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SiouxFan Realignment Nonesense

Citing 2012 helps put things in context. The early 2010s were tumultuous due to FBS conference realignment. Fullerton and the Big Sky were in full protection mode to keep from getting schools raided, at one point, Fullerton floated the idea of the Big Sky merging with the WAC. That idea never got traction. Instead, the WAC, who was bleeding teams, yes, did reach out to Big Sky schools, like Montana, to join. Ultimately, the WAC became a basketball conference with high member turnover.

A Google search of Montana newspapers doesn't show any reporting of an ultimatum issued by Fullerton to Big Sky members. If it did occur, how do we know it wasn't an attempt by Fullerton to get a head count on potential members he could lose in further FBS conference realignment?

Seven years ago, 3 Big Sky conference commissioners and different University president and ADs calls into question whether any decision then is a true predictor. Schools should improve their facilities to attract students, donors and be prepared for opportunities.

The question I have is whether pursuing FBS is even worth it. It is likely the Power 5 break away taking their natl championship and money with them. The other FBS schools will live off much smaller tv deals. A scenario where the WAC converts into a football conference, secures a TV deal that is rich enough to motivate Sac State to fly to far flung places in Texas to play football seems like a stretch at best. The Big West sounds more appealing with football latching on as an associate member and playing the Far West.

On a macro level, college football is becoming more and more bifurcated and conference centric with ACC, SEC, PAC 12, Big 10, and Longhorn networks, and the same 4 to six teams in the playoffs. Few people are going to care or watch what happens beyond those conferences. Plus, ESPN continues to lose money by not getting the ad revenue to match what they paid out for bowl games and conferences' games. And, they continue to lose money because of cordcutters. Point is the payout to schools NOT Power 5 may not be as enticing as people think.

It is all speculation including your "predictions" based on what you read 7 years ago.
 
Agree that FBS is getting more bifurcated, with G5 and P5. Suspect the G5 will have its own playoff eventually with significant money.

Remember when Fullerton floated the idea of merging with the WAC, and took that as a de facto agreement to redefine their geography. The G5 didn't have any problem getting more team, as their full by CFP payout. Only the West didn't have options.

The Big Sky teams are on autopilot when a President leaves, as no big decision is reversed.
 
My problem is the alleged "decision" by Big Sky members 7 years ago is not publicly documented or on record which leaves it all open to subjective interpretation and wild-eyed speculation. You cite a deleted blog post and an opaque statement by Fullerton, not documented either. You can't prove it.
 
Sac Rat 3.0 said:
My problem is the alleged "decision" by Big Sky members 7 years ago is not publicly documented or on record which leaves it all open to subjective interpretation and wild-eyed speculation. You cite a deleted blog post and an opaque statement by Fullerton, not documented either. You can't prove it.
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Going FBS is a goal of many Presidents as more research and higher academics. Stony Brook. Kennesaw St, Albany, James Madison with the right conference all have that goal tied to academics and research. It's like Presidents believe that FBS will further their academics. It does make them bigger, as studies have shown that. NDSU lost enrollment ever since they have dominated FCS because nobody cares outside the state.

Can guess what the goals of Presidents are just based on where they are situated. FCS schools with significant research want FBS. EWU wants to stay with the Montana's and Idaho athletically. EKU wants FBS to keep up with WKU. Jacksonville St and North Alabama want FBS because their old rival Troy has it.
 
Colin Cowherd talked about EWU was going FBS. Cowherd is an an EWU alum and a major donor.

Most of the BSC moveups have been told to keep their mouths shut. But Colin's mouth is always open.
 
How are the Kali schools going to be able to go FBS when the athletes will now be paid? An already tight budget now becomes and anchor.

The bottom FBS and the upper FCS will merge and form a new FBS-cost containment level of DI. Like in 1977 (?) when they re-organized the whole DI landscape.

How can this have been planned years ago, when the majority of the Presidents who made those remarks are now retired, dead or no longer in authority. They cant predict 8yrs ago what the landscape would look like and most schools are funded by a widely varying funding model every year, so I cant foresee any leader saying yes with any commitment to an idea that may mature in 2024.
 
The Weber State fan board said their President addressed a fan club and stated there was a coming realignment of the BSC that will be research heavy institutions on one side with low research schools on the other.

While that is not a press release, it comes close to what I'm saying from a President's viewpoint.

Research heavy and wannabes - FBS
Commuter and normal schools with tiny fanbases- FCS
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
How are the Kali schools going to be able to go FBS when the athletes will now be paid? An already tight budget now becomes and anchor.

The bottom FBS and the upper FCS will merge and form a new FBS-cost containment level of DI. Like in 1977 (?) when they re-organized the whole DI landscape.

How can this have been planned years ago, when the majority of the Presidents who made those remarks are now retired, dead or no longer in authority. They cant predict 8yrs ago what the landscape would look like and most schools are funded by a widely varying funding model every year, so I cant foresee any leader saying yes with any commitment to an idea that may mature in 2024.
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UND and NDSU already pay scholarship athletes.

It's called long-term planning. It actually exists.
 
C'mon GreenCookieMonster, you can't see the big picture with all the pieces you've been given? The deleted Denver U blog post, the ultimatum Fullerton gave Big Sky members which can't be corroborated, the Colin Blowhard admission, the hearsay of a Weber president's talk, and the "directive" for FBS schools to keep mum? All this from anonymous poster who carpetbombs FBS message boards?
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
How are the Kali schools going to be able to go FBS when the athletes will now be paid? An already tight budget now becomes and anchor.
Click to expand...

If you are referencing the CA Fair Pay to Play Act, that money isn't going to come from the schools.
 
SDHornet said:
Green Cookie Monster said:
How are the Kali schools going to be able to go FBS when the athletes will now be paid? An already tight budget now becomes and anchor.
Click to expand...

If you are referencing the CA Fair Pay to Play Act, that money isn't going to come from the schools.
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SD is correct. The "pay" in question will come strictly from endorsement deals. To me, though, that sort of indicates that players will pretty much have to have agents to scout around for those deals. That's hardly the kind of business acumen one expects of an 18-year-old straight out of high school. These kids are going to get screwed, AND it's going to foster yet more elitism that can tear a team apart. This is a VERY stupid law, IMO....
 
Super Hornet said:
SD is correct. The "pay" in question will come strictly from endorsement deals. To me, though, that sort of indicates that players will pretty much have to have agents to scout around for those deals. That's hardly the kind of business acumen one expects of an 18-year-old straight out of high school. These kids are going to get screwed, AND it's going to foster yet more elitism that can tear a team apart. This is a VERY stupid law, IMO....
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The kids won’t get screwed and it’s not a stupid law. As it was necessary to force the stubborn fat cat NCAA to change it ways. If CA hadn’t finally done this, the NCAA would have continued to drag their heels as they’ve done for the past 25 years. Something had to light a fire under them.

Now they’ve got a few years to figure out a better system. If they don’t, then CA and the rest of the States that join them with similar legislation will form their own organization, as participation in the NCAA is voluntary.

But I don’t believe it’ll ever come to that, as the NCAA won’t want to give up ALL the money they could still make.

To be clear, I’m not saying CA’s law, as it is authored, is the right thing. All I’m saying is that it is enacting change. IMO that is a very good thing.
 
None of you seem to have grasped the economics of a move to FBS with at least nine other teams.
R
Liberty went FBS on its own. It had to pay five FBS teams a year to play in Lynchburg, probably over five million a year. Some was lowered due to playing a home and away series where the cost is zero. The NCAA allows a couple of FCS games too, but those are cheap.

When a conference like the SunBelt allowed Coastal Caroline to move up, all those conference games are free. Coastal had enough home games within the Belt to satisfy the NCAA, and then two games can be against P5’s with each game we’ll over a million. But Coastal doubled the size of the stadium during its transition too. Getting capital costs beforehand avoids financial choke points, which Coastal didn’t have the luxury.

Liberty only gets an independents state of the CFP which is a couple hundred k. Coastal got a SunBelt share of the CFP, which is over a million. The CFP is projected to double with the next contract.

A new “Great Northern” and WAC would each qualify for CFP provided they are FBS at the end of 2024. All the teams would save tens of millions each approaching the FBS transition as a group rather than an individual school.

Each FBS transition could be worth at least $10 million in national publicity too.

FBS makes economic sense transitioning as a group that will become an FBS conference. Liberty might be the sole FCS university that would attempt it as an independent, because they are filthy rich and want the PR.

The Montanas had to get a regional group that it wanted as conference mates to agree on a date for the whole group to attempt the FBS transition. That is true also for the Cali FCS schools.
 
Lol. Like a broken record. You know, fighting Sue, the UC Davis Aggie Message board would love to hear from you and benefit from your wisdom, and prescience. They have good reading comprension, can do math, and have a good grasp of economics. They will welcome you with open arms. Go to
http://www.aggiesportstalk.com/.
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
Why is change a good thing?
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Well, for me, because I'm sick of these fat cat old men raking in billions of dollars from the hard work (and risk) of student athletes. 99% of the kids won't go pro and it would appropriate for them to benefit from the BIG $$$ generated during their tenure with the program. The NCAA acts as if a free scholarship is equal to the $$$ they make off TV contracts, merchandise, advertising, etc, when it's not remotely close. I'd gladly trade the cost of a scholarship for just a small piece of what they rake in from the NCAA basketball tourney.
 
Here is a story about NC A&T looking at moving up.

https://www.greensboro.com/sports/college/ncat/moving-up-if-a-t-is-serious-about-a-jump/article_827dbab1-2c76-5188-a08b-74d2ebf6946a.html

A&T has an athletic budget of less than half BSC schools that I’m saying will move up to FBS.

Look for the Atlantic Sun conference to invite them and James Madison, Delaware, Stony Brook, Albany, maybe Towson, maybe UNH, Jacksonville St, E Kentucky, to join Kennesaw St, and maybe UNA, UNF, and FGCU later. UConn and UMass could be affiliates. Non football schools in the ASun like NJIT, Lipscomb and Bellarmine would backfill into the conferences that lost schools. It is a wild chase to become FBS before the next CFP contract.
 
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