USM leaving CUSA Early

[Brew_Raider]

Seems obnoxiously silly to me.

Of course the courts in West Virginia are going to side with Marshall. Duh. There is a clear conflict of interest there. Is there not a way to get this lawsuit to a fair, non-bias court room? I thought this country was the pinnacle of justice and part of that was a "fair" court system? Nobody on planet earth would agree that it's fair to have this adjudicated in West Virginia.

Civil court in the state where most of the events takes place.

In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that an entity cannot sue a state in another state “unwillingly”. Changed a 40 yr precedent.

And sovereign immunity is going to make it tough to beat Marshall in WV.

CUSA is going to spend a lot of money litigating this. I wonder how much of the exit fees end up going into lawyers pockets?

 

[SpaceRaider]

It's 100% not fair. Can't blame them for using their "state run and funded instituion" to their advantage.

I wonder what that's like....

 

[MidTennMtneer]

So USM today won an injunction in their home county against arbitration. ODU has a hearing for tomorrow.

And the SBC schedule is supposed to come out tomorrow.

Judy really blew it. She could've just gotten more $ out of it and let them go early. No huge fuss. Instead she raised hell, they stopped the arbitration she was banking on, and they most likely will all go on and no extra $ coming from it.

 

[AustinLewis]

So MT should have 3 openings on the schedule…

 

[crposton]

So MT should have 3 openings on the schedule…

Gotta think some teams scheduled to play SBC schools will be available. I am sure SBC teams will have to drop some games to accommodate 3 additions

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Gotta think some teams scheduled to play SBC schools will be available. I am sure SBC teams will have to drop some games to accommodate 3 additions

Maybe, maybe not. That would mean us playing more than 4 out of conference games. I don't see that happening. They probably will just add other CUSA schools. So we could play LaT, UTEP, UNT, UAB, or Rice in place of the three leaving. They will shuffle their own schools around.

UAB for example is supposed to have USM and Marshall at home. We and Charlotte have Marshall away. Now we both play at UAB.

But like I said on Twitter, CUSA and Judy will probably do the opposite snd make it needlessly more complicated.

 

[blue rai]

It may be a good thing to see how this thing with schools leaving early plays out in court. Whatever usm, odu, and Marshal end up paying will set a standard for what future schools will have to pay if they were to leave early……. Sunbelt is probably waiving their entrance fee if they join this year. However they will still forfeit their cusa revenue share this year and their sunbelt revenue next year. Not a small price to pay for a lateral move?

 

[MidTennMtneer]

Sadly at this point it isn't a lateral move. CUSA's media package is already the smallest. Will most likely be even smaller. SBC will most likely stay or increase (with more schools) so it is more $ in their pockets when all is said and done. The SBC has better exposure, right now better teams (meaning in public perception with having FB teams ranked since FB drives this), and more $ coming in. Not to mention is totally geographic friendly which means much more to fans.

I forget where I saw it, but somewhere, deep down, this is about TV. CUSA's contract runs out after the 22-23 season. But there is a clause that if the schools change, it can be renegotiated. So with 3 less schools, it of course will be renegotiated before then for less $. Judy wants to keep the 3 till after the 22-23 season because then the new teams will be coming and more game inventory will be available. Keep the $ flowing theoretically. I still think the new deal with the new schools will be less but anyway.

I mean can't blame Judy, but the conference has just handled ALL of this (starting years ago) poorly.

 

[AustinLewis]

As much as I supported the decision to stay in CUSA from a financial and geographic standpoint, the conference itself seems horribly mismanaged.

 

[ewglenn]

I’m in favor of staying for the short term to help renovate facilities. However, we should bolt when we get a chance in five years or so. I really think they know we’re in line for the AAC. I’d expect the AAC to push hard for us and GaSt if they lose Memphis and SMU.

 

[blue rai]

I think you are right on target but I think it might be less than 5 years. The facilities upgrade is the key. We are in the situation we are in because we set on this project for 5 years. Following our 2nd year of tournament basketball wins we should have started. The cost would have been 30m less and the ability to raise private money would never had been better.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

They say they are in the architectural stage. They need to get moving. Would be awesome to see dirt start to move now. I still don't get why they are doing the IPF last.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

 

[AustinLewis]

They say they are in the architectural stage. They need to get moving. Would be awesome to see dirt start to move now. I still don't get why they are doing the IPF last.

It seemed strange to me too, but :

1) Football is still meeting in the MC and doesn't have room to expand staff.
2) Football facilities / office / weight room are BEHIND conference mates.
3) End zone facility will be upgrade to empty seats.
4) The IPF will happen, but it's the lowest on the priority (IMO).
5) It wouldn't shock me if there's some overlap between Phase 2 / Phase 3

 

[ewglenn]

It seemed strange to me too, but :

1) Football is still meeting in the MC and doesn't have room to expand staff.
2) Football facilities / office / weight room are BEHIND conference mates.
3) End zone facility will be upgrade to empty seats.
4) The IPF will happen, but it's the lowest on the priority (IMO).
5) It wouldn't shock me if there's some overlap between Phase 2 / Phase 3

I also think the IPF should be last. The facilities that are being built in phase 1 and 2 will make a big impact because the fans will be able to see it. The new entrance for the Murphy Center will be extremely nice. I imagine the fundraising for phase 3 will be easy when boosters see the fruits of their labor from 1 and 2.

 

[ewglenn]

I was thinking today this change in scheduling might work to our favor. We’re losing 3 away games. I would hope the league offices would throw us a bone and give us one more home game. If I were the AD I’d be pushing that HARD.

 

[MTLynn]

Breaking: Conference USA Receives Temporary Restraining Order

Conference USA is facing a mass exodus of teams planning to leave earlier than expected with three teams hoping to exit this year. Their efforts to avoid that

thespun.com

 

[MidTennMtneer]

I also think the IPF should be last. The facilities that are being built in phase 1 and 2 will make a big impact because the fans will be able to see it. The new entrance for the Murphy Center will be extremely nice. I imagine the fundraising for phase 3 will be easy when boosters see the fruits of their labor from 1 and 2.

That makes sense from that viewpoint, as does Austin's. Can totally understand that rationale. I'm simply looking at it from an ease of completion standpoint. I worry the realignment will come sooner rather than later and we won't have enough of the ball rolling so to speak for it to matter. We are already way behind the 8 ball on this.

 

[Predarat]

Judy will probably be stubborn and refuse to reschedule and count them as forfeits. So 3 wins already towards a Stockstill Extension without even playing a game.

 

[MTTim]

Judy will probably be stubborn and refuse to reschedule and count them as forfeits. So 3 wins already towards a Stockstill Extension without even playing a game.

Lol. Three more and we are bowl eligible.

 

[SpaceRaider]

Impending Southern Miss-CUSA divorce has entered the courts

The Sun Belt Conference announced the league’s 2022 football schedule Tuesday. USM’s next court date would be March 7 in Forrest County Circuit Court.

mississippitoday.org

 

[MidTennMtneer]

"Seems to me CUSA is simply putting off the inevitable – and putting its remaining members in a bind as well. Now, if not long before now, is when schools usually make travel arrangements for the coming season."

This 100%. I just can't believe that a monetary agreement can't be reached.

 

[TRUEBLUE73]

I find this whole thing laughable. We stay in CUSA for the money and these schools will exit early and pay next to nothing to exit. They will note the loss of TV a revenue that was promised and lost after many left CUSA in the original conference realignment. We are headed towards conference free agency much like to players. We are simply watching the destruction of CFB. It will become a minor league for the pros. Greed is driving this bus!

 

[FranklinRaider315]

"Seems to me CUSA is simply putting off the inevitable – and putting its remaining members in a bind as well. Now, if not long before now, is when schools usually make travel arrangements for the coming season."

This 100%. I just can't believe that a monetary agreement can't be reached.

No……OUR “leadership” put us in this bind. And I use that term very loosely. Football drives the conference revenue bus and we were committed to mediocrity for 16 straight seasons while others around us hired, fired and prepared to win and realign for success.

 

[MidTennMtneer]

No……OUR “leadership” put us in this bind. And I use that term very loosely. Football drives the conference revenue bus and we were committed to mediocrity for 16 straight seasons while others around us hired, fired and prepared to win and realign for success.

I'll 100% agree with that. There was a window there and we missed it. There is no doubt either though that the conference is blowing this mess too.