West Virginia to SEC?

[BryceC]

Because they have Chicago, NY, DC, Florida, Milwaukee, Cincinatti, Louisville, etc. I know that several of these are basketball teams covering them but they are part of the Big East footprint. Their champion last year averaged 38k fans per game. ISU has sold 36k season tickets for this season so far. They have by FAR the worst bowl tie-ins. They won't get any better ones until they get some fanbases that will travel. Again, I am not comparing ISU to Iowa or anything else, I know you guys travel better than us and maybe better than anybody else in the country.

Again, I read this on another Big East board from somebody posting there. I tried to find it again but it's buried in a thread on CF that is approaching 8000 posts and I actually do have to do some work today.

But I agree, the only hope ISU has is if WVU or Mizzou goes to the SEC. My dream scenario would be WVU, because that would solidify the Big East's midwest regiment and the midwest schools would have a little more cache if they were 1/3 of the football schools in the conference.

Granted, this is obviously a best case scenario. And frankly I'm clinging to it as an ISU fan.

 

[silvanthalas]

The SEC schools have stated that if they added new schools, they want new states. Texas A&M obviously brings in Texas.

West Virginia, while a new state, doesn't offer anything outside of being easy to add to the East, rather than shuffle the existing teams.

It appears the SEC is unwilling to poach from the ACC for the likes of Virginia Tech, but Missouri would be a better get at this point.

 

[rodg12]

There are a ton of WVU fans all over Virginia. Quite a few in DC as well. An argument could definitely be made that getting WVU brings you West Virginia, Virginia and DC.

 

[bud2380]

Honestly if Iowa State could get a couple other respectable programs (Kansas, KState, Baylor) to go to C-USA and ISU join them, that conference at least becomes decent and probably the next best outside of the power conferences. ISU would be a lot more competitive as well. This obviously isn't the ideal scenario, but could be the only feasible option left. There is one more scenario that could play out and that is what is left of the Big XII goes out and grabs a few teams to replace OU, OSU, & A&M. Replace them with Houston, SMU and Memphis/Air Force/Colo St or something and maybe you can hold that league together. Even though it will be diminished it will still be stronger than the Big East in football.

 

[528646]

Honestly if Iowa State could get a couple other respectable programs (Kansas, KState, Baylor) to go to C-USA and ISU join them, that conference at least becomes decent and probably the next best outside of the power conferences. ISU would be a lot more competitive as well. This obviously isn't the ideal scenario, but could be the only feasible option left. There is one more scenario that could play out and that is what is left of the Big XII goes out and grabs a few teams to replace OU, OSU, & A&M. Replace them with Houston, SMU and Memphis/Air Force/Colo St or something and maybe you can hold that league together. Even though it will be diminished it will still be stronger than the Big East in football.

That's the elephant in the room that everyone (myself included) is afraid to say out loud. I'm no pathological Clone hater...yeah, I fling some poo their direction (especially during this one week of the year), but I don't harbor some deep psychological need to see them fail week in, week out. I just look at the situation objectively and take in the overall program history at ISU and have to wonder what "benefit" ISU is getting from playing in a BCS conference? They are not competitive by any objective measure...they have been a consistent bottom half Big XII team and before that they were the perennial doormats of the Big 8...is being able to say "yeah, but we're in a BCS conference!" that great of a consolation prize?

I just can't help but to think that ISU would be a better fit from a competition standpoint in a CUSA or MWC. Those are respectable conferences...I would rather actually be able to compete for championships in the CUSA or MWC than to keep getting my teeth kicked in over & over at "the BCS level" every G-D year with no real indication of ever being able to crawl out of the whole.

 

[HawkeyeMike23]

That's the elephant in the room that everyone (myself included) is afraid to say out loud. I'm no pathological Clone hater...yeah, I fling some poo their direction (especially during this one week of the year), but I don't harbor some deep psychological need to see them fail week in, week out. I just look at the situation objectively and take in the overall program history at ISU and have to wonder what "benefit" ISU is getting from playing in a BCS conference? They are not competitive by any objective measure...they have been a consistent bottom half Big XII team and before that they were the perennial doormats of the Big 8...is being able to say "yeah, but we're in a BCS conference!" that great of a consolation prize?

I just can't help but to think that ISU would be a better fit from a competition standpoint in a CUSA or MWC. Those are respectable conferences...I would rather actually be able to compete for championships in the CUSA or MWC than to keep getting my teeth kicked in over & over at "the BCS level" every G-D year with no real indication of ever being able to crawl out of the whole.

Yes. Without a doubt, yes. The financial benefits of being in a major BCS conference far outweigh not being competitive. To think a team should willingly move down to a lower level conference is laughable.

 

[ssckelley]

That's the elephant in the room that everyone (myself included) is afraid to say out loud. I'm no pathological Clone hater...yeah, I fling some poo their direction (especially during this one week of the year), but I don't harbor some deep psychological need to see them fail week in, week out. I just look at the situation objectively and take in the overall program history at ISU and have to wonder what "benefit" ISU is getting from playing in a BCS conference? They are not competitive by any objective measure...they have been a consistent bottom half Big XII team and before that they were the perennial doormats of the Big 8...is being able to say "yeah, but we're in a BCS conference!" that great of a consolation prize?

I just can't help but to think that ISU would be a better fit from a competition standpoint in a CUSA or MWC. Those are respectable conferences...I would rather actually be able to compete for championships in the CUSA or MWC than to keep getting my teeth kicked in over & over at "the BCS level" every G-D year with no real indication of ever being able to crawl out of the whole.

It is about money not about how competitive they are. When you are in a BCS conference you get more TV revenue and bowl money. While ISU would probably compete really well in Conference USA they would lose a ton of football money that helps pay for other sports. Even IF ISU gets into the Big East they will lose money over what they are getting in a Texas led B12 conference.

I think their best option is to talk Texas & Oklahoma into keeping the B12 alive and add schools like Houston & SMU to refill the conference. Just by having Texas/Oklahoma in the conference the B12 would remain a BCS conference. Without them and the B12 falls apart as they would lose a BCS spot.

 

[JHHawk]

Yes,the payout from TV contracts for the smaller conferences is miniscule. I am not fan of ISU but I am a fan of the state,and of the taxpayers not having to bail out ISU,so I am hoping that the Big 12 stays together, convinces TCU to jilt the Big East and come aboard,and continue to do business as usual. Otherwise,grab SMU. SMU is coming back,and give them a bigger Dallas presence. I think it is workable and keeps ISU in the big time,kind of.

 

[edr247]

Makes sense. One would assume high levels of inbreeding would be a requirement for entry into the SEC.

 

[thejumper5]

I think the big issue for Iowa State is whether or not they would be a more ideal candidate for the Big East than some other schools that the Big East might look at. Is ISU a better candidate than Baylor or Memphis or Temple or Central Florida or another unknown school? I think the Big East will find that Iowa State is a fifth of sixth option after KU, K-State, Mizzou, and a couple of these other schools.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

There are a ton of WVU fans all over Virginia. Quite a few in DC as well. An argument could definitely be made that getting WVU brings you West Virginia, Virginia and DC.

Maryland, Virginia & Virginia Tech bring in Washington. Maryland & Virginia border the District of Columbia & contain almost 14 million people, or well over seven times the population.

There are also a lot of West Virginia fans in southeast Ohio & southwestern Pennsylvania. I don't think West Virginia brings you Ohio & Pennsylvania. Plus, those two states at least border West Virginia.

West Virginia brings nothing to the table.

 

[BryceC]

I think the big issue for Iowa State is whether or not they would be a more ideal candidate for the Big East than some other schools that the Big East might look at. Is ISU a better candidate than Baylor or Memphis or Temple or Central Florida or another unknown school? I think the Big East will find that Iowa State is a fifth of sixth option after KU, K-State, Mizzou, and a couple of these other schools.

I think ISU is the fourth option behind the three other Big 12 schools. Central Florida isn't all that far from South Florida and I doubt they would want to compete with another BCS level Florida school. Same situation with TCU and Baylor. Memphis football is barely a blip on the radar, the only average 23k fans per game. Temple only averages 20k fans per game. I think you're reaching here.

 

[NewMexHawk]

Isu to the SEC? Dream on...when the Big 12 collapses, Isu will have NO where to go. They may get an invite from the MWC but Isu will be out of the BCS. Isu would be no where near the SECs 4th option to join the conference. If all the other Big 12 schools move to another conference, and all that is left is KSU, Kansas, Missouri, and Isu, you are right, Isu would be the 4th option. The problem with that thinking is that there are ANY number of other schools around that would be invited before the clowns. Kansas and KSU will not be invited to join the SEC. Missouri, there are rumors.

When it is being discussed about teams joining other conferences, Isu is never mentioned in the discussion as a team to be invited.

Conferences want teams that bring something to the table. What does/would Isu bring to any BCS conference other than their hand out begging? Conferences want population centers and tv sets, and (or) a great history. Isu has none of that. What would Isu bring to the table for the Big East for that matter. How many fans do the clowns average in their stadium? It is rarely sold out and sells out when Iowa and Nebraska travel(ed) to Ames (and many of those fans were the visitors). What other games do the clowns sell out?

The clowns are having a wet dream if they think the SEC or Big 10 invites them, and IMO the Big East. Join the MWC and you would have one of the largest seating stadiums in the conference at 40,000 or whatever JT seats.

 

[thejumper5]

I think ISU is the fourth option behind the three other Big 12 schools. Central Florida isn't all that far from South Florida and I doubt they would want to compete with another BCS level Florida school. Same situation with TCU and Baylor. Memphis football is barely a blip on the radar, the only average 23k fans per game. Temple only averages 20k fans per game. I think you're reaching here.

The Big East was willing to take Louisville and Cincinnati together. They are likely willing to take KU and K-State together. Most of their basketball schools are grouped together very closely. All things considered, I don't think that geography, whether it be proximity to current Big East schools or proximity of new members to each other, will be a major determining factor for the Big East. You are definitely right about football attendance, but, depending on how revenue sharing is done in the Big East (I don't know off the top of my head how they handle home game revenue), I'm not sure how big of a factor that will play. If it is a huge factor, then Iowa State definitely has a shot; if it isn't, then I can see ISU getting passed up for schools that bring other things to the table.

 

[BryceC]

NewMex, I think you're the only person on the planet that has even put ISU and SEC in the same stratosphere. You're making some phantom argument there.

I think you're generalizing about the basketball schools. They stretch from Milwaukee to DC. Their football schools stretch from South Florida to Cincy to Rutgers. It is already a really stretched out conference.

I will admit there are a lot of factors working against ISU here. But I think the Big East really needs to improve it's bowl tie-ins. That isn't happening by adding a Temple or Memphis that averages 23k or less fans per game. New Mexico averages more fans per game than either of those schools and the Big 12 would be laughed at for adding a team that draws so few of fans.

Anything is possible. I hope that ISU's good sized fan base (for the Big East) trumps other considerations. And as I've said before, there are already some "if's" that need to happen for ISU to be in consideration for the Big East.

There are certain things at play here as well. ISU is just off the government dole starting this year. I am a big time spending conservative and I think it irked me no end that state dollars went to an athletic program. I really, really don't want that to happen again.