As one who was in the vanguard of the "move up" sentiment back in the 90's I regretfully acknowledge that that ship has sailed thanks largely to the late George Dennison, UM's decades long steward. Back then what is today's Mountain West Conference begged UM to come on board, but partially because of an ill-placed loyalty to a BSC of which we were a charter member half a century ago, the school took a pass. And the Griz could have made it work! Plus the national exposure thru the MWC package with ESPN would have had benefits that reached far beyond athletics. Now the bloom is off the rose and we are no longer the attraction we once were thru a series of negative events. Beyond BSC borders Jon Krakauer is the face of UM and Griz athletics. There is no doubt in my mind that given that fact among others, including the disastrous Engstrom era, that had UM taken the high road the school would not today be suffering a withering student population not to mention an athletic program lacking a nationally respected reputation... Those who do not understand the relationship between an institution's growth - both academically and athletically - aren't paying attention...!
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How many of you are content with the shit this conference subjects us to
- Thread starter EverettGriz
- Start date
AZGrizFan said:
These are two of the best posts on this subject ever.
No one expects us to make the move immediately. But we need to begin taking the steps in that direction. Like it or not, Montana has outgrown the bsc in facilities, support, fan base, interest, and success (in all sports, not just FB). And the bsc knows it.
CDAGRIZ said:
UM, or at least UM's AD's, has had part of an eye on moving up since at least the early 2000's. I talked to them (not Haslam) about this subject multiple times. UM isn't sitting around doing nothing. They are improving facilities and have added a sport. Expansions to the stadium. A stadium club where food and alcohol are served. The academic center. The performance center. New locker rooms for football and basketball. Eventually, an indoor practice facility. Eventually, a new press box on the west side and new suites. A move-up study was done in the early O'Day years. UM talked to the WAC.
What do you think the UM should do, that isn't being done now?
EverettGriz said:
Take steps in the right direction? Jeez, look at my post. I'd like to see your list of steps that UM isn't or hasn't taken. UM had taken about 8 steps in the right direction.
Can't wait to see your list of the steps UM needs to take to get to FBS.
PlayerRep said:
I really like the idea of providing more focus on the Bball team right now given its current trajectory with what should be two straight Dances this year. Promote it like they do the FB program right now. Make it a whole show. Do a March Madness Watch. Maybe foot the bill to schedule some big non-conference games? Create buzz any way you can (I'm not a marketing whiz). That way, when/if there is sustainable NCAA appearances (maybe a few wins), they are in a position to parlay it into more donations. Specifically, maybe outline a plan that shows big FB donors how the success of MBB will only help the FB program in the long run with the aim of maybe getting a large pooled donation to the MBB program? Part of the knock on UM moving up is it's a one program show in the eyes of many. Raising the profile of the MBB program would be huge!
I agree with yours and others' posts about the Champions Center helping everything. I remember the topic of the WAC talks very well. It's great to know they aren't satisfied with the status quo, and aren't simply saying we don't have the cash to do anything before putting the file back in the drawer for a decade. :thumb:
Stop_HammerTime69
Well-known member
Whatever happens, I hope we keep the Big Sky name.
Going to the MWC is financially reckless.PlayerRep said:
Going to FBS isn’t if one has a group of schools that can achieve it in a budget way. The Sun Belt is a relative budget FBS conference and that’s why Idaho was a member for a time.
But the four Dakotas, Weber St, Mt St and Idaho would be a budget conference that is capable of FBS. That’s the only way that a Montana President or AD looks at the situation. The MWC is out of your league financially as your budget would need too drastically be expanded but your media presence is just too small for the MWC. A new Summit with football doesn’t have the financial concerns as all those schools don’t have huge budgets. If the G5 goes to G6, it could go to G8 just as easily. At G8, there would be a playoff. FCS playoffs don’t have any kind of money, but a G8 playoff would get a small piece of the CFP pie. It’s a home run for Summit schools when they move up. Insist upon taking the name Big Sky and giving the remnant Big Sky the name Summit. It’s a simple thing to do and your President is probably already all in.
FCS will be the new D2 and the G8 will become the new FCS, but this time with prize money.
All Montana needs for FBS is more scholarships and another women’s sport. Women’s lacrosse will likely be added and that team will play in the MPSF with California teams. Only 12 schollies needed but 40 players.
UNDfan said:
TBH, college football is financially reckless for everyone not in one of the P5 Conferences.
NavyBlue said:
If the MWC went looking for a school or schools, the places it would knock in order would be:
Rice
UTEP
UTSA
UNT
NMSU (assuming UTEP says no)
UCDavis (if the above are not interested)
Idaho and the Montanas would not be on the list unless SJSU was the sole remaining MWC member. NDSU posters keep posting delusion with them and the Griz getting invites.
grizindabox said:
FCS is more reckless, as has most of the scholarship costs, most the stadium costs, most of the coaches and program costs but little national benefit. The American is reckless because they think that there are a P5 conference and spend like one. The Sun Belt gets $1 mill each in CFP payments and many P5 guarantees games each year over $1 mill. Montana at FCS gets nickels and dimes fron the Root Network and at most $400 k when they play a P5,which didn’t happen this year and most others.
The budget Sun Belt is a much better deal than the FCS Big Sky, as FBS has huge name recognition. Idaho made the Sun Belt choice for a reason until there were forced into the Big Sky. Average national viewers don’t know the difference between Montana and Montana Tech.
UNDfan said:
There continue to be three different discussions in this thread:
1. What UM is doing or can do to put pressure on the BSC to improve
2. What UM is doing or can do to position itself when the opportunity to move up comes so it's not caught with it's thumb up its ass because it doesn't "have the finances".
3. Whether UM can move up now.
Nearly everyone with a brain knows UM cannot move up right now, so it's useless to discuss #3. Numbers 1 and 2 are interrelated, and are interesting to discuss.