MVFC and BSC commissioners speak

[clenz]

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MVFC, Big Sky commissioners stunned by conference expansion elsewhere

Patty Viverito has been the commissioner of the Missouri Valley Football Conference since 1982. There’s not much she hasn’t seen.

Then again, nobody foresaw what happened last week – like Nebraska joining the Big Ten Conference and Colorado jumping to the Pac-10. It’s a series of events that left even Viverito searching for words.

That’s saying something.

“Blown away,” she said. “I don’t know what to believe or what not to believe.”

The good news for the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Missouri Valley is the movements have been, or apparently will be, confined to Football Bowl Subdivision programs. But, make no mistake, FCS commissioners are on guard.

Big Sky Conference commissioner Doug Fullerton was busy Thursday talking with league presidents.

Naturally, they all had questions.

“They wanted to know what this all means,” Fullerton said. “I said, ‘If you know, let me know.’”

Viverito, in her address to the Missouri Valley presidents last week, presented a series of speculative scenarios of what could happen to various schools across the country. Then she apologized to them.

“What I prepared is woefully outdated,” she told them, “because I wrote it 24 hours ago.”

Things are happening that quickly on the college landscape. Will it filter down to FCS programs like North Dakota State?

Doubtful.

“We’re committed to the Missouri Valley and I don’t see that changing unless the Missouri Valley falls apart,” said NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor.

That is very doubtful.

The Missouri Valley is one of the most stable leagues in the country. Since its inception in 1985 – Viverito has been the only commissioner – there have been just two defections in Eastern Illinois to the Ohio Valley Conference and Western Kentucky to FBS Sun Belt Conference. Viverito calls that move “a warning shot for anybody who thinks (FBS) is a good idea.”

The Hilltoppers currently own a 20-game losing streak. Since starting a full FBS schedule in 2008, they are 2-22. Once a Missouri Valley title contender, they are now an FBS doormat.

“We really haven’t had anybody other than Western Kentucky flirt with going FBS,” Viverito said. “All you have to do is look at what’s happening in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and say that didn’t really make sense.”

Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley, which recently conducted a study of FBS that included paid consultants, concluded that the school simply could not make the move. Viverito said school president Ben Allen shared the results at the Presidents Council meeting.

“It just reinforced in a real positive way that what we’re doing makes sense for our schools,” Viverito said. “That being said, a lot of things don’t make sense that are happening. We basically affirmed what we’re doing and hope the world doesn’t come crumbling down around us.”

Still, the commissioner plays the “what if” game. What if the FBS Mid-American Conference came after Youngstown State? What if the MAC also went after Illinois State? What if the Big Sky Conference changed its mind and wanted North Dakota State and South Dakota State?

Considering the history of the Missouri Valley, movement seems unlikely. But then again, “there have been some really wild things happening,” Viverito said.

[JayJ79]

Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley, which recently conducted a study of FBS that included paid consultants, concluded that the school simply could not make the move. Viverito said school president Ben Allen shared the results at the Presidents Council meeting.

I didn't know that was a study of FBS. Seemed to me that everyone around PantherNation considered it a study on whether or not to keep scholarship football at all.

[clenz]

Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley, which recently conducted a study of FBS that included paid consultants, concluded that the school simply could not make the move. Viverito said school president Ben Allen shared the results at the Presidents Council meeting.

I didn't know that was a study of FBS. Seemed to me that everyone around PantherNation considered it a study on whether or not to keep scholarship football at all.

That's what I had thought as well. As I read that I got confused, but I assumed it was just a misprint....or that there was a study that no one knew about. The private study isn't unlikely I guess.

[JayJ79]

I didn't know that was a study of FBS. Seemed to me that everyone around PantherNation considered it a study on whether or not to keep scholarship football at all.

That's what I had thought as well. As I read that I got confused, but I assumed it was just a misprint....or that there was a study that no one knew about. The private study isn't unlikely I guess.

My guess is that the "study on the feasability of scholarship football" included looking at a number of options, from going FBS to going nonscholly to dropping football altogether. Of course, they probably spent all of 5 minutes looking at the FBS option before deciding on its unfeasibility. The fanbase (and thus, the $$$) just isn't there to make such a move profitable for UNI.

[DJH]

The study looked at all options. Dropping football, going non-scholly, and moving to FBS.

[clenz]

That's what I had thought as well. As I read that I got confused, but I assumed it was just a misprint....or that there was a study that no one knew about. The private study isn't unlikely I guess.

My guess is that the "study on the feasability of scholarship football" included looking at a number of options, from going FBS to going nonscholly to dropping football altogether. Of course, they probably spent all of 5 minutes looking at the FBS option before deciding on its unfeasibility. The fanbase (and thus, the $$$) just isn't there to make such a move profitable for UNI.

The last part really isn't there for many FCS schools. Montana, Texas State, App State, JMU, ODU, and UD may be the only ones with fanbases big enough for it. If Nova or Georgetown would push football they could have the fan base to do it as well.

I think a lot of schools are hoping that the move to the FBS would generate more fan base interest, thus resulting in more money.

[MSUBear42]

I think a lot of schools are hoping that the move to the FBS would generate more fan base interest, thus resulting in more money.

I know that's how most people feel for MSU... It's believed that in Springfield FCS gets no respect and that we would have to be FBS to get actual support for football. Makes sense living in Big 12 country that the hicks from this area would think that way, but time will tell.

[∞∞∞]

If Nova or Georgetown would push football they could have the fan base to do it as well.

I don't know about Nova, but GU wouldn't. They'd end up like Temple. This is Terrapin country anyways. Even VPISU doesn't get as much coverage as Maryland does. And I don't even see how GU could make a push for football; they're having some financial issues right now.

[JayJ79]

I think a lot of schools are hoping that the move to the FBS would generate more fan base interest, thus resulting in more money.

It is possible, but that all depends on a number of factors, such as the size of the population in the region and how many other FBS programs there are in the area which already have established fanbases. And also alot of it depends on what conference the program lands in if they move up.

Iowa doesn't have that large of a population, and most of the football fans are already embedded into the Hawkeye camp (and some in the Cyclone camp, and of course the few yokels who cheer for the likes of Michigan and whatnot ). I don't think UNI would pick up that many casual fans by moving up, certainly not enough to offset the increased expenses. I suppose if they somehow ended up in a major conference, then the conference revenue-sharing money would help out some, but such a scenario is highly unlikely, especially with the current climate in the FBS.

[clenz]

I think a lot of schools are hoping that the move to the FBS would generate more fan base interest, thus resulting in more money.

It is possible, but that all depends on a number of factors, such as the size of the population in the region and how many other FBS programs there are in the area which already have established fanbases. And also alot of it depends on what conference the program lands in if they move up.

Iowa doesn't have that large of a population, and most of the football fans are already embedded into the Hawkeye camp (and some in the Cyclone camp, and of course the few yokels who cheer for the likes of Michigan and whatnot ). I don't think UNI would pick up that many casual fans by moving up, certainly not enough to offset the increased expenses. I suppose if they somehow ended up in a major conference, then the conference revenue-sharing money would help out some, but such a scenario is highly unlikely, especially with the current climate in the FBS.

Agreed completely. Unless UNI found a way to the B10, MWC, B12... , sorry had to laugh at just saying that, there is no enough fans left in the state that don't belong to the Iowa or Iowa State fan bases for UNI to offset any cost.

[dbackjon]

It is possible, but that all depends on a number of factors, such as the size of the population in the region and how many other FBS programs there are in the area which already have established fanbases. And also alot of it depends on what conference the program lands in if they move up.

Iowa doesn't have that large of a population, and most of the football fans are already embedded into the Hawkeye camp (and some in the Cyclone camp, and of course the few yokels who cheer for the likes of Michigan and whatnot ). I don't think UNI would pick up that many casual fans by moving up, certainly not enough to offset the increased expenses. I suppose if they somehow ended up in a major conference, then the conference revenue-sharing money would help out some, but such a scenario is highly unlikely, especially with the current climate in the FBS.

Agreed completely. Unless UNI found a way to the B10, MWC, B12... , sorry had to laugh at just saying that, there is no enough fans left in the state that don't belong to the Iowa or Iowa State fan bases for UNI to offset any cost.

That is NAU's scenario as well. Unless a BCS conference gets confused and thinks NAU is located in Phoenix, NAU's fan base isn't going to grow enough to cover the additional expenses.

[mcveyrl]

Agreed completely. Unless UNI found a way to the B10, MWC, B12... , sorry had to laugh at just saying that, there is no enough fans left in the state that don't belong to the Iowa or Iowa State fan bases for UNI to offset any cost.

That is NAU's scenario as well. Unless a BCS conference gets confused and thinks NAU is located in Phoenix, NAU's fan base isn't going to grow enough to cover the additional expenses.

Yea, I think any FCS school that is already competing with two major state universities is going to have a hard time fanbase wise. The possible exception in Virginia is ODU. They have a large Hampton Roads fanbase that loves their Monarchs, so they could probably make it work (like they have so far with FCS football).

[OSBF]

can anyone tell me what the WKU athletic buget situation is? I know they take in somewhere around 20M/yr, but what do they spend?

[danefan]

can anyone tell me what the WKU athletic buget situation is? I know they take in somewhere around 20M/yr, but what do they spend?

Expenses are reported at $21,002,792.

You can look it up here. The revenue numbers for all schools are suspect. Especially considering most schools report a break even.

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