Idaho's Future

[SkyRider]

This is interesting:

If the Vandals join, it would put the conference at 14 football playing members — a pretty large number for one automatic qualifying spot. And that’s why the league would consider splitting the league into two conferences for football, if Idaho did join.

“The talk, honestly, is having another football conference,” Loghry said. “Everybody in the Big Sky for all sports, then having an — ala the Missouri Valley or Ohio Valley — a football only conference. So develop something like that for half the teams, and the other half would carry the Big Sky name still. Then you build a schedule among those two conferences.

“To go to divisions is an option, but you are still sharing one AQ,” he continued. “Where if you go into two separate conferences, then you could get an AQ for each one. Seven teams fight for an AQ and seven more fight for another one and you get two or three more in.”

How the conference would split is still unknown. While there have been theories floated around about a possible FBS/FCS split, more likely, the conference would be divided based off geography.

While Idaho is the more natural fit, with it being an original member and with all the non-football sports already in, New Mexico State to join the conference is a possibility, as well.

Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton said last summer that he believes both Idaho and New Mexico State would benefit by dropping down and joining the Big Sky.

Follow Ryan Miller on Twitter, @millerjryan.

http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports ... /81167778/

[Catfanatic84]

It's official....Idaho will be out of the Sun Belt after the 2017 season....

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/co ... 54392.html\

[Rich K]

Blowing up in facebook
https://www.facebook.com/uidaho/?5=nf

[MSU01]

Blowing up in facebook
https://www.facebook.com/uidaho/?5=nf

I love the comments about how bad attendance would be if Idaho joins the Big Sky...as if it they're currently drawing overflow sellout crowds playing in the Sun Belt! I'd love to see Idaho football back in the Big Sky and the conference split for football is very intriguing. A 7-team football conference of MSU, UM, UND, EWU, UI, ISU, and WSU with easy to schedule non-conference opponents from the UNC, SUU, NAU, CP, UCD, SAC, PSU side of the conference could do wonders for MSU trying to fill out its schedule with FCS teams each year.

[luckyirishguy25]

The latest they've come up with on their forum is the FCS isn't monetarily viable for anyone, so we will be dropping football soon... and there is no exposure at the FCS level, even though UM has DOUBLE the players in the NFL than Idaho has... and if they have to drop down to FCS because they can't make as an Independent, they might as well drop football entirely because the fate of FCS is worse than having any football at all... I swear these guys can't get over themselves.

[Hawks86]

Their board and attitude get a big . They are too good for the BSC in football and now it was a bad decision to join for all the other sports. So, by the power vested in me, I rescind the offer for Idaho football to join the BSC and give them notice of all sports to vacate the BSC within 2 years.

[John K]

The latest they've come up with on their forum is the FCS isn't monetarily viable for anyone, so we will be dropping football soon... and there is no exposure at the FCS level, even though UM has DOUBLE the players in the NFL than Idaho has... and if they have to drop down to FCS because they can't make as an Independent, they might as well drop football entirely because the fate of FCS is worse than having any football at all... I swear these guys can't get over themselves.

How many times has NDSU been on national TV over the past 5 years, compared to Idaho? How many times has GameDay been to Moscow, compared to Fargo? How many times has Idaho been featured on the College Football Kickoff game? I have no idea what sort of regional TV coverage Idaho had while in the Sun Belt, but I'd be surprised if it was any better than the BSC's coverage with Root the last few years. When I scroll through the channel guide on Saturdays in the fall, I'm always surprised to see how many FCS games are now available on Charter, via various networks.

I understand that this is a very tough pill for them to swallow, but if they look at it objectively and rationally, I think they'd realize that this isn't the end of football life as they know it. And if/when the long anticipated restructuring of D-I football finally happens, I'm sure they'll be glad that they suffered the indignity of playing in the BSC/FCS for a few years, rather than dropping the program.

[3-7-77]

I'm fairly certain both Montana school's DOUBLE Idaho's home game attendance...

You think?

Had to find figures to support this hoot of a picture. Average attendance for the last ten years:

2015. 11847(74%)
2014. 12886(81%)
2013. 14753(92%)
2012. 12581(79%)
2011. 11979(75%)
2010. 12729(80%)
2009. 12545(78%)
2008. 15080(94%)
2007. 11479(72%)
2006. 14543(91%)

Kibble Dome seats 16,000. Sold out three times in the last ten years, Boise State(2), and Colorado State. Picture looks a lot like the second half kickoff, at the Kibbie Dome......or WGS, or Bobcat Stadium. Funny though.

[kmax]

I'm fairly certain both Montana school's DOUBLE Idaho's home game attendance...

You think?

Had to find figures to support this hoot of a picture. Average attendance for the last ten years:

2015. 11847(74%)
2014. 12886(81%)
2013. 14753(92%)
2012. 12581(79%)
2011. 11979(75%)
2010. 12729(80%)
2009. 12545(78%)
2008. 15080(94%)
2007. 11479(72%)
2006. 14543(91%)

Kibble Dome seats 16,000. Sold out three times in the last ten years, Boise State(2), and Colorado State. Picture looks a lot like the second half kickoff, at the Kibbie Dome......or WGS, or Bobcat Stadium. Funny though.

Not sure where the numbers came from and if they are including it but note that for a few years back in the 2000's when the NCAA was pretending to crack down on their attendance minimums that Idaho played "home" games against Washington State at Martin Stadium in Pullman and then counted that towards their attendance figures to pull it up near the acceptable NCAA minimums. Assuming your numbers include those, I would bet that accounts for the bump in 2006 and 2008.

[John K]

I'm fairly certain both Montana school's DOUBLE Idaho's home game attendance...

You think?

Had to find figures to support this hoot of a picture. Average attendance for the last ten years:

2015. 11847(74%)
2014. 12886(81%)
2013. 14753(92%)
2012. 12581(79%)
2011. 11979(75%)
2010. 12729(80%)
2009. 12545(78%)
2008. 15080(94%)
2007. 11479(72%)
2006. 14543(91%)

Kibble Dome seats 16,000. Sold out three times in the last ten years, Boise State(2), and Colorado State. Picture looks a lot like the second half kickoff, at the Kibbie Dome......or WGS, or Bobcat Stadium. Funny though.

Not sure where the numbers came from and if they are including it but note that for a few years back in the 2000's when the NCAA was pretending to crack down on their attendance minimums that Idaho played "home" games against Washington State at Martin Stadium in Pullman and then counted that towards their attendance figures to pull it up near the acceptable NCAA minimums. Assuming your numbers include those, I would bet that accounts for the bump in 2006 and 2008.

Didn't they actually play all, or at least most of their home games at Martin Stadium for a few years back then? Not just the games against WSU?

[3-7-77]

I'm fairly certain both Montana school's DOUBLE Idaho's home game attendance...

You think?

Had to find figures to support this hoot of a picture. Average attendance for the last ten years:

2015. 11847(74%)
2014. 12886(81%)
2013. 14753(92%)
2012. 12581(79%)
2011. 11979(75%)
2010. 12729(80%)
2009. 12545(78%)
2008. 15080(94%)
2007. 11479(72%)
2006. 14543(91%)

Kibble Dome seats 16,000. Sold out three times in the last ten years, Boise State(2), and Colorado State. Picture looks a lot like the second half kickoff, at the Kibbie Dome......or WGS, or Bobcat Stadium. Funny though.

Not sure where the numbers came from and if they are including it but note that for a few years back in the 2000's when the NCAA was pretending to crack down on their attendance minimums that Idaho played "home" games against Washington State at Martin Stadium in Pullman and then counted that towards their attendance figures to pull it up near the acceptable NCAA minimums. Assuming your numbers include those, I would bet that accounts for the bump in 2006 and 2008.

Didn't they actually play all, or at least most of their home games at Martin Stadium for a few years back then? Not just the games against WSU?

Numbers came from Wiki. While looking for data, I came across articles about the history of their BCS debacle. They did, or were at least scheduled, to play in Martin Stadium when the NCAA was huffing and puffing about dropping any program that didn't have a rolling average over a two year period of 15,000. There were quite a few programs in that bucket, and the NCAA evidently eliminated the requirement or just swept it under the rug. Idaho did come up with some gimmicks to increase attendance, including two-fers. I couldn't find what the price of tickets was at any particular time, so slashing prices may have played a roll as well. The 2006 and 2008 figures are outliers. Maybe UI just 'lied.' Amazing how they just barely got over the magic number for all but one game. ***The maximum was 17,000 for the Boise State game on October 21,and the minimum was 10,435 for the San Jose State game on November 25, two days after Thanksgiving(Wiki).
The maximum was 17,000 for the Boise State game on October 21,
and the minimum was 10,435 for the San Jose State game on November 25, two days after Thanksgiving.
Spear(2012) laid out four different scenarios, in THE ARGONAUT'S IDAHO VANDALS SPORTS BLOG, that could play out for the Idaho:
Finding an FBS conference home for all sports.
Placing football in a separate conference than the olympic sports. This would likely be the Sun Belt option. The problem would therein lie in finding the olympic sport home. Salvaging the WAC as a non-football conference could be a solution.
Independence. That comes with its own can of worms of complications. Finding a bowl tie in, consistent scheduling partners and enough teams willing to come to Moscow become a huge challenge.
FCS football and the Big Sky, only if it could lead a return back to the FBS.
...Making a move down to the Big Sky would only happen with the hope that the vision of the conference would be to incorporate itself in to the highest levels of college football once the dominoes fall with the major conference powers.

[Hawks86]

Idaho And New Mexico State Considering Dropping Down In Football-More Should Think About It

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bdavidridpa ... 7567802ad8

[John K]

Idaho And New Mexico State Considering Dropping Down In Football-More Should Think About It

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bdavidridpa ... 7567802ad8

I could not agree more. There are a bunch of schools out there that are only masquerading as FBS level programs. Many have moved up in recent years, that really have no business trying to compete at that level, and will never achieve sustained success. For every Boise State, there's at least 10 Idahos. And the gap between the P-5 and the G-5 conferences will only continue to grow wider and wider in the future.

[allcat]

Idaho And New Mexico State Considering Dropping Down In Football-More Should Think About It

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bdavidridpa ... 7567802ad8

I could not agree more. There are a bunch of schools out there that are only masquerading as FBS level programs. Many have moved up in recent years, that really have no business trying to compete at that level, and will never achieve sustained success. For every Boise State, there's at least 10 Idahos. And the gap between the P-5 and the G-5 conferences will only continue to grow wider and wider in the future.

His main point is the scholarship cost savings. In his words I reject the idea of cost savings.. Although the books my demonstrate this 500,000, I don't think the actual cost is that high when you look at he books of the whole university. I do think there are many other cost savings, just not the scholarship one.

[HelenaCat95]

You know it's bad for Idaho and NMSU when the Sun Belt drops them, but adds Trump University.


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[SkyRider]

I'm not sure at what point during the game that previous picture was taken. It was against Wofford. Idaho's own fans make fun of the announced attendance, because it's, shall we say, exaggerated. I don't know what the truth is, but I've heard different stories on attendance. I've heard they give out freebies, but internally mark those tickets as having some monetary value. I've also heard that they'll earmark monetary gifts as tickets sold -- i.e. somebody makes a donation to the athletic department (let's say for $10,000), and they'll "buy" $10,000 worth of tickets with that donation.

ESPN's game recaps often include pics and video clips of their games. You can see for yourself. This one was from a year and a half ago, the 2014 season, against South Alabama.

[cats2506]

I honestly believe that they would have a more excitement (and attendance) playing MSU, UM, EWU or ISU than playing Wooford or South Alabama. The only thing I see holding them back from dropping down is their alums having to face BSU fans on a day to day basis, otherwise I think they would find more exciting and winnable games against natural regional rivals.

I have no desire for MSU to move up, MSU will never be a P5 team and the G5 (or whatever they are called) are just wannabes that cant raise the funds to be a P5. If MSU wants the grow the athletic department add wrestling and a corresponding girls sport. Right now there are enough native Montanans wrestling DI to fill a full wrestling roster.

[BelgradeBobcat]

Back in 2000 we went to watch the Bobcats play the Vandals in Washington State's Martin Stadium. Walking up to the stadium some guy gave us all the tickets we needed for free. He had a whole stack of them in his hand. I think in those days they had local businesses buying up large blocks of tickets and distributing them. The listed attendance that night was 13,000 or so but Martin Stadium was pretty empty. And Idaho had a pretty good team that year-granted MSU wasn't much of a draw (that was Kramer's first season). It was kind of a weird experience.

[Rich K]

Speaking of attendance, the might Vandals basketball team is closing in on a 20 win season and played the top team in the Big Sky last night at home. Bobcats played a middle of the pack Northern Colorado team. Not sure what it means but we had more in attendance than Idaho.

Go Cats!

[Pecos24]

I honestly believe that they would have a more excitement (and attendance) playing MSU, UM, EWU or ISU than playing Wooford or South Alabama. The only thing I see holding them back from dropping down is their alums having to face BSU fans on a day to day basis, otherwise I think they would find more exciting and winnable games against natural regional rivals.....

If you read their forums it sounds like the majority of their fans would rather Idaho drop football altogether than drop to FCS. If they do drop down a lot of them claim they will pull their support for the program.

For your entertainment, here is the link to the Vandal forum solely dedicated to the FBS/FCS debate: http://www.scout.com/college/idaho/foru ... ealignment