July 1 - Moving Day 2024

[SW_Mustang]

Step one - rename D2 and D3 so it isn't so blatantly evident which is one step up from the other. I don't know what to call it - Premier division or something like that - but I think it would be a good first step to encouraging teams to stay D2 and maybe even help encourage some bottom-dwelling D1s to consider D2 as a cost-saving move.

Agreed. It's the perception that is really driving the upward migration, and D1/D2/D3 provides an obvious ladder for the layman to climb.

I just think the logic is a bit silly - I mean, some people will argue tooth and nail that "going D1" should be the ultimate goal, but what if we applied that to pro sports and doubled the size of the MLB/NHL/NBA with minor league teams that aren't viable competition? The product would be unwatchable.

I think schools should position themselves to where they can realistically compete. Kind of hard to do with 1200 programs and I get that, but still...

[OldBison]

I don’t think you change perception by just changing the name. Regardless of what you call it, everyone will know it’s not Division One just like those of us old-timers still think of FCS being D1aa.

[Bballfan]

I don’t think you change perception by just changing the name. Regardless of what you call it, everyone will know it’s not Division One just like those of us old-timers still think of FCS being D1aa.

I remember D1aa! The good times!

Seriously there is going to have to be a new model. There is Power 4 + Notre Dame. That is really the top. Then you have D1's left with football (that's like D1 lite). That's your FCS plus all non Power 4 school conferences like the MAC. So we have D1-P4, then D1 Class AA. Then you have the remaining D1's that don't even have football. Call it D1-Select.

After that you have D2 and D3.

Seriously any D1 athlete that is not in D1 Power 4 is just trying to get there, and will transfer out if good enough.

College athletics are in the very bad place right now. It is the haves and the have nots. Arms race at the top. Trying to survive and stay relevant at the bottom.

[D2Rover]

I don’t think you change perception by just changing the name. Regardless of what you call it, everyone will know it’s not Division One just like those of us old-timers still think of FCS being D1aa.

I'd buy that argument, but the majority of the people who post here will claim that most people (even sports fans) in the country don't really understand what the divisions are anyway. If a school is looking at moving down, "University transitions to NCAA Premier Division" is a much better headline to run than "University moving to Division 2" - people can count 1, 2, 3, and know what a demotion is, but won't generally be knowledgeable enough to interpret a move from "FCS" to "whatever title" as a big change. And there are ways schools could sell a move in that direction as positive - more local rivalries, more post-season opportunities, potential saved costs, focus on athletic/academic balance, etc.

[Bballfan]

I like the idea of new names. Actually the easiest way would be NCAA - Diamond Division, followed by Gold (non-Power 4), Silver (D2), and Bronze (D3).

But that would make too much sense to people.

[SW_Mustang]

I don’t think you change perception by just changing the name. Regardless of what you call it, everyone will know it’s not Division One just like those of us old-timers still think of FCS being D1aa.

I was thinking in layman's terms. Obviously we'll all know the difference, but it would soften it for people who aren't neck deep in college sports.

I know people who don't understand the split of the FBS/FCS, partially because there's nothing in the name that distinguishes what the two actually are - for example.

Or we just keep trekking down this road and watch as the money dries up for the Mercyhursts and USC-Upstates and then they fold athletics all together- which is another option I guess.

[sportsvine]

Colleges treat athletic divisions like relegation, when they should not.

[zimmy21]

We know the split is coming. The Big Ten and SEC will make sure of it.

Before you know it we will all be tier 4 or 5

[D2Rover]

We know the split is coming. The Big Ten and SEC will make sure of it.

Before you know it we will all be tier 4 or 5

I wish. And it probably will eventually. But I think it's farther off than people think. The current set up allows the conferences (their institutions) to be the heroes providing 'opportunities' for student athletes to make boatloads of money, while the NCAA is the bad guy who faces all the law suits over who is eligible, who isn't, who is entitled to even more money, etc. Why go fight your own battles when you can let the NCAA fight them for you while you rake in the cash?

Hope I'm wrong, I'm very ready to be able to enjoy college sports without them.

[Bballfan]

The NCAA only cares about one thing. March Madness. And they will do everything they can to protect it. It is what help funds athletics at many universities. It is their cash cow. They couldn't care about football....they make nothing off it. It is all about March Madness.

[cneagle99]

I actually like the relegation system (not sure how to actually implement it), where there are 10 conferences of 12 teams. Each conference champion and 6 at-larges make the playoffs. Champion moves up and worst team moves down. No scholarship limits and new programs start at the bottom and work their way up. Moves the bad teams that have no business being in FBS down and keeps teams that should move up from staying where they are and just dominating. But I realize this would destroy the traditional conference system and determining the worst team that gets relegated would be tough. Therefore, the proposal would go no where.

[laker]

The Nevada State Scorpions announce their first AD. It will be interesting to see which sports they add and what level they join. Probably NAIA at first.

https://nevadastate.edu/campus-news/...etics-program/

[ctrabs74]

The Nevada State Scorpions announce their first AD. It will be interesting to see which sports they add and what level they join. Probably NAIA at first.

https://nevadastate.edu/campus-news/...etics-program/

Women's flag football and men's track and field will be the inaugural sports at Nevada State, so I'd suspect they'd start in the NAIA. They're probably 5-10 years, at best, from fielding enough sports to even be considered for D2 membership, and even then, the options are pretty limited (CCAA or PacWest have a lot of California schools; RMAC is too far east from Vegas - the Nevada State campus is located in Henderson - to be viable).

[SW_Mustang]

I actually like the relegation system (not sure how to actually implement it), where there are 10 conferences of 12 teams. Each conference champion and 6 at-larges make the playoffs. Champion moves up and worst team moves down. No scholarship limits and new programs start at the bottom and work their way up. Moves the bad teams that have no business being in FBS down and keeps teams that should move up from staying where they are and just dominating. But I realize this would destroy the traditional conference system and determining the worst team that gets relegated would be tough. Therefore, the proposal would go no where.

Relegation would be a dream - the big problem is bureaucracy and geography. In Europe, they can condense hundreds of teams into areas smaller than some US states - meaning you'll always have someone close by to play. In the US (and especially on the west coast), teams might get relegated or promoted and be on an entire island with nobody local to play.

But yeah - that would be so sweet if we could do it.

[crixus]

The Nevada State Scorpions announce their first AD. It will be interesting to see which sports they add and what level they join. Probably NAIA at first.

https://nevadastate.edu/campus-news/...etics-program/

I first heard that they were planning on adding athletics over a decade ago. Glad it's finally coming to fruition.