Louisville officially leaving the AAC after this season

[MoValley John]

I wish everyone worked in an industry where they were forced to substantiate claims or values, simply for the mere fact that perhaps internet forums would then not make me want to slam my head against the wall repeatedly in discussions like these.

Posters can pick apart my numbers all they want. I did not claim them to be references I would bet my life on, but at least they are something. My figures may not be data you'd write a dissertation on, but at minimum I am not pulling them out of my ass. I was simply trying to add quantitative context to a debate where there is usually zero.

I have seen the Equity in Athletics figures utilized as a reference for media members in the past. I'm not the only person that believes it to be a reasonably decent source, apparently. If the EiA search engine is not to your liking, then what source might you suggest?

My experience with EIA is simply this, I am neighbors with a person responsible for those numbers at UNO. Terrible source to use, I know, but I also know how he has to shift, change and make up numbers to suit the wants and needs of the school at large. Currently, that shifting and manipulation is being done to justify a hockey and basketball arena. A tall order when you are fighting every lawmaker outside of Omaha on expanding UNO athletics. There is a real need for the arena, but you must be able to convince lawmakers from Lincoln and Beatrice to give you the go ahead. Crafty numbers do the trick.

The EIA numbers, sadly, are the best we have. That is why they are quoted. And I'm not knocking you for using them, afterall, they are the best we have. I just caution on putting together a plan based solwely on these numbers, and while useful, they are far from absolute. I am not taking away everything from your post, just asking for caution before too much stock is given to EIA.

[MoValley John]

FCS has no context to my prior post, and I don't believe this thread in general. My post and it's data was based strictly on FBS. The level of football that WSU once played was what eventually became FBS, not FCS.

FCS, however, is the critical comparison. NCAA rules require WSU, if they rebuild a football program, to start at the FCS level. The Shockers cannot, even if they have the funding and infrastructure in place, begin at the FBS level. You have to consider your post and data at the FCS level.

In theory, Wicita State could join a FBS conference, adding football at the same time, and jump directly to FBS play, but really, what conference is going to do that for you? Maybe C-USA, but that's even doubtful at best. Wichita State's only realistic option is to start a football program at the FCS level and then lobby for admittance to a FBS conference. Your model must be based at the FCS level.

[SHOCKvalue]

I really wouldn't be surprised if WSU ever went down the football road, that it would be done in concert with a conference move. When football is brought up with regards to WSU, few people are referencing hypothetical WSU football at the FCS level, at least in the long-term perspective. I doubt many give much care to the concept of WSU football as a part of the MVFC.

[MoValley John]

I really wouldn't be surprised if WSU ever went down the football road, that it would be done in concert with a conference move. When football is brought up with regards to WSU, few people are referencing hypothetical WSU football at the FCS level, at least in the long-term perspective. I doubt many give much care to the concept of WSU football as a part of the MVFC.

And this is the toughest part of the whole deal, FCS football. While it isn't impossible for Wichita State to simultaniously start a football program, at the same time, jumping to a FBS conference, how do you make that happen? If you are the AD or president of Wichita State, how can you make promises to a conference when you would need the approval of the Board of Regents to do so? And if you were the commissioner of a conference, how do you negotiate, knowing that even if the president or AD assures you of football, football would be allowed by the school's BoR? If I'm the commissioner, I don't talk to Wichita State until Wichita State has football. So, you are back to the FCS level.

I'm not trying to be a Negative Nancy, I honestly think football at Wichita State could work. But it is very important that everyone supporting football forgets that Wichita State once played what is currently FBS football, and understand that all projections must start on the FCS model. Yes, I do believe it could work. And while I neither support or object to football at Wichita State, I firmly believe that in order for it to succeed, projections need to be made based on reality, FCS reality. $65 tickets aren't FCS reality, hell that isn't even 90% of BCS reality.

What you are looking at is a 15-20,000 seat, expandable stadium, $8-$12 tickets, a women's sport to offset Title IX and a few other things. Five or six home games and at least one BCS buy game per year and cheap travel to away games. That is the reality of bringing back football to Wichita State. Harkening back to the old FBS days is not realistic. Once again. I'm not bashing the idea of football, I would really like to see someone put together a roadmap for Wichita State to get back into FBS football. The biggest challenge for your administration has not been overcome objections to football by the media and fans, but to try and figure out an avenue to FBS-and success using the FCS formula, which is Wichita State's only realistic option.

[Kung Wu]

Since bringing back football is as likely as Evansville winning a national championship in basketball, let's pretend the conference turned over the commissioner to someone that has serious vision for bringing the MVC back into it's basketball powerhouse glory days. Let's say YOU were that commissioner. What steps would you pursue, or at least consider?

[MoValley John]

Since bringing back football is as likely as Evansville winning a national championship in basketball, let's pretend the conference turned over the commissioner to someone that has serious vision for bringing the MVC back into it's basketball powerhouse glory days. Let's say YOU were that commissioner. What steps would you pursue, or at least consider?

Bring back competitive scheduling standards, require budget minimums, rework TV deal. Market and spend money on the Valley brand within the footprint. I would also actively look for additional schools for membership and expand to 12. Additional schools also to replace schools that cannot compete on a budget level.

[RoyalShock]

Bring back competitive scheduling standards, require budget minimums, rework TV deal. Market and spend money on the Valley brand within the footprint. I would also actively look for additional schools for membership and expand to 12. Additional schools also to replace schools that cannot compete on a budget level.

Didn't Elgin bring back the scheduling standards last year?

The budget minimums would have to be phased in or ramped up. No way could ISUb, UE or DU just squeeze blood from the proverbial turnip and turn it into a few million dollars. Serious question: Is that even a reasonable expectation? Is there any precedence among conferences for budget minimums?

What schools could we add that wouldn't decrease the average Valley per-school revenue disbursement? Are you relying on a renegotiated TV contract to boost revenue enough to at least make it a wash?

Just playing devil's advocate.

[jocoshock]

In case you haven't seen it yet, Maryland lost a court case today, and the court reaffirmed the $52 million dollar buyout to leave the ACC. Louisville is the school that will replace Maryland when they leave to join the Big Ten.

Not saying Maryland won't leave, but man will they be butt hurt when they do...