If UNC-Charlotte Starts a Football Team . . .

The long term goal for the school should be to get into the BIG EAST, IMHO. ACC nor SEC will probably be interested in expanding beyond 12 teams. But the BIG EAST only has 8 football playing members. I think UNCC & ECU joining the BIG EAST would work out in the long run (basketball side of the conference is way too big, they need some shrinkage there). Could the BIG EAST say 'Hey, by 2015-2016 can you be ready for Div I-A football?' (assuming we start our first team in 2012)? I think this is the same route UCONN took to joining the BIG EAST in football (mainly it was getting Renscthler Field in East Hartford built was the big obstacle).

 

I would worry about getting a program and a stadium before I would worry about what division you would play in.

 

I'd be surprised if a team would be ready to be competitive in that ideal in four years.

 

I don't know, look a Duke. : )

 

Temple University has proven you don't have to be competitive to play football

 

The future is 16 team Super Conferences. That's where things are heading. That's the blueprint.

 

Why would the Big East have any interest whatsoever in UNCC? The 49ers can't even win the A-10.

 

1) Top 25 TV Market . . . . 2) We have had good years in hoops back in the CUSA Days 3) Local hoops/football talent would get more exposure in recruiting

 

The first thing they have to do is educate their own that there is no hypen between UNC and Charlotte.

Why the Big East, there probably will be another conference shakeup by then? Who knows what will occur?

 

Delusional 49ers

There must be a small but vocal contingent of UNCC alumni who are jealous of their UNC, Duke, Wake, and NC State counterparts who have something to talk about during the fall.

It takes serious $$$$$ to launch a Division I-A football program and it takes serious $$$$$ to sustain it until it can begin to pay for itself.

UNCC has no stadium. Memorial Stadium is too small for Division I-A and the Panthers already hate BofA being used for the occasional college game. Besides, UNCC would have to sell out BofA in order to break even for paying rent. Is there anyone willing to pony up $10 million for a 30,000-seat stadium?

UNCC would have to convince corporate entities to donate significant amounts of money to its fledgling program when these same entities already can donate lesser amounts to established programs like the ones above and obtain more tangible benefits. Can UNCC count on $5 to $10 million a year for the first five years of operation?

If UNCC joins a mid-major conference like the Big East or Conference USA, that means that football has to financially support ALL other varsity teams and their operating expenses for travel to Syracuse or Louisville or UConn. Keep in mind that in order to belong to Division I-A, you have to operate a host of men's and women's athletic teams---and they ALL cost $$$$$.


I wonder if UNCC students and alumni think football programs just materialize out of thin air.