First thought- the clock ticks on the presence of UC Davis football in the Big Sky. The remaining sports just announced moving to the Mountain West. So while Sac State made all this noise the last few months, are they really able to head out?
First aside- the utter emotionality of the Montana board and the Idaho board on this and related topics versus the stunning rationality of the Davis board is a massively disconcerting- and almost hilarious- contrast.
Second… what opportunities are available to the Montana schools?
Third… since Portland State is almost certainly going nowhere fast, is there a forward to go in? The Montana State visit this year drew an announced 3,121, when previous seasons seemed to draw more Bozangeles fans. So PSU can hardly draw away fans anymore.
So I actually went to a Southern Oregon game last month. Bigger crowds than Portland State… surely by the eye test. Filled the stadium? Not close, and this was against supposed regional rival Eastern Oregon. Price points? Oh, hell no, and for all the growth going on down in the Rogue Valley, the notion of them hosting a sporting event with tickets priced more than $17 seems foreign to them. But is Portland State running more than an NAIA program in D-1? Maybe more like NCCAA?
Anyway, still frustrated, not certain the Big Sky will be what it is in 5 years, and wondering what this program is even doing.
First aside- the utter emotionality of the Montana board and the Idaho board on this and related topics versus the stunning rationality of the Davis board is a massively disconcerting- and almost hilarious- contrast.
Second… what opportunities are available to the Montana schools?
Third… since Portland State is almost certainly going nowhere fast, is there a forward to go in? The Montana State visit this year drew an announced 3,121, when previous seasons seemed to draw more Bozangeles fans. So PSU can hardly draw away fans anymore.
So I actually went to a Southern Oregon game last month. Bigger crowds than Portland State… surely by the eye test. Filled the stadium? Not close, and this was against supposed regional rival Eastern Oregon. Price points? Oh, hell no, and for all the growth going on down in the Rogue Valley, the notion of them hosting a sporting event with tickets priced more than $17 seems foreign to them. But is Portland State running more than an NAIA program in D-1? Maybe more like NCCAA?
Anyway, still frustrated, not certain the Big Sky will be what it is in 5 years, and wondering what this program is even doing.