Why USD CAN go DI.

[Rabbitden]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

10,000 + for your big instate rivalry with Augie and we bring in 12,000+ for a game against Central Arkansas...Now who really needed who? :-/

Wonder what will draw for homecoming? Care to guess Yote?

[PREMIUM]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

My estimate would be around 15,700

[jackmd]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

If USD needs SDSU so bad than why has their football attendance gone up drastically since they no longer play SDSU.  That doesn't smell like a need for SDSU at all.  

USD will see a drop in attendance when their home win streak against crappy DII and lower teams is quickly ended by the first unfortunate DI team that has to set foot in the dome. Winning, even against inferior opponents, brings out the casual fan who knows no better. Problem is, that fan quits showing up as soon as you lose, regardless of the opponent. Everyone who isn't blindly arrogant realizes that USD is set up to lose and lose big time at the next level.

[Ed_in_SF]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

All of the above means usd stays D2 Fans don't care, no money=D2 forever

I have to agree. I think this thread is right on. I think it would be fun to see someone with the vision walk on to campus and make it happen. I'm not sure who that is, but it would certainly be a challenge that someone out there would love to take on.

I think the money would come in if the right person was motivating the troops.     JMO

[jackmd]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Even Hod seems to have done an about face. From the Yankton P&D.


USD Facing Tough Division I Choices Soon

By: HOD NIELSEN
sports@yankton.net


The time if running short for the University of South Dakota officials to make up their minds about their future in NCAA athletics. Their committhee has been working overtime to make up their minds on whether or not the Coyotes should remain a D-II school or take a step higher and compete in Division I, a group that includes all of the large universities in the country.
Actually, USD is looking at a spot in the Division IAA -- which is only a football division. The rest of their athletic activity involved would be at the top level.

There are several reasons why taking that step up is complicated and those issues must be carefully considered, no doubt about that............

......That's the basic reason of wanting to get into the charmed group -- and also the reason that those already there don't want those unable to contribute much.

It is, I believe, a worthwhile try. "Go T'Yotes."

Full article here, may have to register to see it, if so I apologize.

http://www.yankton.net/stories/10280...92102806.shtml

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

The article does hit one thing right on the head!!! IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS!!!

If USD can find the dough to do it than they should go, if not be the best D-2 team in the region!

This thing has been beat to death now and nothing has changed nor will it until USD makes their fateful decision!

SUPERBUNNY

[NightHawk78]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Thanks for the link, jackmd. Hod, however, seems to drift off too much about the power of sports, television, and money. He advocates a D-1 move for USD, but has no arguments other than basketball money and neglects to even mention the challenges USD will have. If Hod was writing about March Madness, he would have had a fine column, but he muddied it up by throwing USD in just to grab the attention of a few readers......

[filbert]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

A couple of errors in Hod's article:

D-I basketball tournament revenue is paid out by the NCAA to conferences, not individual schools (unless an independent actually makes the field). That's why being in a tournament-eligible conference is so important. Just going D-I as an independent doesn't get you on the gravy train.

(This is incidentally why SDSU's goal needs to be to make the Mid-Con a multiple-bid conference--you get a share of the money for each team that makes the field, and for wins in the tournament).

Hod's breezy assertion that D-I has "all" of the largest universities in the country is at best misleading. There are institutions with over 20,000 students which are not in D-I (Grand Valley State for one). There are also very, very small D-I institutions (Centenary, Rice, etc.)

[jackmd]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

You have to know Hod to understand the point of my post. Hod is an old USD supporter who was completely opposed to any move to DI just one long year ago. Know, he changes his mind and tries to justify/rationlize with this bogus money argument.

I know, respect your elders, but common Hod stick to your guns. Admit the move up is about trying to keep pace with SDSU regardless of the timing or the level of preparation.

Thats really my point, less the content and more the waffling and bogus justification, excuses.

[Haldersham]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

If Hod is talking and whislting in the dark about a D1 move is there any mystery left? I really don't think there is. USD goes D1 in November. Its like buying a new car or a house, you wonder how you can fit the monthly payment into an already tight budget, but somehow it gets done. I really dont think we have to worry about USD. We need to worry about SDSU.

[valleyrabbit]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

I agree. There are so many good things that have been happening at SDSU recently, the Mid-Con, the success of our VB team, a new powerhouse fb conference on the horizon, and our fb team is now ranked after starting 0-3 and in the thick of a conference championship race. Now we start bb season with more optimism than we have had since we went d1. Let's focus on us and worry about usd2 if and when we play them again.

[jackmd]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

I agree.  There are so many good things that have been happening at SDSU recently, the Mid-Con, the success of our VB team, a new powerhouse fb conference on the horizon, and our fb team is now ranked after starting 0-3 and in the thick of a conference championship race.  Now we start bb season with more optimism than we have had since we went d1.  Let's focus on us and worry about usd2 if and when we play them again.

Good points but this topic is about USD and DI so I think we can discuss the issue here. I have always stated that its not relevant to SDSU right now. However, I feel it is important to expose the hypocrisy and double standard held by some of those considered media personalities in the SE part of the state. They were outspoken in their opposition and criticism of SDSU's DI move and now have made a complete about face. That to me my friends that is B as in B and S as in S. I'll be happy to tell them that.

[filbert]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

USD's consultant, unsurprisingly, says that they need to move up:

VERMILLION - A consulting firm hired by the University of South Dakota recommended the school reclassify its athletic programs to NCAA Division I.
. . .
(Consultant) Fellingham said USD, if it would decide to reclassify, should consider joining the Mid-Continent Conference in sports other than football. Both South Dakota State and North Dakota State will be members of that league in 2007.
. . .
Fellingham said before advising the school on ways to fund a move up, it would have to decide at what level it would compete. He was optimistic that the Mid-Continent would look at USD's and UND's potential berth in the league positively. He also said that USD should be "90 to 95" percent sure that a conference affiliation is awaiting them before making the move.

"I don't have any inside with (the Mid-Con)," he said. "But logically, the best number of schools for them is 12. Then they can go with east-west or north-south divisions. To be able to have those four schools along I-29 with traditional rivalries already - it would make perfect sense from a business standpoint."

Don't you love consultants? Let's be nasty and apply simple logic.
Statement 1: USD should reclassify to D-I.
Statement 2: USD should be 90 to 95% sure that a (Mid-Con) conference affiliation is awaiting them.
Conclusion: The consultant just told the USD community that a conference affiliation is all but certain, it's just waiting for USD to make the move.

Now, it's a 90-95% certainty is that SDSU will move to the Gateway Football Conference. I think it's irresponsible of the consultant to put USD's chances for having "a conference affiliation waiting" that high. USD will eventually find a conference (probably), but it's not completely certain--the counterexample is Texas-Pan American. Schools don't always find conferences.

The consultant himself reveals that he's just blowing smoke when he says, "I don't have any inside (knowledge)." My point is that if you think you're a D-I institution, move to D-I. Talking about conference memberships is way, way, way premature. That's one lesson we in the SDSU community learned from our move.

I think we can safely conclude that the consultant simply did what he was paid to do.

The USD move to D-I marches on.

[89rabbit]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Here is another story, this time from the Yankton paper:

http://www.yankton.net/stories/10310...71103106.shtml

Firm Recommends USD Go To Division I

By: RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net


VERMILLION -- The University of South Dakota should reclassify itself as an NCAA Division I-AA school for football and Division I for all other sports, a consultant told Monday's open forum at the Al Neuharth Media Center.
Andy Fellingham, managing director of the Inter-Collegiate Athletic Consulting (ICAC) Group of Garden City, N.Y., presented his firm's preliminary findings and recommendations at Monday's forums in Rapid City and Vermillion. Another forum is scheduled for today (Tuesday) in Sioux Falls. . . .

In presenting his report, Fellingham made the following recommendations:


reclassify to Division I;

consider aligning with the University of North Dakota, which has announced its move to Division I beginning in 2007-08, in order to enhance conference affiliation positions;

apply to the Mid-Continent Conference (which does not have football) and the Great West Football Conference as first choices;

develop an athletics financial plan, based upon a clear definition of what constitutes athletic success;

further develop an athletic facility master plan which will meet academic, programmatic and recreation needs.
USD currently has an annual athletic budget of about $5 million, which the study anticipates would need to rise to $7 million under a move to Division I, Fellingham said. The average athletic budget of $7.9 million in Division I is inflated by a number of private schools which provide extremely large scholarships because of their high costs, he said.

The South Dakota Board of Regents policy does not permit the increasing of student fees to cover the cost of a move to Division I, Fellingham said. The higher cost for USD would need to be covered by tickets sales, fund-raising and marketing, he said.

"You don't just go up to (the development office) and say, I need another $2 million," he said. . . .

"How do you raise your academic profile and also raise your enrollment at the same time? You need to increase your applicant pool," he said.

South Dakota graduates about 9,400 high school students each year, of which 60 percent attend college and 20 percent attend college outside the state, Fellingham said.

"There aren't enough bodies to fill the six regents' schools (in the public college system). You need to bring students from outside the state," he said. "Does going D-1 help enrollment by itself? No. But as part of an integrated marketing plan, it could."

With that in mind, Fellingham said USD needs to look at a national marketing and recruiting plan. That would include more visibility in high-growth areas such as the West Coast and Utah in one direction and states such as Illinois and Indiana to the east.

Fellingham gave the ICAC recommendations on USD's membership options. In his presentation, Fellingham said the ICAC does not recommend USD remaining in Division II, particularly staying with the NCC or merging with the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Those options would not leave USD with advantages in terms of recruiting students and aligning with schools of similar enrollment, academics and research, he said.

Turning his attention to Division I, Fellingham said the finding did not recommend that USD enter the Missouri Valley or Big Sky conferences. "The Missouri Valley is out of your price range, and the Big Sky does not meet your academic or enrollment (profile)," he said. . . .

In the end, USD needs a long-range plan, including a conference, rather than just jumping into life as a Division I independent. USD could try to market itself with SDSU, NDSU and UND as part of a package, he said.

"You don't want reclassifying unless your president has a very good grip on getting into a conference," he said.

Audience members raised questions Monday about SDSU and NDSU already being courted away from the Great West Football Conference by the Gateway Conference and the rapid changes in Mid-Continent Conference membership.

That's part of the current uncertainties in college athletics, Fellingham said. "There are no guarantees in life. The situation is always fluid," he said. (read more)




Go State!

[el_presidente]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

The argus leader online poll this morning is on whether or not USD should move to DI. Right now it is 2/3 no but only 481 people have voted at this point. The poll is on the right side on the main page at argusleader.com