JBB wrote:Overall, the BSC is more D2 like in attendance and facilities in football when compared to the MVFC
Stop back peddling. You never mentioned anything about facilities or attendance in your previous post. What I called you out on was your claim that the MVFC has a better history than the Big Sky Conference. But again, I welcome you to explain how the MVFC is better in that regard.
JBB wrote: Better travel, better coverage, better history, better for recruiting.
But since you are now claiming that the MVFC has better facilties, let's take a look at the comparable facilities of both conferences.
Open-Air Stadiums:
Big Sky: Montana - Washington-Grizzly Stadium: 25,500+
MVFC: Youngstown State - Stambaugh Stadium: 20,600
Big Sky: Sac State - Hornet Stadium: 22,000
MVFC: Missouri State: Plaster Sports Complex: 16,600
Big Sky: Portland State - PGE Park: 20,000+
MVFC: Western Illinois - Hanson Field: 17,000+ Not sure how this is a 17k stadium, but ok.
Big Sky: Montana State - Bobcat Stadium: 15,000 currently - 22,000 once renovation complete
MVFC: Southern Illinois - Saluki Stadium: 15,000+
Big Sky: Weber State - Stewart Stadium: 17,000
MVFC: South Dakota State - Coughlin-Alumni Stadium: 16,000
*Big Sky: Cal Poly - Spanos Stadium: 11,000+
MVFC: Illinois State - Hancock Stadium: 15,000
*Big Sky: UC Davis - Aggie Stadium: 10,850
MVFC: Indiana State - Memorial Stadium: 12,764
Big Sky: Eastern Washington - Roos Field: ~10,000
or:
Joe Albi Stadium, Spokane: 28,700
EWU still played at Joe Albi up until a few years back, and still could if the administration chose to do so.
Big Sky: Northern Colorado - Nottingham Field: 8500
*Big Sky: Southern Utah - Eccles Colliseum: 8500
And now to the domed stadiums:
Big Sky: Northern Arizona - Walkup Skydome: 16,230
MVFC: Northern Iowa - UNI-Dome: 16,000+
*Note* The above two look pretty similar to me.
MVFC: North Dakota State: Fargodome: 19,000
*Big Sky: North Dakota - Alerus Center: 12,283
Big Sky: Idaho State - Holt Arena: 12,000
*South Dakota - DakotaDome: 10,000
Overall, the MVFC has some decent facilities. To say that the MVFC has better facilities than the Big Sky is a very big stretch. But you can see the above for yourself and make your own opinions.
There's some venues in the MVFC that are definitely nothing to write home about. Take, for example, Indiana State, SDSU, Western Illinois and look at the press boxes alone. Are you telling me those aren't, as you say "D-IIish"? UNC, SUU, and EWU (the schools I am assuming you were referring to in your comment) are not the biggest venues, but at least they all have recent/modern press boxes and media suites.
IMO, the advantage goes to the Big Sky. The only stadium in the FCS that is really on par with WA-Griz is KBS, so it sort of stands out on it's own. But take a look around the Big Sky and notice what's going on with venue improvements, The current renovations going on at PGE Park in Portland will make it an outstanding venue, albeit it's being remodeled as a soccer stadium. Then again, we're playing the NC game in a soccer stadium, so perhaps thats a non-issue. Montana State recently secured the funds to expand their stadium to 22 thousand. It's already good, but once complete, it will also be a premier venue. NAU recently approved $23.1 million in improvements to the Walkup Skydome, and started those in December (new press box, seating, audio/visual, etc).
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Cal Poly (2006) and UC Davis (2007) recently completed renovations to their venues in the past few years, and both have outstanding venues.
EWU has plans in the works for further renovations in the near future, as does Weber State, SUU, ISU, Sac State, etc.
I'd give the MVFC a nod in the area of domed venues, I suppose, since I don't think NAU or UND's domes are as nice as the Fargo Dome. So I guess that's something you can hang your hat on. The Alerus center looks pretty nice, although I haven't ever been there. NAU's Walkup Skydome is pretty similiar to the Uni-Dome if you look at the pictures. Once renovations are complete there, it will be better. ISU's Holt Arena needs some serious, serious, love, but all in all still looks on-par with USD's Dakotadome, if not better.
So, JBB - tell me again. Look at all of the above, and tell me how the MVFC has better facilities than the Big Sky. Are you sure you're not just comparing the Fargo Dome (which must be what you're familiar with in your seemingly limited scope of FCS) to the worst of the Big Sky venues and making broad-brush statements?
Do you even want me to start comparing Big Sky basketball venues with the Summit?