Moving Day 2025

[njmav1]

Yup. I'm more curious to know a) what SDSU does and b) what dominoes fall behind them (if any).

If it's football only, I don't think the dominoes start falling. The Summit is somewhat precarious but this should not affect the conference.

[njmav1]

This is a perfect situation for them. Football can make money and travel all over the MWC, while all the other sports can stay very (for the most part) regional with The Summit.

This move could vault NDSU football over UND hockey.

[SW_Mustang]

If it's football only, I don't think the dominoes start falling. The Summit is somewhat precarious but this should not affect the conference.

Right, but Denver is also leaving the Summit after this year. Couldn't that open a lane for someone to join the MVFC/Summit League?

I don't know - I'm just asking questions. I just don't think this move exists in a vacuum.

[njmav1]

Right, but Denver is also leaving the Summit after this year. Couldn't that open a lane for someone to join the MVFC/Summit League?

I don't know - I'm just asking questions. I just don't think this move exists in a vacuum.

Denver leaving the Summit leaves the conference with 8 members. Do they have to add another member? IMO they don't. Would they like to add more? Probably.

I don't know if there are any D1 schools in the area willing to leave the MVC, Big Sky, Horizon, OVC, etc for the Summit. There are however plenty of D2 schools in their geographic footprint.

[laker]

This move could vault NDSU football over UND hockey.

There are a number of Bison fans who are also UND fans for hockey. Interesting dynamics.

[SW_Mustang]

Denver leaving the Summit leaves the conference with 8 members. Do they have to add another member? IMO they don't. Would they like to add more? Probably.

I don't know if there are any D1 schools in the area willing to leave the MVC, Big Sky, Horizon, OVC, etc for the Summit. There are however plenty of D2 schools in their geographic footprint.

Didn't realize they were down to 8 - I guess Western Illinois left, I forgot about that.

I know it will never happen but I wish we could pawn off St. Cloud on them.

I guess there's MSU - Northwest Missouri and Pitt State? No idea. I think Augustana is firmly off the table with hockey now.

[njmav1]

Didn't realize they were down to 8 - I guess Western Illinois left, I forgot about that.

I know it will never happen but I wish we could pawn off St. Cloud on them.

I guess there's MSU - Northwest Missouri and Pitt State? No idea. I think Augustana is firmly off the table with hockey now.

Augustana would be the most capable of moving up but apparently there's a bias against them. MSU is the school that fits the profile of the Dakota schools but the financial commitment isn't there unless someone steps up. MSU can probably move up without football but there isn't support for that. IMO, if they had dropped football years ago and moved up, the hockey team would probably be in the Nacho league.

[laker]

Augustana would be the most capable of moving up but apparently there's a bias against them. MSU is the school that fits the profile of the Dakota schools but the financial commitment isn't there unless someone steps up. MSU can probably move up without football but there isn't support for that. IMO, if they had dropped football years ago and moved up, the hockey team would probably be in the Nacho league.

After I graduated, MSU dropped football for financial reasons. Biggest mistake that they ever made. If they ever do that again- I'll stop donating money to the school. I look at what has happened to St Cloud and I hope that MSU does too.

[njmav1]

After I graduated, MSU dropped football for financial reasons. Biggest mistake that they ever made. If they ever do that again- I'll stop donating money to the school. I look at what has happened to St Cloud and I hope that MSU does too.

I'd say that with a new football stadium on the way, the chances of dropping football is pretty low.

[laker]

I'd say that with a new football stadium on the way, the chances of dropping football is pretty low.

Absolutely- and I give a lot of credit to President Inch for that. I've seen him just a few feet away from me at the last two games.

One night I was in St Cloud and stopped to go to the SCSU hockey game. Walked over to the stadium where they were playing men's soccer. I counted a huge crowd of 75 in that nice stadium. What a waste of a nice facility.

[SW_Mustang]

Augustana would be the most capable of moving up but apparently there's a bias against them. MSU is the school that fits the profile of the Dakota schools but the financial commitment isn't there unless someone steps up. MSU can probably move up without football but there isn't support for that. IMO, if they had dropped football years ago and moved up, the hockey team would probably be in the Nacho league.

IMO - I don't think Augustana has anywhere near as much money as people assume they do. They had to stop renting the Pentagon after getting hockey and their endowment is dwarfed by most others in the Summit League. Maybe they can do it, I don't know - but I think they're in the same boat MSU is financially. On the bias, I can't speak for USD but SDSU people don't seem to like them. Seems like the only people who like Augustana are Augustana people, in my experience. I'm indifferent personally.

Also - again, just my opinion - but MSU and the Dakota schools are functionally different institutions. Those are flagship R1/R2 whereas MSU is just a public university. People have told me that stuff like that doesn't matter in athletics - but there's also not a public school in the Summit League without an R-classification and I know that's really important to some schools. Good news is MSU is well on their way to getting to that point though - I think they'll get there pretty soon.

[SW_Mustang]

After I graduated, MSU dropped football for financial reasons. Biggest mistake that they ever made. If they ever do that again- I'll stop donating money to the school. I look at what has happened to St Cloud and I hope that MSU does too.

Yeah - that would be a huge mistake. One of my favorite things about Mankato is MSU football, especially early in the season when the weather is still nice. Great way to grow a community.

[njmav1]

IMO - I don't think Augustana has anywhere near as much money as people assume they do. They had to stop renting the Pentagon after getting hockey and their endowment is dwarfed by most others in the Summit League. Maybe they can do it, I don't know - but I think they're in the same boat MSU is financially. On the bias, I can't speak for USD but SDSU people don't seem to like them. Seems like the only people who like Augustana are Augustana people, in my experience. I'm indifferent personally.

Augustana may very well not be able to afford (financially) a move up to D1. But as private institution they can do so without the scrutiny that a public school would receive. I think they have more options than MSU but at the moment I do think they would prefer to stabilize the hockey program.

[njmav1]

Also - again, just my opinion - but MSU and the Dakota schools are functionally different institutions. Those are flagship R1/R2 whereas MSU is just a public university. People have told me that stuff like that doesn't matter in athletics - but there's also not a public school in the Summit League without an R-classification and I know that's really important to some schools. Good news is MSU is well on their way to getting to that point though - I think they'll get there pretty soon.

It depends on the conference. The Big Ten has the highest regard for that kind of thing. AAU member (which means top research school among all research schools). State flagships, land grant and all that. But at least the schools actually do use that affiliation beyond athletics. The B1G brand does have cache.

[SW_Mustang]

Augustana may very well not be able to afford (financially) a move up to D1. But as private institution they can do so without the scrutiny that a public school would receive. I think they have more options than MSU but at the moment I do think they would prefer to stabilize the hockey program.

Ahh - gotcha. I understand your point now. I agree, I think they could do so with less red tape in that regard.