EWU

[PlayerRep]

Eastern needs some serious outside support from a booster or 5 to stay FCS/Div 1. They just are such a small fish in a big pond and have 0 ways to really recoup the money each year to support their programs. I’m guessing in D2 they would still get fan attendance across all sports that the do now and revenue would stay similar. Sure they don’t get ncaa kick outs like you do at Div 1 but their requirements and expenditures decrease substantially at the D2 level. This savings alone will probably satisfy the board, who seems already ready to move on from D1. The last comments say it all. Ewu will join other NW directions schools very soon at the sub D1 level.

I expect this to be a conversation that many universities have in the near future. It may push the conversation of the NCAA re dividing division 1/fcs/2, atleast in the football world.

My impression is that your first para is probably correct. EWU seems to have virtually no way to remain FCS.

 

[Grizfan-24]

Eastern's chances at staying D1 is vastly better than what is being reported. Their finances are a mess and there are some members of the athletic department and main hall that would love to kick the football program to the curb as I noted in prior posts. I don't think that sentiment is one just isolated to Cheney.

The problem isn't just football, it is the athletic department and the school in general. The perception is from the academic side they want to go the direction of Western Washington who made similar athletic department cuts a decade ago.

Back to the larger point, there is a ton of booster support to do anything to keep football and stay at the DI level and I think from the limited information I have, there is a push to create a separate endowment for athletics to help bolster the annual budget. I don't know how far they have got in it, or whether it has the support of the athletic department or administration in Cheney. There are a few in here that might know more in that regard.