One thing you have to understand on attendance is NDSU was averaging 6,000 fans in the 80s as a d2 team. We were playing meaningful games back then. The women's team was the top d2 draw in the nation, sometimes giving the mens team a run for their money. When we moved up to D1, attendance went down because our schedule sucked. We weren't playing many meaningful full games either since we were not eligible forthe post season and played an independent schedule. When we got a shot at the Big schools, we were not only competitive, we won many of them. Ask Wisconsin and Marquette. Ask Bobby Knight. We almost beat Wyoming last year. We were down by 2 points to Kansas in the big dance with 5 minutes to play. We hung with a top 10 ranked Minnesota and #1 ranked Indiana. Believe me with a new stadium we would sell out regularity. NDSU doesn't half ass anything. And it would be tough in the MVC but competition makes you better and we would improve our program .
As far as recruiting goes. A big time league doesn't need to market to only big markets. If thats the case go get New jersey IT. I see the MVC on national tv all the time. Players will go to a big time league because, well, its a big time league. Besides, the Sioux Falls metro that covers IA, MN, SD, and NE has a million people. Fargo-Moorhead within a 100 mile radius has a half million. That's adequate and we mag have an opportunity to get games on fox sports north, which is very big. When NDSU makes an effort they get exposure out there. Think football. Last year we had 6 regular season games on ESPN3, 1 on gameplan, 2 on Fox College sports, and all regular seaon games were on statewide tv. Thats before the playoffs started. Yes i know, were talking about basketball but ndsu has shown when the product is good, they will get the product on national tv.