I'd much rather watch the Bison vs the Vikings. Or any college game over an NFL game for that matter. But an uprising 'also pro league' will struggle mightily.Quote:
Originally Posted by TAILG8R
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I'd much rather watch the Bison vs the Vikings. Or any college game over an NFL game for that matter. But an uprising 'also pro league' will struggle mightily.Quote:
Originally Posted by TAILG8R
Bless me father for I have sinned. I do a double-take when scrolling through the guide and see MLF (major league fishing) and think of MILFs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TAILG8R
:rofl:................Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammerhead
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2025/7/9/...ignment-option
Interesting ...
That would be a big blow to MAC if Ohio and Northern Illinois both leave about at the same time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhoRepsTheLurker
The MAC has certainly fallen down the pecking order of conferences. Top 2-3 teams in the MVFC would consistently win that league.Quote:
Originally Posted by blackdiamond2
Based on what is causing the consternation, I don't think expanding the footprint even further is going to be in the cardsQuote:
Originally Posted by WhoRepsTheLurker
The same website had an article on possible additions about 6 months ago:Quote:
Metllen’s reporting suggests Ohio— and perhaps other MAC members— express concerns with the conference’s broadcaster-influenced decision to schedule weeknight games leading to declining attendance at games and that the conference’s most recent full-member additions (Buffalo in 1999 and UMass in 2025) have or will resulted in increased travel costs.
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2025/1/17...alignment-2026
Don’t agree with that article placing us in Tier 3 “unlikely” for MAC.Quote:
Originally Posted by abc123
We might not be the first school they would call, but I think we could be in the mix if they decided to expand or backfill.
Unfortunately, it looks like Ohio to SBC is unlikely so we probably won’t find out soon. SBC appears set to add either Louisiana Tech or WKU, and it is believed CUSA will not backfill if that occurs. SBC would go back to 14, and CUSA would hold at 10.
We need PAC to make another move and shake things up again, ideally poaching more MW teams.
MW and MAC do remain our best two options imo, if either one gets poached.
its odd that they keep saying that the dakotas are a package deal when not a single one of the dakota schools thinks that.Quote:
Originally Posted by abc123
It's one of the telltale signs that most writers have no inside info or clue about which schools are targets for expansion.Quote:
Originally Posted by reformedUNDfan
I mean one of the Dakotas thinks like that :)Quote:
Originally Posted by reformedUNDfan
only one dak school has been willing and able to make solo move in the d1 era ..........and we know how that went.
Zero Dakota schools moved football only.Quote:
Originally Posted by skunkapekiller
true...but only one school went solo in anything from the other 3...point is ...1 school trying that again is almost at zero...it'll be 2 or all 4....
with all the tarleton state to the _________________ you wonder if the pres of tsu even answered the phone when Fenton called and if he did he said "who"..."what"..."stop calling"
interesting to see what happens with pac12/mwc stuff now....
Not remotely true for a football only move.Quote:
Originally Posted by skunkapekiller
true...but a fb only invite from the mw or mac (mac is almost a zero percenter considering the mac didn't like the addition of AAU major metro Buffalo).....is not happening.
it's all sports or nothing for the mw for the daks, mont. and idaho
So why would the MW add Northern Illinois as a football only? That's 1 team on an island and 600 miles further east than us. They are the only team in the central time zone, the most valuable for TV time slotsQuote:
Originally Posted by skunkapekiller
Also Buffalo is in the MAC so I'm not following
Reality is football only is much more likely. Traveling every 2 years in football makes more sense than traveling every year for Olympic sports
Funny no mention of the legal battle ...Quote:
Originally Posted by DePereBisonFan
https://www.denverpost.com/2025/07/1...ac-12-dispute/
Pausing indeed, but pretty much the same thing she said last fall. We'll see ...
It’s a bit more nuanced that this.Quote:
Originally Posted by HerdBot
1) FBS conferences generally prefer all sports members, partly driven by the requirement for them to have 8 full members or lose status. MW converted Hawaii to full member status for that reason, in spite of additional travel expenses. They revert to a football only member when necessary, usually when it is a unique situation involving longer distances (eg: Hawaii and NIU). Nobody really wants to send 16 sports clear across the US if they can avoid it. Even ACC had to work around things in an unusual manner to make that work.
2) FBS conferences generally try to avoid FCS additions for appearance reasons. The probability of adding a FCS team for football only feels relatively remote. It is more likely that MW would add/upgrade UC Davis before adding another FCS school as football only, given that choice. The parallel would be when the Big East offered to upgrade Villanova to FBS years ago, but Villanova declined.
I think our opportunity will most likely come for full membership in MW, if they lose enough schools to be forced into adding FCS members.
There’s also a chance of MAC adding a western flank/pod, but it probably needs to include more than NDSU. I would guess 2 or 4 dakotas in that scenario.
That's kind of obvious since no team is going to move to the MW without knowing how much they would get from the media rights deal, which expires after this season and the PAC stole most of their valuable TV partners. That's why a similar TV deal was announced by the PAC 12 with their old TV partnerQuote:
Originally Posted by DePereBisonFan
Also, TNT/TRU and the MW opted out of their existing TV deal
Couple that with the poaching fees lawsuit and they may be tight on money for the short term
I anticipate it happening when the lawsuit is won. No reason they should lose it
Then I fully expect us to be in the conversation as a football only. They probably add 2 more teams
If the PAC was smart they would target MW targets right now. They have all the leverage and that's why they are doing a frivolous lawsuit
Quote:
Originally Posted by HerdBot
Actually, all the new schools were added without knowing what the new tv deal would be. At this point it appears that the flagship provider will be Fox. CBS is also in the picture and they are going to announce these along with other providers in two weeks or so.
Gloria addressed this with the Big Mountain and towards the end discussed possible FCS expansion and the reason for the "pause" right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5XFBeqBuQ
Pertinent stuff starts about 7:35
Good info. Although we know the Conference USA and WAC teams were getting paid peanuts so it's a guarantee they are going to get more, even if the new media deal is lessQuote:
Originally Posted by MWC
And the MAC only paid NIU roughly 2 million so they are in a better spot now
But NDSU signed a 10-year, $21.9 million dollar media rights deal with Learfield back in 2020, that averages out to be 2.19 million.
So it would take a few bucks to sway them
Also the Missouri Valley has a deal with ESPN that gives at least 2 games a year on the big ESPN and it's almost always NDSU and South Dakota State
And the FCS Playoffs are actually great exposure we had 2 hone games on the big ABC last year plus the National championship on ESPN on the Monday Night Football time slot
On a positive note, I doubt the Missouri Valley has a substantial exit fee
why niu? Chicago......Quote:
Originally Posted by HerdBot
NIU is a solid program and I would love to play them. Being in Chicago had nothing to do with them going to the Mountain West. The fact they are a good brand with years of exposure on MACtion is why. They also reside in the Central Time Zone, something the MW needs for better TV time slotsQuote:
Originally Posted by skunkapekiller
But NIU is like #27 on Chicago's map with a plummeting enrollment. Using media markets as a measure worked when regional TV deals were a thing but if you want to choose on media market, Denver and Kansas City should be worth a fortune. Oh wait, they are bottom quartile Summit League teams
There is a reason we have a larger current TV deal than all the MAC teams. We are the best brand and people watch. We were rolling MAC teams back in 2006 with a D2 roster
niu and the phrase "a good brand" don't go hand in hand...
when I said "chicago"....I meant "location"....central time zone, near the 3rd largest city in USA, and expands exposure and recruiting east
The comment she makes about not knowing if the governance rules would/will change in the middle of an FCS team's transition is a non starter. It's just a talking point everyone accepts so she doesn't have to provide any other details or info about why not NDSU (or insert your favorite FCS team) specifically. You can't tell me that an FCS school that applies for and is accepted into transitioning to the FBS wouldn't have that path set in stone and any changes to rules after that point would be for future applications/transitioning schools.
I'm not upset that she's saying it as it makes perfect sense as a way to deflect having to talk details of any kind regarding FCS schools. I just think it's silly anyone would buy that as the actual reason for not adding an FCS program in their last growth cycle. When the time comes and they add an FCS school there will be no talk about being worried of governance changes during their transition.
JY is on the governing stuff. Gloria did actually state why they are not looking at FCS schools..The CFP i.e. the P4 doesn't not want any more FCS schools and the MW does not want to get side ways with that bunch. There is no compelling enough reason to go down that road. I personally don't think they are looking to add anybody at this point, anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by TAILG8R
I see her point but don't agree with it. I mean in theory they could do a 10 year transition period and jack the entrance fee to 20 million. It would be a lawsuit waiting to happenQuote:
Originally Posted by MWC
I think it's a myth since they left the window open for FCS teams to fund up to 105 scholarships which really makes them FBS. In theory NDSU could fund more scholarships than every MW school right now. No need to obviously but I guarantee top teams will use NIL to essentially fund non scholarship players
I still stand by the prediction nothing happens until the lawsuit and media deal is resolved. MW has their 8 members and that's all they need for next year
It will be fun to watch this develop
every MW school?Quote:
Originally Posted by HerdBot
The media deal will be announced in 2 weeks or so. The first hearing on the lawsuit stuff is September 8th. The door is not closed on FCS yet because Davis will be stepping up football in a couple years. I believe that is already baked into the tv deals. It sounds like there will be at least 4 providers with one maybe being streaming. I don't think they will add anybody if there is not a provision in the contract that the providers will pick up the tab..I don't think anybody in the MW is interested in taking a haircut to add some school.Quote:
Originally Posted by HerdBot
As far as the lawsuits, the MW is going to receive some amount of money, to be determined. However, it is money they did not have before that they are now losing . The conference is not broke. I think they will settle before the trial but who knows. At any rate, it is not holding anything up as far as the tv deals or the membership. It will be a weird lame duck year with schools leaving but what the hey. It is always an adventure out here in the west.
The "governance rules" she is referring to is most likely around FBS minimum requirements and associated costs. It would apply to all schools.Quote:
Originally Posted by TAILG8R
There is a lot of talk that costs (eg scholarships, pay, and other auxiliary costs) are going to be pushed WAY up by P4 in an attempt to force some of the G6 schools to drop down. There have been rumors around a few of the lower budget FBS teams struggling already to pay the bills.
Rumors also it could eventually take $50-70m budget to be in FBS. Quite a few would be forced out if so. Hard to say where all this lands in 3 years.
An interesting question is if the gate is unofficially "locked" at this point.Quote:
Originally Posted by MWC
Most believe CUSA is not going to backfill the two members they lost in the last round. There had been talk of SBC adding 3 members, but they only took one from CUSA.
What will be telling is what happens when the next round of realignment occurs if a conference becomes in jeopardy of dropping below 8 members?
I'd be very surprised if there isn't 3 D1 levels by '30Quote:
Originally Posted by BigHorns
My hope is a new conference (snowbelt or whatever you want to call it) to be created at that time with members that make geographic sense.
You're hoping for logic and reason to win out?Quote:
Originally Posted by NI4NI
Prepare for disappointment.
Meanwhile, in dinkytown - https://www.startribune.com/new-u-st...etes/601420575
Wouldn’t the SCORE act prohibit this?
Too many moving parts right now to get a clear picture of the future, but I’d be wary of any 'split' or '3 D1 level' talk. Ironically, these guys never complained about FCS move-ups until NDSU was on the clock, and it’s clear that they want things to align perfectly for them. CFB needs a boss or some governance to rein in the power conferences a bit imo
I'm always prepared for that. LOL If greed can F it up, it will.Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Sicatoka
Wasn't that supposed to be the NCAA?Quote:
Originally Posted by WhoRepsTheLurker