The First Domino Has Fallen

[MStateMaverick]

Nebraska Christian to close. How many more of these little schools will bite the bullet.

https://www.nechristian.edu/news/202...campus-closure

Enrollment at 120 after they merged a few years ago, then down to 85 or so at present. It was mentioned they added intercollegiate athletics to stimulate enrollment, but what sports could such a small enrollment support?

[Sec10-A-14]

Very small school 135 students Don't think they had any ath teams.

[laker]

Nebraska Christian to close. How many more of these little schools will bite the bullet.

https://www.nechristian.edu/news/202...campus-closure

[crixus]

Bowling Green cuts baseball.

https://www.nbc4i.com/sports/bowling...eball-program/

Orel Hershiser played there and was a MAC All Star in 1979, the same year he threw a no-hitter against Kent State.

[laker]

Bowling Green cuts baseball.

https://www.nbc4i.com/sports/bowling...eball-program/

[SW_Mustang]

The CCAA has suspended all fall sports.

https://krcrtv.com/north-coast-news/...ector-responds

[SW_Mustang]

When the University of Idaho in my hometown was scrambling to stay FBS they would buy the extra tickets to get the 15,000 in their 15,500-seat bad dome. They basically cheated their way to get to 15,000; now and then they would play eight miles away in Pullman, Washington at Washington State University stadium and count all the numbers there. They did this for about 15 years, and went back to FCS a couple years ago. It was a total scam that the NCAA never questioned.

Funny you mention Idaho - I came across this old BR article about FBS attendance, looks like it's from 2009 or so? Anyway, they mention Idaho's average for the first two games of that season, reported as "15,003."

Yeah... right...

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...football-teams

[tsull]

When the University of Idaho in my hometown was scrambling to stay FBS they would buy the extra tickets to get the 15,000 in their 15,500-seat bad dome. They basically cheated their way to get to 15,000; now and then they would play eight miles away in Pullman, Washington at Washington State University stadium and count all the numbers there. They did this for about 15 years, and went back to FCS a couple years ago. It was a total scam that the NCAA never questioned.

[SW_Mustang]

I can assure you that San Jose State doesn't come close to averaging that number. They must counting cars in the parking lot as well. Thank you for listing the four D2's! By the way, Tarleton State moves up to FCS as of this year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_T..._football_team

I'm a little skeptical of the schools in the 15-16k range. I'm sure some are legitimate, but I'm guessing a few are cooking the books to appease the NCAA. I don't think the NCAA cares enough to audit some of these schools. Shifting the FBS around because 20% of the teams didn't make the threshold is more hassle than it's worth, IMO.

Yeah, I debated including TSU, but it's still a D2 year for them so I added them in.

[crixus]

According to official NCAA records:

1. Morehouse (10,924)
2. Grand Valley State (9,821)
3. Tarleton State (8,952)
4. Tuskegee (8,872)

Northern Illinois averaged 8,518 for the season.

San Jose State is listed as having a 15,396 average - that probably includes the band and a lot of other gameday function "attendees."

I can assure you that San Jose State doesn't come close to averaging that number. They must counting cars in the parking lot as well. Thank you for listing the four D2's! By the way, Tarleton State moves up to FCS as of this year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_T..._football_team

[ccmoney8]

The California State University system will not be holding on campus classes this fall semester. It didn't talk about athletics but I'm sure that they won't be having them. This involves 23 schools.

https://abc7.com/education/csu-campu...ester/6176291/

First state to let athletes market themselves becomes the first to take athletes off the field

[SW_Mustang]

The California State University system will not be holding on campus classes this fall semester. It didn't talk about athletics but I'm sure that they won't be having them. This involves 23 schools.

https://abc7.com/education/csu-campu...ester/6176291/

I wonder if UC will follow. They're two of the biggest systems in the country. That's another 280,000 students staying at home if that's the case.

[laker]

The MAC is eliminating many conference tournaments and adjusting others.

https://www.wtol.com/article/sports/...1-67a5a6d8fe3c

[SW_Mustang]

Makes sense. Plus attendance is self-reported anyway. If you're on the bubble, and you want to change a 4 to a 5, nobody will ever know.

Supposedly, these numbers are all "audited" by the NCAA - which I don't buy. Maybe they select a few schools "at random" to check, but there's no way they are reviewing attendance numbers for 130 FBS schools, let alone the entire gamut of all four divisions.

NCAA has a very loose definition of who counts in those numbers anyway. They specify a difference between paid, and non-paid attendees - but they are all under the blanket number. Yes, this does include the band members.

[SW_Mustang]

The NCAA doesn't enforce their own rules. My alma mater (San Jose State) hasn't averaged 15K in eons, but they're still an FBS member of the Mountain West. Who are the four D2 teams that averaged more than NIU last year? Kudos to them!

According to official NCAA records:

1. Morehouse (10,924)
2. Grand Valley State (9,821)
3. Tarleton State (8,952)
4. Tuskegee (8,872)

Northern Illinois averaged 8,518 for the season.

San Jose State is listed as having a 15,396 average - that probably includes the band and a lot of other gameday function "attendees."