I honestly don't see the downside to independence, relative to staying in FCS. We aren't disrupting much by leaving the FB-only MVFC. We'd get to play FBS teams. And we can still fill in our schedule with high value FCS teams like SDSU or UND. What's more, nothing is impacted in our Summit League membership. So we're only talking football and an opportunity to prove that we can play successfully at that level. I think it would resurrect a ton of fan interest. I think the Fargodome sells out every game for a couple of years, regardless of which G5 team we are playing. And the fan travel to the one or two P5 games every year would be phenomenal. I mean, I really believe this.
I don't care what Jim says. That is not the real Ben Franklin. I'm 99% certain.
I don't want anything to do with independent. I would rather join a crappier league like Conference USA before going that route. Even if we are independent, there is no guarantee we get a bunch of non conference games. Certainly we would get larger payouts and could do home and homes with other G5 schools.
It's all going down eventually.
The AAC needs to replace UCF, Houston, Cincinnati and possibly Memphis. If they can't get Air Force, Colorado State, or Boise, their options are much more limited and they will need a minimum of 3 or 4 teams. They could raid Conference USA and get Southern Miss, Rice, North Texas, UTEP, or Marshall. Or they could raid the Sunbelt for a few teams like Appalachian State or Arkansas State. If they poach 4 Conference USA teams than C-USA will need to fill 4 spots. Or maybe the they poach 2 from the Sunbelt and 2 from C-USA USA. Then it will be a fight between the Sunbelt and C-USA. One could argue, the Sunbelt has a better TV deal now so what if C-USA is down 4 teams? Or what if C-USA loses 4 and then the Sunbelt steals 2 more? Then they need 6. At that point, we would be a target just based on the lack of teams.
Then what happens when Boise and Colorado State announce they are leaving a year from now? Or what if the PAC 12 target San Diego State or Colorado State? Or what if the Big 12 wants Memphis?
Then you got the WAC who has set a goal of being an FBS Conference
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I don't think we could see this any more opposite of each other. Do you think SDSU and UND are going to want to play NDSU as a FBS team? Do you think NDSU is going to be able to pay them the requisite money to do it? Or are you suggesting home/home agreements with those teams in which case NDSU is basically still an FCS team masquerading as an FBS team.
I think the schedule would be full of road games... maybe 5 home games a year out of 12 and I think that's a generous estimate. I just don't think the average fan is going to be that much more exited about New Mexico St than they will be about Missouri St. I'll grant a it'll be more interest but to the point where you're guaranteeing sellouts I just don't see it.
Going independent means no CFP money and very little media rights money. I don't see it being financially sustainable unless you further jack up ticket prices or are able to significantly increase contributions. Is there more juice to be squeezed out of either of those oranges? I'd say maybe when it comes to contributions but no way when it comes to ticket prices.
All good points. But to clarify, independence for me is a last resort. I'd rather be in any FBS conference than an independent. I'm just saying that I believe independence is better than FCS. We don't get playoff money now, so that doesn't change. I think because of our brand and our traveling fan base, if we are eligible, we'd be invited to bowl games and get those payouts. And I think we'd be independent for only a couple of years. If we are FBS, a conference will be much more likely to invite us in.
As far as squeezing juice...I think the FCS orange is nearly squeezed dry as it is. As time goes on, we will look even less attractive to FBS conferences because we won't be able to sustain fan interest in FCS. We NEED to do something.
I don't care what Jim says. That is not the real Ben Franklin. I'm 99% certain.
I doubt the Pac12 gets involved in any of this. They’re stable and they would balk at the thought of a Colorado State or SDSU.
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man watching Coastal Carolina consistently ranked really chaps me why NDSU hasn't jumped yet
that's your litmus test
NDSU TO FBS. HAVEN'T WE WON ENOUGH?