coverage. What do the Liberty Flames bring to the Table?

[BJWilliams]

Here's a question for you: Who here (unless they are being sarcastic) seriously is talking about Liberty being in a BCS conference chukels?

[NotAJerry]

OK, I'll bite. Please explain to me the correlation between winning games and moving up, how winning at the FCS level has anything to do with getting an invitation to join an FBS league? I don't see it.

Because conferences want to bring in schools that have lots of wins and have been dominant on the lower level.

That's been proven wrong by nearly every expansion choice of the last 20 years.

South Alabama, UTSA, Georgia State, UNC Charlotte, Western Kentucky, UConn, South Florida, etc. Other than maybe Boise St, when has a legit FCS/IAA power ever moved up?

[LUminary]

Exactly right. Winning, as nice as it is, is irrelevant. It's mostly about market or perceived market. A prime example is that UNC Charlotte got a CUSA invite and App State did not. App has expanded its fan base by winning a lot of games and titles, but it can't get an invite. UNCC hasn't played a game yet but they'll be playing FBS games soon. It is not about winning.

[NotAJerry]

Exactly right. Winning, as nice as it is, is irrelevant. It's mostly about market or perceived market. A prime example is that UNC Charlotte got a CUSA invite and App State did not. App has expanded its fan base by winning a lot of games and titles, but it can't get an invite. UNCC hasn't played a game yet but they'll be playing FBS games soon. It is not about winning.

Another thing to consider is TV ratings. One reason why small markets like Nebraska and WVU have gotten invites to big time leagues is that both get huge ratings, often top 5 overall viewership for a season. These leagues want markets that can get bigger or teams that pull in ratings well above what their market would dictate. The second one is an area the LU has a real chance in as our local and regional ratings are pretty good and we are becoming a national school. If things keep improving, someone may take the chance on us simply because of the increased visibility they'll get from our built in audience.