Report: Horizon League has extended an offer to Murray State

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

I said Murray State and stl are the best options. But, I said IF they go outside the footprint and have to travel via plane what's really the difference money wise between Fargo and phoenix? An extra $750? An extra $5000 for all sports combined?

[mvfcfan]

I said Murray State and stl are the best options. But, I said IF they go outside the footprint and have to travel via plane what's really the difference money wise between Fargo and phoenix? An extra $750? An extra $5000 for all sports combined?

St Louis is not realistic though. I know if my team (INST) was the A-10 I would not want to leave that conference to play in the MVC. I like Murray State and it's very unfortunate that we messed up 2 years ago and added Loyola rather than Valpo because we could've had Murray State easily.

Looking back I don't understand why the MVC didn't go after Murray State and Butler after the 2010 season. Butler finished the season 33-5 and national runner ups while Murray State finished 31-5 and only lost by 2 to Butler in the second round. Ironically the following year in 2011 we were a 1 bid league with INST getting in as a 14 seed. Regardless of what has happened lately the conference has went through ups and downs over the years and think eventually we will be a multi-bid league again.

NDSU and SDSU add the most stability to the league in my opinion. We'd have 12 for basketball and 10 for baseball, while in football 7 of the 11 MVFC teams would be full MVC members.

I just don't really like how we have a group of schools we play football against and then a totally different group we play basketball (all sports) against. That doesn't seem like a very stable set up. And I like having the 5 private schools in our conference. They've all been competitive at some point or another. I just don't think the schools that sponsor football should be punished by them. From my view you either want football or you don't, but I don't think it's unreasonable to add teams with solid football and pretty good basketball to go along with it. I know it's just the Summit League, but SDSU has made the NCAA tournament 4 of the past 6 years, while NDSU upset Oklahoma a few years ago. NDSU has also won 5 of the last 6 D1 (FCS) football championships. I just don't see why anyone would want to pass on those schools. They obviously want to compete. NDSU and SDSU also finished second and third respectively in baseball. So I think they would both be very solid adds.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

It's not that they aren't solid adds because they both are. Simply, the MVC wants to stay within their footprint. And, if they do decide to go outside of their footprint there are multiple better options than the the Dakotas.

[MissouriValleyUnite]

NDSU/SDSU or NMSU/GCU would be great adds and consistent top 5 programs, but it's conclusively a non-starter with public statements this is a midwest/bus league. That is fine as long as you make the league the best it can be under those parameters.

Murray State & Oral Roberts (regaining Tulsa, historically decent attendance, successful 2000s, schedules very tough, selection sunday upset away from being last team in in 2012)
or
Murray State & Northern Kentucky (Cincy, on the rise, great facilities, niche as the midmajor league of Kentucky)

Would truly add to the league in my mind.

[mvfcfan]

Yeah I think Murray State and Oral Roberts will be the two teams that get added if we go to 12. Murray State obviously wants in and I think that we will let them in if/when we find a reasonable 12th option. Oral Roberts seems to be the obvious choice in my opinion since they would give Missouri State a travel partner. Adding ORU and MuSu would also keep the public/private split even at 6-6. Tulsa is also farther east than Wichita for anyone that was curious.

Their arena is also pretty decent (seats 11,300).



I'm really fine with either Oral Roberts and Murray St; or NDSU and SDSU. I prefer the Dakota's, but I think the ORU/MuSu option is the most realistic.

[PurpleAcesFootball]

Plus, GCU has the money to not require a travel partner so an NMSU addition isn't necessary.

I know what a travel partner is, but I'm not sure you do. Care to explain this point further?

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Travel partners are used to save money in non revenue sports. My point was GCU doesn't have a.money issue. However, that would obviously leave Missouri State without a partner, as well. So, an NMSU add would still be likely if they went that route and Missouri State would travel with southern which isn't ideal. I don't think oral Roberts is going to be an mvc team. They're having a money issues. Same with omaha. The problem with adding Murray State is nobody to add with them, at least not yet. With gcu and nmsu and the Dakota's you have two quality programs within shouting distance of each other. Murray State is being handcuffed by Belmont and slu. And, since that's probably not changing they're in holding pattern until someone steps forward. That may be awhile.

[PurpleAcesFootball]

Travel partners are used to save money in non revenue sports. My point was GCU doesn't have a.money issue. However, that would obviously leave Missouri State without a partner, as well. So, an NMSU add would still be likely if they went that route and Missouri State would travel with southern which isn't ideal. I don't think oral Roberts is going to be an mvc team. They're having a money issues. Same with omaha. The problem with adding Murray State is nobody to add with them, at least not yet. With gcu and nmsu and the Dakota's you have two quality programs within shouting distance of each other. Murray State is being handcuffed by Belmont and slu. And, since that's probably not changing they're in holding pattern until someone steps forward. That may be awhile.

How do travel partners save money?

Because not having financial difficulties and not needing a travel partner are not interchangeable arguments like you are making them.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Travel partners are used to save money in non revenue sports. My point was GCU doesn't have a.money issue. However, that would obviously leave Missouri State without a partner, as well. So, an NMSU add would still be likely if they went that route and Missouri State would travel with southern which isn't ideal. I don't think oral Roberts is going to be an mvc team. They're having a money issues. Same with omaha. The problem with adding Murray State is nobody to add with them, at least not yet. With gcu and nmsu and the Dakota's you have two quality programs within shouting distance of each other. Murray State is being handcuffed by Belmont and slu. And, since that's probably not changing they're in holding pattern until someone steps forward. That may be awhile.

How do travel partners save money?

Because not having financial difficulties and not needing a travel partner are not interchangeable arguments like you are making them.

It's really quite simple. 2 teams chartering 1 plane is cheaper that 2 teams chartering 2 planes. Plus, if you hit both Dakotas on the same trip then you're actually only chartering 1 plane instead of 4. Math... As to having money issues with Oral Roberts and Omaha that's a separate issue. They're bleeding money. I don't see the MVC inviting a program that's in the red, as is the case with Omaha. Not quite that bad with ORU but they still have money issues and won't be able to increase their budget to get in line with other MVC teams like NMSU, the Dakotas, and Murray State could. GCU's budget is already 25% more than any MVC team.

[pafan]

1. The OVC's media deal I have heard is up for renegotiation soon. With money drying up in the media the new terms may mean a smaller piece of the pie for all members

The OVC media deal is quite small already. They had a package on the American Sports Network last season, which is now defunct. If it shrinks further, they probably disappear from ESPN altogether.

Not that the MVC media deal stacks up all that well. Yeah we get two games on regional cable and one game on ESPNU most weeks, but the revenue generated is tiny.