Before I get too far into this, Let me say I have been and am still in favor of moving up, but only under the right circumstances. The circumstances of moving up just to do it, is not the right circumstances. Also let me add, over time PR and I have had a few disagreements here, and will continue to now and then. His efforts to support the why not to move is as good as efforts on either side. I appreciate the time he has taken to find the information he has. His efforts, and a few others have not changed what I want our outcome to be, but how to go about it. I like to try being open minded, and fair in most cases.
I have been anywhere from 50/50 to 90/10(in favor of moving up) over the last several years. I was very pro moving up, prior to dissolving of the former WAC with Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State, etc. Unless fellow BSC teams step up the quality of their programs, and fan suport, I still want to get the hell out of this going nowhere conference. Part of that is because of my love for GRIZ basketball as well. I cannot stand how crappy the conference is beyond Montana and Weber State. I do feel UND and UNC are close to having pretty solid programs too. In football, the only well supported teams are both in Montana. Again, feel UND will be a very good football program too. EWU has a great program, and making the efforts to become more of a player too, which I appreciate and commend them for ( I do hope EWU gets the long over due fan support they have earned).
With all that said, I hope our powers to be and/or powers to be from other schools in the region get together to come up with a game plan that will work for the GRIZ and whatever other schools want to join in the effort to better each school through athletics.
With that said, I do believe sometime between 2015 and 2020 the major BCS conferences will separate themselves, and in an essence force many programs/schools out of their level. That will be what Montana, Idaho, the Dakotas, Wyoming, etc will need to play on level with our peer schools, and be much more cost effective, without the risk it currently has. I believe, the powers to be have indeed made the right decision to wait for things to play out. Financially we just are not in the position to come ahead, as things stand now .
As much as I would like to dispute this, realistically speaking Montana just does not have the financial backing to make this move be favorable for us. The reality is, travel costs, higher coaching salaries, more scholarships, more sports, and better facilities are just not the worth financial risk. I do think it would be digging the U of M and the state a huge financial graveyard, as things are right now.
As we have heard countless times in life and on egriz, times change. Too many, we don't know what the powers to be have in mind to counter the changing times and environment of college athletics. This is the frustrating part, the powers to be have not given us any game plans, or what needs to be done to prepare for the changes. It seems like we have stayed at the same level and status quo for the better part of 20 years now.
As things are in today's college athletics, I believe the states of MT, ID, WY, ND, SD, NE, and NM just cannot afford more than one major competitive athletic school in each state. WY and NE already have a good to excellent system in place. What level do these states want to compete in collegiate athletics? What are their residents willing to do to support whatever level is decided? What can be done to get more corporations and money coming into each state to support college athletics better? How willing are the fan bases of Montana and Montana State willing to go to compete at the highest level nationally? What are the residents or ID, SD, ND, and NM willing to do?
AS someone who lived in Nebraska for 10 years, and likely to be moving back there this summer, I can tell you there is not a better game day experience or college football fan base than Husker Nation. Like Montana it is considered a smaller state with people coming from all over Nebraska and surrounding states to share in Husker Game Day. Keep in mind Univ Neb Omaha (UNO) has the population, funding, corporate sponsorships and alumni to compete with Nebraska (Univ Nebraska Lincoln-aka Nebraska), if they should decide to pursue another Div 1 athletic program. When the state committed to this, and how they have stayed committed to this is well beyond me, but I commend them for being faithful to this model. It is flat out amazing how the whole State is behind only 1 major athletic program, and accepts it, with very little complaining, and debates within the state.
In my opinion, with the environment that is collegiate athletics these days, we have 2 ways to make progress and game plan around.
(1) Montana, Montana State, UND, NDSU, SD, SDSU, NM State, ID, Weber State, UNI, EWU (I love their efforts they are making), Missouri State, U of San Diego, Cal Poly, Cal Davis, and possibly Sac State, Portland State, Seattle, Denver (if those schools wanted to add football) should join forces in creating a new Mid West to Pacific Coast Conference. I am sure a few of you can add other perspective schools to this list too.
Missouri State would be out of place geographically, But have solid programs, and looking for better option from what I have heard.
Weber State and EWU- Would need to get more fans to commit to attending football games. I am not sure how much of a challenge that is for them, maybe their fans can weigh in on this.
Idaho- they do need to improve their playing facility a lot, but they are already working on that. What do their fans think?
Portland State and Sac State-their fan support and facilities need upgraded a lot, but they are in markets that are attractive. I can take them or leave them.
UNI is a great fit and in the same boat as the MT, SD, ND schools. They would add another solid midwest presence to go with Missouri State too.
Seattle and Denver have a lot of upside for basketball, good financial backing, influential alumni, and great markets. I hear many Denver Alumni say they wish they had football, and would be willing to donate to make it happen. Even if it is for basketball only, I would love to have these schools in our conference.
(2) As much as I hate to admit it, and suggest it, have the state of Montana commit to having only 1 major college athletic program. I prefer Missoula, but would certainly support it in Bozeman too. It has worked for Wyoming, and has been perfect for Nebraska.
Overall, I do feel some of us are not realistic about the finances and circumstances involving this kind of move as is.
