Random Musings on Realignment, State of the Program, Etc.

[MT01]

Post #1

If you didn't see a post I made previously on the realignment issue, you can see it here. Pasting it to avoid repeating what I already said...

Fire up the rumor mill: Missouri St to CUSA???

Who do they go and get? LaTech or us? My money is on LaTech. It would make sense to get LaTech, us and WKU but that probably won't happen.

middletennessee.forums.rivals.com

I'm trying to peer into the future based on all the craziness we've watched play out, and though I don't agree with a lot of pundits on where this ultimately ends up, it's also not necessarily a glorious future to behold. We've been at a few inflection points before, but nothing like the one that probably plays out in this next decade. For that reason, I believe we are entering yet another critical crossroads - the fifth - in a very short amount of time that's led us to today. To recap those, because understanding where you've been is important to where you're going, the first was when ECU and Memphis courted Stockstill, the University elected to make an investment in Stockstill. At that time, conference affiliation was largely stable but is was an important moment for our school individually. As much as we despise how they did it, there was a desire and intent to keep the momentum going from the 2009 season. The second major crossroad was us getting passed over by our peers for C-USA. In hindsight, we would have been better off staying in the Sun Belt, but I guess you can say the Admin and AD sort of got quasi-lucky with another round soon thereafter. The third major point were the third and fourth contract extensions for Stockstill. It's clear the post 2009 seasons that included a two-win campaign and several limp .500 seasons that they rewarded mediocrity that decimated our fan base through a lack of confidence by them and the casual fan. It's very difficult to enhance facilities even if you want to if you're downgraded your own fanbase. The fourth significant inflection point has now occurred with us being left behind by our peers again, which ostensibly led to the announcement of the facility upgrades. So, an immediate question is what have they learned? Perhaps finally announcing the facilities and turning down the MAC was an indication they know they need to be more strategic. Time will tell. That said..

We are now already in what I believe is the beginning of another major inflection point. The fifth since 2009 and maybe the last one before significant change is forced upon college athletics. A shift that will make the NIL and transfer portal look like child's play. As I outlined in the post copied above, and if you like to follow trends like I do, there is a very targeted focus our "leadership" needs to have right now in developing a strategy to position athletics for the future and creating tactical objectives to achieve that strategy. Do I have faith our "leaders" are doing that? No, absolutely not. Do I think they can? I can get to maybe on that. But I'm skeptical (as is everyone else) after this last contract extension Stock got that reduced the expectations even further - all done secretly behind closed doors - which enflamed the situation even more. If they don't understand that particular point (and their actions indicate they still don't), at least I can believe there is no way they don't know they've made massive mistakes over the past decade after getting passed by yet again under their watch. That said and first and foremost, let's see what we've learned. Getting left behind in the SBC would have been a blessing in disguise. But that didn't happen and now it's happened again. With exit fee money and what I believe is a highly weakened AAC could there be a blessing in disguise at hand here yet again? Second there are a few things that need to begin happening now that facilities are under way...

 

[MT01]

Post #2


1. We do not know what the massive shift in college athletics ultimately will look like. We've heard of the one to two mega power type conference setup where only a handful of schools (like 30 to 50) will make the cut. I personally see huge barriers to that - namely that will be accompanied by a for profit type situation and most schools are federally funded, tax exempt institutions. That's a redline for Presidents and some are going to have huge reservations over CFB coming "NFL -Lite" So, we'll see if these schools are willing to lose their tax exempt status over football. This will also face severe litigation headwinds and Congressional oversight for breaking anti-trust laws. So, we'll see. However, there is a divide likely occuring with some schools losing football or dropping down. We are definitely at more risk of that today than we were a little over a year ago. This is why we need to have a strategy and be implementing it behind the facility builds. A publicly releasable strategy with clear objectives outlined would be a first step that would be highly welcomed to not only demonstrate they're going to start connecting with the alumni and fan base better but show us they have a plan. Perhaps even develop that with the fan base's input. Whether thier base is delusional or not about retaining power status, Oregon St did this in their current conundrum and it speaks volumes to listen to your primary market, your customer base, your clientele, or whatever term you want to call the alumni and base. This is where this university has an F- so again we''ll see.

2. Conference affiliation at the moment the shit hits the fan is going to matter. We don't need to be in the league we're in now when that happens. That's why we need a plan. Now, this is where I'm going to talk about league membership specifically. First, the bigger the conference, the better the chances each conference is going to have at surviving. There is strength in numbers (especially with the additional Congressional representation that it brings with it). C-USA will eventually go away. That's why I don't think building this league up is in our interest. The AAC is one obviously the administration has already made overt attempts at convincing, but there's one very prominent school in the way. It's not Memphis. It's Navy. I don't think Navy is ever going to allow us to be in a conference with them, because of what happened at the Armed Forces Bowl 10 years ago. They're not going to let it go or forget. Moreover, that league has been significantly weakened, and I don't believe we share common interest with a league that has a bunch of private schools in it. Some of those may end up in the ACC when it eventually looks more like what's happened to the PAC 12, but again that's going to be a shell of the league we were interested in, and its going to look more like C-USA looks right now. All spread out with no central direction. Therefore, the place we need to be focusing our attention to is the Sun Belt. MT and Western fills an obvious hole in the increasingly and otherwise contiguous geographic footprint of the league. We need to be playing up to that. We need to do some homework, work with ESPN, and see how the addition of our two schools would bring additional value to the TV deal - even if incrementally. We also need to be playing up the relationship with SBC that there is strength in numbers. While the Sun Belt is probably hoping the eventual degradation of the ACC will open up schools like ECU and Memphis - playing that strength in numbers card now could be persuasive - because those schools may not and likely will not be available. We also need to keep the lines of communication open with the MAC - as a fall back if the Sun Belt lays down an unequivocal no to us. Let them know we may still be interested in the future but in doing so would like to see other southern based schools come with us. Including a couple of other schools like La Tech, Missouri St, and Jax St (and maybe FIU) in addition to MT and western would give us more confidence that we could maintain our southern roots and it would provide some additional regionality as well as enhance the strength in numbers equation.

3. We critically need to have a focus on starting to win this weakened league. Regardless of what league you are in or insignificant or weak it may seem, if you cannot win it then you're never going to be relevant. That's ultimately what has plagued us. If we cannot begin to do that now, we're going to find ourselves with no options and then we can officially declare the move to I-A a complete loss and failure. While many believe MT and Western are a package, don't be so sure about that. There is a chance at the end of the day it comes down to Middle or Western but not both. We cannot continue losing to them year after year. Despite all of our complaints about the perpetual .500 season, the contract, the failure to win the important games, the weak recruiting, etc., the truth of the matter is we are really close to being a good program. Can CRS find the drive to get his program over the hump in the twilight of his career? Maybe not, but we have some good coordinators and position coaches sans a couple of exceptions. The difference is in the culture. I truly believe that. Compare us to JMU and you look at what they are doing. They have a good program, because they recruit good enough but are extremely well coached, disciplined, and thorough in how they execute their gameplan. They don't make stupid 12 men on the field penalties. Or a bunch of pre-snap infractions. They win games like Saturday against UVA with lesser talent, because they execute so well. That's what they did to us last year in the opener. Whereas our mistakes lead to a two point loss to UVA (or four point loss to Mizou) their ability to limit them and execute efficiently works to thier favor by a point. There is a fine thin line between a W and an L. The JMU/UVA game didn't come down to talent. They were just better at executing their gameplan and limiting stupid mistakes. If this staff can do just a tad better on recruiting and create that type of programmatic culture to execute our 6 or 7 win seasons will become 9 or 10 win seasons. That line is so fine. It's why we failed to win that game Saturday. And we could have won it even with much less talent. But you have to win the small things. Like not dropping the fly route in the first quarter. Or limiting stupid mistakes like the illegal substitution that cost seven points. Or even go back five years and the chance for Brent to win a conference title on the last drive in '18. I don't care what's in place right now, but this university needs to restructure Stockstill's contract and use the changes that have occurred in CFB as the reason for doing so (i.e. NIL, portal, expanded playoff, etc.). Maybe keep the base as is (even if its six wins) but put some flipping big pay incentives on it like something like $200K for a conference title, $500K for a top 25 finish, $1M for making the playoff, etc. to incentivize CRS and add those incentives in coordinators and position coaches too (i.e. 20% bonuses for conference title, 30% for top 25, etc) to encourage the program to reach for new heights. Or whatever. Make some big moves in terms of how we do things rather than just granting CRS another $1M season for reaching six wins.

So, that's a synopsis of where I'm seeing this headed. We can't predict it with certainty. Maybe semi pro league forms with the SEC/Big 10/etc., but I'm not convinced. Whatever it looks like, there is definitely a movement toward more professionalization of college football, because it's run by greedy empire builders. So, part of this is inevitable. But how far they are allowed to take that when politics and legal barriers get in the way is an unknown. Whether that happens or not and we end up a D2 or whether there are three power leagues and everyone else or whatever it looks like it's eventually going to be come to a head. And there are going to be some schools without a chair. And I do believe the SBC will be better positioned than some other leagues. That's just my opinion. So, if the admin isn't doing that yet and is listening I - for one - would highly encourage they build a plan and anticipate these next moves or even do things that cause the next move. It's not unreasonable that we could entice the SBC to take us now. But it requires work and a commitment. I would also encourage they rebrand and figure that out but that's another talk for another day. We must be better positioned than we are right now, and that's the bottom line. What I've outlined here, I believe positions MT for a stronger future. Just my two cents.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Thanks MT01 for all of that. We may see things a bit different, but still. I 100% believe the end result of all of this will be a split. I'm not sure it will be semi-pro so to speak but players will get paid and it'll be the big boys. Within 10yrs, by the time of the fall of the ACC, it'll happen. I am with you though regarding for profit etc. But there will be a third division 1 level. And some current power schools will be left out as we are currently seeing with OSU/Wazzu, even with yesterday's partial win for them.

Your points on what should be our focus are 100% true. I too feel AAC isn't the end all answer. Is it better than now, yes. But will it always be? Looking short term hurt us before.
I also agree 100000% on an incentive based contract.

What does help us is TV deals expiring. Ours was very smartly signed as a short deal. And hopefully it isn't re-upped before some other deals come out to see where things stand. Our deal ends in '32, as does the AAC. But MWC '26, MAC '26, and SBC '31 all end before us. We need to win, and win now. Be competitive against WKU to show having both of us is worth it, and as you said, push for SBC. I think it would help our attendance as well to have Marshall, Troy, App St, Miss St visit over some.of our current schools or even current AAC schools. We also would save money on travel.

I'm sure the new MAC deal and others will have a provision for expansion. These days a conference can't afford not to. And my hope is that by the time the SBC begins negotiations we have won a few champs in FB and MBB, as have WKU. That facilities are done and that Stock has retired or has at least a plan. So that we can show we want to move forward and do so with the SBC. Develop a plan with Todd Stewart of WKU to package us to the SBC at a reduced teired rate for that new contract.

I do really really REALLY worry that if we stay in CUSA, and if we grow it only is by FCS teams, that if/when the G5 split will happen, that he other conferences will say CUSA is too watered down and leave our conference behind. By NCAA bylaws we are an FBS conference. But if the NCAA gets blown up in 10yrs, as could happen with FB and BB, we don't want to be in the bottom conference.

We blew our last few chances and I truly feel this 5th change is our last chance.

 

[Raiderclyde]

Well said, MT01. Do believe winds in college athletics are still changing or evolving into some kind of an "NFL Lite" semi-professional model. How it organizes for the 2030's and beyond is still conjecture, but one thing is for certain. MT is looking more and more like an FCS brand than for us to sit at the Big 12 or ACC "big boy" table. Our peer group should have been Memphis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Tulane, Tulsa, Boise State, etc. and not Jacksonville State, Liberty, Sam Houston, and New Mexico State. Football is the traditional "bell cow" and "calling card" simply because of the money and exposure it generates. One thing I'm real curious about is seeing how the conference alignment impacts the Olympic sports where revenues do not pay for the overhead. Everything is being done for football and nothing else. Obviously, NIL and the expansion of online sports gaming have pumped revenue into the ecosystem coupled with the broadening of the platforms that games can be seen or heard. That licensing and revenue is just going to compound for the $EC, B1G, AAC, and Big 12--AAC and MW are still on the fringe. Sun Belt, C-USA, and MAC will be a level downstream; and we are currently the bottom level conference in football.

As for "perhaps finally announcing the facilities and turning down the MAC was an indication they know they need to be more strategic", I don't see what MT athletics is doing is all that strategic...it's reactionary at best. What is being constructed now barely keeps facilities relevant at our playing level. A few examples would be Marshall erecting a huge new video scoreboard this year, UL Monroe made many of these improvements back in 2016-17, even Tenn. Tech in Cookeville has a nicer screen probably thanks to securing the TSSAA high school championships (that we passed over a few years ago in favor of Spring Fling) and Tucker Stadium is slated to have even more renovation in the next 2-3 years. Our improvements aren't too impressive except to those that are content with the status quo or if we are indeed recruiting at the FCS level talent threshold. Our current football stadium configuration has seen little change since 1998--that's twenty-five years ago.

All things considered, think MT staying in C-USA will prove to be a mistake. Yes, MT may have earned a smallish windfall for the immediate future, but long term we've staked our tent in a newbie league with less stability than the MAC. The MAC would have given us greater stability in terms of scheduling, probably better geographically footprint, the possibility of enhancing hockey down the road, and maintained more of a traditional fan engagement in rivalry(ies) especially better for our Olympic Sports than traveling 3 or 4 time zones cross country. One thing I miss about the old OVC was the localized rivalries EKU-MT (football), APSU-MT (basketball), Murray State-MT (both sports, Murray would have a respectable team every 4-6 years while basketball was usually tops in the last 20-30 years of the OVC), and the most senior Blue Raider fans will never forget the "Harvey-Shinny Ninny Totem Pole" played the last game of season--usually near Thanksgiving (and a few cases during the fifties on Thanksgiving afternoon). "Tech-Middle" used to say it all with Bubber Murphy and Wilburn Tucker coaching. Some of the old OVC happenings was before my time but have heard some of older Alumni talk of fond memories. Not sure that's happening with the same level of affinity today...that may be like remembering full-service gasoline stations where the attendant checks the air, cleans windshields, and pumps the gas. That good ship has sailed and probably won't return to pick us up (maybe WKU if they regain prominence in basketball).

What we need are new faces and new leadership far more than new facilities. Someone dynamic with the qualities of a Lane Kiffin or a Deion that can single handly promotes MT and truly engages Middle Tennessee from Tullahoma to Gallatin to Lawrenceburg along with shoring up Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. Branding and media are paramount and we have to shore up academics a little along the way too in the area of graduate and doctoral programs at least by our 125th anniversary in 2036.

 

[Sommy]

Very detailed write up. Not sure I follow that Navy is mad at MT from a single game 10 years ago, which is preventing us from joining AAC.

My issue is just align with a peer group. I don't feel we are aligned in CUSA with our peer group. It should be N.Texas, Tulsa, UTSA, UAB etc. Those are markets, fan base, funding, etc. that we align with. I want to be with our peer group, not a start up conference with obvious bottom feeders.

Big10, SEC and ACC will run the power league, but maybe MW and AAC can be the next step down, but still a competitive and fun "level". I fear that CUSA is equivalent to an AFL 2 conference that less and less people will be interested in. I really think we have to put all the eggs in the basket of our peer group and it's AAC or bust for me.

 

[MT01]

Cycle, I had to assess this with a dose of reality rather than look at what should happen if I was king for a day. For example, we aren't getting a new coach. CRS is pretty much here until he decides he's done. So, we can talk about coulda shoulda all day, but it was more real to look at this in the construct of playing the hand you have.

In other words, every bad move that's been made before today is sunk cost. Can't do anything about that. So, what's the future look like and how to we get to a better place when that future arrives? That's the goal.

FWIW, I don't think we end up with NFL Lite. I think we end up with three power leagues. The question will be will everyone else formally be relegated? If the answer is yes, I'm not sure any of this matters. But if it's no, you don't want to be stuck in a far-flung league with no programs with which to establish commonality and rivalries. Or potentially in a league that becomes defunct with no place to go where your only options are Independence or drop down. And a far-flung league with no commonalty is what C-USA currently is. This is why I believe going back to the Sun Belt is so important. If there's either a full break away division created or we are relegated back down, our conference today - in that scenario - is ultimately a moot point. BUT! If that's not what occurs, then where we are at that moment may be where we stay for a long time. If we can get back to the SBC, we would otherwise have that stability some people wanted in the MAC but have it in a southern based league where we recruit and where our alumni live.

Seriously, we have to get real. Chasing the better league has shown us two things. 1) We're chasing a shiny penny that has both yet to demonstrate that luster or shown to reciprocate the level of interest in us we seem to have in it; and 2) We have failed miserably at changing that narrative in how we are viewed. Failing to win conference titles, failing to demonstrate commitment to program by enhancing facilities, setting par for standards/expectations/etc., and poor branding will do that to you. And ironically when the dust settles, the SBC may be the best league outside the power realm. If that happens then we may become even less desired. We need to get there soon - if for no other reason to provide us with a future stable home in the region we need it to be.

 

[MT01]

One more thing. The university needs to stop operating in the dark like they are protecting state nuclear secrets.

Maybe a good question for Lee, but has MT applied for membership to the Sun Belt in the midst of this chaos? If we haven't, we need to do some homework first (as noted in the posts earlier), but that absolutely needs to happen and sooner than later.

 

[RaiderDoug]

Interesting read.

I don't think the AAC is an option, and I don't think it's because Memphis or Navy or anyone else holds a grudge. Money talks and if we brought some, we'd be in.

We're just a shit program right now.

We bring not a single thing of any importance to any conference. We don't have on-field success in the sports that matter, we don't have a fan base to speak of, the leadership is weak, reactionary (excellent description), and rather apathetic to athletics. We've failed to invest in our athletic programs beyond the bare minimum. We've failed to capture or build on any interest in the growing Nashville/Middle TN market. We're not an academic powerhouse (nothing wrong with that, we do what we do and do it very well). The athletic budget isn't awful, but its buoyed by subsidies and nothing's being done to rebuild the fan base.

Our main and pretty much only selling point is that you can travel here relatively cheaply relative to other programs.

Is that good enough to get the Sunbelt to pick up the phone? It wasn't last time. But things change.

That's why it's so important to start re-inventing the athletic program now. Every minute wasted is one you won't get back.

 

[RaiderDoug]

A couple of other thoughts re: The MAC.

I hate the whole "southern roots" argument. That's gaslighting. No one is excited for those big road trips to Las Cruces, or El Paso. Or even Ruston. No one cares. Do we even have more than 50 traveling fans who are not related to team members or coaches? Half of the population of the Nashville metro area are transplants from north of the Ohio or California anyway.

Guaranteed no one knows where Jacksonville State really is. No one knows anything about Kennesaw except that's where the Atlanta traffic starts on I-75 South. Raise your hand if you have any close friends who are actual, live Florida International fans.

We could have gone to the MAC with WKU, had a good TV package in a conference with similarly resourced, similarly ambitious (for better or worse) programs and I think we would have flourished. I've yet to see anyone with a legitimate argument that playing Western Michigan or Ohio is sooooo much worse than playing Sam Houston State or Kennesaw State. Oh, the weather is better? So what, you're not going anyway. If a football game is played in 30 degree snow, but you don't show up, do you really care?

Or we could have stayed here, made a major commitment to excellence and investment, and made the determination that our best days are ahead.

Instead, they made the worst possible decision where they shunned the safe, stable conference, and yet I've yet to see any sign that they are really determined to compete at the highest levels of the conference we got left behind in.

 

[Sommy]

In terms of today - I think MAC is much better than CUSA.

However, I was okay not going to the MAC, with the hope/expectation that we are only in the CUSA short-term to collect the exit money and move to a better conference. If in the end we are stuck in CUSA and that's the best we can do, then we made a mistake not going.

 

[MT01]

Current C-USA already ranks ahead of MAC. If Jax St beats EMU and Liberty beats Buffalo this weekend we will pretty much be guaranteed to finish ahead of them in the computer rankings already.

Doug, the southern roots argument isn't about what you referenced. It's about 1) having a media presence where you are most likely to recruit and 2) telling moms in the places you recruit that you'll be playing nearby for most of the schedule. If you look at the SBC all of our home games and road games (except the occasional guarantee game outside the region, ie. Wisconsin) would be in the following states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia. And if you add us and wkcc or Missouri St not only would the league be in contiguous states, we would be playing our road games in seven of the eight states that border Tennessee.

I just can't trust the AAC to be a long-term viable property. Everyone in it is looking for the next exit, but again the bottom line that filters through all these unknowns is this. Get our house in order, stay proactive, and the rest will take care of itself.

 

[RaiderDoug]

Current C-USA already ranks ahead of MAC. If Jax St beats EMU and Liberty beats Buffalo this weekend we will pretty much be guaranteed to finish ahead of them in the computer rankings already.

Doug, the southern roots argument isn't about what you referenced. It's about 1) having a media presence where you are most likely to recruit and 2) telling moms in the places you recruit that you'll be playing nearby for most of the schedule. If you look at the SBC all of our home games and road games (except the occasional guarantee game outside the region, ie. Wisconsin) would be in the following states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia. And if you add us and wkcc or Missouri St not only would the league be in contiguous states, we would be playing our road games in seven of the eight states that border Tennessee.

I just can't trust the AAC to be a long-term viable property. Everyone in it is looking for the next exit, but again the bottom line that filters through all these unknowns is this. Get our house in order, stay proactive, and the rest will take care of itself.

I can't deny that those are valid arguments. The Sunbelt is the perfect home. But if they don't answer when we call, what do we do?

But with respect to the MAC vs CUSA, I would counter that:

1. I'm not sure outside of Kennesaw and J-Ville, that the new CUSA is all the more media-friendly or more geographically a better fit than the MAC. I did this exercise a year ago when this all went down, and the average distance between the MAC and Mufreesboro and the new CUSA and Murfreesboro basically favors the MAC. Plus, travel is easier between hubs/major travel markets - it's hard and expensive to get to Ruston. It's not that hard to get to most of the MAC schools/cities. You can bus to Ohio pretty easily, and most of the MAC schools are within shouting distance of a major airport.

2. This might sound harsh, but we're not exactly recruiting so well that our territory would make so much of a difference. Most of our classes are filled out with basically lightly recruited guys who really don't have much of an option at this point if they want to play FBS football.

If you offer a kid who's only real FBS offer is MT, I'm not sure the MAC is going to make that much of a difference.

Our 2023 class would have ranked at the bottom of the MAC, and from what I can tell, most MAC schools fill out about a 1/4th of their class from Florida/Georgia and other states traditionally in our footprint.


Like Sommy said, if there were indications behind the scenes that Belt was receptive to future re-evaluation (or AAC, or SEC, or really anywhere but CUSA) then I wholeheartedly agree and understand turning down the MAC and the grant of rights.

But if they're just winging it, then I think we'll look back and realize we missed the best opportunity for a stable, good home where we could win long term.

 

[ewglenn]

I have no desire to play in the MAC as long as there is a viable southern option available. CUSA isn’t the perfect fit but it has gotten much better. JSU, KSU and WKU are all very close to us. Liberty is seven and a half hours, Louisiana Tech is eight and a half. If they added EKU (four) and Missouri St (seven and a half) that would give us a very solid local flare in CUSA. I could easily see NMSU and UTEP leaving down the road and that would essentially follow the same path as the SBC.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Hindsight is 20/20 on all this. I personally pushed for the MAC. Do I think it is great long term, no. But at the time I felt it was. That nice $8m we pocketed from CUSA (still think part of that was to get us to stay) made it worth it to stay though. Judy surprised me with the new TV deal that is currently better than the MAC, but I bet that'll change on their next deal. Inflation and all.

One could argue that culturally we fit better with the MAC. And by that I mean simply on a school commitment to athletics level. As well as student body. But I want us to aim higher long term. Just because that's who we are now with Stock, CM, and McP, doesn't mean that is who we should aim to always be.

I look at App St. They are 1-2 in the last games against UNC. Yet Mack Brown says he doesn't want them anymore. Came too close to losing. I think Mizzou was good for us like that. No reason we can't be the same thing. New blood does wonders.

I follow several SBC guys on X. I might start comparing attendance/budgets just to see where we fit with the 'Belt. That truly is where we belong. Colorado came back to the B12. We can come back too. CUSA was good for us. And I'm not being snooty and saying we are better etc. I'm saying I don't think CUSA will survive past the split, which I think will happen. And if we want to survive ourselves, we need out. Even moreso if as mentioned above, UTEP and NMSU leave. And depending on the PAC mess, that could happen.

Either way, the time is NOW and we need to not be reactionary as said above. We need to be proactive. Our admin as well as our conference leader was extremely reactive in all this.
When one says we can't afford to not lead the way now, it literally means we can't afford it as the $ will disappear if we don't get things in order.

 

[sWiley]

MAC option will always be there. If we called and said that MT and WKU are ready to join, they'd take us.

Let's aim higher. Let's pursue better options. It makes a lot of sense for us to be in the SBC so why isn't it happening? Not sure what the road blocks are that are holding it up but I can only guess. Hopefully McPhee didn't slap anyone with his 7 wood on the way out (metaphorically speaking). Massaro had better be remedying that and enticing them from a financial standpoint. Now would be a great time to go out and win some championships in the sports that matter.

If all that fails, then we can go lock ourselves into the MAC and flounder in that mediocre conference for eternity, a fitting end to it all really. (though at that point I'd rather cancel football, pour all resources into basketball, and find the best basketball conference)

 

[MidTennMtneer]

For comparison sake for 2022

 

[MT01]

Wiley, don't think that's accurate about the MAC. From what I understand they are moving on and looking northeast. In particular Delaware and may be looking at UMass again. I can also see them courting Missouri St. This is why I suggest we keep the lines open. I still don't want to end up there, but in a worst-case scenario where that's our only place to go.

 

[SpaceRaider]

I wonder how much longer all the realignment makes sense, especially all the G5 conferences and the left overs from what will be the P2 or P3. There's change coming to the sports world, especially ESPN who has had an unlimited supply of money from cable deals, I read an article about ESPN, cable and cord cutting, and the money impact.

When Disney, who has problems themselves, sheds ESPN, there's going to be less money to go around, and my guess is in CFB, the remains of the power conference, will be okay, but for a lot of G5 schools, where the espn money has been a lot less but still a nice chunk of money there's going to be pain, and the days of sending the volleyball and softball teams, not to mention the revenue programs halfway or more across the country to play NMSU or UTEP is going to come to an end.

 

[ewglenn]

I wonder how much longer all the realignment makes sense, especially all the G5 conferences and the left overs from what will be the P2 or P3. There's change coming to the sports world, especially ESPN who has had an unlimited supply of money from cable deals, I read an article about ESPN, cable and cord cutting, and the money impact.

When Disney, who has problems themselves, sheds ESPN, there's going to be less money to go around, and my guess is in CFB, the remains of the power conference, will be okay, but for a lot of G5 schools, where the espn money has been a lot less but still a nice chunk of money there's going to be pain, and the days of sending the volleyball and softball teams, not to mention the revenue programs halfway or more across the country to play NMSU or UTEP is going to come to an end.

It just doesn’t make any sense and they will making major changes to be more regional to cut cost and drive fan interest.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Regional is where this is headed, except for football and to a lesser extent, basketball. I have a feeling when all is said and done it'll be the Power 4 (with the Big 2). I used to think the ACC would implode. Now I don't. I don't think it'll be what it is, its biggest names may leave, but it'll survive like the B12 has. No doubt though the SEC/B1G will have more power. But I really think it's gonna wind up those 4 doing their own thing for football and maybe bball, then working together on all the other sports to help with travel.

I still think the G5 will wind up doing its own thing. They'd be smart to talk amongst themselves and have a plan. The CFP for '26 will include them, but no guarantee the next contract at start of next decade will.

 

[MTFAN61]

Lets say you were an aspiring football player living in Murfreesboro & had 2 fbs offers. 1 was to MT under the current regime & the other was to WKU in Bowling Green. If you want an enjoyable career & want to have a chance for a championship ring you have to go north.
The kids around here know what a disaster MT football is under the current coaches. That may have something to do with why the coaches here don't offer kids locally. MT can't compete against the other schools for local talent. They already know it would be a disaster for them. Maybe in the back of their mind our coaches realize this too.

 

[MTFAN61]

Lets say you were an aspiring football player living in Murfreesboro & had 2 fbs offers. 1 was to MT under the current regime & the other was to WKU in Bowling Green. If you want an enjoyable career & want to have a chance for a championship ring you have to go north.
The kids around here know what a disaster MT football is under the current coaches. That may have something to do with why the coaches here don't offer kids locally. MT can't compete against the other schools for local talent. They already know it would be a disaster for them. Maybe in the back of their mind our coaches realize this too.

Sorry, this was meant for the not interested thread.

 

[blueraiderJT]

I was very pro MAC at the time. Now I just don't think it matters. Any G5 opponents in any conference won't move the needle of interest. Most of our own students don't even know what division we are in let alone what conference we play in. I used to think it mattered but now it's just re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Jax St., Liberty and even New Mex st. are pretty much better than any of the teams we lost last year.

 

[BRaiderDave]

The G5 conference that does the best nationally in basketball will be one rising to the top.