The Wacky WAC

[crixus]

I like Western Oregon but the higher ups there are clueless on how to do anything hell chicago state is in a better spot than they are

Sorry to hear that. :(

[ASUPops]

Speculation on your part at best. No one knows what things will look like. ASU Pops does of course. And his alternate account of Mooseknuckle. I’m sure he/they will weigh in shortly.

I have no clue what the future of D1 A will look like. I hear lots of opinions on my alma mater & D1 sites.

And for the record, I am NOT moosehead...and the fact that he never responds regarding the BS link between us makes me very suspicious that moosehead IS an altered ego of another WT poster.

[MooseLodge]

D1 is going to be redefined soon. There will only be two conferences within about 5 years and those conferences will each have 20 schools. Then there will be about another 40 schools that will still compete in D1 arena (Texas Tech, Louisville, Oregon State, …). Then after that will be the true amateur athletics programs.

Insufficient national audience to support only 40 schools. If media felt that 40 would do the trick, Fox and ESPN would not have signed a fresh, $3.2 billion deal with the Big 12, which will pay each school up to $50 million annually when the new contract begins. The "haves" will be in the range of 65-72 programs.

That being said, we could well end up with a P3, as the ACC is on shaky ground with several programs desiring to leave and litigating to do so. If that happens, my wild guess is that UNC and UVA go to the Big 10, Clemson and possibly FSU, Va Tech to the SEC, and the rest to the Big 12, at least the programs that the Big 12 wants. I would think the Big 12 would take a hard pass on Wake, Syracuse, and BC, but probably take Georgia Tech, Louisville, and Miami. I would hope that the Big 12 would pass on Miami - that school is a nothing burger in terms of legit support and fan interest. But it would give the conference more of an anchor in the southeast, with a pod including UCF, GA Tech, and Miami.

Who knows what happens to Duke. They're a bit in no man's land. Great basketball school, but I don't see the Big 10 or SEC taking them - there's no way they would be additive. I could see Duke, BC, Syracuse, and Wake going to the Big East. SMU? I don't see them in any of the remaining P3 if the ACC collapses, but if some crazy booster tosses a $ billion the Big 12's way, it could happen.

[frutedog]

D1 is going to be redefined soon. There will only be two conferences within about 5 years and those conferences will each have 20 schools. Then there will be about another 40 schools that will still compete in D1 arena (Texas Tech, Louisville, Oregon State, …). Then after that will be the true amateur athletics programs.

Speculation on your part at best. No one knows what things will look like. ASU Pops does of course. And his alternate account of Mooseknuckle. I’m sure he/they will weigh in shortly.

[Rockofwesties]

D1 is going to be redefined soon. There will only be two conferences within about 5 years and those conferences will each have 20 schools. Then there will be about another 40 schools that will still compete in D1 arena (Texas Tech, Louisville, Oregon State, …). Then after that will be the true amateur athletics programs.

[SPOLOVILO4EVER]

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.

[MooseLodge]

ACUs president recently said on the record that they're committed to rebuilding the WAC, so they're probably staying put at least in the immediate future

https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/b...re-in-the-wac/

Sounds like to me, he is anything but committed to the WAC beyond today. He wants a Texas-only football conference. That doesn't sound real good for ACU's future in the WAC. He also said that Grand Canyon is spending twice the money ACU is on athletics, and that's without football. He said "you can't be at the middle or bottom of a conference in funding and expect to compete at the top."

So ACU's time in the WAC is very short.

[MooseLodge]

Why the hurry to jump now and pay exit fees instead of waiting a year?

How much is the exit fee? Must have been some pretty easy math.

[Finchwidget]

ACUs president recently said on the record that they're committed to rebuilding the WAC, so they're probably staying put at least in the immediate future

https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/b...re-in-the-wac/

[BuffaloChip]

Tarleton might be a possibility but have a feeling ACU will gamble with their private school status and "move up" to something better.

We all know WT has no interest,

Kingsville maybe if they merge with Corpus to keep Corpus a "valuable member" to take care of the football problem.

I would wager ASU and UTPB jump to the Southland if any of the teams listed do jump at all.

I'm not so completely sure WT would have no interest. If any LSC schools accepted an invite, I believe the dominos would begin to fall.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Now, If ACU decides to jump back in.......it would set the stage for WT, Angelo, Kingsville, and Midwestern to join the Southland.

Tarleton might be a possibility but have a feeling ACU will gamble with their private school status and "move up" to something better.

We all know WT has no interest,

Kingsville maybe if they merge with Corpus to keep Corpus a "valuable member" to take care of the football problem.

I would wager ASU and UTPB jump to the Southland if any of the teams listed do jump at all.

[laker]

Its official. Stephen F. Austin back to the Southland.

SFA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join Southland Conference in 2024-25 - Southland Conference

Why the hurry to jump now and pay exit fees instead of waiting a year?

[BuffaloChip]

Its official. Stephen F. Austin back to the Southland.

SFA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join Southland Conference in 2024-25 - Southland Conference

Now, If ACU decides to jump back in.......it would set the stage for WT, Angelo, Kingsville, and Midwestern to join the Southland.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Its official. Stephen F. Austin back to the Southland.

SFA Athletics Accepts Invitation to Join Southland Conference in 2024-25 - Southland Conference

[MooseLodge]

When I was at Tech, I was told by the AD at that time Football paid for all other sports.

The AD was correct. But anything below Power 5, football isn't a meaningful revenue generator, and neither is any other sport. Not to say that athletic programs are not important, but they are an expense, with perhaps some offset by boosters, sponsors, and ticket sales. The student body subsidizes the bulk of athletics through their fees.