So what are the top-10 markets?
So here are the top-10 media markets, according to Digital Syndicate Network. Below each I’ve added a few of the football-playing colleges that are in that area or close to that area. I reason that if there’s more expansion by the conferences, they might target non-BCS schools that have some regional familiarity with these markets. These schools might be Georgia State’s competition for a spot, depending upon the conference and its needs:
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Philadelphia
Villanova
5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
6. Dallas-Fort Worth
UTSA, Texas State, North Texas
7. Boston
8. Washington D.C.
Towson, James Madison, Old Dominion (though it’s a regional stretch)
9. Atlanta
Georgia State, Georgia Southern (like ODU, a regional stretch).
10. Houston
UTSA, Texas State, North Texas
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30 comments Add your comment
Anderson
February 29th, 2012
5:49 pm
Atlanta is the only market in the Southeast that is in the top ten. I can see why Georgia State is seen as potentially attractive to a few conferences. It will be interesting to see where GSU is by 2020.
Panama
February 29th, 2012
5:52 pm
UTSA gets zero coverage outside San Antonio and Houston IN Houston is like we are in Atlanta, that is #3
Old Dominion in DC? Good luck with that. Strictly Hampton Roads/Norfolk.
North Texas is a very distant 4th in the Metroplex if that.
Texas State doesnt get any media coverage even in San Antonio. Dont know if they get any in Austin. Given the Juggernaut in Residence I would guess no.
Georgia Southern in Atlanta? They have like 17k alumni here out of 5.8 million people. YOU (meaning AJC) dont even cover them.
As for Philly, you forgot BEast headed Temple. Villanova averages more for basketball than football.
RidgeRunner
February 29th, 2012
6:10 pm
I would say Ga South is in Savannah’s and Augusta’s market but definitely not ATL’s. The same with ODU, they are in Norfolk-Newport News market. In fact ODU posters big a big deal about being in that market.
Doug Roberson
February 29th, 2012
6:25 pm
I said it was a stretch.
GSU is in Atlanta
February 29th, 2012
6:30 pm
UTSA and Texas State are not in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market, and UTSA, Texas State, and North Texas are not in the Houston market.
ODU has a decent sized market with the Virginia Beach area, and UTSA with San Anotonio. Both of those area are also fertile recruiting grounds.
We will see how this factors into any decisions by any conference, but I hope that we make it into an FBS conference.
Joshua
February 29th, 2012
7:11 pm
Towson isn’t in DC media market. It’s in Baltimore’s
Doug Roberson
February 29th, 2012
7:40 pm
Again, a stretch
GSU is in Atlanta
February 29th, 2012
7:43 pm
The Texas markets are a huge stretch.
GaSouGradInDenial
February 29th, 2012
9:02 pm
In a previous ranking, Atlanta had passed Boston, so this is interesting news. But, Doug, I noticed that Statesboro isn’t in your list at all. Are you making up facts as you go because you work for an Atlanta-biased paper that is based in, well, Atlanta? You city slickers make me sick.
JohnnyT
February 29th, 2012
9:10 pm
There’s already 2 schools in the FBS in the Atlanta market. Don’t need a third.
GSU is in Atlanta
February 29th, 2012
9:20 pm
Johnny T is scared.
GSU is in Atlanta
February 29th, 2012
9:22 pm
Also, there have been only 2 since the 1890’s, so I would say that there is room for more this day and age. The times they are a changin’.
Panther Pride
February 29th, 2012
9:34 pm
I would say that the fact there are ONLY two schools in the Atlanta market makes Georgia State an attractive school. The state of Florida has 8 FBS schools, Alabama has 4 FBS schools, Tennessee has 4 FBS schools and Georgia only has 2…that’s an untapped market.
But I guess only time will tell how desirable a school like Georgia State really is in comparison to others
JohnnyT
February 29th, 2012
9:41 pm
Interesting- I didn’t realize Grambling State University was in Atlanta. Sweet username.
GSU is in Atlanta
February 29th, 2012
9:53 pm
@Johnny T, I didn’t either, is there anyway you could let me know where in Atlanta it is located?
GaSouGradInDenial
February 29th, 2012
10:31 pm
Johnny, don’t give these city slickers the time of day. They still think they’re getting a football team.
What, what?
panther
March 1st, 2012
1:28 am
There is a big difference between us and a lot of these schools. I don’t know how they match schools to markets, but as you say, some of these would be a real stretch to include them in those markets. GSU on the other hand is right in the centre of the Atlanta market so there is no stretching necessary. This should be one of our biggest selling points.
Former Texan
March 1st, 2012
9:15 am
Once you leave San Antonio, UTSA is not covered at all. This might change in the next few years since they’re now FBS. Aside from that, DFW market would never cover UTSA. Houston market has UH, and Rice. In the DFW area, I can see North Texas being covered.
GSUGrad06
March 1st, 2012
11:35 am
GaSouGradInDenial – Statesboro is not on the list, because it’s not on the list.
ATLFever
March 1st, 2012
12:04 pm
You do realize that GaSouGradInDenia is a Georgia State fan, right?
GStateBen
March 1st, 2012
12:12 pm
Villanova is a private University who’s administration is basically saying they are Big East or bust (a huge mistake, IMO).
Only James Madison and Georgia State are less than located within 50 miles to their relative DMAs who are not FBS.
JMU does not have the interest to go FBS because of budgetary concerns.
We stick out in a HUGE way and thankfully, that will be taken care of very soon.
GT
March 1st, 2012
12:40 pm
So, why did Doug forget to include Georgia Tech and UGA in the Atlanta region? It’s already saturated.
Doug Roberson
March 1st, 2012
1:25 pm
GT: the list is only non-BCS schools
GT
March 1st, 2012
2:40 pm
So, why no Valparaiso in the Chicago market? No Hofstra, Columbia, Wagner, Monmouth, Iona, Stony Brook in the New York market? No Sacramento State or UC-Davis in the San Francisco market? No Holy Cross or Brown in the Boston market? No Morgan State, Howard and Georgetown in the DC market? How about the FCS runner-up, Sam Houston State in the Houston market?
Dan Holland
March 1st, 2012
3:15 pm
North Texas is an FCS school.
Sheesh
GSU is in Atlanta
March 1st, 2012
3:31 pm
GT, Doug has only listed schools that are going to FBS in the next few years, or are already FBS but are in the Sun Belt. None of the one’s listed are interested in joining the FBS.
Sacramento is not part of the San Francisco market, that is why UC-Davis and Sacramento State are not on here.
GT
March 1st, 2012
8:23 pm
So Towson is going to the FBS? HAHAHAHAHAHA
GSU is in Atlanta
March 1st, 2012
8:58 pm
Didn’t notice Towson, but they are not going FBS.
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