Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

[JimmyJack]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Augie doesn't have alums with deep pockets for athletics? They have a 24-hour access, 2-court dedicated basketball practice facility (SDSU doesn't have that). They have nice baseball and softball facilities (nicer than the ones at SDSU... and they're renovating the baseball stadium now adding new stands and the same artificial turf infield that they have here at Wichita State). They have a baseball and softball indoor practice facility and clubhouse.

And of course Augustana has a nearly new football stadium that is as nice a D2 stadium as there is in the region. Does anyone really think they're going to ditch football and go D1? Obviously they're moving to the Arena because the Elmen Center cannot accommodate enough fans. Does that sound like they need to move to D1 to enhance interest in their programs?

Zimmer's speculation about why Bill Gross is retiring strikes me as wishful thinking and wild speculation. Did it occur to Zim to look up Gross's age? He played at Augie from 1969 to 1973. That would make him (math is hard for some journalists)... about 65. I have heard that people often retire at that age because they want to.

I guess I don't see why anyone would see anything in this move other than an attempt to put more fans in the seats.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Augie doesn't have alums with deep pockets for athletics? They have a 24-hour access, 2-court dedicated basketball practice facility (SDSU doesn't have that). They have nice baseball and softball facilities (nicer than the ones at SDSU... and they're renovating the baseball stadium now adding new stands and the same artificial turf infield that they have here at Wichita State). They have a baseball and softball indoor practice facility and clubhouse.

And of course Augustana has a nearly new football stadium that is as nice a D2 stadium as there is in the region. Does anyone really think they're going to ditch football and go D1? Obviously they're moving to the Arena because the Elmen Center cannot accommodate enough fans. Does that sound like they need to move to D1 to enhance interest in their programs?

Zimmer's speculation about why Bill Gross is retiring strikes me as wishful thinking and wild speculation. Did it occur to Zim to look up Gross's age? He played at Augie from 1969 to 1973. That would make him (math is hard for some journalists)... about 65. I have heard that people often retire at that age because they want to.

I guess I don't see why anyone would see anything in this move other than an attempt to put more fans in the seats.

Okay, I stand to be corrected, they have been generous, more so than I thought. Much of this money has come from the heir to the SF Rendering Co. I was thinking more of a D1 move, I suspect Gross ran into a lot of resistance when this topic was explored. Granted some of these smaller private schools have things that cant be found at SDSU. My niece was a classmate of Gross and she will be 63 in July. You are correct on the age point. I think Bill feels that he has accompolished as much as can in his career, and it time to turn over to someone else.

[GoJacks]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Okay, I stand to be corrected, they have been generous, more so than I thought. Much of this money has come from the heir to the SF Rendering Co. I was thinking more of a D1 move, I suspect Gross ran into a lot of resistance when this topic was explored. Granted some of these smaller private schools have things that cant be found at SDSU. My niece was a classmate of Gross and she will be 63 in July. You are correct on the age point. I think Bill feels that he has accompolished as much as can in his career, and it time to turn over to someone else.

Bill Gross isn't retiring. He is stepping down as AD and will become a Senior Gifts Officer in the Advancement Office.
http://www.goaugie.com/news/2013/11/...122132602.aspx

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Bill Gross isn't retiring. He is stepping down as AD and will become a Senior Gifts Officer in the Advancement Office.
http://www.goaugie.com/news/2013/11/...122132602.aspx

Kind of coasting into retirement. Great if you can do that. A Senior Gift Officer seems to be a form of on the job retirement.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

The lesson in all this seems to be don't underbuild new facilities. Unlike Augie's football facility, the Elmen Center has never had a "wow factor." It's looked like a high school gym since the day it opened. I mean, come on, moving back to an off-campus facility that's more than 50 years old? That's progress?

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

The lesson in all this seems to be don't underbuild new facilities. Unlike Augie's football facility, the Elmen Center has never had a "wow factor." It's looked like a high school gym since the day it opened. I mean, come on, moving back to an off-campus facility that's more than 50 years old? That's progress?

The weird part is that the Admin at Augie thought that Arena was too big and they lost the home court advantage especially when SDSU alums would show up in droves and dominate the "little bunch of carrot throwers". Every other home game, was typically low in attendance. So this is weird to say the least. Is it progress? NO.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

I listened to Terry Vandrovec's podcast with Argus Augie beat writer Matt Zimmer from a few weeks ago, and that was his line of thinking. Zimmer indicated there's still an Augie faction -- be it boosters, administrators, others -- who thought they should have gone DI in the first place and still believe they should. He thinks that may be why Gross decided to retire at this point in time, with Gross' reasoning being, if you want to go DI, have at it, but I'm too old for this. Zimmer agreed that the Augie hire to replace Gross will indicate what their desires are regarding DI.

What does interest me, is the group of boosters, alums and what have you that Jacksfaninne alluded to in the above post. Somehow I skipped over that post, but I think it triggered some of the Jimmy Jack comments. I do think Bill Gross is close to retirement this bridge to retirement gives him an opportunity to finish things he was working on as an AD. Oliver was president, I believe when Gross took the long and hard look at D1. He seemed to concur with Gross that the resources needed to make the move were not there. Will he still concur with that position in choosing the new AD, or will they give D1 another look? Campus politics is very interesting no matter where it plays out.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

I would not be surprised if the new Augie AD has a DI background and the powers that be will take another look at moving up. Augie has some advantages being in Sioux Falls and does have some wealthy donors who could help fund the move. USF joining the NSIC and success of the Public Universities at the DI level is a motivating factor.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

I would not be surprised if the new Augie AD has a DI background and the powers that be will take another look at moving up. Augie has some advantages being in Sioux Falls and does have some wealthy donors who could help fund the move. USF joining the NSIC and success of the Public Universities at the DI level is a motivating factor.

That does make sense. I personally don't fear anyone's move to D1. There seems to be a great deal of experience to draw on. i.e. SDSU and USD.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Augie is well positioned to become a D-II power, a status it has not yet attained. Unless it just wants to poke USF in eye, there's not much value in the Vikings making a belated run at D-I now. There are too many D-1 schools in the region already. Pursuing corporate sponsors, fans and good players has got to be tougher than ever.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Augie is well positioned to become a D-II power, a status it has not yet attained. Unless it just wants to poke USF in eye, there's not much value in the Vikings making a belated run at D-I now. There are too many D-1 schools in the region already. Pursuing corporate sponsors, fans and good players has got to be tougher than ever.

I would agree with this. How many DI institutions can SD support? Look at Minnesota. Only one. Nebraska only had one until UNO made the move.

Augie was our little b*tch during the DII days(99-49 all time in MBB). Do they really want to make a move and become that again? Does Augie even realistically have the resources to compete at the D-I level?

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

I would agree with this. How many DI institutions can SD support? Look at Minnesota. Only one. Nebraska only had one until UNO made the move.

Augie was our little b*tch during the DII days(99-49 all time in MBB). Do they really want to make a move and become that again? Does Augie even realistically have the resources to compete at the D-I level?

Nebraska had two with Creighton. I think the key for Augie would be to move to the Pioneer League for Football and non-scholarship. If they made that move I think they could commit the resources. They certainly have better facilities than many DI schools.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Nebraska had two with Creighton. I think the key for Augie would be to move to the Pioneer League for Football and non-scholarship. If they made that move I think they could commit the resources. They certainly have better facilities than many DI schools.

Stealing from Peter to pay Paul. I don't like it. SDSU did it the right way. We found a way to make the move without sacrificing any sports.

And yes. I forgot about Creighton.

[FargoBison]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

I'm guessing Augie would have a lot more trouble getting into the Summit than the Pioneer.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augustana Basketball to move to the SF Arena

Of all the Lutheran Affliated colleges in America, there is only one D1 school, and that is Valpariso. Augustana is unique in that they are the only Lutheran affiliated competing at the D2 level except for Newberry and Lenior Ryan located in the Carolinas. Most of the schools affiliated are located in communities much smaller than Brookings. Ever been to Northfield, Minnesota or Decorah, Iowa? The other Augustana in Rock Island, Illionis is an exception but chooses to compete at D3. Being in SF, I personally think, they might be able to go D1 based on population of SF.

With most small private schools that are tuition driven, the affiliation with Evangelical Lutheran Church in America does not mean much. Most of these schools receive less than Fifty thousand a year from the church, so its a name thing, but not a financial thing. What gives these school their independence is the tuition pays for all the operations, but this becomes a crux when you have to fund 36 scholarships for football. A full ride at Augie used to be around $18,000, but that was back in 2004, ten years ago. I suspect it has to be close to 25 thousand today. That times 12 for men's bb would be roughly$300,000 and NISC allows something like 24 football scholarships so there goes another $600,000. So funding full rides in all their sports could total a bunch of bucks. Moving up to FCS football, the number runs over a million and close to two million. Maybe this looked better to stay D2, and it still may be the case.

It would be a challenge if they were to move up to D1.