American Athletic Conference

[WuDrWu]

Oh, and if you could lose the fat chicks who scream at baseball games that would be grand as well.

Bless you and your first born.

[Shocker-maniac]

MSU average FB attendance was 9,284.

Here are some comparable attendance figures from 2013.

Pittsburg State (D2 - just across the border in KS): 10,030
Central Missouri (D2): 9,057

They are outdrawing Northwest Missouri State (D2): 6,082

Average attendance at all FBS games: 45,671

I know that MSU fans want in the SBC, but does the SBC really want MSU? And, if so, why?

[Shock Top]

I think the best thing would be to convert Cessna into a track only facility and build a brand new football stadium elsewhere.

The Cessna project could be done regardless of whatever happens with football. Think how nice it would be to have a facility like Hayward Field for our successful, and still blooming T&F program? Not to mention, with how big of an event the KS State T&F meet is, would be the perfect showcase and recruiting for WSU.

As for the football stadium, whether it's from the new Braeburn land, or somewhere else close by, WSU could do whatever that wanted with a different footprint. Plus, they could have seating closer to the field, by not having to have a track wrapped around it.

[MoValley John]

I know that MSU fans want in the SBC, but does the SBC really want MSU? And, if so, why?

Sure the SBC does. And this is a serious answer. The SBC needs teams for a championship. While you would think they could draw any FCS team, they can't. Jumping from FCS to FBS is a large commitment in dollars. There are 20 more scholarships to fund, higher priced coaches and more expensive travel. Unfortunately for the Sun Belt, they are the worst of all FBS conferences. Not near the bottom, they are the basement. Teams like UNI, North Dakota State and even Southern Illinois are not going to risk what they have right now to be a part of a conference that will bring nothing to the table but expenses. While C-USA, the AAC and Mountain West bring a little something to the table, the Sun Belt falls short. That leaves the Sun Belt scrambling to fill their void with teams like Missouri State. It is very possible that Missouri State will head to the Sun Belt if invited, but I can't think of any other school that would be envious of the Bears if they went.

[WuShock16]

The Cessna project could be done regardless of whatever happens with football. Think how nice it would be to have a facility like Hayward Field for our successful, and still blooming T&F program? Not to mention, with how big of an event the KS State T&F meet is, would be the perfect showcase and recruiting for WSU.

I don't see a major renovation like that happening, as there is little-to-no return on the investment. I think facilities could and would continue to be improved, but I don't foresee Track Town coming to the 316.

[Shocker-maniac]

Sure the SBC does. And this is a serious answer. The SBC needs teams for a championship. While you would think they could draw any FCS team, they can't. Jumping from FCS to FBS is a large commitment in dollars. There are 20 more scholarships to fund, higher priced coaches and more expensive travel. Unfortunately for the Sun Belt, they are the worst of all FBS conferences. Not near the bottom, they are the basement. Teams like UNI, North Dakota State and even Southern Illinois are not going to risk what they have right now to be a part of a conference that will bring nothing to the table but expenses. While C-USA, the AAC and Mountain West bring a little something to the table, the Sun Belt falls short. That leaves the Sun Belt scrambling to fill their void with teams like Missouri State. It is very possible that Missouri State will head to the Sun Belt if invited, but I can't think of any other school that would be envious of the Bears if they went.

Thanks that gives a much clearer picture. Sounds like putting a lot of money at risk for a program that doesn't have a lot of money. Can they realize a return on the investment or will playing at the bottom of the FBS pool be enough of a return for their fans? I'm not trying to be facetious, just trying to figure this thing out.

[ShockerFever]

What is our stadium's capacity?

Go back to Springpatch, loser.

[Dave Stalwart]

I still can't get past learning that Pitt st draws more than MoST. That is very mid major. No... I don't even know what that is. That's not even low major. Pitt St is not even D-1. Nothing against Pitt St because I like Pitt St, but that's like having Butler CC's basketball team out draw the Shockers. Wow

[The Mad Hatter]

I still can't get past learning that Pitt st draws more than MoST. That is very mid major. No... I don't even know what that is. That's not even low major. Pitt St is not even D-1. Nothing against Pitt St because I like Pitt St, but that's like having Butler CC's basketball team out draw the Shockers. Wow

That is a horrible, insulting comparison.

I mean, comparing MSU football to WSU basketball. That's just not right, man.

[shox1989]

There are 128 FBS football programs. If MSU were to become the 129th program, your stadium's capacity of 17.5K would rank 127th out of 129. Looks like you'd be as awesome at bringing up the rear of FBS football, as you are at D1 MBB.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...tball_stadiums

Even though the Shockers don't have football, it looks like Cessna Stadium (capacity 31,500) would rank 94th on that list. Considerably better than MoSt.

[kcshocker11]

Even though the Shockers don't have football, it looks like Cessna Stadium (capacity 31,500) would rank 94th on that list. Considerably better than MoSt.

Now thats funny!

[LuskingforGuttin]

I still can't get past learning that Pitt st draws more than MoST. That is very mid major. No... I don't even know what that is. That's not even low major. Pitt St is not even D-1. Nothing against Pitt St because I like Pitt St, but that's like having Butler CC's basketball team out draw the Shockers. Wow

The Pitt State versus Missouri State attendance number issue is skewed by one game in particular: Arrowhead Classic, Pitt State vs. Northwest Missouri that drew 17,000 in KC. I am sure if MSU played SIU at Busch Stadium or something, we would have a huge crowd that would pad our overall numbers.

Also Pitt State was very, very successful last year. They went like 10-2. Much easier to support a D2 winner than a struggling FCS team, as much as that stinks to say.

[LuskingforGuttin]

Even though the Shockers don't have football, it looks like Cessna Stadium (capacity 31,500) would rank 94th on that list. Considerably better than MoSt.

This is true, but you were playing high level football during Cessna's peak. It is not really fair to compare Cessna to Plaster at the current date. It is noteworthy in some aspects so I give you that however.

[AndShock]

The Pitt State versus Missouri State attendance number issue is skewed by one game in particular: Arrowhead Classic, Pitt State vs. Northwest Missouri that drew 17,000 in KC. I am sure if MSU played SIU at Busch Stadium or something, we would have a huge crowd that would pad our overall numbers.

That game wasn't counted in their attendance figures. If it was, Pitt State would have outdrawn SWOMO by 2k instead of 1k.

Do you just make stuff up and hope no one ever fact checks you?

[Dave Stalwart]

I think Lusking nailed it on the head. Pitt St is on top of D-2 football. In other words, they are relevant. I think if Valley football were more relevant, it would be normal for teams to draw better.

It would be really nice if mid major football teams were able to hold their own a little better against the upper teams. In basketball, mid major teams have a smaller talent gap I guess. Football teams have such large rosters that all the talent can be successfully gobbled up into one upper echelon.

Someone tell me if I've discovered the solution. Would it not fix everything if schools were only allowed to pay their 22 (effectively one full team worth of players) top players each year? Scholarships for whomever as usual, but extra pay only for a limited number of players. Then it opens up the mid major level's ability to step in and say "hey, you didn't make the pay group at bcs, but you made ours, so if you come here you still get your scholarship and the extra money instead of just taking a general scholarship by itself at bcs." Maybe then, more guys from the "almost top talent" level would start choosing more playing time and more money by going mid major... Just like basketball