Biggest Athletic Event in Bison History

[CaBisonFan]

As I read on this board a while back...the overwhelming opinion was that our appearance in the Big Dance was the biggest athletic event in Bison history, even though we lost in the first round.

As another thread discusses the possibility of Missouri State and Illinois State entertaining the thought of moving up to the FBS...I can't help but wonder why a move to the FBS would be such a bad thing for NDSU.

I remember Boise State sticking it to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. To me, it was one of the biggest and best bowl games in recent history...and it wasn't even the championship game. And I look at schools like Utah, Louisville, West Virginia, Missouri, and other 'not-so' programs from the past...and how they have moved into the limelight.

While a national title in the FCS would be totally, totally awesome...if a bunch of MVFC schools want to make the move...I say go for it.

Question: What's the biggest football game that we've had since the transition began...in terms of excitement and fan interest?

It is my opinion that we should begin plans....(planning...as in the beginning stages of planning)...for an outdoor stadium that seats 25-30 thousand people. Set the stage. If a core of the the MVFC wants to move up...I say jump on the wagon. Even if we don't move up...I feel that an outdoor stadium should be in the plans for the future. I know...we need a basketball arena. Absolutely! I'm talking about plans...after an arena is built. You want a real college football atmosphere...then put it outside.

To me...finishing with a big bowl game and being ranked highly in the FBS would be a lot like going to the Big Dance. If midwestern states like Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas can do it...we can.

Would I like two or three FCS national titles? You bet !! Nothing wrong with it. It would be huge...but I believe that when we joined the MVFC, we joined an upwardly-mobile conference with its eye on bigger things. As another writer put it...the WAC would be the likely conference if we wanted to move up. Could be. Every trip to a WAC city would be like a bowl environment. Recruiting would be a good sell.

[WYOBISONMAN]

The win at Montana was key in showing NDSU was a legit football school to the rest of DI-AA at that time. But, the biggest win ever was going to Minny and spanking Brewster's Gophers.

[roadwarrior]

Question: What's the biggest football game that we've had since the transition began...in terms of excitement and fan interest?

The first game against Minnesota. Hands down no question.

[CaBisonFan]

The first game against Minnesota. Hands down no question.

I have no argument with that. I sincerely thought there was a good chance that we would get blown out. It showed that we had the talent, coaching, and team concept to play with an FBS bowl team...at their house. Actually beat up on them pretty badly most of the game...except in the red zone.

[TheBisonator]

You know CA, I was reading your whole post, and I was thinking to late last night where I was watching a replay on CBSCS of an Air Force/Wyoming game last year at Wyoming, and I thought of how cool it would be if we were in the same conference as Wyoming. We're basically identical to them in so many ways athletically and academically, except for the athletic budgets, of which Wyoming's was almost double ours last year (12.5 million for NDSU to 23 million for WYO). I really think we should strive to be like a Wyoming with a better football program. I don't see much difference between NDSU and Wyoming as far as potential fan base. F-M is 6-7 times larger than Laramie, the distance from F-M to the Twin Cities isn't much more than Laramie to Denver (3.5 hours compared to 2.5 hours), and ND has 110,000 more people than Wyoming. We actually have a larger season ticket base for football than them, but the thing that puts us behind them is our shitty basketball gym. I would like nothing more than to see a 4,500-seat upper deck installed above the west grandstand of the FFD and an 8,000-seat arena addition, giving us capacities of 24,000 and 8,000 for the big 2 sports. Then some kind of western conference realignment could maybe push us into an FBS conference.

Sorry for rambling, but I think FBS will be our ultimate destination 15-20 years from now. We have everything for the move except for the facilities, which is what we would need to invest in for it to happen. We'd also have to at least double our athletic budget. Hell, if UND could posibly achieve an $18 million budget by their first active DI year, what's stopping NDSU from breaking $20 million soon??

[Herd]

Wyoming gathers up almost all the financial resources of their entire state, while ND is very different with NDSU, UND, Mary, Minot . . . etc, etc. If NDSU were a 1 horse show in ND ala WY, I have no doubt that we could produce a $25-35 million dollar budget and be standing just outside the BCS conferences. The same would be true for a combined Montana university.

[EndZoneQB]

Wyoming gathers up almost all the financial resources of their entire state, while ND is very different with NDSU, UND, Mary, Minot . . . etc, etc. If NDSU were a 1 horse show in ND ala WY, I have no doubt that we could produce a $25-35 million dollar budget and be standing just outside the BCS conferences. The same would be true for a combined Montana university.


All in favor say "I" :hide:

FBS is a dream, but likely a pipe dream. Unless maybe the admin have something they are planning amongst themselves to eventually move up... :stir:

[ndsubison1]

lets do something at the FCS ranks first, then we can worry about going FBS

[CaBisonFan]

lets do something at the FCS ranks first, then we can worry about going FBS

Part of the move up...IMO...would need to include a high level of success in the FCS. I don't mean that we should jump in the next 5 years. It's more like 10-20. But planning for a stadium needs to begin at some point...soon. Football needs to remain as the big dog.

Outdoor football...where you can smell the fall weather...and the aroma of tailgating. :nod:

If there is any truth to the Missouri State and Illinois State rumor, I predict that others in the conference will be looking at it seriously. I could foresee a group move. My hunch is that Mr. Chapman is licking his chops at the thought.

[stevdock]

Football season needs to start soon so that topics like this can go away. Sorry I know many of you want to move, but I think it would be a horrible move for NDSU football.

[WYOBISONMAN]

We have just completed the move to FCS. Funding hopes for a BB areana has all but disappeared. We need to compete at the FCS level and forget about a move to the FBS. We have plenty to accomplish and prove in our new FB conference.

Geez......when is kickoff.

[CaBisonFan]

We have just completed the move to FCS. Funding hopes for a BB areana has all but disappeared. We need to compete at the FCS level and forget about a move to the FBS. We have plenty to accomplish and prove in our new FB conference.

Geez......when is kickoff.

The economy will come back...and the arena will be built. It is not dead. It's on 'hold.'

I would like to see 7-10 years of outstanding success in the FCS, at least. In that time-span...I'd like to see an outdoor football stadium built. Maybe ten years from now. Bison football needs an outdoor stadium...whether it's FCS or FBS. The Griz stadium is a perfect model. You can cut the atmosphere with a knife at every game. Been there for good games...and bad games. The dome was built as a civic arena at the wishes of a few city leaders/planners. They 'used' the Bison to get it built.

I am of the opinion that dome teams are at a disadvantage in inclement weather on the road...which appears to be the norm during the playoffs.

I predict that a large core of the MVFC will begin plans for moving up within the next few years. Schools like ISU and MSU are tired of being the small kid in their state. I don't blame them. Also...the Gateway is going to suffer the loss of Cal Davis soon...and Cal Poly would dearly love to follow them. The Big Sky may be an exception.

[stevdock]

The economy will come back...and the arena will be built. It is not dead. It's on 'hold.'

I would like to see 7-10 years of outstanding success in the FCS, at least. In that time-span...I'd like to see an outdoor football stadium built. Maybe ten years from now. Bison football needs an outdoor stadium...whether it's FCS or FBS. The Griz stadium is a perfect model. You can cut the atmosphere with a knife at every game. Been there for good games...and bad games. The dome was built as a civic arena at the wishes of a few city leaders/planners. They 'used' the Bison to get it built.

I am of the opinion that dome teams are at a disadvantage in inclement weather on the road...which appears to be the norm during the playoffs.

I predict that a large core of the MVFC will begin plans for moving up within the next few years. Schools like ISU and MSU are tired of being the small kid in their state. I don't blame them. Also...the Gateway is going to suffer the loss of Cal Davis soon...and Cal Poly would dearly love to follow them. The Big Sky may be an exception.

With the Dome barely paid off why would you expect the public to pay for another stadium that is not needed right now?? Because let's be honest, NDSU can not fund raise enough money to pay for ANOTHER stadium. Plus I don't think there is any way that we can consistently get over 20K per game when we can't sell out the dome every game in an off year. I was all for moving up to FCS but am completely against FBS.

[EndZoneQB]

Plus I don't think there is any way that we can consistently get over 20K per game when we can't sell out the dome every game in an off year. I was all for moving up to FCS but am completely against FBS.


Are you serious? I guarantee we could get atleast another 5k here RIGHT now if we had the seats available. A bunch of games have been standing room only, and I personally know people that haven't even bothered to get tickets if it wasn't weeks before the game because they knew it was going to be sold out. Did you forgot what little amount of student tickets are available for the games? We could probably put another 2-3k students in the stands just to start with!(if not more!) We failed to sell out one home game last year, that had absolutely no bearing on anything, AND we were having a down year. If we were bringing in FBS opponents, there would be NO issue.

Attendance should be the LAST of our worries. If we can put 30k in the metrodome, theres no reason we can't put 25-30k in the stands in Fargo, especially in another 5-10 years.

[CaBisonFan]

With the Dome barely paid off why would you expect the public to pay for another stadium that is not needed right now?? Because let's be honest, NDSU can not fund raise enough money to pay for ANOTHER stadium. Plus I don't think there is any way that we can consistently get over 20K per game when we can't sell out the dome every game in an off year. I was all for moving up to FCS but am completely against FBS.

IMO...it is needed. IMO...an outdoor stadium would create a more collegiate environment. Enlarge and improve the student seating...and they would come. Put them in a place where they can see the whole flow of the game.

The dome was never built 'for' the Bison. A couple of civic leaders and/or employees wanted a convention center. They 'used' the Bison to get it. It's a really nice indoor facility, but it's not a football stadium.

Get the BB arena built...and in the meantime...start planning for outdoor football. FBS would be down the road. I predict that the MVC will have the desire to meld with the MVFC over time...and when that happens...several of the stronger members will want to move up in football.

It's happening in the Gateway. Cal Davis is all but gone. Cal Poly is looking at it seriously. The FCS is a non-entity in CA. These 2 schools would like the state to know that they exist. Something similar is apparently going on with Missouri State and Illinois State. Others will follow.

Football is the big dog. That's where the money is. Gotta spend it to make it. We're in DI now.

[4mcruenomore]

I firmly believe that an outdoor 25-30k Dacotah Field on campus, owned by the university and not the city of Fargo is where it's at. It will happen, give it time IMO. BUT, we need to start winning again, maybe a couple of national championships and getting some ASU, Montana, Maine etc.. home games would help.

[CaBisonFan]

I firmly believe that an outdoor 25-30k Dacotah Field on campus, owned by the university and not the city of Fargo is where it's at. It will happen, give it time IMO. BUT, we need to start winning again, maybe a couple of national championships and getting some ASU, Montana, Maine etc.. home games would help.

Bravo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CaBisonFan]

Are you serious? I guarantee we could get atleast another 5k here RIGHT now if we had the seats available. A bunch of games have been standing room only, and I personally know people that haven't even bothered to get tickets if it wasn't weeks before the game because they knew it was going to be sold out. Did you forgot what little amount of student tickets are available for the games? We could probably put another 2-3k students in the stands just to start with!(if not more!) We failed to sell out one home game last year, that had absolutely no bearing on anything, AND we were having a down year. If we were bringing in FBS opponents, there would be NO issue.

Attendance should be the LAST of our worries. If we can put 30k in the metrodome, theres no reason we can't put 25-30k in the stands in Fargo, especially in another 5-10 years.

And from what I've heard about the student ticket experience on game-day, streamlining that would be a REALLY good start.