Interesting FCS to FBS article

[rabbits64]

Re: Interesting FCS to FBS article

That looks like a downward trend to me


2007 - 18141
2008 - 18032
2009 - 16515

Plans are already in the works for a new 22,500 seat stadium and an indoor field house at SDSU.

One year does not make a trend. The Bison went 3-8 and they still averaged 16K. If they go 8-3, they average 18K/game again. If we went 3-8, we would average 7K.
The whole point of this conversation is if the Bison would be a viable option to move up to FBS in the near future. Is 18K/game enough for D1? Here is a comparison of 2009 average attendance of some FBS teams.

Ohio 17942
San Jose State 15344
UAB 17987
SMU 21348
Troy 18413
La Tech 20000
Marshall 22236
UNLV 22775
Nevada 17500
Central Michigan 19702
Toledo 16285

Based upon some of these figures, I think NDSU would have enough to support a move. Do they have enough money to support all other sports as others have pointed out before, I don't know. My guess is with some of the deep pockets of their alumni I think they could make the move if they wanted to.

[LakeJack]

Re: Interesting FCS to FBS article

NDSU football avg. home attendance

2000 - 12,723
2001 - 12,115
2002 - 10,622
2003 - 11,567
2004 - 13,269
2005 - 14,160
2006 - 16,337
2007 - 18,141
2008 - 18,032
2009 - 16,515

Sorry if I don't see your FBS juggernaut. They had a great season in 2007 (10-1 with the only loss to SDSU costing them the Dakota Marker and the Great West Championship) and that carried over to '08. In 2009 they returned to more of their normal attendance.

I don't think that NDSU is ready for FBS yet, and you are just plain wrong if you think that SDSU is 10 to 20 years behind NDSU. They have an advantage but come on.

[hareball]

Re: Interesting FCS to FBS article

Ohio 17942
San Jose State 15344
UAB 17987
SMU 21348
Troy 18413
La Tech 20000
Marshall 22236
UNLV 22775
Nevada 17500
Central Michigan 19702
Toledo 16285

Above looks like a partial list of FBS teams that would be better off playing in an FCS conference. Have seen some of these teams playing on Thursday nights and not real impressed. Why not strive to get to the Montana or Appalachian State level and game day atmosphere rather than another noname FBS team.

[FargoBison]

Re: Interesting FCS to FBS article

Gene Taylor was on the radio yesterday and he said to go FBS(and not be terrible) a school needs a budget of $22-25 million. NDSU will be at $14 million next year and even with the fund raising machine we have in teamakers that is a considerable jump and one Gene Taylor didn't sound excited to take on right now.

Maybe if our basketball team continues to get better and the renovated BSA becomes the place to be in Fargo the financial situation could be better. But that will take time.

It was interesting listing to Gene Taylor, the only school out west he thought was close to ready is Montana. He said he talked UCD's AD and their AD thought all the rumors were crazy about his school going to the FBS.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Interesting FCS to FBS article

Above looks like a partial list of FBS teams that would be better off playing in an FCS conference. Why not strive to get to the Montana or Appalachian State level and game day atmosphere rather than another noname FBS team.

Exactly! It isn't just about "could they" or "could we", but come on folks, we (they) don't belong there. Until Division II absorbed all of the smaller schools from NAIA, we were better off in Division II. But as we continued to grow, and in effect, got pushed out by what was happening in D-2, we finally had to make the decision to go D-1, and did. NDSU is in the same boat, although they have some distinct financial advantages over us. If they want to go skating in that pond, I could care less. Never say never, but I would venture the NCAA will have to change a lot, along with the conferences, before we would consider moving to the D-1 FBS swimming pool.