Wanting to get the thoughts of the football board

[REALBird]

Once upon a time I would quietly suggest that Illinois State should have considered a number of options before the last domino of realignment just fell.

Those included: pursuing AAC membership to reunite with Tulsa and Wichita State in basketball, and becoming the 12th Football playing member. The AAC has since solved that problem.

Another option would have been Independent Football at FBS level and joining the A-10 for all other sports. Damned you Loyola! Seems as if the A-10 is no longer viable.

My current recommendations are:

Stay MVC in all other sports, go FBS Independent for Football. It’s the only TRUE path to finding an FBS conference. The remaining MVFC members who are successful (NDSU, SDSU) while financially set are geographic outliers. Nobody wants to fly to Fargo or Brookings in December - February/March. Staying in the MVFC/MVC is going to be a death blow for Illinois State. How long before Bradley, Valpo, and others leave to form their own Mid-Major private league?

Go to the MAC, if they will have us. NIU will block it at every turn, but those schools academically are more similar to Illinois State than the current mix of privates and regional Master Program schools.

Wildcard - find another peer school and try to get into the AAC. Talk to the Western KY AD and see if you can get the AAC to expand to 16.
Split into North/South Divisions, East/West to reduce travel. Whatever it takes. You would have former MVC members Tulsa, WSU in hoops, WKU in football.

You would have some great basketball games with Tulsa, Memphis (until they leave too), SMU, WSU. Warmer climates to travel for Football games and larger cities NOLA, Memphis, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Philadelphia, that could expand recruiting for all sports.

Yeah, yeah, yeah….travel would be a BEAR, but in today’s landscape no conference except the MAC is really landlocked anymore. And even the MAC has Buffalo, NY. If you wanna be mentioned with the big guys then you gotta start paying, and playing with the bigger schools, or those with a more visible national lens. The small school mentality has killed ISU for years. TV exposure and national media attention alone would help our academic profile.

This is the Way!

 

[Yogi]

There is no way that ISU can afford FBS football at the present time lets fix our current problems before we make a big jump

 

[Birdswin]

No one is going to "wait" on us - you have to plow forward, no matter your situation. ISU has waited WAY to long now. Sort of like a couple waiting for everything to be right to have kids - before you know, they are in both in the 40's. As Carroll O'Connor in Kelly's Heros - Go, Go, Go - No, do not wait for one minute - Go, Go, Go.

 

[cpacmel]

 

[Reggie1857]

Honestly, there should have been a plan put in place 30-40 years ago. Unfortunately Illinois States continually hired placeholders as A.D.s and not people of action. The world of college athletics has passed Illinois State by while the school was sitting on its hands waiting for opportunities it never put itself in a position to take an advantage of. Attendance and overall fan interest will continue to falloff and it's entirely the fault of the Illinois State administration. It's a shame because it never had to be this way.

 

[Hamdonger]

Unfortunately Illinois States continually hired placeholders as A.D.s and not people of action.

I disagree with this.

Ideally, yes let's do it and do it ASAP.
Is it feasible given our current landscape and the current landscape? No bleeping way.

 

[SlackBooDom]

Honestly, there should have been a plan put in place 30-40 years ago. Unfortunately Illinois States continually hired placeholders as A.D.s and not people of action. The world of college athletics has passed Illinois State by while the school was sitting on its hands waiting for opportunities it never put itself in a position to take an advantage of. Attendance and overall fan interest will continue to falloff and it's entirely the fault of the Illinois State administration. It's a shame because it never had to be this way.

Who specifically do you blame and what are your examples? When was Illinois State sitting on its hands and what concrete examples of opportunities do you have that ISU didn't take advantage of? If it never had to be this way, how would you have changed things if you were in charge? Don't paint with a broad brush of generalities - you sound very confident in your stance. Let us hear the other side.

 

[isuquinndog]

Hindsight is an amazing thing.

 

[ISUBird]

Unless the P5 splits from the rest of the FBS or a weird situation arises with the MVC I wouldn't want to move up.

 

[Aggie]

Until recently ISU never had the facilities and still waiting on the bubble? Regionally NDSU and SDSU have some recognition. MVC has a decent basketball reputation, just not the NCAA appearances. Who is writing the checks? Been thinking for awhile that there is a public/private split coming in the MVC, only question is how the money is divided. I agree if Missouri State goes we need to look at it. Once again who is the ISU T Boone Pickens who will write as many and as big of checks that ISU needs???

 

[MadBird]

This kind of says it all for me, and I'm sure many of you. Runaway greed.

Failed leaders and pathetic backstabbers are ruining college sports

College athletics is in existential crises, going from a small business to a bloated, self-indulgent industry. All that matters is feeding the beast.

www.usatoday.com

When whatever’s going to happen finally happens, the long descent of college athletics into one of America’s most contemptible institutions will be complete. The life’s work of clueless college presidents, soulless conference commissioners and greedy athletics administrators will be the ruin of tradition, the mockery of common sense and the thirst to keep score in dollars above all other metrics.

Look at the dysfunctional industry they’ve built around one of the best on-field products in the world. Look at their determination to ruin what so many people enjoyed for so long. Look at what a shambolic mess College Sports Inc. has shown itself to be this week, throwing itself into a panic spiral that is likely to end with something none of them really wanted in the first place.

And quite a bit more in the column. Read it and weep.

 

[Aggie]

College sports is now on a path of the super conferences and the rest of the NCAA. The three / possibly four super conferences can now have the college football championship without the NCAA. And, they get to keep all the money. I am now hearing why should all these small conferences get automatic bids to the basketball dance, and why do they get a share of the money? The college sport’s world is changing at a rapid pace and I think it looks much different a year from now. ISU is a have not. We can complain all we want but we are not in one of the three super conferences now, or will we be invited to a fourth one. We are not alone and more are probably going to be joining us. The major 3 now do not need the NCAA.
What does ISU do? I think we need to figure out where we fit and how we can prosper in this new world. No use complaining and could of, would of, should of, solve anything now. How does ISU move forward? Maybe the valley should send invites to Oregon and Washington States. All joking aside their world is changing more than ISU’s world right now.

 

[MadBird]

College sports is now on a path of the super conferences and the rest of the NCAA. The three / possibly four super conferences can now have the college football championship without the NCAA. And, they get to keep all the money. I am now hearing why should all these small conferences get automatic bids to the basketball dance, and why do they get a share of the money? The college sport’s world is changing at a rapid pace and I think it looks much different a year from now. ISU is a have not. We can complain all we want but we are not in one of the three super conferences now, or will we be invited to a fourth one. We are not alone and more are probably going to be joining us. The major 3 now do not need the NCAA.
What does ISU do? I think we need to figure out where we fit and how we can prosper in this new world. No use complaining and could of, would of, should of, solve anything now. How does ISU move forward? Maybe the valley should send invites to Oregon and Washington States. All joking aside their world is changing more than ISU’s world right now.

I want nothing to do with the semi-professional crap. I'm happy where we are, and where many many other sane schools are going to be, not running semi-pro sports franchises for the cheap skate NFL and NBA who refuse to fund the minor leagues like baseball does. It will all shake out, life will not be all that different for ISU, and we can continue to run a successful COLLEGIATE sports program.

Just one person's opinion.

 

[Reggie1857]

I want nothing to do with the semi-professional crap. I'm happy where we are, and where many many other sane schools are going to be, not running semi-pro sports franchises for the cheap skate NFL and NBA who refuse to fund the minor leagues like baseball does. It will all shake out, life will not be all that different for ISU, and we can continue to run a successful COLLEGIATE sports program.

Just one person's opinion.

Agreed, it’s too far gone now. We can’t expect the powers that be at Illinois State to pretend to start caring what happens to athletics now. They will go wherever the winds of change take them, not forge a path of their own to reach the destination that’s best for the university. So sad, and such a waste of potential.

 

[ISUBU]

I am not the college football fan that matters.

I like traditions, marching bands, tailgating, actual fans from visiting teams who drove in for the game, trophy games, cheerleaders, fight songs, old alumni wearing old school clothing.

I enjoy a few special, non regional games to see how my team stacks up. I like rivalry games that have been played for decades.

I celebrate the players during their limited time, and then remember some of them for years. The team and school are bigger than any player or coach.

ESPN and FOX and other networks don't care about me and generally I don't care about them. I appreciate being able to watch a game that interests me and I adjust my schedule to watch. But I'm rarely interested in the games that they really hype. I've seen and heard them pump up the games that they are contracted to show. They are not about finding champions, or tradition, or fair play, or academics, or players becoming good citizens. They are only about ratings and they will manufacture controversies, conflicts, and hype hype hype to convince viewers that the game on their network is the only one to watch.

I know I don't matter very much to them because I generally don't watch what they're promoting. The more that they control the schedules the less interest I'll have.

 

[MadBird]

I am not the college football fan that matters.

I like traditions, marching bands, tailgating, actual fans from visiting teams who drove in for the game, trophy games, cheerleaders, fight songs, old alumni wearing old school clothing.

I enjoy a few special, non regional games to see how my team stacks up. I like rivalry games that have been played for decades.

I celebrate the players during their limited time, and then remember some of them for years. The team and school are bigger than any player or coach.

ESPN and FOX and other networks don't care about me and generally I don't care about them. I appreciate being able to watch a game that interests me and I adjust my schedule to watch. But I'm rarely interested in the games that they really hype. I've seen and heard them pump up the games that they are contracted to show. They are not about finding champions, or tradition, or fair play, or academics, or players becoming good citizens. They are only about ratings and they will manufacture controversies, conflicts, and hype hype hype to convince viewers that the game on their network is the only one to watch.

I know I don't matter very much to them because I generally don't watch what they're promoting. The more that they control the schedules the less interest I'll have.

Amen brother.

 

[Total Red]

I am not the college football fan that matters.

I like traditions, marching bands, tailgating, actual fans from visiting teams who drove in for the game, trophy games, cheerleaders, fight songs, old alumni wearing old school clothing.

I enjoy a few special, non regional games to see how my team stacks up. I like rivalry games that have been played for decades.

I celebrate the players during their limited time, and then remember some of them for years. The team and school are bigger than any player or coach.

ESPN and FOX and other networks don't care about me and generally I don't care about them. I appreciate being able to watch a game that interests me and I adjust my schedule to watch. But I'm rarely interested in the games that they really hype. I've seen and heard them pump up the games that they are contracted to show. They are not about finding champions, or tradition, or fair play, or academics, or players becoming good citizens. They are only about ratings and they will manufacture controversies, conflicts, and hype hype hype to convince viewers that the game on their network is the only one to watch.

I know I don't matter very much to them because I generally don't watch what they're promoting. The more that they control the schedules the less interest I'll have.

The game of football is evolving towards post college professional (NFL, CFL, USFL), college professional (the Power 5 conferences which may become the Power 2 or 3) and primarily amateur college football which will include lower FBS, FCS, D-II, D-III, NAIA. ESPN and Fox will focus on the college professionals. My heart remains with Illinois State and amateur college football for all the reasons you mentioned, but my interest in college football is high enough that I will watch my share of professional college football.

As a fan I don't like a lot of the changes that have taken place, but I understand them, and I wouldn't try to change them. The transfer portal sucks for fans because we become invested in players, but then they get good and leave. But college coaches have the ability to pack up leave for perceived greener pastures, shouldn't players have the same right? I believe they should.
Also college football is big business and it produces a ton of money at the P5 level. Who should get that money? P5 Head coaches make around $5 million a year and a few make over 10 million. Conferences haul in millions which is distributed to member schools. The NCAA gets a hefty cut. And I have to assume that the TV networks are doing well with high ratings because they keep increasing bids for the rights to cover major college games. So everybody was getting rich except the actual participants that put their bodies on the line. Now a few stars players will be able to get rich in college with lucrative NIL deals. I'm ok with that. NIL doesn't just apply to P5, but it will be rare for players outside the P5 to get mega deals. If FCS players get an NIL, it will probably cover gas money, a trip home, or a date that includes a meal fancier than "Taco Tuesday." In other words, an upper crust of college players will get rich playing college ball while most will only earn enough to cover some basic expenses that their scholarship may not cover. Again, I'm fine with that.

So I'll see you at the games as a fellow alumnus wearing old school clothing. And after the game I'll go home and grumble that it's not like it used to be but then I'll turn on the TV and watch some professional college football. There has always been the suspicion that star players were getting paid and sometimes it was true. Now it's just more in the open.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

The game of football is evolving towards post college professional (NFL, CFL, USFL), college professional (the Power 5 conferences which may become the Power 2 or 3) and primarily amateur college football which will include lower FBS, FCS, D-II, D-III, NAIA. ESPN and Fox will focus on the college professionals. My heart remains with Illinois State and amateur college football for all the reasons you mentioned, but my interest in college football is high enough that I will watch my share of professional college football.

As a fan I don't like a lot of the changes that have taken place, but I understand them, and I wouldn't try to change them. The transfer portal sucks for fans because we become invested in players, but then they get good and leave. But college coaches have the ability to pack up leave for perceived greener pastures, shouldn't players have the same right? I believe they should.
Also college football is big business and it produces a ton of money at the P5 level. Who should get that money? P5 Head coaches make around $5 million a year and a few make over 10 million. Conferences haul in millions which is distributed to member schools. The NCAA gets a hefty cut. And I have to assume that the TV networks are doing well with high ratings because they keep increasing bids for the rights to cover major college games. So everybody was getting rich except the actual participants that put their bodies on the line. Now a few stars players will be able to get rich in college with lucrative NIL deals. I'm ok with that. NIL doesn't just apply to P5, but it will be rare for players outside the P5 to get mega deals. If FCS players get an NIL, it will probably cover gas money, a trip home, or a date that includes a meal fancier than "Taco Tuesday." In other words, an upper crust of college players will get rich playing college ball while most will only earn enough to cover some basic expenses that their scholarship may not cover. Again, I'm fine with that.

So I'll see you at the games as a fellow alumnus wearing old school clothing. And after the game I'll go home and grumble that it's not like it used to be but then I'll turn on the TV and watch some professional college football. There has always been the suspicion that star players were getting paid and sometimes it was true. Now it's just more in the open.

I fully agree that the landscape is changing and is never going back. Too much money, just far too much money to have any concern for tradition, etc. We don't have to like it but it is not going to change. I have a different take than you do though TR. I was a rabid Notre Dame fan. I went to a bunch of games there, visited the campus on a somewhat regular basis when I was in the Midwest, continued to buy merchandise and follow the games each and every week up until about 3 years ago. I was a big Michigan fan as well having spent 7 years in the Detroit area and becoming a big Blue fan as well. My very first big-time college game was Illinois v. Purdue back in 1967. I can still recall walking into Memorial Stadium and seeing just how huge it was. The band, and the cheerleaders (I was a High School sophomore after all) left a big impression on me. On the field was a big star at the time for Purdue, Leroy Keyes. A running back compared at the time to OJ out west. Purdue clobbered Illinois that day but I was hooked on big-time college football. What a great spectacle! Now, I have not watched a single ND or Michigan game in over three years. I have not purchased a single item of merchandise either. I have not watched the National Championship game in over 4 years. I just don't care anymore. I have made it to Hancock twice and purchased some merchandise as well over that time frame. I tune in to ESPN+ every Saturday. I am the minority of the college football fan base now I fully understand. Still as I see USC and UCLA enter into the Big10, it just pushes me further away from any interest in following this growing professional mess. I almost certainly will not tune into an ND or Michigan game this year. I will be watching FCS and going to High School games. That is just me though.

 

[topiarydan]

I see what is happening with NIL and BCS consolidation as a good thing - it will eventually lead to a collosal implosion in athletic departments. Remember football is a DYING sport no matter what we say - sure popular but losing kids who are not playing the sport. Plus football of 32-40 elite teams cannot sustain since you're always going to have losers. Eventually the Missouris, Iowa States, etc are going to F this and leave for alternatives. In the meantime there will be opportunities in a consolidation of FBS and FCS - where smaller FCS will go back to Division 2 if they wish to keep their football programs or not. ISU will eventually be in with the likes of the Tulsas, WKUs, Memphis, etc where solid regional conferences will reign. Again that's my long range vision - who could have ever imagined the PAC 10 conference would have ever imploded? Not me

 

[Hamdonger]

I see what is happening with NIL and BCS consolidation as a good thing - it will eventually lead to a collosal implosion in athletic departments.

Yeah I really think so too. But this is such a moving target its hard to precisely predict. One thing - all this "gifting" and money exchanging hands via NIL...the IRS is anxiously waiting to show it all as 1099 income.