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Lansing State Journal: Shakeup coming to college hockey Throw in the Indiana rumor, and it really gets shaken up.

Toronto Star Penn State and Indiana?

MidCon is taking a variety of local sports feeds, including FSSN, and packaging them under the Midcon label for Midcon cable customers. FSSN still exists, but on MidCon cable will be part of a Midcon's local sports channel. The Midcon channel won't be on Directv. -- All of the above statements are open to correction! ---

If Montana schools get offered WAC membership, what conference option would you prefer?

My reference to "Big Sky on steroids" is more about athletic budgets, not the number of schools. A WAC-lite would be like the Big Sky without all the skinny kids that Montana beats on. Right now, most of the Big Sky is in the $ 8 -12 million range, with the exceptions of Montana, Montana State, Sac State (and maybe one or two others). Schools like Idaho State, EWU, NAU, UNC, and even Portland State really struggle in finances. If the WAC-lite or "Big Sky on steroids" schools all had $15-20 budgets, that's precisely where UND is at. Of course UND would have to add a couple mill for FBS football. These schools all have similar budgets to UND: Utah St, Idaho (actually depending on the year, was $13 million), Montana, Montana St, Sac St, San Jose St. Because UND has been traveling all over the earth for the Great West, it's not like our travel budget will get stretched any more than it already is.

ESPN: BYU issues and Rebuilding the WAC This is the perfect situation for Montana and Montana State to move up. No big budget teams to have to contend with. Montana and Montana State will very likely pull the trigger this fall after they have had more time to analyze the issues.

Idaho Statesman: Idaho destined to be in a WAC-lite Idaho: Return to your roots and invite in your peers: Montana, Montana State, UND, NDSU. It would be all about what college athletics is supposed to be: fun and with real rivals and real neighbors.

Sporting News: Hawaii considering going independent Maybe Hawaii is gone. Perhaps La Tech is gone. A Big Sky on steroids is looking more and more possible. UND is easily compliant now with the 16 sports requirement, unlike Montana, Montana State, UTSA, and Texas State.

ND doesn't actually have a down economy and ND now has more money than Wyoming. I'm not advocating at all that ND pay for a UND or a NDSU FBS venture. What I am saying is that ND likely won't be cutting higher education budgets anytime in the forseeable future. I believe that UND alumni would step forward in a significant way if it meant UND moving to a higher level in other sports. As far as Wyoming and the MWC, the finance of the MWC are by and large a whole other level higher than the WAC. The MWC took the three of the four WAC teams that had comparable budgets (Boise, Fresno, Nevada, but not Hawaii because of its huge travel and scheduling issues). Wyoming's athletic budget is $26 million, much higher than UND would have to go, and Wyoming gets a much higher level of subsidy from the state. As far as the 15,000 attendance rule, remember, it's 15,000 every other year, and it doesn't have to be butts in the seats. All tickets sold at 1/3rd the list price plus student attendance counts. The 15,000 facility is the catch, but UND has Memorial Stadium that could be renovated to 18,000 for three games, and then the final two games at the Alerus. If we moved to FBS, we could sign a home and "home" with Minnesota, and play our "home" game in either the Metrodome or a new Vikings stadium. Minnesota would actually go for that, as we'd be an FBS counter that wouldn't cost them a dime. The attendance in the Vikings stadium would all count as UND's.

All good points. I don't think the WAC would be interested in any North Dakota school until both Montana and Montana State are in - getting both in might be a stretch, but is conceivable. Benson is playing to La Tech and NMSU, to keep them in, and he can do that be adding UTSA and Texas State. But those type schools are disaster for Idaho and San Jose St. La Tech and NMSU are flight risks anyway, so the WAC needs to be looking at schools that would strengthen San Jose State and Idaho. Benson needs to be more concerned with SJSU and Idaho dropping to FCS or dropping football. Cal Poly, UCDavis, and Sac St would all be big boosts for San Jose St, while Montana, Montana St, and to a lesser extent UND and NDSU would be peers and rivals of Idaho. What UND needs to do is show the WAC that it has a plan for FBS and that it would be a reliable partner. If La Tech leaves soon, Benson will have to reevaluate his thoughts on UTSA and Texas State, as San Jose St, Idaho, and Hawaii would be opposed to those schools for anything but a last resort option.

It all depends on what schools you are comparing yourself with. If NDSU wanted to be competitive in the MWC, it probably would be $7 million. In the old WAC, $4 million. In the Sunbelt, new WAC, MAC, $2 million. Bowling Green, which has a DI hockey program and FBS football and was in a bowl game, has a budget of $18 million. UND has one of $17 million. NDSU: $13 mill Ball State: $19 mill. Idaho: $16 mill. in a bowl game Utah State: $18 mill San Jose St: $18 mill Troy: $15 mill La Tech: $16 mill La-Monroe: $10 mill Granted, all of the programs noted are low budget FBS, either in the WAC, MAC, or Sunbelt. That's the beauty of a new WAC: all the programs would have low budgets (except Hawaii if they are still there). No outrageous coaches salaries. FBS football at budget prices. But also remember, conference reimbursements are much higher in the WAC: more NCAA money, more basketball bid money, more TV money. Idaho's AD has stated it could no longer afford to go FCS, as it would lose so much with WAC payments and with one-time deals with FBS opponents. (Idaho is being paid much more than SDSU for playing Nebraska, because the Idaho-Nebraska game counts as a true FBS game.) The WAC payments are certain to go down, so Idaho may struggle even more financially. But Idaho games are shown nationally on ESPN2 on Thursday nights. That's publicity Idaho can't buy at the FCS level.

UND and fans should consider this investment advice when viewing the WAC:

Hawaii is in a major bind. When fuel costs were lower, they probably could have gone independent in football, but with their other programs in the Big West. Now, they really need conference football games to fill the schedule. When the WAC lost UTEP, SMU, Tulsa, and Rice seven or eight years ago, all the sportswriters were declaring the WAC dead. In the 90's, when the MWC 8 left the WAC16, the whole sports wold declared the WAC dead. When Arizona and Arizona St left the WAC 30 some years ago, the whole sports world declared the WAC dead. The WAC always reinvents itself. The major issue for UND is having a plan for a 15,000 seat capacity stadium in which we have to play more than half our games. Seven years ago, NDSU made the move and didn't have a conference. An FBS conference is available. The only ingredient missing is a 15,000 seat stadium, which means a funds must be quickly raised. An indoor practice facility is the first step, but either an addition to the Alerus or a Memorial Stadium renovation to 15,000+ is needed. FAU and FIU didn't have facilities for years that met FBS standards, yet the NCAA didn't kick them out. As long as UND has plans and is working on them, the NCAA's precedence has shown it doesn't care. We need to think about this from an historic standpoint. When the WAC fills up again with schools, will they then go looking or North Dakota five or ten years from now? No. This is our shot. Every school that the WAC is looking at - with the possible exception of Texas schools - are in states with major budget crisis. UND and North Dakota are in better financial shape than comparably any time in our history. We have to recruit Texas and California for FCS recruits anyway: why not make that full commitment? While SDSU can probably make a leap to FBS much later in the future, their budget of only $10 mill is very low for all the sports they offer even at the FCS level. USD's budget is even low compared to the low rent district of the Big Sky. Those two schools would be more than happy in the MVFC. That said, one of the beauties of a new WAC is the ability to control costs, even at the FBS level. A major expense of FBS at most schools is paying coaches high six or even seven figures. If coaches salaries are controlled like at Sunbelt levels in a new WAC, it is affordable.

UND shouldn't concern itself with what NDSU wants to do. If UND accepted, NDSU would immediately panic and then accept. Same situation if Montana St accepted, Montana would immediately. NDSU wouldn't be breaking their contract with MVC: they just exercise the exit clause. It's looking more and more like La Tech will leave the WAC, even for the Sunbelt. If that is the case, as stated before, the WAC could become the Big Sky on steroids. Hawaii San Jose St Cal Poly Sac St UC Davis Utah St Idaho Montana Montana St N Dakota NDSU NMexSt

There are different correct answers. Six is needed for bids in all sports but men's BB Seven is needed for men's BB Eight is needed to maintain a conference's FBS status. With new NCAA rules that drop continuity requirements, the WAC will continue. Whether it can continue as an FBS conference is a whole other issue.

Utah State was invited to the MWC, but turned it down. Utah St's president was the middleman in the WAC-BYU talks, and apparently didn't want to double-cross his conference mates by accepting the MWC's offer. The MWC turned around and offered Nevada and Fresno State, who both accepted after agreeing to an oath of loyalty with all the other WAC president's The MWC apparently felt that by offering Utah State, the communication between BYU and the WAC would end, and the BYU-WAC deal would end. Open Letter from Utah State AD

I don't think anyone is under the illusion that UND could be the next Boise St, or even at the average competitive level of the MWC or CUSA. However, I do believe that UND could be as if not more competitve than Idaho, New Mexico St, Utah St in the WAC, as well as much of the MAC and Sunbelt (like Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent, Miami (O), E Mich, UL-M, WKU, and a host of other football programs). A revised WAC would be like a Big Sky on steroids. People were excited about the Big Sky: this would exceed it. Going FBS may even be strategically important to the hockey program, if FBS splits off from FCS and creates a new division. An ideal conference for UND has often included NDSU, Montana, Montana St, Idaho Utah St. That can now happen. This is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When UND first moved to DI, a longer-term goal of the WAC was enunciated by a number of people. With the major caveat being that proper funding must be available, now is our chance.

That's tame in comparison with some things that have been written about the Great West and Summit, which get almost no attention. And that story doesn't even get it's facts right: CUSA would not move down to the WAC. FCS schools are practically the only answer. So what if the WAC is becoming the new Sunbelt in terms of strength of conference: it's a higher level than what we are now and recruiting would be much easier. Nevada never did anything in basketball until the WAC. Same with Fresno. Utah State, New Mexico State, and La Tech individually offer more in basketball than the Summit or Big Sky have ever accomplished. If you have the ability and resources, choose the one with greater rewards.

Earlier, the REA had other issues, like building up it's own fund for maintenance and repairs and paying off the Betty bonds. Now, more money is able to be returned to UND athletics. With men's hockey scholarships now funded mostly by endowments, paying for women's hockey schlolarships became less burdensome. In all honesty, I doubt either school are on the WAC's short range radar. But if the WAC only goes to eight, there are going to be some schools that will be very irate that a more appropriate regional rival was not added. The WAC is just too far flung and has no regional cohesiveness.

Fresno State and Nevada athletic departments are both struggling financially at this time. Could get very ugly. WAC -16 team option under one umbrella FBS League FCS League (to move up later) Hawaii --- Cal Poly San Jose St --- Sac St Idaho --- Portland St Utah St --- Montana N Mex St --- Montana St La Tech --- UCDavis UTSA --- North Dakota Texas St --- NDSU

Meaningless bowl games get better ratings than a "meaningful" FCS championship game. Normally, reputation does matter. The WAC is fighting for its life, so it's just looking for schools willing to get on it's lifeboat. Hockey may not matter to the WAC, but an ability to finance a move to FBS does. Hockey is a cash cow for UND.

Interesting, there's speculation that the WAC may have to go to 16 teams with central/mountain and pacific time zones divisions to survive. Incredibly, even western Great West schools like UT-PA, Houston Baptist, Utah Valley might be in play. If 16 teams is part of the plan to keep the WAC alive in the long term, UND may definitely have a conference option it had never dreamed of on Tuesday.

Thanks for the images!! Must be the latest! What would be awesome is if instead of building offices along the entire west side of the practice facility with just two stories, build that portion to match the height of the opposite Memorial Stadium stands. If stadium expansion was ever necessary, the upper portion of the new practice facility offices could be converted into suites.

Today, what remains of the WAC is in a teleconference to chart it's future path. The WAC is down to six schools and needs to add schools quickly to get back up in numbers and help ensure that it survives for another generation. It needs future FBS schools, but it will also consider adding non-football schools. It also has an option of adding six FCS school immediately, and then only transitioning two schools every other year to FBS. The remaining schools would stay in queue - getting their facilities, finances, and programs in shape - until a predetermined time for a FBS transition. That way the WAC could help facilitate longer-term FBS transitions and the FCS schools can be assured that their efforts will not go for want. What the WAC would need is a commitment - likely with financial penalities if they aren't met - that the FCS school would be ready. Since UND does not have membership in the Summit or MVFC, it is unencumbered by exit fees or scheduling requirements beyond 2011. If UND alumni could guarantee $40 - $50 or so is available for stadium upgrades, plus a new practice facility will be built, UND could be in a position to present a package to the WAC for membership. With a decent financial guarantee and FBS transition plan, UND leadership could present a proposal to the WAC to become a member in 2012, and start the FBS transition in 2014. IF FBS finances are truly available, and with the Betty and the Ralph, UND's research and academic offerings, overall athletic program (no other prospective program in in UND's league with respect to overall attendance or DI championships), and UND's broadcasting capability, UND could offer an overall package that is very attractive. The Texas schools are likely the favorites right now, but one of their issues is that they are an eventual flight risk. Texas offers other league options. Schools in California, Montana, and North Dakota would have basically be tied to the WAC for the forseeable future. WAC's current members: La Tech New Mexico St Utah St Idaho San Jose St Hawaii Prospective FBS members: Montana - needs to add sports, finances, practice facility Montana St - stadium expansion, finances UC-Davis - same as Montana State Cal Poly - same as Montana State Sac State - needs to rent the Arco for BB Portland State - needs to rent the Rose Garden for BB Texas State - ready Sam Houston State - finances needed UTSA - ready NDSU- practice facility, finances UND - stadium expansion, finances (practice facility?) Non-football Denver Seattle Utah Valley Cal State-Bakersfield

The issue I have with Kelley and Faison is how they behaved behind the scenes. The Fighting Sioux name was like a favorite uncle on life support who was mored loved by extended relatives than by his own family (the SBoHE). The Summit League (potential landlords) were basically saying pull the plug - we want your uncle dead - then we will do business with you. Kelley and Faison - in-laws who aren't related to the uncle and never really knew him - secretly lobby the board (the immediate family) to pull the plug because they are concerned about how much it is costing, but all the time tell everyone else that the issue is out of their hands. With Kelley, Faison, and the Board hanging around while the plug is pulled - with vision of riches of the last will and testament and an exciting future - expecting an instant passing, but miraculously the uncle lives on without life support, but is gasping for breath and suffering worse than ever. There was no dignity in the suffering: just jostling and politics. It's water under the bridge, but relationships between Standing Rock / Spirit Lake should have been firmed up 20 years ago.