B12 meeting comments about expansion: http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/arti...958258.php

And a story I'm sure UH pushed Duarte to write and Chronicle to publish during the B12 meetings about the UH staff being the highest paid non P5 staff: http://www.chron.com/sports/cougars/arti...957581.php

(06-02-2016 08:59 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  I think this plan makes a lot of sense if our options fail to materialize. It is so sensible I suspect that most of the schools listed would see value in it (and Owl69/../.. could be the commissioner ). Also the West would remain a good baseball conference. I wonder if it would also be saleable to a collection of regional TV networks/internet sports streamers (seems it would fit nicely in the ESPN3 plans). You could actually market the West/East separately to give potential advertisers a more targeted market. You could have regional advertisers who would see value in not having ads going to areas they aren't doing business in. The trick would be to try and even out team revenues if one side winds up more valuable.

I fail to see the difference between this and Division 3. At least in D3 we have more $$ and some of our pride.

(06-02-2016 09:15 AM)Antarius Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 08:59 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  I think this plan makes a lot of sense if our options fail to materialize. It is so sensible I suspect that most of the schools listed would see value in it (and Owl69/../.. could be the commissioner ). Also the West would remain a good baseball conference. I wonder if it would also be saleable to a collection of regional TV networks/internet sports streamers (seems it would fit nicely in the ESPN3 plans). You could actually market the West/East separately to give potential advertisers a more targeted market. You could have regional advertisers who would see value in not having ads going to areas they aren't doing business in. The trick would be to try and even out team revenues if one side winds up more valuable.

I fail to see the difference between this and Division 3. At least in D3 we have more $$ and some of our pride.

I'd assume the biggest difference in cost in moving to D-3 would be the reduction in cost of scholarships and coaches salaries?

(06-02-2016 09:15 AM)Antarius Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 08:59 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  I think this plan makes a lot of sense if our options fail to materialize. It is so sensible I suspect that most of the schools listed would see value in it (and Owl69/../.. could be the commissioner ). Also the West would remain a good baseball conference. I wonder if it would also be saleable to a collection of regional TV networks/internet sports streamers (seems it would fit nicely in the ESPN3 plans). You could actually market the West/East separately to give potential advertisers a more targeted market. You could have regional advertisers who would see value in not having ads going to areas they aren't doing business in. The trick would be to try and even out team revenues if one side winds up more valuable.

I fail to see the difference between this and Division 3. At least in D3 we have more $$ and some of our pride.

I also don't see the reason to pay FBS prices for FCS level play/visibility.

The McKinsey report listed dropping football as a viable option, and had positive things to say how this helped other sports compete at higher levels at other universities that went with this option. We could certainly use more $$ going to baseball to help them remain a national power vs. growing competition, or into helping other sports improve.

I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

Rice made my top cut of schools specifically because it had D1 sports.

If CUSA melts down and the SEC, B12, ACC, B10, MWC, hasn't called what's our option? Go independent? I don't think we should be so arrogant that we shouldn't even consider this option if we have no other choices (as I pointed out). Having gone to a D3 school, Wash U, I can safely say I don't want that either for Rice but acting like UH and saying the rest in CUSA is beneath us isn't a good move.

(06-02-2016 10:18 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  If CUSA melts down and the SEC, B12, ACC, B10, MWC, hasn't called what's our option? Go independent? I don't think we should be so arrogant that we shouldn't even consider this option if we have no other choices (as I pointed out). Having gone to a D3 school, Wash U, I can safely say I don't want that either for Rice but acting like UH and saying the rest in CUSA is beneath us isn't a good move.

If it comes to that, I think dropping football, rather than moving to D3, is the right decision.

(06-02-2016 10:21 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:18 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  If CUSA melts down and the SEC, B12, ACC, B10, MWC, hasn't called what's our option? Go independent? I don't think we should be so arrogant that we shouldn't even consider this option if we have no other choices (as I pointed out). Having gone to a D3 school, Wash U, I can safely say I don't want that either for Rice but acting like UH and saying the rest in CUSA is beneath us isn't a good move.

If it comes to that, I think dropping football, rather than moving to D3, is the right decision.

I agree.

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

More than that, I think it just shows that not many casual fans follow D3 at all.

(06-02-2016 10:17 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

Rice made my top cut of schools specifically because it had D1 sports.

I'm no different. I wanted to go to a D1 school.

But to argue that all D3 schools are obscure is dishonest. MIT doesn't have an issue with name recognition.

(06-02-2016 10:21 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:18 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  If CUSA melts down and the SEC, B12, ACC, B10, MWC, hasn't called what's our option? Go independent? I don't think we should be so arrogant that we shouldn't even consider this option if we have no other choices (as I pointed out). Having gone to a D3 school, Wash U, I can safely say I don't want that either for Rice but acting like UH and saying the rest in CUSA is beneath us isn't a good move.

If it comes to that, I think dropping football, rather than moving to D3, is the right decision.

I'm not advocating DIII, but you'd hold that line even if Rice were in a league with University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, etc. Trinity in San Antonio?

We are never getting invited to the Ivy League, but if NCAA football contracts as suggested, then at some point Vanderbilt and some other schools would be looking at other options as well.

(06-02-2016 10:36 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

More than that, I think it just shows that not many casual fans follow D3 at all.

Casual fans, no.

Students and alumni, yes, plus you are also playing against other schools who are fielding teams of true student-athletes.

In that sense, the Rice student body might be a lot more intrigued with a Rice-University of Chicago match up, than a Rice-FIU game.

Again, not advocating that at all, but would prefer that to dropping football or other sports.

(06-02-2016 10:49 AM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:36 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

More than that, I think it just shows that not many casual fans follow D3 at all.

Casual fans, no.

Students and alumni, yes, plus you are also playing against other schools who are fielding teams of true student-athletes.

In that sense, the Rice student body might be a lot more intrigued with a Rice-University of Chicago match up, than a Rice-FIU game.

Again, not advocating that at all, but would prefer that to dropping football or other sports.

I think that's about right. ONLY alumni would care and we wouldn't ever have casual fans. Probably even less alumni than right now. The student body wouldn't be more interested. I probably wouldn't bother watching D3 sports, it's just a step above intramurals.

Hopefully we never have to seriously consider this course...

I'd prefer anything over dropping football. I'd die.

(06-02-2016 10:56 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:49 AM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:36 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:10 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  I cringe anytime I hear someone mention dropping football, for any reason. And Rice belongs in FBS. Always. I can't name a school anywhere who plays at the D3 level, and I'm certain there are some in Texas. That's obscurity.

Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

More than that, I think it just shows that not many casual fans follow D3 at all.

Casual fans, no.

Students and alumni, yes, plus you are also playing against other schools who are fielding teams of true student-athletes.

In that sense, the Rice student body might be a lot more intrigued with a Rice-University of Chicago match up, than a Rice-FIU game.

Again, not advocating that at all, but would prefer that to dropping football or other sports.

I think that's about right. ONLY alumni would care and we wouldn't ever have casual fans. Probably even less alumni than right now. The student body wouldn't be more interested. I probably wouldn't bother watching D3 sports, it's just a step above intramurals.

Hopefully we never have to seriously consider this course...

Agreed about hoping not to be in that situation, but it's more than just a step above intramurals . . . . . .

(06-02-2016 10:58 AM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:56 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:49 AM)Rick Gerlach Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:36 AM)Afflicted Wrote:  

(06-02-2016 10:14 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Eh, there are plenty of great schools around the country who have division III athletics. The fact that you can't name any might be more of a reflection on yourself than those schools.

I'd just rather have D1.

More than that, I think it just shows that not many casual fans follow D3 at all.

Casual fans, no.

Students and alumni, yes, plus you are also playing against other schools who are fielding teams of true student-athletes.

In that sense, the Rice student body might be a lot more intrigued with a Rice-University of Chicago match up, than a Rice-FIU game.

Again, not advocating that at all, but would prefer that to dropping football or other sports.

I think that's about right. ONLY alumni would care and we wouldn't ever have casual fans. Probably even less alumni than right now. The student body wouldn't be more interested. I probably wouldn't bother watching D3 sports, it's just a step above intramurals.

Hopefully we never have to seriously consider this course...

Agreed about hoping not to be in that situation, but it's more than just a step above intramurals . . . . . .

Not really. Our club basketball team plays and beats the D3 schools in the area and most of those guys play intramurals as well.

Having sent three sons to D3 schools, one as an athlete, I hope we never go D3.

I'd rather be a D1-AAA or whatever they call D1 sans football these days than D3 with football.

But I'd rather be D1 across the board.