NSIC's Future

[Stanger86]

Re: NSIC's Future

Will Auggie draw a bigger crowd in FCS? I doubt in the pioneer, in fact might do down, as those teams do not bring, might go up in the MVC as fans travel with their teams, especially the Dakota schools

Augie's attendance last year would still be second-best in the Pioneer last year.

I think the attendance might rise just for the simple fact that it's FCS football. The Division I label matters to a lot of people. I look down in Omaha as an example. In the Red Mavs' last year in Division II, the MBB team was 19-9 but only averaged 507 fans per game. The next year, Omaha was an 11-18 team as a D-I school but attendance still jumped to 894. The next year, 1,261 fans per game watched an 11-20 team. And while the Pioneer doesn't have the regional rivalries of the MVFC, there are still four open weeks on the schedule where Augie could schedule one of the MVFC schools for a nonconference game. Get one or two of those and KO Stadium would be packed.

[TSU_Mike59]

Re: NSIC's Future

The GLVC has been looking for a couple of years now to get to 16 (which they just did by adding SW Baptist and Lindenwood). If there was a match for UIU and the GLVC, it would have happened already.

[MStateMaverick]

Re: NSIC's Future

Why am I reminded of the jalopy in the Grapes of Wrath?

Amazing what a new coat of paint can do!

Ingenious! And the fortunate owners don't even have to buy gasoline:) They could probably build a new stadium at MSU for a fraction of the normal cost, using used materials. :)

[WSUWarriorFan]

Re: NSIC's Future

I found interesting attendance stats from the NCAA sight on 2017. The NSIC ranked 12th out of 16 conferences with an ave of 2562. NSU 1st in conf with 3942 UMD 2nd with 3667, Auggie 3rd with 3599 Mankato 4th with 3383, Crookston last with 910. MIAC ranks first in D3 ave. of 3090 per game. with UST 1st with 7478, St. Johns with 6092. they rank 1 and 2 in the nation. The Pioneer conf ranks 12 out of 13 FCS conf. with 3088, Morehead St 1st with 5887, 2nd Butler 3225. MV football conf ranks 2nd in FCS with ave. of 10697, NDSU 1st with18,333 Western Ill last with 3477. Will Auggie draw a bigger crowd in FCS? I doubt in the pioneer, in fact might do down, as those teams do not bring, might go up in the MVC as fans travel with their teams, especially the Dakota schools

This number is heavily skewed since St. Thomas used attendance for a "home game" at Target Field against SJU for attendance which was 37,000 plus will have another "home game" at the new MLS stadium in Oct against SJU. I dislike St. Thomas too much to give them credit for anything.

[NSU4LIFE]

Re: NSIC's Future

This number is heavily skewed since St. Thomas used attendance for a "home game" at Target Field against SJU for attendance which was 37,000 plus will have another "home game" at the new MLS stadium in Oct against SJU. I dislike St. Thomas too much to give them credit for anything.

I don't know of an NSIC game getting 31,000 so I'm going to go ahead and hand out credit to either of those schools, though I get what you are saying

[WSUWarriorFan]

Re: NSIC's Future

I don't know of an NSIC game getting 31,000 so I'm going to go ahead and hand out credit to either of those schools, though I get what you are saying

The alumni relationships and connections at MIAC school especially St Johns/St Bens and St Thomas is 10x stronger then most schools based on talking to people I know from both Universities. I think alumni are more likely to spend a Saturday back on campus at those schools opposed to others.Growing up in the Winona area I know a large amount of WSU alumni and most have no interest in coming back for football and basketball games.

[doolittledog]

Re: NSIC's Future

I posted in the Augie thread but thought the post made more sense here...

For Iowa NAIA schools I would think Grand View would seem like the most obvious candidate. I would be a bit nervous with Grand View though. The Des Moines market is desirable, and Grand View has had a great run recently in athletics. Football, wrestling, golf have all been at the top of the NAIA national scene. But last I knew, Grand View had a sub 20 million dollar endowment and annual giving in the 2-3 million dollar range. I question if they could afford the D2 move.

St Ambrose in the Quad Cities is an NAIA school that would have the money to move to D2. An endowment around 125-150 million...but with their location, if they ever did decide to look at D2 I think they would be looking towards the GLVC and not the NSIC. And I don't think the NSIC would be looking at them either.

As far as Iowa D3 schools. The Iowa Conference...now named the American Rivers Conference after adding Nebraska Wesleyan has been remarkably stable over the years. Buena Vista, Central, Luther, and Simpson are original members dating back to 1922. Loras joined in 1926, left in 1954, came back in 1986. Dubuque joined in 1929. Wartburg joined in 1936. Coe joined in 1998. Nebraska Wesleyan 3 years ago.

I mentioned Buena Vista earlier as being a bit similar to Upper Iowa. They are somewhat on an island in western Iowa with no other conference schools all that close to them. BV is down to about 700 students on campus, but they have about a 125 million dollar endowment and they do have a revenue stream with off campus centers located around the state (similar story as Upper Iowa). Athletics facilities at BV are decent and location wise they would fit in the NSIC. But I have heard no rumors they would entertain a move.

I really don't think Luther would be interested in moving D2, but they would have the means to do it. Located near the Minnesota border, 165 million dollar endowment, strong annual giving, in the process of athletics facilities improvements including an indoor practice facility.

Dubuque I think would be a long shot as well, but they would also have the finances to pull it off. A 150 million dollar endowment, enrollment of 2k, nice athletics facilities, including an indoor practice facility, Dubuque is a decent sized community and would move the conference footprint closer to Chicago. But...that would make no sense for schools in the Dakotas and I think in the end neither Dubuque or the NSIC would be interested.

Wartburg has a history of strong athletics programs across the board and went on a 100 million dollar campus wide facilities build up starting 20 years or so ago. That could also be their downfall. It's my understanding Wartburg borrowed the money to fund that campaign and they need to keep an enrollment of 1,600 to keep their head above water. Not sure they could afford D2. I don't think any other D3 school in the conference, as well as Cornell and Grinnell in the Midwest conference would even entertain the idea of moving to D2.

[Umdfan35]

Re: NSIC's Future

Who wants a d3 school from Iowa to move up to D2 then join the NSIC? Not going to happen so even speculate. New conference: Northern Mi, Mi Tech, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, St. Cloud, BSU, USF, maybe Moorhead. Then schedule non conf games.

[laker]

Re: NSIC's Future

Who wants a d3 school from Iowa to move up to D2 then join the NSIC? Not going to happen so even speculate. New conference: Northern Mi, Mi Tech, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, St. Cloud, BSU, USF, maybe Moorhead. Then schedule non conf games.

A new conference has to have at least ten teams. Go to page 5 where it lists this requirement.

https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/f...n_20180913.pdf

[doolittledog]

Re: NSIC's Future

Who wants a d3 school from Iowa to move up to D2 then join the NSIC? Not going to happen so even speculate. New conference: Northern Mi, Mi Tech, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, St. Cloud, BSU, USF, maybe Moorhead. Then schedule non conf games.

Well, the NSIC took Upper Iowa...a d3 school from Iowa. A school that was the smallest and one of the least successful athletically in their d3 conference when they went d2 and joined the NSIC. There are Iowa d3 schools that would fit...arguably more so than Upper Iowa. It's not ridiculous to speculate in that direction. Certainly as likely as the UP state schools moving over. And you know, it's the offseason and this is kind of what message boards are all about ;)

[Stanger86]

Re: NSIC's Future

I mentioned Buena Vista earlier as being a bit similar to Upper Iowa. They are somewhat on an island in western Iowa with no other conference schools all that close to them. BV is down to about 700 students on campus, but they have about a 125 million dollar endowment and they do have a revenue stream with off campus centers located around the state (similar story as Upper Iowa). Athletics facilities at BV are decent and location wise they would fit in the NSIC. But I have heard no rumors they would entertain a move.

I think this is my favorite of the Iowa options outside of maybe Grand View. One benefit would be that they could easily slide into the already-created schedule rotations in the spot departed by Augie. Plus it's a relatively easy drive for most of the NSIC South, with 5 schools under 200 miles away. As you said, their facilities look adequate. Certainly no worse than some NSIC facilities.

Can this conference handle a third group of Beavers, though?

[laker]

Re: NSIC's Future

Can this conference handle a third group of Beavers, though?

They would either be the blue Beavers or the gold Beavers...........

[Twincitiesmav]

Re: NSIC's Future

Who wants a d3 school from Iowa to move up to D2 then join the NSIC? Not going to happen so even speculate. New conference: Northern Mi, Mi Tech, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, St. Cloud, BSU, USF, maybe Moorhead. Then schedule non conf games.

If you can name one more team then I can get on board with this!

[Stanger86]

Re: NSIC's Future

Who wants a d3 school from Iowa to move up to D2 then join the NSIC? Not going to happen so even speculate. New conference: Northern Mi, Mi Tech, Duluth, Mankato, Winona, St. Cloud, BSU, USF, maybe Moorhead. Then schedule non conf games.

Only way this happens is if the Nebraska/western Dakota schools also want to join on the other end of the conference footprint. By my count, there are 21 Division II schools (22 with Augie) between MN, IA, the UP, ND, SD and NE. So it would technically be possible for the conference to technically split into two new conferences and still have enough schools for both conferences to be legal. Still, I find this highly unlikely.

[laker]

Re: NSIC's Future

Michigan Tech was in the NIC from 1957 to 1980.