theblackmaria6 said

Yeah, i totally see where your coming from and why FAU would ultimately follow that path.  It just seems like the Sun Belt is seen as the "lowest of low" conferences and moving up to any conference would be progress.  But i totally see what your saying and that makes senses to me now.

Plus we have not even dominated the belt yet, we have one co-championship and that's it. we still lose a couple games to SB teams every year. So we have grown a lot in a short time, but still have a ways to go… it takes time.

Owlando said

I don't think FAU would be interested in C-USA, even though it makes sense location-wise and competition level-wise.

I think FAU is content with the Sun Belt conference for a while. If they decide to push for a new conference, it will only be for a BCS conference (ACC or Big East).

Realistically, FAU will be in the Sun Belt for a long time. We need an on-campus stadium, a larger fan base, stronger recruits, more financial backing and a couple more Sun Belt conference titles before any BCS conference would invite us to join their conference. FAU is making great strides, literally in record time too, towards meeting some of these goals, but great things usually take time before they happen.

Realistically, I think it depends on when CUSA offers and whether Howard would still be our head coach. If he wasn't and we made our usual "splashy hire" of coach with baggage, he wouldn't be carrying the same grudge that HS has and would agree to the jump. Why not? When he goes shopping for his next job in 1-3 years, he'd be able to put a bullet point on his resume that he was "integral in the transition to a better conference." More fuel for the fire so he can get out.

My money's on FAU moving to CUSA in the next 5-10 years. Our facilities, attendance and academic status will keep us out of the BCS for a long time. The only way around it is if EVERYONE moves to BCS status which is just as unlikely as us becoming a Tier 1 institution in the next 10 years (especially since, as the papers point out, FAU cares more about hiring administrators than faculty)

Just being realistic here.

I still think a move to any conference would be a step in the right direction.  But first off we do need to consistantly dominant the belt and we aren't doing that yet. 

Owlando said

theblackmaria6 said

But wouldn't it be smart though to consistantly play against "tougher" teams to get used to what a BCS would be like.  Because it seems like jumping from the Sun Belt Conference straight to The ACC or the Big East seems a little unrealistic.

That's why we schedule out-of-conference (OOC) games against BCS schools. To play against tougher teams, as well as to make a little money on the side and gain exposure, but mainly to face off against tougher opponents (haha). If we moved to a non-BCS conference, like C-USA, we would delay moving into a BCS conference even more so, which would delay our chances of ever winning a national title even more. Nothing would make me happier to beat schools like UCF, but ultimate goal is a national title and C-USA just doesn't offer that opportunity, as does the Sun Belt. Bottom line: BCS conference or nothing.

No team is going to go from the Sun Belt to the BCS. It just isn't going to happen. If in the next realignment FAU is offered the slot in CUSA they would jump at it. While the level of play is not much different the fan support, exposure, and revenues are much better in CUSA and it would be foolish to not jump up.

chanman said

No team is going to go from the Sun Belt to the BCS. It just isn't going to happen. If in the next realignment FAU is offered the slot in CUSA they would jump at it. While the level of play is not much different the fan support, exposure, and revenues are much better in CUSA and it would be foolish to not jump up.

Please tell me, specifically, what are the benefits on joining C-USA. "Fan support, exposure and revenues;" how??? Please explain in full. Don't get me wrong, there are benefits for being in the C-USA. But none that are truly significant enough to make that conference switch.

Owlando said

chanman said

No team is going to go from the Sun Belt to the BCS. It just isn't going to happen. If in the next realignment FAU is offered the slot in CUSA they would jump at it. While the level of play is not much different the fan support, exposure, and revenues are much better in CUSA and it would be foolish to not jump up.

Please tell me, specifically, what are the benefits on joining C-USA. "Fan support, exposure and revenues;" how??? Please explain in full. Don't get me wrong, there are benefits for being in the C-USA. But none that are truly significant enough to make that conference switch.

The only benefits I see are maybe that FAU gets to play more recognizable schools and few more bowl bids.
That's just my opinion.

I think the benefits are 1) Conference name recognition; 2) Opponent name recognition; 3) Better attendance on average; 4) More bowl opportunities.


I think the first is probably the most important even if the quality of play on the field isn't much better in CUSA than in the SBC.



GO OWLS!!!

owlfan1 said

I think the benefits are 1) Conference name recognition; 2) Opponent name recognition; 3) Better attendance on average; 4) More bowl opportunities.

Conference name and opponent name recognition? Who does this matter to? Do you think coaches and players in BCS conferences really see a distinguished difference between the sun belt and C-USA, or any other non-BCS conference? Probably not. And what recognition does C-USA bring anyway. The best team in C-USA right now is Rice. How often do you see Rice university on ESPN or have a nationally televised game? They don't bring any more recognition then Troy or FAU does. Better attendance. I mean if we played UCF in a conference game at home, yes it would draw a large crowd because they are state rivals. But do you really think another C-USA team would draw a large crowd? I mean if we played Tulsa or SMU would we really see a much larger turnout at the games. Probably not. The only difference is the bowl game opportunities. C-USA has 6 ot 7. Sun Belt has 3 or 4. And if we have a great record, it wont matter cause we will be in a bowl game. Their bowl games are no more significant than the sun belt's. So  not a big enough reason to go to C-USA. Our best bet is to stay in the Sun Belt. Until we receive a BCS conference invitation. 

Owlando said

owlfan1 said

I think the benefits are 1) Conference name recognition; 2) Opponent name recognition; 3) Better attendance on average; 4) More bowl opportunities.

Conference name and opponent name recognition? Who does this matter to? Do you think coaches and players in BCS conferences really see a distinguished difference between the sun belt and C-USA, or any other non-BCS conference? Probably not. And what recognition does C-USA bring anyway. The best team in C-USA right now is Rice. How often do you see Rice university on ESPN or have a nationally televised game? They don't bring any more recognition then Troy or FAU does. Better attendance. I mean if we played UCF in a conference game at home, yes it would draw a large crowd because they are state rivals. But do you really think another C-USA team would draw a large crowd? I mean if we played Tulsa or SMU would we really see a much larger turnout at the games. Probably not. The only difference is the bowl game opportunities. C-USA has 6 ot 7. Sun Belt has 3 or 4. And if we have a great record, it wont matter cause we will be in a bowl game. Their bowl games are no more significant than the sun belt's. So  not a big enough reason to go to C-USA. Our best bet is to stay in the Sun Belt. Until we receive a BCS conference invitation.

From a marketing standpoint CUSA is more well known than the SBC. This doesn't matter to coaches, but it does matter for marketing a program.

People have heard of Marshall, Houston, Memphis, Rice, etc. Maybe they are not household names, but they are more recognizable than ULL, ULM, FIU, etc.

I was referring to stronger attendance overall as a conference. In 2005 CUSA teams averaged 25,000 fans per game as compared to the SBC in 2006 with 18,000. These are the most recent numbers I could find.

I would love to be a homer and say the SBC is equal footing with CUSA, but it is not. Most people recognize CUSA as a conference. Many people don't even know what the SBC is.

GO OWLS!!!

owlfan1 said

Owlando said

owlfan1 said

I think the benefits are 1) Conference name recognition; 2) Opponent name recognition; 3) Better attendance on average; 4) More bowl opportunities.

Conference name and opponent name recognition? Who does this matter to? Do you think coaches and players in BCS conferences really see a distinguished difference between the sun belt and C-USA, or any other non-BCS conference? Probably not. And what recognition does C-USA bring anyway. The best team in C-USA right now is Rice. How often do you see Rice university on ESPN or have a nationally televised game? They don't bring any more recognition then Troy or FAU does. Better attendance. I mean if we played UCF in a conference game at home, yes it would draw a large crowd because they are state rivals. But do you really think another C-USA team would draw a large crowd? I mean if we played Tulsa or SMU would we really see a much larger turnout at the games. Probably not. The only difference is the bowl game opportunities. C-USA has 6 ot 7. Sun Belt has 3 or 4. And if we have a great record, it wont matter cause we will be in a bowl game. Their bowl games are no more significant than the sun belt's. So  not a big enough reason to go to C-USA. Our best bet is to stay in the Sun Belt. Until we receive a BCS conference invitation.

From a marketing standpoint CUSA is more well known than the SBC. This doesn't matter to coaches, but it does matter for marketing a program.

People have heard of Marshall, Houston, Memphis, Rice, etc. Maybe they are not household names, but they are more recognizable than ULL, ULM, FIU, etc.

I was referring to stronger attendance overall as a conference. In 2005 CUSA teams averaged 25,000 fans per game as compared to the SBC in 2006 with 18,000. These are the most recent numbers I could find.

I would love to be a homer and say the SBC is equal footing with CUSA, but it is not. Most people recognize CUSA as a conference. Many people don't even know what the SBC is.

GO OWLS!!!

I agree we are not on par with CUSA YET.

Most "fans" think that the SunBelt has leaped ahead of the MAC in performance and attendance as far as football.

We are on the heals of CUSA.

The difference is the bowl games. Cusa has 7  : and Mac has 3, while we have just 1.

SunBelt needs to have a healthy record against teh OOC and pick up another bowl game before CUSA does not become a better option.