FBS move fans. Here's a good read

[CaBisonFan]

The box score for Beef 'o' Brady lists 20,053, just behind the Potato bowl in Boise at 21,951.

There's no way that there were 20K in that stadium. Think they beefed it up.

[bisonaudit]

The box score for Beef 'o' Brady lists 20,053, just behind the Potato bowl in Boise at 21,951.

That's a laugh. The crowd at the potato bowl looked like a Tampa Bay Rays game.

[stevdock]

Trophy chasing like Edina is what some of you want. Some of you live in a north dakota bubble, not 1 fan in ny la vegas florida cares about FCS you could win 8 titles in a row and they'd still pat you on the head and say "good job d2" this is a chance for Fargo to grow and the state of north Dakota to grow. The money is here you need a fundraiser that has youth and energy and actually asks for more money not be happy with status quo.

So go do it. Nobody is going to stop you from trying to do this. If you don't come up with enough to move to FBS football, I'm sure NDSU will be happy to put the money to good use.

[Hammerhead]

They probably just counted the # of tickets each school had to buy and a few tickets bought by the locals. I watched the Potato Bowl highlights and there can't be more than a 4,000 people in the stands.

That's a laugh. The crowd at the potato bowl looked like a Tampa Bay Rays game.

[BlueBisonRock]

Perspective folks...

Minnesota is in a bowl game. How many people know which one or where it is at?

Yes, it is in Houston....

How many fans are buying tickets? (not the school, fans)

You will see more traveling fans at the game in Frisco than at Houston. (I had a good talk with a couple of UofMN fans on this topic yesterday. The interest from the typical Gopher fan is not there).

I always shake my head when the 'Spend other peoples money crowd' gets going on this topic. Cash flow is critical to any business or organization. Deficit spending only works in Washington and even there, not for long...

I challenge the folks on this board who want to move up to put their money where their mouth is and try to match the support given by the quiet crowd.

[Kermit]

Trophy chasing like Edina is what some of you want. Some of you live in a north dakota bubble, not 1 fan in ny la vegas florida cares about FCS you could win 8 titles in a row and they'd still pat you on the head and say "good job d2" this is a chance for Fargo to grow and the state of north Dakota to grow. The money is here you need a fundraiser that has youth and energy and actually asks for more money not be happy with status quo.

You are wrong about the fundraising. Nobody depends on philanthropy to raise the money needed for a move to FBS. The potential sources of revenue needed would include:

1) Ticket revenue, including especially revenue from priority seating and suites. Despite what you've said repeatedly, I don't think the average person is ready to pay several times current prices for Bison football. A move up would likely require a major stadium upgrade. And by the way, moving to an outdoor stadium in Fargo would be a huge step back for the program.

2) State funding. Do we need to rehash the political situation in ND? ND has 7 4-year schools mandated in the state constitution. Wyoming has one and that is why they are able to fund an FBS program.

3) TV revenue. This obviously requires an invitation to an FBS conference. All the lobbying in the world isn't going to get NDSU into the MWC in the foreseeable future. We are not even on their radar. Anything less than the MWC is a joke and not worth talking about. That includes the MAC.

As a fan, I think it would be tremendous fun to have NDSU in the MWC. Wishing won't make it happen. Even donating money won't make it happen. Even if the MWC did want NDSU (a pipe dream) we would likely need a new stadium. To recruit the athletes we would need and the fans we would need, that stadium would almost certainly need to be indoors. Even if NDSU miraculously pulled this off, we could be left behind if/when the BCS conferences form their own division.

If we stay patient and wait to see if the BCS conferences go their own way, there may be an opportunity for the rest of the FBS and the top of the FCS to find common ground. I think that is the best strategy for now.

[1998braves64]

You're right, there absolutely is money in the state - the problem is getting it from those who have it into the hands of the right people in Fargo. The most money not already tapped into by NDSU is in two places
1 - Bismarck. Good luck getting this money out of the legislature. They already think they are spending too much money in Higher Ed. If they are going to loosen up the purse strings, they will spend the money on developing the western half of the state to catch up with demand and encourage long term growth. The current group is not interested in building stadiums or even updating existing campus buildings. If you want to lobby people on the move to FBS, this is the group you should be lobbying to.
2 - Oil Rights recipients. Most of these people have no connection to NDSU and probably wouldn't know what FBS or Crimson Tide/Longhorns/etc. means. Convincing these people to donate to NDSU is like them receiving a letter from a prince in Nigeria who wants to share the fortune he just inherited but it will cost $20k to get the money through customs. You may be able to get a few, but it wouldn't bring any longterm results.

Go ahead, call me a sheltered small-thinker who enjoys a playoff system that makes their champ earn it instead of a system that lets half their teams get a "participation" trophy. The last thing I want to hear is "the season is a success because we qualified for a bowl game". The tradition at NDSU is to always want to be a champion and settling for a bowl game appearance (unless you are dillusional enough to think the big boys will let others into their playoff) is very anti-climatic.

Guarantee you this is not the case, many know who NDSU is but many also know who UND is. I grew up out there most people (or at least did before the rivalry "stopped") sort of leaned one way or the other. Ignoring them because they never really had strong allegiance to NDSU is pretty small minded. Many of these people are farmers (or from farming families) and many realize the importance of NDSU to agriculture in this state.

If NDSU fundraisers are ignoring this group of people because they don't believe they will realize the importance of NDSU need to get their walking papers and fast. (Hate to say it but probably same applies to UN_ also.) These people are going to have a steady flow of extra income for the next "X" years who many weren't necessarily expecting it.

I do agree they may not care about NDSU being FBS etc. A few probably do. NDSU/UND games were discussed a lot while I was growing up, and even some other NCC games came up. Again several in the area graduated from NDSU and still take some interest in NDSU athletics. Some might donate quicker than others. But the opportunity is there, to ignore it because it may be too tough is not an option NDSU has in my opinion. Western ND is still North Dakota.

[CAS4127]

My .02. Anyone who even mention a move up had damn well already be a TM, or become one before the end of the day. I for won get tired of those who say "well TM's/Donors should do this or that"! I say STFU unless you are one of us, regardless of the level you can donate. Every last dollar counts--period!


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[silkamilkamonico]

As far as the "20k to a bowl game and a week of festivities" argument, I'm not taking time off work and spending money to go watch NDSU play in the Papa John's bowl. Frisco is a different story.

I also agree that it's easy for people to talk about moving up and creating some sort of slanted argument when they aren't even a part of Teammakers.

[dragonsfan]

A suburb of dallas is the highlight of your social lives? Yes its been fun, but been there done that 3 times. This shouldnt be the ceiling of ndsu football your own coach bohl said this as so. Who owns the lands where oil comes from? Farmers who maybe went to ndsu? Maybe some are waiting for fbs to donate? Tickets can be $40/50 a ticket easily plus premium $100/tickets Good chat im off my shift merry xmas!