UNI AD - explore move to FBS?

[MVCfans]

The WCF Courier has been running articles on the value of athletics to UNI and today they printed an opinion piece on the value to the city and surrounding area. I thought the following was interesting:

Athletic Director Troy Dannen suggested UNI could explore a move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision. How such a move would affect UNI’s finances is uncertain. There would be potential for greater revenue from the football program, but also greater expenses from the additional scholarships that would be required. The college football landscape is rapidly changing and such a move should be immediately studied, as the opportunity for change may never be greater than in the next few years.

http://wcfcourier.com/news/opinion/edit ... 8s.twitter

[unipanther99]

It's difficult to know how much smoke there is with this. I'm guessing Dannen sees something on the horizon related to conference realignment and wants to position UNI to be an attractive option. I definitely have mixed feelings about it.

[Red]

It's difficult to know how much smoke there is with this. I'm guessing Dannen sees something on the horizon related to conference realignment and wants to position UNI to be an attractive option. I definitely have mixed feelings about it.

I like having the topic being discussed. Funding is the key though and times are tight for a lot of us.

[unipanther99]

If any of us do it alone, I don't think it makes sense. But what if UNI, ISUr, ISUb, SIU, and MSU all make the jump together. Then, MVC conference realignment could take a totally different direction. Suddenly, traditionally strong basketball schools like Western Kentucky and Tulsa could be in the mix, as they would have a soft landing spot for football. They would bring value on the basketball side, they are in the geographical footprint, and it would bring us up to 7 football schools, the minimum (I believe) to have a conference. We might have to consider bringing in someone like Northern Illinois, to give the conference some football credibility.

[Ali]

Sign us up yesterday. Let's do this Dannen!!

[Bluejay09Bear06]

My understanding is that when the MVC sponsored football, it was at the FBS level. Why did the conference stop sponsoring football?

[unipanther99]

My understanding is that when the MVC sponsored football, it was at the FBS level. Why did the conference stop sponsoring football?

Not enough football playing members left (need at least 6 or 7 playing at the same level).

[carrcar]

Don't a lot of schools still play baseball?

[BirdmanBB]

If any of us do it alone, I don't think it makes sense. But what if UNI, ISUr, ISUb, SIU, and MSU all make the jump together. Then, MVC conference realignment could take a totally different direction. Suddenly, traditionally strong basketball schools like Western Kentucky and Tulsa could be in the mix, as they would have a soft landing spot for football. They would bring value on the basketball side, they are in the geographical footprint, and it would bring us up to 7 football schools, the minimum (I believe) to have a conference. We might have to consider bringing in someone like Northern Illinois, to give the conference some football credibility.

This is a great idea in theory, but it is easier for an individual school to make the move on an invite than have the entire conference move up.

We would need to get at least 2-3 bowl tie-ins. In order to meet requirements we would have to poach from the MAC and Sun-Belt which would likely be the only conferences that would want a bowl tie-in with us.....if we could even get the sponsors and TV to support them.

What's crazy to me is you look at some of the enrollments of our schools and we all compare more to FBS schools than FCS schools.