MSU to Conference USA?

[DoubleJayAlum]

From the link MVJ provided, I thought this piece was especially compelling:

The University should recognize and acknowledge JQH Arena and intercollegiate athletics budgets are inter-related, so they must be viewed together to gain a complete and accurate view of revenue and expenses – since the first year of JQH Arena, annual seat assessments and ticket sales have declined for several reasons, including the teams’ success and the economy....increasing annual seat assessments and ticket sales will have the most profound long-term impact on improving the athletics budget....Athletics will need to further investigate its revenues and expenses to decrease the current $2 million shortfall.

The bolded language is especially concerning. What it essentially indicates is that despite a regular season title for the men, people still are going to the games in lesser numbers than when the arena first opened and the team was in the cellar. This is really troubling because if a first place finish can't get people to turn out, there isn't a lot more that can really be done to drive attendance numbers up. In fact, it may be difficult to sustain even the current attendance numbers if the team does not have as successful of a season.

[rjl]

So the only conference it appears Missouri State prospectively may be joining is the C-USAaaaint-going-to-answer-the-phone-when-the-bill-collectors-call?

[CaseyGarrisonforPrez]

So the only conference it appears Missouri State prospectively may be joining is the C-USAaaaint-going-to-answer-the-phone-when-the-bill-collectors-call?

I think the WAC could have interest. That would make sense for us football only. The Sun Belt would love to have us, but that would be a step down in many areas but we'd win the conference title in basketball every year I'd bet.

[beatingrillz]

From the link MVJ provided, I thought this piece was especially compelling:

The University should recognize and acknowledge JQH Arena and intercollegiate athletics budgets are inter-related, so they must be viewed together to gain a complete and accurate view of revenue and expenses – since the first year of JQH Arena, annual seat assessments and ticket sales have declined for several reasons, including the teams’ success and the economy....increasing annual seat assessments and ticket sales will have the most profound long-term impact on improving the athletics budget....Athletics will need to further investigate its revenues and expenses to decrease the current $2 million shortfall.

The bolded language is especially concerning. What it essentially indicates is that despite a regular season title for the men, people still are going to the games in lesser numbers than when the arena first opened and the team was in the cellar. This is really troubling because if a first place finish can't get people to turn out, there isn't a lot more that can really be done to drive attendance numbers up. In fact, it may be difficult to sustain even the current attendance numbers if the team does not have as successful of a season.

That's interesting cause attendance numbers and season ticket sales have both increased over the last years. MVJ seems to know more than anyone in the administration at MSU maybe he is Dr. Cofer

[WSUbballer]

Based on your football history, your attendance numbers, football facility, and oh yeah - that money thing, I just don't see how you can say that even the WAC would "love to have you". Am I missing something? It's not like you guys are spitting out NFL draftees left and right and dominating your conference like SIU or UNI. I just don't understand this enlarged ego that makes you think everybody would want MSU.

You guys have been fairly decent in basketball, consistently good under the Hinson regime, but have only won 1 title in your 20 years of conference affiliation, and that was last year. I think again you'd be assuming a lot to think that you could just swoop down and dominate the Sun Belt. Granted it's a crappy conference, but eventually you would start getting crappy recruits which would then even out the playing field.

I have to hand it to you for actually coming back here Casey. I don't think I could have done that if I said my school to another conference was a done deal only to be proven absolutely wrong on it. Your posts definitely keep things entertaining around here.

[CaseyGarrisonforPrez]

I never acted like it was a guaranteed thing with us going to C-USA. At least not that I recall, this thread is long now. I don't think that the WAC necessarily would love to have us, that comment was more intended for the Sun Belt. The WAC is in bad shape as a football league so they could have interest, but the geography is pretty terrible. I wouldn't want to end up like Louisiana Tech.

I think we'd have a good shot in basketball of dominating the Sun Belt. As an athletics program we are pretty similar to Western Kentucky and they dominate in a lot of sports in that conference. Plus Springfield/Branson metro is a lot bigger than Bowling Green, KY. And if you factor in St. Louis, KC, etc I think we would be desirable.

But ultimately this is probably a mute point. I like the Valley and it has been good to us in most ways. I am pretty happy that we are likely staying here for the future. I certainly don't want to lose the rivalries with several schools. Much better than playing schools like Central Arkansas or Arkansas State which would seem foreign.

[DoubleJayAlum]

From the link MVJ provided, I thought this piece was especially compelling:

The University should recognize and acknowledge JQH Arena and intercollegiate athletics budgets are inter-related, so they must be viewed together to gain a complete and accurate view of revenue and expenses – since the first year of JQH Arena, annual seat assessments and ticket sales have declined for several reasons, including the teams’ success and the economy....increasing annual seat assessments and ticket sales will have the most profound long-term impact on improving the athletics budget....Athletics will need to further investigate its revenues and expenses to decrease the current $2 million shortfall.

The bolded language is especially concerning. What it essentially indicates is that despite a regular season title for the men, people still are going to the games in lesser numbers than when the arena first opened and the team was in the cellar. This is really troubling because if a first place finish can't get people to turn out, there isn't a lot more that can really be done to drive attendance numbers up. In fact, it may be difficult to sustain even the current attendance numbers if the team does not have as successful of a season.

That's interesting cause attendance numbers and season ticket sales have both increased over the last years. MVJ seems to know more than anyone in the administration at MSU maybe he is Dr. Cofer

MVJ didn't write the article, reps from MSU did. Check the link yourself and see the reality...

[MoValley John]

That's interesting cause attendance numbers and season ticket sales have both increased over the last years. MVJ seems to know more than anyone in the administration at MSU maybe he is Dr. Cofer

This is exactly they type of tone I have tried to avoid. With that, I will answer and be done. I don't claim to know more than anyone. I am simply forming opinions based on what I have read from: A. MSUBearnation B. The official audit of Missouri State and C. the JQH document. The message board is subject to opinions of fans, however, the audit and subsequent JQH document are official documents and carry much more weight than the opinions of message board posters, or a stray Twitter post run amok.

The information I presented here was taken from the JQH report. I did read it in its entirety, but I don't know, nor do I claim to know, all of the details within. I don't claim to know more than the authors, either. That said, here is the list of authors. These are the people that are most responsible for my opinion, have far more knowledge of the situation than me and have a different opinion of the MSU situation than you.

Brent Dunn, Vice President for University Advancement, Task Force Chair
John Bollinger, Student member
Randy Blackwood, Executive Director of Athletics and Entertainment Facilities
Nila Hayes, Chief Financial Officer
Dr. Jim Hutter, Associate Professor, William H. Darr School of Agriculture
Mike Ingram, Community Member
Kyle Moats, Director of Athletics
Dr. Philip Rothschild, Assistant Professor, Department of Management
Dr. Christina Simmers, Associate Professor, Department of Marketing
Clif Smart, General Counsel
Jacob Swett, Student member

My opinion was based on a document that came from inside MSU. These are the people that you would think care about MSU. Notable people that shaped my opinion include your AD, current University President and general counsel, several student members and professors. These are not people with axes to grind. These are also the people with more insight and knowledge than me or any other posters on this site.

[panther-state]

Wow, a shorter thread for my first MVCfans experience would've behooved me...however I will not lose any sleep at night knowing that we lost MoSt as long as we get another celler football team and usually mediocre bball team, to replace them

[BEARZ77]

One thing being overlooked is that when you consider attendance figures and revenue for JQH you are looking at 2 programs not just men's basketball. Women's basketball has been in a steady decline and lost close to 2,000 per game in average since moving to JQH. So both statements can be accurate in that overall attendance figures and seat assessments[ which fans also pay for wbb at MSU]are down, but men's basketball attendance is on the rise. When you've had a women's program that historically was a revenue producer [ rare in college athletics] and once averaged as high as 8,000 plus per game, now averaging low 3,000's, that is alot for the men's program to have to overcome when you are looking at total attendance and revenues for an arena.

It doesn't change the total picture, but it does refute the issue about the men's basketball program not doing well despite the recent success.