Some nuggets regarding SMU

[425cougfan]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

 

[mikalalas]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

Ideally the Pac 12 needs to get ALL of SDSU, SMU, UNLV, and try to get 1 Big 12 team that should be either Texas Tech, Iowa St, and if not successful in getting a Big 12 team, should then get either Fresno St, or Colorado St, or Air Force, etc.

And the Pac 12 should do that before finalizing a Media Deal, and if they were to do that before a media deal, the Pac would probably get a joint alliance media deal with the ACC, and would Probably get about a 37 mil to 40 mil to 43 mil per team media deal that better then the Big 12's 31.6 mil per team deal and better then the about 27 to 29 mil per team deal the Pac would get now if the PAC does the media deal now, instead of expanding.

George the Pac commish, and the PAC leadership, presidents, chancellors, AD's, etc, and their supporter fans, that support deal first, an or against expansion, an or against either of SDSU, SMU, UNLV, TEXAS TECH, IOWA ST, FRESNO ST, etc, are acting like, being dumbazzes at worst, an or are stubbornly uniformed, illogical, etc, running out of adjectives, etc, at best.

SDSU, SMU, UNLV, and either of Texas Tech, Iowa St, Fresno St, should have been added to PAC YESTERDAY, BY NOW.

And PAC Leadership needs to GET OFF THEIR AZZES and add 4 of those teams, and do a joint media scheduling, etc, deal with ACC, and then do, get done at least a 33.3+ million per team deal YESTERDAY, NOW, ASAP, BEFORE COLORADO OR ARIZONA, ASU, LEAVE GO TO BIG 12 OR IF THEY LEAVE GO TO BIG 12.

Have been reading a lot of credible sources both speculative, predictive, and semi factual, extrapolative, logical, etc, that are saying that if the PAC doesn't get these things done SOON, they extremely greatly risk Colorado, Arizona, etc, leaving, going to Big 12, etc.

PAC has had INCOMPETANT leaders going back to Scott.

It's time the PAC has competent leadership for a change

 

[Flatlandcoug]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

I wouldn't be wild about SMU, but I'd take them every day of the week over any team west of the Rockies that has been discussed other than SDSU.

 

[ttowncoug]

The Big-12 teams are locked in their grant of rights, so they are off the table.

The next move would appear to do something with the ACC, who is locked into their ESPN agreement through 2036.

 

[mikalalas]

The Big-12 teams are locked in their grant of rights, so they are off the table.

The next move would appear to do something with the ACC, who is locked into their ESPN agreement through 2036.

Yes and no. If a team violates a grant of rights they have to pay a fine, fee, if they leave, go-to another conference.

But that can be dealt with by either announcing that they are leaving, going to another conference after the grant of rights expire, or by just paying the fine, fee, or the conference that going to helping to defray the cost of the fine, fee.

Also, USC, UCLA, were under the PAC 12 grant of rights at time they announced they were going to Big 10.

Also despite Colorado, Arizona, etc, being technically still under PAC 12 grant of rights, the Big 12 is still chasing them.

There are ways around conference grant of rights contracts, unless the fee, fine, is so absurdly steep, big, and unless the grant of rights is ironclad, and until about 2040, like with the ACC grant of rights.

 

[ttowncoug]

Yes and no. If a team violates a grant of rights they have to pay a fine, fee, if they leave, go-to another conference.

But that can be dealt with by either announcing that they are leaving, going to another conference after the grant of rights expire, or by just paying the fine, fee, or the conference that going to helping to defray the cost of the fine, fee.

Also, USC, UCLA, were under the PAC 12 grant of rights at time they announced they were going to Big 10.

Also despite Colorado, Arizona, etc, being technically still under PAC 12 grant of rights, the Big 12 is still chasing them.

There are ways around conference grant of rights contracts, unless the fee, fine, is so absurdly steep, big, and unless the grant of rights is ironclad, and until about 2040, like with the ACC grant of rights.

The strategy with the ACC would appear to be a merger, maybe in the form of a media holding company. If the ACC members dissolve the conference and start a new conference or merged, it's believed that this would nullify the ACC's agreement with ESPN. While ESPN would challenge this, it is assumed this move, in a combination with the PAC

 

[95coug]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

SMU should be a leader in NIL, they did it for a long time. Just need to get the old structure set up again.

And, prep the lawsuit against the NCAA for unjustly punishing them for things that are perfectly acceptable.

 

[425cougfan]

SMU should be a leader in NIL, they did it for a long time. Just need to get the old structure set up again.

And, prep the lawsuit against the NCAA for unjustly punishing them for things that are perfectly acceptable.

Yeah, for sure. I'm not sure people are really grasping what a big deal $36k for all BB and football players is. WSU's one legit deal other than Borghi getting a few bones for pizza ads is Cam getting a leased truck and $75k, right? Just one of SMU's collectives is tossing $36k to everyone. If we're talking just the 85 man scholie roster and 15 in BB, that's $3.6m a year just from that one collective. Stars / big recruits probably are getting even more. My base case for WSU's NIL collectives is that they maybe have $20k total, other than the Cam deal.

 

[95coug]

Yeah, for sure. I'm not sure people are really grasping what a big deal $36k for all BB and football players is. WSU's one legit deal other than Borghi getting a few bones for pizza ads is Cam getting a leased truck and $75k, right? Just one of SMU's collectives is tossing $36k to everyone. If we're talking just the 85 man scholie roster and 15 in BB, that's $3.6m a year just from that one collective. Stars / big recruits probably are getting even more. My base case for WSU's NIL collectives is that they maybe have $20k total, other than the Cam deal.

If I win Megamillions tonight, I’ll commit to funding $20k per for the 85 scholarship players for at least 5 years.

My willingness to continue will be based on whether Coug fans can step up and match.

 

[BiggsCoug]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

The Pony Express is going to ride again soon. They have boosters that have been praying for this day for decades.

No kid from DFW is leaving if he has offers from the local or in state schools. It would take some school beating an in state NIL offer.

 

[ttowncoug]

The Pony Express is going to ride again soon. They have boosters that have been praying for this day for decades.

No kid from DFW is leaving if he has offers from the local or in state schools. It would take some school beating an in state NIL offer.

Agree...SMU could be very big time, very quickly. Too much talent in that state.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Agree...SMU could be very big time, very quickly. Too much talent in that state.

How does a P5 school go into Texas and get kids if they have a weak collective? It may not even be enough to match the Texas school. You may have to offer more to get them out of state.

The Texas schools are gonna close the border as best they can.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

New story in the Athletic is out at https://theathletic.com/4411854/2023/04/14/smu-football-pac-12-aac-realignment/. I know many may not subscribe. Here are some key points.

• Concrete is pouring into the south end of Ford Stadium, where the program’s new $100 million end zone facility is under construction. The 192,500-square foot building, which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, a weight room and premium seating, was spearheaded by SMU alumnus and former player Garry Weber’s $50 million donation last year. It will open before the 2024 season.
• Donors have been aggressive in the name, image and likeness space. Last August, the Boulevard Collective pledged to pay SMU football and men’s basketball players $36,000 each. The group is one of two SMU collectives, along with Pony Sports DTX.
• SMU just completed its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, the longest such streak the program has had since the 1980s, before the infamous NCAA-instituted “Death Penalty” in 1987.
• In the 2023 recruiting cycle, SMU’s class ranked 47th nationally, according to 247Sports, higher than any other Group of 5 program and above several Power 5s. The transfer haul ranked 9th.
• SMU is really hitting its Dallas location hard on recruiting, similar to TCU. They have grown their recruiting staff to a P5 level.

This is in addition to all the stuff we already know about its solid academics, likely near-term R1 status, tons of $ generally, and how big the D/FW market is. I think SMU in P5 could grow into a really solid member of the conference, and maybe even a monster if their boosters work to resurrect the Pony Express.

Is that $36K a year, or over the course of their careers? Either way that is just nuts. WSU can't compete with that. Thanks Emmert for totally destroying college athletics.

 

[425cougfan]

Is that $36K a year, or over the course of their careers? Either way that is just nuts. WSU can't compete with that. Thanks Emmert for totally destroying college athletics.

Per year. Looks like Texas Tech is doing $25k/year, too. I know Miami had the first booster collective that was just going to pay everyone, but I expect most even somewhat serious P5 schools east of the Rockies to be doing something like this soon if they aren't already. This is exactly what I said would happen the day NIL hit. It's not just some stars getting paid for being on billboards or signing autographs for the local car dealership, or whatever Brand Y was trying to claim. it's outright pay for play. All they have to do is have the whole roster on a billboard, or even a website. https://www.si.com/college/2022/08/08/smu-football-basketball-players-receive-36000-nil-collective

 

[froropmkr72]

The Pony Express is going to ride again soon. They have boosters that have been praying for this day for decades.

No kid from DFW is leaving if he has offers from the local or in state schools. It would take some school beating an in state NIL offer.

In fact, they should of just called the SMU Collective 'The Pony Express', as if to say.......