MVC going to 12 with UIC and UTA?

[Drakey]

From a small private school standpoint I think the absolute biggest thing you can do to increase enrollment is to have a winning men's basketball program. I have seen too many examples to be convinced otherwise. fortunately Drake's president is from Gonzaga and knows this for a fact. I don't know if there is any evidence that playing bad or mediocre teams in big cities gets you any students.

[BCPanther]

This league has been around and successful for 110 years outside of a short period in the early-mid 90s.

Guys, I'm as much of a basketball guy as y'all are. I live for Panther Basketball. If we were making a basketball decision, I'm with you. Murray and stop at 11. I don't disagree at all from a basketball standpoint.

The problem is that this isn't a basketball decision. This is the first time we've had to think like a University President rather than an Athletic Director. I'm privy to some of UNIs enrollment projections based on HS classes in Iowa and and Midwest. The coming cliff starting in 2025 is absolutely terrifying and that's as a state school. The private schools have to be positively shitting their pants at this point. That's why it's got to be Arlington and UIC first. 1 or 2 extra out of state students pet class paying out of state or private tuition can and will make a huge difference.

There are 1.5 million people within 2 hours of Cedar Falls and UNI is terrified there aren't enough people. We've got to get into growing areas with large populations.

I agree with almost all of what you post on here BC and I think you are right that the President's are concerned with enrollment. That said, I think the President's are chasing something ridiculous if UT-Arlington is added instead of Murray State simply over a population base. Do people in Texas realize what league UT-Arlington plays in? Is having a basketball game between Bradley and UT-Arlington on Bally's Sports Southwest going to cause a high school kid to go school in Peoria?
Again, I agree with what you say and am positive that you are right about what the President's are thinking. I just think they are wrong.

And that's totally fair. I get it and it's not what I would do either but their thinking that getting 2 kids out of 6.5M is a helluva lot easier than getting 2 kids out of 37k is logically sound.

I think all universities should be pouring every additional dollar they can find into Athletics and Performing Arts but I live in the real world and not the academia bubble.

Ironically, nobody got screwed more than Murray in Loyola leaving and they're not even in the league.

[RacerJoeD]

I don’t think it’s easier to get 2 out of 2m than 2 out of 37k. Especially when zero of the 2m are paying attention

[RacerJoeD]

Frankly, Murray would be a great recruiting pool for doctoral students since we only offer doctoral degrees in Education and Nursing.

[NuncEstBibendum]

I don’t think it’s easier to get 2 out of 2m than 2 out of 37k. Especially when zero of the 2m are paying attention

I got a C in Business Stats but this is some math we can all enjoy.

[RacerJoeD]

I don’t think it’s easier to get 2 out of 2m than 2 out of 37k. Especially when zero of the 2m are paying attention

I got a C in Business Stats but this is some math we can all enjoy.

2 million people in China don’t have a clue about those schools (much like Dallas and UTA) while 37000 are engaged and paying attention. I got an A in Marketing.

[BCPanther]

I'm not sure how many times that I have to say that I agree with y'all. I do but I also know what the people making decisions think.

I can't make this more clear. I would grab Murray and stop at 11 or maybe take Arlington as 12 because I really think there is potential there and then dump every dollar I could find into Athletics and Performing Arts.

However, that's not what's going to happen. The Midwest enrollment cliff is very real and very scary. The presidents aren't able to get outside of the academia bubble and this is the way they're going.

[RacerJoeD]

I don’t know about the rest but I’m not trying to argue what they are going to do. I frankly have no clue. I’m just pointing out that if that is their plan, what they stand to lose is the very thing that has made the MVC special. And they will do that while also not fixing the problem they are trying to fix.

[Aces44]

I don’t know about the rest but I’m not trying to argue what they are going to do. I frankly have no clue. I’m just pointing out that if that is their plan, what they stand to lose is the very thing that has made the MVC special. And they will do that while also not fixing the problem they are trying to fix.

Fact

[racernation]

Can we please stop saying Murray's market size is 37,000? TIA.