American Athletic Conference

[WstateU]

JJClamdip is going to love this conversation…

"Dyn-O-mite!!"

[Cdizzle]

The obvious starting place for WSU soccer is the Stryker Complex on Greenwich just north of 96th. It could be acquired and expanded or just leased until a better facility is developed.

Or they could just use any old field anywhere cause it doesn't matter at all and no one gives a crap. They could even put out 4 or 5 bag chairs for the fans to use, if they really wanted to make it a 1st-rate facility.

[ShockdaWorld]

I'm not anti-soccer, ok, maybe a little, but I'm not against a WSU soccer team. That being said, I think the whole point of football being on the table is the possibility that it helps us get into a better conference. I'm not sure soccer would carry that same possibility.

[WstateU]

Or they could just use any old field anywhere cause it doesn't matter at all and no one gives a crap. They could even put out 4 or 5 bag chairs for the fans to use, if they really wanted to make it a 1st-rate facility.

I hope Santa brings me one of these...

[jdshock]

Let's bring some Evansville or UNI basketball alumni in to teach our future soccer team how to flop

[1972Shocker]

Speaking of volleyball, I hope future plans call for a 6,000-7,000 seat “Chris Lamb Volleyball Center”; I want to compete with Nebraska, Texas, KU, etc. We know the man deserves it... possibly a multi-purpose center designed for women's volleyball and basketball.

That would be wonderful although we are a long way from being able to fill such an arena on a consistent basis. We seemed to have topped out at about 2,500 to 3,000 in average attendance although this year we dropped down to 2,261 in average attendance (our worst average attendance since 2006). From 2007 through 2014 we averaged around 2,775 in attendance. In 2014 we averaged 3,078 (although we only had our 9 home MVC matches). So in 2015 we were down 18.5% from the 2007-2014 average and down 26.5% from 2014. Not sure what to attribute the drop in attendance in 2015 to but having most of the matches available on ESPN3 would seem to be the logical culprit. In any case, while we consistently have had good attendance numbers in volleyball in the last 10 years it is not really growing and we had a significant decline in attendance this past season.

Not sure what impact adding football and/or soccer in the fall might have on Volleyball attendance. It won't have much impact on student support because the Volleyball team gets very little student support now. Again, I suppose this questions will be address in the review and analysis that President Bardo has commenced.

[1972Shocker]

Yes, a damn good squad with the best defender in America playing for them. But he's talking about at the NCAA level -- we would whip the snot out of UMKC.

I understand he is talking about NCAA soccer. But when it comes to interest, attendance and support your NCAA D-1 soccer team is in the entertainment business and they are competing against all forms of entertainment (football, volleyball, movies, TV, etc.) including all levels of soccer from youth, to high school, to club, to D-II programs, to professional soccer. In fact, those levels will provide more competition for WSU soccer than will other D-1 college programs in my estimation.

[Kung Wu]

I understand he is talking about NCAA soccer. But when it comes to interest, attendance and support your NCAA D-1 soccer team is in the entertainment business and they are competing against all forms of entertainment (football, volleyball, movies, TV, etc.) including all levels of soccer from youth, to high school, to club, to D-II programs, to professional soccer. In fact, those levels will provide more competition for WSU soccer than will other D-1 college programs in my estimation.

I misunderstood. I didn't realize he was implying we would draw attendance from KC. That won't happen at all. The only people coming from KC would be if a referee was from there. LOL

We don't need KC fans to fill our stadium.

[Cdizzle]

That would be wonderful although we are a long way from being able to fill such an arena on a consistent basis. We seemed to have topped out at about 2,500 to 3,000 in average attendance although this year we dropped down to 2,261 in average attendance (our worst average attendance since 2006). From 2007 through 2014 we averaged around 2,775 in attendance. In 2014 we averaged 3,078 (although we only had our 9 home MVC matches). So in 2015 we were down 18.5% from the 2007-2014 average and down 26.5% from 2014. Not sure what to attribute the drop in attendance in 2015 to but having most of the matches available on ESPN3 would seem to be the logical culprit. In any case, while we consistently have had good attendance numbers in volleyball in the last 10 years it is not really growing and we had a significant decline in attendance this past season.

Not sure what impact adding football and/or soccer in the fall might have on Volleyball attendance. It won't have much impact on student support because the Volleyball team gets very little student support now. Again, I suppose this questions will be address in the review and analysis that President Bardo has commenced.

Honestly, it's because the games aren't on the radio any more.

[1972Shocker]

I'm not anti-soccer, ok, maybe a little, but I'm not against a WSU soccer team. That being said, I think the whole point of football being on the table is the possibility that it helps us get into a better conference. I'm not sure soccer would carry that same possibility.

Soccer definitely would not carry any weight as far as finding a better conference goes. That's not putting soccer down. Outside of Football and Basketball do any other sports carry significant weight when it comes to conference realignment.

Dr. Bardo stated:

"This is not about football. This is about who we are and what we can do."

We may or may not like the answer to that question.

Interestingly, President Beggs was known to say that it is important that you understand who you are and to proceed accordingly although President Beggs seemed more prone to just ride the status quo where President Bardo seems to be much more aggressive and pro-active in trying to challenge and reform the status quo.

[OregonShocker]

Ok; I've waited long enough to put my foot in the pile. Here goes; as a total outsider (I last lived in Wichita when there actually WAS a WSU football team!) but still a Kansan (i.e., football has never been popular in the state except Chiefs and old KSU/Snyder hold overs) I see some real problems with bringing football back, but they start with a prognostication. In the next several years, prob 5-8, football and soccer will cross each other in popularity. Football, with all its problems will slowly lose popularity, while soccer will continue to make gains. I see it in my own kids compared to me (they played in HS and in rec leagues after HS; I knew nothing about the sport) and now my grandkids who follow MLS faithfully and can barely tell you most NFL team names. I think to invest SOOO much in football now is like backing the ocean liner for transatlantic travel. Soccer makes more sense. Ok; begin kicking (pun intended).

[WUpigsooie]

I misunderstood. I didn't realize he was implying we would draw attendance from KC. That won't happen at all. The only people coming from KC would be if a referee was from there. LOL

We don't need KC fans to fill our stadium.

I wasn't talking about attendance. I meant from a recruiting standpoint we could own those places. I think there is enough interest in soccer in Wichita alone to support the teams.

[Shocker-maniac]

Ok; I've waited long enough to put my foot in the pile. Here goes; as a total outsider (I last lived in Wichita when there actually WAS a WSU football team!) but still a Kansan (i.e., football has never been popular in the state except Chiefs and old KSU/Snyder hold overs) I see some real problems with bringing football back, but they start with a prognostication. In the next several years, prob 5-8, football and soccer will cross each other in popularity. Football, with all its problems will slowly lose popularity, while soccer will continue to make gains. I see it in my own kids compared to me (they played in HS and in rec leagues after HS; I knew nothing about the sport) and now my grandkids who follow MLS faithfully and can barely tell you most NFL team names. I think to invest SOOO much in football now is like backing the ocean liner for transatlantic travel. Soccer makes more sense. Ok; begin kicking (pun intended).

There's a lot of truth to this. I don't know when it would happen, but I can see soccer passing football in popularity as a spectator sport some day in the future. It has already realized tremendous growth and continues to go up.

[Perezident]

Ok; I've waited long enough to put my foot in the pile. Here goes; as a total outsider (I last lived in Wichita when there actually WAS a WSU football team!) but still a Kansan (i.e., football has never been popular in the state except Chiefs and old KSU/Snyder hold overs) I see some real problems with bringing football back, but they start with a prognostication. In the next several years, prob 5-8, football and soccer will cross each other in popularity. Football, with all its problems will slowly lose popularity, while soccer will continue to make gains. I see it in my own kids compared to me (they played in HS and in rec leagues after HS; I knew nothing about the sport) and now my grandkids who follow MLS faithfully and can barely tell you most NFL team names. I think to invest SOOO much in football now is like backing the ocean liner for transatlantic travel. Soccer makes more sense. Ok; begin kicking (pun intended).

Great points. Although I too foresee the football bubble finally bursting, with eager anticipation, I'm not sure I see soccer surpassing it necessarily. And I'm not sure it will happen quite so soon. The sooner ESPN stops trying to cram football down my throat 24/7 for 12 months of the year, the happier I'll be. As for bringing back WSU football, I believe the cons outweigh the pros, by a wide margin.

[OregonShocker]

Great points. Although I too foresee the football bubble finally bursting, with eager anticipation, I'm not sure I see soccer surpassing it necessarily. And I'm not sure it will happen quite so soon. The sooner ESPN stops trying to cram football down my throat 24/7 for 12 months of the year, the happier I'll be. As for bringing back WSU football, I believe the cons outweigh the pros, by a wide margin.

Admittedly my soccer prediction is influenced by the atmosphere here in the Pacific NW; soccer here is already big. Perhaps not quite Seahawks big, but certainly gaining. It will happen...someday. Even Sporting KC draws good crowds. Once a generation or two stop playing (and thus following) football in favor of soccer, the change will hasten.