It looks like EWU is considering an exit from FCS Football:

Quote:Eastern Washington University is currently facing significant financial challenges caused in large part by decreasing enrollment and compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quote:Nationally, the impact of COVID-19 on colleges and universities has caused an increasing number of institutions to drop sports from their athletics program, primarily for financial reasons. However, this is not an option for Eastern should it remain at the Division I level as it currently sponsors the minimum number of sports needed to meet membership requirements.

Quote:The decision to remain at the Division I-FCS level, to reclassify to a lower division or to discontinue football will require careful consideration of the various options and factors outlined in this report.

Quote: The primary question for Eastern Washington University, as it pertains to athletics is to decide the NCAA competitive level for its intercollegiate athletics program. Four options are presented for consideration:

Option A: Remain a NCAA Division I-FCS program
Option B: Reclassify to NCAA Division I Subdivision (non-football)
Option C: Reclassify to NCAA Division II
Option D: Reclassify to NCAA Division III

https://www.ewu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2...eb2021.pdf

They aren't going to leave FCS or drop football. Out of the four options listed by the PICTOR Group, the most likely is Option A. EWU is currently in a fundraising campaign where they have raised ~$36M (half of the goal) including $5M earmarked for athletics. The report mentions that there are a number of possible athletic benefactors that are wary of contributing due to the lack of commitment on EWU's part.

Still, the issue remains whether they can make up the difference. EWU has cut $5M of institutional support from athletics, which the report says would need to be reversed AND go along with an additional $4M investment. Is there enough money in Cheney and the direct surrounding area to support a D1 program? They average about 10K per game, so not an insignificant number, but they need to add revenues in a major way otherwise they will be stuck in the same loop they have been in since they added sports in the 1960s.

(03-03-2021 11:37 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  They aren't going to leave FCS or drop football.

I hope you are correct. The fact that they paid for a deep analysis suggests there has at least been some debate on this topic at EWU.

EWU has been a perennial top 10 team, and they've been to the NC game twice (won in 2010, lost in 2018). If they are looking at this, I wonder how many other FCS teams are also, particularly those who have been sitting out Fall and Spring seasons.

Most every institution (all divisions and subdivisions) have been hurt by the pandemic. EWU was in the unenviable position of cutting institutional support for athletics BEFORE the pandemic struck. Hopefully they can figure out a way to get through it. I think they may look to refocus on FB, MBB, and WBB, and reduce funding and support for other sports.

Maybe Colin Cowherd can make a big donation?

(03-03-2021 01:17 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Maybe Colin Cowherd can make a big donation?

Perhaps he can do some fund raising for EWU in the Dominican Republic.

Didn't realize he went there. Now I hope they fold athletics.

Is one of the options to sell ad space all over their red football field like a stock car?

(03-03-2021 12:14 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 11:37 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  They aren't going to leave FCS or drop football.

I hope you are correct. The fact that they paid for a deep analysis suggests there has at least been some debate on this topic at EWU.

EWU has been a perennial top 10 team, and they've been to the NC game twice (won in 2010, lost in 2018). If they are looking at this, I wonder how many other FCS teams are also, particularly those who have been sitting out Fall and Spring seasons.

The detailed report points to staying in FCS is their best option of the four. EWU has some anti-sports professors and deans who were raising a stink in recent years so I'm betting the university leadership paid to commission a study that would say that their best bet is to stay in FCS. All of these studies have an agenda, like ours was Bourne's attempt to justify why we should go FBS. CARR and PICTOR aren't going to tell you something you don't want to hear.

Kind of like how environmentalists' paid studies always say oil is bad for the planet and Exxon's paid studies always say oil has negligible impact to the environment. The truth is usually somewhere in between.

They should leave simply for that hideous field alone.

(03-03-2021 12:14 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 11:37 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  They aren't going to leave FCS or drop football.

I hope you are correct. The fact that they paid for a deep analysis suggests there has at least been some debate on this topic at EWU.

EWU has been a perennial top 10 team, and they've been to the NC game twice (won in 2010, lost in 2018). If they are looking at this, I wonder how many other FCS teams are also, particularly those who have been sitting out Fall and Spring seasons.

EWU didn’t pay for a “deep analysis.” Leaders there spent $38,000 on the Pictor Group. Swim and track and field team members and alums at W&M provided deeper analysis than what was provided by the Pictor Group.

(03-03-2021 06:03 PM)Florida tribe fan Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 12:14 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(03-03-2021 11:37 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  They aren't going to leave FCS or drop football.

I hope you are correct. The fact that they paid for a deep analysis suggests there has at least been some debate on this topic at EWU.

EWU has been a perennial top 10 team, and they've been to the NC game twice (won in 2010, lost in 2018). If they are looking at this, I wonder how many other FCS teams are also, particularly those who have been sitting out Fall and Spring seasons.

EWU didn’t pay for a “deep analysis.” Leaders there spent $38,000 on the Pictor Group. Swim and track and field team members and alums at W&M provided deeper analysis than what was provided by the Pictor Group.

Generally you pay a consultant to either a) make your process look more formidable or b) to confirm what you already know, but cannot tell your board or management directly

So, just extrapolating on people’s responses here ...

EWU has budget issues.
Faculty and/or Board says “we should cut football”
Athletic Dept says “that’s crazy talk, here’s a 75 page, $38k report to prove it”

(03-04-2021 03:25 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  So, just extrapolating on people’s responses here ...

EWU has budget issues.
Faculty and/or Board says “we should cut football”
Athletic Dept says “that’s crazy talk, here’s a 75 page, $38k report to prove it”

Step 4: tell the alums: "We're gonna drop football unless you guys donate more."

That field, in person, is a nightmare. I stopped by Cheney a couple of years ago to check it out with my own eyes and I'm still suffering headaches to this day. So hard to look at. That, and the stadium 'feels' like a high school stadium on steroids. Not a bash, just an observation. They do have a decent gameday atmosphere (when the weather cooperates).

(03-04-2021 06:05 PM)boozeNammo Wrote:  That field, in person, is a nightmare. I stopped by Cheney a couple of years ago to check it out with my own eyes and I'm still suffering headaches to this day. So hard to look at. That, and the stadium 'feels' like a high school stadium on steroids. Not a bash, just an observation. They do have a decent gameday atmosphere (when the weather cooperates).

All true. They should be banned from playing FB altogether for that red carpet.

(03-04-2021 06:05 PM)boozeNammo Wrote:  That field, in person, is a nightmare. I stopped by Cheney a couple of years ago to check it out with my own eyes and I'm still suffering headaches to this day. So hard to look at. That, and the stadium 'feels' like a high school stadium on steroids. Not a bash, just an observation. They do have a decent gameday atmosphere (when the weather cooperates).

Home field advantage?

I do think it might be a little disorienting for visiting teams, especially the first time they play on it.

Every time I see EWU's field my eyes start to bleed. Horrible.

Brian

(03-05-2021 04:20 PM)ParentofJMUMRDs Wrote:  Every time I see EWU's field my eyes start to bleed. Horrible.

Brian

Exactly how I feel...I've had bad hangovers I enjoyed more than watching 60 minutes of football on that field.

(03-05-2021 04:20 PM)ParentofJMUMRDs Wrote:  Every time I see EWU's field my eyes start to bleed. Horrible.

Brian

That's how they save money on re-painting the turf.