Conference Realignments - Take 2

[BisonCardinal]

FSSD, good point on ORU and the Southland.  Didn't occur to me that the Southland may be back in the hunt after losing members.  Still, I think ORU likes being in a non-football conference.  Plus the I29 schools provide a pretty solid base for continuity, something the WAC and Southland are lacking right now.

[The Sicatoka]

Budgets are going to be tight going forward for everyone. 

The NCAA needs to re-evaluated minimum number of sports sponsorship requirements. 

Conferences will look at footprint and travel costs. 

 

That would lend me to believe ORU will look south again, and by default Augie will be evaluated. 

[nodak651]

29 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Budgets are going to be tight going forward for everyone. 

The NCAA needs to re-evaluated minimum number of sports sponsorship requirements. 

Conferences will look at footprint and travel costs. 

 

That would lend me to believe ORU will look south again, and by default Augie will be evaluated. 

What about UCA to summit if/when WIU leaves?  The Southland isnt what it once was, and they have baseball and are only 3.5 hours from ORU and 5.5 hrs from Kansas City.  Football could play in a football only conf or as an associate member somewhere, and they are solid football program in case the Summit eventually ads it (unlikely but ya never know).

[Hambone]

28 minutes ago, nodak651 said:

What about UCA to summit if/when WIU leaves?  The Southland isnt what it once was, and they have baseball and are only 3.5 hours from ORU and 5.5 hrs from Kansas City.  Football could play in a football only conf or as an associate member somewhere, and they are solid football program in case the Summit eventually ads it (unlikely but ya never know).

UCA is going to end up in the ASUN I believe, along with Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State.

Report: Eastern Kentucky, Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State to join ASUN (naplesnews.com)

Depending on what happens with the WAC and Big Sky, I wonder if we're looking at a time when the Dakota schools and the Montanas / Idahos end up together.  Could some of the MVFC play football in the Southland (Mo State, UNI, WIU) and some of the Summit schools join them in basketball (WIU, UMKC, ORU - I know that they were there for a cup of tea recently)?  Then have Denver/UNC, Montana/MSU, Idaho/ISU, UND/NDSU, USD/SDSU, St Thomas/Omaha (9 football schools, 12 basketball) complete the new conference?  Then you have EWU, Weber, Cali schools, NAU, etc join the WAC?  Might make the WAC too big.  Just some brain storming, as I'm sure it would be unlikely......

[Goon]

On 1/6/2021 at 1:10 PM, The Sicatoka said:

"The long-term goal of the league is to elevate the WAC back to FBS football later this decade."

 

SiouxVolley, as you'd claimed, and so I tip my cap to you.

Now rest, friend. 

 

@norskidude Your brother was ahead his time. 

I thought about @SiouxVolley when I read that tweet on Twitter about the WAC. RIP. 

 

 

[zonadub]

18 minutes ago, Goon said:

I thought about @SiouxVolley when I read that tweet on Twitter about the WAC. RIP. 

 

 

Yeah... me too

 

RIP SiouxVolley

[FSSD]

On 1/7/2021 at 1:03 PM, Hambone said:

UCA is going to end up in the ASUN I believe, along with Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State.

Report: Eastern Kentucky, Central Arkansas, Jacksonville State to join ASUN (naplesnews.com)

Depending on what happens with the WAC and Big Sky, I wonder if we're looking at a time when the Dakota schools and the Montanas / Idahos end up together.  Could some of the MVFC play football in the Southland (Mo State, UNI, WIU) and some of the Summit schools join them in basketball (WIU, UMKC, ORU - I know that they were there for a cup of tea recently)?  Then have Denver/UNC, Montana/MSU, Idaho/ISU, UND/NDSU, USD/SDSU, St Thomas/Omaha (9 football schools, 12 basketball) complete the new conference?  Then you have EWU, Weber, Cali schools, NAU, etc join the WAC?  Might make the WAC too big.  Just some brain storming, as I'm sure it would be unlikely......

The interesting part of that report is that OVC is losing two members (E Kent and Jacksonville St).  Does the OVC stay put or does W Ill. look to E Ill. as nice travel partner in the OVC.  Plus, the costs to compete are a lot less in OVC vs SL/MVFC.  If this unfolds MVFC goes back 10 teams and SL stays at 9 with St. Thomas coming in and W Ill potentially going.  Or does this open the door for Augie slightly or do you talk to St. Johns

UND/NDSU

USD/SDSU

(Augie/St. Johns) /St. Thomas

Omaha/Denver

ORU/UMKC

[zonadub]

1 hour ago, FSSD said:

The interesting part of that report is that OVC is losing two members (E Kent and Jacksonville St).  Does the OVC stay put or does W Ill. look to E Ill. as nice travel partner in the OVC.  Plus, the costs to compete are a lot less in OVC vs SL/MVFC.  If this unfolds MVFC goes back 10 teams and SL stays at 9 with St. Thomas coming in and W Ill potentially going.  Or does this open the door for Augie slightly or do you talk to St. Johns

UND/NDSU

USD/SDSU

(Augie/St. Johns) /St. Thomas

Omaha/Denver

ORU/UMKC

Always wondered why Youngstown doesn’t move to the Ohio Valley Conference. Yes, they are in the Horizon for basketball, but geographically, they would be a better fit in the OVC than the MVFC.

[FSSD]

2 hours ago, zonadub said:

Always wondered why Youngstown doesn’t move to the Ohio Valley Conference. Yes, they are in the Horizon for basketball, but geographically, they would be a better fit in the OVC than the MVFC.

Youngstown has always seemed like they are looking for football success to push the school profile.  So, they would be looking for the next step up for the football program.  I always assumed that they would be the MAC because is has 6 Ohio based schools.  But, they can't afford the MAC and FBS football.  So, I think they are happy with the high level of football within the MVFC.  Plus, I believe that Youngstown was already in the OVC from 1981 to 1987. 

But, you do raise an interesting point about OVC and they could move back.  A driver for this could be the current financial hardships many states are going to have and state funding could be reduced.  So, yes I can see the OVC could be in play for both WIU and YSU to replace EK and JSU.  The next couple of years are going to be interesting.

[zonadub]

11 hours ago, FSSD said:

Youngstown has always seemed like they are looking for football success to push the school profile.  So, they would be looking for the next step up for the football program.  I always assumed that they would be the MAC because is has 6 Ohio based schools.  But, they can't afford the MAC and FBS football.  So, I think they are happy with the high level of football within the MVFC.  Plus, I believe that Youngstown was already in the OVC from 1981 to 1987. 

But, you do raise an interesting point about OVC and they could move back.  A driver for this could be the current financial hardships many states are going to have and state funding could be reduced.  So, yes I can see the OVC could be in play for both WIU and YSU to replace EK and JSU.  The next couple of years are going to be interesting.

Agreed. Youngstown probably prefers the MAC, but the MAC is pretty stable with 12 teams. YSU fits the footprint perfectly, but, despite talk from McFeely and his dreams of Bison FBS,  it does not appear that the MAC is planning to add anyone soon.

[The Sicatoka]

On 1/8/2021 at 4:48 PM, FSSD said:

The interesting part of that report is that OVC is losing two members (E Kent and Jacksonville St).  Does the OVC stay put or does W Ill. look to E Ill. as nice travel partner in the OVC.  Plus, the costs to compete are a lot less in OVC vs SL/MVFC.  If this unfolds MVFC goes back 10 teams and SL stays at 9 with St. Thomas coming in and W Ill potentially going.  Or does this open the door for Augie slightly or do you talk to St. Johns

UND/NDSU

USD/SDSU

(Augie/St. Johns) /St. Thomas

Omaha/Denver

ORU/UMKC

If Krabbenhoff was still at Sanford (money) Augie'd get a look.

Without, that MSP media market (St. Thomas) has to have strong pull. 

[jacksfan29]

On 1/6/2021 at 12:27 PM, FSSD said:

Another poster on AGS is saying that Augustana is one of the DII schools being considered for WAC membership.

Unless something has changed, Augie can't afford the WAC. They admitted as much early on. For them it is Summit or NSIC/D2. 

[SWSiouxMN]

8 minutes ago, jacksfan29 said:

Unless something has changed, Augie can't afford the WAC. They admitted as much early on. For them it is Summit or NSIC/D2. 

They would stick out like a sore thumb in the new WAC

[SWSiouxMN]

I'm actually more excited to see the WAC basketball once those school come aboard.  Should help it become a tougher league. 

[FSSD]

4 hours ago, jacksfan29 said:

Unless something has changed, Augie can't afford the WAC. They admitted as much early on. For them it is Summit or NSIC/D2. 

That could be..  Augie was mentioned in tweets by the same source that has been breaking the WAC news and SUU and Texas schools.  He seems to have a good sources on the topics. 

[Nodak78]

This was posted on twitter about WAC  football starts as FCS and wants to transition to FBS.

[jdub27]

"Commit to an analysis of all implications of a move to FBS"

That analysis should be pretty easy: The numbers don't actually work. 

[zonadub]

Before they are ready for FBS, the P5 will have broken off and the G5 and the top FCS conferences will already have merged into a new second tier.

[Nodak78]

2 minutes ago, zonadub said:

Before they are ready for FBS, the P5 will have broken off and the G5 and the top FCS conferences will already have merged into a new second tier.

I think that is what is going to happen.

[UNDColorado]

7 minutes ago, zonadub said:

Before they are ready for FBS, the P5 will have broken off and the G5 and the top FCS conferences will already have merged into a new second tier.

I agree but some of those schools should not make the cut to the second tier.

[SWSiouxMN]

Chicago State going to get the heave ho?  

[zonadub]

53 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Chicago State going to get the heave ho?  

There was an announcement by CSU that they are leaving the WAC June 30, 2022. If they are being forced out, they are being very diplomatic about it.

 

https://www.gocsucougars.com/news/2021/1/14/general-chicago-state-university-announces-plan-to-leave-western-athletic-conference-in-june-2022.aspx

[jdub27]

2 hours ago, SWSiouxMN said:

Chicago State going to get the heave ho?  

I think it is more of shock both the school and athletic department's doors are still open. 
In 2019, they had $5,544 in ticket sales adn $1,500 outside contributions to their athletic department.
 

[The Sicatoka]

1 minute ago, jdub27 said:

I think it is more of shock both the school and athletic department's doors are still open. 
In 2019, they had $5,544 in ticket sales adn $1,500 outside contributions to their athletic department.

Pretty sure the Thompson Tommies could beat both those numbers.  

[ND-fan]

I have question if the Summit is looking for 10 th  school why hasn't Northern Colorado been looked at. They are much closer to number of the Summit league school for travel and they would have natural travel partner in Denver. Also Denver has direct flights to most of the schools in the Summit league much easier traveling and costs would have to be lower than in the Big Sky. Is there are other reasons for not wanting to be in the Summit.