POWER 5 CONFERENCES...Where does that leave the FCS & BSC?

[greenarmy.fh]

So with all the news about the Power 5 Conferences doing their own thing, where does that leave the BSC and Sac State? If Pac12 teams are refusing to play teams from the "lower" FBS schools such as schools from the MWC conference (which I think is 6th best conference in the country), how will the FCS schools especially from the BSC make their yearly paycheck by playing a PAC12 school? :twocents:

 

[SJHornet]

So with all the news about the Power 5 Conferences doing their own thing, where does that leave the BSC and Sac State? If Pac12 teams are refusing to play teams from the "lower" FBS schools such as schools from the MWC conference (which I think is 6th best conference in the country), how will the FCS schools especially from the BSC make their yearly paycheck by playing a PAC12 school? :twocents:

Truth is, we won't really know for a while yet. My guess is that the G5 and upper echelon of FCS make a move to align together. Whether that us moving up to FBS, or the G5 becoming FCS, I have no idea. All I know, is take everything you knew about college sports and throw it out. College football (and basketball) are officially dead as we once knew them. And Olympic sports are going to feel a major hurt over all this. I'm really worried for those sports and athletes.

 

[SDHornet]

Welcome greenarmy. Time will tell what happens, but I expect the P5 to offer stipends in the near future as well as adjust transfer rules in 2 years so they can raid the G5 for their best athletes. As far as scheduling goes, eventually P5 will focus more on playing each other but many schools have scheduling deals that go out for the next 5+ years so I don't think there would be an immediate change there.

As far as how that impacts the BSC is anyone's guess. Personally I don't think anything happens and the BSC and its members stay FCS. I've heard that the WAC is still technically an FBS conference until July 1st 2015 so in theory they could scrounge together some FBS move-ups and join the G5. BSC Commish Doug Foolerton spouted off about this whimsical idea in a Missoula newpaper. I think it's just all hot air.

I do think somewhere down the road the top tier of FCS merges with the G5 to become essentially what the current day FCS is. The P5 just made their power move and will see a massive windfall in profits with the playoffs and other media deals. No one in all of college sports will come close to keeping pace with them. :twocents:

 

[HornetHope]

A week ago Fullerton floated the idea to the Missoulan that the Sky has an FBS side and an FCS side. Merge with the WAC- make an FBS conference, an FCS conference and get 2 basketball auto berths. not a bad idea.

 

[greenarmy.fh]

A week ago Fullerton floated the idea to the Missoulan that the Sky has an FBS side and an FCS side. Merge with the WAC- make an FBS conference, an FCS conference and get 2 basketball auto berths. not a bad idea.

Can you explain more on this possible "merger", are all football teams going to be in the same conference still? Or some football teams are going to get left behind in the FCS while teams like (Montana/Montana State/ Eastern Wash / Idaho*/NMSU*...) create the new FBS? http://m.missoulian.com/college/griz/speltz-big-sky-s-commish-eyes-change/article_921c10a0-1ab4-11e4-8876-001a4bcf887a.html?mobile_touch=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*I know they're in the FBS Sunbelt conference, but they will definitely move back if the Big Sky and WAC merge into an FBS conference.

 

[ml1999]

Welcome greenarmy. Time will tell what happens, but I expect the P5 to offer stipends in the near future as well as adjust transfer rules in 2 years so they can raid the G5 for their best athletes. As far as scheduling goes, eventually P5 will focus more on playing each other but many schools have scheduling deals that go out for the next 5+ years so I don't think there would be an immediate change there.

As far as how that impacts the BSC is anyone's guess. Personally I don't think anything happens and the BSC and its members stay FCS. I've heard that the WAC is still technically an FBS conference until July 1st 2015 so in theory they could scrounge together some FBS move-ups and join the G5. BSC Commish Doug Foolerton spouted off about this whimsical idea in a Missoula newpaper. I think it's just all hot air.

I do think somewhere down the road the top tier of FCS merges with the G5 to become essentially what the current day FCS is. The P5 just made their power move and will see a massive windfall in profits with the playoffs and other media deals. No one in all of college sports will come close to keeping pace with them. :twocents:

I can see football changes, but hoops' March Madness / Final Four is a major sporing event... will the re-alignment mess with that? Having the "Cinderalla Story" of an Austin Peay, Gonzaga, or others is part of what makes it special. There is huge coverage. Will that all be thrown out the window and redone?

Yes, what happens to olympic sports and gender equity if FBS schools lose TV money? And how about the schools having to pay players for using their likeness?

 

[SDHornet]

I can see football changes, but hoops' March Madness / Final Four is a major sporing event... will the re-alignment mess with that? Having the "Cinderalla Story" of an Austin Peay, Gonzaga, or others is part of what makes it special. There is huge coverage. Will that all be thrown out the window and redone?

Football drives the bus so that is what will dictate alignment. It might depend on whether or not some of those top tier hoops only conferences (Big East) decides to issue stipends. At that point a whole lot of the mid tier and low tier Oly sport conferences will have a tough choice to make at determining whether or not they will follow suit. Similar to football I think some will and some will not, which would further the talent gap on the hardwood.

 

[SDHornet]

Can you explain more on this possible "merger", are all football teams going to be in the same conference still? Or some football teams are going to get left behind in the FCS while teams like (Montana/Montana State/ Eastern Wash / Idaho*/NMSU*...) create the new FBS? http://m.missoulian.com/college/griz/speltz-big-sky-s-commish-eyes-change/article_921c10a0-1ab4-11e4-8876-001a4bcf887a.html?mobile_touch=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*I know they're in the FBS Sunbelt conference, but they will definitely move back if the Big Sky and WAC merge into an FBS conference.

Basically there are some BSC programs that are near or at bottom tier FBS budget levels. Those would be the candidates plus Idaho and NMSU (already FBS and will be homeless once the Sun Belt decides not to extend their FB affiliation). Per another fan board, here is a run down:

Big Sky teams that want FBS need to get their ducks in a row.

School (what's missing)
Cal Poly (stadium expansion)
UCDavis (stadium expansion)
Sac St (ready)
Portland St (have to add women's sports)
Idaho (already there)
E Wash (stadium expansion, need women's sports)
Montana (have to add mens sport, probably golf)
Mont St (add two women's sports )
North Dakota (needs stadium expansion)

The most ready? Obviously Idaho, but then Sac State.
The Montanas need to get to 16 sports (7 men, 9 women)
North Dakota has 21 sports; they need football seats. Same type story for the Calis (Davis, Poly).

I would also note EWU has a stadium expansion plan on the books, they just need to raise the money (easier said than done). North Dakota State would probably not let UND make this move without being involved so I consider them a candidate as well.

My feeling is there are just too many moving parts for this to happen. The BSC hasn't exactly been on the cutting edge of innovation so expecting the Montana's/Foolerton to suddenly change course and push for this seems outside of their comfort zone. :twocents:

 

[superhornet]

Someone said that we're "ready" for FBS? Such a move requires a conference invite under current rules (in other words, no FBS independent call-ups allowed), and NO FBS conference (except maybe the POS Sun Belt, and I'm not even sure about THEM) is going to take our current arena, despite the improvements to our football/track facility (excellent save for the crap seating and restrooms, if you can call them that). OK, maybe the WAC would have us (as they do for baseball and perhaps still gymnastics).

But do we REALLY want to go there? We'd be relegated to immediate and perpetual anonymity. Here in FCS, so long as we strive for excellence, we have a shot at getting into the national conversation. If we jump up, we'll be immediately silenced by the powers that be. I just don't see the profit in that.

Of course, this is a :dead: topic....

 

[greenarmy.fh]

Someone said that we're "ready" for FBS? Such a move requires a conference invite under current rules (in other words, no FBS independent call-ups allowed), and NO FBS conference (except maybe the POS Sun Belt, and I'm not even sure about THEM) is going to take our current arena, despite the improvements to our football/track facility (excellent save for the crap seating and restrooms, if you can call them that). OK, maybe the WAC would have us (as they do for baseball and perhaps still gymnastics).

But do we REALLY want to go there? We'd be relegated to immediate and perpetual anonymity. Here in FCS, so long as we strive for excellence, we have a shot at getting into the national conversation. If we jump up, we'll be immediately silenced by the powers that be. I just don't see the profit in that.

Of course, this is a :dead: topic....

I agree that we will disappear into the abyss of the college football world if we make the jump to the FBS level. But the fact of the matter is, if we stay behind, we will also get lost in the abyss. This conference goes where Montana goes, & Montana is starting to feel the heat. Once the P5 conferences start to "pay" their players, then the all the 2\3 stars players who would usually go to schools like Boise St./SDSU/or Nevada will decide to go to those P5 schools instead of getting pay less and get more playing time. Then, the domino effect starts happening, those Lower 5 schools will obviously have more $ and better facilities; therefore, taking talents from the like of the BSC. So, Montana holds the key to everything.



just a funny thought, imagine if the Mountain West extends an invitation to Montana. Montana obviously has the football/basketball programs to compete in that conference. Plus, there will be a natural rivalry with Wyoming/Boise St & Nevada (2 o.g BSC schools). There goes the relevancy of the BSC.

 

[SDHornet]

Montana is never getting a MWC invite. Schools that bring TV sets and recruiting areas are what is important regarding realignment, not what old rivalries can be rekindled. Montana offers nothing as far as the MWC is concerned. They have enough mouths to feed with the front range schools as it is, they will not add another school that doesn’t increase the conference’s bottom line. Montana is stuck in the BSC whether they like it or not, their only hope at FBS is this pie-in-the-sky idea Foolerton is floating. Their best shot at FBS was a few years ago when the WAC was imploding and they were handing out invites like Halloween candy.

 

[Hornet25]

Montana is never getting a MWC invite. Schools that bring TV sets and recruiting areas are what is important regarding realignment, not what old rivalries can be rekindled. Montana offers nothing as far as the MWC is concerned. They have enough mouths to feed with the front range schools as it is, they will not add another school that doesn’t increase the conference’s bottom line. Montana is stuck in the BSC whether they like it or not, their only hope at FBS is this pie-in-the-sky idea Foolerton is floating. Their best shot at FBS was a few years ago when the WAC was imploding and they were handing out invites like Halloween candy.

So what do you think Sac States chances are? Not just the MWC, but FBS in general.

 

[Green Laser]

Montana is never getting a MWC invite. Schools that bring TV sets and recruiting areas are what is important regarding realignment, not what old rivalries can be rekindled. Montana offers nothing as far as the MWC is concerned. They have enough mouths to feed with the front range schools as it is, they will not add another school that doesn’t increase the conference’s bottom line. Montana is stuck in the BSC whether they like it or not, their only hope at FBS is this pie-in-the-sky idea Foolerton is floating. Their best shot at FBS was a few years ago when the WAC was imploding and they were handing out invites like Halloween candy.

Any program that considers moving up before all these changes shake out is crazy. I agree that Montana has nothing to offer the MWC, even if it did what would the return be? It’s laughable to hear fans from Montana and the Dakota’s brag about being the “flagship” schools of their states and wanting to be in a conference with other flagships.
Sacramento County has more population and athletic talent than all three states combined. Montana has a niche in FCS, and does well. FBS recruiting is more selective. I just don’t see FBS/ MWC quality recruits beating down the doors to play in Missoula when offers from Fresno, Nevada, Boise, San Diego etc. are available

 

[SDHornet]

So what do you think Sac States chances are? Not just the MWC, but FBS in general.

Any western FCS to FBS chances are in the pie-in-the-sky Foolerton plan...so none.