A new and better FBS thread

[El_Chapo]

Aac mwc cusa..... Tick tock. Ndsu is waiting

[ByeSonBusiness]

A school dropping athletics completely? Good.

As much as we've been programmed to believe athletics is "co-curricular" at all levels, it's becoming more and more hogwash. School is school; sport is sport. "Student-athlete" is somewhere between misnomer and oxymoron.

Want little Johnny or Janey to be a star athlete? Two words: Canadian model -> private clubs not normally affiliated with academic institutions, and when they are they are private academic institutions. Mom and Dad should be paying for all, full price, of their offspring's athletic endeavors. We are socializing the cost of sports at public institutions across the tax base. Why is a fixed income retiree paying for HS athletics? For the school, yes; athletics, no.

And I'd pull athletics out of all universities. Communities would still support what is important to them. Grand Forks would likely have a Western Hockey League franchise. Fargo would likely have a football team in some new league. But sports that can't generate the funds to play would disappear, and so what. That's the free market. Why are we socializing the costs of sports that have little broad interest and can't self-sustain at the gate.

St. Francis dropped 19 sports and an athletic department? I'd say they took an honest look at themselves, realized they are a university first, and prioritized.

I wouldn't call the model "Canadian." I'd call it the "everywhere outside America" model. I dont think there is anything wrong with either way of doing it.

[Hammerhead]

That’s a silly take. They’ll save millions in coaching salaries, travel costs, and athletic department support staff.

Travel costs for them are relatively low since there is only one conference opponent more than a 4 hour drive from their campus.

[BigLakeBison]

The operators of private sports clubs would find a way to get talent in their programs.

As far as "positives", there are other mechanisms to get kids those same positives without the costs of athletics. We've been programmed to believe that it has to be athletics. I learned just as much about hard work, tenacity, responsibility, leadership, commitment, working on the farm or at a job during HS as I did wearing a hockey jersey.*

*Before you say it: club team. Paid my own way, or worked, or begged for private donations, for gear, travel, etc.

Fair enough. Those experiences will need to come from somewhere though and sports have typically been an easier sell as far as getting "buy-in". Working on the farm or at a job doesn't always have kids lining up to "try out". Private sports clubs can only do so much without taxpayer subsidies. The operating costs are high and will likely become higher if the cost of facilities no longer is tied to schools and other public entities built by taxpayer funds. Your scenario would likely result in less kids participating in sports overall which in my opinion isn't a positive even with the tax dollar savings.

[The_Sicatoka]

Your scenario would likely result in less kids participating in sports overall which in my opinion isn't a positive even with the tax dollar savings.

If you can show the ROI is there, I'd have to listen. I haven't seen such data.

[BigLakeBison]

If you can show the ROI is there, I'd have to listen. I haven't seen such data.

Financial ROI or societal ROI? I guess I just believe that the intrinsic value of sports is beneficial to youth and society overall. If it goes to a full pay for play scenario, the overall participation in youth sports likely decreases and without something to replace it I think it would be a negative for society at large. I would say the same for band, choir, orchestra, debate, drama, robotics, etc. If all of those activities are uncoupled from academics, we lose a lot of opportunities for positive youth activities. I think the argument you are making is stronger at the College level but at the youth, middle and high school level I would have a hard time getting behind it.

[BigHorns]

If you can show the ROI is there, I'd have to listen. I haven't seen such data.

The ROI is a US olympic team development system that is pretty dominant on the world stage.
Also, provides many scholarship opportunities, some for kids that otherwise might not be able to afford college.

It's up for debate whether those things, plus gender equity in sports are worthwhile. Currently, its so engrained I can't see it changing.

If you want to drop olympic sports, will likely need to drop all sports like St Francis did.

[El_Chapo]

Liberty Fan Page

Sidelines - Liberty
@SSN_Flames
These are all the D1 FCS Schools that are actively trying to make a move to the FBS as we speak:

NDSU
Austin Peay
EKU
Abilene Christian
North Alabama
Tarleton State
Southern Utah
Utah Tech
SFA
UTGRV
Central Arkansas
KSU (2024)
Delaware
Eastern Washington

[ByeSonBusiness]

Liberty Fan Page

Sidelines - Liberty
@SSN_Flames
These are all the D1 FCS Schools that are actively trying to make a move to the FBS as we speak:

NDSU
Austin Peay
EKU
Abilene Christian
North Alabama
Tarleton State
Southern Utah
Utah Tech
SFA
UTGRV
Central Arkansas
KSU (2024)
Delaware
Eastern Washington

Thought you said Stony Brook liked us being fcs?

[23Bison]

I’m seeing a lot of kids getting invited to camp this summer from Texas (not just Frisco area) Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona and Washington St. must be a sign for our inclusion to MWC. Pretty much locked in at this point.