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Yep, which is why I think the MAC will never happen. Not because our travel becomes terrible, but it turns a bus league into a bus league with one flight every year. People ask why I’m so pro-MW, I just don’t think the MAC would ever consider it. They’d add some slack New York schools over the XDSUs.Quote:
Originally Posted by NDSUstudent
Looks up commercial flights from Reno to Fargo or Fresno to Fargo and tell me that - it'll be at least 1 and quite possibly 2 connections unless you want to fly into MSP and bus 3.5 hours each way. Geography also has much more of a role in this from the inviting conference's perspective other than just travel costs - there's also the factor of how much it benefits the current member schools from a recruiting standpoint and how many eyeballs in market it can add to a media deal. If geography isn't a big factor NDSU would sure as hell be getting preferential treatment over schools like Sam Houston and Kennesaw.Quote:
Originally Posted by NDSUstudent
Beyond eyeball/markets/recruiting, distance is also a very real factor. A lot of schools do actually care if their student athletes will be traveling further as it can take a toll in some sports. Heck, even in the FCS playoffs its considered a factor and significant advantage to be resting at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by Professor Chaos
Additionally, there is a very real cost difference in flights based on distance. There seems to be a myth by some here that all flights are equivalent cost, and thats just not true. Charter flight costs are based on engine run time (hobbs meter). Most commercial flights also are priced on distance and flight legs to some degree. It does cost more to keep a plane in the air longer.
Trying to ignore the reality that geography is a factor won't change it. There's still a good chance we move to FBS, but it may take something like a football only offer to MWC to make it happen. It's highly likely to be either MWC or MAC. I would like to see an all sports move, but not sure that can happen based on some posts from McFeely. He also points out its the conferences calling the shots here, not NDSU.
It would be one connection because of United and Denver, which has 4 flights a day into Hector. I fly all over the west and it isn't difficult, especially with United ditching more and more of their CRJ 200s for real planes. American also flies into PHX and DFW. Fargo is much better connected to the west than the east. We also need a spot in a non-bus league, MWC would fit that while leagues like the MAC would not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Professor Chaos
SHSU and KSU went to the desperate CUSA. I'm convinced the real problem was our school president who didn't want FBS when we were at our peak.
Fair point about Fargo being better connected to the West. MWC really is our best fit from a travel perspective.Quote:
Originally Posted by NDSUstudent
NDSU was never in the conversation for CUSA. They are clearly a SouthEastern oriented conference now. The next schools on deck there are SFA, UCA, EKU, Tarleton. All the chatter says they want to tighten the geography there and reduce travel, not expand it. Most of those schools would be happy if UTEP and NMSU left.
Fargo is the best town in the area to fly out west. That Denver route is clutch when flying anywhere out west. It is otherwise a pain to fly out west from any other airport other than Minneapolis. I do miss the frontier flight to Denver too.Quote:
Originally Posted by NDSUstudent
https://athlonsports.com/college-foo...gon-washington
Could be a fun week.
I've seen this rumor mentioned a couple places and tend to think it's BS until there's some explanation/acknowledgement of how Clemson and FSU would handle the ACC's grant of rights agreement which stipulates that if a school leaves before that agreement is up (which isn't until 2036) they essentially owe a $30M+ per year exit fee. Not even B1G money would let those schools swallow $300-400M in exit fees but maybe some lawyers found a loophole or a way to challenge it.Quote:
Originally Posted by KSBisonFan
Wild. At some point there has to be diminishing returns on adding all of these schools though, right? Or is the intent that you have half of the big dance and CFP money now? 20 teams in a conference, they’ll have like 4 teams with one or fewer losses lolQuote:
Originally Posted by KSBisonFan
Believe what the ACC GoR states is that they don't own or get to keep any of their media rights money, which would be even worse. That basically kills any motivation for a new conference to take them. Don't think there is any "buyout" like other conferences. The document is kept locked in a vault somewhere, but many lawyers are said to have looked at it over the years. It seems like a tough nut to crack.Quote:
Originally Posted by Professor Chaos