The EXIT FEE IS $2M ACU and Tarleton are staying in the WAC and would not drop down to the Southland, which is a far inferior conference to the WAC. The Southland is near the Bottom of D1 and will be forever. The WAC is in the middle and getting better each year because the schools that are staying in it spend money on athletic growth and facilities while most of the SLC conference schools can not afford to do so. Kingsville and Midwestern would fit nicely into the SLC but UTPB and Angelo (and WTAM if they get a Prez who is pro athletics) would be better suited in the WAC.
GCU and CBU's athletic Budget/Revenue are in the low 30M (30-32) While Tarleton and ACU's are in the low-mid 20's (22-25M) with Utah Valley UTAH Tech and S Utah being at the bottom in the 15-20M range. If your school is supportive of Football and to a lesser extent Basketball and the students willing to increase athletic fees than if can be a successful transition. If the students do not vote for increase in fees or do not show up for games in droves, then your probably better off staying in D2. WTAMU and Angelo have some nice facilities already though Angelo may want to consider improving football stadium, I think they have what it takes to be competitive in the WAC if they do go. They will take some lumps for a few years until they catch up on adding D1 athletes but they will catch up and do just fine. Look at Tarleton, this was our last year of transition and we won WAC baseball Tourney, 2nd in Basketball, and 8-3 (2nd in UAC) in football with one of the loss to a power 5 team and the other 2 in OT. There is a lot more excitment and student and community involvement in D1 vs D2 ESPECIALLY in football. ( for a public school, private school is a completly different can of worms) You do have to spend more, but you make more and at the FCS level. Neither is going to make you a fortune or lose a fortune, Most are lucky to break even at either level, but at least at the D1 level you get access to your games being broadcast (ESPN+)! Which is Awesome! I can watch Tarleton Football and Basketball games even when I can not make it to the game! Love it! Being D1 is WAY better than D2 and the vast majority of Tarleton and ACU fans would agree, dont believe me, just ask any of them! I would highly encourage ASU to make the jump now, because D2/3 athletics is in danger of going away completely and if you want to ensure your school has an athletics program at all in the future, D1 is the only place it will probably exist.
GCU and CBU's athletic Budget/Revenue are in the low 30M (30-32) While Tarleton and ACU's are in the low-mid 20's (22-25M) with Utah Valley UTAH Tech and S Utah being at the bottom in the 15-20M range. If your school is supportive of Football and to a lesser extent Basketball and the students willing to increase athletic fees than if can be a successful transition. If the students do not vote for increase in fees or do not show up for games in droves, then your probably better off staying in D2. WTAMU and Angelo have some nice facilities already though Angelo may want to consider improving football stadium, I think they have what it takes to be competitive in the WAC if they do go. They will take some lumps for a few years until they catch up on adding D1 athletes but they will catch up and do just fine. Look at Tarleton, this was our last year of transition and we won WAC baseball Tourney, 2nd in Basketball, and 8-3 (2nd in UAC) in football with one of the loss to a power 5 team and the other 2 in OT. There is a lot more excitment and student and community involvement in D1 vs D2 ESPECIALLY in football. ( for a public school, private school is a completly different can of worms) You do have to spend more, but you make more and at the FCS level. Neither is going to make you a fortune or lose a fortune, Most are lucky to break even at either level, but at least at the D1 level you get access to your games being broadcast (ESPN+)! Which is Awesome! I can watch Tarleton Football and Basketball games even when I can not make it to the game! Love it! Being D1 is WAY better than D2 and the vast majority of Tarleton and ACU fans would agree, dont believe me, just ask any of them! I would highly encourage ASU to make the jump now, because D2/3 athletics is in danger of going away completely and if you want to ensure your school has an athletics program at all in the future, D1 is the only place it will probably exist.
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