re: Danny Sheridan: SEC will expand to 14 or 16

quote:

---

wmr
Danny Sheridan: SEC will expand to 14 or 16
I don't buy that LR is our largest alumni base "by far" anymore. NWA has 450k people. Fort Smith metro has 200k more. Fayetteville has the largest percentage of degree holding adults in the state, and most went to Arkansas for that degree.

LR has the largest number of UCA and Arkansas State graduates, by far, as there aren't a lot of those up here in NWA.

There probably are still more Arkansas grads in LR than in NWA, but its not as large a margin as it used to be.

NWA alums and fans are the ones who pack Baum and (used to and hopefully will again) Bud Walton.

NWA fans (and current students) would be 4 hours from Mizzou, 3 from Ok St and 3.5 from OU.

Right now our closest road trip is Ole Miss.

I was talking about visiting fans coming to Razorback Stadium. OU and OSU would definitely sell out the visitor's section here, easily, every year. Most current SEC teams turn back tickets. The exceptions are Bama and LSU in Little Rock.

Still, I don't want the SEC to expand. Leave it alone.

---

It's only been the past 13 years you even had a true highway to NWA. It's a new trend people are staying in NWA not Little Rock or Dallas. Also, the entire state of Arkansas, a vast majority who did not attend the campus are Hog Fans. Arkansas' enrollment is now increasing because of the Lottery (about time) and the influx of Texas kids.

No your closest road trip from Fayetteville is Ole Miss. The closest from El Dorado, Ark is Baton Rouge, yes Baton Rouge is closer to El Dorado, Ark than Fayetteville. Little Rock is split evenly between Arkansas and Ole Miss.

All of that doesn't change the fact Ole Miss and Mississippi State are always sold out with Hog fans and Little Rock is closer to 6 SEC stadiums than New Orleans which is only 4 in a 350 mile radius.

I've been to Ole Miss and MSU more than once each. We ALWAYS have a sell out for Ole Miss, MSU, Vandy (Man it's been a long time since we've been to Nashville) Bama and LSU. Fayetteville is the same distance to Little Rock as Ole Miss is to Little Rock, almost exactly. Again it doesn't matter rival fans do not bring the revenue it's TV money.

Auburn sells out, Tennessee sells out, Alabama sold out, Ole Miss small fan base and awful team same for MSU each time they play in Fayetteville. However, this year MSU will sell out easily in Little Rock. LSU would sell out in Fayetteville, easily. Shreveport, LA is the 2nd closest SEC school behind Baton Rouge.

I like being farther removed just like Penn State is from the rest of the Big10. Their state is just like Arkansas completely in the region just campus is farther away.

Tennessee brings a title wave of fans and plus Memphis is closer to Fayetteville than Knoxville by over an hour. They will do it again this year like they always have to Fayetteville. I was completely impressed with how Auburn has sold out each time for Fayetteville. They are the farthest school in the West.

Not just that, why in the world what anyone want more than 10,000 Rival fans at your home game? If you want to see fans taking over a stadium go to Little Rock and watch about 15,000 tiger fans regularly and another 5,000 tailgating outside.

Jonesboro (Arkansas State) is literally a stones throw from Memphis and you tell me which side of the state you'd like to visit?
Cotton and Soy Beans or the Boston Mountains with a true metroplex and options, ha, It's not even close and everyone knows it.

Side Note: Have you ever been to Stillwater or Norman, lol, No Thanks! Flat, ugly and not much character. I'll gladly go back to Starkville and Oxford long before I'll ever go back to Stillwater or Norman.

TAMU and UARK were the Engineering schools in the ole southwest conference. I really would not mind TAMU coming in other than their bizarre traditions and complete lack of good looking women. It would bring back a good rivalry with us and would make it work. The only half way rivalry we have right now is LSU and they do not consider it a rivalry more like a pain in the rear.

quote:

---

TigersOfGeauxld
Danny Sheridan: SEC will expand to 14 or 16
quote:
Shreveport, LA is the 2nd closest SEC school behind Baton Rouge.


I think you meant "closest city in an SEC state", but I'm guessing here.

---

I literally gotta stop multi-tasking and read what I type. I know what I mean in my head but it doesn't always transition.

I meant..

Shreveport, LA, 3rd largest city in Louisiana, closest BCS schools are LSU then Arkansas.

Shreveport to Baton Rouge - 260 Miles
Shreveport to Fayetteville - 300 Miles
Shreveport to Ole Miss - 340 Miles

LSU would have plenty of fans from Northern Louisiana travel to Fayetteville.

The bottom line is no one wants to travel if your team isn't all that great unless you are going for the experience. After that you will hardly be a repeat customer unless your teams are good.

Shreveport to College Station, Tx - 230 miles

ETA: that's the closest BCS school to Shreveport

quote:

---

Shreveport, LA, 3rd largest city in Louisiana

---

Wow, I'm surprised that Baton Rouge is still over Shreveport for second-largest in the state. Guess at least some of the post-Katrina refugees stuck around. I know Red Stick at one point was larger than NOLA for a bit.

quote:

---

Big Kat
Danny Sheridan: SEC will expand to 14 or 16
Shreveport to College Station, Tx - 230 miles

ETA: that's the closest BCS school to Shreveport

---

Actually, it's TCU 222 Miles, ha ha. They are Big East bound next year.

I did say BCS which makes you correct. As for SEC goes Ark is #2 LSU is #1.

quote:

---

I think y'all would much rather come to the pretty hills on a brisk evening than ducking for cover in Little Rock.

---

Little Rock gives me flashbacks to when I was in my last year of high school near Jackson, MS. Same bad vibe.

The only time LSU fans get to vist Fayettenam is when we play up at Baum. It's a shame.

If Sheridan says it, you can take it to the bank.

quote:

---

You could be right, but IMO Texas politics won't play a very big part in all this

---

There's a lot of Texas money at stake, the Texas politics will play a huge role.