(10-04-2013 11:15 PM)HuskieRak Wrote:  SEC or bust

Talk about a culture change....

(10-04-2013 09:55 PM)imagambler Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 09:15 PM)wjfoulks Wrote:  Is there any room to expand Huskie Stadium?? If a horseshoe were to be created, it would have to be done on the scoreboard side. With the stadium already backing up to the street and apartment complex there, they would probably have to get rid of the street and knock some of the apartment buildings down. I don't know who owns the apartments and how easy it would be to make a deal, but this is likely to be another obstacle of expansion if the time ever comes. I supposed adding a second deck to one or both grandstands could be another option, but how much tailgating space would be lost? I would imagine if we ever get to the point where we are getting 40k+ in the stands, many more people are going to want to be able to tailgate as well.

Would be more realistic to just play all home games at Soldier Field and abandon Huskie Stadium. You'd probably draw a better crowd there. NIU needs to work with Metra to extend the UP West line out to DeKalb. That would not only make it more accessible, but also grow the DeKalb\Syc area.

Is there any program that has sustained success playing their home games off-campus, let alone 60+ miles away? I believe Eastern Michigan's stadium is a few miles off campus, and the couple times I've been there, NIU fans have easily outnumbered EMU fans? What other programs play off-campus?

(10-04-2013 07:49 PM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 07:21 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 05:16 PM)MacDaddie Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 04:49 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  ...wha???

Horseshoe?
Improved academic standards?
Convo improvements?


More like...
Capasity requirement of XX,xxx
A min of X,xxx season tickets sold per year for 3 seasons in a row.
FB Attendance average of xx,000 for 3 seasons
MBB Attendance average of x,000 for 3 seasons
A real skybox with visiting AD box and room for B12 officials.
Plan to expand DeKalb airport for team charters. (Biggest issue no doubt)

HJ - I agree with most of your points but you are way off on the airport. All of NDs opponents (including Ok and Tx) fly through O'Hare and make the 2 hr bus trip to South Bend. DeKalb is less than an hour from O'Hare so that is not an issue at all.

I read at some point that the Dekalb airport was upgraded to allow for full-size jets to land.

The main runway at DeKalb Municipal Airport is longer than ALL the runways at Midway International Airport. True story.

Yep by quite a good distance too. Not as wide though, not sure how wide a runway has to be to allow a jet that can carry a football team has to be. I know the airport had goals of being able to land an airplane that large, don't know if that was done or not yet. From what I remember, Aurora airport in Sugar Grove can land a plane that big.

Edit: and looking at the Wiki page for Aurora Airport, their runway is the same width at 100 feet, so take that for what you will.

It can land a 737 or DC9. Even our rich alumni can fly from Monaco to DeKalb non-stop on their private jets to take in a big victory over Toledo.

DC9 and 737

(10-05-2013 07:13 AM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  It can land a 737 or DC9. Even our rich alumni can fly from Monaco to DeKalb non-stop to take in a big victory over Toledo.

DC9 and 737

I guess the question is what size jet do the BCS schools use to transport their football teams? Southwest flies 737's exclusively and I think they seat about 100-120 passengers.

(10-05-2013 07:19 AM)niu79 Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 07:13 AM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  It can land a 737 or DC9. Even our rich alumni can fly from Monaco to DeKalb non-stop to take in a big victory over Toledo.

DC9 and 737

I guess the question is what size jet do the BCS schools use to transport their football teams? Southwest flies 737's exclusively and I think they seat about 100-120 passengers.

Depending on the type of 737, Southwest's seat 137 to 175 passengers.

(10-05-2013 01:26 AM)wjfoulks Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 09:55 PM)imagambler Wrote:  

(10-04-2013 09:15 PM)wjfoulks Wrote:  Is there any room to expand Huskie Stadium?? If a horseshoe were to be created, it would have to be done on the scoreboard side. With the stadium already backing up to the street and apartment complex there, they would probably have to get rid of the street and knock some of the apartment buildings down. I don't know who owns the apartments and how easy it would be to make a deal, but this is likely to be another obstacle of expansion if the time ever comes. I supposed adding a second deck to one or both grandstands could be another option, but how much tailgating space would be lost? I would imagine if we ever get to the point where we are getting 40k+ in the stands, many more people are going to want to be able to tailgate as well.

Would be more realistic to just play all home games at Soldier Field and abandon Huskie Stadium. You'd probably draw a better crowd there. NIU needs to work with Metra to extend the UP West line out to DeKalb. That would not only make it more accessible, but also grow the DeKalb\Syc area.

Is there any program that has sustained success playing their home games off-campus, let alone 60+ miles away? I believe Eastern Michigan's stadium is a few miles off campus, and the couple times I've been there, NIU fans have easily outnumbered EMU fans? What other programs play off-campus?

University of Miami has been playing off campus for a long time. The Orange Bowl and now the Dolphins Stadium (which changes names every other year) are both quite a ways off campus.

This just in . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dateline Irving, TX . . . . . . . . . . .

The Big 12 has confirmed that they had contacted Northern Illinois University. The communication was made not to invite them to the Big 12, but rather to let them know that this year there is a unified Big 12 front to keep the Huskies out of any BCS games so that Oklahoma can maintain it's god given right to play in the BCS.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was quoted as saying "ain't nvr seen no Huskies in OKIE before that Victor E. robbed me. Hell, they even stole Charlie Sadler from us".

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby was quoted as saying, "There's a system in place that works to reward those with the god given right to play football that includes the SEC, Big 12 and a few chosen others. We don't believe in entitlements for those that can't really play football. Those (BCS) rules were put in place, but we all know, they were never intended to happen."

The Big 12 points out that that in the latest national survey, more Americans oppose the Huskies in a BCS bowl than oppose Obamacare and the government shutdown combined. In fairness, we must point out that this survey was commissioned by the Big 12.

(10-05-2013 07:35 AM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  This just in . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dateline Irving, TX . . . . . . . . . . .

The Big 12 has confirmed that they had contacted Northern Illinois University. The communication was made not to invite them to the Big 12, but rather to let them know that this year there is a unified Big 12 front to keep the Huskies out of any BCS games so that Oklahoma can maintain it's god given right to play in the BCS.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was quoted as saying "ain't nvr seen no Huskies in OKIE before that Victor E. robbed me. Hell, they even stole Charlie Sadler from us".

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby was quoted as saying, "There's a system in place that works to reward those with the god given right to play football that includes the SEC, Big 12 and a few chosen others. We don't believe in entitlements for those that can't really play football. Those (BCS) rules were put in place, but we all know, they were never intended to happen."

The Big 12 points out that that in the latest national survey, more Americans oppose the Huskies in a BCS bowl than oppose Obamacare and the government shutdown combined. In fairness, we must point out that this survey was commissioned by the Big 12.

Very funny!

Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

(10-05-2013 11:01 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

Don't think they got in on their attendance.

SMU 10yr attendance average is LESS than NIU's
SMU's 3 year average is 21,165.

(10-05-2013 11:59 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 11:01 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

Don't think they got in on their attendance.

SMU 10yr attendance average is LESS than NIU's
SMU's 3 year average is 21,165.

SMU has a crazy donor though, right? We need an alum to strike oil.

Yeah, I think that's probably why. Still, 21k average (not "big game"), if it isn't an EMU-like fake attendance, is good for a mid-major. Again, if it's not an EMU fake attendance where they claim 8,000 but there was only 8 people there.

Thanks NIU for keeping my spirit up on the conference realignment stuff. From a person who really wants UC in the Big XII.

It costs money to get into the Big Conferences..(facilities, etc)

Good link(old) but explains why we aren't in a big conference http://espn.go.com/ncaa/revenue

We are 84 out of 99 in teams for donation levels

Media revenue you can't judge(all based on conference)


But once you are in, you also get money, so really it is a buy-in

(10-05-2013 11:01 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

SMU is in the American(Defunct Big East)

They were invited in 2013, because the American was about to fold, so they added conference USA teams(memphis, SMu, etc)..

C USA is overloaded

(10-05-2013 08:02 AM)Kevin S Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 07:35 AM)HUSKIEFOOTBALLFAN Wrote:  This just in . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dateline Irving, TX . . . . . . . . . . .

The Big 12 has confirmed that they had contacted Northern Illinois University. The communication was made not to invite them to the Big 12, but rather to let them know that this year there is a unified Big 12 front to keep the Huskies out of any BCS games so that Oklahoma can maintain it's god given right to play in the BCS.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops was quoted as saying "ain't nvr seen no Huskies in OKIE before that Victor E. robbed me. Hell, they even stole Charlie Sadler from us".

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby was quoted as saying, "There's a system in place that works to reward those with the god given right to play football that includes the SEC, Big 12 and a few chosen others. We don't believe in entitlements for those that can't really play football. Those (BCS) rules were put in place, but we all know, they were never intended to happen."

The Big 12 points out that that in the latest national survey, more Americans oppose the Huskies in a BCS bowl than oppose Obamacare and the government shutdown combined. In fairness, we must point out that this survey was commissioned by the Big 12.

Very funny!

Wow, that took a lot of effort... Well done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

(10-04-2013 04:21 PM)Michael James Wrote:  I heard from a friend of mine that the offices from the Big 12 called NIU the other day. I am not sure why, but you can assume. My friend told me that in order for the Big 12 to take us, we would have to drop some serious cash.
We would have to
A) Turn Huskie Stadium into a Horseshoe.
B) Add even more seats onto Huskie Stadium in the east side towards the top.
C) Raise academic standards
D) Improve the Convocation Center

Now I'm not saying that were going to the BIG 12, I'm positive we are not. Im just saying what I heard, its soooo unlikely if we would in the next 5 years, but I think that eventually we would, I mean we are in a perfect location for it, being right by chicago, plus if we were to be added, that would mean that that Fox Sports Midwest would be able to come to the area.

What do you guys think? What would we have to do to get serious consideration for a big conference?

If the call did not come thru a blower, then it is not true.

(10-05-2013 01:43 PM)cartershaw Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 11:01 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

SMU is in the American(Defunct Big East)

They were invited in 2013, because the American was about to fold, so they added conference USA teams(memphis, SMu, etc)..

C USA is overloaded

AAC > CUSA, CUSA is no better than the MAC. I would like to see MAC dump a few teams and add the better teams from Sun Belt. I think the AAC would help NIU in recruiting with more games played in the south.

(10-06-2013 01:22 PM)ADOG05 Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 01:43 PM)cartershaw Wrote:  

(10-05-2013 11:01 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  Attendance, attendance, attendance. Why is SMU in the AAC/Big East? Fans.

It isn't how good you are, it's how many fans you have showing up. If NIU averages 30k+, then they'd be on the radar for a BCS conference, IMO.

But I think joining CUSA or AAC would be the first step to move on up. There are good teams in the Mountain West, in the B12's neck of the woods, who they'd be eyeing anyway.

SMU is in the American(Defunct Big East)

They were invited in 2013, because the American was about to fold, so they added conference USA teams(memphis, SMu, etc)..

C USA is overloaded

AAC > CUSA, CUSA is no better than the MAC. I would like to see MAC dump a few teams and add the better teams from Sun Belt. I think the AAC would help NIU in recruiting with more games played in the south.

I really think EMU adds no value to the MAC. Some will argue they do well in other sports outside of basketball and football, but frankly that will not bring the conference recognition or money.