With huge hopes for a big season ahead for the MTSU Blue Raiders Football Team, the hopes and the season may be big, but the payoff will be small.
Conference USA Having Money Struggles
According to the Virginian-Pilot, the conference is anticipating receiving less than $3 million in 2016-17 from its television contracts. C-USA is a 14-team league, so at an approximate $2.8 million, each school is set to get $200,000.
The SEC made nearly $500 million in television revenue in 2014-15. C-USA itself is distributing over $15 million in revenue in 2015-16.
The problem? Part of it is folks are unplugging from cable. Personally, this writer blamesthat trend on companies like Comcast, Direct TV and others for not providing customer service, bad service and over charging for it all. The other is if you aren’t in the “Power 5” conferences you can’t compete monetarily. And then there’s the fact that Conference USA has it’s own issue with greed. 12 teams in the Conference, and the loss of two of their biggest draws, East Carolina and Memphis, contribute to the problem also. What was a once strong conference is a hodgepodge of teams scattered from here to the heart of Texas.
The conference will have games televised on CBSSports, America Sports Network, BeIn Sports , and a few games on ESPN including the Conference Championship. MTSU vs. Vandy will be televised on SECN.
Only the Sun Belt Conference teams (MTSU’s former conference) make less than Conference USA’s.
Home Game Times and Broadcasts Announced
With just 81 days from the season opener, Middle Tennessee has finalized home game times for the 2016 campaign.
The Blue Raiders will open the season at home against Alabama A&M with a 6 PM kickoff from Floyd Stadium. It will be Band Day as the home team carries a 19-3 record at Horace Jones Field over their last 22 outings.
On Sept. 24, the Blue Raiders open Conference USA play against Louisiana Tech where it will be Family Weekend and Blackout. The game will be broadcast on ASN and kick at 6 PM.
Homecoming weekend will see Middle Tennessee host long-time rival WKU on Oct. 15 at 1:30 PM. The Blue Raiders and Hilltoppers have met five times on Homecoming with MT owning a 4-1 advantage.
The Blue Raiders will open the final month of the regular season against UTSA on Nov. 5 for the annual Salute to Veterans and Armed Forces game. Kickoff is set for 1:30 PM.
The regular season finale will be on Nov. 26 against FAU. Senior Day begins at 4:30 PM and will be broadcast nationally on beIN Sports.
Away Times , Tickets, Broadcast Announced
With the start of the 2016 football season just over two months away, the Blue Raider ticket office is now accepting orders for away game tickets including MT vs. Vanderbilt.
The September 10 MT-Vanderbilt game will be the first meeting between the two programs in Nashville since 2005 and BRAA members and season ticket holders are required to place their ticket orders prior to Wednesday, July 20. Seats will be assigned based upon priority rank within the BRAA points system and due to a high demand there will be ticket purchase limitations. Members may request more tickets than their priority level allows but those additional seats will not be located with your priority seat assignment. Following is a breakdown of how the assignment of tickets will work: BRAA Donor Level (Purchase Option) Blue Champion, Legacy Circle & AD Circle (8 tickets) Silver Raider (6 tickets) Loyal Raider & Blue Raider (4 tickets) Lightning, True Blue, and Blue & White (2 tickets)
Once the BRAA priority purchase date of July 20 has passed, the Blue Raider ticket office will start to assign seats. Tickets purchased after the July 20 date will be sold as best available. The game will be televised on SECN.
In addition to the MT vs. Vanderbilt game, additional road games on sale include 9/17 vs. Bowling Green, 10/22 vs. Missouri, 10/29 vs. FIU, and 11/12 vs. Marshall (6:00 on ASN).
The Conference USA Championship is Dec. 3rd On ESPN/ESPN2.
To purchase your 2016 season tickets or order your away game tickets, contact the Blue Raider ticket office at 615-898-5261.
