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FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

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If Florida Atlantic wants to leave the Sun Belt Conference and join Conference-USA for the upcoming 2013 season, they will have to front a hefty $1 million dollar exit fee.

“There is a million dollar exit fee should they leave the Sun Belt prior to the 2013 season,” Sun Belt Conference commissioner Karl Benson said over the phone Monday afternoon.

With FAU having accepted an invitation to Conference-USA in December, the initial thought was that the school would join the new conference in 2014.

However, a report has surfaced on Tuesday claiming that FAU is making a play to advance that movement to the 2013 season – meaning the university would have to pay a $1 million dollar exit fee to the Sun Belt Conference.

“The exit fee for any Sun Belt member who does not give one year’s notice is a million dollars,” Benson reiterated.

Along with the $1 million dollar exit fee for leaving the conference, FAU would have to pay a $ 2 million dollar entrance fee for joining Conference-USA – bringing the grand total for making the move a season early to $3 million dollars.

The $3 million dollars may not all be need up front, as it believed that Conference-USA is willing to accept a down payment on on their entrance fee with a plan for the school to pay off the remaining balance through the leagues' TV revenue share over the next few seasons.

Conference-USA is holding their annual meetings between officials and athletic directors next week in Miami, and a decision about FAU joining the conference could be made by then.

The Sun Belt Conference is set to release their schedules in early February.

“I’m not going to talk or speculate,” Benson said when asked about how he thought the next few weeks will play out. “I have no idea.”
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

Id rather keep the million, thwack on the Sun Belt a bit and be on our way

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

Silver_Bullet32 said

Id rather keep the million, thwack on the Sun Belt a bit and be on our way

Well, IF the BigEast gets ECU and Tulane to move for next year, THEN CUSA will need MTSU and FAU to jump in next year to fill their slots. Then MTSU and FAU wil have better leverage in either getting help paying that $1M Belt exit fee OR the $2M CUSA entry fee OR BOTH!

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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

I agree with GA Owl. If the ball is on our court lets have CUSA waive the entrance fee

My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

GeorgiaOwl said

Silver_Bullet32 said

Id rather keep the million, thwack on the Sun Belt a bit and be on our way

Well, IF the BigEast gets ECU and Tulane to move for next year, THEN CUSA will need MTSU and FAU to jump in next year to fill their slots. Then MTSU and FAU wil have better leverage in either getting help paying that $1M Belt exit fee OR the $2M CUSA entry fee OR BOTH!

Hey, if they offer to pay the exit fee, I'm all for it

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

Just pay it…..get it over with.  I know our University isn't exactly rolling in money but I have to believe that a public University this big has some way to scrape up $1 Million….
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

I find it interesting those who say we should just play out next year in the Sun Belt so we can go out with a bang…this wait and see attitude got a certain favorite AD fired.

IF there is anyway we can go in 2013, we should move.  Enough with this wait until next year bull crap.
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

Tim said

I find it interesting those who say we should just play out next year in the Sun Belt so we can go out with a bang…this wait and see attitude got a certain favorite AD fired.

IF there is anyway we can go in 2013, we should move.  Enough with this wait until next year bull crap.

agree…

because since when have we "blown out" the sun belt, besides 07, an okay 08… we havn't exactly been the top of the league… find the money, make the move.
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

I think new teams coming into the stadium will bring more excitement and more fans. It will show the fan base FAU is serious about college football and may even bring more corporate support. This combined with a better product on the field may bring in the revenue to off set some of the expense.
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Re: FAU Could Have to Pay $1 Million Sun Belt Conference Exit Fee

I believe we should pay it and move on over!  I haven't read if ECU is moving to BigEast early, however I hope FAU gets the chance to leave before next year.  The only problem would be the scheduling and canceling of games–that would be a mess.

GoOwlNation
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