BRITTON BANOWSKY STEPPING DOWN IS A BIG LOSS FOR CONFERENCE USA

BANOWSKY STEPS ASIDE


As news began to trickle out yesterday that Conference USA Commissioner  Britton Banowsky was stepping down after 13 years at the helm,  fans of the conference began to speculate what Banowsky's departure might mean for the 20 year old league. If one is reading the signs carefully, Banowsky's departure looks like it is a big loss for Conference USA. Here is why:

1. Banowsky has announced  his departure in the midst of ongoing negotiations  for a new tv contract for the league. Conference USA's current contract with Fox and CBS expires at the end of this season and as we have discussed on this blog, the new  contract will be  the most important in Conference USA history.(Conf USA tv contract link)  Contracts are built around good will, trust and strong relationships. Make no mistake, Britton Banowsky is well respected in the world of sports tv. He is someone that networks want to do business  with. Banowsky's leaving sends a clear message that he will not be around to implement or carry out the contracts details. Lack of stability  makes tv people nervous.

2. As the new Director of the College Football Playoff Foundation he will never have to worry about tv contracts and sports realignment again. Nor will he have to worry about University Presidents begging for more money, or fans publicly calling him out for things that he has not control over.

3. Conference Commissioners are the miner birds of sports.  They see and understand trends before the average sports fan does. Was Banowsky seeing a trend that he did not like?  Banowsky  for example has guided Conference USA for the majority of his 13 years with schools that although not flashy, were known commodities. ECU, Houston, UCF, SMU and Memphis provided Conference USA with some clout in the world of tv and tv money. It is unclear if the new schools that have joined Conference USA in the last two years carry this same cache. It seems entirely possible that the current market will not be as friendly to the new configuration of Conference USA as the old one.

FINALLY

Britton Banowsky has been the face of Conference USA for the past 13 years. He is highly regarded in the sports world and has fought for and won respect for  Conference USA, something he should be commended for.  Banowsky's exit is going to be a big loss for Conference USA.  In many ways Britton Banowsky has become the most recognizable and important brand marker  Conference USA has left .

It is unclear what his loss will mean to the current contract negotiations. One thing is certain however, it will not be easy to replace his experience and the many relationships he has cultivated during his tenure as leader of the conference.  At the very least his leaving raises more questions than it provides answers. The conference must now find someone who understands current market trends ,can lead the geographically diverse league into an unknown and uncertain future and can help provide stability to a group of schools who have seen their  fair share of change during the the last 3 years.  Conference USA must now  add a search for a new commissioner to its growing list of important things to do. Stay tuned

UTAH STATE WILL WIN THE MWC IN 2015

1 UTAH STATE

Yes this pick goes against popular wisdom and yes Boise State( who most are picking to win the MWC) has exceptionally good  talent returning this year. Utah State however, has something Boise State does not, Chuckie Keeton. Keeton,  a gifted athlete as well as a versatile signal caller ,  is back after recovering from an injury that cut his season short last year. Keeton is the X factor for Utah State and if he can stay healthy this season look for him to lead Utah State to a MWC title.

In front of Keeton is an experienced line that returns 4 of 5 starters. The Oline struggled some last season, but I expect that with  an extra year under their belts  the line will give Keeton the time he needs to make a plethora of  big plays with his feet and arm.

Keeton will have a talented group of skill players to work with this season including the ubber talented  Jo Jo Natson. Natson's  return to the Aggies this year creates serious match  up problems for opposing defenses whenever he is in the game.

Combine all of this with a solid Aggie Defense lead by 6'2, 230 OLB Nick Vigil and you have a Utah State team that is ready to capture the MWC title this year. As long as Chuckie Keeton can stay healthy, Utah State is the team to beat in the Mountain West this year.

2. BOISE STATE

Boise State returns the majority of its best players from last years excellent squad.  Something that in most seasons would place them at the top of the MWC food chain.  The main issue for the Bronco's this year and one that I believe will keep them from claiming the MWC title,  is the need to replace  Grant Hedrick at  QB.  Hedrick( now playing in the CFL) ably lead last season's Bronco team to both a MWC title and Access Bowl win over Arizona State.

 This year's likely starting QB,  Ryan Finely, looked very average when he was brought in to relieve Hedrick last season ,something that should be concerning to the Boise State faithful.  (In April,  it was also reported that Ryan Finely was arrested for a misdemeanor charge stemming from alcohol related issues:   Finely arrested link

If Boise did not have to break in a new QB, they would easily be my pick to win the MWC and repeat as Access Bowl Champs.  With a very good defense , especially with a healthy  6'0 300 NT  Justin Taimatuia  returning, the Broncos have as much defensive  talent as any top Power 5 team in College Football. Oh, and don't forget Boise sports a Secondary that has talent at both the Strong Safety and Boundary corner position. Simply put, Boise has a bread basket full of ballers this year. Yet...

Yet picking Boise State to win the MWC with a new QB   is not something I am going to do. Plus the Broncos play at Utah State this year, something that Aggie QB Chuckie Keeton probably already has circled on his calendar.

3. COLORADO STATE

Here is what I wrote about Colorado State earlier in the summer:

"Colorado State begins life without their former Head Coach Jim McElwain this year. Fortunately, McElwain, who took the Florida Gator job shortly after the season ended, did not leave the Ram cupboard  bare, stocking it with exceptional athletes like All American WR Rashard Higgens.

New Head Coach Mike Bobo( formerly the OC for the Georgia Bulldogs) has an excellent football mind and should have plenty to work with when he prepares the Ram's for their season opener against Savannah State in Sept at Hughes Stadium. The biggest questions for the Rams will be finding a replacement for Qb Garrett Grayson and learning to co exist with their new head coach. Don't be surprised however, if the Rams make a nice run at and are in the mix for the Access Bowl in January."

I like Colorado State and think they are a G5 program that is worth emulating. Don't be surprised if Colorado State finds a way to claw its way to the MWC title this year.  I also have Colorado State as one my Access Bowl Dark Horse picks: Access Bowl Dark Horse Picks


4. San Diego State
5. Air Force
6. New Mexico
7. San Jose
8. Nevada
9. Fresno State
10. Hawaii
11. Wyoming
12. UNLV

TEXAS STATE AD LARRY TEIS FEARTURED IN UNDERDOG DYNASTY STORY

ON ATHLETIC DIRECTOR LARRY TEIS

This is normally the time of year when  the sports world is gearing up to cover College Football. In most cases the College teams, not their administrators, garner the attention from the press.  This is not the case however, for Texas State Athletic Director Larry Teis, whose sometimes controversial  leadership is being discussed in a Will Butler piece for the web site.Underdog Dynasty Story(link)

In brief, some Texas State fans and donors believe that Teis missed the mark during the last round of realignment. That he should have lobbied Conference USA and the MWC harder for an invite. Some blame Teis for not selling the Bobcat program well enough to these two conferences.

Let's be honest, if Conference USA or the MWC had wanted Texas State in their conference, the Bobcats would not be in the Sun Belt right now. Realignment continues to be what it is has always been, a business decision based on financials and potential vs slick advertising and the sending of fruit baskets to league Commissioners.   Butler's article is a worth a read as he lays out both sides of the argument.

WHY ESPN'S FINANCIAL ISSUES ARE BAD NEWS FOR THE GANG OF 5

G5 Original content

THE PARTY IS OVER(PROBABLY)

Greed is good or so says fictional character Gordon Gekko from the  popular 80's film, Wall Street. In the end , Gekko's character was undone by hubris and  his belief that he could create a world based on his own  boundary less image. An image that came with an insatiable appetitie for money, control and power.

ESPN is the Gordon Gekko of the sports world. For the past  two decades ESPN has played a ruthless game of divide and conquer. No where  has ESPN's unfettered and powerful influence been as menacing and evident than in the world of College Football.  

Like powerful kings of old, ESPN has cultivated its kingdom with great skill  and  at times raw power. If there is anything ,however that history has taught us its  that every kingdom eventually transforms itself into something new.  And that every king , no matter how powerful, is vulnerable to the will and anger of its subjects.

In the past when Kings did encounter  revolt, they  usually faced it in the form of angry peasants  wielding pitchforks and torches . Today's subjects however, have  traded in these rudimentary tools of war for something less physically menacing but  far more dangerous and powerful: their wallets and modern technology. 

In short, ESPN's subjects are revolting with  good old  fashioned American technology.  Technology that is allowing them to cut the expensive traditional cable cords for cheaper hybrid cable alternatives . To quote another famous movie character, Howard Beale from the 1970's movie,  "Network", ESPN's once placid subjects are beginning to shout "we are mad as hell and we're not gonna take it anymore,".

PANIC IN THE STREETS OF DISNEY

Wall Street Journal reporters Shalini Ramachandran and Joe Flint  in their recent excellent  article entitled,"ESPN Tightens its Belt"(ESPN Tightens Belt(link) )have shared new and potentially game altering information about ESPN.  In the article Ramachandran and Flint, report that ESPN is losing both subscribers and money and that Disney, ESPN's parent company, is worried about its powerful sports network property.

Here's the most important  bit of news you need to know from WSJ article:  3.2 million. That's the number of former cable subscribers  the ESPN  has lost in the last year.  3.2 million former cable subscribers have migrated to cheaper  and more flexible ways of watching television.  The loss of  3.2 million in 1 year no less , is jaw dropping .

Make no mistake,  Mickey and Mini are losing sleep over these numbers.  And what  the ESPN and Disney execs  are probably most worried about is this question: Do these numbers represent  some random statistical deviation  or do they spell revolution? Note to Disney and ESPN, this is far more likely revolution than it is a statistical blip on the radar. 

In the WSJ article Flint and Ramachandranreport also tell us  that to curb the financial bleeding  from the loss of these 3.2 million subscribers, ESPN has begun clamping down on the salaries of its on air personalities.  

Cutting salaries of its on air personalities? Really?  This is ESPN's plan to cover the loss of millions of subscribers? This it seems to me is  like using a single stitch to sew a  gaping wound  from a shark bite to ones torso. It is probably not going to work.

Cutting salaries is probably not going to to cut it for Disney either . ESPN represents 25% of Disney's yearly profits. That is a lot of mouse ears. Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, understands how important ESPN is to Disney and  that the loss of these 3.2 million subscribers is probably just the beginning  of a larger and more devastating phase for ESPN. The Disney Company has proven year after year that they know how to operate as  a savvy and smart business. This is why the loss of these subscribers and their money is so intriguing and such a potentially game altering event  for ESPN and the properties ESPN pays to broadcast.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE GANG OF 5

I am going to spare us the financial details of ESPN's current  tv contracts with the Power 5 leagues . ESPN of course pays large sums of money each year to earn the right to broadcast 100's of Power 5 football games( Forbes estimates that the  SEC for example,  makes over 300 Million a year from ESPN.  This equates to about 3 billion in profit for SEC over the course of its contract with ESPN, ESPN Signs Riches Deal with SEC link)

At present ESPN has contracts with all 5 Gang of 5 Conferences in one form or another.(ESPN has its most limited Gang of 5 investment with Conference USA, broadcasting only the Championship game for the conference ) While ESPN has money on the table with the MAC, SUN BELT and the MWC, it is most heavily involved with the AAC both in terms of broadcast content and money. ESPN signed a 7 year, 126 Million dollar contract with the AAC in the summer of 2014. It also agreed to broadcast 90% of the AAC's football and basketball games on National platforms.

Regardless of what type of  involvement  ESPN has with the Gang of 5 , the likely outcome of a cash strapped ESPN is not going to be good news for this group of schools. Like all companies that are forced to trim down, ESPN will review its vast array of assets and decide if they are worth keeping at their  current price or commitment.

This is bad news for the Gang of 5, especially for the AAC and the MWC( ESPN's second most important Gang of 5 property) precisely because ESPN seemed to favor the split between the power conferences and the non power conferences even before this new round of new financial news.  One has to wonder what value ESPN execs will place  in the AAC especially if they are forced to reduce  contract costs. Simply put, if ESPN saw   limited value in the Gang of 5 schools  before this most recent slate of  financial news , what value will they see in them if they have to operate with less money going forward.

If  ESPN does cut  contract payments and reduces the broadcast coverage of the AAC after its current contract expires, then this will also likely spell bad news for everyone else in the Gang of 5, even  for those not under contract with ESPN. If for example, the AAC struggles to make  a financial go of it, with arguably more national brands than anyone else in the Gang of 5, then it seems likely  less well known schools and conferences will as well.

ONE SILVER LINING

There is however, a  silver lining to a leaner meaner ESPN for the Gang of 5. Since the Gang of 5 are already paid far less for their content than the Power 5 schools are, it could very well mean that ESPN holds these properties up as models of wise and fiscally sound investing. After all, the Gang of 5 have learned to do more with less for years and have proven that they have excellent football and basketball products to show case.

Although it is to early to provide a definitive analysis on what a cash strapped ESPN will mean to the sports world, one does not have to be an economist to know that the  sports money bubble that ESPN has helped  create seems likely to burst. While the Power 5 conferences in football would most likely take the biggest hit from a financially weaker ESPN, the Gang of 5 would also take a hit. 

As the old saying goes however, it is easier to learn how to survive when half a loaf of bread is cut into quarters than it is when a whole loaf is cut in half. I suspect that that the Gang of 5 will learn to survive in any new financial climate more easily than their financially bloated  Power  conference  counter parts will or can. 

If the financial party is not over with the latest news from ESPN, it certainly is a warning bell that the  beer and chips are about to run out sooner rather than later. Stay tuned.

APPALACHIAN STATE WILL WIN SUN BELT TITLE IN 2015

I am going to start the Gang of 5 predictions  this year with the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt had a disappointing year last year and will  need to bounce back this season in order to stay even with CUSA. Next Up the MAC.





SUN BELT 2015 PREDICTIONS

1. APPALACHIAN STATE:  9-3 

With 20 returning starters, an up and coming  QB(Taylor Lamb) with experience under his belt, a very good offensive line and  talent at the RB position( Junior Marcus Cox had 19 TD's last year) Appalachian State looks to be a force in the Sun Belt this year. Coach Scott Satterfield( APP STATE FINDS ITS SWAGGER LINK) is finding his voice and the App State players are responding very well to his winning philosophy.
Appalachian also has a very favorable home schedule this year playing their 3 toughest opponents( Ark State, Georgia Southern and ULL ) in Boone.  Look for this home field advantage to make the difference for the Mountaineers as Kidd Brewer stadium can be a hard place for opponents to play and win.

2. ARK STATE 9-3 

Here is what I wrote about Arkansas State a few months ago: Head Coach Blake Anderson has a terrific reputation among College football coaches. Now that Coach Anderson is in his 2nd year as head coach of the Arkansas State Wolves look for him to continue to create a culture of winning at Ark State.  Red Wolves QB Fred Knighten returns for Senior year. While not the greatest QB in College Football, he is steady and could prove to have a very nice Senior campaign. The Red Wolves have some nice talent in RB Michael Gordon and last years leader in yards at WR 6'2 Tre Houston.  If the Oline can continue to give solid play and the Defense improve from last years very average effort, the Arkansas Red Wolves could be making headlines in January 2016. 

Since I wrote this I have become more bullish on Ark State because I believe their OLine will be the difference maker for them this year. Their game against App State on Nov 5( ESPN U) will likely determine the winner of the Sun Belt this year.

3.  GEORGIA SOUTHERN 8-4  

I like Georgia Southern.(Georgia Southern School of the Year link )Their  DNA is similar to the DNA of ECU (ECU Fan Base link) and that is a good thing. Georgia Southern is  growing one of the best fan bases in the Sun Belt Conference.  They are also learning to win in big game settings( beating Florida in 2013)
This year however, they simply lose to much beef up front( 4 OL starters) to make the Option click. Yes top WR BJ Johnson returns as does  hard charging RB Matt Breida( 1400 yards last year). The key to the OPTION, however are the big guys up front operating in a tight unified fashion. To many new guys up front equals uncertainty for the Eagles this year.  Look for Georgia Southern  to struggle early and often as they work out the kinks of the new guys up front. Still, Georgia Southern will be headed to their first Bowl Game this year. Not bad for a program that is only in the  infancy phase  of FBS competition.

4. ULL 8-4 

I think Head Coach Mark Hudspeth is a huge asset   for ULL. He has built an excellent program and made the Ragin Cajuns a team that most schools in the Sun Belt dread playing. In fact, Hudspeth teams are loaded with the best athletes , pound for pound, in the Sun Belt and are among some of the best of the Gang of 5.
The problem for ULL however, is that the program has  failed to win the big games needed to capture   head lines in the world of College Football.  Last year for example, I picked ULL to easily win the Sun Belt and to be a dark horse Access Bowl candidate(ULL Access Bowl Candidate link). Instead of the Access Bowl , they were treated to losses ( Boise State , Ole Miss, and La Tech) to teams that on paper they had solid chances of winning.
This year ULL once again is loaded on both sides of the ball with very good athletes and talented skill players. They also return 3 Oline players from last years 9 win team. Elijah McGuire, last years Sun Belt Player of the Year is also back for the Ragin Cajuns. McGuire is a legit NFL talent and has the skill set to create match up problems for every school ULL plays this year, including P5 School Kentucky. If ULL can get on a run and play to their potential they are capable of winning every game this year. Until , however,  ULL can prove they are capable winning the big and important games,  I am going to underestimate them vs over estimate them.( I stand ready to apologize to ULL fans if they prove me wrong this year)



THE REST

5. TEXAS STATE
6. SOUTH ALABAMA
7. IDAHO
8. UL-MONROE
9. TROY
10. GEORGIA STATE
11. NEW MEXICO STATE

MARSHALL SEASON BREAKDOWN BY CAMPUS INSIDER

The site Campus Insiders has a nice break down of the  upcoming Conference USA football season. There is a very good video breakdown of Marshall's upcoming season that is worth a watch. I have Marshall winning 7-8 games this year. Here is the link:   Conference USA Football

FIU PANTHER FAN BASE IN SEARCH OF NARRATIVE TO EMBRACE

This summer we will look at  several different fan bases from the Gang of 5 Schools and explore  what makes each of them unique. We continue the series with a look at the FIU Panther fan base. FIU is a young program in search of a story to tell. With a large student body to draw upon, the FIU leadership needs to find a compelling narrative in order to turn this group of students  into fans of the FIU football program.



SI SE PUEDE( YES WE CAN)

On December 26th, 2010 thousands of FIU fans packed  Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan to watch the Panthers play the Toledo Rockets in the Little Caesars Bowl.  Perhaps more impressive than being in the Bowl game itself however, was  that FIU  was celebrating only its 8th year as a football program. The Panthers had just completed an impressive  run in which they had gone from winning  their first ever football game  in 2002 to playing in a College Bowl game in front of a national television audience. The excitement among FIU fans was understandably  euphoric and hard to contain. After all, not many college football programs could lay claim to such a fast and swift rise through the ranks of FBS football.

Sprinkled throughout the Panther fan base that night were signs that read SI SE PUEDE( Yes We Can). The signs were a copy of  the slogan  used by  another unlikely success story , that of a young Senator from Illinois named  Barack Obama. Obama would of course go  on to capture the Presidency in 2008. The symbolism of the signs was not lost on the FIU crowd that day.  Many of those fans had  come to Detroit to  support the FIU football team and to celebrate what the Panther story  had come to mean to them. A story that read like the great American success narrative.  A story that reminded FIU fans and alumni that anything is possible if you work hard and dream big enough.

That FIU had entered the Little Caesars Bowl game as  Sun Belt Champions made the day at Ford Field even more special. The Panthers improbable 8 year run from start up program  to Bowl contender had given the FIU fan base a sense that they were both participating  and witnessing history unfold in front of them.

When Panthers place kicker Jake Griffin kicked the game winning field goal as time expired , FIU fans, coaches and administrators might well have believed they were watching a feel good sports movie. The celebration after the kick was electric as players and fans celebrated on the field  with all the joy and enthusiasm akin to winning the National Championship.

Yes this was only the Little Caesars Bowl, but surely the last second win over Toledo was a promising glimpse of the good things to come for FIU football. Few schools in the country could boast a Bowl victory this soon after starting a football program.  With the talent rich Miami recruiting grounds in  their back yard and a young charismatic Head Coach in Mario Cristobal , FIU looked like it was capable of winning big in college football.

FIU also appeared ready to be embraced by a fan base that was more than capable of turning out in big numbers to watch the Panthers play . A not so easy achievement  in a busy and  fickle sports town like Miami .

Unfortunately for FIU however,  successful programs  are prone to fall from grace fast and furious. The cold hard reality of this truth has plagued and battered the FIU program during its most recent history. FIU's relatively fast rise to football fame has been followed by an ongoing struggle for relevance and vision.

PARTING WAYS WITH MARIO CRISTOBAL

On December 5th ,2012 the following communique was sent by Pete Garcia (the FIU Executive in charge of Sports and Entertainment) to the Panther fan base and National sports media "Today we informed Coach (Mario) Cristobal that a change was being made in the direction of our football program".   Mario Cristobal, the 42 year Cuban American  Head Coach,  had been fired  by AD Pete Garcia as punishment for leading the Panthers to a 3-9 mark during the 2012 season. 

The year before Mario Cristobal was fired he had been considered one of the hottest coach's in all of  college football.  In fact Cristobal had been contacted by  several Power 5 schools interested in his services.  Cristobal, a Miami native and former member of the 1989 and 1991 Miami Hurricane National Championship teams, had chosen to stay at FIU and continue to build the program in his own very capable  image.  A program  that was  attracting  and keeping  local Miami talent.

Perhaps most important to the program  was that Mario Cristobal provided the FIU Panthers with a story line capable of galvanizing the complex and multilayered University.  A storyline of a young Cuban American professional willing to stay  home  and turn FIU into a winner. This narrative was something the school administration desperately wanted for the University. The FIU leadership  yearned for a successful football program that could serve as a  rallying  point for its students and alumni. A very important goal given the  unique demographics of FIU.

A CLOSER LOOK

A closer look at the demographics of FIU reveals a school that is  both traditional and non traditional in its teaching mission.  FIU for example,  is a large and complex school located within the Florida University system. With over 50,000 students, FIU is the  4th largest University in the country. Known for its  excellent research facilities, it also houses both a  respected  medical and law school dedicated to serving the needs and people  of the region. 

FIU's student body is 70% Hispanic, comprising one of  the largest groups of  Hispanic students at any University in the United States.  The school also has an unusually high number of Freshman who live off campus. In fact  only 27% of  Panther  freshman call the  FIU campus home. Additionally FIU is  annually   ranked as one of the top schools in the country for non traditional students.

These  demographics  point to an intriguing set of challenges and opportunities for FIU. With so many FIU students commuting instead of living on campus, and with a higher percentage of non traditional students than many other  schools have ,FIU must  learn to attract and keep this diverse population  interested in FIU sports, especially its money maker, football.

WHAT STORY IS FIU GOING TO TELL

Sports fans of all stripes are quick to point out that winning cures all problems,especially attendance ones. While this is true to a certain extent , there is a  more powerful and longer lasting strategy that schools with excellent fans bases share in common . A secret weapon if you will to entice people to become part of the school's mission and to become active participants  of that mission.  A weapon that is  wrapped in a narrative rather than a gimmick.  A narrative that keeps people in the stands even when hard times hit the program. A narrative that spells out what the team stands for in both good and bad times.

If FIU wants to tap into the 50,000 student population and increase attendance at games it must first decide what story it wants to tell.

With one of the lowest football attendance records in all of College Football last year, with a little over a 11,000 fans coming to FIU games( source NCAA) something seems amiss with the FIU fan experience.(winning more games would of course help with attendance numbers)

 Football, more than most sports, is a game built around emotion and intensity. Until FIU can capture the emotional attention of its large student body, it seems likely that FIU's poor attendance figures will continue.

FIU has tremendous potential to be strong and  competitive on the gridiron as well as in the stands. When Britton Banowsky(Conference USA Commish) invited FIU to Conference USA he no doubt understood the very high ceiling  FIU had built into  it. In fact, out of all of the new schools added to Conference USA in the last two years, FIU is the team with the most potential. Conference USA needs a strong FIU football team for a number obvious reasons. They  also need FIU to have a strong fan base.

Finally

When FIU fired Mario Cristobal  in 2012, they fired more than a head coach, they  fired their most important and visible brand marker . Cristobal was an up and coming Cuban American who played well to the diverse and lively Miami and FIU population. If FIU wants to build the fan base they are capable of building they will need to  win on the field  and to articulate  a story worth engaging its students with. They will need a narrative similar to the one Coach Cristobal brought to the football program. A narrative steeped in opportunity and possibility.

With such a large group of students attending FIU and with what is still a relatively young football program, finding a compelling story is a must for the University and football team.  Building a fan base that is passionate and loyal takes time and effort. FIU is located in the midst of some of the best sports fans in the country.  Finding a way to engage these fans and those who attend the University should be goal number one for the FIU sports leadership and athletic director.

The FIU football program and fan base have some of the best potential among all of the Gang of 5 Schools. Until, however,  the FIU leadership and football team can create compelling reasons for the school's 50,000 student body and large alumni base to the support the team , FIU's story will be one of great potential vs what it is now, one of empty seats and lackluster fan engagement. Stay tuned.