I think we will go to the new CUSA/MWC super conference, just not now. Probably when we receive a new basketball arena.

My God, some of this stuff is so ridiculous.

Conferences don't care how the neighborhood looks.
Conferences don't care if the 2012 recruiting class was #1 or #4 in the SunBelt.
Conferences don't make decisions based on whether any coach is possibly leaving or staying in the future.
Conferences don't care if kids from New Jersey went to FIU over FAU.

1.) They care about TV Market. FIU sits it in Miami and Broward Market while FAU sits in the Palm Beach Market. From a conference standpoint, both are dominated by U.M. anyways, so they are going to simply select the biggest and most attractive Market.  FAU is no more likely to "dominate" their Market over UM in the future than FIU is, so stop the non-sense.

2.) They care about overall Athletic Budgets and Facilities. FIU brings in more revenue than FAU. This website list the top 100 schools in revenue for 2011. FAU has the nicer stadium while FIU has the nicer overall facilities (Field House, remodeled Arena, remodeled Baseball park.) It's not as if the FIU's Arena or FAU Stadium are best in the nation. The difference in Stadiums are a press box, and the backrest are molded and painted at FAU. They are both aluminum seat stadiums! Bottom line is both schools spend on their facilities but FIU just brings in a bit more money.

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The Quotable Les Miles

3.) They care about quality of teams today, not 5 years ago. No one cares if Boise sucked every year from 1980-2007. They are hot now and that's what matters. And unfortunatly for FAU, they are not hot right now. They were the worst team in college football (but that is not going to last long). FIU is hot right now in football, in baseball, and FIU already plays some sports in Conference USA. FIU basketball sucks, but FAU isn't great either. Is FIU one above and beyond better than FAU? No! But FIU has the slight edge right now, and unfortunately this is happening right now.

4.) They care about academics, and FIU is better. Is FIU vastly better than FAU? No. But obviously they will go with whomever has the edge.

University; GPA; ACT; SAT
Florida Atlantic University 3.3; 23.2; 1,083
Florida International University3.7; 23.9; 1,140

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-03-17/news/fl-college-admissions-tougher-box-20110317_1_universities-test-scores-west-florida

Another article:
"The average GPA for entering freshmen this fall at the University of Central Florida was 3.82, up from 3.62 five years ago. It was 3.9 at Florida State University, 3.81 at the University of South Florida and 3.7 at FIU, which are all strong A averages. At the highly competitive University of Florida, the average GPA this year was 4.3, reflecting the extra weight given for advanced classes." FAU has a strong B average.

More valedictorions from Miami Dade County go to FIU than any other school in the country.

In the end, both schools are similar, both FIU has an edge in almost all categories. Is FIU going to leave SunBelt, no one knows yet. But I think both schools will be in the Alliance Conference at some point.

You make some valid points and in some ways FIU has the edge over FAU in things a conference would actually care about such as enrollment and endowment…however:

1.  Why do you think you are in the Broward market?  We have students that commute to FAU from Broward every day I dont think FIU has many of those.  I would say FAU has Palm Beach and most of Broward…you have Miami.

2.  As of right now you cannot compare our stadium to yours…I dont care what the seats are made of.  My house is made of the same material as the houses off the intracoastal in Boca…not comparable houses.  I've been to your stadium I promise the difference is a ton more than the "press box and backrest molded and painted"…joke.

3.  Fans and Media might care about what is hot right now (which my good friend d-owl pointed out)…Confernces dont care.  You're telling me that if your QB would have got hurt and the backup would have sucked and you went 4-8 that would deter the business decision of inviting you to a conference?  I promise educated business people do not think that short sighted.


I can tell you this…with our stadium and new coach I am extremely confident that FAU will go on another 8-2 run vs FIU in football.  Thats with Cristobal.  You guys lose him you will go back to the dark ages in a hurry.

FIU has a Board campus, but that's besides the point. Miami-Ft Laud is a TV MARKET - the 10th biggest in the U.S. West Palm Beach has its own TV MARKET - 16 biggest in the U.S.

There's not really a point in arguing about the stadiums. If you believe FAU is "severely better" as someone put, then so be it.

And yes, if FIU was 0-23 with zero bowl games in the last two years, and FAU had gone to two more bowls, we would not be having this conversation.

As far as 8-2, that's a bold statement considering you have never even seen your head coach in action and the players still are not great yet… but hey thats what being a fan's about. Good luck.

Oh good….we get to have another pissing match over what school is better…It was just a matter of time I guess. :

FAU has it's share of positives and negatives and so does FIU.  To a conference, the two are pretty similar athletically.  We have a better football stadium (not a deabte)…the arenas are pretty much the same (FIU's is slightly bigger)…FIU's baseball stadium is better (also not a debate).

The market thing is just silly.  Yeah, the names of the TV markets are "Miami-Ft. Lauderdale" and "West Palm-Ft. Pierce" but your nuts if you think FIU is drawing more interest from Broward County then FAU. Boca sits right on the edge of the Broward/Palm Beach county line. FAU is covered by the South Florida Sun Sentinel (a Broward-based newspaper).  We have a campus in Ft. Lauderdale. .  I'm sure the numbers are somewhere, but I'd guess FAU attracts more Broward students then FIU does. FIU sits in Miami, sure, it's technically a "bigger" market, but FAU cuts across 2 of the largest markets.

Anyway, my bet is still that if this new conference comes calling, both go or neither go.  

The good news is youll get to come up and see the stadium this fall, and the seats have plastic bottoms too.

But the truth is no one really knows what they consider when picking a program…both have tons of upside and decent facilities. my biggest concern is if they only want one team from down here because I think Garcia at FIU is more agressive and will position the Kitties better than the Owls. You have a bigger endowment and greater enrollment and those are HUGE factors.

We need to hope that they want both Florida schools or that the new head of the Belt can make some things happen quick!

I don't know if you guys will agree with me or not. But I think the sun belt needs to be more proactive . and maybe look at a merger with a mac. that would give 24 teams in football and basketball. And include big markets its like philadelphia boston detroit and miami . I think that would compete with this confernce usa mountain west merger.  With our 10 and there 14 in football. And in basketball our 11 and there 13. Its a pretty strong conference or atleast i believe it to be.

Rocketman said

I don't know if you guys will agree with me or not. But I think the sun belt needs to be more proactive . and maybe look at a merger with a mac. that would give 24 teams in football and basketball. And include big markets its like philadelphia boston detroit and miami . I think that would compete with this confernce usa mountain west merger.  With our 10 and there 14 in football. And in basketball our 11 and there 13. Its a pretty strong conference or atleast i believe it to be.

I agree with the proactive part….and it appears that the new commish agrees.  However, I think they'll be looking more at schools already in our region…Maybe La Tech, Georgia State, App State…teams like that. 

I totally agree.

Should have but STILL CAN go after ESTABLISHED FBS programs like the five east of the Miss. River from CUSA (S. Miss., East Carolina, Marshall, UAB and Tulane). Then add La. Tech or Ga. St., or even better Ga. St. AND Ap. St. (expands the footprint, La. Tech. does not being right next to ULM) and you have a REAL GOOD true southern regional conference with limited travel expenses. Still makes more sense to me for the CUSA programs than the CUSA-Mt. West monster!