I suspect the problem is mostly economic. Will a #150 RPI put more fans in the stands at UC than a #250 RPI? Would #150 then be worth 50% more in guarantees if they demanded it to play in our half empty arena?

My impression: there is a bit of extortion going on among these marginally better low majors who are funding their programs on the backs of high majors willing to pay for better buy games. Worst case scenario for UC; being a high major without P5 revenue streams.

I'm all for thinning the herd in Division I basketball. At least one of the visiting teams at UC (pre-conference) recently didn't have a home game until the end of December or beginning of January, purely for economic reasons. That would suggest to me the school has no business in D1.