jdub27

Not sure I buy this, but as with anything, the landscape changes quickly. NIU paid $2 million a year ago, which is not nothing, but it is also peanuts compared to $12.5 million. The NCAA fee has already been moved to a point where it is somewhat cost prohibitive unless someone is pretty serious about it, I don't think they will move that again but never say never with the NCAA. NDSU was basically bidding against Sac St, who openly offered $10 million plus waiving the right to media fees for an extended period. So the MWC was operating from a position of strength. That (and other G6 conferences) may not be operating from the same position of strength in the future if/when further realignment happens. MWC fell into a perfect storm where you had one school publicly stating they were willing to do anything to get in and another who felt they needed to make a move and got donors on board to write a giant check. They also aren't in a great financial position, having to subsidize the difference in what schools were getting in the old media contract vs. what they are getting with the new deal. $12.5 million goes a way to help cover that subsidy for as they work through lawsuits with the PAC.

If the students vote to pay for it, then I'm fine with it. UND's students were fine increasing their fees a long time ago and have not changed from that stance. NDSU students have rejected a request from the athletic department a handful of times (partially because the athletic department showed up and thought they were going to get a rubber stamp approval and weren't prepared). Bigger question is going to be overall budget with the state looking at 10% cuts across the board due to significant drops in oil production and costs. Even if the athletic increase comes from private money, the optics are going have negative blowback given the numbers that are being thrown out. Success is going to be required or some of those deep pockets start to close up. Very interested to see additional numbers on the finance side of it. On top of that, the president got this taken care on his last days. Not his problem anymore. That hire is going to be an interesting role to step into.

It's north of a 7 figure addition to their bottom line.

I'm not so certain the top P4 schools are going to still be clamoring to play NDSU any more than they previously were. On top of that, teams schedule so far out now, there isn't going to be a ton of options the next few years. Pretty level-headed take though and agree with most of it. You'd have to expect ticket prices to go up. And after people realize the new conference isn't significantly better and you're losing regional rivalries, which have always pushed attendance up, how much does it move the needle. Obviously the die-hards are all-in, but they were already showing up regardless and giving the largest donations. Why would UND give NDSU a discount for a home game? Is NDSU a charity case where they get to pay below market rates for FCS games now? Did NDSU take a significantly below market rate to play UM since it was only a bus trip?

Why would the city of Fargo, who's citizens have already made it clear a couple times at the ballot box the dint support the idea, pay for a new venue when they have one that currently suits their needs?

Some things will never change. I'm sure they have to report back on what fans from a team they've moved on from multiple times have to say. They "don't care" so much that it's amusing.

From people who are tied to NDSU. I'm not disagreeing with you, pointing out to the other guy who can't stay off of UND's board that it doesn't matter how much those guys are making in the NFL, very few of them are significantly giving back to Ndsu. And I don't blame them for the exact reasons you stated.

Lmao. $5 million to the NCAA. $12 million to the MWC. That's before recurring increase in fees. No details on revenue sharing yet. Plus any buyouts to the MVFC for leaving on short notice and to prevent having to go to the FCS teams thru already have on the books. Then add in Title IX compliance. No wonder Cook negotiated this on his way out. Masterfully played by the MWC to basically auction off a spot in the league. Looks like they let Ndsu outbid Sac St. $10 million more than NIU paid a year ago. Gloria did well for the conference. I know it's been allegedly said that it's being covered by private donations but the statewide budget cuts that are coming this cycle are sure going to be entertaining.

Most of them aren't giving back and the ones that who are aren't doing it in any sort of manner that moves the needle.

This actually is pretty accurate. Subsidies are having to make existing schools whole due to a declining media contract. MWC is throwing things against the wall (huge entrance fee, no media rights for extended periods) to see actually how desperate Ndsu is. And they are going along for the ride. Nothing says "we really want you" like taking a prospective member to the tool shed. Still a little skeptical unless the financial side is just absurd against a new member given the MWC media contract was just signed and it wasn't great. Unless any new prospective member will not receive money until the next one is negotiated or something similar. Or their entrance fee covers whatever they might get down the road, basically making it a neutral financial impact for everyone.

8 figures upfront plus huge cost increases to move out of your recruiting area and play late night games in different time zones while you don't have a president and the state is looking at 10% cuts across the board due to declining oil prices. What could go wrong? Also, I'd be curious to see the AG's opinion on how working through a mediator somehow negates having to comply with open record requests. At least claim you can't disclose ongoing contract negotiations.

Haven't they been doing that for quite a while now? Not sure how it would be remotely sustainable but I guess their President is all in on going FBS and is, at least allegedly, putting money where his mouth is.

Big enough of a deal that it matters on the recruiting side. Opens up some more recruiting in Texas and the Chicago area. Media deal is going to be subsidized by the exit fee pot just to get it to be where it previously was, so that isn't sustainable. There isn't going to be a whole lot of options that are going to bring at least $3.5MM in value to the media contract, so any addition makes the pie even smaller. Seems reasonable that they aren't going to be hesitant to expand unless needed and if they do, it would be for someone that isn't going to add a huge cost burden on flying sports teams halfway across the country.

Based on the interest she had when she announced she was playing basketball for a year, I'm going to disagree on this comment. Even if it takes a while to dust off some basketball skills, she's been starring at a top P4 level program. Can't teach that athleticism.

B1G has gotten what they wanted out of a Rutgers. They aren't going anywhere even if they continue to be a doormat.

The solution is to build a practice facility. I thought the previous set up was fine. The current set up is fine as well, though others feel differently and I see their point, though again, think it is fine. However someone decided they needed more seating (fair for some games and other events). I specifically asked someone within the athletic department why they did what they did and was told they wanted more seating while not hindering any practice space. I don't know what the cost was, what the budget was, who wrote the check or what other options were explored. Only that there were two primary objectives and they were both met. My invite for facility planning meetings must have gotten lost and I'm not a Seating Management Expert, so I don't know what the other viable options were. Do you have insight to that you can share? Would UMKC's solution work at the Betty? I'm open to actual conversation on it beyond constantly hearing that the seating is too far away.

It did, but they wanted to increase the amount of baseline seating. I didn't have a solution. Also didn't know that there was an option that one person could remotely move significant amount of seating without damaging the floor. And I'm still not sure if that was a viable option for what they did. The easiest option would have been to do nothing.

Intriguing. Looks like the height is probably similar but maybe a couple less rows? Wonder what the cost of that would have been but that's the kind of solution I was curious about vs complaining about the same thing over and over

Besides what they did, what would alternatives be? Not sure how much larger they make for portable bleachers that are more work to drag across the floor and set up? Not disagreeing on the new setup being less than ideal but honestly curious what other realistic options there were.

They also have a separate practice facility and don't have to move bleachers to make extra space. It's been explained plenty of times but figure out how to get a practice facility done and they could do some good things on the ends. The current set-up was the only way to add more seating on the baseline and still be able to use the entire space.

Doesn't open until first week in February.

Assuming that falls under the REA/Betty not directly the athletic department. Though they would see the offset on increased tickets if that does actually hold true. Do think that concession for MBB/WBB/VB should be less than what is charged at the REA though and be a little more family friendly.

Ben Newman took the fall for that.

Maybe 1 stays and 1 transfers?

Specifically states that who had reached out to him since entering the portal.