It pays to be a punching bag

[ScottM]

Buffalo became such a hot commodity in the off-season that it broke contracts with West Virginia and Rutgers because Auburn and Wisconsin were offering at least double the money. Troy State of Alabama will receive $750,000 from Nebraska to play in Lincoln this season. Louisiana-Lafayette will get the same amount from Tennessee next year.

Louisiana-Monroe, which received $700,000 for a game at Kansas, has already spent the money on video equipment. Florida Atlantic, in the Sun Belt Conference with Louisiana-Monroe, will make more than $1.8 million by opening the schedule with games at Clemson, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and South Carolina. That is nearly twice what Florida Atlantic made for playing its four nonconference games last season.

NY Times

Looks like moves to D1 can payoff.

[89rabbit]

NY Times

Looks like moves to D1 can payoff.

How much is UNI paying you guys?

[ScottM]

How much is UNI paying you guys?

More than UND will pay SDSU, or our poor cousin in Fargo.

[BisonMav]

More than UND will pay SDSU, or our poor cousin in Fargo.

That's debateble

[GeauxSioux]

Football home games are typically the primary source of revenue for an entire athletic department. Other than football, the only college sport that makes consistent money is men

[89rabbit]

More than UND will pay SDSU, or our poor cousin in Fargo.

What does that mean? Are you suggesting that your D-II program is going to pay guarantees to play D-I schools, or are you suggesting that your lone D-I sport, Hockey, is going to pay a guarantee to play our club teams?

[ScottM]

What does that mean? Are you suggesting that your D-II program is going to pay guarantees to play D-I schools, or are you suggesting that your lone D-I sport, Hockey, is going to pay a guarantee to play our club teams?

Do try to keep up.

[89rabbit]

Oh I get it. You make fun of D-I schools for playing guarantee football games and when I point out that UND is doing the exact same thing (just at a lower level and lower pay structure) you get kind of frustrated, because I made you look a little foolish. So you retort with a response that makes little to no sense, a post akin to "oh yea, well my dad can beat up your dad", and you want to call that sarcasm. Gotcha. I thought you might be trying to be clever but I was unsure. Now I know that yes you were trying. Thanks for your assistance.

[PCM]

Somebody needs a nap.

[ScottM]

Oh I get it. You make fun of D-I schools for playing guarantee football games and when I point out that UND is doing the exact same thing (just at a lower level and lower pay structure) you get kind of frustrated, because I made you look a little foolish. So you retort with a response that makes little to no sense, a post akin to "oh yea, well my dad can beat up your dad", and you want to call that sarcasm. Gotcha. I thought you might be trying to be clever but I was unsure. Now I know that yes you were trying. Thanks for your assistance.

No, and I'll write slowly for your benefit, I was alluding to fact that UND will eventually have to pay 'SU and its South Dakota bretheren, to come in and be its punching bag when it goes D1. As a practical matter, I wasn't making fun of the D1 schools bringing in punching bags, so much as the programs that seem have have made that a business model, as opposed to developing winning programs. However, I doubt 'SU or UND would follow that path of the some of the schools in the article.

If that doesn't do it for you, then perhaps you'll recall one of these passing over your head earlier.

[89rabbit]

As a practical matter, I wasn't making fun of the D1 schools bringing in punching bags, so much as the programs that seem have have made that a business model, as opposed to developing winning programs.

I totally get that you were making fun of the schools that take the guarntee games. That is why I asked you how much UNI was paying you. It wasn't trying to run down UND, just having a little fun with the fact that you are making fun of punching bag schools when in fact that is exactly what UNI is paying UND to be this season. I'm sorry if that embarrased you, it was supposed to be funny. Have a nice day.

P.S. That airplane you made reference to, looked more like this . . .

Wow! look at it go. I watched it take off, fly about aimlessly and land, but never once did it fly over my head.

[The Walrus]

I believe we get around 50,000 for the UNI Game....and probably a loss?

with only 10 scheduled games it will defintley count , I just hope it dosen't keep us out of the playoffs

[The Walrus]

Looks like moves to D1 can payoff.

No question...Back in the Day, South Dakota under the Leadership of then AD Carl Miller, played the likes of Oklahoma, Nebrasksa, for big pay days that eventually lead to the Building Costs and Construction of their Dakota Dome....

I guess it is just a matter of how many times and for what price you want to get wooped up on..?

[ScottM]

I'm sorry if that embarrased you, it was supposed to be funny. Have a nice day.

"Embarrased" (sic)? Hardly.

[89rabbit]

"Embarrased" (sic)? Hardly.

Please forgive my omission of one letter s. . I bow before your superior spelling/typing skills, or is it proof reading skills . . . either way your elementary English teacher will be proud.

[Bison Dan]

Please forgive my omission of one letter s. . I bow before your superior spelling/typing skills, or is it proof reading skills . . . either way your elementary English teacher will be proud.

Elementary hell he learned that in his senior year at UND.

[PCM]

Elementary hell he learned that in his senior year at UND.

Whereas you have yet to learn how to punctuate.

[legend334]

So in order to get these great pay days....UND will play all its BIG games on the road...where a UND fan will not get to see these teams play anyway....so what is the real benefit of being D 1....is it prestige? profit?? I do not understand it......

[ScottM]

So in order to get these great pay days....UND will play all its BIG games on the road...where a UND fan will not get to see these teams play anyway....so what is the real benefit of being D 1....is it prestige? profit?? I do not understand it......

Some schools see their FB programs as profit centers to fund other, money-losing sports and put them into a few games a season where they'll probably be humiliated. I don't see a harm in UND doing perhaps one game away a season at a place like Minnesota, Iowa or wherever, but when your program focuses less on winning its own conference than bringing in cash, then I think you'll eventually have problems getting good recruits, coaches, etc. Fortunately, UND and 'SU have their own traditions in D2 FB, so I doubt they'd allow themselves to degenerate into pigskin whores.

[IowaBison]

I don't think alumni and fans would allow that to happen.

[sioux goo]

Some schools see their FB programs as profit centers to fund other, money-losing sports and put them into a few games a season where they'll probably be humiliated. I don't see a harm in UND doing perhaps one game away a season at a place like Minnesota, Iowa or wherever, but when your program focuses less on winning its own conference than bringing in cash, then I think you'll eventually have problems getting good recruits, coaches, etc. Fortunately, UND and 'SU have their own traditions in D2 FB, so I doubt they'd allow themselves to degenerate into pigskin whores.

So your suggesting that UND's shortfall in the budget will be aided by extra scholarships, travel, salaries etc...so having tradition in D2 translates what into D1??? I do not understand that connection??

[siouxrunner]

Some schools see their FB programs as profit centers to fund other, money-losing sports and put them into a few games a season where they'll probably be humiliated. I don't see a harm in UND doing perhaps one game away a season at a place like Minnesota, Iowa or wherever, but when your program focuses less on winning its own conference than bringing in cash, then I think you'll eventually have problems getting good recruits, coaches, etc. Fortunately, UND and 'SU have their own traditions in D2 FB, so I doubt they'd allow themselves to degenerate into pigskin whores.

You're right, we'll definitely be focusing on winning our conference, rather than big paydays...

Wait a minute, what conference are we focusing on winning?

[MplsBison]

Curious, how does playing nonconference games affect a team's chances of winning a conference title?

As far as I know, Portland State, for example, can go 0-3 against DI-A teams this year and still win the Big Sky conference.

[star2city]

Curious, how does playing nonconference games affect a team's chances of winning a conference title?

As far as I know, Portland State, for example, can go 0-3 against DI-A teams this year and still win the Big Sky conference.

Getting banged up playing DIA teams doesn't help your conference cause.

If your school is in a IAA without an autobid (like the Great West), going 0-3 against IA teams hurts the school's chance of getting an at-large bid.

[jimdahl]

Another article on "guarantee games" with some interesting anecdotes:

Check please

Last year, Montana backed out of a home game against a Division II team, Central Washington, and accepted $450,000 for a road game against Oregon. Montana paid a $50,000 cancellation fee to Central Washington. It cost about $100,000 to fly the Grizzles to Oregon, feed them and put them up in hotel rooms.

After expenses, Montana pocketed about $300,000 -- the same amount it would have generated from its home game against Central Washington. At least the Grizzlies almost certainly would have picked up a win. Instead, Montana was whupped, 47-14, by Oregon.

Montana officials learned their lesson ... sort of.

When Iowa was stuck without an opening-day opponent this season, it offered the Grizzlies $400,000 to come to Iowa City. Montana at first refused, but ultimately caved in when Iowa sweetened the pot to $650,000.