(02-26-2018 11:33 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: (02-26-2018 06:30 PM)MWC Tex Wrote: (02-26-2018 04:39 PM)jacksfan29 Wrote: (02-26-2018 04:16 PM)Stugray2 Wrote: Northern Colorado can be enticed to move Baseball from WAC affiliate to Summit affiliate for small cash. End of story.
But that won't kill the Summit and bring on the prognosticated creation of the Great Northern Conference. My personal opinion is that UNC will eventually be a full member of the Summit as will UMKC. And if it happens, NoDak's head is going to explode.
I think NoCo will move to the Summit soon to be in a more geographical conference. It'll help with Denver and Omaha nearby. The Big Sky may even help that move along to get them down to a 10/12 setup.
I think your grasp of geography is off. Yes DU is very close, but the rest of the Summit is not. If you look at NoCo's out of state students they are overwhelmingly from the Mountain and Pacific time zone states. Football is easier in the BSC than the MVFC (less travel). Sac State and Portland State (Weber effectively too) are direct flights from Denver. (NoCo has the same bus trip to Denver Airport regardless of conference). They are a four corner state, and the nearest Football schools are Montana State and then more or less equal straight line distance to Montana, Idaho State, Weber State, SUU and NAU, all closer than the Dakota schools.
They are not moving. But they do need a home for Baseball and Swimming. That they chose the Denver based WAC over the Summit for those sports should tell you something about their frame of reference.
I think you may be surprised where UNC ends up. And just for the heck of it, I suggest you take a look at a map, do the mileage calculations. Greeley is not a mountain town, it is on the plains. As for the Four Corners? The Front Range of Colorado has little, really nothing in common with the Western Slope (where I live).
As for your statement that UNC students come from the Pacific time zone. I'd be interested in where that stat comes from. The only school in Colorado that draws from the Pacific, regularly, CU who draw a lot of rich California kids who want to play. The bulk of UNC's students come from the mountain time zone. Over 75% come from the area. We have had this discussion before, Greeley is a cow town, it is not Boulder, it isn't Denver. It is heavily Hispanic with almost 40% of it's students being first generation college attendees. The school draws heavily from the Northern Front Range but also dips into Wyoming and Western Nebraska.
As for football being easier due to travel (MVFC v BSC). Not really true. If UNC joined the Summit, and Murray the MVC the league would be split. UNC would join the Dakota schools, and likely MSU or UNI in a western division. You are correct about major airports, but football teams charter so flying into Sioux Falls or Fargo compared to Portland or SLC, not really a big deal. And of course you have Bozeman and Missoula, not really much different.
The real issue with UNC, and the reason I think their is a good shot that they may move, joining the Summit would allow them to join their old rivals from the NCC and DU. UNC have struggled to create any rivalries since moving up. The newer students may not recall the UNC glory days in the NCC, but the older generation of fans and alumni do. I have several friends who attended UNC, all pine for the good old days of NDSU, UND and SDSU, playoffs, conference titles against large smack you in the mouth football schools. Add DU and suddenly UNC have some mojo.
We shall see, I just think your geography, and knowledge about UNC is way off.