Summit Expansion?

[MrAugustana]

Western Illinois was here before we even became a part of the Summit. If they were coming to the conference today would I be in favor of adding them, nope I wouldn't. If we are going to add someone just for shits and giggles the Summit should be looking at the a Twin Cities which is a area that would still be minimal travel costs for the whole conference as a whole and where there are many alumni from multiple teams that are already in the Summit.

What happens if the Sugerdaddy gets mad at the administration and says the wallet isn't going to open for a bit (it happens we watched it to the school to the North). Small Alumni base to draw from, small enrollment to get increased fees from. I don't want anything to do with a program that has no history with the Summit and that if things go wrong is going to be crying that we can't afford this or can't afford that or we are not going to fully fund this or fully fund that.

These are all fair points. Still not sure I'm seeing/following where the siphoning funds comment comes into play. If we can't afford things or can't fund things, does the Summit have to make up that difference or something?

Also, if we can't secure long-term funding commitments, I would imagine it would be really stupid for us to try to make the jump. So far all we've done is announce our intent to transition. Until a realistic funding plan is in place, I would hope the actual transition doesn't occur.

[Professorbum]

And while you are struggling you are siphoning off resources from the conference.

Augie brings nothing more than a cheap bus trip and a program that bows to a sugar daddy.

If and when the conference starts adding programs the size and funding of Augie, in geographical areas that do not bring a major upside to the conference it would be time for us to seriously consider moving on.

They bring baseball. That actually is something we need.

[Yote 53]

These are all fair points. Still not sure I'm seeing/following where the siphoning funds comment comes into play. If we can't afford things or can't fund things, does the Summit have to make up that difference or something?

Also, if we can't secure long-term funding commitments, I would imagine it would be really stupid for us to try to make the jump. So far all we've done is announce our intent to transition. Until a realistic funding plan is in place, I would hope the actual transition doesn't occur.

Western Illinois is just that, over in Illinois. They are in a different region where they call upon a different group of corporate sponsors and donors. Augustana is in the Dakotas and will be calling up the same corporations for sponsorships as USD, SDSU, UND, and NDSU. Every dollar they give to Augustana is a potential dollar that could have gone towards one of the 4 other schools.

This isn't too hard to figure out.

[jrd]

Serious question for Mr Augustana is the Augie fan base, alumni, students and boosters asking to move up to DI? The reason I ask is because I don't see this as grassroots movement, I see it as people in power in SF wanting this to happen so SF can be part of a legitimate sports league. The Canaries are about done, the G-League is kind of meh in basketball, I'll give you the Stampede they are legit but Sioux Falls wants to part of something significant in the world of sports. That is what pisses me off, we already have SDSU and USD within an hour of SF and the fan support from that city is mediocre to lacking, as I've said before SF doesn't travel. Also I agree with Yote 53 above, businesses allocate X number of dollars to donate for collegiate athletics the pot will now be divided three ways instead of two. I don't hate Augie but everything about it says DII or NAIA, your a small private school with limited resources, it's where you have thrived in the recent past and where you should stay. Football in the Pioneer League will be expensive with travel and will eventually fail, it wouldn't surprise me to see Augie dropping football within 10 years of moving up, which would be a shame.

[MrAugustana]

Western Illinois is just that, over in Illinois. They are in a different region where they call upon a different group of corporate sponsors and donors. Augustana is in the Dakotas and will be calling up the same corporations for sponsorships as USD, SDSU, UND, and NDSU. Every dollar they give to Augustana is a potential dollar that could have gone towards one of the 4 other schools.

This isn't too hard to figure out.

I misunderstood his implication. I thought he was trying to say that Augustana's inclusion would take away funds from the Summit League itself as a conference. Not that it would take away from the corporate sponsorships of four of the schools in the conference.

If corporations see more value in sponsoring "lil Augie" than their majesties the Dakota 4, wouldn't that be somewhat of an indication that Augie at least deserves to be part of this conversation? I don't know a ton of highly profitable organizations that see value in investing their funds into programs or institutions that don't provide some value in return. It's not like Augie has any power to force Sanford to give them money. If Sanford wants to give them money, it's because Sanford sees a reason to give them money. And if that takes away from SDSU or USD's funding, those institutions should have no problem getting funding from somewhere else if they are the high and mighty class of the conference.

I understand that you don't like the idea of Augie earning sponsorship money that USD could otherwise be getting, but if Augie is getting that kind of funding and support, it seems odd to say they don't deserve a seat at the table, period.

If anything, it sounds like your issue is with whichever sponsors see more value in supporting Augie then supporting USD.

[Vet70]

I don't know a ton of highly profitable organizations that see value in investing their funds into programs or institutions that don't provide some value in return. It's not like Augie has any power to force Sanford to give them money. If Sanford wants to give them money, it's because Sanford sees a reason to give them money.

Denny Sanford has enough money he doesn't need some value in return. His reason can be as simple as he wants to give someone money.

[MrAugustana]

Denny Sanford has enough money he doesn't need some value in return. His reason can be as simple as he wants to give someone money.

Then why is anyone concerned about losing their piece of the pie?

Side note: the University of Minnesota can tell you firsthand that's not entirely accurate.

[tjbison]

Then why is anyone concerned about losing their piece of the pie?

Side note: the University of Minnesota can tell you firsthand that's not entirely accurate.

I'm guessing because Sanford is a SF/Fargo based business the schools not in those direct cities are more worried

Sanford could sponsor Augie as they could draw much more locally in SF than Verm or Brookings?

Same in Fargo..no way Sanford stops giving to NDSU as it's a advertising maching to be linked to them here, NDSU does have Scheels to help also. So financially I dont think NDSU is worried. I would say it's more status driven and recruiting competition driven

As for UND I dont know but I'm guessing Sanford doesn't do much with them..but I could be wrong

[MrAugustana]

I'm guessing because Sanford is a SF/Fargo based business the schools not in those direct cities are more worried

Sanford could sponsor Augie as they could draw much more locally in SF than Verm or Brookings?

Same in Fargo..no way Sanford stops giving to NDSU as it's a advertising maching to be linked to them here, NDSU does have Scheels to help also. So financially I dont think NDSU is worried. I would say it's more status driven and recruiting competition driven

As for UND I dont know but I'm guessing Sanford doesn't do much with them..but I could be wrong

Oh, I totally understand what you're saying and I don't disagree. I was just replying to Vet70's comment about Sanford throwing out money like candy (paraphrasing).

[Vet70]

Oh, I totally understand what you're saying and I don't disagree. I was just replying to Vet70's comment about Sanford throwing out money like candy (paraphrasing).

Let me paraphrase more accurately---he could throw out money like candy.