Why UCF? Why not FIU?

[RickUSF]

I don't understand the pro's in adding UCF outside of the school enrollment. UCF has not had any major success on the field, nor do they show any promise in any sport. Orlando IS NOT a big market, by any means. FIU has a large enrollment AND has the South Florida market to boot, replacing what the Big East had with UM. I don't get it. I can understand SMU, Houston, all the others in consideration in terms of success on the field, and TV markets, but the UCF addition makes no sense to the Big East. FIU would make much more sense.

[charsibb]

You can make a good case for 2 Florida teams (same for Texas), since it gives the other teams a trip to Florida every year instead of every other year. Good for overall recruiting from the league's perspective.

Now, WHICH Florida team is obviously the question: UCF, FAU, or FIU?

Looking at the overall programs, there's not much to differentiate them historically, so I guess you have to go on facilities and potential. We got in purely on potential. UCF already has a heated rivalry with USF, and this will help sell tickets for all sports. Could FIU/ FAU do the same given a couple of years? Sure, why not? Would either of them bring more cable subscribers to a potential BE Network? Probably.

http://en.wikipedia....Golden_Panthers

http://en.wikipedia....a_Atlantic_Owls

http://en.wikipedia....iki/UCF_Knights

As for Texas: Houston, SMU, UTEP, Rice, Texas State, N.Texas, or UTSA? I think we definitely got the best 2 available

[TallyBull]

I think it's a perception problem. While UCiF hasn't really done much overall, it has had more success on the field and been around longer than FIU. I don't disagree that UCiF hasn't had "any major success on the field," but the successes it has had (BCS ranking, beating a few name BCS programs like Georgia) are better-known in the college football world than any successes FIU has had.

There's also an argument that Orlando would be a better sports market than Miami, in terms of viewership and support of UCiF. Miami has trouble drawing fans to Hurricanes games, which is far better known than FIU. UCiF, unlike FIU, is the only football game in town.

Not sure promoting a team from the Sun Belt to the Big East "looks better" than promiting a C-USA team to the Big East. In general, I think the teams in the C-USA are stronger than those in the Sun Belt.

Finally, the Big East thinks that a USF-UCiF rivalry would be more promising than a USF-FIU rivalry. Say what you want about UCiF, but I think it's safe to say we don't like that Mickey Mouse school too much. I don't really have strong feelings about FIU either way. We've never lost to either team.

[usf97]

Mostly I would say because of facilities and fanbase. UCF recently dumped millions in new basketball and football facilities. I don't have a problem with FIU either however, their football stadium only holds 23,500. Even so they have never officially sold that stadium out.

UCF has a similar sized fanbase as USF.

Also, I would add that there is more of a negative stigma from adding a Sun Belt school versus a CUSA school.

[Joe]

Allow me to play advocate. Before Knighlight gets in here with an assortment of links and annoyance.

I don't understand the pro's in adding UCF outside of the school enrollment. UCF has not had any major success on the field, nor do they show any promise in any sport.

And FIU has? At least UCF has won their conference a couple times.

Orlando IS NOT a big market, by any means. FIU has a large enrollment AND has the South Florida market to boot, replacing what the Big East had with UM.

It's a top 20 TV market, not as big as Miami, but for all things TV it's one of the largest in the country.

I don't get it. I can understand SMU, Houston, all the others in consideration in terms of success on the field, and TV markets, but the UCF addition makes no sense to the Big East. FIU would make much more sense.

UCF has had more success than Houston or SMU on the field. I think SMU just had their first winning season in 20 something years. That being said Houston is about to make a BCS bowl and **** all over UCF's best CUSA team avail argument.

I think it comes down to this FIU plays in a 19,000 seat stadium, with relatively little on field success in all sports besides baseball with an athletic budget that is a fraction of UCF's and is swimming in debt.

Move on from it.

[IncrediBULL]

I think with UCF being the 3rd largest university, and one of the only games in their town, and the fact they have won a mid major conference and been ranked and sent guys to the NFL, is the main reason.

I don't think rivalries make a difference. We could get a strong rivalry with FIU if we were in the same conference and played them annually. Look at how we feel about this UM game this weekend, for example.

For us, selfishly FIU would be better. Not as much overlap for recruiting and tv coverage, and also opens up South Florida for us for recruiting as we'd be down there every other year.

But as much as I am not a fan of UCF, they are a bigger play for the Big East based on size and history. The rest of the Big East only wants to get to Florida for recruiting each year. They don't care how they get here or which city they are in, for the most part.....

[GaUSFBull]

UCF already has a heated rivalry with USF, and this will help sell tickets for all sports.

[charsibb]

UCF already has a heated rivalry with USF, and this will help sell tickets for all sports.

Read it again, GA. I wrote it the way I did for a reason. Who has the rivalry with whom?

[Apis Bull]

FIU also shares their market with UM

[GaUSFBull]

I read it again, as you instructed, and I still don't see how you think USF and UCF have a "rivalry" at this point in time. This has been discussed ad nauseum and I don't want to make a big deal of it, but ... there is no rivalry between USF and UCF right now.