NCAAbbs

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Hello..when did we start considering this school???

I think things have been going on rather quitely and under the radar for a few months now.

THINK and KNOW are two different things.

Will it ever end :bang:

Yeah, but the reports of WKU going I-A 05-06 would not be wise. Im sorry but at 10,200 just wouldn't cut it in I-A. Its a nice avg for those in I-AA who avg anywhere between 2500-21K. But 10K would be on the low end of the food chain in I-A and put you on probation imed. on the 15K rule. Western needs to do a lot of work in the area of promoting attend. and getting ppl out to watch the games. Once this is done is when they should jump.

Yes but have you ever heard the analogy build it and they will come? How many people turn out for 1-AA games?

With better opponents, means better attendance, recruiting, and facilities.

Better Attendance + MAC = Joke

Sorry, but thats the truth

of the 117 Division I-A schools, here are the ones in the MAC that drew less then 15,000:

109. Central Michigan 13,907
110. Akron 13,812
111. Buffalo 12,419
112. Ball St. 12,339
115. Eastern Michigan 11,258
117. Kent St. 8,524

Only other conference that had schools average less then 15,000 last year was the Sun Belt.

107. Utah St. 14,921
108. Louisiana-Lafayette 13,995
113. Idaho 12,064
114. La-Monroe 11,298
116. Middle Tenn. St. 11,021

How many C-USA Schools finished below 20,000 last year?

ZERO

For Marshall, we didn't jump, untill we avg 20 K in I-AA.

Lets take a look at WKUs football Conf, you all aren't in a light conf. I'll grant you that.

Gateway
Illinois St.
Indiana St.
Northern Iowa (Playoff team last year)
SMS (Formerly: Southwest Missoui State)
Southern Ill. (Playoff team last year)
Western Ill. (Playoff team last year)
Youngstown St.

Anyone of those playoff teams should be able to draw atleast 14-16 K at WKU, yes I know your stadium holds 18 K. Youngstown should be able to draw no less than 13 K. Just my thoughts.

I HIGHLY doubt that WKU turned down a CUSA offer. I do not think they were even a blip on our radar. As much as some may fuss about the schools we did add, at least they were established I-A schools. I live in Kentucky, and I highly doubt that WKU can make the 15k attendance threshold with MAC schools. I just can't see it happening. Who knows though. I wish them luck either way!

According to "Mel," Jim Tirey of WLAP reported that WKU turned down a C-USA invitation. It occurred to me that this invitation he's talking about may not have been recent. Perhaps WKU was invited back when C-USA was first being started or at some other point in time. Could I be right?

To my knowledge, WKU has never been considered by C-USA.

So, if this is true, who's going to be the MAC's #14? Or are they going to be unbalanced?

Or is this them preparing to lose a school to us?

I've heard rumors about MTSU tagging along but nothing substantiated.

Might be a good option for MTSU as far as location is concerned, but would the MAC help or hurt their attendance?

Neither

Just realized: Temple will probably be #14 in football.... I guess the other sports will stay at 13.

makes sense...

UCF was a football only member.

If I had to guess:

Middle Tennesee comes in for all sports. Temple comes in in football-only, and Western Kentucky comes in for everything else.

That's an even 14 in everything right off the bat.

When Western Kentucky is ready to play football in the MAC, the conference may have an opening ...

I don't think adding another 1AA team is what the MAC needs.They are already going to lose several due to attendance and funding within the next several years.IMO

I think they are looking at WKU's strong presence in I-AA the last few years. They won the I-AA national title in 2002. I think Chryst is hoping for something similar to what happened when Marshall rejoined the MAC and I-A. Certainly not the attendance Marshall had and not the same level of play, but very decent play and an increase in attendance. WKU has a good basketball program and if they can come into I-A in football and play good they have a good chance of their attendance increasing.

Playing better teams like Miami, Toledo, BGSU, and NIU instead of Florida Atlantic, Idaho, ULL, and ULM could make a slight difference in attendance too.

That said, I don't see WKU playing I-A football until 2006-07 at the earliest.

Good points RF.I too would think WKU's attendance would rise playing better teams but that is a big gamble to take.Look at Buffalo.MTSU would also be a huge gamble.Both Marshall and Boise State took the gamble and it paid off however they were crushing teams in 1AA since the mid 80's.With the exception of Youngstown State :mad: Troy State has also made the jump up fairly well :mad:

Well, if this happens, good for WKU. I hope we keep an eye on them. Since they're just an hour north of Nashville, they'd be a great fit for C-USA if their football makes the jump successfully and they keep their basketball program up.

If they'd made this leap sooner, they might've been the 'east' team we were looking for. :bang:

Makes you wonder how many teams Chryst and his boys think they're going to field in future football seasons... and too, whether or not Temple is ever going to surface as a football-only member.

They have only averaged 10K in home attendance once in the past 10 years. According to their own website. We should keep an eye on them... maybe in 30 years... let the MAC have em. The MAC can rotate teams between 1A and 1AA.....

Out of curiosity (no flame intended)....how much did UCF average while in I-AA?

I'll have to look it up. I will post it tonight. I assumed that WKU was drawing better than this. Stadium looks real nice but it is like Northern Illinois stadium... only bleachers on one side of the field. Do they have the money to finish the stadium? Consistantly avg less than 10K a game makes WKU pretty problematic. Plenty of better choices out their. Temple, Youngstown, Troy, and MTSU just to name a few.

Of course this doesn't include the teams you've invited, now does it?

Just one bit of advice to the MAC teams.... watch out for flying sledgehammers.

Ye Gods! Who hasn't turned us down?

SunBelt & WAC boards that way -------->

Youngstown State does not have a chance with the MAC. There are too many Ohio teams already.

I don't think the MAC really sees Troy State as a potential expansion team.

Temple and MTSU have also been rumored. Temple's problem is that they won't move any sports outside of football. That is why I think their football program will eventually be in I-AA.

MTSU and WKU could both be headed to the MAC.

Rocket if the Sunbelt dies in this the MAC will take Troy State in. No other viable conf. out there for them to go to. It will be something like the marriage between UCF and the MAC though.

I hear ya. I just wonder if they MAC will take them though. Maybe if we lose a few schools to I-AA.

Troy is decent and avg 21K which is pretty good for a team that is only 4 years removed from I-AA. If the SunBelt dies, I think Chryst would take them in. I think they would put up a respectable 7-5 or 8-4 mark each season. Plus there would be a school without attend. problems.

Rocket here are those UCF 1AA attendance numbers I promised.

1990

Attendance Opponent Date
22,462 Troy State 9/1
6,055 Kentucky State 9/29
16,258 Georgia Southern 10/20
14,052 Southern Illinois 10/27
14,107 Liberty 11/3
16,208 Slippery Rock 11/10
16,328 Texas Southern 11/17
20,067 William & Mary 12/1
15,692

1991

Attendance Opponent Date
18,586 Troy State 8/31
20,049 East Carolina 9/21
16,066 Bethune-Cookman 9/28
12,011 Samford 10/12
13,188 Savannah State 11/2
10,067 Millersville 11/16
14,988

1992

Attendance Opponent Date
10,286 Gardner-Webb 9/5
12,075 Bethune-Cookman 9/12
7,755 Troy State 9/19
5,412 Moscow (exhibition) 10/3
8,087 Nicholls State 10/17
9,067 Buffalo 11/7
6,681 James Madison 11/14
8,480

1993

Attendance Opponent Date
11,033 Valdosta State 9/11
10,759 McNeese State 9/25
23,489 Yale 10/2
8,081 Samford 10/9
12,857 Western Illinois 10/16
8,688 Liberty 11/6
7,609 Buffalo 11/13
11,788

1994

Attendance Opponent Date
22,518 Valdosta State 9/10
22,049 Bethune-Cookman 9/17
24,326 Western Kentucky 9/24
27,003 Troy State 10/22
18,856 Buffalo 11/19
22,950

1995

Attendance Opponent Date
13,442 Eastern Kentucky 8/31
13,413 Carson-Newman 9/9
11,333 Samford 10/7
12,210 Liberty 10/14
16,002 Bethune-Cookman 11/4
12,312 Troy State 11/11
11,119 Maine 11/18
12,833

Guess I should have looked at these before i bashed WKU....

No Bull: Just FWIW but NIU redid their away stands in something like 1994. They have permanent stands on both sides of the field now, and it seats about 31K.

Also, when WKU played in state rivals in the old OVC in the 70's they averaged over 15K quite a few times. Not sure if that relates at all to today, but with an improved IA schedule and a renovated stadium they are sure to get a bump in attendance I would think.

Yeah, I was aware that NIU had permanent stands on both sides of the field now, I saw em but Maryland on tv this year. WKUcurrent stands look nice, once they put on the other side it should be a real nice stadium. To my eyes, even if WKU is actually counting butts in seats their attendance is fairly soft. I know it would be better in 1A, but I am not sure how much better....

Our 1-AA averages are on par or BETTER than EMU, CMU, Kent St, Buffalo, and Ball St.'s D1 averages :wave: