Big Sky/WAC Merger

[darell1976]

Gotta love not playing a game in the big sky yet reporters/bloggers consider us upper class

"The Big Sky is not going to willingly push any of the four likely roadblocks for WAC expansion (Montana, Montana State, Portland State, or North Dakota) into the WAC. It would be equally strategically foolish to push their middle class (Weber State, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona) into the WAC without binding assurances from the WAC."

I caught that too.

[Cratter]

From the bleacher report article:

"If allowed, it could be a pretty brilliant plan to stay western but avoid the four horsemen. The Big Sky would have no leverage vs. a WAC that also sponsors FCS football.  If the WAC also sponsored FCS sports, the odds of the WAC peeling away four Big Sky members skyrocket. "

Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like star. seems to be the only way the WAC survives for any meaningful future.

[The Sicatoka]

If Montana, Montana State, North Dakota, and Portland State are mentioned first, and then Weber State, Sac State, and Northern Arizona mentioned as "middle class", how do Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Southern Utah, and Northern Colorado feel about now? Ouch.

Academics matter.

[Cratter]

If Montana, Montana State, North Dakota, and Portland State are mentioned first, and then Weber State, Sac State, and Northern Arizona mentioned as "middle class", how do Idaho State, Eastern Washington, Southern Utah, and Northern Colorado feel about now? Ouch.

Academics matter.

Academics matter...more than any recent FCS Championship (EWU).

[The Sicatoka]

The only WAC or BSC schools with higher rated academics than UND? Cal-Davis, Denver, Idaho.

[Cratter]

"Even if the WAC survives, the conference is sure to take a hit financially. With the recent departures, most notably Boise State, and the conference's diminished ranking among NCAA football's non-automatic qualifying conferences, the WAC's TV contract with ESPN had already been reduced by 80 percent, according to Spear. That translates into roughly $450,000 in lost revenue for Idaho athletics, which has an overall budget of about $18 million, Spear said. That contract is sure to lose more value.

"It's a big hit to our budget," Spear said."

UND just got $200,000 a year "free money" that wasn't there before. Thanks to a small regional cable network. Pretty good compared to Idaho, not to mention money UND will receive from Root Sports.

Wonder what Midco pays for FBS.

" The winner of 9 of the last 14 FCS championship games either have already moved or are openly planning a move."

[Cratter]

The bolded part doesn't mention that they moved to the Southland from what I have heard, for about 2 reasons. Baseball is Oral Roberts biggest sport.

Is that Bisonville logic? ORU basketball averages six times as many people as their baseball team.

[JohnboyND7]

Is that Bisonville logic? ORU basketball averages six times as many people as their baseball team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_Roberts_Golden_Eagles#Baseball

Baseball is very important to them apparently. And considering they weren't happy with the Summit anyway regarding the tourney placement for basketball, it makes sense that they'd move to a league that is probably better for baseball.

[Cratter]

It's like saying softball and wrestling are NDSU's top sports. The reason they moved was I would agree geography.

But I believe ORU is a basketball school first.

Wouldn't be surprised if NDSU averaged more for baseball. Considering they had home crowds of 1,200 and 1,700 people.

[bincitysioux]

ORU is primarily a basketball school and they didn't leave the Summit just because of baseball. ORU left the Summit because they were the high-end basketball school in a low-end basketball league with crappy travel and poor baseball weather. Now they are the high-end basketball school in a low-end basketball leauge with friendly travel and ideal baseball weather. They'll still be the favorites every year in basketball and their baseball recruiting will probably be alot easier.

[The Sicatoka]

Seems the Jax State AD doesn't say the same things his football coach said earlier this week about the WAC.

http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/19608018/article-JSU-AD--Nothing-in-the-works-with-move-to-WAC-?instance=home_news

[IrishSiouxFan]

Seems the Jax State AD doesn't say the same things his football coach said earlier this week about the WAC.

http://www.annistons...tance=home_news

I wonder if he said that to boost season ticket sales? Maybe Muss should start a rumor about UND joining the Big 10? Actually, I don't think that will be necessary for this year. Anybody heard numbers regarding tickets sells this far or is that under wraps?

[Cratter]

Is the WAC dead yet?

[dmksioux]

Is the WAC dead yet?

According this this recent tweet, it appears the WAC and BSC are back in discussions about some sort of alliance. The writer is supposed to have more info in tomorrows Idaho Statesmen.

Brian Murphy ‏@murphsturph

WAC and Big Sky are back in discussions about alliance to keep WAC alive & keep 2 NCAA bids, according to Idaho officials.

[GeauxSioux]

According this this recent tweet, it appears the WAC and BSC are back in discussions about some sort of alliance. The writer is supposed to have more info in tomorrows Idaho Statesmen.

The next few weeks should be interesting.

[Hambone]

Interesting.......

[GeauxSioux]

A couple of days ago Jayson Hajdu tweeted

Truth: I've been associated with @UNDsports for a looong time, and I've never been so excited and energized to be a part of it.

I took it to mean starting Big Sky play. Now I'm wondering if there was something more to it.

[IrishSiouxFan]

A couple of days ago Jayson Hajdu tweeted

I took it to mean starting Big Sky play. Now I'm wondering if there was something more to it.

Are you thinking it's a basketball only alliance with two NCAA bids?

[GeauxSioux]

Are you thinking it's a basketball only alliance with two NCAA bids?

No clue.

Star2City needs to log back in and give us some analysis. I know that he wrote over on the WAC board a while back that he had some inside info on what was going on.

[dmksioux]

Are you thinking it's a basketball only alliance with two NCAA bids?

Here is a link to the Idaho Statesmen article. It appears as though talks are revolving around the Olympic sports.

http://www.idahostat...e-decision.html

As for the Vandals’ other sports teams, Nellis said the WAC has restarted talks with the Big Sky about an alliance that would involve some teams moving from the Big Sky to the WAC for non-football sports. WAC interim commissioner Jeff Hurd said last month that the talks had been shelved. But they are now back on.

[FSSD]

Here is a link to the Idaho Statesmen article. It appears as though talks are revolving around the Olympic sports.

http://www.idahostat...e-decision.html

Here is the quote that I thought was interesting:

The Big Sky currently has 11 all-sport members. The WAC has four, not including Boise State, which is trying to get into the Big West. The plan would be to create two eight-team leagues.

Here are the schools

Big Sky

PSU

Sac St

Weber St

EWU

UM

MSU

ISU

UNC

NAU

UND

SUU

WAC

Denver

Seattle

NMSU

UI

Other

BSU

What are your eight for the WAC?

[jodcon]

Geographically Sac. St., SUU, NAU, and maybe PSU or ISU would be a good fit and would leave the Montana/EWU/UND/UNC region pretty intact, I'd hate to see those 5 break apart.

[dmksioux]

No clue.

Star2City needs to log back in and give us some analysis. I know that he wrote over on the WAC board a while back that he had some inside info on what was going on.

Here is a quote from "Siouxfan", most likely Star2city, that was posted on the WAC message board a few weeks ago.

From sources that I can not reveal, there are four Big Sky schools Presidents that are very tightly knit and are planning "bigger things":

Montana's Engstrom

Montana State's Cruzado

Portland State's Weiwel

North Dakota

Last edited 7/24/2

[FSSD]

A conference must have seven active Division I members that sponsor men’s and women’s basketball and the conference sponsor a minimum of six men’s sports and six women’s sports.

NOTE: A conference must have 6 teams to sponsor a sport (I think?).

http://www.ncaa.com/...t-wac-auto-bids

I believe that the limiting factor is going to be Men’s sports because most schools do not sponsor a wide variety of men’s sports. The WAC sponsors 7 men’s sports one more than required. They are:

Baseball, Basketball, Cross-Country, Golf, Tennis, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track.

The outliner men’s sports when comparing Big Sky and WAC are Golf and Baseball. So, the WAC would be looking for programs that offer Golf and Baseball. The Big Sky has three schools that offer those sports: UND, UNC and Sac St.

If the WAC drops Baseball and just maintains the minimum number of sports. The Big Sky would have 5 programs that offer Golf: UND, UNC, Sac St., Weber St. and SUU.

On the surface, it looks like UND, UNC and Sac St are the major pieces in play. Again, any school can add sports, but those are the schools that are in play without adding sports. Not sure how excited Sac St is about this because they would like to move all Olympic sports to Big West.

[bincitysioux]

Give the history of the WAC, I'd prefer that the Big Sky just stay out of it. Fullerton has been sandbagging the WAC in the press for the last two years, and now he wants to merge with it?