New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

[SteinPizza]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

The upper half or so of the MAC plays better football than some here are giving it credit for. To call it a a joke isn't accurate. Of course it's not the SEC, but nobody else is either.

Would we be decent in that league, yes. Would we enter as consistent contenders for the conference championship right off the bat, probably not. Put it another way...Iowa State currently has six players on NFL rosters, and that's after what, two straight bowl seasons? Northern Illinois currently has seven, and that doesn't include Michael Turner, a former Pro Bowl RB who will end up on someone's roster. Northern is usually good, but they aren't the premier program in that league.

[dragon]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

There is all the talk about how we should join the MAC which has it's valid points. However I have never heard what we would bring to the MAC and if they would even want us.

[northwest iowa panther]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

There is all the talk about how we should join the MAC which has it's valid points. However I have never heard what we would bring to the MAC and if they would even want us.

Good Point!!

[run&blade]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Not sure why the Mac would want to expand. On the surface it would just dilute what little piece of the pie they get.

[williebat]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Going to the MAc would kill our basketball team.We have a good thing going why screw with it.

Maybe as a football and wrestling only members.

The valley rocks for all other sports. Why in gods name would we want to leave now.

[UNIdad]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Pick any media market in the country. The bigger the market the less they would care about having a valley team in town.

Give me a team that has lots of fans andhas a history of people supporting the team.

Uic and loyola are jokes in chicago. A town of three million drawing 2,200 a game is like UNI drawing 500 a game. To think people will give a crap in chicago now that they are playing drake uni and other teams is beyond wishful thinking.

FYI, the Chicago city itself has 3 million people. Metro Chicago is easily 6+ million people. And although both UIC and Loyola are "urban" institutions, their grads don't necessarily stay in the city, but often move out to the suburbs (which is another reason that attendance isn't any higher).

With the number of grads from MVC schools who work in Chicago, I think it would be good for the conference to have games there to help build the fanbase. Plus, it will give MVC coaches more and better opportunities to recruit in Chicago.

[UNI MadCat]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

There is all the talk about how we should join the MAC which has it's valid points. However I have never heard what we would bring to the MAC and if they would even want us.

Great point. I know this is a b-bball thread but I agree.

I've seen a lot of posts over the years here that seem to insinuate that a move to the MAC is a decision that rests solely on our shoulders. As if all we'd have to do is give them a call when we're ready and they'd say, "Oh thank heavens, we've been waiting!"

Truth is I dont see how we offer that conference anything from a football standpoint. Sure, we've proven to be an above-average program over the years in FCS but we're hardly dominate with one NC appearance to speak of. I'm not sure how they would see that translating to success on at their level. Attendance-wise we hardly have a true following playing 3rd fiddle in the state. I could see a slight attendance boost with bigger names coming in, but only if we find a way to win a lot.

And just a few other reasons off the top of my head -- someone has to leave or they have to decide to add an additional 1 or 3 members to keep their even numbers, we're four hours west of their western-most member in DeKalb and, I dont know if this matters, but we're very small compared to their overall student enrollment in that conference.

[TH1974]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Dominate....

[Superninja80]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Hmmm. The Valley is already off and UIC is being considered

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#story/chi-spt-uic-missouri-valley-20130409/

[TH1974]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Hmmm. The Valley is already off and UIC is being considered


http://my.chicagotribune.com/#story/...lley-20130409/

Hmmm. Hadn't heard that. We should get some Dakota schools instead to wrap up the lucrative moose and prairie dog markets.

[SteinPizza]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Hmmm. Hadn't heard that. We should get some Dakota schools instead to wrap up the lucrative moose and prairie dog markets.

Good point. Don't forget, there are actual predatory animals in the Dakotas as well, namely cougars. I've sure that demographic will bring in more corporate sponsorship. In Chicago, the cougars are more sedate, and spend their time dating 25 year old men.

[williebat]

Hmmm. The Valley is already off and UIC is being considered


http://my.chicagotribune.com/#story/...lley-20130409/

I can live with this. Plus a very good friend of mine is a professor at uic. Perfect excuse for a visit and panther game to boot.

[northwest iowa panther]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Great point. I know this is a b-bball thread but I agree.

I've seen a lot of posts over the years here that seem to insinuate that a move to the MAC is a decision that rests solely on our shoulders. As if all we'd have to do is give them a call when we're ready and they'd say, "Oh thank heavens, we've been waiting!"

Truth is I dont see how we offer that conference anything from a football standpoint. Sure, we've proven to be an above-average program over the years in FCS but we're hardly dominate with one NC appearance to speak of. I'm not sure how they would see that translating to success on at their level. Attendance-wise we hardly have a true following playing 3rd fiddle in the state. I could see a slight attendance boost with bigger names coming in, but only if we find a way to win a lot.

And just a few other reasons off the top of my head -- someone has to leave or they have to decide to add an additional 1 or 3 members to keep their even numbers, we're four hours west of their western-most member in DeKalb and, I dont know if this matters, but we're very small compared to their overall student enrollment in that conference.

Good post. Troy Dannen has maintained all along that a move to FBS would be to stay ahead of the curve. If there are no other alternatives and it becomes a last ditch effort then FBS is what we will have to do. At the point of going FBS we will be gambling all of our Division I athletics. If we can't cover the cost increases, that will be the end of D I athletics as we know it at UNI. Some on this board better be careful of what you wish for because you may have that wish come true.

[SubGod22]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Personally, I don't see adding either of the Chicago schools unless they wanted to go to 12. They bring nothing to basketball. Not sure how much being in Chicago with crap teams would do for the MVC as a whole.

Of the schools I've seen are getting visits, Denver is my favorite. I believe they average over 6k a year, would have one of the largest athletic budgets in the MVC and have been investing pretty heavily in basketball lately and showing pretty good improvement. I know they're a hockey school first, but that hockey money is helping build basketball. Denver expands the footprint and is easy to get to despite the distance.

ORU isn't a favorite of mine, but OK has some decent recruiting grounds and Tulsa isn't a bad market. Their financial concerns are in the past and they can draw a decent crowd. They also have a little history. Not sure how high their ceiling really is.

Belmont has been pretty solid of late and would put us in Nashville. Downside is nobody cares as they average just over 2k and that's after some pretty good success. Also makes me wonder about their budget and if they can replace Byrd when he retires. I could easily see them falling off when he's gone.

Murray would be great but I think football is an issue. Would the MVFC go to 11 teams in order to get them into the MVC for everything else? Solid program with no market, but do average over 6k.

Valpo would need to commit to upgrading their facilities. They've been a solid program but I'm not sure how high the ceiling is there either. Attendance is okay I guess.

UMKC needs to heavily invest and show they can get better. Not worth the risk.

I think Milwaukee has potential, but they'd need to commit to investing and upgrading their facilities.

[UNIdad]

Re: New Valley Team (to replace Crayton)

Good post. Troy Dannen has maintained all along that a move to FBS would be to stay ahead of the curve. If there are no other alternatives and it becomes a last ditch effort then FBS is what we will have to do. At the point of going FBS we will be gambling all of our Division I athletics. If we can't cover the cost increases, that will be the end of D I athletics as we know it at UNI. Some on this board better be careful of what you wish for because you may have that wish come true.

What would be an example of a school that went FBS for football and experienced "the end of D I athletics?"

Are you talking about a future of mediocrity and not winning league championships? Or losing sports all together?