Big Sky or MO Valley

[yoteaholic]

So, this is my first post, a good friend put me onto this site. The word is the Mo Valley football conference wants the Yotes now. Saylor and Abbot have spent all day in the office trying to decide what to do. The word is some big shot Jacks booster pushed the Mo Valley football conference to ask the Yotes to Join (Did not know there was such a thing). USD had the good graces of the the board of regents and are ready to joint the Big Sky. What should the Yotes do? Would love to see them play SDSU again.....Would also like to see SDSU and NDSU in the Big Sky. Some big decisions are being made right now that will affect the landscape of USD football for years, I hope they make the right decision.....Go To The Big Sky.

[usdfbalum]

Nov 3, 2010 23:42:39 GMT -6 Coyote Fan said:

yoteaholic it seems like you are the only one tonight that thinks the big sky is the better option. I feel in the minority with my opinion about this whole thing. It's funny SDSU doesn't want to play USD in football yet they also don't want them to not be in the MVFC.

I think I know what happened. Other schools in the Summit and possibly the MVFC that are in the MVC started to see the writing on the wall. The Big Sky was becoming a threat to the entire conglomerate of the Summit, MVC and MVFC. The Summit was starting to destablize and the MVFC despite not really wanting USD very badly reluctantly accepted to keep the Summit more stable. I could definately see that being in play. How else does the MVFC go from being attiment about not expanding to all the sudden want to expand.

USD had a great opportunity in the Big Sky and botched it.

Both are solid conferences. The MVFC is in our current recruiting footprint and travel expenses will be less - just as a start.

The BSC has a definite appeal in terms of going out and doing something different - I agree. My hope is USD picks a program to use as its benchmark in the MVFC - like SDSU did with NDSU ( perhaps UNI? They beat the Dakota3 this year and have a fantastic athletic department). USD has a lot of growth to do to be successful at the FCS level regardless of conference.

For BB you have to admit USD will still be in a competitive conference, and having the Summit tournament in SF will be a blast. no? If the conference is as weak as you say, you should be happy because USD will be in the Big Dance regularly.....

As far as USD fans just being happy playing SDSU regardless of outcome - come on, man! You know that is not true.

USD has a place for all of their teams to compete at a very high level. This is a good thing for fans, and more importantly for the student athletes.

[pantherrob82]

Glad to have you guys. I think the Big Sky for all sports looked good, but financially MVFC and Summit is going to be a lot better for your ath dept.

I think the MVFC didn't want UND, or possibly just didn't want to add 2. I would expect to see 2 divisions:

NDSU
SDSU
USD
UNI
MSU

WIU
ILSU
SIU
INSU
YSU

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

I put this under The Decision post, but it works here too.

Coyote Fan, read up, you might learn something. Stop your whining about being an official member. You aren't Moses of this board and your posts aren't the 10 Commandments. No ones are.



You HAVE to factor in money in this decision. This is the sole reason for the decision. It's the reason for EVERYTHING. USD moved to Division I because they knew they could make some good coin.

USD is using the same thought process here. What was the more financially stable investment but still great for USD athletics.

First, no matter what move is made, I am definitely believing the MVFC, it show how big of balls Sayler has and how much he cares about this University.

I admit I was getting very excited for the Big Sky Conference, but the Summit and Missouri Valley Football Conference were the best fit for USD.

USD will not have to pay the buyout to the Summit League, which would've reached $500,000. Not to mention USD would've ALSO had to pay $250,000 to the Big Sky to get into the league. You factor in travel costs, and USD could save up to $1 million in this move. I have heard travel could be up to $800,000. I am factoring up to $500,000 in travel costs. Prolly wrong there but still.

Yes, I feel the BSC is a stronger conference, but Montana has made no commitment to the BSC in all of this. Kind of like how Nevada and Fresno State made a commitment and backed out of the WAC...opening it up for Montana to join in if they want to.

Even though the BSC is better, it doesn't make it the right conference. Think about it.

Think about how great of a conference the PAC-10 would've been if it had added Oklahoma and Texas to go along with Utah. You put that with Oregon, USC, Stanford, Arizona, Oregon State and you have a conference that crushes the SEC.

So why did the Big 12 schools decide to stay? Because they could make more money in the Big 12 when the deal came through in the last minute.

That's EXACTLY what USD is doing here. They can make more money in the Summit League and the MVFC. The Summit gets as many basketball teams in the NCAA tournament as the BSC with about the same seeding as well, so really, even though it's better, it still gets as many invites into the tournament, even with the added schools.

Then you look at football and look at how much respect the MVFC gets in the eyes of the voters - a lot. So USD is still set in a pretty good conference.

Not to mention the fact that just as much to even more money can be made in games against SDSU and NDSU as it would against Montana, if they even stay, and Montana State. Plus fans know SDSU and NDSU a lot more than Montana and Montana State, so the top games in the MVFC can make more money, and the crowds for the bball games would be a lot better.

Plus USD can still schedule games against UND, which I expect they will do. That will still be a good money maker as well. So USD can still have three rivalry games a year in all sports but football, because UNI is a rival again, so that's four there. Sounds pretty great right?

In the end, money dictated this move, and USD can make more green in this by turning its back on a conference that still has a major question mark in its future for two conferences not too far behind the BSC, but can still make USD some straight cash homie.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

At least you found a way to make this whole conference thing about you coyote fan, because that's who it's really about you know, with the heart attack crap and this.

Back on topic, I am getting more and more excited about the MVFC and the Summit honestly. I think you could put the Southland in front of me and I would get excited about it, whoops.

Like i said before, I think the BSC is the better conference, but the conferences that will make USD the most money is the MVFC and the Summit.

[jimmyjack]

I would argue that the Summit and MVFC just got a lot stronger and, with the addition of SUU and the potential loss of Montana, the BSC got weaker. In MBB, by the way, the BSC was ranked slightly higher last year, but in general it has been about a wash between the BSC and Summit. And with the exception of this year, the MVFC has frequently been the second ranked FCS conference behind the CAA and ahead of the BSC.

There is also the local interest angle here. SUU adds literally nothing but a difficult trip to the BSC. They have essentially no fan base and are about 13th banana in Utah. Now, with NDSU, SDSU, and USD, the Dakotas become a real hotbed of FCS and D1 sports. We know there is a strong fan base in the state. Imagine the Summit tourney now with the three Dakota schools involved. It'll be even more of a zoo than it already was.

It also strengthens the case for keeping the Summit Tourney in SF. More corporate dollars, more fans. This is really going to be fun.

[88grad]

Finally, some sanity to the whole MVC situation has taken place!
www.argusleader.com/article/20101103/UPDATES/101103040
Get ready Jacks.... USD's comin' to town...

[coyotebiz]

So is the Mo Valley going to have two divisions? Does that mean a possible conference championship?

[pierreyote]

My understanding is that in FCS if you have a football championship game you are not eligible for the FCS playoffs.

[coyotebiz]

Well never mind then...

The conference more than likely wouldn't want that anyway I'm guessing, probably just eliminates any chance of an at-large bid.
But, it would be tremendous from a fans point of view

[jacksfan29]

Nov 4, 2010 5:26:26 GMT -6 jimmyjack said:

I would argue that the Summit and MVFC just got a lot stronger and, with the addition of SUU and the potential loss of Montana, the BSC got weaker. In MBB, by the way, the BSC was ranked slightly higher last year, but in general it has been about a wash between the BSC and Summit. And with the exception of this year, the MVFC has frequently been the second ranked FCS conference behind the CAA and ahead of the BSC...

Imagine the Summit tourney now with the three Dakota schools involved. It'll be even more of a zoo than it already was.

Actually, according to GPI the MVFC is still the #2 conference this year, behind the CAA and above the BSC. With the improvement of ISU Blue there is no easy game in the MVFC. USD will fit in well and USD fans will see some of the best FB in the country come to Vermillion and yes, you will be guaranteed to sell out SDSU, UNI, NDSU when they come to town.

As for the Summit. Minus SUU and Centenary the conference RPI goes up dramatically. Adding USD benefits the conference as a whole. It adds stability, and USD will be competitive from the day they join due to your having a very good BB program. Just as the MVFC in FB, there are no days off any more in the Summit (see SUU and Cent departure). IUPUI, Oakland and ORU are incredibly athletic and fun to watch. And having USD, SDSU, and NDSU in the Championships in SF will be nuts. The Arena will be sold out and rocking, count on it.

Welcome USD. We may argue and have our differences but we are still the dominant schools in a small state. I have family who have attended USD and most of you likely have friends or family who attended SDSU. This is a good day for the state. Let the games begin.

[YanktonRabbit]

I am so glad to here that the Yotes will be in the MVFC and stay in the Summit. The best games of the year where always between State and the U. Good luck and welcome aboard. This is the best thing for both of our universities and the state of South Dakota. UND in the Big Sky without you looks alot more like UND in the Big Crapper.

[Coyote Fan]

So I see that SDSU is still pulling USD around like their little puppy. Their is a big difference between USD, SDSU and NDSU. NDSU expects to win and will not accept anything else. The fans are on board and there is little tollerance for poor athletics. Then there is SDSU a school that also has high expectations and generally looks down on USD and really never wanted USD to share the spotlight with them. Many SDSU people would love nothing else than to see USD in D2. Having USD even being in D1 is embarrassing for many SDSU fans.

Now onto USD fans. They just want to feel liked. They just want to play but have next to no expectations as fans and administrators. USD generally just wants to play SDSU and if they happen to win it's a bonus and a bonus only. It's not strongly encouraged to have high expectations and to voice those opinions because those types are not welcomed at the U. As a fan I feel a disconnect with most USD fans.

Now that we have a cut throat administration that is willing to burn every bridge that stands in the way maybe USD fans should jump on board and not accept losing under any circumstances. We either win or we go in a new direction until we do win. USD fans are willing to accept decades of losing in football and if anyone said they weren't happy they were an outsider.

Maybe next week the Big Sky will make a push and USD will end up switching back to the West again.

[#1CoyoteFan (Admin)]

This isn't an SDSU decision. This isn't an NDSU decision. This was a Missouri Valley decision, and the vote was unanimous, meaning EVERY team in the MVFC voted for USD.

I really like the Big Sky Conference, a lot of bridges were burned, but this was the move to make honestly.

Coyote Fan, unless you are going to donate money to make up the travel costs for the MVFC and the Summit compared to the BSC, I am sure USD would've gone with the BSC.

USD did this move for money, and the money USD will make with the rivalry games with SDSU, NDSU and UNI in football, SDSU and NDSU in basketball and hopefully UND in football and basketball.

This was the move that was made once the option became available.

[yotefan90]

If Mick took his notes accurately, we are talking about alot of money that can now be spent in other areas of the athletic department, ie salaries, scholarships, additional coaches, training equipment, etc.

From Mick's Argus chat today: Yes...Abbott said today the difference in travel budgets with the Big Sky vs. the Summit/MVFC would be $800,000