Updated 1/6/18: MVC Expansion Poll

[GoSIU88]

I've always believed we need to add a football school and any further expansion should go west

[IllinoisState]

I've always believed we need to add a football school and any further expansion should go west

So are you someone who wants NDSU and/or SDSU? There are not a lot of options.

[BearsCountry]

I've always believed we need to add a football school and any further expansion should go west

So are you someone who wants NDSU and/or SDSU? There are not a lot of options.

The time to add NDSU and SDSU was before they got all of their gang back together again in the Summit League.

[RacerJoeD]

A little perspective on Murray State fans...

Here is the increase in attendance for Murray State’s OVC opponents when the Racers come to town compared to their average OVC attendance.


Jax St: +67%
EIU: +99%
SIUE: +113%
SEMO: +127%
UTM: +149%
Tennessee Tech: +161%
Austin Peay: +208%

(Source @akajeffbidwell Jeff Bidwell WPSD TV)

[Jsnhbe1Birds]

No doubt they're a good add but why rush? They aren't going anywhere else. Wait for big dominos to fall and see if something unexpected happens.

[RacerJoeD]

Yeah who needs money from ticket sales?

[MissouriValleyUnite]

They aren't going anywhere else.

No, but the MVC sure is...check the freefall in KenPom ratings.

MVC unequivocally cannot afford another year of 17th or it WILL impact recruiting and the league’s talent level.

The odds of Murray State (and Northern Kentucky) keeping parity with the A10/MWC/WCC are astronomically higher than the Hailey’s Comet scenario of convincing SLU or Dayton.

[VUGrad1314]

They aren't going anywhere else.

No, but the MVC sure is...check the freefall in KenPom ratings.

MVC unequivocally cannot afford another year of 17th or it WILL impact recruiting and the league’s talent level.

The odds of Murray State (and Northern Kentucky) keeping parity with the A10/MWC/WCC are astronomically higher than the Hailey’s Comet scenario of convincing SLU or Dayton.

Truth.

[BCPanther]

A little perspective on Murray State fans...

Here is the increase in attendance for Murray State’s OVC opponents when the Racers come to town compared to their average OVC attendance.


Jax St: +67%
EIU: +99%
SIUE: +113%
SEMO: +127%
UTM: +149%
Tennessee Tech: +161%
Austin Peay: +208%

(Source @akajeffbidwell Jeff Bidwell WPSD TV)

This is an odd post from a guy that argued that individual schools are responsible for their own attendance regardless of opponent.

[BEARZ77]

Again I'm in favor of Murray joining, but some of the arguments are taking on the flavor of that Bison fan last year who kept trying to convince us all the Valley couldn't survive without NDSU. First off on attendance, everyone got all gaga when Murray had the 8,000+ for the game earlier, but in checking current attendance, they are around 4600 which would be 5th in the Valley. It's good attendance , but they aren't going to significantly impact attendance in the Valley; programs like Evansville and MSU who are already ahead of them in attendance are on the upswing and both should show increases again next year in their second year under new coaches. Illinois State and bradley which also draw more can do even better as Bradley always has the potential to average 7,000 or more . While I do think Murray would be a decent draw the first year as a visiting game, the Valley has a lot of traditional rivalries that are their major draws. Now if Murray came in and was a top 1-3 team regularly, then yeah, they'd probably draw pretty good on the road, just as any team that does well over time generally does.

This years drop in the Valley's rankings appears to me to be temporary and you can easily see reasons why.You have 3 new coaches, and probably 2 more on the way. A couple teams that were counted on to be at the top just didn't perform. That happens, which is why things are so bunched. The bottom of the Valley is improved, but the top didn't perform up to expectations. However, looking ahead, not only do you have programs under new coaches who look to improve, you have a young Valpo team that is still acclimating to the Valley and got hit hard with injury. As far as incoming talent, 3-4 schools [MSU/Drake/Loyola] to name several had excellent recruiting classes in the fall, and a number of schools MSU,ISUr,Valpo,and Evansville again to name several, have significant experienced transfers sitting out this year who will immediately raise the talent level in the conference next year. So i see a big uptick already talent wise for the conference.

Again I'd like Murray in the league, but it's not panic time by any means. There's too much volatility on the horizon with restructuring to feel you have to expand just to expand. Murray's great, and Northern Kentucky looks credible, but again there's no immediately compelling reason to make a move.