Congratulations to SMU…

[Froglaw]

Seriously. This is a pretty significant move that took a pile of cash commitments, one hell of a sales pitch, and making a HUGE bet on themselves to finally try to figure it out in a big way.

TCU went to the Sun Bowl way back when and put a sales pitch on them, agreed to buy a bunch of tickets to the game, and forced themselves into a bowl game that they probably did not deserve to be in quite honestly. But then we took that bet and made a statement that relaunched the program taking it to levels not seen before in a generation. Maybe the Ponies will do that. Maybe they’ll crap the bed. But they pulled off what everybody said was impossible and did it in a way that honestly is a no-brainer. Kudos for being a deal maker…now the pressure rises to a place they’ve not experienced!

Maybe, but I doubt it.

TCU did deserve that Sun Bowl bid. That Frog team had more gravel in their gut than any of the other WAC school and the most for a TCU team in 40 years.

Yep, TCU DESERVED IT,

 

[froginmn]

No congrats are in order. They bought their way in. And they're in because of location in a major media market. Sort of like winning the lucky sperm lottery. They didn't earn it. Schiess 'em.

I'm glad I never won that, and never played.

 

[Moose Stuff]

Seriously. This is a pretty significant move that took a pile of cash commitments, one hell of a sales pitch, and making a HUGE bet on themselves to finally try to figure it out in a big way.

TCU went to the Sun Bowl way back when and put a sales pitch on them, agreed to buy a bunch of tickets to the game, and forced themselves into a bowl game that they probably did not deserve to be in quite honestly. But then we took that bet and made a statement that relaunched the program taking it to levels not seen before in a generation. Maybe the Ponies will do that. Maybe they’ll crap the bed. But they pulled off what everybody said was impossible and did it in a way that honestly is a no-brainer. Kudos for being a deal maker…now the pressure rises to a place they’ve not experienced!

scheiss SMU

 

[arlingtonbell]

No Congratulations go to the Student Body who undoubtedly will see a rise in cost of attendance to cover the 9 year free ride they just signed up

 

[bc puckett]

Maybe they should start playing in the Cotton Bowl again. They moved back on campus to have more "Institutional Control". That control has gone out the window now. They can give out Trans Ams at will.

Well in their defense the Trans Am came from aTm

 

[SoonerFrogs]

Being in a “major” conference without a baseball team is comical. Just sayin.

 

[GAPony]

I have to say, as much as it does feel a little grimy on how we did it, after 25+ years of not being in a "power" conference, and at least 35+ years of not being a nationally relevant program, I really don't care how we did it, as long as it helps us improve on the field. Now is our time to put up or shut up about the DP.

I do hope we can get baseball going, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[ECM]

Being in a “major” conference without a baseball team is comical. Just sayin.

Colorado doesn't have a baseball team. Doesn't appear to affect their ability to field a competitive football program

 

[ECM]

As a former college fundraiser, I can promise you that the cash SMU needs to finance facility upgrades, NIL inducements, increased travel costs, etc, is way, WAY beyond $10 mil per year. That is barely a down payment.

All of the reconstruction and improvements TCU has made to Amon Carter Stadium and its supporting facilities (training, compliance, coaching offices, team meeting rooms, film viewing, sports medicine, etc.) from 2008-present total more than $312 million. That averages about $20.8 million per year. And that's just for football stadium and program facilities -- never mind expanded staff, increased payroll (to attract best candidates), upgraded promotional programs for ticket sales, etc. Not to mentioned increased spending for all of these same expenses in basketball and the non-revenue sports, plus NIL, travel costs, etc.

You really think SMU donors are going to quickly bridge this gap? "Quickly" because that's all the time they really have. TCU has a larger student enrollment (especially undergrads, which is where intercollegiate athletics lives), a much larger fan base of both alumni and external constituents, a significantly larger endowment, and a much more storied and prominent athletics reputation, both past and present.

TCU has built these advantages through strategic vision, bold spending, herculean effort, and earned rewards -- not by groveling and prostituting itself, like some schools we could mention.

I don't know the exact number but SMU has spent over $250M in facility improvements in the same time frame:

- New basketball practice/operations facility
- Complete renovation of basketball arena
- New tennis complex
- New natatorium
- New indoor practice facility
- Complete renovation of soccer/track stadium
- Ford Stadium expansion/renovation (coming 2024)
- New football operations facility (coming 2024)

SMU will enter the ACC with athletic facilities that are on par with or better than many of our P4 (P3?) peers. There's no ground to be made up. We'll hit the ground running on day 1.

 

[Goo]

I don't know the exact number but SMU has spent over $250M in facility improvements in the same time frame:

- New basketball practice/operations facility
- Complete renovation of basketball arena
- New tennis complex
- New natatorium
- New indoor practice facility
- Complete renovation of soccer/track stadium
- Ford Stadium expansion/renovation (coming 2024)
- New football operations facility (coming 2024)

SMU will enter the ACC with athletic facilities that are on par with or better than many of our P4 (P3?) peers. There's no ground to be made up. We'll hit the ground running on day 1.

SMU has amazing facilities. But so does everyone. It’s an arms race. TCU also has new football, swimming, basketball training, etc. I saw Colorado also had facilities upgrade. Seems every school you look at has huge upgrades recently

 

[FrogBall09]

I do not think ppl fully understand/appreciate that donors already fill the gap between the AAC Athletics rev. v/ OPEX.

This is a very, very minor $ financial change on the balance sheet (and a no-brainer) for SMU, IMO.

the average ACC team is spending $50+ mm a year on football - SMU was spending around $12mm from what I am told.


The gap is a lot bigger than before if they want to be relevant and not just part of the ACC...

 

[FrogBall09]

I don't know the exact number but SMU has spent over $250M in facility improvements in the same time frame:

- New basketball practice/operations facility
- Complete renovation of basketball arena
- New tennis complex
- New natatorium
- New indoor practice facility
- Complete renovation of soccer/track stadium
- Ford Stadium expansion/renovation (coming 2024)
- New football operations facility (coming 2024)

SMU will enter the ACC with athletic facilities that are on par with or better than many of our P4 (P3?) peers. There's no ground to be made up. We'll hit the ground running on day 1.

um....I am guessing you have never stepped foot in the stadiums or seen the facilities of your new conference mates...most have practice fields as nice as Ford after the reno...

I would think it will take another $250mm to get to the average

 

[ECM]

the average ACC team is spending $50+ mm a year on football - SMU was spending around $12mm from what I am told.


The gap is a lot bigger than before if they want to be relevant and not just part of the ACC...

You are not reliably informed. I promise you the annual outlay is exponentially more than $12M

 

[ECM]

um....I am guessing you have never stepped foot in the stadiums or seen the facilities of your new conference mates...most have practice fields as nice as Ford after the reno...

I would think it will take another $250mm to get to the average

I have visited most ACC campuses. SMU will compete on day 1. Facilities will not be an issue.

 

[2themax]

I have visited most ACC campuses. SMU will compete on day 1. Facilities will not be an issue.

 

[FrogBall09]

I have visited most ACC campuses. SMU will compete on day 1. Facilities will not be an issue.

Would you name a stadium in the ACC that is as much a POS as Ford? Even after the renovation it’s still not a top 10 in DFW behind 9 high schools

You are delusional if you think your facilities are up to par with the rest of the ACC

 

[ECM]

Would you name a stadium in the ACC that is as much a POS as Ford? Even after the renovation it’s still not a top 10 in DFW behind 9 high schools

You are delusional if you think your facilities are up to par with the rest of the ACC

From a revenue standpoint we can generate as much from Ford Stadium as other schools can from a 50,000 seat stadium. There are levels to this, but in the end it all comes down to money, and it won't be an object for us.

 

[HeidelFrog]

The only losers in this are wealthy SMU donors. Paying a $18MM exit fee and funding SMU athletics for 9 years until the conference explodes and they never get paid any media rights What's the ROI on that?

I can’t disagree. I understand the strong desire to upgrade conference but at what cost? You pay a big exit fee, will need to update your inadequate stadium, and you get no money for 9 years. By the the time they will get any conference money the ACC won’t even be around.

 

[FrogBall09]

From a revenue standpoint we can generate as much from Ford Stadium as other schools can from a 50,000 seat stadium. There are levels to this, but in the end it all comes down to money, and it won't be an object for us.

No you don’t - but keep making up crap

You are not getting anymore money than you make now from the conference but going up against a new set of schools that all outspend you by between 33-233%

$68 mm in total sports revenue is more than $20 mm behind the smallest ACC schools

It’s half of Clemson and 40% of FSU…

 

[ECM]

No you don’t - but keep making up crap

You are not getting anymore money than you make now from the conference but going up against a new set of schools that all outspend you by between 33-233%

$68 mm in total sports revenue is more than $20 mm behind the smallest ACC schools

It’s half of Clemson and 40% of FSU…

Ticket sales (and ticket prices) will go through the roof. We want a nationally relevant football program and the money is there...and then some.

I recommend you significantly increase your Flying T Club donation if you want to keep up; Sonny was literally begging you for it last week. NIL is the name of the game now and schools that don't recognize this will be left in the dust (e.g., Baylor losing to freaking Texas State).