NSIC delays season by 2 weeks

[Matt Witwicki]

Does anyone believe some NSIC universities are at risk of shutting down their football programs due to covid? If so, which ones? I imagine the financial impact will be felt for many years. At a minimum, I feel it will affect scholarships. If teams aren't forced to reduce number of scholarships, I can only imagine any plans of adding additional scholarships will be on hold.

I've been wondering this myself....or if schools might flat out shut down if they lose a lot of enrollment due to the impact COVID has on athletes still attending school and such. Right now it's simply too early to know any of that. The smaller schools would seemingly be the ones most concerned with enrollment impact from athletics.

The NSIC has an interesting split with MN being far more cautious (laws and such) right now than ND-SD-NE-IA..which are all pretty "open"..with all the states I just mentioned playing football in the fall at the HS level (to my knowledge)..and MN punting to the spring. I'd imagine the number of cases in MN might equal the 4 other states combined..but I'm just spitballing there. I don't think we see a "split"....with MN sitting out and the others playing....but the mindset could be different depending on what state you are in (NSIC) and the current laws within those states.

[wscsuperfan]

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[Stanger86]

Does anyone believe some NSIC universities are at risk of shutting down their football programs due to covid? If so, which ones? I imagine the financial impact will be felt for many years. At a minimum, I feel it will affect scholarships. If teams aren't forced to reduce number of scholarships, I can only imagine any plans of adding additional scholarships will be on hold.

I doubt many would go that far. Honestly, the only one that really comes to mind that I could see consider it is University of Mary.

[NSICFballFan]

Saw on Twitter that UMD has had to halt all on campus athletics because the university system said testing is mandatory to participate. Any word on this?

Also reported that UMDs chancellor is against sports this fall but that the conference as a whole is "super divided" on it. (Sam Ali)

Maybe we'll have our conference split sooner than we thought, haha.

Once St. Cloud and Crookston dropped football I wondered if any NAIA programs would be interested or considered for NSIC membership. I don't follow NAIA sports at all. I'm only familiar with a few of the top programs. Think there are any NAIA schools that would be interested in joining the NSIC or a new regional D2 conference if there were a split? There are quite a few NAIA programs in the Dakotas and Iowa...

[NSU4LIFE]

Once St. Cloud and Crookston dropped football I wondered if any NAIA programs would be interested or considered for NSIC membership. I don't follow NAIA sports at all. I'm only familiar with a few of the top programs. Think there are any NAIA schools that would be interested in joining the NSIC or a new regional D2 conference if there were a split? There are quite a few NAIA programs in the Dakotas and Iowa...

Interested? Absolutely.

Ready to do so at this time? Not so much.

Not sure you were around back when word first got out about Augie's D1 plan, but there was a lot of message board discussion of who would replace them, would we grow, would we split, etc. I'm sure this will kick that up again.

My personal opinion is that when/if a split occurs it will be based on haves and have nots more than anything.

I also personally feel that in the future (possibly at the time of that split) D1 will be watered down with so many fridge programs that a new level will be created at the top making for a trickle down effect where the haves(in my scenario) actually go "D1/FCS" but it won't what we think of it as today's thinking would.

Again, just my guess for the future but I have never been in a DeLorean so...

[laker]

If the BIG cancels, it will be followed by the Pac 12 if they don't go tonight. Then the NSIC will cancel. Aren't they meeting tomorrow about this?

[NSU4LIFE]

If the BIG cancels, it will be followed by the Pac 12 if they don't go tonight. Then the NSIC will cancel. Aren't they meeting tomorrow about this?

The one and only thing I've seen is the tweets below indicating end of the week they'll meet again.

If that report was accurate about Duluth athletics being pulled from practicing if they can't meet the university system criteria for testing, that will end it at the very least for the minnesota schools.

[Stanger86]

If that report was accurate about Duluth athletics being pulled from practicing if they can't meet the university system criteria for testing, that will end it at the very least for the minnesota schools.

Keep in mind that UMD isn't a part of MnSCU, they are in the U of M system.

[NSU4LIFE]

Keep in mind that UMD isn't a part of MnSCU, they are in the U of M system.

That was actually stated in the tweet I saw but I was lazy in my passing on of info. Plus, I always forget that part. I don't even know if that part was true which is mostly what I've been wondering. Hoping we can get a Bulldog up in here.

[MrMustang]

I've been wondering this myself....or if schools might flat out shut down if they lose a lot of enrollment due to the impact COVID has on athletes still attending school and such. Right now it's simply too early to know any of that. The smaller schools would seemingly be the ones most concerned with enrollment impact from athletics.

The NSIC has an interesting split with MN being far more cautious (laws and such) right now than ND-SD-NE-IA..which are all pretty "open"..with all the states I just mentioned playing football in the fall at the HS level (to my knowledge)..and MN punting to the spring. I'd imagine the number of cases in MN might equal the 4 other states combined..but I'm just spitballing there. I don't think we see a "split"....with MN sitting out and the others playing....but the mindset could be different depending on what state you are in (NSIC) and the current laws within those states.

Many will be in huge financial trouble.

In addition, Minnesota will have an 8+ Billion dollar deficit in the next year to cover so higher education is going to get gutted in Minnesota.

Most remarkebly, most involved in higher education are clueless how bad it is going to be and just assume the feds and the state will bail everyone out. Completely clueless bunch

[MrMustang]

I doubt many would go that far. Honestly, the only one that really comes to mind that I could see consider it is University of Mary.

SMSU will be in huge financial trouble without sports. I would guess enrollment will drop by 25% minimum. Kids won't becoming from far away without sports and online classes,

[Stanger86]

SMSU will be in huge financial trouble without sports. I would guess enrollment will drop by 25% minimum. Kids won't becoming from far away without sports and online classes,

And that's why I wouldn't see it happen. Not only that, but I think with the money most of these places have invested into their football facilities plus the potential revenue, I just don't see many making that decision. U-Mary is a special case because they rent a public facility rather than use their own stadium on-campus. I think they'll be the last one remaining after Northern's stadium is built. That's why I could see them maybe consider it.

[NSICFballFan]

I doubt many would go that far. Honestly, the only one that really comes to mind that I could see consider it is University of Mary.

St. Cloud determined having a football program did not make sense financially before anyone in MN had heard of "covid-19". The avg D2 fball program loses $1M per year. I think the only programs that are absolutely safe, where dropping the program won't even be discussed or considered, are Mankato, USF, Augustana and Northern. I don't think any others (especially MN schools) are 100% safe. If any, I think Moorhead would be most likely to drop football.

I prefer no additional programs get dropped. I'd actually like to see the NSIC add two more institutions to get back to 16 football teams (18 total) and a true North/South. However, things are only going to get worse for an already bad situation.

[laker]

Many will be in huge financial trouble.

In addition, Minnesota will have an 8+ Billion dollar deficit in the next year to cover so higher education is going to get gutted in Minnesota.

Most remarkebly, most involved in higher education are clueless how bad it is going to be and just assume the feds and the state will bail everyone out. Completely clueless bunch

I was just listening to WCCO. The guy that they were interviewing said he had talked to a Power 5 school official who told him they would need to borrow 75 million to survive the next two years.

[NSU4LIFE]

I was just listening to WCCO. The guy that they were interviewing said he had talked to a Power 5 school official who told him they would need to borrow 75 million to survive the next two years.

I'm sure all schools and states operate a little differently (this pertaining to our level) but while football generates dollars, aren't most of the funds due to endowments and yearly giving? I am not at all saying it has no impact but the day to day and travel not occurring (assuming at this point) would decrease expenditures a lot, atleast for this Fall.