Originally Posted by
MrAugustana
Based on everything that has been posted/debated for the past year or so, it seems one of the primary reasons to vote them in is security for postseason auto-qualifiers, particularly if IPFW or Western Illinois bolts in the near future.
Yes, I know, everyone would rather add UMKC, Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, or even one of the D2 Minnesota schools, but, like I said a couple of posts ago, there seems to be zero indication that any of those schools want to jump into the Summit League. So saying what you (the general "you" meaning NDSU/USD/SDSU fans, etc., not you specifically, Honeybooboo) would prefer doesn't bring it to reality or make it suddenly more likely to happen. Augie appears to be the only realistic short-term option.
As others have said, if that's the only reason Augie is being added, that's not necessarily a great reason. But I doubt that's the only reason those schools would allow Augie in.
Assuming Augie can raise the funds necessary to compete, you are adding a high-academic institution in a hub city for this region (with major predicted growth), and, since they have finally started to genuinely invest in athletics over the past 10-15 years, an athletics program that has consistently seen high-level success across all sports at their current level. Yes, there is a major, major jump between D2 and D1, but my point is that, if Augustana continues to invest in athletics to the same degree (or a greater degree) at the D1 level as they have been at the D2 level, there's clearly an indication they have a chance to be competitive at a high level across several sports. So adding another successful program--if Augie can get to the point where they are consistently competitive--helps the Summit League beyond just keeping the Summit post-season eligible if someone leaves. They bring some other benefits to the table that could make the conference stronger, not weaker.
Yes, they'll most likely have to go Pioneer League for football. My guess is it's hard for multi-National Champion football fans to envision playing at such an embarrassingly "low" level (and I mean that as a compliment, sincerely). At the same time, Augie in future seasons could theoretically end up having a home schedule of Minnesota Crookston, the Univeristy of Mary, Minot State, Upper Iowa, and probably 1-2 good teams like USF or Mankato in any given season. If you want to tell me that fans would be any less excited to see Pioneer League games than a schedule of that nature, I don't know that I'd agree with you. Especially if Augie were to be competitive in the Pioneer League within a few years. It's not like we pack the stands for Minnesota Crookston but would have a half-empty stadium for Drake or Valparaiso. So while the Pioneer League would be an embarrassing step down to you guys, there's a chance Augie fans would engage just as much as they do any other NSIC season, other than the loss of 2-3 marquee matchups like USF, Mankato, and Northern State. Or maybe they'd hate it. I don't know. I'm not a huge football guy, so maybe the hardcore Augie football fans would disagree with me.
Augie fans (plural)? I'm like 99% certain I'm the only one on here. And lurking? Come on now. I rarely lurk.
As far as what you do or don't care about, I know a lot of you guys probably won't believe this, but some of us Augie fans don't really care a ton about "reuniting with the old NCC," whether it's for football or other sports. In my case, more than anything I'm just tired of seeing SDSU and USD get all of the attention in Sioux Falls when neither school is even located in the city. It really bugs me that Augie lost its beat writer at the Argus two seasons ago and basically just gets leftover table scraps for news coverage in the local media. If going D1 makes us more relevant overall, that's more important to me than getting to play the old NCC schools a few times a year.
So while us coming to town probably won't be all that exciting for you guys, I'm sort of in the same boat. If it picks up Augie's attendance thanks to drawing back in the "glory days of the NCC" diehards at Augie, then that's a bonus. But ultimately my hope is that, if it happens, making the jump keeps Augie relevant. For good reasons. Not for Centenary reasons.