Moving up

[Justwinbaby]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

[NavyBlue]

There is a poll on the MWC board about who to add. Add no one is getting the most votes, but the Montana schools are getting some votes.

https://www.mwcboard.com/index.php?/top ... /#comments

[damnyoutuesday]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

[Hawks86]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is one of the reasons. The main one being they weren't ready.

[Rich K]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is one of the reasons. The main one being they weren't ready.

Correct. We all saw what happens when a University takes the leap when they aren't ready first hand with the Vandals.
Just a back of envelope estimate I think MSU is closer to being ready than the gris. I think if MSU gets an offer it should except it and when and if UM is prepared they take the leap at that time.

[Justwinbaby]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

[Cataholic]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

Not sure UM ever had an offer to move to the Mountain West. Here is an article with Haslem from last year dispelling rumors about UM moving up.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky ... c.amp.html

[coloradocat]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

There may be no binding rule but the decision is likely not up to either school, it's up to the Montana University System, which oversees all public universities/colleges in the state. There are enough politics involved that they wouldn't let one of the two be left behind.

[damnyoutuesday]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Unless the legislature or Board of Regents step in if one gets the call and the other doesn't, there's not anything stopping one school from leaving the other.

I'm torn on moving up. There's not many Big Sky Conference games that get me excited anymore because of how apathetic most of our conference's fanbases and athletic departments are, but FCS playoffs are so much fun. Moving into the MWC would give us much more interesting matchups on a weekly basis with fans who actually care, but 95% of bowls are such a buzzkill at the end of the season

[Hawks86]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

Not sure UM ever had an offer to move to the Mountain West. Here is an article with Haslem from last year dispelling rumors about UM moving up.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky ... c.amp.html

I'm sure he meant the WAC.

[damnyoutuesday]

Also we'd probably have to add at least one team to move to the MWC.

We sponsor 6/8 men's MWC sports, which seems to be fine. We would be the only school without a men's golf team. The other sport we don't sponsor is baseball, but the 4 northern MWC schools don't sponsor it either, so I think we're fine.

We sponsor 7/10 women's MWC sports, which would be the lowest in the conference. We currently field the lowest number of women's teams in the Big Sky. We would have to probably add a softball or soccer team (why we are the only Big Sky school without a soccer team, I do not know), and we'd probably be fine without a swimming & diving team.

I don't know all the in's and out's of Title IX, but we would probably have to add one women's team to make up for the increased football scholarships, which for the climate of Bozeman, would have to be a women's soccer team.

And a side note is that a cool caveat of playing in the MWC is on top of having a 12 game schedule, any year we have @Hawaii on the schedule we could add a 13th game. Since the MWC only does an 8 game conference schedule, we could theoretically have up to 9 home games in a season if we wanted to (we'd probably want at least 1 or 2 OOC buy-games from bigger schools, so 9 probably won't happen often)

[cats2506]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Unless the legislature or Board of Regents step in if one gets the call and the other doesn't, there's not anything stopping one school from leaving the other.

I'm torn on moving up. There's not many Big Sky Conference games that get me excited anymore because of how apathetic most of our conference's fanbases and athletic departments are, but FCS playoffs are so much fun. Moving into the MWC would give us much more interesting matchups on a weekly basis with fans who actually care, but 95% of bowls are such a buzzkill at the end of the season

Really, you don't get excited about the BSC games, Weber is always a dogfight, Sac is almost always loaded with talent, Davis is a solid program and a high quality outfit, Idaho seems to be back and should be a solid contender for years to come, EWU is in a slump right now, I don't know if they will be what they once were, but the eagles have put up some solid teams with little resources. Yeah PSU and UNC don't generate much excitement, I feel bad for ISU, they have a great history, NAU is always scrappy and a tough place to play, and then there is the JC over the divide.

[NavyBlue]

[Cataholic]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

Not sure UM ever had an offer to move to the Mountain West. Here is an article with Haslem from last year dispelling rumors about UM moving up.

https://406mtsports.com/college/big-sky ... c.amp.html

I'm sure he meant the WAC.

There was (and still is) a big difference between the WAC and MWC. The offer to UM to join the WAC in 2008 was not a real attractive option to move up. Just 4 years later, the WAC would no longer have conference football. I don’t think any Montana school has ever been offered to join the MWC in the past. I do think the environment has changed though and expect more schools to leave the MWC opening the door for both MSU and UM. Even though UM is struggling financially, I can’t see the Board of Regents letting MSU move without UM. And UM has the athletic facilities to compete.

[PapaG]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Board of Regents would never approve one moving up to FBS without the other simply based on funding. UM was never seriously considered by the MWC anyhow, not sure where that rumor came from other than a fever dream from an egris poster who had zero inside information.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Also we'd probably have to add at least one team to move to the MWC.

We sponsor 6/8 men's MWC sports, which seems to be fine. We would be the only school without a men's golf team. The other sport we don't sponsor is baseball, but the 4 northern MWC schools don't sponsor it either, so I think we're fine.

We sponsor 7/10 women's MWC sports, which would be the lowest in the conference. We currently field the lowest number of women's teams in the Big Sky. We would have to probably add a softball or soccer team (why we are the only Big Sky school without a soccer team, I do not know), and we'd probably be fine without a swimming & diving team.

I don't know all the in's and out's of Title IX, but we would probably have to add one women's team to make up for the increased football scholarships, which for the climate of Bozeman, would have to be a women's soccer team.

And a side note is that a cool caveat of playing in the MWC is on top of having a 12 game schedule, any year we have @Hawaii on the schedule we could add a 13th game. Since the MWC only does an 8 game conference schedule, we could theoretically have up to 9 home games in a season if we wanted to (we'd probably want at least 1 or 2 OOC buy-games from bigger schools, so 9 probably won't happen often)

The Mountain West is adding Women’s Gymnastics in 2023-2024. The head count is maybe a little short of the FCS - FBS football differential, but it is a sport that’s hugely under-represented at the college level in this region. I’m thinking that with MSU’s excellence in academics, they could get a competitive team up and running relatively quickly. It’s an ideal sport for MSU, as it’s most frequently played indoors.

[Utcatsfan]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Board of Regents would never approve one moving up to FBS without the other simply based on funding. UM was never seriously considered by the MWC anyhow, not sure where that rumor came from other than a fever dream from an egris poster who had zero inside information.

Seems like they meant to say the WAC

[damnyoutuesday]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Board of Regents would never approve one moving up to FBS without the other simply based on funding. UM was never seriously considered by the MWC anyhow, not sure where that rumor came from other than a fever dream from an egris poster who had zero inside information.

Seems like they meant to say the WAC

I did. Forgot WAC used to be a big boy conference

[onceacat]

Where does the idea that griz and Cats have to BOTH move up at the same time come from?

Is that based in law/policy/other?

Thanks in advance.

It's based on the idea that the two schools and our rivalry mean enough to the state (both financially and in morale) that one won't leave the other. Montana supposedly got an invite about a decade ago from the MWC and declined because we weren't invited

That is interesting! So, if one was invited - there is really no binding rule preventing the move?

I don't have an opinion one way or another - it's fun to rip through a real bracket in the FCS tho.

Unless the legislature or Board of Regents step in if one gets the call and the other doesn't, there's not anything stopping one school from leaving the other.

I'm torn on moving up. There's not many Big Sky Conference games that get me excited anymore because of how apathetic most of our conference's fanbases and athletic departments are, but FCS playoffs are so much fun. Moving into the MWC would give us much more interesting matchups on a weekly basis with fans who actually care, but 95% of bowls are such a buzzkill at the end of the season

I'm pretty confident that the BOR needs to approve any decision on this. And int pretty confident (although less so) that a majority on the BOR was opposed to letting one MT school move up without the other.

Obviously that was a decade ago & the BOR is ultimately a political body, but I'm not sure thats changed.

[msubobcat]