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WAC Expansion Unlikely

It will be at least the third time the board, which is composed of presidents and chancellors of the member institutions, has met since Boise State's June 11 announcement of plans to join the Mountain West for the 2011-12 school year, when the WAC will be left with eight members.
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Benson said, "We still have a solid core of eight schools and are being very prudent. The WAC is not in a panic mode at all. This was one member leaving. Granted Boise State's (football) success provided credibility to the WAC, but we continue to have a great foundation."
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The actions of the WAC have indicated otherwise. I agree it’s not panic mode…yet. A move by La Tech will cause the WAC to enter panic mode. The question is now how long can the WAC wait. Obviously all the FCS teams will still be available to the WAC at a later time but sitting on an invite puts any FCS school being considered at a disadvantage as far as maximizing the time to raise funds and build facilities. I have to think that neither of the FCS schools listed would be ready for FBS over night.
 
Ok, so no invite. Does Sac State still have FBS aspirations? What other choice is there for a FBS conference that is West coast focused? At least the Texas schools have publicly stated they have FBS ambitions when the moratorium is lifted in 2011. All we have is a Montana village reporter quoting Wanless, doesn't seem legitimate or tangible w/o Gonzo or Wanless addressing the goal with the campus community and public.

As Gonzalez once told me, don't believe everything that you read. This whole episode has been akin to a soap opera played out exclusively on the internet.
 
DENVER - WAC commissioner Karl Benson announced today that the WAC will delay any expansion of its membership until July 1, 2012 at the earliest. This means that for the 2011-12 season, the WAC will operate as an eight-team league that consists of Fresno State, Hawai'i, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State.

"The WAC and its eight member schools remain well positioned for the future," said Benson. "Over the past few weeks, the WAC's Board of Directors and athletics directors have explored several membership options. We believe it is in the best interest of the WAC to operate as an eight-team league for the 2011-12 season. We will now take several months to 'drill down' on the various membership options before making any decisions that would impact the 2012-13 season."

"Throughout its history and since its inception in 1962, the WAC has operated very successfully as an 8-team, 9-team and 10-team league. Each of those models have their advantages and all will be looked at very closely. Also, a 12-team league that would allow the WAC to split into divisions and conduct a football championship game will be evaluated."

"The future for the WAC is very bright, and we will continue to provide our student-athletes with the opportunities to compete on both the regional and national stages in all of our sports."

This is now the time for Sac St to put toghether an aggressive plan at targeting the WAC in 2012. If done correctly they can position the University as a must add. Keys issues that must be completed or in progress by the review date:

1. Stadium. The west side of the stadium must be rebuilt and needs to include a press box and guest suites - should be on par with the look of Cal Poly's stadium but done to accomodate a larger capacity. I also think the track should be removed - make this a football only stadium. Capacity should be at least 25k.

2. Areana - This can't be built by 2012 but a plan must be in place - target a 7,500 seat arena. This is a must, students and fans don't want to go to Arco and frankly they've proven they won't come to the nest.

3. Attendance - Teams need to win to generate interest and fan support. The programs need to display that they can draw on a regular basis - football needs a season around 15k per game!

4. Baseball - Since the baseball team is in the WAC - they need to win it! Help show that the Hornets can be competitive, no more losing seasons!
 
Super Hornet said:
Uh, OH, we won back-to-back WAC titles in 2006-2007. We are generally competitive in the WAC....
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In baseball, the key men's sport...not that gymnastics isn't less important, but in this case (full WAC membership), it's baseball that needs to step it up.
 
OldHornet said:
1. Stadium. The west side of the stadium must be rebuilt and needs to include a press box and guest suites - should be on par with the look of Cal Poly's stadium but done to accomodate a larger capacity. I also think the track should be removed - make this a football only stadium. Capacity should be at least 25k.

2. Areana - This can't be built by 2012 but a plan must be in place - target a 7,500 seat arena. This is a must, students and fans don't want to go to Arco and frankly they've proven they won't come to the nest.

3. Attendance - Teams need to win to generate interest and fan support. The programs need to display that they can draw on a regular basis - football needs a season around 15k per game!

4. Baseball - Since the baseball team is in the WAC - they need to win it! Help show that the Hornets can be competitive, no more losing seasons!
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1. I agree, we could move the stadium track to the practice track location and as the stadium is being rebuilt use some of the old aluminum bleachers and press box at the new location. Have it seat 5,000 or so. We had how many Olympic and DI championships at the facility and how much $$ did those events render? Football is the macdaddy $ maker, turn old Hornet Stadium into Mattos House and build to 25K, expandable to 40K.

If Sac, UCFE and CP are all eventually in the WAC or some other FBS league together, Mattos House could theoretically sponsor an FBS bowl. Sellout if any of these three teams are represented. Plus Nevada, Fresno or SJSU.

2. At this point I really don't care what/where the design turns out to be as long as it has at least 4500 capacity and an upper concourse. A nice new arena would be nice, I just don't see how they could expand the Nest to reach 4500, plus it is in a very tightly developed area. But if that is what we have to do, so be it. I'd rather have the stadium built out while the momentum is on an upswing.

2a. Both of these plans need to be on the hot ticket at the CSU Regents and planning office. It will take eternity to have it rubber stamped and dirt broken.

3. Yes, attendance cures all problems.
4. Smith retired, Christianson hopefully can fare better. Need lights and press/concessions.

Let's all hope La Tech gets an invite to CUSA before 7/11. They announced yesterday that they are building a $20M addition to their stadium (locker, training, etc.) and $9M has already been donated. Ground broken soon.
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
I agree, we could move the stadium track to the practice track location and as the stadium is being rebuilt use some of the old aluminum bleachers and press box at the new location. Have it seat 5,000 or so. We had how many Olympic and DI championships at the facility and how much $$ did those events render? Football is the macdaddy $ maker, turn old Hornet Stadium into Mattos House and build to 25K, expandable to 40K.

If Sac, UCFE and CP are all eventually in the WAC or some other FBS league together, Mattos House could theoretically sponsor an FBS bowl. Sellout if any of these three teams are represented. Plus Nevada, Fresno or SJSU.

2. At this point I really don't care what/where the design turns out to be as long as it has at least 4500 capacity and an upper concourse. A nice new arena would be nice, I just don't see how they could expand the Nest to reach 4500, plus it is in a very tightly developed area. But if that is what we have to do, so be it. I'd rather have the stadium built out while the momentum is on an upswing.

2a. Both of these plans need to be on the hot ticket at the CSU Regents and planning office. It will take eternity to have it rubber stamped and dirt broken.

3. Yes, attendance cures all problems.
4. Smith retired, Christianson hopefully can fare better. Need lights and press/concessions.

Let's all hope La Tech gets an invite to CUSA before 7/11. They announced yesterday that they are building a $20M addition to their stadium (locker, training, etc.) and $9M has already been donated. Ground broken soon.
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1. Need a big donor ASAP!
2. They could actually expand the North gym much easier than the nest. I think expanding that gym to 5k is reasonable and could be done quickly.
3. I think the university needs to find a way to reach the students and get them to attend. If you can get them to attend now then there is a likelyhood that they will attend as alumni. Is there a student booster program?
4. Agree that they need a press box, concessions and lights - NEED A SOMEONE TO OPEN THEIR WALLET!
 
Parking is an issue with expanding either gym. The Green Army is the student support group, they have done a really good job of promoting and tailgating.

I just hope now that the immediate urgency is not there the project doesnt get swept under the rug again until next summer. If 11,000 student La Tech can raise $20M for a football locker room, I'd think that 170K alumni strong Sac State could garner that amount and more.
 
Green Cookie Monster said:
Parking is an issue with expanding either gym. The Green Army is the student support group, they have done a really good job of promoting and tailgating.

I just hope now that the immediate urgency is not there the project doesnt get swept under the rug again until next summer. If 11,000 student La Tech can raise $20M for a football locker room, I'd think that 170K alumni strong Sac State could garner that amount and more.
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I would like to see a public fund raising campaign aimed at the alumni, as well as large donors. If there are 170k alumni surely you could raise a significant amount from those willing to donate a few hundred each. The AD needs to go public with plans to improve the stadium and build an arena / gym.

DO IT NOW!
 
Wonder what changed?

1). Benson said the league would be adding one member by end of summer '10 (probably FCS team), not now
2). Benson said the WAC would be proactive, hardly the case now
3). WAC is a feeder conference, what would hurt by adding one FCS to groom and be ready by 2013, egocentric level of logic
4). Poor planning, what if La Tech leaves before 7/11. Fresno and Nevada are rabid to get out too, poor vision
5). Invitation allows prospective member time to fundraise, build and prepare internally for 2013

How does Sac State fundraise for a FBS move when we don't have a FBS home? If we don't belong to the WAC, do we really need to renovate the stadium to remain where we currently reside in FCS? Do we invest tens of millions in facilities to remain in the Big Sky and FCS?

My train of thinking is that unless the facilities are built prior to joining FBS, history at Sac State shows it won't be built. We are just now, after 14 years, becoming competitive in the Big Sky. I think I read somewhere that for membership to the Big Sky in 1992 the school promised and committed to replace the gym with an arena. tick, tick, tick...

Lets do this right, if we cant raise the funds for a FBS quality stadium and arena then we simply don't belong. I'd rather get an invitation after everything is built instead of promises, which typically don't happen.

This is what the announcement really means.....

So the WAC is going to wait a year... what does that tell us.

They dont want Sac
They dont want PSU
They dont want Texas State
They dont want Cal Davis

#1 What they want is UM and are willing to wait!!!
or
#2 A castoff from another BCS Conference.
 
I agree. The admin needs to move and reach out to the alumni and community for some support. This will be hard to sell with there being no purpose for the facilities other than just to have them. A WAC invite in hand would have given the alumni and community more reason to care/donate. Also what this decision means is that potentially the WAC would be at 7 teams while they wait for a school invited from FCS to finish its transition. I’m not sure if a transitioning FCS school being the 8th member would keep the WAC in NCAA compliance but this would mean that they would not be a recognized FBS conference for a year (if the transitioning school is not recognized) which I think would result in the WAC potentially losing any NCAA revenue sharing for that year. If a Sun Belt school balks at a WAC invite, I find it hard to believe any other FBS school would want to be associated with the WAC.
 
Here's one from way out in left field, SD. Any chance the WAC makes a play for the Toreros?

I know they're not THE team in the market, but at least they're IN the market. My guess would be that would be enough to bump football and boys hoops to XX.
 
Super Hornet said:
Here's one from way out in left field, SD. Any chance the WAC makes a play for the Toreros?

I know they're not THE team in the market, but at least they're IN the market. My guess would be that would be enough to bump football and boys hoops to XX.
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Never going to happen. Torero Stadium comfortably seats about 52 people and the football program has virtually zero support in the community. Basketball drives the school. Albeit, there was a time a few years ago when they would have beaten SDSU under Harbaugh but those days are all over.
 
Super Hornet said:
Here's one from way out in left field, SD. Any chance the WAC makes a play for the Toreros?

I know they're not THE team in the market, but at least they're IN the market. My guess would be that would be enough to bump football and boys hoops to XX.
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FCS isn't good enough so let's take a non-scholarship program in the shadow of SDSU. Brilliant!
 
Somebody brought up the idea of USD for the Sky. The location would be good for an E-W conference split if Cow Poly and the Manure Pile also come in. However, that would require either Fullerton accept USD as a football-only associate member (hardly likely) or USD abandon the WCC (even less likely as they are close to WCC first-tier status in boys hoops).

Looks like any 12-member Sky scenario involves the Cr@pbirds. Ugh!
 
Yup, zero chance USD is even considered. High school football gets more press than USD football…and rightfully so. The only time USD has been mentionable was under Harbaugh, and those days are long gone. And there is no way USD risks their association with the WCC for basketball.
 
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