Division I's wobbliest athletic program just got a little wobblier.

Chicago State (0-9) is canceling the rest of its season, including all its upcoming WAC games. Not because of COVID, but that they don't have enough players to field a team. (In Chicago.)

It may time for the WAC to give notice to this program.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/co...story.html

It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

(12-23-2020 11:28 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

I have suggested they move to the NAIA D-II Chicagoland. The schools are similar sized, very close by and similar budget.

Chicago State is in far worse financial shape than the MEAC schools. And an out of footprint weak sister like that could be the nail in the coffin, driving Howard out.

Chicago State cannot be relied upon to field teams. Their facilities are woefully short of conference minimums, only tolerated for the head count. They have never met staffing minimums, nor added the sports in their agreement to join the WAC. They really need to reduce the number of sports and play local at a lower level which they can actually afford.

It should be noted they tried to play all the revenue games, and two they could not play ($110K they lost out on), and when those were done, they stopped. This is not a real D-I program, it's not even a full roster or full coaching staff. And Men's Basketball is supposed to be the primary sport.

How can they not find more than 5 players in the entire Chicagoland area that want to play D1 basketball?

(12-23-2020 11:47 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:28 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

I have suggested they move to the NAIA D-II Chicagoland. The schools are similar sized, very close by and similar budget.

Chicago State is in far worse financial shape than the MEAC schools. And an out of footprint weak sister like that could be the nail in the coffin, driving Howard out.

Chicago State cannot be relied upon to field teams. Their facilities are woefully short of conference minimums, only tolerated for the head count. They have never met staffing minimums, nor added the sports in their agreement to join the WAC. They really need to reduce the number of sports and play local at a lower level which they can actually afford.

It should be noted they tried to play all the revenue games, and two they could not play ($110K they lost out on), and when those were done, they stopped. This is not a real D-I program, it's not even a full roster or full coaching staff. And Men's Basketball is supposed to be the primary sport.

There are no divisions in the NAIA. Not sure your advice to join a division that doesn’t even exist is worth more than your other opinions. You clearly don’t pay any attention to the NAIA.

(12-24-2020 12:01 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  How can they not find more than 5 players in the entire Chicagoland area that want to play D1 basketball?

Chicago State has only 433 undergraduate men, and 75 of them are on the Sports teams (!)

That is smaller than many Division 3 High Schools in California.

I think that is as many scholarships as they can afford. Here are their gross ticket sales for all sports:

2019 $5,544
2018 $14,965
2017 $4,050
2016 $2,865
2015 $15,434
2014 (no financial records)
2013 $9,060
2012 $5,958
2011 $10,037
2010 $56

My son's High School typically grossed over $2000 a basketball game, and probably more at football games, just charging parents a few dollars at the door. I don't even want to show Chicago State's athletic donations, which are also worse than my son's old High School. But it was just $18 in 2010-11, and $0 for 2013-14 through 2016-17 seasons, and again in 2018-19, with just $675 in 2012-13 and $1500 in 2019-20. There is zero support for this program. Only when they come to shut the school down or sports down, all these local heroes show up and proclaim how racists it is, raise some money for whatever group they lead and leave without a dime going to the school.

The WAC needs to show them the door.

I got to watch CSU play firsthand last year at FSU. I actually felt bad for them. FSU could have put up 200 on them if they had wanted.

(12-24-2020 12:24 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:47 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:28 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

I have suggested they move to the NAIA D-II Chicagoland. The schools are similar sized, very close by and similar budget.

Chicago State is in far worse financial shape than the MEAC schools. And an out of footprint weak sister like that could be the nail in the coffin, driving Howard out.

Chicago State cannot be relied upon to field teams. Their facilities are woefully short of conference minimums, only tolerated for the head count. They have never met staffing minimums, nor added the sports in their agreement to join the WAC. They really need to reduce the number of sports and play local at a lower level which they can actually afford.

It should be noted they tried to play all the revenue games, and two they could not play ($110K they lost out on), and when those were done, they stopped. This is not a real D-I program, it's not even a full roster or full coaching staff. And Men's Basketball is supposed to be the primary sport.

There are no divisions in the NAIA. Not sure your advice to join a division that doesn’t even exist is worth more than your other opinions. You clearly don’t pay any attention to the NAIA.

NAIA Basketball def did have two divisions until recently. Maybe this year?

(12-24-2020 08:30 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(12-24-2020 12:24 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:47 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:28 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

I have suggested they move to the NAIA D-II Chicagoland. The schools are similar sized, very close by and similar budget.

Chicago State is in far worse financial shape than the MEAC schools. And an out of footprint weak sister like that could be the nail in the coffin, driving Howard out.

Chicago State cannot be relied upon to field teams. Their facilities are woefully short of conference minimums, only tolerated for the head count. They have never met staffing minimums, nor added the sports in their agreement to join the WAC. They really need to reduce the number of sports and play local at a lower level which they can actually afford.

It should be noted they tried to play all the revenue games, and two they could not play ($110K they lost out on), and when those were done, they stopped. This is not a real D-I program, it's not even a full roster or full coaching staff. And Men's Basketball is supposed to be the primary sport.

There are no divisions in the NAIA. Not sure your advice to join a division that doesn’t even exist is worth more than your other opinions. You clearly don’t pay any attention to the NAIA.

NAIA Basketball def did have two divisions until recently. Maybe this year?

You are right. NAIA had 2 divisions until this year.

Why does this school have a D1 athletic program?!

This is the school that dropped baseball to add soccer simply because a soccer team plays fewer games and therefore travels less.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the best thing CSU could do is to merge with nearby Olive-Harvey College in the city's two year system and focus on expanded technical programs for the community. The south side needs functional education options, but it does no good for anyone to keep a zombie college alive. It's clearly not a priority for Chicago and Illinois political hacks though, so I'd expect it to stagger along.

Chicago State should not have a D1 athletic program, nor should it really continue to remain open. It remains a significant sunk cost for the state and city, and any further investment towards the "institution" would be flushing resources down the toilet. Unfortunately, due to Chicago politics, it will stay open for many decades to come, continuing to steal funds from taxpayers.

No tears for this because the WAC won’t cut them loose. It’s because they haven’t a spine out there to draw a line in the sand and simply say a program needs to honor these qualifications to be in the conference. And CSU isn’t doing this. But WAC won’t pull the trigger to put an end to the whole thing.

Chicago State is only D1 because the WAC allows them to be. That’s all.

(12-24-2020 10:48 AM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  Chicago State should not have a D1 athletic program, nor should it really continue to remain open. It remains a significant sunk cost for the state and city, and any further investment towards the "institution" would be flushing resources down the toilet. Unfortunately, due to Chicago politics, it will stay open for many decades to come, continuing to steal funds from taxpayers.

Its a mess. Make it a two year campus of Northeastern Illinois or Governor's State.

If they own that really nice arena they should sell it
The Texas four don't want to travel to CSU cancelling basketball gives the WAC cause to kick them out.

(12-24-2020 08:30 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(12-24-2020 12:24 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:47 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(12-23-2020 11:28 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  It’s for the best for the WAC. They don’t have to waste their time and money traveling to a team down to one coach and 5 players.

I’ve been suggesting CSU move to the MEAC ever since the FAMU news, but the administration doesn’t read my posts. Heck, the BOT’s had no idea why we’re in the WAC.

I have suggested they move to the NAIA D-II Chicagoland. The schools are similar sized, very close by and similar budget.

Chicago State is in far worse financial shape than the MEAC schools. And an out of footprint weak sister like that could be the nail in the coffin, driving Howard out.

Chicago State cannot be relied upon to field teams. Their facilities are woefully short of conference minimums, only tolerated for the head count. They have never met staffing minimums, nor added the sports in their agreement to join the WAC. They really need to reduce the number of sports and play local at a lower level which they can actually afford.

It should be noted they tried to play all the revenue games, and two they could not play ($110K they lost out on), and when those were done, they stopped. This is not a real D-I program, it's not even a full roster or full coaching staff. And Men's Basketball is supposed to be the primary sport.

There are no divisions in the NAIA. Not sure your advice to join a division that doesn’t even exist is worth more than your other opinions. You clearly don’t pay any attention to the NAIA.

NAIA Basketball def did have two divisions until recently. Maybe this year?

The NAIA did have two divisions up until this year. Div 1 could offer 11 scholarships and Div 2 could offer 6. But they combined both divisions this year into one division that could offer 8 scholarships. My daughter plays NAIA basketball. They have some pretty good teams, maybe NCAA D2 level. Chicago State would get blown out by certain NAIA teams.

Yeah, it was announced almost 3 years ago.

(12-24-2020 10:15 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  Why does this school have a D1 athletic program?!

This is the school that dropped baseball to add soccer simply because a soccer team plays fewer games and therefore travels less.

Yes, but the soccer team was supposed to have been started in 2012 in addition to Baseball as part of the WAC contract. The team is in the formation process. The team in theory will play in fall 2021 ... if it happens.