What's the next realignment domino to fall?

[MoValleyFan]

The Valley as we know it won't exist in 10 years.

I believe that to be true but the MAC is probably out of reach for ISUr and UNI right now and they aren't in a hurry to expand. The only hope would be for Doug Elgin to grow a pair and make some radical changes:

1) Convince the 4 Privates (Bradley, Drake, Loyola, Evansville) and the Horizon that they are a better fit for that conference.

2) Fold the MVFC into the MVC but without Youngstown State & Western Illinois.

That leaves 9 Football schools:
ISUr
ISUb
SIU
MSU
UNI
SD
SDSU
ND
NDSU

3) Add Omaha as a non football member to get to 10 which provides a bridge to the Dakotas and a nice round robin schedule for BBall.

4) To increase exposure and market size consider UMKC and UW-Milwaukee for 12 members.

On the surface this doesn't seem like the best course of action for ISUr and UNI but I ran the RPI numbers for this season. The revised 10 team MVC has a higher RPI than the current MVC with WSU in it!

This is a pipe dream because the Privates aren't leaving and Elgin would never force them too either!

This is another good option but I think that the privates need to go elsewhere .... They can pay more for a coach and no one really cares .... Long Term for the Valley to continue they need to make some changes or they will become the OVC. As I previously mentioned I would recommend the following and include WIU as it appears they are making strides at returning to a quality FCS football program.

Drake Bradley Valpo Loyola Evansville Belmont Oral Roberts Throw in...SLU, Omaha, and UMKC

Then maybe you could "mirror" the MVC football and basketball with something like this....
NDSU UND SDSU USD MSU UNI WIU ISU EIU SIU INSU

[tribecalledquest]

Get back to me when UNI, SIU, ISU Red, ISU Blue and Mo State go BCS in football.

It aint happening.

[Redhawk]

Get back to me when UNI, SIU, ISU Red, ISU Blue and Mo State go BCS in football.

It aint happening.

Agreed Tribe. ISUr and UNI aren't ready for the jump and no one really wants them yet either.
When the Shockers leave though drastic changes would be needed to strengthen the MVC for it to continue.

[Someone_Else]

Dissolve the Missouri Valley and the A10 conferences to eliminate Loyola, Drake, Evansville, Duquesne, Fordham, La Salle, and UMASS. This will allow the schools to bring their tourney credits into the new league and dissolve the TV packages. Reform into the American Basketball Conference with Missouri Valley and Atlantic Divisions. Tourney credits are distributed 75/25 like the A10, with no shared credits if the school doesn't have a top 150 rpi schedule.
Missouri Valley division - UNI, Bradley, ISUr, ISUb, Missouri State, SIU, Dayton, STL
Atlantic division - VCU, GW, GM, Davidson, St B, RI, Rich, St J

Play 2X within own division. 14 games
January Capital Collision in DC. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games
February Arch Madness in STL. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games

Conference Tourney in Brooklyn

[Dean Wormer]

Dissolve the Missouri Valley and the A10 conferences to eliminate Loyola, Drake, Evansville, Duquesne, Fordham, La Salle, and UMASS. This will allow the schools to bring their tourney credits into the new league and dissolve the TV packages. Reform into the American Basketball Conference with Missouri Valley and Atlantic Divisions. Tourney credits are distributed 75/25 like the A10, with no shared credits if the school doesn't have a top 150 rpi schedule.
Missouri Valley division - UNI, Bradley, ISUr, ISUb, Missouri State, SIU, Dayton, STL
Atlantic division - VCU, GW, GM, Davidson, St B, RI, Rich, St J

Play 2X within own division. 14 games
January Capital Collision in DC. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games
February Arch Madness in STL. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games

Conference Tourney in Brooklyn

Apparently you aren't familiar with the makeup of the A-10. You eliminated 3 of the only 4 MVC teams they would ever have an interest in. The A-10 is small, private colleges located in urban areas. Mid-size publics in places such as Cedar Falls and Carbondale are a complete 180. The public football and private basketball mix destroyed the old Big East, and could end the Valley. I don't see anyway the A-10 would travel down that path. I have no idea why you would think the A-10 would be more interested in INSU than UE or Loyola, and they certainly aren't going to shed UMASS and LaSalle to team up with MSU.

I don't see anything happening with the A-10 unless Dayton and VCU get poached. In that case, they would probably look at a midwest private to appease SLU. That is where a Bradley, Evansville, etc could come into play. I really don't see Dayton going to the AAC though and the Big East is probably staying put for the time being.

For the MVC, the fight over who gets added could really start spinning the wheels. UNI will push the Dakotas while the privates will want a Valpo or Belmont. There really isn't any good compromise candidates. If the Dakotas are added, it will be a clear shift towards football, at which point the privates will begin looking elsewhere. If the privates are added, I could see UNI or ILSU looking towards the MAC, while MSU might start entertaining the Sun Belt. Not sure if any of them have the finances currently to upgrade to FBS.

I think it is likely we could see a new private conference, and either a MVFC conference, or a breakup somewhere along the lines of UNI and ILSU in the MAC, MSU in the SB, and SIU and INSU in the OVC.

[Wufan]

Dissolve the Missouri Valley and the A10 conferences to eliminate Loyola, Drake, Evansville, Duquesne, Fordham, La Salle, and UMASS. This will allow the schools to bring their tourney credits into the new league and dissolve the TV packages. Reform into the American Basketball Conference with Missouri Valley and Atlantic Divisions. Tourney credits are distributed 75/25 like the A10, with no shared credits if the school doesn't have a top 150 rpi schedule.
Missouri Valley division - UNI, Bradley, ISUr, ISUb, Missouri State, SIU, Dayton, STL
Atlantic division - VCU, GW, GM, Davidson, St B, RI, Rich, St J

Play 2X within own division. 14 games
January Capital Collision in DC. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games
February Arch Madness in STL. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games

Conference Tourney in Brooklyn

Apparently you aren't familiar with the makeup of the A-10. You eliminated 3 of the only 4 MVC teams they would ever have an interest in. The A-10 is small, private colleges located in urban areas. Mid-size publics in places such as Cedar Falls and Carbondale are a complete 180. The public football and private basketball mix destroyed the old Big East, and could end the Valley. I don't see anyway the A-10 would travel down that path. I have no idea why you would think the A-10 would be more interested in INSU than UE or Loyola, and they certainly aren't going to shed UMASS and LaSalle to team up with MSU.

I don't see anything happening with the A-10 unless Dayton and VCU get poached. In that case, they would probably look at a midwest private to appease SLU. That is where a Bradley, Evansville, etc could come into play. I really don't see Dayton going to the AAC though and the Big East is probably staying put for the time being.

For the MVC, the fight over who gets added could really start spinning the wheels. UNI will push the Dakotas while the privates will want a Valpo or Belmont. There really isn't any good compromise candidates. If the Dakotas are added, it will be a clear shift towards football, at which point the privates will begin looking elsewhere. If the privates are added, I could see UNI or ILSU looking towards the MAC, while MSU might start entertaining the Sun Belt. Not sure if any of them have the finances currently to upgrade to FBS.

I think it is likely we could see a new private conference, and either a MVFC conference, or a breakup somewhere along the lines of UNI and ILSU in the MAC, MSU in the SB, and SIU and INSU in the OVC.

Honestly, a break up between the public and private schools is probably what's needed. It would allow each to pursue their goals with like minded institutions.

[BCPanther]

Dissolve the Missouri Valley and the A10 conferences to eliminate Loyola, Drake, Evansville, Duquesne, Fordham, La Salle, and UMASS. This will allow the schools to bring their tourney credits into the new league and dissolve the TV packages. Reform into the American Basketball Conference with Missouri Valley and Atlantic Divisions. Tourney credits are distributed 75/25 like the A10, with no shared credits if the school doesn't have a top 150 rpi schedule.
Missouri Valley division - UNI, Bradley, ISUr, ISUb, Missouri State, SIU, Dayton, STL
Atlantic division - VCU, GW, GM, Davidson, St B, RI, Rich, St J

Play 2X within own division. 14 games
January Capital Collision in DC. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games
February Arch Madness in STL. Cross Division games based on RPI\BPI 2 Games

Conference Tourney in Brooklyn

Apparently you aren't familiar with the makeup of the A-10. You eliminated 3 of the only 4 MVC teams they would ever have an interest in. The A-10 is small, private colleges located in urban areas. Mid-size publics in places such as Cedar Falls and Carbondale are a complete 180. The public football and private basketball mix destroyed the old Big East, and could end the Valley. I don't see anyway the A-10 would travel down that path. I have no idea why you would think the A-10 would be more interested in INSU than UE or Loyola, and they certainly aren't going to shed UMASS and LaSalle to team up with MSU.

I don't see anything happening with the A-10 unless Dayton and VCU get poached. In that case, they would probably look at a midwest private to appease SLU. That is where a Bradley, Evansville, etc could come into play. I really don't see Dayton going to the AAC though and the Big East is probably staying put for the time being.

For the MVC, the fight over who gets added could really start spinning the wheels. UNI will push the Dakotas while the privates will want a Valpo or Belmont. There really isn't any good compromise candidates. If the Dakotas are added, it will be a clear shift towards football, at which point the privates will begin looking elsewhere. If the privates are added, I could see UNI or ILSU looking towards the MAC, while MSU might start entertaining the Sun Belt. Not sure if any of them have the finances currently to upgrade to FBS.

I think it is likely we could see a new private conference, and either a MVFC conference, or a breakup somewhere along the lines of UNI and ILSU in the MAC, MSU in the SB, and SIU and INSU in the OVC.

I believe your last paragraph is the most likely outcome. It serves everybody's long term interests the best. I know UNI would give it's left nut to get into the Mountain West, but would certainly be content in the MAC. Crazy thing is that the travel is better in the MAC West than it is in the current MVFC.

[bigdawg]

I guess we have our answer on this one. Good luck to the shockers.

[isumvc1]

interesting article about the UNO woes with D-I

http://www.omaha.com/news/education/uno ... b7d02.html

Looks like the Horizon will stay at 9 for 17-18, then look to add 1-3 schools in 18-19 and beyond

http://www.tribtoday.com/sports/sport-c ... alpo-exit/

[Mikovio]

Crazy thing is that the travel is better in the MAC West than it is in the current MVFC.

Not even close. NIU is kind of on an island in the MAC as it is but UNI would REALLY be on an island.

Cedar Falls to:

Macomb IL 210 mi
Vermillion SD 257
Normal IL 278
Brookings SD 352
Terre Haute IN 417
Carbondale IL 450
Fargo ND 450
Springfield MO 464
Grand Forks ND 530
Youngstown OH 695

Average MVFC distance 410 mi

Cedar Falls to:

DeKalb IL 248 mi
Kalamazoo MI 439
Muncie IN 498
Toledo OH 539
Oxford OH 540
Ypsilanti MI 542
Bowling Green OH 547
Mt. Pleasant MI 552
Kent OH 660

Average MAC West distance 507 mi

And that's best-case scenario season schedule, because MAC West teams need to play 3 cross-division opponents in a year, and those are the three closest. The other three you could get:

Akron OH 661
Athens OH 700
Buffalo NY 826

And for the grass-is-greener types, you might want to read this thread about season ticket renewals on the NIU board:

http://csnbbs.com/thread-813595.html

JB04
They are in full sprint. I get my daily 753- call every night exactly when we are eating dinner so I don't answer. Plus I'm debating to renew. I will probably for support of NIU, but a part of me is getting tired wasting money on four tickets for weeknight games no one wants to join me too. Perhaps it's me and I'm bad company...or perhaps rushing to huskie stadium after work on a Tuesday November night in 30 degree weather is a tough sell. Sorry to open that bag of worms but I am trying to find my excitement

NIU007
I did get a call but didn't answer. I will probably end up renewing my season tickets for this year but haven't done it yet. I agree with JB04, it's hard to get people to join me on a non-Saturday.

HuskieFootball Addict
It's not easy to come up with $132 for season tix, plus travel expenses for each game (hotel for a nite, food, gas) plus parking. Plus taking off of work 2 days for weeknight games. Weeknight games cost my son approx. $225 per game when we figure everything in & include lost wages.

IWokeUpLikeThis
Same problem. I still pay for season tix each year and have no problem doing so. But no matter how much asking I can never get anyone who wants to come with to these frigid weeknight games. Not even alums. So I'm about a 50/50 split in going to the games by myself or not making the 75-min drive and staying comfy at home.

Weeknight games kill attendance and season ticket revenue. Yes it's made up with ESPN $ -- which is becoming more tenuous -- but at the price of selling out your fanbase.