Augie to the Summit?

[discoDancinJackrabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Personally I think the move is not a good idea, but what I think does not matter to the movers and shakers in SF. I agree the NCIS is a good fit for all of Augustana sports. A move to be successful for Augustana is going to be very expensive. SDSU budget for scholarships this year is 4.1 million dollars. That of course includes 63 football and I don’t how many equestrian scholarships. The 4.1 figure is from Jackrabbit Club brochure. The brochure stated about 40k for each full ride. I have no idea what full costs would be at a private school but no doubt much more and a Cracker Jack fund raiser is badly needed to make up extra costs through corporate sponsorships.

what exactly does augie think they’re gaining by moving up into this situation ? There football program would have to be downgraded and that would look bad with that nice stadium they got. Going to the ncaa tourney and playing in the Denny Sanford ? No way they hang with us. I would enjoy watching it tho.

[GopherHole]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Augie would have to make some significant investment to support football in the MVFC. Scholarship levels would go way up, and if they added cost of living to be competitive, that would add even more expense. Then take a look at the stadium improvements. This is how Kirkeby-Over Stadium stacks up against MVFC schools for seating.

YSU: 20,630
SDSU: 19,300
NDSU: 19,000
Missouri State: 17,500
Western Illinois: 16,368 (largest crowd was 19,850)
UNI: 16,324
Southern Illinois: 15,000
Illinois State: 13,391
Indiana State: 12,764
USD: 10,000
Augie: 6,500

Most accept that ISU blue has the worst facilities and they are working on plans to replace Memorial Stadium. USD has a dome, but it was built for a DII program and they've had to get buy with modest improvements.

If Augie were serious about maximizing their fan base in the Sioux Falls metro, they'd have to look at least 15,000 seats and likely closer to 20,000. That is a major expense for facility upgrades. That's just for a football stadium.

[discoDancinJackrabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

It is very likely that I would be an Augie basketball season ticket holder if they were in the Summit.

So you can scout SDSU’s opponents?

just kidding with you btw I wonder how many of you there are

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

So you can scout SDSU’s opponents?

I like basketball. I've thought about getting Augie tickets for the last 3-5 years, they have competitive teams in a quality DII league. Last year I made a call, but never got a call back or I would likely have tickets right now.

SDSU season tickets aren't realistic due to Thursday games, travel time, and work/family commitments.

If I had SDSU season tickets, I might be able to make 6 games a year. Right now I go to between 1-3.

I could make it to 90% of Augie's home games, they are within 10 minutes of my home and work, and I would be familiar with the competition (including a game against SDSU). And Augie sells beer at their games. Ha.

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

what exactly does augie think they’re gaining by moving up into this situation ? There football program would have to be downgraded and that would look bad with that nice stadium they got. Going to the ncaa tourney and playing in the Denny Sanford ? No way they hang with us. I would enjoy watching it tho.

Perhaps those who favor this think they are close to Loyola-Chicago or even DePaul. Idk it’s crazy and over the heads of good old S.D. common sense. As JackJD said, it’s nothing we can do to stop them

[discoDancinJackrabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

I like basketball. I've thought about getting Augie tickets for the last 3-5 years, they have competitive teams in a quality DII league. Last year I made a call, but never got a call back or I would likely have tickets right now.

SDSU season tickets aren't realistic due to Thursday games, travel time, and work/family commitments.

If I had SDSU season tickets, I might be able to make 6 games a year. Right now I go to between 1-3.

I could make it to 90% of Augie's home games, they are within 10 minutes of my home and work, and I would be familiar with the competition (including a game against SDSU). And Augie sells beer at their games. Ha.

👍🏻 Makes sense.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

���� Makes sense.

Mainly just because they sell beer.

[CappinHard]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

SDSU season tickets aren't realistic due to Thursday games, travel time, and work/family commitments.

If I had SDSU season tickets, I might be able to make 6 games a year. Right now I go to between 1-3.

Thread drift warning:

Agreed. This is why SDSU's basketball attendance isn't that great even when we have great teams. It's so hard for people outside of Brookings to make it work on a consistent basis. There are only 8 games on a Friday or Saturday this year. I usually make it to 5 or 6 games a year, and they're always on the weekend. Btw, I will probably up that to 10 or 12 and make some week nights work once Frost is renovated. We have discussed the effect the renovation will have before, so I'll stop there.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Most college sports fans in Sioux Falls won't embrace Augie. Fan loyalties in the city will continue to be divided among SDSU, USD, Augie, USF, Iowa, Neb, Iowa State, Minn, Dakota State and several other colleges. And roughly in that order. What's sad is that the in-state schools will all be chasing the same, small base of corporate support.

[mitchellrabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

You don't think Augie would increase attendance at the SLT? To my knowledge we have never sold out the Denny?

The Denny was about 800 short of a sellout for the championship game this year. There will be plenty of tickets for Augie fans in the upper level. Augie joining might get more SDSU and usd fans to buy all tournament passes or they will be sitting at home watching on TV.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

The only reason it makes sense is because the Summit needs another body.


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I actually think Augie would be pretty competitive in the Summit League sports. Basketball for sure, and they'd add good baseball/softball teams too.

If they'd go Pioneer for football (saves a huge amount of scholarship $), I think they could make it work if big donors are willing to step up with cash to get it done.

Personally, I'd much rather have Augie in the Summit than take UMKC back.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

what exactly does augie think they’re gaining by moving up into this situation ? There football program would have to be downgraded and that would look bad with that nice stadium they got. Going to the ncaa tourney and playing in the Denny Sanford ? No way they hang with us. I would enjoy watching it tho.

The move up isn't all about athletics, and isn't being pushed by Sanford for athletics either. Augie/Sanford already started a genetics program, and I could see more med and business programs being added down the road if they go DI.

Their campuses aren't all that far apart...

[discoDancinJackrabbit]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Mainly just because they sell beer.

Beer is good

[Nidaros]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

I like basketball. I've thought about getting Augie tickets for the last 3-5 years, they have competitive teams in a quality DII league. Last year I made a call, but never got a call back or I would likely have tickets right now.

SDSU season tickets aren't realistic due to Thursday games, travel time, and work/family commitments.

If I had SDSU season tickets, I might be able to make 6 games a year. Right now I go to between 1-3.

I could make it to 90% of Augie's home games, they are within 10 minutes of my home and work, and I would be familiar with the competition (including a game against SDSU). And Augie sells beer at their games. Ha.

Here is the model fan that just might make the Augustana University move work. Lets face it, having all our services local is a huge advantage. I know from living in Arlington for the past 13 years, you have to drive to everywhere. That's the price for living in a small community. Arlington was not anywhere near my top five choices when I relocated from Columbus, Nebraska. I worked with the most informed real estate agent in Brookings who really could not stop the craze of parents of students bidding up the prices on properties 140k to 160k range. I was getting really discouraged and told him that I would consider communities near Brookings, and just like that I signing papers for my current home. (digression) but explains why I dont live in Sioux Falls, which I think would have been convenient for a number of reasons.

Another point I wish to express is when SDSU decided to make the move to D1, they invested in the Carr Report, the feasibility study for making the move. I photo copied the entire report and is now collecting dust in my library. That report highlighted the importance of getting Sioux Falls fans. We have to a certain degree been successful, but there are fans like SF Rabbit fan who would find a local fit more accommodating. Just how many are there that feel much like SF Rabbit Fan? Probably enough to make the Augustana University move D1 a success. Many of these fans have business interests to contribute to in the form of corporation sponsorships. It just might work, and as a loyal Jack fan, I am not threatened by this move. For the Summit League a good move, for BIG12 for wrestling, not so good and the same goes for football.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

The move up isn't all about athletics, and isn't being pushed by Sanford for athletics either. Augie/Sanford already started a genetics program, and I could see more med and business programs being added down the road if they go DI.

Their campuses aren't all that far apart...

There is nothing preventing this type of growth from happening right now. D-1 doesn't really have anything to do with academics. It's a sports thing. I don't believe for a minute that D-1 is being pushed by Mr. Krabbenhoft and other backers for anything other than local prestige in sports.