G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

[ABjo]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I, absolutely, mean this with ZERO disrespect to TNU, but I hope they do go. I just think it's the best move for everyone. Their travel schedule has to be brutal on those kids.

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I think the writing on the wall was already somewhat there with the addition of the Ohio schools, St Joe closing and a possible grab of Bellarmine and UINDY, zero mention of any of the Tenn or KY NAIA schools applying for D2 status, and the probable addition of Tiffin. Being new to both the conference and this board, while I feel bad, I just think expansion is going more east/west. Perhaps it bodes well for additional WV schools while leaving open the opportunity for some of the Indiana NAIA schools to make the move?

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I just saw the thread on here regarding Armstrong Atlantic (Peach Belt Conference) dropping all sports due to its merger with Georgia Southern. That adds to the musical chairs game already going on down south (UNA of the Gulf South going D1, Brevard of the South Atlantic going DIII, etc). I think when the song ends, you will see Trevecca in either the Gulf South or the South Atlantic. Both of those conferences already have 3 Tennessee schools in them.

I'm not wishing for it - I just think it seems inevitable. Also, I don't think their lack of football is the huge strike against them it used to be.

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

There is a whole D2 championship Festival in Birmingham this week! Swimming and wrestling are also there! Best of luck to the UF swimmers and wrestlers!

Absolutely!

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

There is a whole D2 championship Festival in Birmingham this week! Swimming and wrestling are also there! Best of luck to the UF swimmers and wrestlers!

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I know basketball is the bigger deal right now, but also rooting for these G-MAC athletes at Indoor Track Nationals (starts tomorrow):

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

Question for KWC fan. Would the addition of UINDY and Bellermine along with Tiffin and a WV school do enough for you to stay in the league? I keep circling back to it being very difficult to keep TVN. It just seems expansion will go East/ West more than south.

[Knightmoves]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

You can mess around with this, its from the DOE, and lists athletic budgets:
https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/#/

Doing a basic search:
Thomas More's D3 budget is $2.1M
KWC's D2 budget is $3.7M, of which $1.8M is listed as "athletically-related student aid"
Findlay's D2 budget is $7.4M, of which $4.2M is listed as "athletically-related student aid"

That is what the "books" say. We all know that D3 (or Ivy or Patriot League) schools are good at finding "academic" money to help student athletes out. So the real difference isn't going to be the full amount shown above.

True. Additionally, the real cost of each of those athletic scholarships is really only the marginal cost of educating one more student, which is no where near the tuition charged by the book. In fact, if they did not count the scholarships in the athletic budget at all, it would be much closer to the real cost.

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

That is what the "books" say. We all know that D3 (or Ivy or Patriot League) schools are good at finding "academic" money to help student athletes out. So the real difference isn't going to be the full amount shown above.

Ha! That's so true. I recall a D3 hockey powerhouse finding "leadership scholarships" so that they could bring in Iffy Canadian players!

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I am curious as to how much it would cost a D3 school to move to D2? Also, is the cost for a NAIA school moving to D2 that big considering they already give scholarships?

You can mess around with this, its from the DOE, and lists athletic budgets:
https://ope.ed.gov/athletics/#/

Doing a basic search:
Thomas More's D3 budget is $2.1M
KWC's D2 budget is $3.7M, of which $1.8M is listed as "athletically-related student aid"
Findlay's D2 budget is $7.4M, of which $4.2M is listed as "athletically-related student aid"

That is what the "books" say. We all know that D3 (or Ivy or Patriot League) schools are good at finding "academic" money to help student athletes out. So the real difference isn't going to be the full amount shown above.

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I am curious as to how much it would cost a D3 school to move to D2? Also, is the cost for a NAIA school moving to D2 that big considering they already give scholarships?

[BlueBlood]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I am under the impression that D3 schools like the blueprint that they are currently in and really stress the STUDENT in the student / athlete. Most D3 schools I have talked with are happy with this blueprint and wouldn't want to begin to fund athletic scholarships. Other than maybe state schools that are currently D3 such as University of Wisconsin- Whitewater, I wouldn't think many would want to move to D2

Agree. There is a reason they chose D3.

The one D3 school that I've always wondered about is Thomas More College (Northern KY, suburban Cincinnati). Its extremely far removed from every member of its PA-based conference. TMC wouldn't have to join D2 to get closer competition - there are much closer OH and IN based D3 conferences. However, those D3 conferences are pretty established with schools that have 100+ years of rivalries. I don't think TMC necessarily fits their hoity-toity profile - which is likely why they are driving to PA for their conference games.

I'm not advocating for TMC, but when you look at a D3 map, they do stick out.

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I agree. As to this bleeding over into D2, what Conference scenario combinations are there?

Instead of mining other conferences, D3 programs should move up in the NCAA. It's the largest division in the NCAA.

I am under the impression that D3 schools like the blueprint that they are currently in and really stress the STUDENT in the student / athlete. Most D3 schools I have talked with are happy with this blueprint and wouldn't want to begin to fund athletic scholarships. Other than maybe state schools that are currently D3 such as University of Wisconsin- Whitewater, I wouldn't think many would want to move to D2

[alumnifan]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I agree. As to this bleeding over into D2, what Conference scenario combinations are there?

Instead of mining other conferences, D3 programs should move up in the NCAA. It's the largest division in the NCAA.

[UFSwimDad]

Re: G-MAC All-Sports and Conference Business Thread

I actually view the 20 team league as a weakness, not a strength. They make it sound like its a merger of the Mid-South and the Sun Conference. In reality, only 8 of those schools are MSC schools and only 3 are from the Sun. The others are from the Appalachian, Southern States and River States Conferences.

That group of conferences has collectively lost schools to the NCAA recently. If you draw a line from the Indiana/Ohio border to the Texas/Louisiana border (including all of KY), there are only 20 NAIA football playing schools east of that line. Basically, they are pulling the remnants together.

So, with that as a backdrop, I think the 20-team football league is really a defensive measure to protect against the impact losing additional schools would have.

Interesting. I would have to agree with your take. It makes perfect sense for those schools but I am not certain that any of those schools would want to make a jump now. It's seems very cozy for them and they get three bids and get to play like schools. 20 team mega leagues may not be the future but I could see this happening more.