IdaGriz01
Well-known member
On some thread about the changing FCS/FBS landscape, someone posted a list of the teams that ended up top-ranked in the FCS poll .. . and where they might stand in the “move up” debate. I thought it might be of interest to “follow the money” -- which, for the FCS with almost no TV $$$ -- means home attendance. (Did not try to factor in “money” games with FBS opponents.) The list below is ordered by the average home attendance, shown in brackets. To cross-link with the polls, I show ranked teams in red (FCS poll) or green (black colleges poll). The few shown in blue are programs that have some history of being strong.
Then, as best I could, I trolled news web sites and fan blogs to assess how much interest a program seemed to have in the move up question -- the results noted last on a line. A blank does not necessarily mean there is no interest, just that I could not find anything definite. The results are not pretty.
1. Appalachian St. [26,358] Sun Belt, 2014
2. Montana [25,236] Who knows?
3. James Madison [22,783] Good possibility
4. Old Dominion [20,037] Gone
5. Delaware [18,542] Under discussion
6. North Dakota St. [18516] “Monitoring” + some discussion
7. Ga. Southern [18,487] Sun Belt, 2014
8. Montana St. [17,627] Who knows?
9. Southern U. [16,602]
10. Tennessee St. [16,586] Some discussion
11. Liberty [16,318] Seriously exploring
12. South Carolina St. [16,179] Some discussion
13. Jacksonville St. [16,006] Exploring
14. Alabama St. [15,514] Some discussion
15. Jackson St. [14,462]
16. Florida A&M [14,077]
17. Youngstown St. [14,308] Probably go, if a conference said OK
18. Citadel [13,574]
19. Norfolk St. [12,898]
20. Yale 12,453
21* Georgia St. [12,309] Announced FBS intention
21* Sam Houston St. [12,260] Under discussion
22. UNI [11,905] Under discussion
* Extracted from school web site, since the NCAA did not post their averages.
50. Cal Poly [8,566] Under discussion
64. Villanova [7,144] Exploring
69. NAU [6,787] Under discussion
Of the top 23 attendance leaders, three are already gone (essentially), three or four would go if a conference approached them, and maybe eight are considering the notion. That’s over half, and about ten of those are among the top ranked (polls) teams. You can then factor in the three high-ranked but low-attendance programs that are seriously discussing a move up option.
Not trying to draw any conclusions, or claim that much will happen from all this. Still, it’s clear that the high end (attendance = $$, and/or football strength) of the FCS pond could be “in play” to leave.
Then, as best I could, I trolled news web sites and fan blogs to assess how much interest a program seemed to have in the move up question -- the results noted last on a line. A blank does not necessarily mean there is no interest, just that I could not find anything definite. The results are not pretty.
1. Appalachian St. [26,358] Sun Belt, 2014
2. Montana [25,236] Who knows?
3. James Madison [22,783] Good possibility
4. Old Dominion [20,037] Gone
5. Delaware [18,542] Under discussion
6. North Dakota St. [18516] “Monitoring” + some discussion
7. Ga. Southern [18,487] Sun Belt, 2014
8. Montana St. [17,627] Who knows?
9. Southern U. [16,602]
10. Tennessee St. [16,586] Some discussion
11. Liberty [16,318] Seriously exploring
12. South Carolina St. [16,179] Some discussion
13. Jacksonville St. [16,006] Exploring
14. Alabama St. [15,514] Some discussion
15. Jackson St. [14,462]
16. Florida A&M [14,077]
17. Youngstown St. [14,308] Probably go, if a conference said OK
18. Citadel [13,574]
19. Norfolk St. [12,898]
20. Yale 12,453
21* Georgia St. [12,309] Announced FBS intention
21* Sam Houston St. [12,260] Under discussion
22. UNI [11,905] Under discussion
* Extracted from school web site, since the NCAA did not post their averages.
50. Cal Poly [8,566] Under discussion
64. Villanova [7,144] Exploring
69. NAU [6,787] Under discussion
Of the top 23 attendance leaders, three are already gone (essentially), three or four would go if a conference approached them, and maybe eight are considering the notion. That’s over half, and about ten of those are among the top ranked (polls) teams. You can then factor in the three high-ranked but low-attendance programs that are seriously discussing a move up option.
Not trying to draw any conclusions, or claim that much will happen from all this. Still, it’s clear that the high end (attendance = $$, and/or football strength) of the FCS pond could be “in play” to leave.
