UNI Baseball?

[UNIAlum95]

The "brain trust" in Des Moines introduced a bill today that would require Iowa State and UNI to "reestablish men's baseball teams that qualify for participation in the NCAA".

What won't come with that is any funding of course. Another giant waste of time by the money funnel at the state house.

[English77]

I had to research whether the illiterate author of this bill even exists. Sadly, “Skyler Wheeler”, of Sioux City, does. The current version of the bill, however, which I just found online, isn’t quite so bad — so someone cleaned it up a bit: “An Act requiring Iowa state university and the university of northern Iowa to reestablish men’s baseball teams that qualify for participation in the national collegiate athletic association.” Do I wish UNI had never dropped baseball? Of course! But, as ‘95 says, the requirement won’t come with funding — and it certainly won’t come with Title IX exemption. Mr. wheeler, have you nothing better to do?

[BCPanther]

$100M to start it and $25M for the next 25 years and we'll start a program tomorrow.

[Skej75]

The reason many schools with fewer resources than UNI have baseball teams is that approximately 30 full tuition paying students sign up to play it. Make it a non- or minimal scholarship program and once started it pretty much pays for itself with a little community support. Money wasn't the main issue before, it was Title 9. That would seem to be less of a problem now.

[UNIpanther99]

The reason many schools with fewer resources than UNI have baseball teams is that approximately 30 full tuition paying students sign up to play it. Make it a non- or minimal scholarship program and once started it pretty much pays for itself with a little community support. Money wasn't the main issue before, it was Title 9. That would seem to be less of a problem now.

Would still need a new field.

[Skej75]

Would still need a new field.

Didn't they mostly use Riverfront before? That could be a win-win for both operations.

[ronfitch]

Didn't they mostly use Riverfront before? That could be a win-win for both operations.

They did from 1993 to the end.

Stadium was built in 1946. It always felt older to me. I went to a lot of Royal and Indian games and a few Diamond games there when Waterloo had a A affiliate but I have not been it since the early '90s - anyone seen a game there in the past few years?

(on edit - built in '46; still always felt older to me)

[BCPanther]

They did from 1993 to the end.

Stadium was built in 1948. It always felt older to me. I went to a lot of Royal and Indian games and a few Diamond games there when Waterloo had a A affiliate but I have not been it since the early '90s - anyone seen a game there in the past few years?

They've updated the concourse but the grandstand and the playing surface are still pretty rough. It would be, by far, the worst facility in the league.

[UNIpanther99]

This is never happening, but if you were actually going to restart a program, how the hell do you sell it without at least plans for a new stadium and an indoor practice facility?

Add on that you would need to start at least one and maybe two women's sports to offset Title IX and the facilites that would need to go along with those programs.

BC isn't exaggerating. $100M up front and $25M a year.

[in_the_stands]

I haven't been to Riverfront since our last games there, but I follow the Bucks on Instagram. The outfield foul lines still look like waves on the ocean.

[ronfitch]

They've updated the concourse but the grandstand and the playing surface are still pretty rough. It would be, by far, the worst facility in the league.

That outfield was a mess 40 years ago, an ankle break waiting to happen.

Saw Dan Quisenberry, Willie Wilson and Von Hayes play there. Luis Aparicio played there in the '50s, Bill "Spaceman" Lee and Carlton Fisk were among the Red Sox who played there in the '60s.