UND moving up?

[The Sicatoka]

I'm purely going to speculate here.

I have no "insider knowledge" on the subject.

NDSU fans sure seem interested in having UND moving up.

Wouldn't they have to share the "DI" spotlight in the state then?

Could the interest in having UND move up be that ...

- the Big Sky would rather have two schools with better FB traditions, and decent BB potential (NDSU and UND) versus a more BB oriented school with less FB tradition (SDSU)? Toss in that logistics between Grand Forks and Fargo are far better than between Fargo and Brookings (airports in each town, and 75 miles versus 200) and that has to come into some BSC AD's minds who are familiar with the schools (like Sacramento State's AD). This is the "McFeely" concept that started the thread.

- could it be that NDSU is missing the benefits of playing UND, namely

20000 FB tickets at $20 and 8000 BB tickets at $12.50, or specifically an extra $500,000 of gate revenues. That sure wouldn't hurt NDSU right now.

Alternatively, I've thought having UND and NDSU in different conferences would be good if both conferences were solid (kind of like Florida and FSU). Why? Then you'd have a solid conference schedule PLUS one great non-conference gate (assuming they'd be at the same NCAA level of play).

[IowaBison]

i'd love to UND go DI, i'd also be fine if they stayed D2

my point is that the Big Sky is doing some big picture planning right now in considering new members, i don't see them going this again for at least five years and probably longer

i wonder if UND didn't make a mistake, while ndsu might be extremely lucky

[The Sicatoka]

Sure, the Big Sky is at the "letter of interest" stage in their big picture planning.

But at the risk of repeating myself:

As far as the Big Sky, didn't they call for "letters of interest"? All that takes is letterhead and a stamp, right?

[IowaBison]

and you guys have neither the letter nor the stamp

[DamStrait]

and you guys have neither the letter nor the stamp

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! (Desperately trying to catch my breath and wiping tears from my eyes) Man, you are seriously funny! You should get a gig writing for Conan!

Pathetic jerk

[Bisonfan1234]

Big Sky: Sac state is going, Portland state might be next. That would drop the BSC down to 6. Add NDSU, SDSU and you're back to 8.

That leaves UNC which is underfunded and has only a 6500 seat stadium. UND OTOH could get proper funding and has the 12000 seat Alerus. The only question would be can the Alerus be expanded to 15000?

[Cratter]

Big Sky: Sac state is going, Portland state might be next. That would drop the BSC down to 6. Add NDSU, SDSU and you're back to 8.

That leaves UNC which is underfunded and has only a 6500 seat stadium. UND OTOH could get proper funding and has the 12000 seat Alerus. The only question would be can the Alerus be expanded to 15000?

No need to expand to 15,000. BSC is never going I-A and neither are the Sioux.

[IowaBison]

you ok there mr. straight?

or do you know something i don't

is rt writing a letter?

i doubt it

[dakotadan]

How can anyone honestly believe that RT is not doing alot of leg and paper work behind the scenes to go DI? UND will be in the same division of ndsu again some day. It is just a matter of when. I don't have all of the inside information that some claim to have on here, but alot of this is just common sence. Who says that RT hasn't contacted the BSC about membership, or possibly other conferences. Who says he hasn't talked to the big-wigs at the NCAA about what shake-ups could happen in the divisions. The reason that UND didn't fly at the chance to go DI with NDSU is the fact that sioux sports have been more successful in the past 6-8 years than they have ever been. Why would we just want to immediately throw that away?

[dakotadan]

When UNC/NDSU/SDSU started talking about going DI, UND was in the middle of building 2 brand new stadiums, just getting womens soccer going again, and about to add womens DI hockey. As RT has said many times in many interviews, that their plate was just too full at that time. Now UND has added another new stadium, gotten the new teams going, and has done more fund raising than previously. Don't you all believe that this is a great way to build up to a move to DI?

[IowaBison]

the problem with your claim dakotaboy is that it reeks of a conspiracy

if you guys are looking, and i would be very happy if you are, why not say so?

i don't know about your common sense claim and i definitely don't think UND would be throwing anything away by going DI

also, while i believe that going DI is on rt's radar, i don't think its a major priority or that he's doing lots of leg work, he does have a pretty demanding job

i'd be very happy to be proven wrong and learn that UND is actively considering moving up, but to insist that it's happening when the administration insists that it isn't seems a little paranoid

[IowaBison]

in response to your second post

i don't ever remember hearing UND say their plate was too full to consider the move, it was something like (and i'm definitely paraphrasing here)

UND is happy being D2 with a very successful DI hockey program

if you can find me evidence to the contrary I'd love to read it

i agree with your final question, UND is an outstanding position to go DI (I think that NDSU and UND have been (or were) DI schools in D2 clothing for too long)

[dakotadan]

Conspiracy? I was simply stating that nobody knows what RT is doing behind the scene. You claim we don't have the paper of the stamp(?) but how do you know the letter hasn't already been sent? Just because UND hasn't "publically" stated they are looking at moving they will always be looking at the possibility.

As far as RT saying that our plates were too full, maybe he stated we had full plates. I'm sorry I don't file away every little article or interview that goes on in the world of sioux sports. But when NDSU was talking about moving, RT and Kupchella had both said something along the lines that we had alot of things currently going on in our athletic department. I love how everyone on these sites has to pick apart every word that is posted.

[IowaBison]

sorry about that, didn't mean to be too critical about your posts

i still think that it is silly to think that rt has or will be sending a letter to the Big Sky, if he did i doubt they wouldn't take it seriously, not because of any absence of quality on the part of UND but because you have made no commitment whatsoever to going DI, why would they be interested?

[UND92,96]

i still  think that it is silly to think that rt has or will be sending a letter to the Big Sky, if he did i doubt they wouldn't take it seriously, not because of any absence of quality on the part of UND but because you have made no commitment whatsoever to going DI, why would they be interested?

Hypothetically speaking, IF UND were actively seeking membership in a dI/I-AA conference, and IF it stands to reason that the Carr Report NDSU commissioned would similarly apply to UND, then it would stand to reason that conceivably, UND would send a letter of interest to the Big Sky prior to announcing any formal move to division I/I-AA.

[dakotadan]

I would absolutely love to see UND go DI. I understand wanting to take your time and try to win another fb or womens bb championship. but at the same time what if in 6-8 years our football team or bball team aren't even making the playoffs. Then how do you make the move with any hopes of success right off the bat. If UND moves while we are at the top of DII we could most likely step up and at least be somewhat successful from the beginning. Who knows what could happen in the next couple of years. We could win five NCs or we could have a downslide(which I honestly don't see happening).

[LennonIsTheMan]

As far as football is concerned, I don't honestly see a long-term skid happening at UND as long as Dale Lennon is the head coach. Could it happen? Anything can happen. Is it likely? No. Basketball is a different story, but maybe not now that NDSU and SDSU are gone. Time will tell.

[Supertrex]

Sickatocka,

If you want UND to wait for a guaranteed conference home before moving up, you may be waiting for a very long time (your reference to the Carr Report)

The Big Sky will be full, hopefully with NDSU as a member, and aligned for the next ten years at least

You're not quite ready for the WAC or Mountain West

You've got the Missouri Valley, which probably doesn't want the travel or the poor men's basketball program, so check them off the list

So you're left with the Mid-Con!  And I doubt that they'll guarantee you a spot either

Looks like your home will be the NCC for eternity with the Conference First attitude

You make it seem like NDSU has been invited to join the Big Sky...you know that's not true...you make it seem like a foregone conclusion that NDSU will get a conference affiliation because they started the process before UND and that's not true either...NDSU needs UND to go D1-AA in football or NDSU might be the ones living in "no conference hell" for eternity. I predict that they go into a conference together...For me, next year wouldn't be soon enough. I see only upside for a UND move up and in fact for both schools and the entire state.

[PCM]

An Egyptian river run through Fargo.

[IowaBison]

i thought i used 'hopefully' when refering to the Big Sky

NDSU doesn't need UND for anything

it would have been fantastic if you have moved up with us this year..

but you didn't

are we supposed to wait for you guys for some reason

what do you have as an asset that SDSU doesn't

football is definitely "the" sport in the BSC but there are other things to consider where SDSU matches up fairly well with UND, they definitely beat you in the men's bb program

but they have actually declared that they want to be DI

oh, wait they are DI, aren't they

[NDSU grad]

If UND said tomorrow they're moving up, they would have to give the NCC 18 months "notice", correct? I guess that means that next year could be the transition year, and 2006 would be the first year as DI?

[IowaBison]

yep, passed the rule last June to try to stop SDSU from leaving

if UND wants to join the BSC this might be a big or insignificant hurdle depending on the timing the conference wants, i really don't think it would be that big of a deal

if the Big Sky decides by next spring, so UND could spend 2006 in transition, I don't think they'd be able to join the conference until 2007 hypothetically

[Bisonfan1234]

yep, passed the rule last June to try to stop SDSU from leaving

if UND wants to join the BSC this might be a big or insignificant hurdle depending on the timing the conference wants, i really don't think it would be that big of a deal

if the Big Sky decides by next spring, so UND could spend 2006 in transition, I don't think they'd be able to join the conference until 2007 hypothetically

Or they could simple sue (no pun) the conference for BS rules.

NDSU doesn't need UND for anything

I think we can get into the BSC on our own, but I'd rather get in w/ UND than SDSU.

[pirate]

The 18 month notification "rule", has a buyout stipulation. A significant amount of money, but not insurmountable.

[bisonguy]

I believe there is a buyout clause (penalty) for not giving the 18 month notification. It wasn't outrageous- something like $25k. If the money is there to move to DI, it would be a nonfactor.