10 Burning Questions - Jeff Kolpack

[NDSUFREAK]

10 burning questions
The Forum's Jeff Kolpack tackles the big topics about the Bison as players report for practice today.
1) Who will end up being the starting tailback? We know Tyler Roehl (pictured at right) is the No. 1 guy coming out of spring ball, but Roehl has been a fullback his first two years and a valuable one at that. He had 22 catches for 259 yards last year, several of which went for crucial first downs. At 5-foot-10 and 232 pounds, he has a fullback’s body.

2) Can the Bison beat the Gophers? If ever there was a chance, sans 2007, this year is it. The Bison have a veteran quarterback in Steve Walker, great linebackers and a dynamic return specialist in Shamen Washington. Minnesota, meanwhile, has a new coach, several new players and will break in a new quarterback in a new offensive system.

3) Will Drago finally go national? We’ve seen the booming punts from Mike Dragosavich that seemingly tease the ceiling in the Fargodome. But the senior hasn’t gotten much national attention until being named to a couple of preseason teams last month.

4) Is Craig Bohl the next Ron Erhardt? Yes. There are several parallels to the legendary Bison head coach of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Erhardt took the baton from Darrell Mudra and escalated the Bison to the top of their division for the first time. Bohl is doing the same in Division I’s Football Championship Subdivision.

5) How long will Bohl be at NDSU? This question has been nervously asked by many Bison fans. They want to keep their coach. Bohl won’t take just any top-level Division I job for the money; it has to be a situation where he can win. So the answer to that question is at least two more years.

6) What is the strength of this team? In Joe Mays, Ramon Humber and Mike Maresh, you are looking at the best set of linebackers the Bison have ever had.

7) What is the team’s weakness? There aren’t many, but this is a tie between tailback and defensive tackle, and the reason is simple: Both spots are unproven. Roehl is new at tailback, and replacing defensive tackle Justin Frick will be critical. Mike Brown is the starter, and Matt Gratzek, who has gotten some notoriety in practice, is just a freshman.

8) What was the most significant offseason move? The better answer to this is, who didn’t move? The Bison have their offensive and defensive coordinators in Pat Perles and Willie Mack Garza back and that is a huge plus on a staff that has seen several coaches move on to bigger schools.

9) Can the Bison finish No. 1 in the polls? No. Because the Bison have one year left on their reclassification, they are not eligible for the playoffs and therefore will be left on the outside looking in after the final votes are tabulated. NDSU could very well be the best team in the FCS this year, but most voters will be watching the national championship game on TV, and that carries more weight.

10) If you were to go to one home game, which would it be? Cal Davis is always a dogfight, and the Texas schools (Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston) will be fun tests. But Illinois State on Nov. 3 will give Bison fans a glimpse of the future because the Bison will be joining ISU’s Gateway Football Conference next year

[onbison09]

Great to see players report. Bison could be the best team in FCS this year. That's exciting. We also lost Dillion Forbes from Wisconsin b/c of academic issues. We gained 3 transfers. The full article is at http://www.in-forum.com/Sports/articles/174050.

[TheDoctor]

Lets hear it for the LB's.......ALL PE Majors! ;)

[SDbison]

Since Jeff didn't address most of his questions in much detail he must of wanted us to add comments and some of our own questions (I broke this post into two parts since I exceeded text limitations):

PART ONE

10 burning questions
The Forum's Jeff Kolpack tackles the big topics about the Bison as players report for practice today. Why stop at 10 questions?

1) Who will end up being the starting tailback? We know Tyler Roehl (pictured at right) is the No. 1 guy coming out of spring ball, but Roehl has been a fullback his first two years and a valuable one at that. He had 22 catches for 259 yards last year, several of which went for crucial first downs. At 5-foot-10 and 232 pounds, he has a fullback’s body.
Well there are only about 6 other possibilities for tailback. Most of them have a good shot. I really think Roehl is Bohl's insurance policy should no one step up. Roehl would do a good job, but the offense would not be as deep as it could be with two quality / experienced fullbacks and the breakaway speed of a true tailback would be missed. My guess is Chapman could have the hunger to get back in there and do a great job. Same for Paschall. If Blincoe spent the summer in Fargo, grew stronger and added 10 pounds to his frame he might be a stud. Also can't forget about Brower as he has the potential, not sure if he has breakaway capability though. Then there is McNorton and Voigtlander. If there is a rookie who could step it up I would put my money on McNorton. If he can learn the system quickly and perform at the college level he might be the answer. All taken into consideration there will be much competition for tailback and hopefully someone clearly stands above the rest. With all this talent it would be great to find a solid performer for this year equal to or better than Steffes.

2) Can the Bison beat the Gophers? If ever there was a chance, sans 2007, this year is it. The Bison have a veteran quarterback in Steve Walker, great linebackers and a dynamic return specialist in Shamen Washington. Minnesota, meanwhile, has a new coach, several new players and will break in a new quarterback in a new offensive system.
The answer to this question is simply, yes. Even with some of the question marks for the Bison the Gophers have many more. This is a huge game for NDSU and its fans. The Bison have a quiet confidence and the Gophers just a lot of hot air. My belief is even if on average the Minnesota players are slightly better athletically, the edge goes to NDSU due to superior coaching, training and pride. My prediction, Bison win by 10. Final score 24-14.

3) Will Drago finally go national? We’ve seen the booming punts from Mike Dragosavich that seemingly tease the ceiling in the Fargodome. But the senior hasn’t gotten much national attention until being named to a couple of preseason teams last month.
I am surprised this is even a question. I thought there was some mention last year about NFL scouts already looking at him. Prior to the start of the Minnesota game the FSN announcers said something special about watching Drago's punts during practice and that he would likely be playing in the NFL. Fist things first, Drago needs to keep nailing NDSU's opponents deep. Much as I want to see him show his stuff, another year of Bison offensive proficiency might keep him on the sidelines.

4) Is Craig Bohl the next Ron Erhardt? Yes. There are several parallels to the legendary Bison head coach of the late ’60s and early ’70s. Erhardt took the baton from Darrell Mudra and escalated the Bison to the top of their division for the first time. Bohl is doing the same in Division I’s Football Championship Subdivision.
Bohl is making his own legacy. After the near disaster of the Babich era, Bohl breathed new life into a program rich with tradition. Bohl brought the Bison from near decline in DII to instant success in DI (FCS). I really appreciate his commitment to the program.

5) How long will Bohl be at NDSU? This question has been nervously asked by many Bison fans. They want to keep their coach. Bohl won’t take just any top-level Division I job for the money; it has to be a situation where he can win. So the answer to that question is at least two more years.
Well this is certainly not a question for this year so why include it here. I believe Bohl will want, and need, the success of post season play in FCS to launch him into a good FBS situation. My dream is that Bohl does have a couple years of FCS playoff success and then decides to stay on when NDSU announces its move to FBS. OK, its a dream, but it could happen.

6) What is the strength of this team? In Joe Mays, Ramon Humber and Mike Maresh, you are looking at the best set of linebackers the Bison have ever had.
Again, is this a question? Unless you have been living under a rock you know that NDSU's linebackers are phenominal. Two deep here. They are so balanced that none of them stand out. Jeff forgot to mention another equal, if not more important strength. How about the poise and performance of Walker at QB? The big difference is the linebacking crew has depth for this year and to transition into subsequent years. At QB there is a question for this years back up (hopefully not needed) and who will lead this team into the first year of playoff elligibility?

7) What is the team’s weakness? There aren’t many, but this is a tie between tailback and defensive tackle, and the reason is simple: Both spots are unproven. Roehl is new at tailback, and replacing defensive tackle Justin Frick will be critical. Mike Brown is the starter, and Matt Gratzek, who has gotten some notoriety in practice, is just a freshman.
I really believe the concern about tailback will go away once fall practice is complete and the new heir proves himself during the first game. With two great fullbacks, the pinpoint passing attack of Walker and an outstanding offensive line even a good tailback will look great. I do agree the biggest weakness / concern is on defense. I would say bolstering the line with another bull rusher like Frick is very important. Jeff forgot to mention the gap left by the departure of Dahl. Can someone on this team really fill his shoes? Maybe with some minor changes in defensive schemes the Bison can rely more on the linebackers and keep the secondary focused on the deep passes.

[SDbison]

PART TWO

8) What was the most significant offseason move? The better answer to this is, who didn’t move? The Bison have their offensive and defensive coordinators in Pat Perles and Willie Mack Garza back and that is a huge plus on a staff that has seen several coaches move on to bigger schools.
Hmmmm. There was no real big offseason move? I would have liked to see an experienced D-lineman and Safety from an FBS school transfer to fill the voids. Now that I think about it, wasn't the most significant offseason move the pursuit and acceptance into the Gateway conference. Next season is when the importance of offseason moves becomes more critical in preparation for an FCS playoff run. Who will replace Walker? Is there a diamond in the rough that can replicate Walkers quick ascent from high school, or is a quality FBS QB transfer possible? Sorry guys, I think Mertans is good but he has yet to impress me as capable of performing at the level of Walker.

9) Can the Bison finish No. 1 in the polls? No. Because the Bison have one year left on their reclassification, they are not eligible for the playoffs and therefore will be left on the outside looking in after the final votes are tabulated. NDSU could very well be the best team in the FCS this year, but most voters will be watching the national championship game on TV, and that carries more weight.
So if the Bison were to improve on last year and achieve the unthinkable, an 11-0 season with two victories against formidable FBS foes, how could they not be #1. Especially if many of the teams NDSU beat went on to have good seasons and maybe even make bowl games / playoffs? That would really be something to see them deny a truly great team. I still say the NCAA transition rules are bogus and overly punative to the student athlete.

10) If you were to go to one home game, which would it be? Cal Davis is always a dogfight, and the Texas schools (Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston) will be fun tests. But Illinois State on Nov. 3 will give Bison fans a glimpse of the future because the Bison will be joining ISU’s Gateway Football Conference next year
Which one would it be Jeff? So if you had to pick a #1 and only home game what would it be? Answer the question. As for me it would be the Sam Houston game. I want to see Bomar get his butt knocked to the turf so many times that he will remember the Fargodome as the most unpleasant game of this life. Hopefully there are some well designed blitzes so Mays can introduce himself and leave a mark. Sam Houston could actually be the toughest team the Bison play at home. Even though I am looking forward to all the home games here is my list in order of preference:
1. Sam Houston (see above)
2. UC Davis (no more Aggie victories in the Fargodome)
3. Stephen F. Austin (home opener against a pretty good team)
4. Illinois State (this game should rank higher, but no history)
5. Southern Utah (could be tough if they win a few before this game)


OTHER QUESTIONS:

11) Who will be the biggest surprise to make significant team contributions?
Will there be an amazing Safety or D lineman who will come out of nowhere? Will Chapman or Paschall storm to the top at tailback or will one of the young guys surprise us. Maybe see a big step up performance from Blincoe or Brower. How about unexpected maturity from McNorton or Voigtlander? Also, who will be the next sure handed, go to guy, to replace White at wide receiver?


12) Will the Fargodome average more than 17,000 for each game?
My prediction is yes. Hopefully there are 3 sellouts, or near sellouts, and the average is closer to 18,000 than 17,000.

13) How many fans will Dome staff remove for too much cheering and standing? My guess is as good as yours. Whatever the total is it will be too many. One of the only shameful parts of Bison football that I can think of.


14) What will the game intro video be like?
I hope there is new video material that gives me even more goosebumps. Thunderstruck is an awesome tune but I agree a change to something more current is welcome. Like someone else suggested, how about "Ladies and Gentlemen........"


15) More questions?

[X-Factor]

Good work SD!!!

I think the athletic department needs to do something about the dome staff. Maybe they already have! Let's cross our fingers.

[NDSUFREAK]

Rep points for SD!!!

[Yo]

I agree, SD obviously put a lot of thought and work into his post. Great Job!!:nod: :nod:

[TheDoctor]

How do we give him rep points??? ;)

[Bisonguy]

How do we give him rep points??? ;)

Click on the little scale in the upper right corner of SDBison's post, then make sure the "I approve" box is checked, and add a comment if you so desire, then hit the "Add to Reputation" button.

[Tatanka]

++. well put SD.

[SDbison]

Thanks for the compliments........:bow:
I just had a bunch of thoughts in my head over the past several weeks and Kolpack's article just brought them to the surface. Also, it is warm and very humid with no breeze here in South Dakota today. What better time to sit at the computer and be a postaholic (i.e. drink beer and read / write posts). :bong:

[NDSUstudent]

I think at RB its going to Roehl and somebody else as a 1-2 punch. This has become the thing to do in football. I know some are saying Rohl is too valuable at FB but in my opinion he has too much value to be locked in with just being a FB. He can catch(a must in the WC offense) and is just in general a dynamic player. He is the type of player that you want around the football.

[TheDoctor]

Click on the little scale in the upper right corner of SDBison's post, then make sure the "I approve" box is checked, and add a comment if you so desire, then hit the "Add to Reputation" button.

Thanks! ;)

[sambini]

Very well done SD Bison.

[TheDoctor]

Yes, props for SD ;)

[SDbison]

I was hoping that there would be more discussion on some of Jeffs and my questions, but for the most part this board has debated almost all of them to some degree during the past year. Will be great to hear about how fall practice is going and get ready for the first game.
Some other burning questions I have is how many season tickets have been sold to date? Also, how many teammakers are there at this time? Would be interesting to see the trend over the years. Is this public information and who would have it?
With all the hype about Bison football and assuming season tickets sales are at an all time high, single game ticket sales should also be going very well. Any inside information?

[tcbison]

My question is with some new radio stations coming on board will people still have to pay to listen to the Bison online? I know we can get Thunder Radio but how about the official broadcast? I think everyone should be able to listen to the official broadcast without having to pay. I think we are about the only school that I know of thta makes people pay to listen to a game.

I am fine paying for the video but I have to go to work to watch it because my internet is not quite fast enough.

[SDbison]

My question is with some new radio stations coming on board will people still have to pay to listen to the Bison online? I know we can get Thunder Radio but how about the official broadcast? I think everyone should be able to listen to the official broadcast without having to pay. I think we are about the only school that I know of thta makes people pay to listen to a game.

I am fine paying for the video but I have to go to work to watch it because my internet is not quite fast enough.
You and I are in the same situation tc and I agree access to radio broadcasts of NDSU games should be a no cost feature of gobison. There are thousands of fans across the US that might tune in more often if this was free. Lets send in some e-mails and make it so. Who should we send them to?

[bisonaudit]

Internet radio is basically the only way I've taken in NDSU athletics with the exception of the satellite game for the last 4 years. I don't mind paying a nominal fee as long as the damn thing works. However, this is an interesting extension of the TV no TV arguement. I favor putting as many games on TV as possible, even home games. I firmly believe that it expands the audience for your product over the long haul because you're able to reach so many more people. The same is probably true regarding the web broadcast but to a lessor degree or at least a different degree. Most of your web audience won't be enticed to attend more games because of geography issues but you may be able to attract more alumni dollars with a free broadcast. The other issue is that web broadcasts even at this point are much less a part of our environment than TV. They're still very much for people seeking out a specific product rather than happening across it.

[tcbison]

I live in the Twin Cities and there were Bison fans that went to that game that hadn't been to a Bison game in many years The ones I talked to were wondering how to follow the Bison more and were disappointed that they would have to pay for an online broadcast of the game. Honestly, I think more people from the Twin Cities would drive up to Fargo if they could follow the Bison more. Having some games on FSN will help out tremendously.

[onbison09]

PART TWO

8) What was the most significant offseason move? The better answer to this is, who didn’t move? The Bison have their offensive and defensive coordinators in Pat Perles and Willie Mack Garza back and that is a huge plus on a staff that has seen several coaches move on to bigger schools.
Hmmmm. There was no real big offseason move? I would have liked to see an experienced D-lineman and Safety from an FBS school transfer to fill the voids. Now that I think about it, wasn't the most significant offseason move the pursuit and acceptance into the Gateway conference. Next season is when the importance of offseason moves becomes more critical in preparation for an FCS playoff run. Who will replace Walker? Is there a diamond in the rough that can replicate Walkers quick ascent from high school, or is a quality FBS QB transfer possible? Sorry guys, I think Mertans is good but he has yet to impress me as capable of performing at the level of Walker.

9) Can the Bison finish No. 1 in the polls? No. Because the Bison have one year left on their reclassification, they are not eligible for the playoffs and therefore will be left on the outside looking in after the final votes are tabulated. NDSU could very well be the best team in the FCS this year, but most voters will be watching the national championship game on TV, and that carries more weight.
So if the Bison were to improve on last year and achieve the unthinkable, an 11-0 season with two victories against formidable FBS foes, how could they not be #1. Especially if many of the teams NDSU beat went on to have good seasons and maybe even make bowl games / playoffs? That would really be something to see them deny a truly great team. I still say the NCAA transition rules are bogus and overly punative to the student athlete.

10) If you were to go to one home game, which would it be? Cal Davis is always a dogfight, and the Texas schools (Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston) will be fun tests. But Illinois State on Nov. 3 will give Bison fans a glimpse of the future because the Bison will be joining ISU’s Gateway Football Conference next year
Which one would it be Jeff? So if you had to pick a #1 and only home game what would it be? Answer the question. As for me it would be the Sam Houston game. I want to see Bomar get his butt knocked to the turf so many times that he will remember the Fargodome as the most unpleasant game of this life. Hopefully there are some well designed blitzes so Mays can introduce himself and leave a mark. Sam Houston could actually be the toughest team the Bison play at home. Even though I am looking forward to all the home games here is my list in order of preference:
1. Sam Houston (see above)
2. UC Davis (no more Aggie victories in the Fargodome)
3. Stephen F. Austin (home opener against a pretty good team)
4. Illinois State (this game should rank higher, but no history)
5. Southern Utah (could be tough if they win a few before this game)


OTHER QUESTIONS:

11) Who will be the biggest surprise to make significant team contributions?
Will there be an amazing Safety or D lineman who will come out of nowhere? Will Chapman or Paschall storm to the top at tailback or will one of the young guys surprise us. Maybe see a big step up performance from Blincoe or Brower. How about unexpected maturity from McNorton or Voigtlander? Also, who will be the next sure handed, go to guy, to replace White at wide receiver?


12) Will the Fargodome average more than 17,000 for each game?
My prediction is yes. Hopefully there are 3 sellouts, or near sellouts, and the average is closer to 18,000 than 17,000.

13) How many fans will Dome staff remove for too much cheering and standing? My guess is as good as yours. Whatever the total is it will be too many. One of the only shameful parts of Bison football that I can think of.


14) What will the game intro video be like?
I hope there is new video material that gives me even more goosebumps. Thunderstruck is an awesome tune but I agree a change to something more current is welcome. Like someone else suggested, how about "Ladies and Gentlemen........"


15) More questions?

Have you no respect for tradition??

[BisonSig]

Have you no respect for tradition??

Ummm, can you be more specific as to what Tradition that SD does/doesn't respect?

[SDbison]

Ummm, can you be more specific as to what Tradition that SD does/doesn't respect?
I think he was referring to my suggestion about changing the intro tune and no longer playing Thunderstruck (note the bold text added to my comments). I didn't think thunderstruck was a tradition yet.....I think it has only been played for the last four or five years.

[SDbison]

Ummm, can you be more specific as to what Tradition that SD does/doesn't respect?
BTW BisonSig.......nice sig line.

[Bisonguy]

Thunderstruck has been used, at least in the promo commercial, since 1993 or 1994, or err.... maybe 1995. Somewhere in the Joe Toth era.

[Yo]

IMHO Thunderstruck is a great opening song. We have it on a CD and make sure we play it numerous times before we leave tailgating. It's old yes, but it definately gets the point across.

[imabison]

IMHO Thunderstruck is a great opening song. We have it on a CD and make sure we play it numerous times before we leave tailgating. It's old yes, but it definately gets the point across.
Speaking of that CD, has it been located again for this year or do I have burn another copy. What was it repeated 14 times?

[Gully]

Thunderstruck has been used, at least in the promo commercial, since 1993 or 1994, or err.... maybe 1995. Somewhere in the Joe Toth era.


Ah Joe Toth.....that guy was scary. Wonder "where he is now"? I'm guessing he won't be featured in Bison Illustrated.

[onbison09]

My question is with some new radio stations coming on board will people still have to pay to listen to the Bison online? I know we can get Thunder Radio but how about the official broadcast? I think everyone should be able to listen to the official broadcast without having to pay. I think we are about the only school that I know of thta makes people pay to listen to a game.

I am fine paying for the video but I have to go to work to watch it because my internet is not quite fast enough.

Amen. There is alot of schools on Yahoo sports that charge a subscription for their broadcasts. I'm pretty sure all of the Big 10 does so that is not unusual. It's been so long since I've heard Scotty Miller's voice. I refuse to pay for something that should be free.

[bisonaudit]

Amen. There is alot of schools on Yahoo sports that charge a subscription for their broadcasts. I'm pretty sure all of the Big 10 does so that is not unusual. It's been so long since I've heard Scotty Miller's voice. I refuse to pay for something that should be free.

Why exactly should it be free?

[SDbison]

Why exactly should it be free?
Because free broadcasts promote the university and its athletics. Some fans listening will send their kid to NDSU, become a teammaker, buy a couple tickets, or purchase NDSU apparel because of a sense of association. It is just good marketing. For what they are charging there would be much more return on investment to forgo the $10,000 a year in revenues (can't believe it is even this close to this much) and provide free access to grow the Bison nation. To me this is a no brainer and I would like someone to really make the justification for audio pay access other than just saying I am OK with paying. Actually I would like someone in charge of NDSU media to make that justification.

[Hammersmith]

Because free broadcasts promote the university and its athletics. Some fans listening will send their kid to NDSU, become a teammaker, buy a couple tickets, or purchase NDSU apparel because of a sense of association. It is just good marketing. For what they are charging there would be much more return on investment to forgo the $10,000 a year in revenues (can't believe it is even this close to this much) and provide free access to grow the Bison nation. To me this is a no brainer and I would like someone to really make the justification for audio pay access other than just saying I am OK with paying. Actually I would like someone in charge of NDSU media to make that justification.

Well, number one, prior to this year, NDSU did not own or control the WDAY radio feed. WDAY bought the radio rights to Bison athletics and they decided whether or not to charge. In fact, that may still be the case; I'm far from privy to the details of the new WDAY contract. Even if NDSU now owns the broadcast, I doubt it's revenue that's the issue, it's the expense. The equipment and services needed to webcast a reliable, live internet radio stream can't be free. Also, NDSU currently has a contract with XOS Technologies for the video streaming service. I believe that they set the price for viewers. NDSU may not have a lot of choices on whether or not to charge, or what they charge, unless they spend large amounts of money to build their own webstreaming servers. I think most of us would rather see that money spent elsewhere.

[onbison09]

Well, number one, prior to this year, NDSU did not own or control the WDAY radio feed. WDAY bought the radio rights to Bison athletics and they decided whether or not to charge. In fact, that may still be the case; I'm far from privy to the details of the new WDAY contract. Even if NDSU now owns the broadcast, I doubt it's revenue that's the issue, it's the expense. The equipment and services needed to webcast a reliable, live internet radio stream can't be free. Also, NDSU currently has a contract with XOS Technologies for the video streaming service. I believe that they set the price for viewers. NDSU may not have a lot of choices on whether or not to charge, or what they charge, unless they spend large amounts of money to build their own webstreaming servers. I think most of us would rather see that money spent elsewhere.

I don't think bisozone.com has anything to do with All Access. Does anyone know??

[Bisonguy]

I don't think bisozone.com has anything to do with All Access. Does anyone know??

Bisonzone.com is from Forum Communications. All Access is from NDSU.

[Hammersmith]

I don't think bisozone.com has anything to do with All Access. Does anyone know??

That was my point. A few people were suggesting that the WDAY audio feed should be distributed for free via the internet. As Bisonguy just posted, bisonzone.com(web source for the audio feed) is owned by ForumComm and is not controlled by NDSU. The audio feed that is part of the All Access webcast(handled by XOS) is produced by ThunderRadio and is already available for free directly from their website. I brought up XOS initially, because if NDSU brings the main audio feed in-house, it will probably become part of the All Access package. I think it's XOS that determines pricing, not NDSU, although I could be wrong about that.

[99Bison]

Also, the comment about the cost to stream video over the web is a very valid one. While the web is a fairly inexpensive medium it will still cost quite a little to produce quality streaming video for this... especially if you go from say 100 users to 1000 user or more... because it's "free."

Sure you can then maybe with a 1000 users, do other things to raise money, however it takes time and effort to make it a plausible business and not lose your shirt on it (even you are ndsu or any other school).

[bisonaudit]

Internet broadcasting is still a very immature medium unlike TV or Radio. I'm all for expanding TV and Radio networks and providing those to people 'free' really advertising subsidized. But the web broadcast has little or no advertising to subsidize it let alone generate income and because it's such an immature medium market penetration is low and access is difficult relative to TV and Radio. Because the people listening or watching on the web are seeking out NDSU football there is little to be gained in the way in increased exposure. I'm a demand side guy, I don't think that cost is terribly relevant to price. Theory 1) They're trying to maximize income or minimize losses as the case may be by charging a fee which they believe will maximize revenue. Theory 2) They're constrained by insufficient bandwith or server capacity or what-have-you and are charging a price that will align demand with capacity.

[KC_Hats]

From what I heard early this year when it was announced that NDSU now owns rights to the broadcast the audio will be synched with the video and broadcast by NDSU. I'm not sure what WDAY will do this year. I haven't seen anything regarding renewing my BisonZone subscription. I do know my All Access is up this month and that I will be renewing.

[tcbison]

Because free broadcasts promote the university and its athletics. Some fans listening will send their kid to NDSU, become a teammaker, buy a couple tickets, or purchase NDSU apparel because of a sense of association. It is just good marketing. For what they are charging there would be much more return on investment to forgo the $10,000 a year in revenues (can't believe it is even this close to this much) and provide free access to grow the Bison nation. To me this is a no brainer and I would like someone to really make the justification for audio pay access other than just saying I am OK with paying. Actually I would like someone in charge of NDSU media to make that justification.

Bisoninsider last year for every game had a link to the opposite teams free broadcast. I can't think of anyone that we have played in the during this transition that doesn't have a free online broadcast. All DII and even DIII teams I can think of people can listen online. It seems to me that WDAY has been holding NDSU back and trying to capitalize on the DI move IMHO. On WDAY's website you used to be able to listen online and they would just blockout when NDSU played. The fact that NDSU went inhouse with their broadcasts will really help.

[SDbison]

Bisoninsider last year for every game had a link to the opposite teams free broadcast. I can't think of anyone that we have played in the during this transition that doesn't have a free online broadcast. All DII and even DIII teams I can think of people can listen online. It seems to me that WDAY has been holding NDSU back and trying to capitalize on the DI move IMHO. On WDAY's website you used to be able to listen online and they would just blockout when NDSU played. The fact that NDSU went inhouse with their broadcasts will really help.
Thanks tc for pointing out what I eventually would have.......either many of you are the easiest sale ever, or you just don't get it. BTW, can I have your e-mail addresses and phone numbers as I have a bunch of direct market stuff I want to present to you. The point is there are hundreds of universities across the country that provide FREE access to radio coverage over the internet. Why the heck do they do that?

[Hammersmith]

Thanks tc for pointing out what I eventually would have.......either many of you are the easiest sale ever, or you just don't get it. BTW, can I have your e-mail addresses and phone numbers as I have a bunch of direct market stuff I want to present to you. The point is there are hundreds of universities across the country that provide FREE access to radio coverage over the internet. Why the heck do they do that?

Your point is easy enough to understand, it's just that it seems like you've been blaming the wrong people. Do I think the main radio broadcast should be free? Yes. But that decision was not within NDSU's control until this year. If you want to blame someone, blame WDAY. It was their decision to try and profit off of the webcast. Now, if there is still a charge to listen to the audio this year, blame NDSU all you want; it will be justified then.

KC, I'm glad to hear that the Miller/Hansen/Hallstrom audio will be part of the All Access webcast. I was hoping that would be the case, but I hadn't heard any confirmation. Hopefully, XOS will allow the audio to be distributed for free over their network or that NDSU can come up with another option to distribute the feed without charge.

[99Bison]

Bisoninsider last year for every game had a link to the opposite teams free broadcast. I can't think of anyone that we have played in the during this transition that doesn't have a free online broadcast. All DII and even DIII teams I can think of people can listen online. It seems to me that WDAY has been holding NDSU back and trying to capitalize on the DI move IMHO. On WDAY's website you used to be able to listen online and they would just blockout when NDSU played. The fact that NDSU went inhouse with their broadcasts will really help.

Off the top of my head, Ball St. game wasn't free.... for video that is.

[onbison09]

Your point is easy enough to understand, it's just that it seems like you've been blaming the wrong people. Do I think the main radio broadcast should be free? Yes. But that decision was not within NDSU's control until this year. If you want to blame someone, blame WDAY. It was their decision to try and profit off of the webcast. Now, if there is still a charge to listen to the audio this year, blame NDSU all you want; it will be justified then.

KC, I'm glad to hear that the Miller/Hansen/Hallstrom audio will be part of the All Access webcast. I was hoping that would be the case, but I hadn't heard any confirmation. Hopefully, XOS will allow the audio to be distributed for free over their network or that NDSU can come up with another option to distribute the feed without charge.

+++++++++ Thunder Radio was good but it just wasn't the same as My Oh My.