I had this great post typed up on my windows phone to break the scoop and it disappears.
Either way, this is solid news, as EigenEagle referenced. It is the cheapest sport of the three proposed in our 2004 study, found here,
http://www.uta.edu/sportsexpansion/, if anyone wants to reference it, though obviously much of it is out of date numbers wise.
It still follows the timeline set forth that I have been saying since I joined the board.
First was to upgrade the facilities
Basketball and volleyball: Check. CPC has been at the top of the three conferences it has been apart of since its opening.
Baseball: Check. New indoor practice facility last year, new clubhouse and various upgrades to The Gould this year.
Softball: Check. Allan Saxe Field was completely rebuilt this year.
Track: Check. Maverick Stadium's locker rooms were renovated a couple of years ago and the facility itself is still one of the best in the Southwest (though I can think of another reason for further renovations).
Golf: Check (by default). They really don't have any facilities on campus.
Tennis: The last on-campus venue that hasn't seen any work.
Second, though not in order, upgrade conference. UTA went to the WAC, which offered a higher level of competition than the Southland. When the WAC imploded, they were able to get into the SBC (coincidence that both offer FBS?).
Third step, add women's golf and soccer. Golf is the cheapest and is able to get up and running now without any further investments, aside from scholarship, another assistant coach and possibly more pay for the head coach. Soccer, in theory is the same since Maverick Stadium is a soccer stadium too and the baseball and softball teams no longer operate there.
Fourth step, football.
There are too many moves, like adding women's golf that by themselves don't make much sense...unless football is the end game.