President Kennedy Message on Athletics

[Siouxperman8]

On 8/19/2016 at 4:06 PM, Tangolou said:

Top 15 nationally? Out of how many teams? 30? Maybe. 

 

looks like 35.  We finished #10

I'm not saying I think we need to keep women's hockey.  I just think it would be a tough sell.

[Tangolou]

14 minutes ago, Siouxperman8 said:

looks like 35.  We finished #10

I don't think they will cut women's hockey either. My point is that if women's hockey survives the cuts, its not because of their national profile in this obscure collegiate sport. Nobody knows who finished 10th nationally in women's trap shooting either. For the record if I were President it would be gone...

 

[Siouxperman8]

http://www.inforum.com/sports/4100412-missouri-valley-conference-official-mum-possible-und-membership#.V7z24b7Xfls.twitter

Patti Viverito, the head of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, said Tuesday: "I'm not at liberty to have discussions about membership with the press. We're certainly reading the articles coming out of North Dakota with interest."

Viverito declined to speak about the advantages and disadvantages of the current 10-team member, football-only league.

[SWSiouxMN]

26 minutes ago, Siouxperman8 said:

http://www.inforum.com/sports/4100412-missouri-valley-conference-official-mum-possible-und-membership#.V7z24b7Xfls.twitter

Patti Viverito, the head of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, said Tuesday: "I'm not at liberty to have discussions about membership with the press. We're certainly reading the articles coming out of North Dakota with interest."

Viverito declined to speak about the advantages and disadvantages of the current 10-team member, football-only league.

Let the games begin.

[Cratter]

On Saturday, August 20, 2016 at 6:12 AM, southpaw said:

Agreed, let's cut all sports and positions started after 2004. Goodbye women's hockey.  See you later Matt Schill, the digital content director, we don't need no stinking highlights, UND Insider or Through These Doors. Plus several other important positions. 

Exactly.

Matt Schill (love the guy know him personally).....hired at UND....produces video highlights......for UND hockey........while "free money from tv contracts" is acquired......yet need to cut baseball (at und since 1954) to support paying the hockey players and program (despite RECORD athletic spending).

People like you are great at rationalizing why football at UND "struggles"....smart guy like you must obviously know it's a transfer of resources from sports that have been around since before we were born...."gender equality? Or full cost of a attendace?

 

Meanwhile* our football team prays the donations come in for uniforms!

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

11 hours ago, Siouxperman8 said:

http://www.inforum.com/sports/4100412-missouri-valley-conference-official-mum-possible-und-membership#.V7z24b7Xfls.twitter

Patti Viverito, the head of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, said Tuesday: "I'm not at liberty to have discussions about membership with the press. We're certainly reading the articles coming out of North Dakota with interest."

Viverito declined to speak about the advantages and disadvantages of the current 10-team member, football-only league.

I'm normally a fan of Schlossman, but he has taken some rather gratuitous liberties here.

Quote

New University of North Dakota President Mark Kennedy has made it clear that he wants his school to look at new options for a conference home for its athletics programs.

Where does he get 'look at new options' from the Kennedy e-mail?

Quote

As a companion to that process, I am asking a subgroup of the elected Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC) to examine UND Athletics to make sure we have an athletics program that best fits the University of North Dakota in terms of a number of factors, including the sports we participate in, conference participation, the number of athletes that we serve, and the cost of the programs.

If the IAC subcommittee finds that the current conference landscape "fits" UND, there will be no "new options" to consider.  Just another day of manufactured news by Forum Communications?

[Siouxperfan7]

23 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Where does he get 'look at new options' from the Kennedy e-mail?

Faison seems to be interpreting it that way.

"I think what the president is saying is that everything needs to be on the table," North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison said Friday. "That includes conference affiliation. That includes sports sponsorships. That includes the institution's decision on support."

[jdub27]

23 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

I'm normally a fan of Schlossman, but he has taken some rather gratuitous liberties here.

Where does he get 'look at new options' from the Kennedy e-mail?

If the IAC subcommittee finds that the current conference landscape "fits" UND, there will be no "new options" to consider.  Just another day of manufactured news by Forum Communications?

I tend to agree with you. What Kennedy said isn't exactly ground-breaking, it is something that has continued to be explored since UND moved to D-1, but I guess he just made it a little more public. I don't think what they will be looking at definitely are really new options, it is pretty clear there is only three real choices with varying viability: Big Sky in all sports, Summit/MVFC (not available at this time), Summit/Big Sky football affiliate (unknown). The answer continues to be obvious in the second one and third one is probably the only one that hasn't been explored in depth at this point and all hinges on the Big Sky's thoughts on UND being an affiliate. While I can't see the Summit turning down UND since they take everyone, UND isn't as attractive as they once were now that baseball has been dropped and doesn't help their shortage of baseball teams. I wonder if different decisions would have been made if Douple would have actually looked at UND's application to become an affiliate member for baseball instead of ignoring it.

[zonadub]

Wondering why all the focus on this board is now on UND moving to the Summit/MVFC as opposed to dropping swimming and diving (sports sponsorship) and maybe softball... ?

[The Sicatoka]

Quote

As a companion to that process, I am asking a subgroup of the elected Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC) to examine UND Athletics to make sure we have an athletics program that best fits the University of North Dakota in terms of a number of factors, including the sports we participate in, conference participation, the number of athletes that we serve, and the cost of the programs.

That's an "everything is on the table, up for review" statement. Given that, folks are locking onto the wrong phrase in there. 

[NDSUguy]

Not sure if you guys saw the interview with Kennedy on WDAY....  On camera he said exactly what Schlossman suggested.  He said that UND was looking at all options including a change in conferences.  He even went so far to say how it would be fun to play against traditional rivals.  I don't know how anyone would say that his interview was anything but directly confirming the idea of switching conferences.

[UNDBIZ]

27 minutes ago, NDSUguy said:

Not sure if you guys saw the interview with Kennedy on WDAY....  On camera he said exactly what Schlossman suggested.  He said that UND was looking at all options including a change in conferences.  He even went so far to say how it would be fun to play against traditional rivals.  I don't know how anyone would say that his interview was anything but directly confirming the idea of switching conferences.

I don't think most of us would deny conference realignment is being looked at as AN option.  I have an issue with some portraying it as the ONLY option.

[homer]

34 minutes ago, NDSUguy said:

Not sure if you guys saw the interview with Kennedy on WDAY....  On camera he said exactly what Schlossman suggested.  He said that UND was looking at all options including a change in conferences.  He even went so far to say how it would be fun to play against traditional rivals.  I don't know how anyone would say that his interview was anything but directly confirming the idea of switching conferences.

The email sent out stated one idea being looked at is switching conferences.  

We also need to trim some sports.  

[southpaw]

15 hours ago, Cratter said:

Exactly.

Matt Schill (love the guy know him personally).....hired at UND....produces video highlights......for UND hockey........while "free money from tv contracts" is acquired......yet need to cut baseball (at und since 1954) to support paying the hockey players and program (despite RECORD athletic spending).

People like you are great at rationalizing why football at UND "struggles"....smart guy like you must obviously know it's a transfer of resources from sports that have been around since before we were born...."gender equality? Or full cost of a attendace?

 

Meanwhile* our football team prays the donations come in for uniforms!

You realize the football team also gets FCOA? That expense is significantly higher than "paying the hockey team."

[johnsowe]

Jist a question how many away fans does the big sky bring to UND? How about the Summit? Or Mv?

[CMSioux]

The Montana schools always brings a respectful group based on distance. I think the South Dakota schools and the one down south would be the only ones that have football fans that travel in bunches. 

The MV made a mistake not offering UND now they realize that UND can/will have solid teams, has great facilities, great academics and great fans - not to mention a national powerhouse in a "niche" sport (sarcasm). UND would do nothing but strengthen the conference. 

 

[Siouxperman8]

12 hours ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

I'm normally a fan of Schlossman, but he has taken some rather gratuitous liberties here.

Where does he get 'look at new options' from the Kennedy e-mail?

If the IAC subcommittee finds that the current conference landscape "fits" UND, there will be no "new options" to consider.  Just another day of manufactured news by Forum Communications?

What liberties did Schlossman take?  Kennedy said changing conferences will be looked at.  Schlossman talked to MVFC commissioner and she said no comment and he reported that.  He also laid out what options are out there if we do change conferences.  He didn't say it was imminent.  

What am I missing?

[Herd]

On August 18, 2016 at 4:18 PM, The Sicatoka said:

And you do realize to use leverage you need a fulcrum. 

USD's fulcrum was the league's willingness to be at 10 teams (but not 11). 

Said fulcrum was handed to usd by und.   Some would say usd gave you the rope-a-dope.  Hope they at least sent you a fruit basket.

[bison73]

46 minutes ago, Siouxperman8 said:

What liberties did Schlossman take?  Kennedy said changing conferences will be looked at.  Schlossman talked to MVFC commissioner and she said no comment and he reported that.  He also laid out what options are out there if we do change conferences.  He didn't say it was imminent.  

What am I missing?

You need to have the vision of SV to read between the lines.

[SIOUXFAN97]

could it be as simple as "conference participation" being the WAC sports we sponsor...drop those sports and our participation with that said conference is done?

[UNDBIZ]

I also find Kennedy's mention of the relationship with the REA to be interesting. Seems to be alot of expenses there, some of which may be of minimal benefit to the fans and already duplicated at UND. 

[SWSiouxMN]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4101234-und-athletics-kennedy-wants-budget-recommendations-nov-1

[zonadub]

8 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4101234-und-athletics-kennedy-wants-budget-recommendations-nov-1

"any recommendations as to sports to discontinue"

bye-bye WAC sports.

softball? 

[SIOUXFAN97]

52 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

I also find Kennedy's mention of the relationship with the REA to be interesting. Seems to be alot of expenses there, some of which may be of minimal benefit to the fans and already duplicated at UND. 

the usher and or cop to fan ratio at the betty on thursday nights is the highest in d1 in the nation!

[GeauxSioux]

21 hours ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

Faison seems to be interpreting it that way.

"I think what the president is saying is that everything needs to be on the table," North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison said Friday. "That includes conference affiliation. That includes sports sponsorships. That includes the institution's decision on support."

If "everything" is on the table, I would be eyeing Women's Hockey.  I believe Idalski's contract is up on the end of this season, coincidentally.  Since UND has already cut two men's sports, cutting one women's sport wouldn't be earth shattering.  The costs associated with women's hockey have to be quite large in comparison to some of the other sports being mentioned for cuts.  Would cutting baseball, men's golf and women's hockey get to the $1.4M or would more need to be cut?

Edit: Additionally, the most recent comments seem to dwell more on the sports that will be discontinued than on conference affiliation. 

Quote

"To give long term confidence to our student athletes, I intend to determine this fall the sports that will be sponsored, and this will be definitive for my period of service at UND," Kennedy wrote. "To be clear, I welcome any recommendations as to sports to discontinue up until Nov. 1, but not thereafter."