OT: Memphis is building a 102,000 sq ft Indoor Football Practice Facility

[Knight_Light]

Memphis Football, coming off their first conf title (shared) in almost 45 years, will soon start on construction of their new 102,000 sq practice facility, that will be located adjacent to their outdoor turf and grass practice fields.

New Football facility will include:


A) Their first ever Indoor practice field
B) New team lounge
C) New Coach and administrative offices
D) New Academic center
E) New Dining Hall

 

[vkj91]

It's not surprise. They are trying to use FEDEX money to buy into a better situation.

 

[Scarlet Pride]

Good for them. That city would really get behind a winning football team.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

amazing what you can do with FEDEX money.

 

[Scarlet Pride]

Why do people just assume that FedEx is paying for this? I haven't seen any mention of FedEx dollars. Their largest gift $10 million came from an alumni couple.

 

[restartRU]

i wonder if Memphis is positioning itself ahead of UConn if there is more conference expansion. hope so.

 

[megadrone]

They're a potential for Big 12 Eastward expansion, they wouldnt' be a bad (necessarily bad) partner or link to WVU.

But that woudl probably be their only fit and that's a long shot.

 

[miketd1]

YouTube 'Memphis locker room tour'. They definitely 'all-in' on football...

 

[srru86]

Originally posted by Scarlet Pride:
Why do people just assume that FedEx is paying for this? I haven't seen any mention of FedEx dollars. Their largest gift $10 million came from an alumni couple.

Yahoo Sports from 2010...
FedEx chief offers millions to buy Memphis a better conference

 

[Bamm Bamm Rubble]

Originally posted by megadrone:
They're a potential for Big 12 Eastward expansion, they wouldnt' be a bad (necessarily bad) partner or link to WVU.

But that woudl probably be their only fit and that's a long shot.

Big 12 needs to get out of tornado alley if they want to make real money with their tv Network. They should really considers taking their network as Far East as Florida and far west as Cali. Coast to coast would provide 24 hour programming and viewing.

 

[imbazza]

Amazing what you can do when you win a conference title in FB in the south

 

[srru86]

Originally posted by Bamm Bamm Rubble:

Originally posted by megadrone:
They're a potential for Big 12 Eastward expansion, they wouldnt' be a bad (necessarily bad) partner or link to WVU.

But that woudl probably be their only fit and that's a long shot.

Big 12 needs to get out of tornado alley if they want to make real money with their tv Network. They should really considers taking their network as Far East as Florida and far west as Cali. Coast to coast would provide 24 hour programming and viewing.

B-12 network subscriber...

B1G network subscriber before eastward expansion...

B1G subscriber with Maryland and Rutgers

 

[LC-88]

Yep. If RU won the Big Ten title, we would have cutbacks. "They obviously are overfunded since they won the championship. We need to cut funding so they will finish somewhere in the middle."

 

[RUfinal4]

if the B12 expands:
- BYU would be the 1st choice because they offer TV viewers
- Memphis, Cincy, and UCF would be considerations for the 2nd addition

Memphis has the advantage of a strong hoops team (Cincy has a similar advantage)

From a hoops perspective would a matchup between Kansas and Cincy / Memphis twice a year draw enough eyeballs to make either or both schools financially feasible to the TV networks?

From a football stand point Memphis, Cincy, and UCF are not considered top tier teams to draw TV viewers. The only way it may make sense is if they start a B12 network and need territories for subscribers.

 

[ecojew]

Memphis has spent several years in the football wasteland. Institutionally, I don't really see them as a good institutional fit in any of the P5 conferences. If the B12 really feels it needs to expand and wants to go east, then Memphis could possibly land there along with Cincy, though a B12 move into Florida makes more sense. The B12 doesn't really have any "city" schools, in the sense that the schools student bodies and fan bases are mostly found in the city for which the university is named. So both Memphis and Cincy would represent a shift in that regard. I think that the more likely outcome for Memphis, if it is to move, would be to end up in a post-raid ACC, to replace schools like UVa and UNC (B1G), FSU and Clemson (or GT, B12), and/or NCState and VPI (SEC). At that point, the remnants of the ACC won't be able to be too fussy about academics (they've already got Louisville anyway, right?) and it will be a more basketball oriented conference than it is now, which would add to Memphis' appeal.

 

[ecojew]

Memphis has spent several years in the football wasteland. Institutionally, I don't really see them as a good institutional fit in any of the P5 conferences. If the B12 really feels it needs to expand and wants to go east, then Memphis could possibly land there along with Cincy, though a B12 move into Florida makes more sense. The B12 doesn't really have any "city" schools, in the sense that the schools student bodies and fan bases are mostly found in the city for which the university is named. So both Memphis and Cincy would represent a shift in that regard. I think that the more likely outcome for Memphis, if it is to move, would be to end up in a post-raid ACC, to replace schools like UVa and UNC (B1G), FSU and Clemson (or GT, B12), and/or NCState and VPI (SEC). At that point, the remnants of the ACC won't be able to be too fussy about academics (they've already got Louisville anyway, right?) and it will be a more basketball oriented conference than it is now, which would add to Memphis' appeal.

 

[cubuffsdoug]

Originally posted by LC-88:
Yep. If RU won the Big Ten title, we would have cutbacks. "They obviously are overfunded since they won the championship. We need to cut funding so they will finish somewhere in the middle."

So true when it comes to the idiots who run NJ.

 

[RU#1fan]

Memphis had one of the best turnarounds in CFB last season.
They were absolutely horrible in 2013 and then they come back to win a share of the AAC crown.

 

[derleider]

Originally posted by megadrone:
They're a potential for Big 12 Eastward expansion, they wouldnt' be a bad (necessarily bad) partner or link to WVU.

But that woudl probably be their only fit and that's a long shot.

Well except the part where Memphis is still 750 miles away from Morgantown. That likes saying we should have added Georgia Tech to the Big Ten as a good link to Rutgers.

 

[sherrane]

Originally posted by restartRU:
i wonder if Memphis is positioning itself ahead of UConn if there is more conference expansion. hope so.

Memphis and Cincinnati make a lot of sense for the Big 12. Cincinnati will help open Ohio recruiting and the Memphis area is the strongest high school football region in Tennessee. Either school would help to "build a bridge" to West Virginia.


I don't see UConn as being a legitimate target for the B12 as well as UCF (as someone mentioned in another thread).

 

[DJ Spanky]

Originally posted by restartRU:
i wonder if Memphis is positioning itself ahead of UConn if there is more conference expansion. hope so.

Don't be ridiculous - everyone knows that the Big Ten is just waiting on UConn's acceptance of its offer to join the league.

 

[RUfinal4]

Originally posted by sherrane:

Originally posted by restartRU:
i wonder if Memphis is positioning itself ahead of UConn if there is more conference expansion. hope so.

Memphis and Cincinnati make a lot of sense for the Big 12. Cincinnati will help open Ohio recruiting and the Memphis area is the strongest high school football region in Tennessee. Either school would help to "build a bridge" to West Virginia.


I don't see UConn as being a legitimate target for the B12 as well as UCF (as someone mentioned in another thread).

Since it is about money and needing schools that can generate $20 mil in a tv contract the 1st choice needs to be BYU. BYU currently earns about $1 mil per home football game which doesn't include all the Big 12 names. Bringing Texas and Oklahoma into the BYU schedule will probably increase the value to make BYU a $20 mil school.

Adding a Championship game adds $10 mil

Would adding a Cincy or Memphis equate to an additional $10 mil of value? In football probably no but adding in hoops it may reach that level.

To make this really work would be for the B12 to start their own network. That is where the value of having Utah and Ohio will help.

I think what is really happening is the B12 is waiting for the ACC GOR to run out before trying to add FSU and Ga Tech. At the same time they may add BYU and a Memphis / Cincy.

The only way they may react quicker is if they continually lose out on the football semifinal selection.

BYU TV deal

 

[BoroKnight]

I really can see the Big 12 just sitting tight until they can grab FSU. They actually have a really good TV deal considering their largely under-populated territory, and with only 10 mouths to feed they are in a pretty good position. And I've said a zillion times, during the BCS era they got burned for having a conference championship game, so they know it can work both ways.

Cincinnati and Louisville made perfect sense as a bridge to West Virginia before Louisville went to the ACC. But Memphis makes zero sense as a bridge to anything. Well, maybe Tupelo.

But if Memphis can elevate its program on the heels of a very good 2014, and become one of the best of the non-Gang of Five schools, you never know. But looking at it right now, nope. Not enough of a plus to split the pie another way.

BYU will be left hanging until the appropriate 12th is available. Which might be never.