SiouxVolley

The Montana schools aren't going to start an FBS transition if it's partners aren't well enough off and have 15k stadiums. You too mad to even think.

So thankful many more lives of children were spared. It could have been so much worse for so many families. Praying for rapid healings of bodies and souls and spirits. May somehow this tragedy bring Larimore and the community together in a manner that seems impossible now.

We've been through this many times. For the last time: UND can remodel Memorial to 20,000 and play late season games at the Alerus. UND and all the Big Sky teams will need to average 15,000 in the second season in transition. UND's Foundation could, if needed, buy tickets to average 15,001 at 1/3 rd the price (three games at Memorial at 20k and two games at the Alerus would only have to average 7.5 k to get to an average of 15,001). The NCAA accepts that and would certify UND FBS if the scheduling, scholarships,and the sports requirements are met UND almost meets the scholarship requirement now for other sports and has more then the 16 sports required right now. Most Big Sky and FCS schools only have 14 or 15 sports (except the California ones). The Big Sky is one of the few FCS conference that has enough full members to get eight through a transition (seven for the Big Sky because of Idaho) to qualify as an FBS conference. The NCAA almost certainly won't allow individual schools to pursue FBS unless their sponsored by a conference. NDSU will have to join the Big Sky to go FBS. When NDSU joins the Big Sky, everybody in Fargo will praise the NCAA and the Big Sky once again.

A waiver to have an option to become an FBS conference, not waiver to be one right now. There's a huge difference. Fullerton said the Big Sky has an open offer NDSU, so your panties can be unwadded and washed now. The MVC wouldn't make it, as 8 transitioning FBS members would need to be full MVC members and make the MVC FBS. Loyola, Drake, Bradley and Wichita St would raise a stink. The CAA has the same exact problem. Stony Brook, Albany, Maine, New Hampshire, Villanova, and Richmond aren't full time members. Northeastern and Hofstra have blocked some of them. Even the P5 does not want carte blanche entry into FBS. They don't mind more team, but they don't want individual schools to go FBS by themselves. A COnference without at least eight football playing full members will not be allowed, as they can't be an FBS conference by definition.

THe GoDaddy matches MAC vs Sun Belt teams. So if NDSU gets in the MAC like lakebison wants, maybe NDSU will have to worry about that. But having been to GoDaddy's bowls, most fans take in the special Mardi Gras style parade before hand, and stuff their gills with seaford on the Mobile Bay Causeway. If you want barbecue like Frisco, there's some barbecue shrimp or even pork! THe CFP bowls made cable records for the highest ever ratings, approaching NFL playoff and even Super Bowl levels even though those are on broadcast channels. The P5 and G5 will want more money, and ESPN will counter they want another round, maybe even include a spot for a G5 team, like Boise St. FBS college football will have money coming out of their ears and they won't be sharing with the NCAA or FCS. If you don't want Kelley to be part of a Big Sky move to the G5, I suggest you begin lobbying now. The price of admission currently to the G5 is a 15,000 stadium and a hardship waiver for the Big Sky an account of Idaho. Each G5 non-participating teams could get $4 million in the playoffs expand, compared to $1 million now. UND can stay FCS and lose money, get no exposure, and lose its conference allies, of it can go FBS with the Montana's. Write Kelley if you insist that FCS is the better way. A seven-figure check would be helpful to convince him, to help cover FCS losses. I am not a cheerleader for FBS, as I wrote in the initial post of this thread. I just informing you and others what is coming down the pike.

Almost positive there was a King Leo's there first. Lived in the Riverside neighborhood and drove by it a lot.

The location went through several iterations. As a kid, I thought the King Leo's logo was so cool. Wasn't Auto Dine the former A&W Drive In?

There was also a King Leo's on Gateway, just west of Washington. Small Burgers for 5¢. Deluxe burgers only really sell now: Shane Shack, Smashburger, in&out. Mac and dons is definitely out.

I' try to break it down for even the dim witted bison fans. Fullerton doesn't have the final say with the Big Sky. The Board of Directors does, which is Big Sky Presidents. Fullerton essentially told Big Sky Presidents that we're going FBS whether you like it nor not. If you don't, you can go FCS among the few remaining (looking at Suu, UNC,NAU, Weber, Isu). Fullerton can only say such a thing if be knows he has the backing of the majority of Presidents. If he has the support of only a few, he would be fired. Pretty simple. The Idaho and Montana President were both at USD at the same time. They are assuredly on first name basis with each other. Staben, the Idaho Prez, also has Illinois and Cal-Berkley on his resume, same as Kelley. Staben knows if he doesn't keep Idaho the FBS level, alumni support would dry up, and he'd likely be fired. He's the key BSC Prez now: with Engstrom and Cruzado carrying a lot of weight and leading the FBS charge.

Yah, I know. My conspiracy theories just get wild. Like how UND would absolutely get accepted into the Big Sky even when we were still in DII. Bison fans harassed me for years over that one: after all they tried three times and didn't get in. Or when I said the Delaney and the Big Ten would force Minnesota and Wisconsin out of the WCHA because they saw Tv $S in hockey content and wouldn't share. THat was before Penn State added hockey. Was well off on that one too, after all many posters said Minnesota likes the WCHA and would never leave. Or when I said UND and Denver would never tolerate a WCHA without the Big Ten schools. UND admin would just assume leave without Bemidji and UAA and Mich Tech as those schools offer little TV value. People here thought I was crazy and said so. I'm back in the same boat and I'm sticking to my story. The FCS boat is sinking, as the only life vest is the one that has some actual money in it for Presidents. If you don't like my hairbrained theories, you can just check back in three or four years. Always follow the money and prestige when trying to understand University Presidents. But I'm just a dumb !@#$, the dumbest guy on the internet according to bison fans.

As a commissioner, Fullerton is employed at the behest of Big Sky Presidents. If a majority did not want him to speak on the subject, he would have kept his mouth SHUT. At least eight BSC presidents want to pursue FBS for the Big Sky. I'm saying Kelley is a yes vote, otherwise we would be sharing bread crumbs with Idaho St and SUU. Politics 101 of a conference. Fullerton is not in charge, but his job is to be out in front when the Presidents don't want to be yet.

So you're saying the Montana's be damned, we want FCS or we leave the Sky. It's one or the other. Times force us to change. UND has dreamed of being associated with the Montana's for conference play for almost 60 years. But Kelley is going to throw that away?

ESPN doesn't care where Bowl games are played. The could be on Hollywood sound stage and that would be ok by them or even the Alerus or Fargodome. ESPN has seen ratings records this bowl season, and not just for the CFPs. They and advertisers want more bowls not less, as commercials don't get DVD ed on live events. The demand and payments for bowl games have never been higher. An ESPN or Fox.Sport executive are surely talking with Fullerton. Bowl attendance simply matters little anymore.

Learn to use quotes. I posted a Missoulian story from August where Fullerton said he had a talk with Big Sky Presidents about splitting the 14 team Big Sky into FCS and FBS conferences. One can surmise that Montana, Mont St and Idaho are behind this and have been for some time. UND won't leave the Montana's. Just saying. Either team up with SUU and Idaho State or team up with similar institutions. Refute Fullerton's words if you want to get anywhere.

Six months old. Times change. Cincy and Memphis have been reported in talks with the Big 12. Connecticut media reporting the the B1G is interested. There's a slot in CUSA open now (maybe three). UMAss used the MAC to get in FBS. They were never going to drop basketball from the A10 to the MAC as the MAC insisted.

They now have a shot at getting in the American, which is better than the A10 or MAC. That was their goal.

Kelley has already decided to go FBS with the Montana's and others. Fans that disagree can take it up with him and Faisson. If Minneapolis gets a bowl game, UND will be well represented there. Other sites: maybe a couple thousand depending on the location and how.many alums are in the area. If we don't move up, well probably be stuck in the WAC.

The MAC and Sun Belt don't have illusions of national championships. They just want to be on the football map and maybe make some actual dollars. FCS can't do that.

GSU is planning to convert Turner Field into a football stadium once the Braves leave for the suburbs. Trying to compete for attention in an SEC city is tough, but they are getting money somehow. With their downtown location, FCS would be an epic failure in Atlanta.

Ga St, Charlotte, FIU, and UTSA didn't bother with FCS because they knew FCS would be a disaster in their cities. Football backers couldn't get support for FCS, but could get support for FBS. A University in a pro town can not see good attendance in FCS. Villanova had a disastrous playoff crowd of 2000. FCS in major cities doesn't work. It only worked in places like Boone and Statesboro and Missoula and Fargo, which have chosen or will choose FBS. There is not one 1 mill city that has been an exception to this rule. To them, FCS and D2 and NAIA are all the same: minor league stuff. Sac St, UCDavis, and Cal Poly have the same issue: their alumn will never take their football seriously until they take the leap.

Time is ticking. 2018 is likely the year that Idaho gets the boot from the Sun Belt. Mussman put us way behind the 8-ball. The year 2019 is when we would have to average 15,000 tickets sold. We need a stadium expansion or new stadium to do that. The Foundation would need to buyup tickets for any game under 15,000 sold.

Portland St hires the Miami Oh assistant AD as its new AD. Best of luck in getting the financial situation turned around there. If PSU is planning to go FBS, its a good start to have someone with FBS credentials. Portland has an FBS ready stadium, so it would be a massive waste of an opportunity if they don't go FBS. http://www.oregonlive.com/collegefootball/index.ssf/2015/01/portland_state_hires_miami_of.html

NDSU doesn't have chemical or petroleum or geological engineering. That was a major cause of it: they don't have the necessary people or technical skills to work in some industries.. When you get along fine with someone, after all we grew up 40 miles from each other, but yet brings up my schooling when his logic isn't working in a packed meetings, is pretty telling. This has happened to my other UND engineering siblings too, as well as friends. It just bizarre behavior from NDSU grads, particularly engineering. They have it so engrained in them that UND engineers suck, even from their professors. Sorry that I posted this on a hockey thread.

I'm not the biggest hockey fan, but I've heard tons of Sioux fans, even on this board, reminisce about the old barn, where it was freezing and schnapps flowed freely. If the Sioux fans doesn't know their own hockey history, their really not a hard-core fan. Bison fans are butthurt over UND hockey history. If it had been in DII, it wouldn't bother them so much, but DI before they knew how to spell it: its a constant thorn in their side . I happen to be an engineering grad (chemical) from UND. I have gotten so much guff from NDSU engineers, as somehow they believe UND isn't capable of having an engineering school. So even though I outranked them in position and responsibility, their disdain toward my school would often surface when there was a disagreement. This happened even in Alabama when I worked their: the other attendees wondered what the heck was wrong with the NDSU grad, as even Tide and Tiger fans did not act like that in professional meetings. Princeton, MIT, and Illinois grads wondered if the NDSU grad had mental issues in private, seriously. I have two siblings that are UND grads, and they have voiced the same issue that NDSU grads attempt to degrade UND and them in meetings, when that is beyond the pale. Believe it or not, hockey comes up. NDSU engineers often deal with UND derangement issues upon graduation. I also have two siblings that graduated with engineering degrees from NDSU. Fortunately, they have too much sense to have UND derangement symdome. Deal with it Mafiaman. The\re are NDSU people who have derangement about UND. I've witnessed it too much for it not to be prevalent.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2014/12/25/college-football-bowl-games-attendance-bahamas-camellia-espn/20896969/?AID=10709313&PID=6146927&SID=pkn9z0w50kzk Interesting article on how bowls are profitable for smaller G5 conferences. The FCS playoffs don't really benefit any school financially, except in gaining more donations and in nearby merchants benefitting, as the NCAA takes most of the pie to play for the tournament. One more FBS bowl gets added next year with the Cure Bowl in Orlando. A couple new bowls have been talked about in S Carolina and Little Rock. The Miami area already has four, so new bowls seem to pop up even in cities saturated with them. CUSA owns the new Bahamas Bowl, and even though it was one of the worst attended bowl game, because it drew over a million viewers, it was profitable. The Big Sky could do the same, own a few bowls to pay FBS bills: Polaris Minnesota Viking Bowl for Dakota teams, Seattle Apple Bowl Silicon Valley Bowl In Santa Clara's 49ers Park It would surely get offered the spot in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl rather than the MAC. The MAC would gladly take a Minnesota bowl over a Boise Bowl, just because of travel. Frisco, Texas, would probably want an piece of the pie too, if NMSU and NDSU are in the Big Sky. As the article mentions, a bowl no longer needs 50,000 seats to be profitable. An MLS stadium will do fine. Further more, if Fox Sports ever attempts to take on bowl games and the CFP with FS1, the payoffs would be even bigger. Together with higher P5 payments and more P5 games, the Big Sky could live without the $1 million per team G5 payment that continues until like 2025. At that time, the contract will be rewritten and would go up higher. If the CFP goes to 16 teams, the payout would be astronomical, getting to NFL playoff levels. Presidents follow the money. Simply put, FCS doesn't have any. The MEAC decided to drop their autobid from the FCS, so they could have an ESPN sponsored FCS bowl playing against the SWAC champion. The MEAC has decided that a bowl structure is much better for them financially, even at the FCS level. It's only a matter of time for the Big Sky, where it can take the bowl money instead of the pittance from the NCAA. FBS Big Sky first year in 2018 Cal Poly UC Davis Sac State Portland St (if the can climb out of a mismanaged athletic department) E Wash Idaho Montana Mont St UND NDSU SDSU USD NMSU (if they don't get another offer)