Portland State - Glanville in - Big Sky out?

[star2city]

Appears there was some serious substance behind the possibility of Portland State dropping football.

The Orgegonian

With the hiring of Jerry Glanville, Portland State seems to be rolling the dice: either upgrade football, or if it fails, drop football. From Honolulu Star-Bulletin comments by June Jones, Hawaii's head football coach (and former Portland State quarterback):

"There's no (hard) feelings at all. He wants me to come up there and run the offense for him," Jones said. "I'm sorry to see him go, but I'm glad it's Portland State. I think it was either hire Jerry or drop football and they (Portland State) made the decision to hire Jerry."

TheOregonian strongly implies PSU football will either be upgraded or dropped:

It's not like Portland landed a second major-league professional sports franchise by hiring Glanville. But the news conference to announce him was packed, and there was a buzz downtown, and hey, Vikings season tickets, anyone? ...

Understand, there's a possibility that Glanville might flop here. That PSU might ultimately starve him of resources. That things might go so sideways in his first two seasons. That players would quit, boosters would disassociate and the university would be left with no choice but to fire him and drop the entire football program.

Oregonian columnist John Canzano blog:

Jerry Glanville to Portland State isn't perfect, but what is? The hiring is laced with charisma, and salesmanship, and it goes down as a big, bold move for people I previously thought incapable of doing something like this. I think this is a risky hire for the people on the Park Blocks.

I was told that part of that pitch included Glanville telling Bernstein that he wanted PSU to be in the Western Athletic Conference within three years.

So with success, Portland State/Glanville want to move up to IA, or with failure, Portland State would drop football. In either case, Portland State's days in the Big Sky appear numbered.

So how about the odds of UND in the Big Sky now?

[bincitysioux]

For the longest time, Montana and Montana St. have been viewed as the biggest flight risks from the Big Sky. It is ironic that at this point in time the two biggest dissidents to eastward expansion (Portland St. and Sac St.) are the ones that get talked about most about fleeing the Sky.

[MplsBison]

I'm sure Oregon and OR St would love to see PSU drop football.

Not that they aren't already head and shoulders above PSU for football support from the state.

It does appear that the Big Sky will be looking for expansion schools in 5-10 years.

By that time UND and USD will be in the Mid Con and Great West with possible further expansion of the Gateway looming.

[star2city]

It does appear that the Big Sky will be looking for expansion schools in 5-10 years.

By that time UND and USD will be in the Mid Con and Great West with possible further expansion of the Gateway looming.

UND administrators are privy to inside information on the Big Sky that you aren't, MplsBison. UND/Denver will be a good next pair for the Big Sky, IMHO.

[MplsBison]

UND administrators are privy to inside information on the Big Sky that you aren't, MplsBison.

Maybe they would be if there was information to be had. There isn't.

UND/Denver will be a good next pair for the Big Sky, IMHO.

Denver is going to the WCC with Seattle.

[Riverman]

MplsBison,

You know us Sioux fans never say never.

Here might be one reason. Link

[MplsBison]

Here might be one reason. Link

The Big Sky doesn't sponsor ice hockey.

[NDSUguy]

UND administrators are privy to inside information on the Big Sky that you aren't, MplsBison. UND/Denver will be a good next pair for the Big Sky, IMHO.

This may be true. Can you tell me which UND administrators have contacted you (or the rest of the University for that matter) regarding their "inside information". While i'm as speculative as the next guy, claims of "inside information" that comes from someone who is:

A: Not an administrator at UND

B: Not involved with the UND athletic department

or

C: Not named Kupchella

don't really hold too much water with me. Please don't spew this "inside information" as fact when it is clear that you are not "privy" to such "information".

[Riverman]

The Big Sky doesn't sponsor ice hockey.

Not yet.

What I should have added was....

A 110 million dollar hockey arena in Grand Forks who would have guessed?

MplsBison, one should never say never is all I am saying.

But if you are all knowing, how about the lotto numbers for this week?

[aff]

Wow, looks like S. Utah may be able to grab that spot in the big sky they have been looking for now...

Seriously, even if this does happen, it doesn't mean expansion to the dakotas is going to happen. UVSC, Denver, S. Utah or any combination would all likely be more likely than UND. If Portland leaves, Sac State, and EWU all are going to be more likely to want S. Utah than UND. I don't care what your facilities are, a conference spanning from Arizona to North Dakota isn't going to happen. Sorry to be negative here, but I don't know what else to say. By the way, what is this, the 10th scenario on this board getting UND into the sky? Give it up already.

What you should be worried about is this:

1. PSU leaves the sky.

2. Sky adds S. Utah

3. The mid-con expands to Texas Pan Am to move back to 10.

4. Another sky school, say Sac State

5. Sky adds UVSC

6. Another school defects from the mid-con

7. Edwardsville is added to the mid con.

Heres the expansion order for the mid-con and sky if defections take place in either (during the next 10 years)

Big Sky- 1. S. Utah 2. UVSC 3. NDSU/SDSU 4. UND/USD

Mid-con- 1. Texas Pan Am 2. Edwardsville 3. UND/USD

Thats what people should be talking about, but amazingly, nobody at either USD or UND seems to care about this situation. The class your moving up in is a a lot more crowded regionally than when SDSU/NDSU moved up.

[aff]

Not yet.

What I should have added was....

A 110 million dollar hockey arena in Grand Forks who would have guessed?

MplsBison, one should never say never is all I am saying.

But if you are all knowing, how about the lotto numbers for this week?

Ever heard the phrase "Hope isn't a strategy"?

[Matt]

Wow, looks like S. Utah may be able to grab that spot in the big sky they have been looking for now...

Seriously, even if this does happen, it doesn't mean expansion to the dakotas is going to happen. UVSC, Denver, S. Utah or any combination would all likely be more likely than UND. If Portland leaves, Sac State, and EWU all are going to be more likely to want S. Utah than UND. I don't care what your facilities are, a conference spanning from Arizona to North Dakota isn't going to happen. Sorry to be negative here, but I don't know what else to say. By the way, what is this, the 10th scenario on this board getting UND into the sky? Give it up already.

What you should be worried about is this:

1. PSU leaves the sky.

2. Sky adds S. Utah

3. The mid-con expands to Texas Pan Am to move back to 10.

4. Another sky school, say Sac State

5. Sky adds UVSC

6. Another school defects from the mid-con

7. Edwardsville is added to the mid con.

Heres the expansion order for the mid-con and sky if defections take place in either (during the next 10 years)

Big Sky- 1. S. Utah 2. UVSC 3. NDSU/SDSU 4. UND/USD

Mid-con- 1. Texas Pan Am 2. Edwardsville 3. UND/USD

Thats what people should be talking about, but amazingly, nobody at either USD or UND seems to care about this situation. The class your moving up in is a a lot more crowded regionally than when SDSU/NDSU moved up.

Sioux fans shouldn't be worried about much of anything at this point. Plenty of Bison folks were feeling awfully good about their chances in the Big Sky and where did it get them? And yet, things managed to work out. Worry...don't worry...what difference does it make when we are talking about potential events in the next 5-10 years? Think back to the mid nineties. Was St Cloud, Mankato, Augie, and Duluth seeking membership in the NSIC due to the dissolution of the NCC part of anyone's expectations? Speculation can be fun, but take it for what it is-not serious.

[Smoggy]

Sorry to be negative here, but I don't know what else to say. By the way, what is this, the 10th scenario on this board getting UND into the sky? Give it up already.

Have you ever been anything else?

[aff]

Have you ever been anything else?

I could ask other fans if they've ever been anything but over-the-top-optimistic too. I guess it all balances out then...?

[Riverman]

Ever heard the phrase "Hope isn't a strategy"?

Whatever

[The Sicatoka]

The Big Sky doesn't sponsor ice hockey.

No, the BSC doesn't offer hockey, but they do have mens and womens basketball tournaments and UND has a TV up-link ready venue that is basketball capable and in the Central (think: maximized viewership, i.e. ESPN) time zone.

PS - As far as BSC hockey, look at the attendance numbers for the NAHL teams in BSC cities. (For the record: The Montana cities have left the NAHL for the NORPAC. Look back at NAHL numbers.)

[89rabbit]

Yea that is it. ESPN has wanted to feature the Big Sky Tourney on prime time but hasn't been able to because all their schools are in the Mountain or Pacific Time zones (you don

[MplsBison]

UND has a TV up-link ready venue

Every single venue in the US is uplink ready:

And I guarantee you that the ESPN directors will want to use their own equipment rather than whatever the Ralph has.

[The Sicatoka]

And I guarantee you that the ESPN directors will want to use their own equipment rather than whatever the Ralph has.

Well, ESPN might, or might not. CSTV uses the arena facilities.

[The Sicatoka]

If UND is let in I bet they will broadcast all the games.

Let's play it this way:

You're the ESPN "Championship Week" broadcast scheduler.

It's championship day for the BSC and the Mid-Con in the year 20xx.

Both games start at 7:00 Central.

Which one do you put on at prime time?

Montana v. Weber State

Centenary v. Oral Roberts

Your call.

[MplsBison]

Which one do you put on at prime time?

Montana v. Weber State

Centenary Oakland v. Oral Roberts

Your call.

Of those 4 schools, Oakland/OR bring the Detroit and Tulsa markets and therefore brings the greatest potential viewer base.

[82SiouxGuy]

Of those 4 schools, Oakland/OR bring the Detroit and Tulsa markets and therefore brings the greatest potential viewer base.

That is very true, or would be if everyone in those cities associated with those schools. But I would guess that neither Oakland nor Oral Roberts are the dominating school in their markets and definitely not big names in the rest of the country. So the real potential viewership is much smaller. I agree with tSic that Montana v. Weber State may have more attraction to the general population.

[89rabbit]

Let's play it this way:

You're the ESPN "Championship Week" broadcast scheduler.

It's championship day for the BSC and the Mid-Con in the year 20xx.

Both games start at 7:00 Central.

Which one do you put on at prime time?

Montana v. Weber State

Centenary v. Oral Roberts

Your call.

Well lets start with the reality that unless God works for ESPN, the network would have no idea who will be playing in a Championship game on any give year when they set the schedule so picking based on the teams is irrelevant (always love how UND fans use Centenary in any Mid-Con examples, is that a board rule or something? ).

So one would think the determining factor would be interest at a given time slot. Since most of the Mid-Con is in the Central or Eastern time zone while most of the Big Sky is in the Mountain and Pacific time zones one might naturally conclude that the folks with the most interest in watching those games would come from the corresponding time zones and thus it would make sense for ESPN to broadcast the games during time slots that were most convenient for the greatest number of potential viewers. I think this would be the key driver in the discussion making process rather then what time zone the championship game was being played in.

One of the reasons I was for the Mid-Con over the Big Sky for SDSU was due to time zones, I didn't want our games to begin at 9 pm CST because it is only 7 pm on the west coast. (another was based on where we get our recruits from).

So even if the BSC Championship was played in Grand Forks, I doubt that ESPN would want it to start at 7 pm CST when it is only 5 pm out west and people in California and Oregon are just getting off work.

Since I am not much for making predictions, one might look at this year's schedule to predict what ESPN might do in the future.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espntv/espnTopic...atch=MNCAABBALL

Mid-Con Championship - Tuesday March 6 - ESPN start time 7 pm ET (Eastern Time - remember it is all about the coasts when you are talking about National TV)

Big Sky Championship - Wed. March 7 - ESPN2 start time 9 pm ET

[MplsBison]

So the real potential viewership is much smaller.

Of course.

But it's still larger than the small fraction of the SLC market brought by Weber and the small Missoula market brought by Montana.

[LeftyZL]

Of course.

But it's still larger than the small fraction of the SLC market brought by Weber and the small Missoula market brought by Montana.

Personally, I don't think it matters what conference UND or NDSU are in. Time zones or not. Satellite capability or not. The reality is that in the regions where the host teams in the championship game are from will be where the majority of the viewers are from. Some(Most?/All?) of the schools in each conference are from small-market towns so they don't generate a lot of interest all together.

I follow college basketball a lot, so I have heard of all of the teams in each conference. But to the average person, who has heard of IUPUI, Cenetary, Weber State, Portland State, etc. Most likely, the average person hasn't heard of these schools, and if they have, they have no idea where they are with the exception of obvious ones that have their city/state included in their school name.

ESPN doesn't televise these games becase they want to. They televise these games because they have to.