Conference question (siouxrock need not apply)

[BisonInTexas]

I really dont think too many programs are going to be moving down that really dont want to.

I agree. I read somewhere that San Jose State said they would drop the football program before they moved down to D1AA. There will be a lot of resistance from the other schools to reclassification as well.

Craig

[NDSU_grad]

I was just at Nevada's site and they averaged (according to their site) about 18,000 per home game. So I wouldn't look for them to move down. I remember reading something about San Jose State dropping football if they were forced to move down. That would leave Idaho, and I don't think the BSC wants a 9 team league. I think the BSC has to look at it from a risk management perspective. They would gain two flagship institutions in their respective states with very competitive DII athletic programs that would be in the Big Sky indefinitely. If the NCAA does force some of these lower tier DI schools, who's to say they would even want in the Big Sky, and would not position themselves for another jump into DI.

[100_proof_grizzly]

BisoninTexas and NDSU Grad both hit the nails on the head. San Jose St. will join the Big West California Bus League if they get forced down to I-AA. Nevada has been mentioned as a possible addition to the Mountain West so I feel there's no chance that they'll move down. The only question mark is on Idaho. Granted with the body bag games they play each year, they do make enough money to pay all the bills. However they have had several losing seasons in a row and attendance is definately suffering so they will probably play more body bag games each year to compensate. The conference that Idaho is in, the Sun Belt is very aggressive at maintaining their I-A status. They almost have enough members to guarantee the 5 home game each year requirement, but it is still up to the schools to average over 15,000 in PAID attendence. So to break even in I-A you either need to big attendence (20,000 plus) each home game (preferably 6 or 7) or go on the road for big paydays (hence body bag games). You are either on one side of this fence or the other. My beloved Grizzlies have been mentioned as a possible member in the Sun Belt to help out the western schools in the conference (Idaho fans are lobbying for this). I-A will have a shakeup in a few years and who knows what will happen, but there will be a lot of unhappy schools left in its wake.

[SDSUFAN]

Until the Presidents of the BSC meet on Thursday, Feb 20 and a formal press release is made public, its all very much speculation about what going to happen. *I hear this crap about media exposure and how it does not exist in the Dakotas because we are under-populated.

Well if Portland and Sacremento are such a hot media spots, why is there going to be a meeting? Why isn't Portland State filling the Rose Garden or what they call that NBA palace in BB and why did they have to move back to a D3 facility on campus for home games? Why are there not thousands filling the football stadiums at Sacremento and Portland? *It just goes to show that some institutions in large population centers never get the media attention no matter how hard they work at it.

In fact these urban institutions seem to get less publicty than what SDSU gets in the Brookings Register. I just dont buy these arguements about media and population centers. Most people in LA hardly know former BSC member Cal State-Northridge exists. Ask some one from East LA and they will have to get their atlas out to give you directions.

The BSC really cashed in on the media on the admission of Cal State-Northridge in the LA media market. The only problem, it was the wrong kind of publicty. **Perhaps some of the BSC presidents remember that former member and what they thought they would get in the form of media exposure. Instead the BSC got a black eye from a corrupt football program at Northridge.

Southern Utah has been struggling at D1AA for a number of seasons and can barely beat D2 teams because they only fund about 40 scholarships. They have had time to suceed but have not done so.

St. George, Utah is scenic but thats about all. Lets say St George is not Salt Lake City.

I am hoping and praying that the BSC presidents will give consideration to SDSU and NDSU as possible expansion members. *Thats about all we can ask for and its NDSU and SDSU turn to attempt to suceed or fail.

[siouxrock]

y r u banning me? i was jsut postin. i am third for posting on this site. u cant throw me out. i keep this site alive mostly

[Bisonguy]

OK, SiouxRock, you are being warned. If you can't keep on topic and raise your game a bit, I'll ban you. You'll get two more warnings.

-Tony

I will translate:

Suerocker,

U g3t 2 more w4rnings b4 ur b4nn3d.
K33p teh p0sts c00l, and u won't be b4nn3d, d00d.

For those out of junior high, I said:

You have two more warnings before you are banned. Keep the post cool, and you will not be banned, dude.

[siouxrock]

i goto high school

[Bisonguy]

Close enough. :

[Guest]

They are having the meeting on the 20th because NDSU and SDSU asked for it. And these two schools deserve the respect to be listened to. That is not to say the Sky initiated this meeting and they have said expansion is not at the top of agendas, right now.

[BisonMav]

According to today's Fargo Forum, the schools are finally talking about a new football conference. Similar lineup to what has been discussed in several threads in the past.

Fargo Forum:
NDSU; UNC; South Dakota State University, Southern Utah State College, Cedar City; University of California-Davis; Cal Poly-San Louis Obispo; and St. Mary’s College, Moraga, Calif.