30 MVC games to be aired on ESPN networks

[MVCfans]

Also, you may think I'm bonkers, and I probably am, but with rumors that the WAC is about to add CSU-Bakersfield and Utah Valley for non-football, the WAC may try to survive, and that may be a more desirable avenue to FBS. Instead of dealing with the MAC traffic jam, there's plenty of room over there.

This was confirmed by Bret McMurphy just now. The WAC lives.

That would be the non-football WAC though, right? Is the football part of the WAC still dead though or did I miss something...

Yes, in my excitement over the news I forgot that detail.

[DoubleJayAlum]

The Asian Sensation ---

Thanks for answering my earlier question. I've got one more, to wit:

If the WAC were to merge with another conference, does the merged entity get to keep both conferences NCAA tourney unit money or would the WAC's share essentially vaporize?

[TheAsianSensation]

The Asian Sensation ---

Thanks for answering my earlier question. I've got one more, to wit:

If the WAC were to merge with another conference, does the merged entity get to keep both conferences NCAA tourney unit money or would the WAC's share essentially vaporize?

I can't find the answer, sorry. I assume they vaporize since individual schools can't carry over their shares to the new conference. Old conference keeps everything.

Of course, the WAC isn't exactly teeming with shares, either.

[DoubleJayAlum]

So if its so grand, why don't you just do it already?

It's coming sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be shocked to see it by the 2015 season.

I guess I still don't understand why, if the move is such a guaranteed benefit, UNI is waiting. Is it as simple as they haven't even been invited? And, if so, is it a done deal if they get an invite or is this whole thing just speculation?

[valleychamp]

So if its so grand, why don't you just do it already?

It's coming sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be shocked to see it by the 2015 season.

I guess I still don't understand why, if the move is such a guaranteed benefit, UNI is waiting. Is it as simple as they haven't even been invited? And, if so, is it a done deal if they get an invite or is this whole thing just speculation?

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.

[MoValley John]

So if its so grand, why don't you just do it already?

It's coming sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be shocked to see it by the 2015 season.

I guess I still don't understand why, if the move is such a guaranteed benefit, Why UNI is waiting. Is it as simple as they haven't even been invited? And, if so, is it a done deal if they get an invite or is this whole thing just speculation?

This whole thing is one big game of telephone being played out by a few UNI fans. It started with their AD commenting in the newspaper that UNI will look into moving up to 1-A. From that statement, one person said one thing and another added to it. By the time we get here and are discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of the TV contract, suddenly UNI isn't just investigating the move, but they already have their bags packed and are just waiting for the MAC's invite to be made official- hence the sooner than later comment.

I couldn't see it happening, so I was drawn in. After several replies, some laden with the obligatory LOL thrown at me, I did some actual investigating. Not only are Dannen's comments being taken a small bit out of context, they are now being magnified. Furthermore, with the vacancy of Temple, suddenly UNI is the next football member in the MAC. My research shows otherwise. Not only is the MAC not in a great hurry to replace Temple, they are being very diligent and cautious. Moreover, if they replace Temple, they are looking within their current footprint, notably to the east to better fit the loss of Temple. In no way, shape or form is the MAC seriously looking at fast expansion and absolutely, they aren't looking at 18 schools.

This all got blown out of proportion, not to the degree the MSU to C-USA blew up, but similar. The fact of the matter is this, every athletic director at every school is continually evaluating the direction of their program. When a reporter asks a question, they do their best to answer without giving much away. Sometimes the horse gets out of the barn even though the D did his or her best to portray the fact that these considerations are always being considered and are just part of the day to day job.

It happened a little while back on Shockernet as well, but the Wichita State fans were pretty quick to get to the bottom of the comments and didn't sully this place with the rumor of them being the next expansion option of the Big 12.

[valleychamp]

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.

“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.

[DoubleJayAlum]

MVJ-

So you're saying Cedar Falls isn't exactly the same thing as Philadelphia?

Better be careful - UNI posters claim size doesn't matter.

[MoValley John]

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.

I can agree with a lot of this, if UNI were asked, they would go. But they haven't been asked and UNI has monumental work to do before the invite would be made.

The WAC is a prime example of why expansion by other conferences is studied ore than just jumping to 16 or even 18 teams. The WAC was a good, albeit not great football conference before their initial land grab. It only took a few years until the wheels fell off and the original members left to create the MWC. Now you have a conference abandoning football altogether and adding any lame program just to keep alive. The Big East also almost died, but since they have football and basketball separated, were able to keep afloat at least for now.

With the uncertainty that expansion has brought historically, it is obvious why the MAC will be carefully weighing their options.

[DoubleJayAlum]

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.

The author of this article has the same suspect math skills illustrated by various UNI posters here. Must be something in the water.
$450,000 x 2 = $900,000
$500,000 x 2 = $1,000,00

Both of which are significantly more than $800,000.

Dannen also believes other FBS schools could earn up to $1 million based on the new four-team playoff.

I know another UNI poster brought this up too, but I still haven't seen anything to explain how the four team playoff generates more money for teams in the MAC. I'm not discounting the possibility, but just would like to see some sort of detailed explanation beyond the word "could," which isn't exactly definitive itself...