New SBC Bowl Ties

[Crowley Cajun]

I heard snips from the radio this morning concerning an announcement about the SBC meeting. They said that WW had announcement concerning post season play with the SBC. Does anybody have an inkling what this announcement is about? They said that it was to be announced at 9am this morning, but they haven't said anything yet and it's 9:30.

[cajun4life]

_ I heard snips from the radio this morning concerning an announcement about the SBC meeting. They said that WW had announcement concerning post season play with the SBC. Does anybody have an inkling what this announcement is about? They said that it was to be announced at 9am this morning, but they haven't said anything yet and it's 9:30. _

Possibly two more bowl tie ins. Bowl in in Memphis, Mobile or possibly Birmingham. That is what i have heard. Not completely sure if thats what will happen but thats the word on the street. That would give the Sunbelt 3 Bowl games. Now we as a conference just need to have 3 bowl eligable teams every year.

[Zeebart21]

_ I heard snips from the radio this morning concerning an announcement about the SBC meeting. They said that WW had announcement concerning post season play with the SBC. Does anybody have an inkling what this announcement is about? They said that it was to be announced at 9am this morning, but they haven't said anything yet and it's 9:30. _

Sun Belt Football Media Days Set for July 21-22
Written by: Sun Belt Conference

Release: 07/18/2008

NEW ORLEANS – The 2008 SBC Football Media Days will take place July 21-22 at the Hilton St. Charles in downtown New Orleans. The league will make a special announcement regarding postseason play on Tuesday morning.

The head coach and a top player from each of the conference’s football playing schools will be in attendance at the two day event.

The preseason All-Sun Belt team and coaches preseason poll will be announced at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, July 21, and the opening day concludes with an evening reception and dinner cruise for all participants aboard New Orleans’ famous Steamboat Natchez.

Commissioner Wright Waters will open the proceedings on Tuesday, July 22 with a 9:00 a.m. press conference. South Alabama Athletics Director Joe Gottfried and head coach Joey Jones will both speak to the audience regarding the status of their football program. Guest Speaker Larry Coker will follow. Each head coach and player will be available to all media from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

All events and announcements will be covered extensively on sunbeltsports.org. The Sun Belt Conference website will also feature video interviews.

Media seeking credentials should contact Sun Belt Associate Commissioner John McElwain (504-299-9066).


They moved it up 1 day???
Lots of speculation on many of the other boards........until its said and done, your guess is as good as mine.

Z

[Crowley Cajun]

Like I said Z, I had heard snips. But maybe I misunderstood what day.

[Zeebart21]

_ Like I said Z, I had heard snips. But maybe I misunderstood what day. _

Courtesy Adam Sparks
Murfreesboro, TN
Daily News Journal

http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...09/1006/SPORTS

No prob. They sure as heck could have changed the date on us...

[Zeebart21]

Arkstate fan usually has good info. Here is his latest post on the MT board.

All-time stats are easier to find but not particularly enlightening. The Memphis athletic program that went 3-3-3 against I-AA Arkansas State in football has advanced a bit since then. The Memphis basketball program that lost three in a row in Memphis to ASU has advanced a bit.

Fan support in the Sun Belt isn't where it needs to be.

The Sun Belt is standing at a crossroads. A lot of things have lined up to give the conference a chance to advance but the schools have to seize those opportunities.

Likewise CUSA is at a key crossroads. Football had a pretty lousy year and despite having an RPI raiser like Memphis in their midst no one fielded a serious contender for an at-large berth. The schools have to figure out what they are going to do and find the right fits for their particular situations.

I don't expect to see the Sun Belt have anything other than some contingent bowl agreements for the next two years but there are some serious changes boiling. The price of poker is going up for the bowls and the NCAA is finally allowing bowls to cut different deals for the teams involved in a bowl game. It has always existed but on the sly (ie. MWC paid the Liberty hundreds of thousands as a contractor to market the league so they could get around paying them the same amounts). The Liberty purportedly has a similar deal that obligates the SEC a bit less than CUSA, but it's still a great deal for CUSA.

If you look down the list of bowl games, take a look at those paying less than the high $2 million range per team. The ones that are BCS v. BCS are all in danger of getting priced out of having two "name" teams. Folks like the GMAC are going to make a run at grabbing a team from the ACC, or SEC, or Big 12 piling up the chips to get one of those teams while holding or even dropping the cash paid to the opposing team.

There are going to be some interesting opportunities to emerge. PapaJohns.com, Emerald, Holiday, Independence, Music City, Sun, Insight, Champs, and Alamo all could be under attack. The GMAC is clearly going to make a run at grabbing a team. San Diego is certainly going to make a run at getting a Pac-10 team for the Poinsettia. Fort Worth will obviously make a play for a Big 12, Big 10 or SEC team. The New Orleans Bowl people will see if they can come up with enough sponsor money to grab a new team.

With a full year until negotiations get down and serious it's a crap shoot but I can see scenarios where an existing game wants to grab a Sun Belt team to have a low-cost opponent for that expensive name conference acquisition. I would not be even mildly surprised if a year or 18 months from now that the New Orleans Bowl finds itself competing against one or two other games from the Sun Belt champion.

I wouldn't be even mildly surprised to see ESPN Regional Television (ERT) create a flexible assignment system where they take for example the games in Birmingham, St. Pete, Fort Worth, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Hawaii and cut deals with multiple conferences on a flexible assignment system that would allow ERT to move teams in and out of bowls. For example they might go in saying that Fort Worth will be Big 12 vs. CUSA and Birmingham SEC vs. Sun Belt and then come assignment time elect to take UNT and send them to Fort Worth and take Memphis and send them to Birmingham to get the best match-ups.

There is a new day dawning and the next 24 months might just reshape how we view the bowls any deal cut right now is a stop-gap for the real changes.

[Zeebart21]

There is much to be proud of in the Sun Belt Conference relative to football. There is also much going on behind the scenes to make the future even brighter, we want you to have all these facts in front of you as you prepare for the 2008 Conference Media Days

1. POST SEASON BOWLS. On Tuesday morning we will announce a relationship with the Papa Johns Bowl (Birmingham), St. Petersburg Bowl (St. Petersburg, FL) and the PetroSun Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA). These agreements call for Sun Belt conference teams with winning records to serve as alternates should the bowls primary contractual partner not have sufficient numbers of teams. SBC teams will be eligible for 5 bowls.
THOUGHTS:
a. There are now 34 bowls and 70 is the average number of teams that are bowl eligible.
b. SEC 9 vs. Big East 5 (Papa Johns) – the SEC has never had 9 teams available in years in which they have had 2 in the BCS. The chances of us replacing the SEC and playing Big East 5 are excellent.
c. Big East 6 vs. CUSA 7 (St. Petersburg) both Big East 6 and CUSA 7 are suspect. The Big East averages 6 teams as bowl eligible and would not have a team should they have two in the BCS. CUSA was two teams short of fulfilling on the last week of the season last year.
d. Big XII 7 vs. SEC 8 (PetroSun Bowl) this bowl has had only one year (2005) when it was short a team – but the Big XII and SEC have added bowls and we believe this is an opportunity to create a relationship for future negotiations. They have 2 years remaining on their current agreements.
e. WHY THIS TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP vs. TRADITIONAL BOWL TIE UP
1. As America’s newest FBS Conference we have yet to establish large followings of fans (4000 is the highest number of tickets sales to date) this is our best opportunity to insure our schools will stay regional and build up a following.
2. Creating bowls is expensive. To establish a traditional bowl we are looking at a 1.5M annual investment as opposed to no risk in these games and a guaranteed net pay out.
3. If we had gone the traditional route only three leagues have teams available for games, this gives us an opportunity to play higher profile opponents and improve our own power rankings with a victory.
4. Creating a bowl in our geographical area would require being the second game in an existing city. Moving out of our area would create a travel hardship for fans. We are still in the attendance business.
5. These are all bowls managed by experienced professionals that will insure the best bowl experience for our student/athletes.
2. STRENGTH OF THE SUN BELT. 2007 saw the second time in 4 years that the SBC has passed the Mid American in various power rankings. This is important as BCS dollars are partially distributed based on the strength of the league relative to other non-automatic qualifying conference. The SBC received an additional 500K because of this success. There are 119 teams in FBS. The average of teams in the five “non-automatic qualifying” conferences for 2007 was Mountain West 60.6,; WAC 79.5; CUSA 87.3; SBC 89.77; MAC 93.1. As you can see, we are ahead of the MAC and have closed the gap with CUSA. 2.4 represent about one game.
3. BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (BCS) MEMBERSHIP. As a member of the BCS our conference receives the same rights and opportunities as any other league. We can play our way into becoming an automatic qualifying conference. We have a vote on all issues. We have enhanced access to the five BCS bowl games. An opportunity that the WAC has enjoyed the past two years. If Boise and Hawaii can play in a BCS game then so can we.
4. SUN BELT CONFERENCE VERSUS REGIONAL RIVAL. In the past 2 years SBC and CUSA have played 15 times, the Sun Belt holds an 8-7 advantage. The Sun Belt has dominated the past two R-L Carriers New Orleans Bowls.
5. 2007 HIGH PROFILE WINS. Proof positive that the league can compete at the highest level. Troy defeats Oklahoma State, Florida Atlantic defeats Minnesota and ULM defeats Alabama.
6. SCHEDULES ARE CHANGING. We are seeing changes in non-conference schedules as more teams are able to attract high profile teams to their campus as part of home and home series. Even as guarantees are going up (1M has become a minimum) the number of teams willing to come to our facilities has increased. This is important as it adds to credibility, enhances crowds and creates national attention.
7. FACILITIES IMPROVING. WKU is improving their facility; FIU stadium will open in September, FAU and UNT have been authorized to begin the stadium process. ASU, ULL, ULM have installed new turf and UL has opened an indoor training facility.
8. BETTER PLAYERS. Two first round draft choices in the past 4 years. Demarcus Ware 2005 draft 11th pick to Dallas and Leodis McKelvin 11th pick in 2008 draft to Buffalo.
9. ATTENDANCE. From humble beginnings of per game averaging less than 10,000 as a conference in 2001 to over 20, 000 in 2007 significant gains have been made at the turnstile.
10. TELEVISION. From no TV in 2001 to 5 national broadcast and 8 regional games in 2007, to 4 national games and 10 regional games in 2008.
11. COACHES. Sun Belt Conference coaches represent a cross section of the coaching community; all have either competed as players or coaches at the national championship level.
12. OFFICIATING. Conference officials have continued to distinguish themselves by being selected to work post season bowl games that do not involve Sun Belt teams. 2007 Liberty Bowl. Conference continues to upgrade the XOs Instant Replay System (also used by Big XII, Pac 10, WAC, MWC, MAC) next significant upgrade is in 2010 as we will switch to digital cameras.
13. ACADEMICS. 12 of 13 Sun Belt Schools graduate student/athletes at rates higher than the student body. 180 Football student-athletes were recognized for having a 3.00 average of higher during 2007-08.
14. COMMUNITY SERVICE. The Sun Belt Conference football staffs that participated in the clinics to assist the New Orleans Recreation Department July 2007 were nationally recognized by NCAA Football, Inc, AFCA, NCAA and National Football Foundation.
15. FUTURE. WKU will join the league in 2009, which will result in 4 home and 4 away games. South Alabama will join the league in 2013 and we will remain at 8 conference games rotating teams each year.

BlueRaiderZone.com Front Page

[Zeebart21]

Sun Belt Conference Enters Agreements with St. Petersburg Bowl, Papajohns.com Bowl, and PetroSun Independence Bowl

Written by: Sun Belt Conference

Release: 07/22/2008

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday that it has singed agreements with the St. Petersburg Bowl, the Papajohns.com Bowl and the PetroSun Independence Bowl. The announcement came at the Sun Belt’s annual Football Media Days.

The agreements, which are effective immediately and will impact the 2008 and 2009 bowl games, call for bowl-eligible teams from the Sun Belt Conference to be the first available teams in these bowls should the contracted parties not be able to fulfill their requirements.

“This is an excellent opportunity for our football league for many reasons,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters. “It will give our teams a chance to play in regional bowl games, show that we can compete with quality opponents and prove that this league can attract crowds to games and influence TV ratings.”

While the Sun Belt Conference champion will still play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the St. Petersburg Bowl or the Papajohns.com Bowl will have second choice to select one of the Sun Belt’s bowl-eligible teams if the contracted parties are not be able to fulfill their requirements.

The St. Petersburg Bowl will play its inaugural game Dec. 20 at Tropicana Field and is scheduled to pit teams from the Big East and Conference USA. The 2008 Papajohns.com Bowl is scheduled to feature teams from the Big East and Southeastern Conference and will be played Dec. 29 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Both games are owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television, Inc., a subsidiary of ESPN.

“This agreement protects the future success of our events, to which ESPN Regional Television is very committed,” said Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President & General Manager, ERT. “We are taking this step to be able to present college football fans with two quality teams for our postseason bowl games.”

The agreement signed with the PetroSun Independence Bowl calls for that bowl game to receive the third choice to select one of the Sun Belt’s bowl eligible teams if the contracted parties are not able to fulfill their requirements. The Independence Bowl would also receive the second choice to select a Sun Belt bowl eligible team should the St. Petersburg Bowl or the Papajohns.com Bowl not have an opening. The game is scheduled to have a team from the Southeastern Conference and Big XII and will be played Dec. 28 at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.

"We feel good about partnering with the Sun Belt Conference as a contingency partner for the 2008 and 2009 games,” said PetroSun Independence Bowl Chairman Keith Bergeron. “Our primary agreements with both the Big 12 and SEC run through the 2009 game and year-in and year-out provide us with a great matchup. Now with 34 bowl games and nearly all conferences going anywhere from four to nine deep with bowl partners we felt it was necessary and good business to lock in a contingency plan in the unlikely event that we don't host a team from either the Big 12 or SEC. The Sun Belt and its member institutions offer a natural regional tie with Shreveport being within driving distance for fans of any Sun Belt school."

The agreements with the St. Petersburg Bowl, the Papajohns.com Bowl, and the PetroSun Independence Bowl are for two years, beginning with the 2008 bowl games. Should there be any ties in the Sun Belt standings, those three bowl games have the right to select the team of their choice.

[RaginFan2]

Sun Belt Conference Enters Agreements with St. Petersburg Bowl, Papajohns.com Bowl, and PetroSun Independence Bowl

Written by: Sun Belt Conference

Release: 07/22/2008

NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday that it has singed agreements with the St. Petersburg Bowl, the Papajohns.com Bowl and the PetroSun Independence Bowl. The announcement came at the Sun Belt’s annual Football Media Days.

Wow! That IS hot off the press!

[Zeebart21]

_ Wow! That IS hot off the press! _

Sunbelt conference office needs to hire a proof-reader.

Z

[BirdofParadise]

_ Arkstate fan usually has good info. Here is his latest post on the MT board.

All-time stats are easier to find but not particularly enlightening. The Memphis athletic program that went 3-3-3 against I-AA Arkansas State in football has advanced a bit since then. The Memphis basketball program that lost three in a row in Memphis to ASU has advanced a bit.

Fan support in the Sun Belt isn't where it needs to be.

The Sun Belt is standing at a crossroads. A lot of things have lined up to give the conference a chance to advance but the schools have to seize those opportunities.

Likewise CUSA is at a key crossroads. Football had a pretty lousy year and despite having an RPI raiser like Memphis in their midst no one fielded a serious contender for an at-large berth. The schools have to figure out what they are going to do and find the right fits for their particular situations.

I don't expect to see the Sun Belt have anything other than some contingent bowl agreements for the next two years but there are some serious changes boiling. The price of poker is going up for the bowls and the NCAA is finally allowing bowls to cut different deals for the teams involved in a bowl game. It has always existed but on the sly (ie. MWC paid the Liberty hundreds of thousands as a contractor to market the league so they could get around paying them the same amounts). The Liberty purportedly has a similar deal that obligates the SEC a bit less than CUSA, but it's still a great deal for CUSA.

If you look down the list of bowl games, take a look at those paying less than the high $2 million range per team. The ones that are BCS v. BCS are all in danger of getting priced out of having two "name" teams. Folks like the GMAC are going to make a run at grabbing a team from the ACC, or SEC, or Big 12 piling up the chips to get one of those teams while holding or even dropping the cash paid to the opposing team.

There are going to be some interesting opportunities to emerge. PapaJohns.com, Emerald, Holiday, Independence, Music City, Sun, Insight, Champs, and Alamo all could be under attack. The GMAC is clearly going to make a run at grabbing a team. San Diego is certainly going to make a run at getting a Pac-10 team for the Poinsettia. Fort Worth will obviously make a play for a Big 12, Big 10 or SEC team. The New Orleans Bowl people will see if they can come up with enough sponsor money to grab a new team.

With a full year until negotiations get down and serious it's a crap shoot but I can see scenarios where an existing game wants to grab a Sun Belt team to have a low-cost opponent for that expensive name conference acquisition. I would not be even mildly surprised if a year or 18 months from now that the New Orleans Bowl finds itself competing against one or two other games from the Sun Belt champion.

I wouldn't be even mildly surprised to see ESPN Regional Television (ERT) create a flexible assignment system where they take for example the games in Birmingham, St. Pete, Fort Worth, Las Vegas, New Mexico and Hawaii and cut deals with multiple conferences on a flexible assignment system that would allow ERT to move teams in and out of bowls. For example they might go in saying that Fort Worth will be Big 12 vs. CUSA and Birmingham SEC vs. Sun Belt and then come assignment time elect to take UNT and send them to Fort Worth and take Memphis and send them to Birmingham to get the best match-ups.

There is a new day dawning and the next 24 months might just reshape how we view the bowls any deal cut right now is a stop-gap for the real changes. _

What they announced today is this"

The papajohn.com bowl and the St. Petersburg Bowl. along with the Independence Bowl have contingency agreements with the Belt for the next two years.

This means if the bowls are unable to fill their contractual agreements with the SEC, Big XII, Big East or CUSA because they don't have enough bowl eligible teams, then taking a 7-5 SBC team becomes their first priority before looking anywhere else.

It seems that every year the big conferences have trouble filling all their slots, especially if they have two schools in BCS bowls.

While this does not guarantee a second bowl appearance as a bowl tie in would, it does make it more likely that what happened to Troy last year doesn't happen again.

The other good news is that the bowls are regional for our schools, making it easier for our fans, rather than trying to get Troy into the Silicon Valley Bowl or Middle into the Motor City Bowl

It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than what we had.

[cajunhawk]

_ What they announced today is this"

The papajohn.com bowl and the St. Petersburg Bowl. along with the Independence Bowl have contingency agreements with the Belt for the next two years.

This means if the bowls are unable to fill their contractual agreements with the SEC, Big XII, Big East or CUSA because they don't have enough bowl eligible teams, then taking a 7-5 SBC team becomes their first priority before looking anywhere else.

It seems that every year the big conferences have trouble filling all their slots, especially if they have two schools in BCS bowls.

While this does not guarantee a second bowl appearance as a bowl tie in would, it does make it more likely that what happened to Troy last year doesn't happen again.

The other good news is that the bowls are regional for our schools, making it easier for our fans, rather than trying to get Troy into the Silicon Valley Bowl or Middle into the Motor City Bowl

It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than what we had. _

Let's just hope what happened to Troy last year success-wise happens for the Cajuns, I would kill to go 8-4.