Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

[Tony Nicolette]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

More info on this:

Why keep football at EMU?

Second piece on this link addresses football specifically. I get what the AD says about all of the "affiliated" enrollees that impact student counts...band, cheerleaders, walk-ons, etc. That said, he did not paint a picture of a program that is solvent. Further, I struggle to find how those #'s represent a positive cash-flow for the University. And, if they drop a level, those enrollees are still in play. Sure, you lose the $2M from the MAC (which I spoke about in a prior post), but you also cut the costs of schollies, staff, etc. Just don't see how dropping isn't a benefit...schollies and coaching costs drop, GLIAC is still a "driveable" footprint that he mentions, and the cost of running a program at this level is simply a fraction of what it is at DI. Even if they subsidize the entire thing, it would easily save the University $15M+ per year.

Again, it's obvious that they aren't even considering it. That may not be the AD's directive...sounds like a lot of this (for whatever reason) is coming from above him. That said, I laughed when he talked about DII and included Oakland in his list of schools. Would like to think he would know that a school that close to his is DI, but what do I know.

DEXTER - Where are you on this given all of the info that has been provided since your post? Not being the least bit snarky...I am genuinely curious if you feel the same as you did a couple of weeks ago about the premise that EMU is a fit in the GLIAC?

[KleShreen]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

More info on this:

Why keep football at EMU?

Second piece on this link addresses football specifically. I get what the AD says about all of the "affiliated" enrollees that impact student counts...band, cheerleaders, walk-ons, etc. That said, he did not paint a picture of a program that is solvent. Further, I struggle to find how those #'s represent a positive cash-flow for the University. And, if they drop a level, those enrollees are still in play. Sure, you lose the $2M from the MAC (which I spoke about in a prior post), but you also cut the costs of schollies, staff, etc. Just don't see how dropping isn't a benefit...schollies and coaching costs drop, GLIAC is still a "driveable" footprint that he mentions, and the cost of running a program at this level is simply a fraction of what it is at DI. Even if they subsidize the entire thing, it would easily save the University $15M+ per year.

Again, it's obvious that they aren't even considering it. That may not be the AD's directive...sounds like a lot of this (for whatever reason) is coming from above him. That said, I laughed when he talked about DII and included Oakland in his list of schools. Would like to think he would know that a school that close to his is DI, but what do I know.

DEXTER - Where are you on this given all of the info that has been provided since your post? Not being the least bit snarky...I am genuinely curious if you feel the same as you did a couple of weeks ago about the premise that EMU is a fit in the GLIAC?

Not to mention that a drop to D-II would allow them a very good chance to win national championships, something they are never going to do in any sport at the D-I level.

[dvaara]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

it would be great for them to drop down...it seems like ti would be a win win for everyone

anyone been to their stadium before? where would it rank in the gliac? i assume top 3? how about overall football faciliities?

[WayneStatesman]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

it would be great for them to drop down...it seems like ti would be a win win for everyone

anyone been to their stadium before? where would it rank in the gliac? i assume top 3? how about overall football faciliities?

They have a 30,000 seat stadium. So I would have to make that #1 in the GLIAC, in fact #1 in all D2. The size of the stadium is another reason you won't see them go to D2.

[KleShreen]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

They have a 30,000 seat stadium. So I would have to make that #1 in the GLIAC, in fact #1 in all D2. The size of the stadium is another reason you won't see them go to D2.

But they only get 6,000 at each home game. There's plenty of D2 teams that play in front of mostly-empty stadiums.

[dvaara]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

They have a 30,000 seat stadium. So I would have to make that #1 in the GLIAC, in fact #1 in all D2. The size of the stadium is another reason you won't see them go to D2.

I realize the size...but that doesn't make it better

[BeachinLaker]

[dvaara]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

they can compare themselves to central western and toledo all they want but they have never been close to those schools...other than geographically of course

[ctrabs74]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

EMU talking smack on Grand Valley... laughable. The "Fighting EMUs" might become roadkill in the GLIAC, and that's being charitable.

[WayneStatesman]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

But they only get 6,000 at each home game. There's plenty of D2 teams that play in front of mostly-empty stadiums.

True, but these guys aren't dealing with reality. They are still dreaming of getting to the point where they'll fill that stadium on a regular basis with a successful D1 football program. As someone else pointed out the EMU AD thinks D2 is 2nd rate and is committed to D1...at least until reality forces a different decision.

[KleShreen]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

lol, what a joke. EMU wishes they could be compared to GVSU. Director's Cup nearly every year, competing for multiple national championships in multiple sports every year, while EMU's biggest possible goal is to hope their football team pulls a Western Michigan and goes to get blown out in a BCS bowl, which will never happen. Yea, no thanks, I'd rather be playing for national championships at D2 than hoping my football team can be good enough to go to the Little Caesar's/QuickLane/Motor City Bowl sometimes.

[ctrabs74]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

Speaking of potential new members (though, without football), there's an intriguing possibility as a result of the potential breakup of the WAC (post from the LSC Football threads):

http://www.d2football.com/forum/show...53#post2194353

Considering the GLIAC has already added Wisconsin-Parkside and Purdue Northwest - both of which are within an hour or so from Chicago, the talk that Chicago State might consider a transition from D1 to D2 should get the GLIAC's attention, as it would add to the league's presence in Chicagoland. Then again, with Benedictine applying for D2 membership (sponsored by the GLVC) and Lewis located near Joliet, the GLVC might also be keeping an eye on what's happening at Chicago State as well.

Not saying that this will happen, but it's something to watch.

[Tony Nicolette]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

Yes, affiliate only. Not by our choice.

I hear you banging that drum, Stea1th...and yes, it is absolutely true that NDC wanted a full invite from us.

The problem was that we were already at 16 full-time members. That's a pretty bloated alignment in a lot of ways to begin with, and once a league gets past ten or twelve members the scheduling gets wonky very quickly when there isn't an even # of teams. Without an 18th, under what logic would we have invited any one school to join as a "17th" member? I think you understand that, but am open to a different view on it.

Further, I have a hard time believing that even if NDC had gotten a full GLIAC invite that the school would not have been a part of the G-MAC exodus. I suppose there is no way to know that definitively, but based on what I have seen the last six years or so around these parts I struggle to fashion a scenario where the Falcons would have stayed while every smaller, private, Ohio-based, recently transitioned to D2 school near them left.

[bigmrg74]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

it would be great for them to drop down...it seems like ti would be a win win for everyone

anyone been to their stadium before? where would it rank in the gliac? i assume top 3? how about overall football faciliities?

Been there once, oh, 3 years ago. They got that fugly looking grey turf that they bill as The Factory. Just looks off, but probably not as bad as what the blue turf of Boise or the red turf out there. Overall, the stadium didn't seem too worn down, probably from the lack of use it gets from filling up, but to be fair the game I did go see was a Thursday before Halloween tilt between them and WMU. And it was a bit drizzly that evening. Normally wouldn't bother me for a GVSU game that much, but wasn't feeling like sticking it out to the end there. Needless to say a lot of the crowd was just hanging around until halftime, and soon started to file out after that. A lot of their away section was tarped off. And they also have a track around their field. Not really optimal for viewing a game. But at least their Turf field was level and didn't have a gorram crown on it like Findlay had, so it would be an OK GLIAC field. Overall, I would say it would be just a little behind Tech's Sherman field.

[dvaara]

Re: Future GLIAC Members? Particularly Football?

Been there once, oh, 3 years ago. They got that fugly looking grey turf that they bill as The Factory. Just looks off, but probably not as bad as what the blue turf of Boise or the red turf out there. Overall, the stadium didn't seem too worn down, probably from the lack of use it gets from filling up, but to be fair the game I did go see was a Thursday before Halloween tilt between them and WMU. And it was a bit drizzly that evening. Normally wouldn't bother me for a GVSU game that much, but wasn't feeling like sticking it out to the end there. Needless to say a lot of the crowd was just hanging around until halftime, and soon started to file out after that. A lot of their away section was tarped off. And they also have a track around their field. Not really optimal for viewing a game. But at least their Turf field was level and didn't have a gorram crown on it like Findlay had, so it would be an OK GLIAC field. Overall, I would say it would be just a little behind Tech's Sherman field.

you're not gonna ever let that Findlay thing go r ya?:wink: