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Just curious...has there been any disscussion about moving to 1A?
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I do not understand all the ins and outs at all, but this university barely is able to afford to be in 1-AA. Our average attendance does NOT even reach 10,000, let alone the required 15,000 required by the NCAA (although, looking at MAC attendance, that must not really be enforced!!!!!) But there also seems little reason to move to 1A, considering we would always be an "also there" and never able to be big enough to get to the bowl games, but in 1-AA, the playing field fits us. -
No disrespect intended here, but we'd be just like NIU if we moved to 1-A....a very good, solid team year after year but little chance of competing for a national championship in 1-A. Just my opinion.Originally posted by niubiggsComment
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NIU-
Welcome to PantherNation! I agree with what Canuck and Mountain Panther have said. There are currently no thoughts of moving to 1-A football for UNI. With the current attendance criteria, it would be tough for UNI to meet those, as capacity in the Dome is 16,500. It would have to be a sellout every night (basically) for UNI to be able to manage a move legitimately. In addition, UNI is not in a financial state to add more football scholarships, and then also add more women sports for Title IX compliance.
As a UNI fan, I personally see no reason to move to 1-A, unless it was a conference decision. The GFC is the top or one of the top conferences year in and year out. It's competitive football, and I personally enjoy watching UNI battle for a true national championship every year (instead of the bowl format). The money UNI could make in smaller bowls is probably not as good as what UNI can gain from playoff exposure (the bowl money includes travel, tickets, salary incentives, etc...so UNI might actually lose money on a bowl game---didn't that happen to Iowa when they went to the Orange Bowl...or come close to it?...I thought I saw that) from television, week after week excitement in playoff football (see last year), especially after the new playoff incentives that are part of the playoffs for this year. UNI was on tv last year the same amount as Iowa State for football (maybe one less, but it was about the same), and the television exposure UNI is getting is increasing each year. A move to 1-A, I don't think, will improve it that much.
Some say that it gives schools more prestige to play 1-A football, but personally, I don't agree. I love Valley basketball (actually all sports). I have a hard time believing that if UNI were to play 1-A football that it would drastically increase the MVC's credibility. I think our NCAA Tournament basketball reputation after last year was viewed with possible staying power.
My question to you is, do you think that all MAC members want to stay at the 1-A level, or would you like to move back to 1-AA? Would you take the success the MAC has had as the #2 non-BCS football conference in 1-A or a move back to 1-AA and put more resources into basketball, to try to improve the number of bids the MAC gets for the NCAA Tournament, and still have successful football?
Thanks for posting and bringing up this topic. It's a good one to be discussed.Last edited by Panthers to the Bone; 07-08-2006, 08:17 PM.The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice, clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, and consumes his foes on every side; His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles; the mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples will see His glory.Comment
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I guess my way-out-of-it position was reflected in PTTB's post. We could not afford it (my point, and backed up by PTTB,) we don't have the attendance (backed up by PTTB) and we would never get national attention in bowl games (backed up by PTTB) as we can be with the playoffs in 1-AA.
So, I guess this bumpkin idiot has had his ideas supported....or not supported, or alluded to, or given credit to, but superceded by a more important opinion.Comment
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Canuck-
My opinion is no greater than your opinion. It was just one man's opinion (just like yours). I was just providing a little more reason (and backup) for what I was saying. Don't feel as though I was trying to overpower your right-on post!
I was just stating my opinion.
The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice, clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, and consumes his foes on every side; His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles; the mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples will see His glory.Comment
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But could have at least stated you were backing up my ideas rather than stating this is how it is.....when you were giving more reason to my ideas. A bit of praise for others who express the same opinion is never a bad idea, and a bit of a pat on the back to a buddy.Comment
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My bad Canuck. I usually try to give props where props deserve. I went back and changed the beginning of the post.The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice, clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, and consumes his foes on every side; His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles; the mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples will see His glory.Comment
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Hello and thanks for the welcome!!
Why does NIU need to stay 1A?? MONEY. Football is our bread and butter when it comes to income and marketing our school. Pay days like 500,000$ from Michigan and 750,000$ from Ohio state make 1A worth while. I pays for things like this http://www3.niu.edu/athletics/aapc/index.html. After this is finished we will start on our indoor practice facility. We built a brand new state of the art basketball arena http://niuhuskies.cstv.com/facilities/convo-center.html while its a great place to watch a game...we just dont draw well. And while the MAC only puts one team into the NCAA's...we now have 3 bowl games and are working on a 4th. What I want to ask you guys is this, would you rather win D1 AA championship...or win a bowl game? dont get me wrong..I pay alot of attention to the gateway..cause most of the teams in it are closer to me than any other conference...and the big 10 sucks
Again..I am in no way tring to say that the mac is better than the gateway..hell if we were in the gateway we would actually have a true rival..but there is no way we could take the pay cut
Last edited by niubiggs; 07-08-2006, 10:28 PM.Comment
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Before people jump on you, you might want to change the D2 championship statement for D1-AA championships!
I would rather play for a national championship personally. The atmosphere during the playoff run last year was unreal. I think the payouts for basketball tourney money is pretty good, and if UNI can get back to the NCAA's on a consistent basis, and have 3-4 teams make it each year (not counting wins in the tourney either), the payouts would probably be more than what it would gain from 1-A football bowl games and payouts...and like I said, adding sports would be financially straining.
We currently have our new basketball arena ready for this year, and we also get our 1-A payout from Iowa ($325K last year) and Iowa State (probably about the same this year).The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice, clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him, and consumes his foes on every side; His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles; the mountains melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples will see His glory.Comment
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I'd rather win a division I-AA championship. I bet you said that on purpose. No matter how you look at it, if UNI and NIU played...we'd kill you.Originally posted by niubiggs
What I want to ask you guys is this, would you rather win D2 championship...or win a bowl game?
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I think PTTB made that correction VERY well! Good job, PTTB! We are NOT Div 2! Secondly, how can the MAC EVER meet the NCAA requirements for 15,000 attendance??????!!!!!! I have watched MAC games for two years, and VERY few schools can average that? How does the MAC get away with it???????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????Comment
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Glad you're confident in our team, but to say that we'd "kill" NIU is a joke. There are very few IA teams that we would/could "kill". We can beat a lot of them, but killing them is a whole other story...Originally posted by EastonWest
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No No No I apologise for that...I have great respect for the UNI Panthers...and have no reason to say anything bad about them. Believe me, I know what its like to have to always fight for respect...esp when the "big" school down state (uofI) gets all the headlines and state money. My brain isnt as fast as my typing I suppose.
Attendence isnt just a MAC problem...its more of a NON-BCS problem. MAC, CUSA, and sun belt all have teams who arent up to par with NCAA attendence rules. I really dont ever really see them getting enforced.
Again I meant no disrespect!!Comment
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What I find interesting is how the NCAA is so VERY forceful in its enforcement of some rules, but ignores others. As you say, niubiggs, you admit the MAC does not meet those attendance requirements, and you also point to other conferences which struggle to do so. How does one approach the NCAA on such a violation of rules? They seem to be in a lofty nest, above the world....Comment
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