MplsBison Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 http://www.idahostatesman.com/244/story/649393.html Tingey said one school in the Big Sky Conference is weighing whether to drop football entirely. I guess Arizona cut a large amount of state financial support for college athletics and NAU may not be able to keep the football team. With NAU out of the Big Sky, does this open the door for Southern Utah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 http://www.idahostatesman.com/244/story/649393.html I guess Arizona cut a large amount of state financial support for college athletics and NAU may not be able to keep the football team. With NAU out of the Big Sky, does this open the door for Southern Utah? Or maaaaaybeeee, someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!! Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Or maaaaaybeeee, someone else. That is what I am thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 That is what I am thinking... That would help me sleep better. I keep waking in a cold sweat thinking Chicago has announced a Summit site visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Well, it doesn't say who is considering dropping football. But if it is NAU, one has to keep in mind that they are the biggest proponent of adding Southern Utah to the conference. It would be a blow to SUU's Big Sky aspirations if they lost their biggest advocate. Also, NAU is one of the Big Sky's 3 geographic outliers that were probably against expanding to the Dakota's 5 years ago. Also have to consider though, that the Big Sky requires football. If NAU drops it, are they going to be forced to find a new conference for all sports? Where would they look to? The Great West? Would the Big Sky make an exeption for NAU? Interesting indeed. Could be Portland St. too. I believe I read an article a couple years ago about how they put language in their football contracts releasing them from any liability should they drop their football program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 So if UND changed the nickname to Ghost Riders and UND if gets into the Big Sky, you would have Ghost Riders in the Sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mksioux Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Also have to consider though, that the Big Sky requires football. If NAU drops it, are they going to be forced to find a new conference for all sports? Where would they look to? The Great West? Would the Big Sky make an exeption for NAU? NAU would never drop football if it meant they get kicked out of the Big Sky unless they had some other equal or better conference lined up. They'd rather lose money on football than leave an established conference and lose boat loads of money being independent or joining a pseudo-conference like the Great West. My guess is there's nothing to this at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bincitysioux Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 NAU would never drop football if it meant they get kicked out of the Big Sky unless they had some other equal or better conference lined up. They'd rather lose money on football than leave an established conference and lose boat loads of money being independent or joining a pseudo-conference like the Great West. My guess is there's nothing to this at all. My thoughts as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 NAU would never drop football if it meant they get kicked out of the Big Sky unless they had some other equal or better conference lined up. They'd rather lose money on football than leave an established conference and lose boat loads of money being independent or joining a pseudo-conference like the Great West. My guess is there's nothing to this at all. The Arizona budget deficits appear to be very real, but doubt NAU officials would be as negligent as WWU's and not give an opportunity for alumni to fund the program. In worst case, NAU could suspend a program with the promise of reinstating it, and the conference would likely make an exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MplsBison Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 The Arizona budget deficits appear to be very real, but doubt NAU officials would be as negligent as WWU's and not give an opportunity for alumni to fund the program. In worst case, NAU could suspend a program with the promise of reinstating it, and the conference would likely make an exception. Yep. I'm thinking the Big Sky will let them drop football and stay in the Sky for now. They'll have to work to get it back. This actually gives the Sky an excuse to add another all sports member as they would then have 9 football 10 basketball. SUU sounds like a great travel partner in bbal for NAU. Sac and Portland alone will not allow UND into the Sky, not even worth wasting time thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Athletics already cutting its budget"All of these things have domino effects," he said. "It's not as easy as saying if you drop a sport you save X amount of dollars, because it has other implications, too." The loss of just one men's team, for example, would strip the program of its Division I status -- NAU has the minimum number of teams to qualify. "Philosophically, what I want to do is maintain a Division I, Big Sky Conference intercollegiate athletic program," he said. "If that's what we're going to continue, well that limits realistically some of the things you can or cannot study in terms of potentially dropping".If anyone thought that NAU could drop football and possibly still stay in the Big Sky. Not only wouldn't they stay in the Big Sky, they would have to drop from Division I due to a lack of teams. Tough times, tough decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MplsBison Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Athletics already cutting its budgetIf anyone thought that NAU could drop football and possibly still stay in the Big Sky. Not only wouldn't they stay in the Big Sky, they would have to drop from Division I due to a lack of teams. Tough times, tough decisions. Hopefully they could get into the RMAC. Otherwise, beg the NCAA for a waiver like Tulane and U New Orleans got (and still take advantage of). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammersmith Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Athletics already cutting its budgetIf anyone thought that NAU could drop football and possibly still stay in the Big Sky. Not only wouldn't they stay in the Big Sky, they would have to drop from Division I due to a lack of teams. Tough times, tough decisions. D'oh. I never though to look at the M/W breakdown of sports, just the total number. At the FCS level, you need a minimum of 14 sports; either 7 men's / 7 women's or 6 men's / 8 women's. NAU currently has 6 men's teams and 9 women's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 NAU currently has 6 men's teams and 9 women's. And you have to assume that cutting a womens program is not an option due to needing those womens scholarships to balance out mens FB (Title IX). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!! Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 So does anyone think anything will actually come of this? Or is this just a rumor that got out of hand? The next question is: If it is true, will UND have a shot at getting into the Big Sky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MplsBison Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Yes, no, no. Seriously, Arizona is going to be cutting major dollars from somewhere. It could well be colleges. I do think that NAU will have to suspend its football program and ask for a waiver from the NCAA. If they get it, then I think the Big Sky will let them stay in the league until they get football back. Expansion to the Dakotas has already been ruled out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 The University of New Orleans (as well as the LSU system) will likely see an 18-30% cut in state budget allocation. With the UNO needing to add more sports to maintain DI status and satisfy the even stricter requirements for SunBelt membership, UNO may have a very difficult task staying DI. If UNO can't keep it's SunBelt membership (and Denver being asked to leave), Arkansas-Little Rock becomes the only school in the SunBelt without a football team. UALR has often been suggested as a decent fit for Summit membership - doubt UALR would leave unless forced. Up to 30% Budget Cut for LSU system LSU main campus: $60.2 million cut, lay off 173 faculty and 606 support staff. University of New Orleans: $18.2 million cut, lay off 91 faculty and 142 support staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MplsBison Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 I think they will keep UALR because it gives them an even number for bball (as well as a nice travel partner for Ark State) and an odd number for football. Ideally the Summit League should be trying to contract the footprint of the league, not expand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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