UNO Considering Move Up

[zooropa]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090822/SPORTS/708229868

Apparently Osborne's cool with the idea. Or so he's said.

(From a TV tweet)

[JackJD]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Interesting news. I've forgotten the length of the NCAA moratorium preventing schools from moving up but I suppose if UNO wants to consider it, now is the time to start planning.

[zooropa]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/nc...IMoratoriumFAQ

Moratorium expires Aug. 9, 2011.

I think it likely that the NCAA will at least require a conference invite before a move, in which case, I wonder if the Great West will be considered a legitimate conference, able to extend an invitation. It seems that they will------judging by another FAQ in that link.

The Summit might be leery of adding a fifth ex-NCC team...

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

I believe TV said earlier that a $1 million application fee was being considered.

[zooropa]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

My half-serious take on that is that the NCAA would rather set up formulae for minimum scholarships and budgets.

Because then they'll be able to write (and enforce) more rules.

Shoot. Where's the fun in 'enforcing' a $1M cover charge? Either the check clears or it doesn't.....

[filbert]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

My half-serious take on that is that the NCAA would rather set up formulae for minimum scholarships and budgets.

Because then they'll be able to write (and enforce) more rules.

Shoot. Where's the fun in 'enforcing' a $1M cover charge? Either the check clears or it doesn't.....

Minimum scholarships and budgets are under consideration as well by the NCAA.

I think you'll see all of the above: requirement of an invite from an all-sport conference in hand (not the just the hope of one like we had), obnoxiously large application fee, minimum scholarships, budgets, and student academic support, and who knows what else?

It will not be as easy as it was for schools to move up. That's the whole purpose of the endeavor for the NCAA. (And, if they can winnow some of the weakest of the schools currently in D-I without it being too obvious that that's what they're doing, they would I'm sure be happy with that result, too.)

[Nidaros]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Trab Albert seems to have charisma amongst Nebaskans like no one else. Just a Husker from Cedar Falls or Cedar Rapid's Iowa, but was maybe more popular than others who have come and went from Lincoln. I never met him so have no idea why. If he can energize the community of Omaha, then I think D1 may happen. What I have noticed about UNO, is the business community just does not take them very serious in terms of corporate sponsorship and being a commuter college, they are going to have to depend on student activity fees. For Football I suspect they would be looking at the conferences that SDSU and NDSU are in. This move could take some time to develope.

[1bunnies]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/nc...IMoratoriumFAQ

Moratorium expires Aug. 9, 2011.

I think it likely that the NCAA will at least require a conference invite before a move, in which case, I wonder if the Great West will be considered a legitimate conference, able to extend an invitation. It seems that they will------judging by another FAQ in that link.

The Summit might be leery of adding a fifth ex-NCC team...

This is what NDSU & SDSU suggested from the beginning, to have the NCC move up as a conference.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

You had to think this was going to happen sooner or later. I always thought the supposed opposition by UNL and other forces was perception rather than reality. If UNO can finally get the Omaha business community and fans behind it they could be a real player in DI. Lot's of DI talent in Nebraska that isn't quite UNL caliber. Biggest hit could be to the walk-on program at UNL as there would be an FCS option closer to home. They would fit well into the Missouri Valley for football and down the road for other sports. I wouldn't mind seeing UNO in the Summit, but they need to make some major enhancements to their Basketball facility. Maybe Warren will write a big check!

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Typical. Everyone is always copying USD.

[filbert]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Typical. Everyone is always copying USD.

Don't even start. Consider yourself warned.

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Don't even start. Consider yourself warned.

Considered.

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

If UNO moves up, I think Central Missouri could follow. Not much to do in Warrensburg, and they do have pretty good facilities. UCM certainly has more potential than UMKC to be a DI player.

[filbert]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

If UNO moves up, I think Central Missouri could follow. Not much to do in Warrensburg, and they do have pretty good facilities. UCM certainly has more potential than UMKC to be a DI player.

I spent a few minutes considering this . . . first agreeing, then disagreeing, then agreeing again.

UMKC has botched things badly, there can be no doubt. I think the entirety of their vision for moving to D-I was "if you build it, they will come." In KC, you have to be the little engine that could to cut through the domination that the Jayhawks, Mizzou, and K-State have in this town.

UMKC could be successful, but it would take some drastic changes, and a much higher profile for the athletic program in the university. If I were running UMKC, I'd start a baseball program and a FCS football program. The only attention UMKC gets right now is during basketball season, and they don't get very much of that.

Did I mention that the University of Kansas is basically a home team for KC? Lawrence is closer to the western suburbs of KC than Brookings is to Sioux Falls. It's only a little over an hour drive from my home on the eastern edge of the metro area. You'd better have something other than a basketball program if you want to be noticed in KC.

I would also change how the athletic teams are referred to from "UMKC" to "Kansas City" and try to get a name change through the Missouri legislature from UMKC to Kansas City University.

UCM has three advantages over UMKC: much larger resident student population, a football program, and a baseball program. I think they could successfully go to D-I if they wanted to.

[Roy]

Re: UNO Considering Move Up

Little thread drift here. UMKC was Kansas City University until July 1963. It became part of the University system that year.

Google - UMKC Wikipedia. More information than any of us need about the subject!