Possible realignment D1 ASUN effect on D2?

[Rational Observer]

Valdosta State needs to make the jump to the ASUN. It would cost about $3M a year to make the jump, which could be accomplished through a $50-$75 per semester athletics fee increase, plus additional media funding from the conference and other revenues associated with playing higher profile teams. The Gulf South Conference has been great for VSU, and ironically, that is why the move to the ASUN would be so compelling as there would be other past GSC institutions in the conference.

Valdosta State is a major regional university (actually designated as a national university by USNWR, although lower tier). The graduate school is growing is size and recognition. Research is expanding and the university will no doubt be an R2 institution in the future.

In the ASUN Valdosta State will be with peer institutions, will have a much greater athletics and media profile, host games against compelling teams (the regular season contests would increase in interest), would have an opportunity to make the DI national tournaments in basketball and other sports - which I know our AD is against, but folks from Valdosta could you imagine the interest if either the men's or women's basketball team made a run in the ASUN tournament with a chance to gain a qualifying spot in the big dance. Bring back VSU vs North Alabama! Add VSU vs Stetson and University of North Florida! UWF/UWG should come along as well. It would be an outstanding FCS conference with terrific rivalries. Out of conference at that level would be much more compelling as well.

D2 was once great, and there is still great competition and wonderful stories, but Valdosta State needs to step up and join our peer schools. Grow or die.

What is the basis for your $3 million figure? I think that you are very low on your estimate.

[UWAalum]

IMO-Until the impacts of NIL, the transfer portal and FBS super conference building are fleshed out, a move to FCS or FBS is very risky at best.

I have always been curious as to how the other sports feel about a move up to FCS given that football is the lone sport that get some competitive consideration vs the big boys.

If I get a vote, I say the “fighting sports coats” stay put in D2 GSC.

[UNALions]

How much is tuition at VSU and WGa. I have heard it takes at least seven million more dollars to go from d2 to d1. That’s every year and the success of the schools on the field drops off significantly. Attendance actually is not really better especially after the third year. You do get to become a sacrificial lamb to a power school like Auburn etc. for couple hundred thousand. Presbyterian gave it go for several years with very little success. Gardner Webb is another that hasn’t made it after several years and still draws less than four thousand to a football game. It’s a tough decision but maybe if your last name is State you could have a better chance.

FBS Liberty barely beat GW 21-20 last week.

[UNALions]

Valdosta State needs to make the jump to the ASUN. It would cost about $3M a year to make the jump, which could be accomplished through a $50-$75 per semester athletics fee increase, plus additional media funding from the conference and other revenues associated with playing higher profile teams. The Gulf South Conference has been great for VSU, and ironically, that is why the move to the ASUN would be so compelling as there would be other past GSC institutions in the conference.

Valdosta State is a major regional university (actually designated as a national university by USNWR, although lower tier). The graduate school is growing is size and recognition. Research is expanding and the university will no doubt be an R2 institution in the future.

In the ASUN Valdosta State will be with peer institutions, will have a much greater athletics and media profile, host games against compelling teams (the regular season contests would increase in interest), would have an opportunity to make the DI national tournaments in basketball and other sports - which I know our AD is against, but folks from Valdosta could you imagine the interest if either the men's or women's basketball team made a run in the ASUN tournament with a chance to gain a qualifying spot in the big dance. Bring back VSU vs North Alabama! Add VSU vs Stetson and University of North Florida! UWF/UWG should come along as well. It would be an outstanding FCS conference with terrific rivalries. Out of conference at that level would be much more compelling as well.

D2 was once great, and there is still great competition and wonderful stories, but Valdosta State needs to step up and join our peer schools. Grow or die.

I agree with you!! The cost is going to be more than that but you're right on all with all the components here. As you mentioned, the money will need to be addressed, facility upgrades, etc. However, the rest you are spot on with stating. Over time, VSU would likely need to double its athletic budget annually to compete in the ASUN. UNA has been doing so incrementally.

What's interesting about the budget aspect is that I found this from a decade ago:

Valdosta State’s annual athletic budget is $3.7 million in 2012-13, one of the highest among Division II schools. That budget would have to double if the university were to move to Division I, according to Reinhard.

https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/s...34fffb3d9.html

A decade later, the budget has doubled to over 7.3 million.

https://www.collegefactual.com/colle...t-life/sports/

[UNALions]

IMO-Until the impacts of NIL, the transfer portal and FBS super conference building are fleshed out, a move to FCS or FBS is very risky at best.

I have always been curious as to how the other sports feel about a move up to FCS given that football is the lone sport that get some competitive consideration vs the big boys.

If I get a vote, I say the “fighting sports coats” stay put in D2 GSC.

I actually think some of our Olympic sports teams (especially basketball) feel bad for the football team that they are handicapped by "competitive consideration" in FCS when their own squads get to play the "big boys" on equal footing as far as scholarships, etc. And, to your first point, I think large enrollment schools staying in D2 could be extremely risky also nowadays.

[Brandon]

Even though Valdosta Sttate has budget issues just competing in D2, a jump to the ASun could be possible because there is really nothing elite about the ASun.

It's also interesting the RO suggested an athletics fee. I had a conversation with one of my staffers the other day where he talked about the pushback by students against athletic fees.

School	Enrollment	Athletic Budget (millions)
Jacksonville State	5,884	$14.6
Central Arkansas	7,291	$13.2
Austin Peay	6,126	$14.1
Kennesaw State	27,300	$24.4
Eastern Kentucky	9,558	$17.1
North Alabama	4,673	$10.4
Valdosta State	7,232	$6.7

[Brandon]

I actually think some of our Olympic sports teams (especially basketball) feel bad for the football team that they are handicapped by "competitive consideration" in FCS when their own squads get to play the "big boys" on equal footing as far as scholarships, etc. And, to your first point, I think large enrollment schools staying in D2 could be extremely risky also nowadays.

What number do you consider to be a large enrollment?

[UNALions]

What number do you consider to be a large enrollment?

For D2, I’d say 10k and above. VSU is 35th out of 303 D2 schools in enrollment. UWG and UWF a bit higher. Of course, then you have GVSU at 24k, etc.

[Brandon]

For D2, I’d say 10k and above. VSU is 35th out of 303 D2 schools in enrollment. UWG and UWF a bit higher. Of course, then you have GVSU at 24k, etc.

Can you run the 300+ D1 enrollment numbers? I'm curious.

[UNALions]

Can you run the 300+ D1 enrollment numbers? I'm curious.

You can sort the Wikipedia page for a general idea.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List...I_institutions

[Shugley]

Even though Valdosta Sttate has budget issues just competing in D2, a jump to the ASun could be possible because there is really nothing elite about the ASun.

It's also interesting the RO suggested an athletics fee. I had a conversation with one of my staffers the other day where he talked about the pushback by students against athletic fees.

School	Enrollment	Athletic Budget (millions)
Jacksonville State	5,884	$14.6
Central Arkansas	7,291	$13.2
Austin Peay	6,126	$14.1
Kennesaw State	27,300	$24.4
Eastern Kentucky	9,558	$17.1
North Alabama	4,673	$10.4
Valdosta State	7,232	$6.7

Students have been pushing back for years against athletic fees, but there is nothing they can do about it. I fussed about it when I was at DSU, and continue to fuss about it, but it's not going to change. I personally think the entire NCAA structure is doomed and that all athletics after high school should be privatized and education should be left out of it. I realize I'm radical in this approach.

[UNALions]

Another game at Toyota Field was just announced for UNA. This time for baseball taking on Auburn. These types of games help excite fans and alumni while also utilizing the Huntsville media market to grow the school’s brand and outreach.

Embedded Tweet

[UNALions]

Even though Valdosta Sttate has budget issues just competing in D2, a jump to the ASun could be possible because there is really nothing elite about the ASun.

It's also interesting the RO suggested an athletics fee. I had a conversation with one of my staffers the other day where he talked about the pushback by students against athletic fees.

School	Enrollment	Athletic Budget (millions)
Jacksonville State	5,884	$14.6
Central Arkansas	7,291	$13.2
Austin Peay	6,126	$14.1
Kennesaw State	27,300	$24.4
Eastern Kentucky	9,558	$17.1
North Alabama	4,673	$10.4
Valdosta State	7,232	$6.7

Where did these numbers come from? UNA just announced record enrollment of over 10K. I don't ever recall enrollment there being below 5K. It usually hovered in the 7-8k range most years in D2.

https://whnt.com/news/shoals/una-see...rd-enrollment/

Jax State just announced record enrollment also at 9,633.

https://www.jsu.edu/news/articles/20...t-records.html

UCA was over 10k last year.

https://uca.edu/news/uca-sees-more-t...te-enrollment/

APSU went down a bit from its high of 11k in 2019 to 9,609 last fall.

https://www.apsu.edu/about-apsu/fast...about-apsu.php

KSU is over 43k.

https://ksuowls.com/news/2022/10/14/...n-2024-25.aspx

EKU is 14k.

https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisvi...move-in-at-eku

Valdosta State was over 12k even with the pandemic.

https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/n...9df65b99f.html

[UNALions]

It would be fun for ASUN Football to be:

APSU
UCA
EKU
UNA
VSU
UWF
UWG
DSU
UWA

That’s 9 football schools, Stetson plays in the non-scholarship PFL, along with the 6 non-football schools for a 16 school league. If EKU is likely to leave, snag Miss College too.

These GSC schools would really help fill in the geographical make up of the conference between the north (KY/Tenn) and south (Florida).

Won’t likely happen but would be a fun conference.

[CalifOKRA]

It would be fun for ASUN Football to be:

APSU
UCA
EKU
UNA
VSU
UWF
UWG
DSU
UWA

That’s 9 football schools, Stetson plays in the non-scholarship PFL, along with the 6 non-football schools for a 16 school league. If EKU is likely to leave, snag Miss College too.

These GSC schools would really help fill in the geographical make up of the conference between the north (KY/Tenn) and south (Florida).

Won’t likely happen but would be a fun conference.

I would enjoy that a whole lot!