30 MVC games to be aired on ESPN networks

[DoubleJayAlum]

Its not a guaranteed benefit. There's still a good amount of risk in this. Point being, the risk is probably worth taking because of the potential benefit in FBS is infinitely greater than in 1AA.

Is it as simple as being invited? To an extent yes. I would be interested to see what UNI would do if they were invited somewhere today. Our AD has said nothing is imminent at this very moment. But he has also said that FBS is where he sees UNI in the future, and he wants to keep UNI in that "2nd level" of football. UNI is still very much in the beginning phases of this process, and it will take some time to figure out how to make it work, and get the necessary resources together.

That seems more reasonable, but is not inline with what UNI posters, including yourself, were saying earlier in this thread. The comments made earlier indicated it was essentially a no-brainer and that UNI would easily make enough extra money to cover the costs. I suspected that wasn't the case at all, which is why I posed the question.

[MoValley John]

These are the comments from Dannen when the story first broke. This is pretty much what we have been saying on here:

UNI consistently has performed among the nation’s best an FCS member, formerly known as Division I-AA. With changes in the Football Bowl Subdivision’s postseason structure, coupled with an infusion of money, Dannen sees a commonality with his school and mid-major programs that annually compete for bowl slots.

“To try to look at the environment five years from now and how do you make sure you’re best positioned in five years,” Dannen said. “A school like Northern Iowa and a lot of schools in the top end of FCS football, I feel, are going to be more aligned philosophically, ideologically, and be aligned more financially with the schools that are in those below-the-line conferences. We’re all growing toward each other and all of us are growing away from the Big Ten, Big 12 and those above-the-line institutions.”

But Dannen cautions that he’s still gathering information and said “there is nothing imminent.” He can’t make a decision until Northern Iowa hires a new president to replace the retiring Ben Allen. But he wants the program to be ready to jump if the move is necessary.

But there’s more to UNI making a move than just on-field competition. The Panthers would earn significantly more revenue from playing at major opponents, such as Iowa or Wisconsin. Iowa will pay UNI $500,000 and Wisconsin will pay the school $450,000 for their two games this year. A move upward could double that income. Iowa, for instance, paid Arkansas State $800,000 for a game in 2009.

Dannen also believes other FBS schools could earn up to $1 million based on the new four-team playoff. He will not, however, jeopardize his school’s status with the Missouri Valley Conference, which houses all of UNI’s sports except football. The football program currently resides in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, a different entity.

Those comments are sjmply AD speak. Every program is constantly evaluating.

And I still haven't found any MAC expanding to 18 comments, except on this board.


“I see no scenario where I could advocate for impacting our Missouri Valley Conference standing in any sport,” he said.

Dannen has examined how the move to FBS has affected other former FCS programs like Boise State, Marshall and Texas-San Antonio.


And I think its important to note that it was not the media that started this. Dannen initiated this talk all on his own with some comments at the beginning of the football season.

[valleychamp]

I can't speak for the other UNI posters who have commented on this, but I feel as though I have been consistent about what I have been posting regarding this topic.

Maybe it's you and MVJ that have blown it out of proportion. I have simply posted and discussed the info that is already out there.

[unipanther99]

You can debate whether UNI is worthy of moving up --- and there are plenty of arguments to be made on both sides of that issue, but it's quite clear this is more than a game of telephone. It seems quite likely UNI will at least attempt to move up in the next 5 years and the only person who can derail this is our yet to be named next university President.

[MoValley John]

I have no idea whether or not UNI will move up in five years, if they do, good for them! My initial comments were as they relate to where UNI is in regard to desirability from other conferences. My opinion, and it is just that, mine, is that there are other programs currently in the Valley that conferences would find more desirable. UNI fans may disagree and that is just fine. What really hooked me on this topic was the sudden assertion that the MAC was looking for 18 teams, that UNI is one of them and then, that the move would be sooner, rather than later.

Outside of the comments on This board, I can't find anything to substantiate that anywhere. Not on MAC boards, nowhere. And then I listened to the MAC commissioner speak, and he is saying just the opposite, that the MAC is happy with what they currently have, and if they were to replace Temple, it would be a slow, calculated move and within or near the current footprint. The only rumors I could find for a 1-AA member to possibly replace Temple would be App State. Not UNI, not ISU red or blue, not MSU.

Furthermore, the commissioner directly addressed concerns that interested 1-AA members tend to overstate the revenue gains of a move to the MAC, at the same time, understate expenses.

I'm not saying UNI isn't looking, if they weren't, Dannen wouldn't be doing his job.

My only contentions are that UNI isn't as desirable as there fans think, the MAC isn't going to 18 teams anytime soon and this isn't a sooner rather than later move.

Until a UNI fan can document, not just assert, but actually document anything that shows the MAC has expansion plans, all of this is just an excercize in fanbase rumors running amok.

[valleychamp]

The MAC talk is just speculation based on the fact that a) they are the closest regional FBS conference that a school like UNI could fit into, and b) UNI wrestling just joined the MAC.

I don't think the fact that there is no evidence (which there isn't) that the MAC has come out and said that "hey UNI, we are looking at adding you to our conference!", is reason to debunk this whole conversation. A move to FBS is being formally discussed and looked into at UNI, that is a fact. Whether or not the MAC is going to be a factor or part of this story in any capacity remains to be seen, but that's not really relevant at this point.

[DoubleJayAlum]

It seems likely UNI will at least attempt to move up in the next 5 years and the only person who can derail this is our yet to be named next university President.

I honestly don't think I've ever read a sentence with more risk modifiers. Politicians have nothing on you - way to go out on a limb!

[MoValley John]

The MAC talk is just speculation based on thoot that a) they are the closest regional FBS conference that a school like UNI could fit into, and b) UNI wrestling just joined the MAC.

I don't think the fact that there is no evidence (which there isn't) that the MAC has come out and said that "hey UNI, we are looking at adding you to our conference!", is reason to debunk this whole conversation. A move to FBS is being formally discussed and looked into at UNI, that is a fact. Whether or not the MAC is going to be a factor or part of this story in any capacity remains to be seen, but that's not really relevant at this point.

This is all reasonable and I can easily see why UNI fans would think the MAC is the best fit and their most desirable option. Where I was and am still lost is how that talk transformed to the MAC is expanding to 18 teams and how it unwound from there.

The expansion to 18 teams is akin to the Talk of covert meetings, black helicopters and sealed envelopes. I mean, we are talking the MAC here, not C-USA. I don't think the MAC has any black helicopters.

[TheAsianSensation]

All the talk on the MAC is based on the fact that no other conference (maybe WAC) is in a position to expand in any type of format, and I believe the MAC is throwing out some smokescreens. They will expand, and for them, 16 makes more sense because they have a geographic core that will support it, unlike the old WAC.

[MoValley John]

All the talk on the MAC is based on the fact that no other conference (maybe WAC) is in a position to expand in any type of format, and I believe the MAC is throwing out some smokescreens. They will expand, and for them, 16 makes more sense because they have a geographic core that will support it, unlike the old WAC.

I could see the MAC expanding, or trying. I think 16 would be a huge number for a non-BCS league. Too many league games will kill conference SOS and perception. The only other way to do it is to have divisional play with only one game against the other division. I think this would be a tough go, though. The big boys could sell it, I just don't know how it would play it in the MAC and Big South type conferences. A big league killed the WAC and created the MWC. 18 teams is just ridiculous.

Like I have said, if UNI can pull it off, I'm all for them, but if the MAC opens their doors, UNI will be fighting with a bunch of 1-AA teams that want in, not just Valley teams, but a bunch of teams in the current MAC footprint.