NCAA to Cap number of I-A Football Schools?

[star2city]

Interesting quotes from Western Kentucky President Gary Ransdell in WKU football nears vote on Division I-A

"My instincts are that when WKU and Villanova decide what each will do, then the NCAA will likely put a cap on the migration of universities from I-AA to I-A," the memo said. "This could make it impossible for institutions to make the switch in the future."

So does this mean NDSU fan talk of going IA or UND's Harmeson's talk of going to DIA football may be gone?

Though school President Gary Ransdell has declined to go on the record supporting the change, he has called I-AA football a "financial disaster."

Both in the memo and in interviews with The Courier-Journal, Ransdell and athletic director Wood Selig noted the benefits of a rise to Division I-A. Selig said Western football is losing almost $2 million a year. When the Hilltoppers won the 2002 I-AA national championship, the postseason expenses cost the program $100,000. In 1992 the school came close to dropping football. In I-A, Selig said the program would stand a greater chance of at least breaking even.

Western is projecting a budget of $5.33 million by the third full year of I-A football. The university would handle the increased cost through a tuition increase of $70 per student per semester, revenue from 800 club seats from the renovated L.T. Smith Stadium, the sale of media rights and signage, money from the BCS and licensed merchandise and richer payouts from playing at major-conference, I-A opponents. (WKU has discussed playing Indiana, South Florida and Virginia.)

[The Sicatoka]

Here's what caught my eye in the 2004-05 NCAA manual:

20.9.6.2 Football Scheduling Requirement. [i-A]The institution shall schedule and play at least 60 percent of its football games against members of Division I-A. During the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, the institution shall schedule and play at least four regular season home football games against members of Division I-A. Thereafter, the institution shall schedule and play at least five regular season home games against Division I-A opponents. For purposes of satisfying the scheduling requirement, a contest shall be considered a home contest if it is played in the stadium in which an institution conducts at least 50 percent of its home contests. In addition, an institution may use one home contest against a Division I-A member conducted at a neutral site to satisfy the home-game requirement. (Revised: 4/25/02 effective 8/1/04; 1/12/04)

So now that DI-A is a 12 game schedule, that means:

- must play 8 games v. DI-A (7 is only 58%)

-- five DI-A games must be at home

To get a DI-A to play at your place you probably have to return the favor to them at some point.

Look at a conference like the Big Ten (which seems to be playing a lot of DI-A MAC teams this year):

- 4 H/4 R conference games

- have to schedule another DI-A home game

- have to compensate the DI-A you visited last year

That "five regular season home games against Division I-A opponents" seems like it's going to force some DI-As to play other DI-As rather than DI-AAs in the future. That probably spells fewer "money date" opportunities for DI-AAs down the road.

[Shawn-O]

That "five regular season home games against Division I-A opponents" seems like it's going to force some DI-As to play other DI-As rather than DI-AAs in the future. That probably spells fewer "money date" opportunities for DI-AAs down the road.

Which in turn could, or would slow migration from D-II to DI-AA. The NCAA feels the need to stabilize things and stop the dominos from falling at some point.

[nodakvindy]

I don't think it will make huge difference, but you will see a lot more home and homes between schools from the non-BCS conferences. It might actually free up more slots for I-AAs to play games against the BCS teams, as the I-A teams will be forced into playing more home games.

[Hammersmith]

So now that DI-A is a 12 game schedule, that means:

- must play 8 games v. DI-A (7 is only 58%)

-- five DI-A games must be at home

To get a DI-A to play at your place you probably have to return the favor to them at some point.

Look at a conference like the Big Ten (which seems to be playing a lot of DI-A MAC teams this year):

- 4 H/4 R conference games

- have to schedule another DI-A home game

- have to compensate the DI-A you visited last year

That "five regular season home games against Division I-A opponents" seems like it's going to force some DI-As to play other DI-As rather than DI-AAs in the future. That probably spells fewer "money date" opportunities for DI-AAs down the road.

Two points:

1. If you use the current manual and read a little further, you will find that a I-A can count a single I-AA opponent as a I-A.

2. I think the five home game rule is partially responsible for some of the interconference agreements that currently exist. i.e. Big Ten/MAC agreement

Actually, the way the rules been changed in the last couple of years have increased the opportunities for I-A money games rather than decreased them. Four home conference games + four away conference games + one home I-A home/home or conference exchange game + one away of the same + one home I-AA = 11 games with all requirements filled; 6 home/5 away. Depending on your budget, add a final home or away game to fill out the schedule. BTW, with the exception of the I-AA exception, those rules have been in place for over 2 years and the number of I-A/I-AA games is still rising dramatically.

Regarding Ransdell's comments about I-AA being a finacial disaster: Remember that he is pushing I-A at WKU in a big way. He may not be supporting it offically, but everyone there knows where he stands.

There is talk of a I-AA to I-A moratorium, just as there was, and may be again, a moratorium on DII to DI. If WKU were to move, the divisions would be almost perfectly split. Something like 120 to 119.