http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/11/2815008/leading-off-attendance-might-affect.html
Leading Off: Attendance might affect Hornets' move to WAC
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By Bill Bradley
[email protected] Sports Editor/Opinion
Published: Friday, Jun. 11, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1C
As the conference shuffle in college sports has begun, we wrote earlier this week that the tremors might be felt at Sacramento State.
But before you get too excited about the Hornets becoming a member of the Western Athletic Conference, there is a football provision that could make it tough on them if you don't jump on the bandwagon.
According to Chris Radford of the NCAA, the rule book for the Football Bowl Subdivision teams reads: "Once every two years on a rolling basis, the institution shall average at least 15,000 in actual or paid attendance for all home football games."
The penalty is a trip back to the Football Championship Subdivision, aka Division I-AA.
That could be a problem, considering Sac State averaged 9,935 fans at five home football games last season. That number was inflated by UC Davis' visit, which drew 17,127. Throw out that game, and the average crowd falls to 8,139. In 2008, the Hornets averaged 8,184 in six games.
Would a schedule featuring schools such as Fresno State, Nevada and San Jose State help Sac State pass the magical 15,000 mark? The Hornets would hope that alumni from those schools alone would make a difference.
This means if Sac State moves to the WAC, it's up to the fans to keep it in Division I-A.
What to surf
www.bigskyfans.com/hornets: Hornets fans speak.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/11/2815008/leading-off-attendance-might-affect.html#ixzz0qYONcBU4
Leading Off: Attendance might affect Hornets' move to WAC
Share
By Bill Bradley
[email protected] Sports Editor/Opinion
Published: Friday, Jun. 11, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1C
As the conference shuffle in college sports has begun, we wrote earlier this week that the tremors might be felt at Sacramento State.
But before you get too excited about the Hornets becoming a member of the Western Athletic Conference, there is a football provision that could make it tough on them if you don't jump on the bandwagon.
According to Chris Radford of the NCAA, the rule book for the Football Bowl Subdivision teams reads: "Once every two years on a rolling basis, the institution shall average at least 15,000 in actual or paid attendance for all home football games."
The penalty is a trip back to the Football Championship Subdivision, aka Division I-AA.
That could be a problem, considering Sac State averaged 9,935 fans at five home football games last season. That number was inflated by UC Davis' visit, which drew 17,127. Throw out that game, and the average crowd falls to 8,139. In 2008, the Hornets averaged 8,184 in six games.
Would a schedule featuring schools such as Fresno State, Nevada and San Jose State help Sac State pass the magical 15,000 mark? The Hornets would hope that alumni from those schools alone would make a difference.
This means if Sac State moves to the WAC, it's up to the fans to keep it in Division I-A.
What to surf
www.bigskyfans.com/hornets: Hornets fans speak.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/06/11/2815008/leading-off-attendance-might-affect.html#ixzz0qYONcBU4
