Future of college football

[Green Cookie Monster]

This is a good perspective of the changing college football landscape. Notice Sac-Stockton-Modesto at #20 isn't truly saturated with a current-FBS presence? Sacramento is the only city in the Top 20 without a home FBS team.

Not starting a move up thread, but with schools like Idaho, NMSU, Sun Belt, MAC and other refugees, where does that place the #20th media market and it's lack of representation? Will tv viewership potential finally awaken the "Sleeping Giant?" If there are 210,000 Sac State grads within a 1.4M household viewership that is pretty strong.

Where will this leave Sac State, Cal Poly, Davis? And for that matter Fresno, Nevada, Hawaii, SJSU, Portland State.

http://www.thechaosindex.com/cest-la-tv-college-football-is-about-to-change-a-whole-lot-more-than-you-realize/

 

[SJHornet]

I agree that Sac has an opportunity waiting in the shadows for a successful, or at least noticeable, FBS program, but we have to take stock of the reality of the situation. Even though I've been, and somewhat remain a proponent, these are my main points of contention.

A) the future of top-level football is totally in-flux. Adding our name to the list now does not guarantee we will be/remain there in the near future/long run. It is still unclear how the classifications and conference structures will pan out. With athlete compensation arriving, CTE gaining exposure and money separating conferences, a whole lotta craziness is coming football's way. The money is changing the sport, but if you aren't already established, starting from scratch puts you at a great disadvantage.

B) it is going to cost a whole lotta money I'm not sure the university/regents want to spend. We still have an arena to build, stadium to renovate and campus to expand.

C) Should we go FBS, it would require the Big Sky splitting and moving up, or revitalizing the WAC. Either way, it's another small potatoes conference. I don't see it having success with the MACtion or Fun Belt method. Small conference football cannot compete with the big boys, no matter what gimmick they come up with. Even the mid-level Mountain West is in danger in these trying times. The pie has been cut too thin, and with TV numbers taking A hit the last few years, I don't see room for another conference.

D) Big Markets don't generally equate to big profits or support for local schools. Look at SJSU, Cal and Stanford. While a school like Cal has a a significant bump in recent attendance and attention, the Bay Area has no interest in college football. Big market viewers have too much competition for their attention. Big league sports, music entertainment, shopping and nightlife. While sac doesn't have the big leagues in town, they are a relatively short distance away. Plus you have the ocean, lakes, rivers and mountains available to take focus away. If Sac were not an immediate winner, the stands and tv numbers would directly mirror. The big market college football audience focuses on the pre existing juggernauts that have roots. The Bay Area, Portland, San Diego and other markets have direct access to all the major programs a cross the county. Alabama, Notre Dame and Texas will all continue dominate and capture the general viewing public.

It's. It that I don't want Asa. To be a major school, because I do. I just see more hurdles than open doors at this point. College football needs to sort itself out before we go jumping into something. But if we do, we have to be committed 100%, and prove we have a winning formula and product.

 

[superhornet]

Just my opinion (as a private fan): FBS is NOT an option. Being relegated to an also-ran league by definition (we'll never get into the Pac-12 because they're scared of us) is a non-starter when we can make national noise in FCS by making the playoffs and doing well. Liberty's a perfect example (or, they WOULD be if they didn't have FBS pretensions) because they were nothing for years and then hit the playoffs and did well. We could do the same. Much better here, and at a fraction of the cost, too....

 

[SDHornet]

Just my opinion (as a private fan): FBS is NOT an option. Being relegated to an also-ran league by definition (we'll never get into the Pac-12 because they're scared of us) is a non-starter when we can make national noise in FCS by making the playoffs and doing well. Liberty's a perfect example (or, they WOULD be if they didn't have FBS pretensions) because they were nothing for years and then hit the playoffs and did well. We could do the same. Much better here, and at a fraction of the cost, too....

:wtf:

Interesting article, thanks for posting GCM. I agree with SJ, we just need to be positioned to be in the 2nd tier of D1 when the P5 fully breaks away...and I think we pretty much are as we currently stand. We won't see significant renovations to Hornet Stadium any time soon (event center is still more important) barring a massive influx of private monies. The reality is Hornet Stadium is FBS compatible as it stands (just look at Reno's).

Even if the MWC wanted us (they don't), there is no reason to pursue FBS in its current standing. The MWC is getting slaughtered by the Pac 12 due to their massive TV & playoff money payouts and the MWC just can't keep up. It will get worse as the full cost of attendance begins to rear its head (anyone else notice the horrid MBB season by the MWC, IMO it's not a coincidence it coincided with the recent Pac12 move on FCOA). Interesting times ahead that is for sure.

 

[josephpoint]

What ever the future holds for college football, just want Sacramento State to be a part of it. Glad to have a football program at 6,000 J Street each fall and and our Hornets continuing to play football

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Looks like EMU, Eastern Michigan University, of the MAC will be downgrading or eliminating their program.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/04/20/terry-foster-eastern-michigan-analyzing-football-program-after-athletic-department-lost-52-million-over-the-last-two-years/

The entire MAC except a few choice schools should consider dropping down to FCS. Kent State, Ohio U, Bowling Green, Buffalo.

With the shakeup it is a good time for regional schools to finally make conferences that make sense and be at the level they should be at economically.

 

[Kadeezy]

The Idaho Vandals will announce tomorrow that they are dropping down to FCS for the 2018 season and will also join the BSC.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

The Idaho Vandals will announce tomorrow that they are dropping down to FCS for the 2018 season and will also join the BSC.

The Vandal board is like a dumpster fire, they are ready to lynch the president.

This just makes the Big Sky Conference much more Montucky/Idalol centered.

 

[SJHornet]

With the Sky getting bigger, and concentration strengthening in the northern backwoods, maybe it's time for a new southern or pacific league? A fun topic of contention over on the WAC board. :mrgreen: Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to go to the WAC, but I think a new FCS/mid major conference may be a possibility down the road. A mega-Sky is going to alienate schools (further) and make tourney slots a difficult task.

 

[josephpoint]

welcome back to Idaho in football to be a full member

They left the Big Sky in 1996 and believe that is when Sac State was accepted into the conference.

Again, not sure right now, but did Nevada, Boise State also leave that year?

Now the Big Sky will have 14 football playing schools with Cal Poly and UC Davis benefiting from their football playing only affiliation? And do like Cal Poly and Davis in the Sky as these are the only schools that have anything in common with the Big Sky for Sac State

And now with 14 football schools in the the Big Sky only 8 games will still count for the Big Sky title?

 

[SDHornet]

Good on Idalol to finally stop the charade of being an FBS program and move back to where they really belong.

With the Sky getting bigger, and concentration strengthening in the northern backwoods, maybe it's time for a new southern or pacific league? A fun topic of contention over on the WAC board. :mrgreen: Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to go to the WAC, but I think a new FCS/mid major conference may be a possibility down the road. A mega-Sky is going to alienate schools (further) and make tourney slots a difficult task.

With 14 FB schools in the BSC I hope a FB only FCS conference (like the MVFC) can be formed out west. At that point we could go all in on a pursuit of a BW Oly sports membership and play with fellow commuter public schools in Cali. :twocents:

 

[SJHornet]

Good on Idalol to finally stop the charade of being an FBS program and move back to where they really belong.

With the Sky getting bigger, and concentration strengthening in the northern backwoods, maybe it's time for a new southern or pacific league? A fun topic of contention over on the WAC board. :mrgreen: Don't get me wrong, I don't want us to go to the WAC, but I think a new FCS/mid major conference may be a possibility down the road. A mega-Sky is going to alienate schools (further) and make tourney slots a difficult task.

With 14 FB schools in the BSC I hope a FB only FCS conference (like the MVFC) can be formed out west. At that point we could go all in on a pursuit of a BW Oly sports membership and play with fellow commuter public schools in Cali. :twocents:

The whining and bellyaching the BWC posters would make with our entry into the league would be more than enough entertainment to justify the move. Especially when we mop the floor with them :lol:

 

[josephpoint]

Agree, With Idaho coming back and the Big Sky getting traffic jammed with football teams, please let Sac State go to the Big West in all sports as the Montana centered schools think we are a joke and would love us to go away and think we would love to see them go away as me think we have no interest in them either.

A few plane flights a year for football is acceptable compared to all of our sports teams. What a tremendous money saver. And a money saver for all the Big Sky school who need to send Big Sky all sports teams to Sacramento. Would be a cost saver for them as well. Everyone win.

Time to move to the Big West and be a travel partner to UC Davis and stop all the outrageous travel costs to the Big Sky schools 450 miles to 1,500 miles away from us in states across the west.

And the Big Sky would continues to have a huge football presence in CA with Cal Poly, Davis and Sac with the big sport of football.

And saving all that money in crazy plane flights and lodging costs for basketball, tennis, track, golf soccer, volleyball, softball, etc. could maybe be directed to the new Events Center? What a thought.

 

[SJHornet]

Agree, With Idaho coming back and the Big Sky getting traffic jammed with football teams, please let Sac State go to the Big West in all sports as the Montana centered schools think we are a joke and would love us to go away and think we would love to see them go away as me think we have no interest in them either.

A few plane flights a year for football is acceptable compared to all of our sports teams. What a tremendous money saver. And a money saver for all the Big Sky school who need to send Big Sky all sports teams to Sacramento. Would be a cost saver for them as well. Everyone win.

Time to move to the Big West and be a travel partner to UC Davis and stop all the outrageous travel costs to the Big Sky schools 450 miles to 1,500 miles away from us in states across the west.

And the Big Sky would continues to have a huge football presence in CA with Cal Poly, Davis and Sac with the big sport of football.

And saving all that money in crazy plane flights and lodging costs for basketball, tennis, track, golf soccer, volleyball, softball, etc. could maybe be directed to the new Events Center? What a thought.

If and when New Mexico State follows Idaho to the Sky, I think a new conference, or as SD suggested, of a football-only conference would become a real possibility. Sac could break away, but the threat in leaving could cause the Sky to reverse its stance on denying our exit as a full member. Should we be able to stay in the Sky for football and be Big West for the remainder, we would still save on football travel as the conference would have enough members to set up a north/south or east/west scheduling agreement. Those added savings could go towards an event center and other badly needed renovations. I can't guarantee the BWC would open the doors immediately or at all, but I don't think it would take a. act of God to get in. The market, alumni base and recent improvement on the basketball, soccer and baseball fronts help our case. Where Bakersfield is seen by the BWC as a cancer, we bring some good things to the table.