coachacola

That's 14 schools, 11 that play football.  ACU and ICW are D2 so they won't be eligible for any SLC championships for 5 years.  I bet Lamar won't be in the SLC at the point.  Burnett (the SLC commissioner) stated in an interview a few months ago that they are being proactive in case more schools leave the conference.  I expect the SLC will be back to a 12/9 setup within 5 years.

The Patriot League is located in the Northeast so I don't see them putting their Olympic sports in that league, that doesn't make much sense.  Until Air Force actually does leave the MWC for the Big East, none of this matters yet.  We'll see after football season ends if there's more movement among schools. I still think that Texas State and UL-Laf would probably vote for Lamar and maybe NMSU if the Sun Belt wants 12 football schools.  Right now only Texas State, Arkansas State, UL-Laf and UL-Monroe are west of the mississippi.  And if MTSU leaves then the Sun Belt could invite Georgia Southern for their replacement in the east.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1247526" timestamp="1345430181"] Idaho football indy, other sports in Big Sky. [Hidden Content] Cola, I'd like to read your opinion on what the MWC will do when BE takes AFA. They can't stay at 8 all sports members. [/quote] I've read some opinions that Air Force may not jump to the BE, even if the money is a lot better.  They are not a normal school so money isn't necessarily the driving factor for them.  But that doesn't mean another MWC school like Fresno State could be asked to join the BE, who knows at this point. But since conference realignment is driven by markets, snob appeal and even a little geography (hard to believe!), Lamar joining the MWC along with Texas State still seems like a very long shot.  Also, I'm not sold on the idea that Texas State would leave the Sun Belt for the MWC because long term that decision could come back and haunt them.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1242071" timestamp="1344089223"] AFA might not go. Hawaii might go football only. West Wyoming/Utah st SJSU/Nevada Fresno State/UNLV East Colorado State/Air Force New Mexico/New Mexico st Texas State/Lamar Perfect travel alignment. [/quote] Hawaii is already in for football only.  Wyoming, Colo State and Air Force are grouped together so losing Air Force would not mess up travel partners.  Utah State and Hawaii wouldn't have natural travel partners, but for Hawaii it wouldn't matter as they subsidize travel. I still say it's a million to 1 Lamar would get invited, but if the MWC gets some Texas schools, that would probably trickle down to the Sun Belt.  Would the Sun Belt abandon football in Texas or go after Lamar if there's an opening in a few years?  I just don't see Lamar being stuck in the SLC for much longer.

[quote name="Dick Vitale" post="1241833" timestamp="1344006834"] We (Midwestern State) have been invited and have declined the invite...[b][size=12pt]No disrespect, but the SLC, has ZERO appeal[/size][/b]...Why would we leave a situation where we are getting more revenue, having a chance to win NCAA championships, to come to the Southland? What is the motivation in that? Division I? No, thanks. [/quote] That feeling is shared by some of us Lamar fans too!

If by some miracle Lamar was asked to join the MWC, they'd better make sure a good TV deal was in place because travel costs will skyrocket.  But let's say LU, Texas State and NMSU join when the Air Force Academy leaves, this would be the lineup in 2015 or 2016 for football: [b]West[/b] Hawaii SJSU Fresno State UNLV Nevada Utah State [b]East[/b] Wyoming Colorado State New Mexico New Mexico State Texas State Lamar That's one bus trip to Texas State every other year, they'd be flying to the rest.  La Tech was able to do that in the WAC but it would be tough on the athletes.

[quote name="SabineRavine" post="1241184" timestamp="1343841555"] [quote author=UNLV link=topic=101078.msg1240689#msg1240689 date=1343667014] there seem to be so steam building for Lamar to join the MWC[/quote] I assume you mean there appears to be "some" steam building for Lamar to join the MWC.  I haven't heard anything of this, so please--provide your evidence that there is a push to get Lamar in the MWC.  Paste a link to a message board, newspaper, or anything.  If you reply without providing direct evidence (via links) or that I'm not a "forward thinker" or that my logic is why LU football died, it'll verify that you are just creating rumors to support your agenda. [/quote] Probably from here: [Hidden Content]

Seems like we keep having this conversation over and over and over again.  CUSA passed on App. State that averages 25K a game and took Charlotte who is still away from starting their football program only because of location.  LAMAR isn't getting invited to the CUSA.  But as I've stated before, LAMAR to the Sun Belt will probably happen in the near future because the Sun Belt will probably lose a few more teams and large conferences are becoming the norm.  UNLV, I know you love to blame the locals but us fans have no bearing on who CUSA or any other conference invites.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1230097" timestamp="1339518434"] What many don't understand is SHSU and Lamar are the same distant from downtown Houston. Huntsville micro-statistical area was added to Houston CSA. I am actually surprised BPT MSA has not already joined the Houston CSA. There is no SHSU advantage to claim Houston over Lamar and vise-versa. However both schools can make the case for being located close to Houston. Lamar's advantage is the half-million people in all southeast Texas. [/quote] So you're saying the school presidents in the CUSA don't know this information?  I bet once they become aware of this an invite for Lamar will be coming shortly.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1228550" timestamp="1338903605"] [quote author=Green Menace link=topic=100313.msg1228544#msg1228544 date=1338902628] [quote author=UNLV link=topic=100313.msg1227968#msg1227968 date=1338568073] When you measure distants between 2 cities, use the downtown's and not the suburb. Using the Suburbs puts Beaumont 43 miles from Houston. 2nd, 1.9 million people makes round trips PER YEAR between Beaumont/Port Arthur MSA and Houston MSA. 29th busiest in the nation between MSA's. TX-Dot has the Crosby freeway, highway 90, as the second freeway that will eventually link the Beaumont area to Houston. [b]Ya know DFW, the future will bring a HBP, Houston-Beaumont-Port Arthur CSA.[/b] [/quote] Wow!  That's a stretch.  Bmt-Pt Arthur is an afterthought in the grand scheme of things.  Houston doesn't need us.  Hell, we can't even support an airline!  I'm a PA boy, lived there half of my adult life.  Pt Arthur died 40 years ago and nothing will bring it back. [/quote]Forth Worth doesn't have an airport with commercial flights. The point is, TX-dot has put a stop to Houston growing westward. Houston is now growing eastward. You need to check out the growth around Crosby and east of Mont Belvieu. When the Houston east growth catch up with what the west is today, Anahuac will be the east Katy. That population spill over will affect BPT. I think it already started. [/quote] Houston has been growing westward because it's nicer on that side of town.  East Houston is more industrialized so that tends to limit growth, but it's growing nonetheless.  Tx-Dot is slowly improving highway 90 and eventually it'll be a major highway between Beaumont and Houston. The BPT metro area population is at a all time high according to the 2011 census data at over 390K.  With more projects on the way I expect to see the population exceed 400K by the end of the decade.  I-10 between Beaumont and Winnie is next to be widened to 6 lanes, and the interchange at I-10 and Cardinal Drive will be redone, probably extending it to Washington Blvd and eventually Dowlen. Lamar will benefit from this growth, and as they develop the campus and the surrounding area will improve.  I doubt we'll see ever 30K students at Lamar but 18K to 20K would be good, especially if Lamar concentrates on engineering and business, producing graduates who will make good money.

My prediction is that the Sun Belt will invite Lamar and New Mexico State next year.  All the chatter has been about adding App. State and Georgia Southern but I think there's going to be a power struggle between the east and west schools in the Sun Belt. This Mississippi is the dividing line between east and west.  Just looking at the football schools, there's 4 in the west and 6 in the east.  Adding App. State and GaSo and would really isolate Texas State.  Adding Lamar and NMSU would balance out the divisions.  I don't think it matters that much where UTA and UALR are located. Of course, they could add NMSU and App. State, or some other combination, or nobody at all.  I don't think it matters one bit what we say on this and other message boards, the schools presidents are going to do what they want to do.

That's a small group of idiots who post over there.  You'll notice that it's mainly Arkansas State, Troy and ULL fans, schools with athletic budgets barely larger than Lamar's and who are ex-SLC members.  It's mainly fans of schools that really haven't distinguished themselves that put down FCS schools.

Titletown2 does have a point that Lamar needs to win in football, but not entirely for the reasons he gave.  LAMAR needs to win because they are not in a big media market and don't have a large enrollment.  And even then they may not get invited to a FBS conference, that's what App. State and Georgia Southern just found out. Even if LAMAR stays in the SLC for a while, they can still expand the stadium to 25K+ and fill it, like App State, Montana, and other FCS schools do.  Butler, Gonzaga, and others have shown that you don't have to be in one of the big conferences to compete nationally in basketball. I think FBS is inevitable for LAMAR, it just won't happen overnight.

I figured the Sun Belt wouldn't invite anymore schools this year, now this gives Lamar another year to prepare and impress before the Sun Belt invites more schools.  When Lamar plays the Cajuns this fall in football we'll see if they can give them a good game or just get blown out.  We'll see if Pat Knight and the basketball team can continue winning or if they sink back down to mediocrity like teams in the past.  Like I've said in the past, another year or two in the SLC will help the football program if they dream of going FBS in the near future.

[quote name="UNLV" post="1224944" timestamp="1337696075"] Cola, it looks to me like the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 will chop up the ACC. [/quote] That's why I think conference realignment is not over yet and schools like Lamar still have a small window of opportunity to go FBS.  Staying in the SLC for another year or two would only benefit the football program so I'm taking a more patient approach to all this and we'll see what happens. Lot's of great things are happening in and around Lamar, like a new $15 million student center, a new 10 year master plan will be released soon, and the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area has surpassed 390K in population for the first time ever.  I feel good about the future of Lamar University and the athletic program.

I think this article by Tony Barnhart sums up Lamar's situation. [quote]UNC Charlotte is building a football program but won't play its first game until 2013. Georgia State has been playing football for only two years. Old Dominion has been playing football for only three years. Texas-San Antonio has been playing football for one year. What do these fledgling programs have in common? [/quote] Answer: [quote]These schools haven't done a lot on the field, but they all have what the conferences are looking for in expansion: Student bodies of 20,000 or more, with top-50 TV markets that are in strong recruiting territories. [/quote] Link: [Hidden Content]

We don't know if Lamar wants to go FBS or not anymore.  When Billy Tubbs was AD that seemed to be the goal, but since he's retired there's been no mention of it.  And now I'm hearing that there may be a 10 year moratorium preventing schools from moving up from FCS.  Not sure how likely that is or when it would start but that could push Lamar to be proactive if they ever want to move up. Lamar is looking for 2 home football games next year.  They'll probably end up with non-D1 opponents this late in the process.  I think as a FBS team scheduling would be a lot easier and they should be able to draw better crowds than against the Texas College and McMurry's of the world. But since there's been no mention of Lamar moving up from Dr. Simmons or the AD, no internet chatter about Lamar joining the Sun Belt, it's not happening this month.  UTA has a move to the Sun Belt on their board of regents agenda this week.  They'll put the Sun Belt at a 12/10 setup.  We'll see if the Sun Belt expands again next year and who they'll target.

[quote name="ShlyKBMT" post="1222945" timestamp="1337196084"] No unless he decides to retire. And yes he has spoken about retiring off camera but not this year. [/quote] Why should he?  He won't be fired.  There's a street named after him.  Doesn't his assistants do all of the recruiting?  He makes over $100K a year working part time.  If you ask me he's already semi-retired!

[quote name="UNLV" post="1224597" timestamp="1337608613"] By the end of this week we will know if Lamar decides to reach for greatness by going FBS, or settling for being a senior on the jv team. [/quote] There's no mention of Lamar seeking a conference change in the board of regents quarterly meeting agenda when they meet this week on campus.  Even if they did publicly say they want to go FBS like Appalachian State, Liberty and Georgia Southern, that doesn't mean an invite is automatic.  App. State averages about 28K per game and CUSA invited Charlotte over them and the Sun Belt invited Georgia State.  Market size matters so that puts Lamar at a disadvantage.  I know, La Tech blah blah blah, but unless you can say for certain that Lamar has a Sun Belt invite in the bag then it really doesn't matter what Lamar does this week.

Lot's of message board chatter about the WAC inviting eastern FCS schools to stay alive as a FBS conference.  Maybe the new WAC will look like this in a few years: Idaho New Mexico State Lamar Sam Houston State Georgia Southern Appalachian State Liberty James Madison Denver (no football) Seattle (no football) I doubt it happens but coast-to-coast conferences are the "in" thing now!

[quote name="UNLV" post="1223048" timestamp="1337219874"] Benson continue to mention SHSU and east Texas for expansion. I wonder if he means SFA and SHSU. [/quote] Well, both schools are in larger media markets than Lamar!  ::)  Seriously, neither one is joining the Sun Belt anytime soon.

[quote name="Green Menace" post="1221956" timestamp="1336943172"] [quote author=puddin tane link=topic=99866.msg1221917#msg1221917 date=1336928461] [quote author=77 link=topic=99866.msg1221823#msg1221823 date=1336876258] How many sold out games did Lamar have last year? what is capacity about 16000? [/quote] zero,......................but we COULD build a big arse stadium like Green menance's at NTSU and do the same thing...fill half of it [/quote] What's with the North Texas hate?  BTW, we haven't been North Texas State University since the late 1980's.  You must be a closet SMUt fan.  No? [/quote] Puddin Tane hates on all current and former SLC schools so it's not personal!  ;D

Lamar's athletic budget will probably be around $15 million this coming year with the increased football salaries and softball getting into full swing.  With the departure of UTSA and Texas State, that will probably put Lamar at the top of the SLC as far as budgets go.  Lamar was also leading the commissioner's cup, but may fall short because the baseball team isn't any good and the softball is competing this year. Dr. Simmons needs to find the funding to expand the stadium.  I like UNT's stadium and Lamar's stadium would be very similar if they were to expand it.  Facilities wise, Lamar just needs some time to get the football stadium expanded along with the baseball/softball complex updated and completed. It's been over a year since Dr. Simmons has talked about Lamar's FBS plans.  I wish he would give us an update on where he stands on this issue.  My hope is that he's been working behind the scenes in getting things done.

I hear the CUSA wants to expand past 14 teams but we won't see Lamar going there.  The WAC is pretty much dead as a football conference.  What other conference is there besides the Sun Belt? Conference movement is stopping after this year, but Lamar definitely needs to be ready to jump at anytime.  The window of opportunity won't stay open very long, but they probably have another year or two before to decide. I don't think Lamar moves up to a FBS level unless Dr. Simmons has the backing of some big donors to help finance the move.  I think they need some commitments to help pay for stadium expansion before they commit to going FBS.

The TSUS Board of Regents meeting is coming up the last week of May on Lamar's campus.  If they are going to change conferences soon then it'll need to be on the agenda.  The TSUS website should post the agenda any day now. My guess is that Lamar will get invited to the Sun Belt next year which would put them in the Sun Belt for the 2014-2015 school year.  Two more years at the FCS level would probably be a good thing for the football program.