News broke yesterday that Predident Bardo is going to follow through with his promise on hiring that he will study football when the time is right. A large part of this is being driven by conference affiliation and the future tier of Wichita State Athletics. Tulsa is the Shox #1 rival and we would fit nicely into AAC west.

Quote:A Wichita State University football program, last seriously discussed in 1998, is an official topic once again, its potential and pitfalls under investigation by president John Bardo.

So are all aspects of his athletic department, which underlines the preliminary and all-encompassing nature of WSU’s look into football, conference affiliation, other sports and facilities. Bardo and deputy athletic director Darron Boatright are in the early stages of a fact-finding mission that may dramatically alter the course of Shocker athletics as part of a wider plan to shape the university and community.

So, Shocker fans who dream about soccer teams, membership in a higher-profile conference, a boathouse for NCAA crew on the Arkansas River, luxury boxes in Koch Arena or football, this is your time. Bardo is dreaming with you — while gathering information — and wants to know what people want, what they will pay to support and what makes sense for the future.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wic...rylink=cpy

Quote:In Bardo’s world, there are no pipe dreams and little slumber. He’s been at Wichita State just more than three years and is already transforming the place into a world-class research university. The man puts words into action and that’s why this announcement is so provocative, so interesting.

Quote:How many times have Shocker fans wondered about the possibility of football’s return? How often do we question WSU’s place in the Missouri Valley Conference?

Likewise, most have have resigned themselves to the Valley, so often described as “mid-major.” Fifty years ago it was the “Valley of Death” in basketball with the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, Tulsa and others. Those universities found greener athletic pastures while WSU stayed behind.

Can Wichita State do better?
Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/spt-columns...rylink=cpy

Quote:Wichita State wants to know if it is time for the Shockers to move on.
President John Bardo and deputy athletic director Darron Boatright are looking at conference affiliation as part of a comprehensive examination of WSU’s future in athletics, one that will include considering new sports, new facilities and a new set of conference partners.

The Missouri Valley Conference is a collection of schools with little in common with Wichita State, outside of the relationships and traditions formed over many years of conference membership. It is home to four private schools. It is home to five other public schools, all located in smaller cities and with different academic and research focuses.
When Bardo looks at his university, he sees more in common with former MVC members such as Louisville, Memphis, Houston and Cincinnati than he does with Indiana State and Northern Iowa. When he looks at his city, he sees a situation much different from Terre Haute, Ind., or Cedar Falls, Iowa.

In May, WSU won the MVC’s All-Sports trophy for the ninth time in 12 years. Its recent dominance in men’s and women’s basketball, as well as other sports, causes fans to look for bigger challenges, bigger names and increased TV exposure.

Should another major shakeup affect membership in the top conferences, known as the Power Five, he wants WSU prepared.

“I want us to be positioned, whatever is right for this university, that we can do,” he said. “I don’t think we can be in the Power Five immediately, or anything like that. I want to be really sure that we know where we are.”

The American Athletic and Mountain West conferences stand out as reasonable options, long targeted by fans as dream destinations. The AAC has 11 all-sports members, including Memphis, Cincinnati, Tulsa and SMU, and Navy plays football. The Mountain West, with schools such as New Mexico, Wyoming, UNLV and San Diego State, also has 11 all-sports schools, with Hawaii playing football.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wic...rylink=cpy

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wic...64285.html

http://www.kansas.com/sports/spt-columns...64375.html

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wic...64335.html

That would be good for the AAC & Wichita State.

AAC getting Wichita basketball would be pretty big.

Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

If the koch brothers put up some money it could happen fast. I just wonder if the state of Kansas could support 3 programs. Yet, if its MVC that could work out for everybody. I don't see what the problem is for the AAC to add Wichita and VCU without football right now either.

(12-09-2015 11:14 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

If Sunbelt was FB only, why in the hell would that impact New Mexico St one bit? The eastern schools want absolutely NOTHING to do with going out there for all the Olympic sports.

(12-09-2015 11:19 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(12-09-2015 11:14 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

If Sunbelt was FB only, why in the hell would that impact New Mexico St one bit? The eastern schools want absolutely NOTHING to do with going out there for all the Olympic sports.

The thing is, that's the real strength of NM State. Its kinda silly not have NM St as an Olympic member when they would be a significant upgrade to the SB's basketball. I understand the issue with travel, but doesn't the SB use eastern and western divisions for basketball? If so, that means the travel wouldn't be all that big a deal. My hought process was---maybe if you have NM basketball---you can coax Wichita to join as a full member. That would be a major boost to SB sports.

I could see them in the MW someday. AAC would also be an option, however, given they are closer to the MW front range schools it would be better for fan interest to play WY, CSU, AF and NM regularly.

Quote:WSU’s athletic budget is around $18 million

They'd need to more than double that to get anywhere with FBS football. If they consider Tulsa a peer -- Tulsa reports an annual athletic budget of $40 million.

(12-09-2015 11:28 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-09-2015 11:19 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(12-09-2015 11:14 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

If Sunbelt was FB only, why in the hell would that impact New Mexico St one bit? The eastern schools want absolutely NOTHING to do with going out there for all the Olympic sports.

The thing is, that's the real strength of NM State. Its kinda silly not have NM St as an Olympic member when they would be a significant upgrade to the SB's basketball. I understand the issue with travel, but doesn't the SB use eastern and western divisions for basketball? If so, that means the travel wouldn't be all that big a deal. Maybe if you have NM basketball, you can coax Wichita to join as a full member. That would be a major boost to SB sports.

travel would still be a big deal. right now the east sun belt has Coastal Carolina, App St, Ga State, Ga Southern, Troy, and South Alabama. The west sun belt has Arkansas St, Arkansas Little Rock, La Lafayette, La Monroe, Texas St, UT Arlington. If you add both NMSU and WSU to the conference- one of those Arkansas schools goes to the east- and all of them have to travel out there every season. Don't think they want that at all.

Also NMSU just isn't worth enough to make those concessions. They aren't what they were 15-20 years ago.

I think many schools are seeing their opening due to the bowl team shortage this year, especially when three more bowls were sanctioned for next year. Austin, Charleston and Australia were approved for next year. I think their will be a push to allow a pathway FBS independents with the chance to create conferences down the road. I know some people are against more FBS but I don't get it. If a school wants to try and move up, why not let them. I am not including ND in the Indy mix due to ACC contract but with Army, BYU and UMASS next year. Possibly NMSU and Idaho in the near future. Adding 5-10 more independents would help with scheduling. If a school meets the requirements and is financially willing to do it, then why stop them.

I can think of 5-10 schools that would consider it, with Liberty at the top of the list.

MAC

That's a MAC level budget. If that.

MVFC as a whole would like to move up. I heard that they want MWC more than the AAC. MWC basketball was better than the AAC last year.

(12-09-2015 12:15 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  MVFC as a whole would like to move up. I heard that they want MWC more than the AAC. MWC basketball was better than the AAC last year.

nope. MWC was #13, AAC #11. This year AAC #7 MWC #9.

Last year MWC top team got only got a 8 seed. 2nd team 11 and in a PIG.

(12-09-2015 12:07 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  That's a MAC level budget. If that.

That's 18 million WITHOUT football. The number targeted out of the gate is to add another 15 million quickly.

(12-09-2015 12:15 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  MVFC as a whole would like to move up. I heard that they want MWC more than the AAC. MWC basketball was better than the AAC last year.

The MVFC can't move up and if they did, they would need to integrate with the MVC which there is a reason why they are two separate entities.
If they want the MW more than the AAC it is not because of basketball, but because the MW Mtn division fits geographically and carries more interest from fans.

(12-09-2015 11:14 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

I see this chatter to be more likely of a scenario where Missouri State starts to think about the Sun Belt. And comparing that to a MVC without Wichita.

I don't think WSU actually goes to the Belt. They're not moving their basketball to the Sun Belt. And we're not giving them a football only unless we have no other choice.

But this is years away.

(12-09-2015 12:29 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(12-09-2015 11:14 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Most likely MVC. I could see an AAC Olympic invite for Wichita, but I don't see the AAC taking a start up football program. A Sunbelt football only invite makes sense. It would allow the Sunbelt to dump Idaho and potentially make NM State a full member.

I see this chatter to be more likely of a scenario where Missouri State starts to think about the Sun Belt. And comparing that to a MVC without Wichita.

I don't think WSU actually goes to the Belt. They're not moving their basketball to the Sun Belt. And we're not giving them a football only unless we have no other choice.

But this is years away.

The talk about Missouri State and Northern Iowa joining the FBS spur the idea for Wichita State to start looking somewhere else.

MWC could add Wichita State for all sports and BYU football only. You have a 12/14 arrangement. It would even out the basketabll and other sports.

Honestly, if Wichita St goes anywhere it would probably be to the AAC. Natural rival with Tulsa, peer-level basketball programs (Cincy, Memphis, Tulsa, SMU, UConn, Temple). I wonder if the Sun Belt would accept Wichita St as a football only. Sun Belt and MAC basketball would be below Wichita St, and likely below the MVC as a whole.