(12-02-2013 03:21 PM)shack66 Wrote:  I was talking to a kid in building services today, and he said he saw plans for closing the south end zone? Second hand info I know, but gives me hope. I would think there would be some plan out there.

As far as eyes. Give the eyes something to watch instead of the MAC bottom feeders at home and the numbers will go up. What will they go up to? Who knows, but you have to think that one larger conferences travel better and two, if it's more of a marquee game more huskies will be there as well. i.e. Maryland. Whether they will attend on a regular basis?

Also wonder if there will be a drop off for the BCS this year since it just happened last year. Like Atlanta Braves playoff games. Been there done that?

I think there could be. Hopefully alums from Arizona and Cali would attend in goodly numbers. IF we make it to Phoenix.

The Big 12 could possibly give us a look-see in the near future based on our potential to draw a Chicago market for football. But when they consider our BB program, there's no way they want anything to do with us.

(12-02-2013 04:35 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  The Big 12 could possibly give us a look-see in the near future based on our potential to draw a Chicago market for football. But when they consider our BB program, there's no way they want anything to do with us.

Plus the size of our fan base and stadium.

(12-02-2013 04:36 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 04:35 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  The Big 12 could possibly give us a look-see in the near future based on our potential to draw a Chicago market for football. But when they consider our BB program, there's no way they want anything to do with us.

Plus the size of our fan base and stadium.

Taking the BB program out of the equation, I could see the B12 arranging a deal with NIU that would involve a committment for us to enlarge our stadium within 5 years in exchange for admitting us. They would be banking on increased attendance in the near future based on our upgraded profile and schedule. It's an "investment" by the B12 that they hope would pay dividends down the road.

Again, this won't happen unless and until our BB program makes significant strides.

Expansion has very little to do with basketball. Look at the last round of expansion.

Schools moving on up:

-TCU
-Nebraska
-Rutgers
-Maryland
-Colorado
-Utah
-Mizzou
-Texas A&M

Out of those 8, only Mizzou, Utah and Maryland have reasonably competitive basketball programs. Meanwhile, basketball superpower Kansas was very worried they'd be left out in the cold.

The fan base seems to be the biggest obstacle in moving the program forward. Even a city as large as Chicago is saturated with other sports teams. The Bears, Bulls, Cubs, Sox and Hawks are all competing for market share...not directly in all cases but still fighting for their share. Then throw in Northwestern and Illinois...where does NIU fit in? I think unless you can change the mindset of the Chicago media to give more air time to NIU I don't see any other conference looking at us seriously. Obviously we are getting more attention now due to winning, but what happens when we have some leaner years? I would love to see a move to a more prestigious conference, but it doesn't seem possible.

Why move? Starting next year the highest ranked team from a non-aq conference will get a major bowl. Would rather win the MAC each year and compete with Fresno, Boise, UCF, etc.. for that spot. Better than getting kicked around in the Big 12 (e.g. Iowa St., Kansas, etc..).

These conference moves are made based on ftball. Bball does not matter much. Just like a move to the Big12 would get better ftball players here it also would get better bball players here. When you hear Frazier and others talking about going to the next level, you better bet this is exactly what they are talking about! When Jerry Kill left he said that school and program is going places.

(12-02-2013 07:04 PM)imagambler Wrote:  Why move? Starting next year the highest ranked team from a non-aq conference will get a major bowl. Would rather win the MAC each year and compete with Fresno, Boise, UCF, etc.. for that spot. Better than getting kicked around in the Big 12 (e.g. Iowa St., Kansas, etc..).

Because teams like Fresno get more respect for no apparent reason.

(12-02-2013 07:12 PM)Enaiu Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 07:04 PM)imagambler Wrote:  Why move? Starting next year the highest ranked team from a non-aq conference will get a major bowl. Would rather win the MAC each year and compete with Fresno, Boise, UCF, etc.. for that spot. Better than getting kicked around in the Big 12 (e.g. Iowa St., Kansas, etc..).

Because teams like Fresno get more respect for no apparent reason.

Well, we need to make it to the BCS and WIN then. Respect is earned.

Today Jimbo Fisher said he believes last years FSU team was better than this years team, the fact that we were able to hang with them late in the game says a lot.

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:47 AM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:27 AM)niuguy Wrote:  Nobody would take us. We don't bring enough eyes.

I don't think there is an option, however we have a large alumni base isolated in the Chicago area and if we EVER had good teams coming into Huskie Stadium attendance would grow 2-3x what it is now very easily.

in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

(12-02-2013 09:06 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:47 AM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:27 AM)niuguy Wrote:  Nobody would take us. We don't bring enough eyes.

I don't think there is an option, however we have a large alumni base isolated in the Chicago area and if we EVER had good teams coming into Huskie Stadium attendance would grow 2-3x what it is now very easily.

in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

Starting to think this way as well, NIU keeps moving up and playing better in the MAC, we can only grow so big in this ever changing environment. I love the MAC, proud to be in the MAC, but if NIU wants to compete in the playoff system, make more money, and expand NIU gospel in other states, this is it, have to leave the MAC.

(12-02-2013 09:06 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:47 AM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:27 AM)niuguy Wrote:  Nobody would take us. We don't bring enough eyes.

I don't think there is an option, however we have a large alumni base isolated in the Chicago area and if we EVER had good teams coming into Huskie Stadium attendance would grow 2-3x what it is now very easily.

in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

Look at the bright side, our fans only have to pay for 5 home games - fans of some other teams have to fork over for 8 home games.

(12-02-2013 09:11 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:06 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:47 AM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:27 AM)niuguy Wrote:  Nobody would take us. We don't bring enough eyes.

I don't think there is an option, however we have a large alumni base isolated in the Chicago area and if we EVER had good teams coming into Huskie Stadium attendance would grow 2-3x what it is now very easily.

in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

Starting to think this way as well, NIU keeps moving up and playing better in the MAC, we can only grow so big in this ever changing environment. I love the MAC, proud to be in the MAC, but if NIU wants to compete in the playoff system, make more money, and expand NIU gospel in other states, this is it, have to leave the MAC.

Only for conversation, but lets say there is an opportunity to leave the MAC. We have seen how Utah and TCU have fared as they have moved into the PAC and the BIG 12. They get lost in the shadows of the bohemoths of their conferences.....and I imagine the head to head recruiting against those bohemoths is no small task. My question is would everyone here be ready to go from being the big fish in a small pond, to the small fish in a big pond?

(12-02-2013 09:22 PM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:11 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:06 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:47 AM)RedShark27 Wrote:  I don't think there is an option, however we have a large alumni base isolated in the Chicago area and if we EVER had good teams coming into Huskie Stadium attendance would grow 2-3x what it is now very easily.

in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

Starting to think this way as well, NIU keeps moving up and playing better in the MAC, we can only grow so big in this ever changing environment. I love the MAC, proud to be in the MAC, but if NIU wants to compete in the playoff system, make more money, and expand NIU gospel in other states, this is it, have to leave the MAC.

Only for conversation, but lets say there is an opportunity to leave the MAC. We have seen how Utah and TCU have fared as they have moved into the PAC and the BIG 12. They get lost in the shadows of the bohemoths of their conferences.....and I imagine the head to head recruiting against those bohemoths is no small task. My question is would everyone here be ready to go from being the big fish in a small pond, to the small fish in a big pond?

Yes! To The Pond of Opportunity! Yes sir!

TCU and Utah are still very new in their BCS conferences. It will take time to see how they will fare long term. I would rather be a big fish in a big pond!

(12-02-2013 09:30 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  TCU and Utah are still very new in their BCS conferences. It will take time to see how they will fare long term. I would rather be a big fish in a big pond!

What Red is saying is that he would like to visit the Pond of Opportunity to prove that he can grow to a big fish! It is written in stone.

Sounds fishy.

(12-02-2013 09:28 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:22 PM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:11 PM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 09:06 PM)RedShark27 Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 02:43 PM)GCD70 Wrote:  in your estimation, how many "good teams" could you bring to DeKalb each season?

I don't think we can get any good teams coming into DeKalb at this point - that is why we need to get into a better conference if we want to have more then 24,000 in attendance. We typically get one good MAC game a year. That is a lot to ask of the casual fan to come an see 4-5 bad opponents every season, especially with weeknight games in November.

Starting to think this way as well, NIU keeps moving up and playing better in the MAC, we can only grow so big in this ever changing environment. I love the MAC, proud to be in the MAC, but if NIU wants to compete in the playoff system, make more money, and expand NIU gospel in other states, this is it, have to leave the MAC.

Only for conversation, but lets say there is an opportunity to leave the MAC. We have seen how Utah and TCU have fared as they have moved into the PAC and the BIG 12. They get lost in the shadows of the bohemoths of their conferences.....and I imagine the head to head recruiting against those bohemoths is no small task. My question is would everyone here be ready to go from being the big fish in a small pond, to the small fish in a big pond?

Yes! To The Pond of Opportunity! Yes sir!

Its a question that needs to be asked. I would love to see the likes of a Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, etc going to Huskie Stadium...but it can also mean toiling in mediocrity for a long while.