Realignment Carousel Spins Up again (USC and UCLA to Big 10)

[Maizerunner08]

I still think the P4 split off and do their own thing in football. Olympic sports might stay the same though.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

[pinstripers]

So now we add another basketball-only school?

[TrackSuitAndTie]

So now we add another basketball-only school?

Aresco was pretty mum on the idea when asked, but I would hope the conference at least considers it. My dream school would be VCU.

[SubGod22]

So now we add another basketball-only school?

I'm not sure there's a non-football school that we could add, that is willing to come, and adds value on any level.

The three most obvious options would be VCU, Dayton, and SLU.

Not sure VCU wants to leave what's essentially a pretty tight geographic conference with only a few outliers. The A10 more often than not will still be a pretty solid conference as well, despite having a bad media deal. The eastern portion of the American is pretty spread out.

Dayton still has an Xavier issue in getting into a one day expanded Big East. They may be the most likely of the three to come if they feel they'll be forever blocked.

SLU has its eyes on only one place and that's the Big East. If the BE expands, I'd say they're almost guaranteed a spot. They're all about recruiting students from the Northeast.

[Stickboy46]

Best add we could get so far. Doesn't help or hurt BBall .. and having another service academy is nothing but a good thing for the conference. Will be interesting to see if we add an olympic sports school and if Air Force ends up in the AAC now at some point.

[SubGod22]

Best add we could get so far. Doesn't help or hurt BBall .. and having another service academy is nothing but a good thing for the conference. Will be interesting to see if we add an olympic sports school and if Air Force ends up in the AAC now at some point.

Now that you mention it, I could see the AAC taking another shot at AFA and CSU in the next couple of years. A lot of that still may depend on what happens between the PAC and MWC teams.

[ShockBand]

I'm not sure there's a non-football school that we could add, that is willing to come, and adds value on any level.

The three most obvious options would be VCU, Dayton, and SLU.

Not sure VCU wants to leave what's essentially a pretty tight geographic conference with only a few outliers. The A10 more often than not will still be a pretty solid conference as well, despite having a bad media deal. The eastern portion of the American is pretty spread out.

Dayton still has an Xavier issue in getting into a one day expanded Big East. They may be the most likely of the three to come if they feel they'll be forever blocked.

SLU has its eyes on only one place and that's the Big East. If the BE expands, I'd say they're almost guaranteed a spot. They're all about recruiting students from the Northeast.

I happened to look because I thought Dayton played football. They do, but in the Pioneer League, which does not give scholarships. But in looking at their team pic, they clearly have no trouble getting players. I wonder what the cost is for Dayton to play football at that level.



They appear to get decent support, keeping in mind their stadium seats about 11.000.



Would Shocker Nation support enough at this level to have the fun of football on fall Saturday afternoon?

[SubGod22]

I happened to look because I thought Dayton played football. They do, but in the Pioneer League, which does not give scholarships. But in looking at their team pic, they clearly have no trouble getting players. I wonder what the cost is for Dayton to play football at that level.



They appear to get decent support, keeping in mind their stadium seats about 11.000.



Would Shocker Nation support enough at this level to have the fun of football on fall Saturday afternoon?

It would be a fun experiment. And you'd still have the option of adding scholarships at some point and moving up a level if the support is there.

[ShockBand]

It would be a fun experiment. And you'd still have the option of adding scholarships at some point and moving up a level if the support is there.

I don't know if it is accurate, but what I found online for their operating expenses for football was about $1.3 million. I'm guessing at least 50-60% of that is coaches and staff salaries. The Pioneer League is spread all over the country, so travel I'm sure is pricey for 5-6 flights a year. It stated revenue of about $250,000. Single game ticket prices are cheap! All or nearly all GA, $10 for adults and $5 for kids. That probably helps getting people in the seats!

It would be a fun experiment to see if it would get any traction. And even though we aren't as populous as Ohio, I would bet there would be a decent number of kids who couldn't quite make it at the scholarship football level that would still be interested in playing college ball.

[Atxshoxfan]

It would be a fun experiment to see if it would get any traction. And even though we aren't as populous as Ohio, I would bet there would be a decent number of kids who couldn't quite make it at the scholarship football level that would still be interested in playing college ball.

It would probably bring enrollment up in a couple ways. Like you said, guys who want to play football that couldn't get a scholarship and would otherwise enroll at another school that has football, and eventually more young people that are looking for the traditional college campus life.

When Texas State played FCS football, the majority of the fanbase was students who had been partying Friday night, tailgating Saturday before the game, then go to the game, Then party again Saturday night. I think that's all something WSU kind of lacks.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

[ShockBand]

It would probably bring enrollment up in a couple ways. Like you said, guys who want to play football that couldn't get a scholarship and would otherwise enroll at another school that has football, and eventually more young people that are looking for the traditional college campus life.

When Texas State played FCS football, the majority of the fanbase was students who had been partying Friday night, tailgating Saturday before the game, then go to the game, Then party again Saturday night. I think that's all something WSU kind of lacks.

Yeah, I marched in the last WSUMB in 1986. And even with the pretty sparse crowds it certainly made for a fun fall atmosphere. I fondly remember lining up in the band by Duerksen for the march to the stadium, leaves falling, alums milling by, great times.

[Stickboy46]

Makes perfect sense for everyone involved

[Kel Varnsen]

It would be a fun experiment. And you'd still have the option of adding scholarships at some point and moving up a level if the support is there.

I feel like if we ever added football this would be the way to go.

I will say this, schools like Dayton have the advantage of a population in their region/state that we definitely do not have.