Re: Augie d1 thread
I'm not as pessimistic about the potential for Augie (and MSU) at the D1 level.
Potentially cutting football would suck (likely so would going non-scholarship too), but I believe both schools would be able to land on their feet fine. Both have the location and facilities to not be totally outclassed in Division I. Mankato and Sioux Falls are definitely two Division I caliber cities.
Some have brought up Omaha's struggles, but MBB attendance 2 of the last 3 years still practically triples what the Red Mavs were getting their last 5ish years in D2. Ten years ago, they went 25-7 in D2 and averaged 919 fans. Last year, despite going 9-22 the team averaged 2,367 fans. Distant third in Nebraska fan support maybe, but still sitting better in that area than they were in D2. Division I sells.
I'm not saying I want them to leave. Heck, they're probably the two best all-around programs in the NSIC, so it would really put a dent in the overall conference strength. And they're two of the nearest schools to Marshall, so it wouldn't help our travel budget either. I'm just speaking to the notion that they wouldn't hold their own in Division I.
I'm not as pessimistic about the potential for Augie (and MSU) at the D1 level.
Potentially cutting football would suck (likely so would going non-scholarship too), but I believe both schools would be able to land on their feet fine. Both have the location and facilities to not be totally outclassed in Division I. Mankato and Sioux Falls are definitely two Division I caliber cities.
Some have brought up Omaha's struggles, but MBB attendance 2 of the last 3 years still practically triples what the Red Mavs were getting their last 5ish years in D2. Ten years ago, they went 25-7 in D2 and averaged 919 fans. Last year, despite going 9-22 the team averaged 2,367 fans. Distant third in Nebraska fan support maybe, but still sitting better in that area than they were in D2. Division I sells.
I'm not saying I want them to leave. Heck, they're probably the two best all-around programs in the NSIC, so it would really put a dent in the overall conference strength. And they're two of the nearest schools to Marshall, so it wouldn't help our travel budget either. I'm just speaking to the notion that they wouldn't hold their own in Division I.
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