What's the next realignment domino to fall?

[Khan4Cats]

I'd be curious to see the balance sheets of the private schools to see just how profitable their 'non-football' athletic departments are. I doubt they are any more profitable than the football playing publics.

If all or almost all FCS schools are losing money playing football, their overall athletic departments are going to be worse off then if they didn't sponsor football. Conversely, if you don't sponsor football, your athletic department if going to be better off than if it did because aren't losing money on it. That's one factor, and there are plenty of others in judging the performance of an athletic department. But the negative financial effect that FCS football has on an athletic department is pretty much undeniable.

Almost all or most FBS schools are losing money on football as well. Still doesn't answer the question as to whether non-football playing schools are not also losing money. As was noted, UNI did a study and it found that the university would lose a lot more money if it didn't have football than it does currently.

The same can be said for athletics in the university setting as a whole. Very few athletic departments make money for their universities, I think the last numbers I saw were something like only 25 schools nationwide. Does that mean all athletics should be cut? I know their are some elite intellectual-only types that think so.

[mvfcfan]

FBS football is a big waste of money if you are not in a Power 5 league. Does anyone really care about the Sun Belt, MAC, or the CUSA? All the former FCS powers in the Sun Belt and the CUSA have pretty much been forgotten about. If you are going to be in a G5 conference then the AAC and the MWC are the ones to be in. Anything other than that is a waste of time and money. I'd also rather compete for championships than play in some meaningless bowl game at the end of the season. Some schools like App State and Georgia Southern got too big for their britches and are now after thoughts in the college football world because they're never going to make noise in anything, while teams like North Dakota State and James Madison are still pretty well known because they can win championships.

I also predict that if/when the Power 5 breaks away from the NCAA that the remaining G5 schools will simply play football with the rest of the FCS. It would be pointless for them to try to keep their own separate thing going. The only reason they have FBS football is because they are trying to compete with the bigger schools.

And then the question remains, will basketball be as important to some of you on this message board when it happens or will you all want to just drop all sports at that point? Football and basketball are the two main college sports that people care about. Some of us take pride in having both. Sports shouldn't be all about money.

And it's kind of stupid to think that we will ever actually compete with the bigger conferences again. Those days are over. No one even really knows how the selection committee chooses teams anymore. Used to it was RPI, now it's anyone's best guess (most likely money). The ACC has made over $100 Million from the past 3 years in the NCAA tournament. Please tell me how we are ever going to compete with that. Then add in their TV contract money, donors, etc and it's even worse. For smaller D1 schools FCS football is the most even playing field we have.

[glm38]

FBS football is a big waste of money if you are not in a Power 5 league. Does anyone really care about the Sun Belt, MAC, or the CUSA? All the former FCS powers in the Sun Belt and the CUSA have pretty much been forgotten about. If you are going to be in a G5 conference then the AAC and the MWC are the ones to be in. Anything other than that is a waste of time and money. I'd also rather compete for championships than play in some meaningless bowl game at the end of the season. Some schools like App State and Georgia Southern got too big for their britches and are now after thoughts in the college football world because they're never going to make noise in anything, while teams like North Dakota State and James Madison are still pretty well known because they can win championships.

I also predict that if/when the Power 5 breaks away from the NCAA that the remaining G5 schools will simply play football with the rest of the FCS. It would be pointless for them to try to keep their own separate thing going. The only reason they have FBS football is because they are trying to compete with the bigger schools.

And then the question remains, will basketball be as important to some of you on this message board when it happens or will you all want to just drop all sports at that point? Football and basketball are the two main college sports that people care about. Some of us take pride in having both. Sports shouldn't be all about money.

And it's kind of stupid to think that we will ever actually compete with the bigger conferences again. Those days are over. No one even really knows how the selection committee chooses teams anymore. Used to it was RPI, now it's anyone's best guess (most likely money). The ACC has made over $100 Million from the past 3 years in the NCAA tournament. Please tell me how we are ever going to compete with that. Then add in their TV contract money, donors, etc and it's even worse. For smaller D1 schools FCS football is the most even playing field we have.

Wichita has done a pretty good job of competing with the big boys in basketball over the past 10 years or so. It's not easy but that shows its at least possible in mens basketball.

[mvfcfan]

But once again they have the Koch Brothers giving them a lot of money. No other current MVC school has that.

[glm38]

But once again they have the Koch Brothers giving them a lot of money. No other current MVC school has that.

Money is part of it. But to me the most critical thing is hiring and retaining too notch coaches. I would argue that UNI has done the same thing as WSU to a lesser degree. They are coming off a down year but over the past 10 years they have been very good and have had some great years competing at the highest levels. They don't have a huge budget and piles of cash. Yes UNI pays him (Jacobsen) well but there are IMO several mvc schools would pay a similarly successful coach very well. There are just too many mediocre coaches in the mvc. And I include MSU in that number.

[Drakey]

[quote="uniftw"]It is interesting to see schools like WSU, Dayton, Gonzaga, etc... used as examples that not having football helps in a big way.

Doing some quick research on RPIs from last year using RealtimeRPI.com

Of the final top 100
75 had football of some form - 4 FCS programs
25 had no football (I included VCU's club team as a no)

I think this statistic only proves the point you are trying to refute. Unless you are a FBS football school, the most likely path to success in basketball is to have no football. Top 100 consists of 71 FBS schools, 25 non-football schools and 4 FCS schools.

[BEARZ77]

I think this statistic only proves the point you are trying to refute. Unless you are a FBS football school, the most likely path to success in basketball is to have no football. Top 100 consists of 71 FBS schools, 25 non-football schools and 4 FCS schools.

Plus you will find that the majority of those 75 top 100 who play football are from the power 5 conferences meaning that Universities w/o football make the top 100 at about twice the rate as those with football who aren't a power 5 conference member.

[mvfcfan]

But once again they have the Koch Brothers giving them a lot of money. No other current MVC school has that.

Money is part of it. But to me the most critical thing is hiring and retaining too notch coaches. I would argue that UNI has done the same thing as WSU to a lesser degree. They are coming off a down year but over the past 10 years they have been very good and have had some great years competing at the highest levels. They don't have a huge budget and piles of cash. Yes UNI pays him (Jacobsen) well but there are IMO several mvc schools would pay a similarly successful coach very well. There are just too many mediocre coaches in the mvc. And I include MSU in that number.

But that takes money. And when Wichita is receiving millions from the Koch brothers they obviously have a big advantage. Then take the P5 who is getting way way more than what we are getting in tourney revenue, TV contracts, etc. It's pretty easy for them to steal our coaches.

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

Jacobson is the exception to the rule. Maybe his wife doesn't want to leave cedar falls. Maybe he wants his kids to graduate first. Could be a number of reasons. Maybe he knows he's petty much got a job until 60 and is okay making 900k per year and doesnt feel the need breaking the bank. Whatever the case may be he seems to be staying at UNI for the near future because his buyout is currently $3.6-million until mid 2019. There is always the Jacobson of the world and the lane kiffens of the world who leave everywhere at anytime but those examples are the ends of the spectrum and shouldn't be over analyzed because they're not the norm.

[glm38]

Jacobsen isn't the norm but at least it shows its possible for a mid major to retain a top flight coach.

I choose to think he's (Jacobsen) just smart. He's making good money in a place he's obviously happy. What could be better? Maybe there's a few more like him out there.