WAC Application - Montana

[jackmd]

Article discussing a meeting between 5 programs and the WAC conference membership committee.

http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-footbal...seattle-denver

Now Applying To The WAC: Denver, Montana, Seattle, Texas State, UT-San Antonio

Sep 28 8:46p by Holly Anderson

As previously speculated in this space, two teams from Texas have interest in joining the depleted WAC. Texas State and UT-San Antonio, along with Denver, Montana, and Seattle, were scheduled to meet with the conference membership committee in Dallas today and present their cases for a bump up to Division I-A:

Among the items schools are expected to discuss are budgets, current rosters, the institution in general, sponsorship, institutional commitment and how their individual markets would be attractive to the WAC.

Texas State, UT-San Antonio and Montana will make presentations as potential football-playing members. Benson said he hopes to have a minimum of eight football-playing schools prior to the 2012 season.

Denver and Seattle are applying as basketball members; if the idea of UT-San Antonio joining I-A football sounds unfamiliar, it's because they won't even officially launch their program until 2011. And if you're wondering what "attractive markets" and "Montana" have to do with one another, New Mexico State AD McKinley Boston has some thoughts that perfectly encapsulate the current state of the WAC:

[slosho]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

To finish the Quote and that article:

"

I like Montana's footprint in terms of its location in the west. It has a football brand, even though it's at the 1-AA level, but it wouldn't take long for people to adjust to it.

Phrasing is king: It wouldn't take long for WAC audiences to adjust to I-AA football? What a tragic commentary on our times."


In all honesty I think he was referring to ppl getting used to Montana a a 1-A school

[rabidrabbit]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

What's most interesting here is that Montana STATE wasn't there. If Montana wants to go to the WAC, then, they'll be in the WAC. If not, they won't be.

The Griz/Cats game is a long held traditional rivalry, similar to SDSU/USD or NDSU/UND.

MT heading off to WAC would be good for Summit as SUU would likely get invited to Big Sky, and then SUmmit picks UND to join.

A 11 member MVFC/Summit football league is looking real likely.

[zooropa]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

The Texas schools and Montana would have to add sports.

Seattle & Denver don't even have football.

WAC is in a world of hurt.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

The Texas schools and Montana would have to add sports.

Seattle & Denver don't even have football.

WAC is in a world of hurt.

Yes, if ANY of the REMAINING members bail, the WAC is below the minimum 6 teams. The big Kahuna (chew on that JD ) is Hawaii. If it bails, then bye bye WAC.

I can't see where there is ANY advantage to joining the WAC. Travel costs go up considerably, and WAC is an auto-bid only BB league, so no advantage there.

Montana has the ability to do this, and probably can do this. Their travel partner IIRC would be Idaho.

[OKC_Poke]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

The big Kahuna (chew on that JD ) is Hawaii. If it bails, then bye bye WAC.

I post on Sports Hawaii a lot even though I'm a hard core Wyoming fan (I'm a mod on WyoNation.com). The scuttlebutt on Sports Hawaii is that this coming spring Hawaii will announce they are bailing out of the WAC for Independence in football and the Big West for all other sports.

The WAC is the new Titanic.

[jacksfaninne]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

The WAC is the new Titanic.

I can't think of a better place for Montana.

[Nidaros]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

I can't think of a better place for Montana.

Looks like a prescription for failure, not a good time to be a Grizz.

[Crashola]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

In my opinion, the WAC is going to need both Montana schools to retain any credibility. Otherwise, the conference is going to be a weird mix of schools stretching from Louisiana to Hawaii.

In other news, word is that the Big East is courting TCU to join them. The Mountain West is starting to look like a WAC 3.0.

[OKC_Poke]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

I don't think TCU will accept the invite to the Big Joke (East) die to high travel costs.

Most likely TCU will either stay in the MWC or goes to the Big 12 should that conference survives which a lot of people here in Oklahoma doesn't think will survive.

[MaddogJack]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

I can't think of a better place for Montana.

I second that - do I get a vote?

[Hammersmith]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

There's a very interesting(and long) letter from Montana's AD that is floating around teh internets. It started on egriz, and has hit AGS and BV among others. The letter basically reads like a justification for them going FBS. Here are some links if you want to read it(a Jack fan can copy it here if they think it's worthwhile).

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21103
http://www.anygivensaturday.com/show...m-Montana-s-AD

[Prairiehaas]

Re: WAC Application - Montana

This appears to me to be less than genuine. What AD would discuss a move up without at least giving lip service to the increased costs associated with the move up?