Does anyone besides me ready to get WT back to D1

[Buffan78]

I know Im an old guy that enjoyed the WT D1 years playing larger schools and winning many of those games. I just cannot get excited about playing Sul Ross, Western NM and such. I think WT could compete in BB in the WAC as well as other sports. The schools that left LSC to play D1 are not doing much in football but doing well in the other sports. Just wanted some opinions.

[UISguy23]

Oh no absolutely not. No one on this board wants schools to move to d1.

[Great White Buffalo]

Attended Wt during the D1 days. Very closely connected to the Athletics department.
My question is: To what end is the advantage of being D1 for Wt today??

[MooseLodge]

What does D1 even mean anymore? We are fast approaching a scenario where only 40-60 schools are true D1. In fact we are probably already there.

WT won’t be in that group, and neither will most of the other so-called D1s in Texas. Those on the final list in Texas are UT, aTm, and possibly Tech, Baylor, and TCU, although even those are in question. If I was any of those schools, I’d be concerned.

[WT&TTECHfan]

Attended Wt during the D1 days. Very closely connected to the Athletics department.
My question is: To what end is the advantage of being D1 for Wt today??

No advantage now since soon the student athlete will become employee’s and the cost of being a d1 school is going to be so great.

[MooseLodge]

The employee ruling came on behalf of a non-scholarship school. This could end athletics at many/most universities. The most likely outcome, however, is that most collleges, if they want to continue with an athletics program, will be non-scholarship. Participation strictly voluntary with no remuneration whatsoever.

It’s coming.

[SPOLOVILO4EVER]

The WAC just lost UT=Rio Grande Valley to the Southland ( They could not be competitive in WAC) and will probably go after WT and Angelo State. If your smart you will jump at the chance. It is a lot better being in D1 than D2. I can watch all the Tarleton football and Basketball games on ESPN+. The WAC is a good league and offers a lot of exposure that you otherwise do not have in D2. It is also way more fun to play Gonzaga, Baylor, Boston College ( we beat BC! ) etc... than games against WNMU and the like.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

The WAC just lost UT=Rio Grande Valley to the Southland ( They could not be competitive in WAC) and will probably go after WT and Angelo State. If your smart you will jump at the chance. It is a lot better being in D1 than D2. I can watch all the Tarleton football and Basketball games on ESPN+. The WAC is a good league and offers a lot of exposure that you otherwise do not have in D2. It is also way more fun to play Gonzaga, Baylor, Boston College ( we beat BC! ) etc... than games against WNMU and the like.

More like the Southland is gaining Rio Grand Valley.

No real loss to the WAC since they have a crap ton of teams and they were the bottom of the barrell.

Southland is trying to survive with a couple of non football schools.

When McNeese leaves the Southland, if the other Louisiana Schools do the same, then the Southland could expand (theoretically) to include the schools you mentioned and others (WT, ASU, UTPB, etc.)

It's a long shot but the travel may actually end up being less in the Southland and having WAC schools nearby for non conference games.

Until they carry out Wendler in a strait jacket or casket then none of those things will be considered.

Also as someone mentioned earlier things might be restructured and shuffled around where all D1 turns into pro and D2 and below are intramural sports.

[Herb Street]

True D1 (pro teams) is going to boil down to about 10 programs. The rest of P4 will be their tackling dummies. Schools below P4 might as well be D3.

Trev Alberts, Texas A&M AD, says that player salaries are going to be in the $15-20 million per year range, and that’s just for starters.

Fans clamoring to move to D1 are not paying much attention to the changing landscape. There is no advantage to being in the Southland or WAC.

[BuffaloChip]

I just posted this on the other thread.

Looking at the current D1/FCS landscape, what exactly is the advantage for WT to be playing in the Southland? You just stated that virtually no one cares about Southland athletics. What would be the point of going from playing in front of 8,000 LSC WT football fans, 1,800 basketball fans, 800 VB fans, and 300 SB fans to the same home numbers for Southland games?

Till the chaos in D1/FCS begins (if ever) to recede, I see almost NO positive reasons for WT, Angelo, or any other current LSC school to go Southland. Just more expense with little upside for increased income. Unless getting your brains beat out for a D1 money game counts as progress.

[WT_TKW]

I just posted this on the other thread.

Looking at the current D1/FCS landscape, what exactly is the advantage for WT to be playing in the Southland? You just stated that virtually no one cares about Southland athletics. What would be the point of going from playing in front of 8,000 LSC WT football fans, 1,800 basketball fans, 800 VB fans, and 300 SB fans to the same home numbers for Southland games?

Till the chaos in D1/FCS begins (if ever) to recede, I see almost NO positive reasons for WT, Angelo, or any other current LSC school to go Southland. Just more expense with little upside for increased income. Unless getting your brains beat out for a D1 money game counts as progress.

Well it would be nice to get some money. I’m betting WOU doesn’t pay that much but they still beat us. However we can probably handle Sul Ross for the next couple of years.

At least we have D1 capable coaches in softball and basketball. We had one in volleyball.

It would also be nice to watch games against teams people have heard of on a viable viewing platform like ESPN. Remember we built that stadium so ESPN would come, and they DID (once).

[SPOLOVILO4EVER]

I meant WTAMU and Angelo St going to WAC, NOT the Southland.

[BuffaloChip]

I meant WTAMU and Angelo St going to WAC, NOT the Southland.

The big question is: are the WT students willing to pony up another $5,000,000 a year in student fees to make the move financially possible. That's about $500 a year per full-time student. The students would have to vote for this.

WT's budget this year is @ $11.3M. To compete in the WAC I'd imagine the minimum budget would be about what SFA spends, $18.5M. $5M more student fees plus another $2.5M a year in outside giving from corporate sponsors, donors, and boosters.

[SPOLOVILO4EVER]

It is not that much, usually the fee is capped at about $250 per student. that adds up when you count 10k students. Also you make some media rev but mostly you see an increase in ticket sales. Tarleton Athletic Budget last year was around 18M and Rev was 20M so it pays for itself. Not sure Tech wants Angelo state to go D1 but A&M would fully support WT to do so. WT is better prepared than Commerce and would benefit from the move, as would Angelo, but have little faith in the Tech System supporting them so do so. WT just needs a competent Prez. They have the facilities and competitive sports program. Both would be welcomed with open arms I assure you.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

It is not that much, usually the fee is capped at about $250 per student. that adds up when you count 10k students. Also you make some media rev but mostly you see an increase in ticket sales. Tarleton Athletic Budget last year was around 18M and Rev was 20M so it pays for itself. Not sure Tech wants Angelo state to go D1 but A&M would fully support WT to do so. WT is better prepared than Commerce and would benefit from the move, as would Angelo, but have little faith in the Tech System supporting them so do so. WT just needs a competent Prez. They have the facilities and competitive sports program. Both would be welcomed with open arms I assure you.

The issue with the WAC is I dont want to see WT playing FBS football.

I think that is the reason that SFA is also looking to make the move back to the Southland after Lamar did that a couple of years ago.

Ironic now that McBroom will be involved making that call for SFA and could also be up against WT in several years if they were to consider a D1 move after Wendler retires/croaks.

All sports and regional rivalries would be more competitive in the Southland.

I am also hearing chatter that Grand Canyon in the WAC may join the West Coast Conference with Gonzaga and St. Mary's since they are non football.