These what-will-happen-if-UAB-leaves? threads have finally reached the moment of Zen.

(05-03-2015 09:45 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  These what-will-happen-if-UAB-leaves? threads have finally reached the moment of Zen.

By that do you mean when we collectively lose consciousness? If so I'd have to agree.

I saw that show. Only lasted like 8 episodes though.

(05-03-2015 09:53 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  If the comments of ODU AD Wood Selig have any significance, I think the chances of adding any school to replace UAB are really, really slim. At a recent Coaches Caravan meeting, he discussed the UAB issue, and he said that he sees no real interest in adding another school at this time. I have to assume he meant from the perspective of his discussions with other member ADs.

Now, that's from one AD from one member school. If you really want to get a feel on how this will ultimately resolve, talk to your own ADs and university presidents. I suspect you will hear something similar to what Wood Selig expressed in an open meeting with Monarch fans.

Bottom line current thinking -- no football, no UAB. No UAB, no replacement school at this time.

You're burying the lede here. Your AD's first name is "Wood?"

(05-03-2015 12:41 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Credit rating drops for universities have been happening quite a bit lately (UNT's rating was dropped last year). Means you pay a bit more interest on bonds you issue. AState was recently upgraded but our state hasn't cut state funding at the pace of most states and we budget very conservatively and have done a lot of private partnerships to generate revenue that still a bit novel but will likely become the norm (ie. partnering to create private institutions like the med school and Mexico campus, and contracts to provide employee training programs for private business that aren't degree track programs).

Funny you should mention bond ratings, FIU just floated one for on-campus housing which received a rating of Aa3 from Moody's. Not sure how this relates to your point but it is certainly a point of interest (i.e. it shows institutional strength and ability to grow).

(05-04-2015 08:59 AM)inutech Wrote:  

(05-03-2015 09:53 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  If the comments of ODU AD Wood Selig have any significance, I think the chances of adding any school to replace UAB are really, really slim. At a recent Coaches Caravan meeting, he discussed the UAB issue, and he said that he sees no real interest in adding another school at this time. I have to assume he meant from the perspective of his discussions with other member ADs.

Now, that's from one AD from one member school. If you really want to get a feel on how this will ultimately resolve, talk to your own ADs and university presidents. I suspect you will hear something similar to what Wood Selig expressed in an open meeting with Monarch fans.

Bottom line current thinking -- no football, no UAB. No UAB, no replacement school at this time.

You're burying the lede here. Your AD's first name is "Wood?"

lol -- Dr. Camden Wood Selig has been our AD since 2010. Before that, he was AD at Western Kentucky. Before that he was an assistant AD at UVA. He actually grew up in Norfolk only a few blocks from the ODU campus, so coming to ODU was coming back home for him. From my perspective, he is doing a first class job, and Monarch athletics have truly blossomed under his leadership.

So -- first name? No -- but middle name and how he is known? Yes.

(05-04-2015 09:42 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(05-03-2015 12:41 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Credit rating drops for universities have been happening quite a bit lately (UNT's rating was dropped last year). Means you pay a bit more interest on bonds you issue. AState was recently upgraded but our state hasn't cut state funding at the pace of most states and we budget very conservatively and have done a lot of private partnerships to generate revenue that still a bit novel but will likely become the norm (ie. partnering to create private institutions like the med school and Mexico campus, and contracts to provide employee training programs for private business that aren't degree track programs).

Funny you should mention bond ratings, FIU just floated one for on-campus housing which received a rating of Aa3 from Moody's. Not sure how this relates to your point but it is certainly a point of interest (i.e. it shows institutional strength and ability to grow).

My point is unless a school is getting a B rating or lower, other schools in their conference or schools reviewing them for membership aren't going to worry about their credit rating, they are financially sound. So the whole Louisiana finance crap is crap unless a school is at risk of struggling to repay. Then they might start cutting programs.

(05-04-2015 09:50 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  My point is unless a school is getting a B rating or lower, other schools in their conference or schools reviewing them for membership aren't going to worry about their credit rating, they are financially sound. So the whole Louisiana finance crap is crap unless a school is at risk of struggling to repay. Then they might start cutting programs.

I can't imagine any FBS school with a credit risk so high as to necessitate the cutting of programs. But revenue streams and cost of capital for 'growth' could be a more salient subject for discussion.

(05-01-2015 05:52 PM)Dawgxas Wrote:  

(05-01-2015 05:38 PM)RougeDawg Wrote:  UL-L has credit issues?! (irony jawdrop)

http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/122571...n-negative

Quote:With the threat of deep budget cuts looming, Standard & Poor’s has placed five Louisiana higher education institutions on negative CreditWatch.

S&P’s rare move to take action as the state budget is still being mulled relates to student fee, auxiliary and lease revenue bonds for Nicholls State University, the University of Louisiana Lafayette, the University of New Orleans Research Foundation, Louisiana State University’s Bogalusa Community Medical Center Project and the Delgado Community College Foundation.

Wow. Not good for ULL.

I don't keep up with Louisiana politics anymore but Louisiana higher ed should have consolidated years ago. Time for ULM, Northwestern, and LSUS to be under Tech. Those colleges could eliminate redundant programs, staffing and save some big time $$$.

To be clear, because the ltu folks who posted this were anything but clear (imagine that): this is an issue with the state of La's finances.....and NOT the finances of UL or any of the other schools named. We were listed due to the projects that are approved and are, or that are getting ready to be, bonded. UL has done nothing wrong here, except being located in the state of Louisiana. If something isn't done, this MAY impact the interest we will have to pay, as it will for all schools in the state.
The way I feel right now, we are kind of crazy wanting to brand ourselves with this dumpster-fire of a state that we live in. Honestly, they should be paying us to call ourselves 'Louisiana.'

If C-USA decides that we still need travel partners for Basketball,and UAB is dropped, then another university will be added, if they decide that is a non-issue, then adding a another school may not happen.

(05-04-2015 10:01 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(05-04-2015 09:50 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  My point is unless a school is getting a B rating or lower, other schools in their conference or schools reviewing them for membership aren't going to worry about their credit rating, they are financially sound. So the whole Louisiana finance crap is crap unless a school is at risk of struggling to repay. Then they might start cutting programs.

I can't imagine any FBS school with a credit risk so high as to necessitate the cutting of programs. But revenue streams and cost of capital for 'growth' could be a more salient subject for discussion.

I expect to see schools closing their doors over the next decade but not likely that they will be FBS. It will be some of the smaller liberal arts colleges and some small state schools. Most FBS schools are large enough to absorb the coming changes.

(05-03-2015 11:57 PM)paintedblue2 Wrote:  

(05-03-2015 09:45 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  These what-will-happen-if-UAB-leaves? threads have finally reached the moment of Zen.

By that do you mean when we collectively lose consciousness? If so I'd have to agree.

I meant the whole discussion is now utterly divorced from conscious, observable reality -- but yes what you said is also true.

(05-04-2015 10:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  Most FBS schools are large enough to absorb the coming changes.

I agree with this. But I could see some smaller IAA/DII/etc. schools that won't make it if the rules start to apply to them. Two in Louisiana I could see getting the axe in Louisiana would be Nicholls State and Northwestern State.

Well I just got back from 7 days in the area of Boca to Miami well actually Palm Beach to Miami, my 5th trip since Jan 18th...

Boca and Miami are so much different than any of our cities (CUSA) like light and day...actually NIGHT AND DAY. People in Miami are not going to travel across the city to watch FIU play...there's no connection to the people living 5 miles from the school to FIU. Other words if you live in BG or any other CUSA city other than Houston or San Antonio 95% of the people will know of the university and in most cases it will be one of the top 5 employers for the city and the #1 cause of employment for most of us.

PEOPLE KNOW IT and that makes more of a personal connection to the school

that's really not the case in Miami most people east of I95 probably don't know what FIU is

FIU is surrounded mostly by what would be middle to upper working class in most of our cities and in my opinion, which is based off no facts other than what I see with my own eyes FIU is more connected to the middle upper class type of people because that is the look the school dives off when you drive around the campus and see the students walking....like I said I might be wrong but that's the look I get. So with that you don't have the connection to the kids growing up on football...the kids we all spend big bucks to recruit out of S. Fla. So those families are not traveling across the city to watch a FIU game...

not when 99% of them thinks pro or P5 when they think football

So my point is FIU is not a Grambling type school that has a connection or some history in the black communities in the city to draw fans from. Once you take that out a large % of the people came to this city from another country with in the last 50 years and places where football a totally different sport. So again no connection

Like others have said you are fighting with the beaches, night life, arts, shopping, food and a 100 other things for the dollars it cost to see a FIU game.

Boca is or at least the area I seen is mostly rich folks and a large % of those are from somewhere else. I'm sure it has it's poorer part of the city but it must be the area around i95 and away from the campus. Again you are fighting with the beaches and mid 70s to 80s in Nov and Dec. TONs of nightlife with in a 30-45 minute drive...Miami, Ft Lauderdale and the same goes for eats. You could probably go out to eat every weekend and not experience all of the go to places with in a 10 to 30 minute drive in two years...104 times. Same with Bars and nightclubs. All of those are fighting for the money being spent on football..and TIME. Again you are in the area of the country where pro sports are king to the people living there.

So while most of us have a very limited number of places to go eat or go out to...you always have a new choice in both Miami and BOCA with in a 30 minute drive. Not only that you don't have the connection that most of our schools have with the city...employment and value. And since a large % of the people probably came to the area with in the last 20 to 50 years...most of them have no connection to the school or football and basketball teams.

Both are fighting a battle with butts in the seats that they can not win...not even with winning teams. That not even adding in the fact over the last 20+ years espn has told everyone with the money to buy those tickets (40 under) we don't play big boy football.

I don't think any of the presidents in CUSA would trade either FIU or FAU for a team playing in any other G5 conference....I wouldn't either, well other than Western for FAU on the timeline. But not FAU for UL-L, ARK ST, USA, and MAC school or and MTW school...more so on distant in for the MTW

Now to the bond rating...Western and Bowling Green has a partnership where the city issues a lot of bonds for Western because of the rating. Not that Western's was bad but because the city's was better and the issue Western had with needing state approval if it went through Western.

(05-04-2015 11:21 AM)WKUYG Wrote:  Well I just got back from 7 days in the area of Boca to Miami well actually Palm Beach to Miami, my 5th trip since Jan 18th...

Boca and Miami are so much different than any of our cities (CUSA) like light and day...actually NIGHT AND DAY. People in Miami are not going to travel across the city to watch FIU play...there's no connection to the people living 5 miles from the school to FIU. Other words if you live in BG or any other CUSA city other than Houston or San Antonio 95% of the people will know of the university and in most cases it will be one of the top 5 employers for the city and the #1 cause of employment for most of us.

PEOPLE KNOW IT and that makes more of a personal connection to the school

that's really not the case in Miami most people east of I95 probably don't know what FIU is

FIU is surrounded mostly by what would be middle to upper working class in most of our cities and in my opinion, which is based off no facts other than what I see with my own eyes FIU is more connected to the middle upper class type of people because that is the look the school dives off when you drive around the campus and see the students walking....like I said I might be wrong but that's the look I get. So with that you don't have the connection to the kids growing up on football...the kids we all spend big bucks to recruit out of S. Fla. So those families are not traveling across the city to watch a FIU game...

not when 99% of them thinks pro or P5 when they think football

So my point is FIU is not a Grambling type school that has a connection or some history in the black communities in the city to draw fans from. Once you take that out a large % of the people came to this city from another country with in the last 50 years and places where football a totally different sport. So again no connection

Like others have said you are fighting with the beaches, night life, arts, shopping, food and a 100 other things for the dollars it cost to see a FIU game.

Boca is or at least the area I seen is mostly rich folks and a large % of those are from somewhere else. I'm sure it has it's poorer part of the city but it must be the area around i95 and away from the campus. Again you are fighting with the beaches and mid 70s to 80s in Nov and Dec. TONs of nightlife with in a 30-45 minute drive...Miami, Ft Lauderdale and the same goes for eats. You could probably go out to eat every weekend and not experience all of the go to places with in a 10 to 30 minute drive in two years...104 times. Same with Bars and nightclubs. All of those are fighting for the money being spent on football..and TIME. Again you are in the area of the country where pro sports are king to the people living there.

So while most of us have a very limited number of places to go eat or go out to...you always have a new choice in both Miami and BOCA with in a 30 minute drive. Not only that you don't have the connection that most of our schools have with the city...employment and value. And since a large % of the people probably came to the area with in the last 20 to 50 years...most of them have no connection to the school or football and basketball teams.

Both are fighting a battle with butts in the seats that they can not win...not even with winning teams. That not even adding in the fact over the last 20+ years espn has told everyone with the money to buy those tickets (40 under) we don't play big boy football.

I don't think any of the presidents in CUSA would trade either FIU or FAU for a team playing in any other G5 conference....I wouldn't either, well other than Western for FAU on the timeline. But not FAU for UL-L, ARK ST, USA, and MAC school or and MTW school...more so on distant in for the MTW

Now to the bond rating...Western and Bowling Green has a partnership where the city issues a lot of bonds for Western because of the rating. Not that Western's was bad but because the city's was better and the issue Western had with needing state approval if it went through Western.

Everything you have stated is true except for even the P5 school as well as the Pro teams have difficulty drawing a crowd. You can't look as what happens for a Superbowl in Miami. There is simply an abundance of venues trying to get the entertainment dollars out of the people's pockets. Take a look and the Hurricanes MBB attendance numbers, they are horrible for an ACC team and its the same for their football. Even the Dolphins have very weak crowds. There is just too much competition for the dollar.

(05-04-2015 10:39 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(05-04-2015 10:01 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(05-04-2015 09:50 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  My point is unless a school is getting a B rating or lower, other schools in their conference or schools reviewing them for membership aren't going to worry about their credit rating, they are financially sound. So the whole Louisiana finance crap is crap unless a school is at risk of struggling to repay. Then they might start cutting programs.

I can't imagine any FBS school with a credit risk so high as to necessitate the cutting of programs. But revenue streams and cost of capital for 'growth' could be a more salient subject for discussion.

I expect to see schools closing their doors over the next decade but not likely that they will be FBS. It will be some of the smaller liberal arts colleges and some small state schools. Most FBS schools are large enough to absorb the coming changes.

I agree with a lot of what you have said.
Not sure if everyone is aware, but in LA (a state of ~4 million) there are 14 4-year universities. Compare that to Fla, which has ~5 times our population, and I think 12, 4 year uni's. So yes, lol....we have a bit of problem on our hands.
Also, keep in mind that there have been legitimate studies that show that it would actually be more expensive to shut down some of them, so that makes it even more complicated.
It is has evolved to be that we would keep 3-4 State-wide 4-year uni's, and change the mission and/or close all the rest. But you can about imagine the politics and emotions that this whole process would involve....which means it probably will never get done.

One of the few ways to get Tech fans and ULL fans to agree is to start talking about shutting down other 4 year schools in Louisiana.

The other, depending on the level of fandom, would be to complain about LSU. But you'd always run the risk (with either school's fanbase, sadly) of running across a bandwagon tigah fan who cheers for LSU and beloved alma mater, so even that's not as reliable as the ole "let's merge X, close Y, and turn Z into a community college."

(05-04-2015 12:32 PM)VermilionWhite Wrote:  Not sure if everyone is aware, but in LA (a state of ~4 million) there are 14 4-year universities. Compare that to Fla, which has ~5 times our population, and I think 12, 4 year uni's. So yes, lol....we have a bit of problem on our hands.

West Virginia has 17

Two IA FBS Schools

Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Thirteen DII Schools

Alderson Broaddus University
Philippi, West Virginia

University of Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia

Concord University
Athens, West Virginia

Davis & Elkins College
Elkins, West Virginia

Fairmont State University
Fairmont, West Virginia

Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia

Ohio Valley University
Vienna, West Virginia

Salem International University
Salem, West Virginia

Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

West Liberty University
West Liberty, West Virginia

West Virginia State University
Institute, West Virginia

West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, West Virginia

Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling, West Virginia

One DIII School

Bethany College
Bethany, West Virginia

One NAIA School

West Virginia Tech (Run by WVU but separate institutions)
Montgomery, West Virginia

All in a state of a population of 1.8 million people. Those are just the 4 year schools. The state has a bunch of 2 year institutions and vocational schools.

(05-04-2015 01:31 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(05-04-2015 12:32 PM)VermilionWhite Wrote:  Not sure if everyone is aware, but in LA (a state of ~4 million) there are 14 4-year universities. Compare that to Fla, which has ~5 times our population, and I think 12, 4 year uni's. So yes, lol....we have a bit of problem on our hands.

West Virginia has 17

Two IA FBS Schools

Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Thirteen DII Schools

Alderson Broaddus University (PRIVATE)
Philippi, West Virginia

University of Charleston (PRIVATE)
Charleston, West Virginia

Concord University
Athens, West Virginia

Davis & Elkins College (PRIVATE)
Elkins, West Virginia

Fairmont State University
Fairmont, West Virginia

Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia

Ohio Valley University (PRIVATE)
Vienna, West Virginia

Salem International University (PRIVATE)
Salem, West Virginia

Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

West Liberty University
West Liberty, West Virginia

West Virginia State University
Institute, West Virginia

West Virginia Wesleyan College (PRIVATE)
Buckhannon, West Virginia

Wheeling Jesuit University (PRIVATE)
Wheeling, West Virginia

One DIII School

Bethany College (PRIVATE)
Bethany, West Virginia

One NAIA School

West Virginia Tech (Run by WVU but separate institutions)
Montgomery, West Virginia

All in a state of a population of 1.8 million people. Those are just the 4 year schools. The state has a bunch of 2 year institutions and vocational schools.

8 of those 14 are private, so we can't close them down if we want to.

(05-04-2015 01:31 PM)HerdZoned Wrote:  

(05-04-2015 12:32 PM)VermilionWhite Wrote:  Not sure if everyone is aware, but in LA (a state of ~4 million) there are 14 4-year universities. Compare that to Fla, which has ~5 times our population, and I think 12, 4 year uni's. So yes, lol....we have a bit of problem on our hands.

West Virginia has 17

Two IA FBS Schools

Marshall University
Huntington, West Virginia

West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Thirteen DII Schools

Alderson Broaddus University
Philippi, West Virginia

University of Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia

Concord University
Athens, West Virginia

Davis & Elkins College
Elkins, West Virginia

Fairmont State University
Fairmont, West Virginia

Glenville State College
Glenville, West Virginia

Ohio Valley University
Vienna, West Virginia

Salem International University
Salem, West Virginia

Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, West Virginia

West Liberty University
West Liberty, West Virginia

West Virginia State University
Institute, West Virginia

West Virginia Wesleyan College
Buckhannon, West Virginia

Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling, West Virginia

One DIII School

Bethany College
Bethany, West Virginia

One NAIA School

West Virginia Tech (Run by WVU but separate institutions)
Montgomery, West Virginia

All in a state of a population of 1.8 million people. Those are just the 4 year schools. The state has a bunch of 2 year institutions and vocational schools.

At least 7 of those 17 are private schools. I think they're only talking about public schools in each state in this thread. Regardless, 10 is still are large number.