FBS move fans. Here's a good read

[Tatanka]

This is going to be a fantastically awesome offseason.

Sent from somewhere using my Windows phone.

[VanClubPres]

This is going to be a fantastically awesome offseason.

Sent from somewhere using my Windows phone.

Is there an "in before the whole site lock" gif?

[natstar1]

The scholarships are a TINY part of the funding needed. Every sport would require significant increases in coaches salaries. Football in the MWC is one example. Wyoming is nowhere near the top of that conference and yet they completely blow our budget out of the water.

I wasn't suggesting that it would be a drain on the athletic budget it was just a question: which female programs will get these scholarships?

[MAKBison]

Track............

I wasn't suggesting that it would be a drain on the athletic budget it was just a question: which female programs will get these scholarships?

[BlueBisonRock]

Track............

Track? Track is a good use.

[tjamz]

Alright, I gotta chime in on this as well. I'm 100% for a move to FBS if/when FBS becomes the 2nd tier of CFB AND plays a tournament for a championship. Then and only then do I think that NDSU will get enough local support to warrant a move up.

Right now it's just not in the books for us to move, even if we did have a conference that wanted us. The best "fit" for similar sized universities would be MWC of course, best fit geographically would be Big 10 or Big 12. I really don't see any of these conferences knocking on our doors asking us to join the party.

Having said that, I'd love to see NDSU start building towards the future, and that starts with donations/contributions from not only existing TeamMakers but also from those of us (self included... looking at what I need to donate yet this year for tax purposes and ALL donations for rest of year will go directly to TM) that haven't been TM's in the past. I honestly think that TM needs to improve their marketing and not just go after the white elephants, because let's be honest, there are only so many Jim Engstad's and Sanford Health's in the FM area and you can only squeeze so much juice out of them. However, I believe that there are MANY individuals who don't think they can qualify to be TeamMakers because they don't have thousands to give.... well, $100 gets you in. And it's tax deductible. I'm fairly certain that a LOT of fans and local businesses would participate if they knew more about the process and benefits.

After that I think we need to start looking outside of Fargo for donors. However, NDSU does have a bit of a bad rap with many western ND folks due to the president's house ordeal, etc.... all they hear is the negatives about NDSU. A media campaign in western ND would go a long long way towards securing donors out that way. (not just talking oil fields either, talking about farmers, ranchers, business owners, etc...)

For the TL/DR crowd: For a move when BCS breaks off and FBS starts tournament. Need to start raising money now. Have ideas.

[Faron79]

At least for now...I'm NOT in favor of this.

As some have said, we're just too isolated geographically.
I don't think we can attract that many more students OR scholarships that fast.
Facilities changes just ain't gonna happen that fast, like it or no...
I feel the NCAA sports/conference-structuring will change again too.
Therefore..."conference wishing" or invitations will be irrelevant soon.
Playing in a "Who cares Bowl"? No thanks...

Just MY opinions.
>>> Do I WANT to move up sometime relatively soon? YES.
>>> Is it realistic on many levels yet? NO.

Faron

[NorthernBison]

I wasn't suggesting that it would be a drain on the athletic budget it was just a question: which female programs will get these scholarships?

It's a fair question but Title IX isn't really about scholarships. It's about resources devoted to programs and balance. People focus so much attention on scholarships (44 scholarships is half a million dollars). That's nothing in the overall scope of a move that would likely increase the Department budget by $10-15 Million ar a minimum.

I'd suggest that it would involve much more than simply adding scholarships to existing women's programs. It would probably require adding a sport or maybe two in addition to bumping the dollars contributed to the existing sports for coaching, recruiting, etc. There would likely be larger increases on the women's side to maintain balance. I have a feeling we aren't exactly a long way into the "green" right now when it comes to Title IX. There are 3 methods of maintaining compliance and you only have to meet one. I'd be shocked to learn that we comply under all three methods.

[roadwarrior]

I am pretty certain that all of our current women's sports already have the NCAA limit of scholarships funded. So to balance 22 more in football would require additional women's sports to be added.

[bdg64]

I am pretty certain that all of our current women's sports already have the NCAA limit of scholarships funded. So to balance 22 more in football would require additional women's sports to be added.

Well have a women's sports added or men's sports cut so they match. That was part of the reason why UNO cut their football team when they moved up to D-1, easier to get rid of the team than trying to add the scholarships or teams in women's sports.