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Thursday, May 21, 2009 | No Comments [ Add Comment ]
Big Sky cutting costs via travel, tournaments / Wildcats will have attack plan, AD says
By Jasen Asay
Standard-Examiner staff
[email protected]
OGDEN -- Who's ready for some back-to-back college basketball action?
The Big Sky Conference, that's who.
As the Big Sky wrapped up its spring meetings on Wednesday at the Hilton Salt Lake City Airport, one of the several cost-cutting proposals that passed was to bring back the Friday-Saturday schedule during the men's and women's league seasons.
"I think that's something that will have to sit down with (women's coach) Carla (Taylor) and (men's coach) Randy (Rahe) and (WSU vice president for administrative services) Norm (Tarbox) and we'll revisit the strategy involved with how we travel and when we travel because you are creating a situation where you want to put the student-athletes in the best possible position to be successful," said WSU athletic director Jerry Graybeal.
"We'll have to sit down and come up with a plan of attack."
The league announced last month that volleyball would play league games on a Friday-Saturday schedule as well.
The lone exception will be the road trip involving games at NAU and Sacramento State, which will continue to be played on a Thursday-Saturday schedule.
"Obviously travel in our league during the winter months is a concern, and that's one of the reasons trips to Northern Arizona will continue to have an off day,'' said Big Sky Conference commissioner Doug Fullerton. "Our athletic directors spoke with student-athletes and coaches and found out that many would prefer to play consecutive days on the road. We also think playing on Fridays will have a positive impact on academics and attendance.''
The league last played back-to-back league games during the 2001-2002 season.
The conference will continue to televise a men's basketball game of the week on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. In the past those games have mostly been on Sunday, but a few were moved to Saturday to accommodate Altitude's schedule. That may be the case again this season.
The university presidents, athletic directors, senior women administrators and faculty athletic representatives of the nine universities also passed proposals that the Big Sky says will save $415,000 for the conference, or roughly $46,000 per school during the 2009-2010 school year.
Other changes include caps on traveling parties for men's and women's basketball. Basketball teams will be allowed to take 17 players, coaches and administrators to road games. The number of championship competitors will drop from six to four in volleyball, men's and women's tennis Teams will also not be allowed to fly to road trips less than 450 miles from their schools.
"The Big Sky Conference has been way ahead of this," Graybeal said. "We've always been very proactive in looking at the number of people in a travel party."
The league also announced that the conference golf championship will be played at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., in 2010, 2011, 2012, and that the conference tennis championship will return to Sacramento in 2010.
Proposals to drop the number of teams in the conference postseason basketball tournaments from six to four and to limit volleyball teams to 15 in their travel parties were defeated, as well as reductions on soccer and football travel parties
"As we face these difficult financial times in the world of collegiate athletics and higher education, it was important for us to keep in mind the relationship between cost and value,'' Fullerton said. "We have to work together as a league to help save. However, it is important that we maintain a strong, viable and competitive Division I conference.''
*************************************************************************
BigSkyConf.com
http://www.bigskyconf.com/News/general/2009/5/20/springmeeting52009.asp?path=general
League Announces More Cost-Saving Moves
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 20, 2009) - The Big Sky Conference voted to keep its men’s and women’s basketball championships as six-team formats, the league announced Wednesday following the conclusion of its spring meetings.
Reducing the basketball championships to four teams was one of several cost-savings proposals voted on by Presidents, Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletic Representatives of the nine conference institutions.
“As we face these difficult financial times in the world of collegiate athletics and higher education, it was important for us to keep in mind the relationship between cost and value,’’ said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. “We have to work together as a league to help save. However, it is important that we maintain a strong, viable and competitive Division I conference.’’
Division I leagues across the nation have announced or are discussing potential cost-savings measures, many similar to those proposed by the Big Sky.
Several cost-savings measures were approved and estimated to save roughly $415,000 for the Conference, or $46,000 per school during the 2009-10 academic year.
Officials voted to reduce the number of championship competitors from six to four teams in volleyball, and men’s and women’s tennis.
The league will also move to a Friday-Saturday schedule for men’s and women’s regular-season basketball, in an attempt to reduce missed class time and reduce travel costs. In April, the Conference announced volleyball would also use a Friday-Saturday schedule. Doubleheader trips involving contests in Flagstaff, Ariz., will continue to be played in a traditional Thursday-Saturday format for all three sports. The conference last played a Friday-Saturday schedule in basketball in 2001-02.
“Obviously travel in our league during the winter months is a concern, and that’s one of the reason trips to Northern Arizona will continue to have an off day,’’ Fullerton said. “Our athletic directors spoke with student-athletes and coaches and found out that many would prefer to play consecutive days on the road. We also think playing on Fridays will have a positive impact on academics and attendance.’’
Caps on traveling parties were approved for men’s and women’s basketball. Basketball teams will be able to take 17 players, coaches and administrators to road games. A proposal to limit volleyball teams to 15 in their travel parties was defeated, as were reductions on soccer and football travel parties.
“We feel the Big Sky Conference already runs at a very efficient level,’’ Fullerton said. “If you look around the nation at other Division I conferences and the money-saving moves they are making, many of those are things the Big Sky has already implemented. Many of the decisions made this week were not easy, or things our schools wanted to make, but they were decisions that needed to be made in this difficult time.”
In April, the Big Sky announced it was suspending its annual football Summer Kickoff in Park City, Utah. The league also suspended its RPI requirements for men’s basketball.
Several other proposals were approved during the three-day meetings:
- Air travel will not be allowed for road trips less than 450 miles.
- The conference golf championship will be played at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., in 2010, 2011, 2012.
- The conference tennis championship will return to Sacramento in 2010.
- The conference will continue to televise a men’s basketball game of the week on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
Thursday, May 21, 2009 | No Comments [ Add Comment ]
Big Sky cutting costs via travel, tournaments / Wildcats will have attack plan, AD says
By Jasen Asay
Standard-Examiner staff
[email protected]
OGDEN -- Who's ready for some back-to-back college basketball action?
The Big Sky Conference, that's who.
As the Big Sky wrapped up its spring meetings on Wednesday at the Hilton Salt Lake City Airport, one of the several cost-cutting proposals that passed was to bring back the Friday-Saturday schedule during the men's and women's league seasons.
"I think that's something that will have to sit down with (women's coach) Carla (Taylor) and (men's coach) Randy (Rahe) and (WSU vice president for administrative services) Norm (Tarbox) and we'll revisit the strategy involved with how we travel and when we travel because you are creating a situation where you want to put the student-athletes in the best possible position to be successful," said WSU athletic director Jerry Graybeal.
"We'll have to sit down and come up with a plan of attack."
The league announced last month that volleyball would play league games on a Friday-Saturday schedule as well.
The lone exception will be the road trip involving games at NAU and Sacramento State, which will continue to be played on a Thursday-Saturday schedule.
"Obviously travel in our league during the winter months is a concern, and that's one of the reasons trips to Northern Arizona will continue to have an off day,'' said Big Sky Conference commissioner Doug Fullerton. "Our athletic directors spoke with student-athletes and coaches and found out that many would prefer to play consecutive days on the road. We also think playing on Fridays will have a positive impact on academics and attendance.''
The league last played back-to-back league games during the 2001-2002 season.
The conference will continue to televise a men's basketball game of the week on Altitude Sports & Entertainment. In the past those games have mostly been on Sunday, but a few were moved to Saturday to accommodate Altitude's schedule. That may be the case again this season.
The university presidents, athletic directors, senior women administrators and faculty athletic representatives of the nine universities also passed proposals that the Big Sky says will save $415,000 for the conference, or roughly $46,000 per school during the 2009-2010 school year.
Other changes include caps on traveling parties for men's and women's basketball. Basketball teams will be allowed to take 17 players, coaches and administrators to road games. The number of championship competitors will drop from six to four in volleyball, men's and women's tennis Teams will also not be allowed to fly to road trips less than 450 miles from their schools.
"The Big Sky Conference has been way ahead of this," Graybeal said. "We've always been very proactive in looking at the number of people in a travel party."
The league also announced that the conference golf championship will be played at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., in 2010, 2011, 2012, and that the conference tennis championship will return to Sacramento in 2010.
Proposals to drop the number of teams in the conference postseason basketball tournaments from six to four and to limit volleyball teams to 15 in their travel parties were defeated, as well as reductions on soccer and football travel parties
"As we face these difficult financial times in the world of collegiate athletics and higher education, it was important for us to keep in mind the relationship between cost and value,'' Fullerton said. "We have to work together as a league to help save. However, it is important that we maintain a strong, viable and competitive Division I conference.''
*************************************************************************
BigSkyConf.com
http://www.bigskyconf.com/News/general/2009/5/20/springmeeting52009.asp?path=general
League Announces More Cost-Saving Moves
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (May 20, 2009) - The Big Sky Conference voted to keep its men’s and women’s basketball championships as six-team formats, the league announced Wednesday following the conclusion of its spring meetings.
Reducing the basketball championships to four teams was one of several cost-savings proposals voted on by Presidents, Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletic Representatives of the nine conference institutions.
“As we face these difficult financial times in the world of collegiate athletics and higher education, it was important for us to keep in mind the relationship between cost and value,’’ said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. “We have to work together as a league to help save. However, it is important that we maintain a strong, viable and competitive Division I conference.’’
Division I leagues across the nation have announced or are discussing potential cost-savings measures, many similar to those proposed by the Big Sky.
Several cost-savings measures were approved and estimated to save roughly $415,000 for the Conference, or $46,000 per school during the 2009-10 academic year.
Officials voted to reduce the number of championship competitors from six to four teams in volleyball, and men’s and women’s tennis.
The league will also move to a Friday-Saturday schedule for men’s and women’s regular-season basketball, in an attempt to reduce missed class time and reduce travel costs. In April, the Conference announced volleyball would also use a Friday-Saturday schedule. Doubleheader trips involving contests in Flagstaff, Ariz., will continue to be played in a traditional Thursday-Saturday format for all three sports. The conference last played a Friday-Saturday schedule in basketball in 2001-02.
“Obviously travel in our league during the winter months is a concern, and that’s one of the reason trips to Northern Arizona will continue to have an off day,’’ Fullerton said. “Our athletic directors spoke with student-athletes and coaches and found out that many would prefer to play consecutive days on the road. We also think playing on Fridays will have a positive impact on academics and attendance.’’
Caps on traveling parties were approved for men’s and women’s basketball. Basketball teams will be able to take 17 players, coaches and administrators to road games. A proposal to limit volleyball teams to 15 in their travel parties was defeated, as were reductions on soccer and football travel parties.
“We feel the Big Sky Conference already runs at a very efficient level,’’ Fullerton said. “If you look around the nation at other Division I conferences and the money-saving moves they are making, many of those are things the Big Sky has already implemented. Many of the decisions made this week were not easy, or things our schools wanted to make, but they were decisions that needed to be made in this difficult time.”
In April, the Big Sky announced it was suspending its annual football Summer Kickoff in Park City, Utah. The league also suspended its RPI requirements for men’s basketball.
Several other proposals were approved during the three-day meetings:
- Air travel will not be allowed for road trips less than 450 miles.
- The conference golf championship will be played at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz., in 2010, 2011, 2012.
- The conference tennis championship will return to Sacramento in 2010.
- The conference will continue to televise a men’s basketball game of the week on Altitude Sports & Entertainment.
