Conference Realignments - Take 2

[kingranch]

doesn't the WAC have one more year to re-start football? (not that there are enough Big Sky schools that are ready for FBS today, including UND) or maybe, with New Mexico State still in the WAC and still FBS, can that be drawn out for a longer period? Idaho is still FBS and will be Big Sky next year, would that make any difference?

doesn't the WAC have one more year to re-start football? (not that there are enough Big Sky schools that are ready for FBS today, including UND) or maybe, with New Mexico State still in the WAC and still FBS, can that be drawn out for a longer period? Idaho is still FBS and will be Big Sky next year, would that make any difference?

no

[SiouxVolley]

What stops Doug Fullerton from talking to the sun belt conference about adding the big sky teams and having its own "Big Sky Division"....winners of the division get to play each other. Sounds pretty enticing.

Not to mention playing Big Ten teams again and larger non conference payouts.

The Big Sky would have to find 8 existing FBS teams to qualify as FBS. It has one (Idaho) and the only other school is could get is NMSU.

[SiouxVolley]

doesn't the WAC have one more year to re-start football? (not that there are enough Big Sky schools that are ready for FBS today, including UND) or maybe, with New Mexico State still in the WAC and still FBS, can that be drawn out for a longer period? Idaho is still FBS and will be Big Sky next year, would that make any difference?

The Big Sky could do a reverse merger with the WAC and gain FBS status (then its teams could transition to FBS), but the time is about up. The WAC supposedly only retain FBS status until next July.

[JohnboyND7]

That sounds interesting...or how about a BSC division in the Mountain West, that would be awesome.

Mountain West is already in divisions.

[darell1976]

Mountain West is already in divisions.

Stick all the FBS in one division and the BSC in the other.

[Herd]

What stops Doug Fullerton from talking to the sun belt conference about adding the big sky teams and having its own "Big Sky Division"....winners of the division get to play each other. Sounds pretty enticing.

Not to mention playing Big Ten teams again and larger non conference payouts.

What would stop that? Doug Fullerton and the Big Sky would no longer have football as a sport. Under your scenario, the Big Sky would no longer sponsor football. Any team that has football would be an associate member of the Sun Belt conference, and Big Sky football would be a thing of the past. I think Fullerton would prefer to keep football as a sport in the Big Sky, don't you? What Big Sky teams could even affort the additional $3 million in costs? Another swing and miss.

[Herd]

Stick all the FBS in one division and the BSC in the other.

Why would the MWC add 13 teams for football only? So they could split the TV revenue 13 more ways? Swing and a miss.

[darell1976]

Why would the MWC add 13 teams for football only? So they could split the TV revenue 13 more ways? Swing and a miss.

Ok, first Big Sky has its own tv deals, and second all this talk is for fun, there is no truth or any serious talk. BV is that way Debbie Downer ----->

[darell1976]

A tweet from Dom Izzo:

Dom Izzo ‏@DomIzzoWDAY 1h

Worth watching; believe most AD's and college presidents for NCAA convention in San Diego; some strong talk about the Big Boys breaking away

[The Sicatoka]

The guys with their own TV networks (aka lots of money) want to pay "full cost of attendance" (tuition, fees, plus cash stipends) to student athletes.

[The Sicatoka]

In light of Izzo's tweet, and at risk of repeating myself ...

The more I think about this it's just another step on the path to the vision that Nick Saban vocalized recently:

www.footballscoop.com/news/714...e-fbs-level#FCS

And that makes sense given what the Sun Belt commissioner said recently.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/s...055--ncaaf.html

Notre Dame "consolidating" into one of the "above the line" conferences ensures them a seat "above the line" or in the 70 or so that Saban mentions.

I don't believe Saban or Benson created the vision, but I do believe they're talking about it because forces are in motion to make it happen.

Why will it happen? Money.

[darell1976]

I can eventually see ND joining the ACC like the basketball team or the Big 10 for geography.

[The Sicatoka]

Five above the line; five below the line:

NCAA poised to create separate voting bloc for SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12, Big 12

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaa-poised-to-create-separate-division-for-sec--big-ten--acc--pac-12--big-12-212725211.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory

[SiouxVolley]

Five above the line; five below the line:

NCAA poised to create separate voting bloc for SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12, Big 12

http://sports.yahoo....diacontentstory

There is no talk of formally dividing Division I from the power conferences, just that the power conferences could have voting rights to ram some issue through: like paying players a stipend. The power conferences already have preferential voting. The proposals would give them power over DI to get their pet issues passed.

[Cratter]

And as I have also said before no way "Division I" splits into three seperate football entities.

[UNDColorado]

I don't believe a "split" or something like that will happen anytime soon, but isn't this how big changes begin to happen? Rarely do you see a big changes happen quickly, but rather incremental over time. For a full on split off you need to make people on both sides (haves and have nots) believe that a change needs to happen for the betterment of the game. Right now the lower conferences want to stick with the big boys and that's understandable.

But what happens when stipends create an unfair recruiting advantage for the big 5 conferences? I have to believe that some animosity will be created in the lower conferences and it will grow over time. This is just one example of what COULD happen 10 years from now. If business or general history teaches us anything than it is safe to assume that exceptions like this won't stop at this.

I just feel that is is naive to think that the bigger picture is not being discussed behind closed doors.

[SiouxVolley]

http://www.mynews3.com/content/news/story/Sam-Houston-State-eyeing-FBS-future/9QTRcVZwJke2BpwU7WPTMw.cspx

Sam Houston St has unofficially thrown its hat in the ring for a Sun Belt berth. Going FBS will gain it $1 million a year from the Sun Belt and fan interest from Texas would increased greatly.

Delaware officially threw its interest in conference realignment with a press release. Its probably going to the MAC or possible CUSA.

James Madison, E Kentucky, Jacksonville St, Mo State, Tennessee St, Ill St and Tenn Tech are just a few of the others that want out of the FCS.

[darell1976]

http://www.mynews3.c...BpwU7WPTMw.cspx

Sam Houston St has unofficially thrown its hat in the ring for a Sun Belt berth. Going FBS will gain it $1 million a year from the Sun Belt and fan interest from Texas would increased greatly.

Delaware officially threw its interest in conference realignment with a press release. Its probably going to the MAC or possible CUSA.

James Madison, E Kentucky, Jacksonville St, Mo State, Tennessee St, Ill St and Tenn Tech are just a few of the others that want out of the FCS.

I'm probably going to get ripped for this....if Mo State moves does that free up a MVFC spot for UND? Or should UND just hang out in the BSC until the Big 5 split and a new FBS is born.

[SiouxVolley]

I'm probably going to get ripped for this....if Mo State moves does that free up a MVFC spot for UND? Or should UND just hang out in the BSC until the Big 5 split and a new FBS is born.

Murray St probably accepts if Mo St moves to FBS as it would be the perfect replacement for FB and BB. Wichita St wants to leave too (American even w/o football or maybe the Big East with Creighton), so if that happens the MVFC and MVC wouldn't be that much difference from the Slummit. UND should follow the Big Sky in what it does for football.

[nd1sufan]

I'm probably going to get ripped for this....if Mo State moves does that free up a MVFC spot for UND? Or should UND just hang out in the BSC until the Big 5 split and a new FBS is born.

If Sam Houston and Delaware move up, I look for NDSU and SDSU to make a push for the Mountain West. I think they may be open to 10 schools in case Boise or Fresno leave. They would make good travel partners for all sports other than football. If the FCS loses 2-4 more top schools, NDSU won't stay.

[SiouxVolley]

If Sam Houston and Delaware move up, I look for NDSU and SDSU to make a push for the Mountain West. I think they may be open to 10 schools in case Boise or Fresno leave. They would make good travel partners for all sports other than football. If the FCS loses 2-4 more top schools, NDSU won't stay.

The MWC would have no interest unless it lost 6 schools or more (seven schools from American and five from MWC form a new conference). If the MWC took anyone, it would look to Montana first, or possibly UC Davis or Sac St. I think the SUs are SOL as they don't have friends in the MAC, MWC, CUSA etc. Even the MVC isn't friendly toward the SU's, as Ill St, UNI, and Mo St aren't going to help the SU's find an FBS home when they move on to FBS land. The MWC would prefer even Wichita State before NDSU. NDSU and SDSU don't impact national ratings enough to even bother with. If the Big Sky could finagle its way to FBS status with Idaho and NMSU (as a Sun Belt western division), there would be too many schools in line (like UND) before NDSU gets a call. All the movement of the Alerus acquiring property and expanding makes bison fans nervous.

[nd1sufan]

The MWC would have no interest unless it lost 6 schools or more (seven schools from American and five from MWC form a new conference). If the MWC took anyone, it would look to Montana first, or possibly UC Davis or Sac St. I think the SUs are SOL as they don't have friends in the MAC, MWC, CUSA etc. The MWC would prefer even Wichita State before NDSU. NDSU and SDSU don't impact national ratings enough to even bother with. If the Big Sky could finagle its way to FBS status with Idaho and NMSU (as a Sun Belt western division), there would be too many schools in line (like UND) before NDSU gets a call. All the movement of the Alerus acquiring property and expanding makes bison fans nervous.

Yes, that's it, NDSU fans are nervous about the Quonset adding on....... Davis and Sac St don't have the fan interest to go FBS. If they want to stay relevant in football, what does Wichita State add? UND will NOT go FBS before NDSU does.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

Yes, that's it, NDSU fans are nervous about the Quonset adding on....... Davis and Sac St don't have the fan interest to go FBS. If they want to stay relevant in football, what does Wichita State add? UND will NOT go FBS before NDSU does.

UND will if they get an invite and ndsu doesn't.

[SiouxVolley]

Yes, that's it, NDSU fans are nervous about the Quonset adding on....... Davis and Sac St don't have the fan interest to go FBS. If they want to stay relevant in football, what does Wichita State add? UND will NOT go FBS before NDSU does.

If Davis or Sac St went FBS, their interest would skyrocket. Sacramento could care less about 'DII' football. Wichita State would add tremendously to basketball, baseball, and volleyball strength so the MWC contract goes up. UND is tied to the hip of Montana and Montana St and the Big Sky.

[dmksioux]

The MWC would have no interest unless it lost 6 schools or more (seven schools from American and five from MWC form a new conference). If the MWC took anyone, it would look to Montana first, or possibly UC Davis or Sac St. I think the SUs are SOL as they don't have friends in the MAC, MWC, CUSA etc. Even the MVC isn't friendly toward the SU's, as Ill St, UNI, and Mo St aren't going to help the SU's find an FBS home when they move on to FBS land. The MWC would prefer even Wichita State before NDSU. NDSU and SDSU don't impact national ratings enough to even bother with. If the Big Sky could finagle its way to FBS status with Idaho and NMSU (as a Sun Belt western division), there would be too many schools in line (like UND) before NDSU gets a call. All the movement of the Alerus acquiring property and expanding makes bison fans nervous.

Is expansion at Alerus even possible? I know they are looking at purchasing more land but I don't believe that means they are looking at renovating/adding on to the Alerus' stadium. Only possible way to add on, without redoing the roof is to add seats in the South end zone which means perhaps a couple thousand extra seats at most. As much as I would like to see FBS as an option for us...I think it's still a ways off. And as much as I hate to say it, NDSU is currently better positioned for an FBS move.