Division I puts a Moratorium on Membership

[Fresno St. Alum]

WTF! After this set of exploratory members no one else can move to D-I until 2011. This would also go for schools wanting to move from FCS to FBS. I'm not sure if Jacksonville St., Texas St., and UMass would still be allowed to move if they wanted to.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kc ... -07+update

[chris]

WTF! After this set of exploratory members no one else can move to D-I until 2011. This would also go for schools wanting to move from FCS to FBS. I'm not sure if Jacksonville St., Texas St., and UMass would still be allowed to move if they wanted to.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/kc ... -07+update

Crap, now what are us griz fans going to talk about.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Chris, my little hobbie is NCAA Division and Conference movement. Now no one gets into D-I and D-III. I'm so pissed f'n lame ass NCAA pussies

[ronbo]

I'm only seeing a moratorium on schools switching Divisions. FCS schools are already Division I and do not fall under this. There is no transition period for FCS to FBS. I really don't read anything about the Div I subdivisions being included. Montana won't consider the move before 2011 anyway so it's a moot point for us. We are a minimum of 5-10 years from even considering a move. When we reach 30,000 a game then it will start to really look ridiculous that we are playing with schools that average 6-7000 fans.

August 09, 2007



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The Division I Board of Directors has enacted a four-year moratorium on permitting institutions to begin the process of joining the division – an action that among other things will prevent a school from moving from another division into Division I or moving between its subdivisions until August 2011.

Although the division recently enacted new Football Bowl Subdivision criteria and established procedural steps to become a Division I member, standards for Division I institutional and conference membership were not reviewed.

The moratorium, which is effective immediately, does not affect 20 institutions that already have entered the seven-year Division I provisional-membership process for new NCAA members or the five-year process to move from Division II -- including institutions that currently are officially exploring Division I membership.

The moratorium also prevents institutions in Divisions II and III from seeking reclassification of a specific sport into Division I under multidivision-classification legislation, and prevents a new single-sport or multisport conference from achieving Division I membership until the moratorium ends.

The moratorium was endorsed by the NCAA Executive Committee Membership Working Group, a panel including representation from all three NCAA divisions that is studying the Association’s current three-division structure and considering steps to accommodate the NCAA’s continuing membership growth and related issues.

The panel suggested that a moratorium would give Division I an opportunity to re-evaluate criteria for achieving membership. The division’s current membership could consider during that period whether to revise standards for evaluating and granting membership to future provisional and/or reclassifying institutions – a step that could change Division I’s rate of growth.

The moratorium has Association-wide implications, because many of the institutions that recently have applied for Division I membership are reclassifying from Division II. The four-year length of the moratorium also fits a timeline established by the Executive Committee working group to propose and enact ways of managing an influx of new NCAA member institutions in Divisions II and III -- including possibly creating a fourth NCAA division or by subdividing Division III.

[ronbo]

I see the "move between subdivisions" now. My Bad. Montana will need to average 30-35,000 fans and win the NC 5 times in a row before we move up.

[WA Griz]

Big deal. The NCAA has been rolling over on its rules for IA, now FBS, membership for the last 15 years. I can't count the number of times I was sure Idaho was going to get gassed for lack of attendance, poor facilities etc. So now the NCAA puts on its angry mommy face and threatens to count to three? BFD.

[R.A.]

Although one can look at this as a blow to HBCUs that want to move from DII to the FCS, overall, I like this measure.

It gives some of our DII HBCUs more time to evaluate such a move from DII to the FCS... so we won't have anymore Savannah State cases rushing up without making the right calculations.

Also, it should shut up people that want the playoffs to expand... because now the FCS can theoretically only lose schools; not gaining anymore for DII for at least five seasons.

[NDSUFREAK]

so to have a better understanding of this then the teams moving to DI next year will get in but if they waited to have the last year of DII next year they wouldn't be able to move to DI until 2011 then??

[ronbo]

All that have announced and are already moving up are OK, like UND and USD.

[AZGrizFan]

While it would be nice if this move by the NCAA would shut up Griz fans for a while about moving to the WAC, I hardly expect the NCAA to stand in the way if someone presents a good enough case for moving up. If the conference realignments that have been rumored begin to happen and the WAC is left a few teams short, I don't think the NCAA is willing to risk a lawsuit if the powers that be decide it's in their best interest to approach a Montana or somebody like that to join the conference.

[msogrizfan]

I wonder if this means the NCAA is going to take a serious look at a playoff for the BCS, and they don't want the gold rush of teams pouring in for the football tournament money that would be distributed.

[Fresno St. Alum]

BCS said it could have a 4 team playoff by 2011.

Yeah if the WAC needs a 9th member if someone leaves, and they want UC Davis, I think the NCAA would allow it.

[Fresno St. Alum]

If the moratorium is lifted in 2011 I wonder how many will flock to D-I

Wayne St.(MI)
W.Georgia
Valdosta St.
C.Missouri
UNC-Pembroke
N.Kentucky
S.Indiana
Bellarmine


these are the ones that come to my mind

[UAalum72]

Also, it should shut up people that want the playoffs to expand... because now the FCS can theoretically only lose schools; not gaining anymore for DII for at least five seasons.

Hah! Fat chance. You can't shut us up that easy. Besides the Northeast Conference and the three leagues that so far have decided not to participate, the Big South will be eligible in two years, and there are enough teams in the pipeline to not only bring the Great West up to six teams, but probably form another league as well.

[ronbo]

We'll see if you're ready for the playoffs this September. Everybody's calling it a cupcake game.

[UAalum72]

We'll see if you're ready for the playoffs this September. Everybody's calling it a cupcake game.

Everybody don't know nothin'.

[lifesapuntreturn]

While it would be nice if this move by the NCAA would shut up Griz fans for a while about moving to the WAC, I hardly expect the NCAA to stand in the way if someone presents a good enough case for moving up. If the conference realignments that have been rumored begin to happen and the WAC is left a few teams short, I don't think the NCAA is willing to risk a lawsuit if the powers that be decide it's in their best interest to approach a Montana or somebody like that to join the conference.

I understand what you're saying and don't disagee. It would make sense for the NCAA to look at exceptions during this moratorium if the circumstances warrant. However, simply looking at things from another point of view - if the NCAA makes even one exception, no matter how "strong" the case may be for allowing that exception, they then open the door to at least having to consider looking at other exceptions or face the possibility of some sort of "exclusionary" lawsuit for allowing one exception but not another. I wonder if the NCAA did consider, or may still be considering, adding some verbage that addresses the possibility of exceptions.

[lizrdgizrd]

The thing that bothers me is the idea of creating another division. If that happens how will they shake out the old divisions? Will FCS become DII and so on or will there be something between DII & DIII?

[Fresno St. Alum]

I believe I-A and I-AA would stay the same it D-III that would split to D-III & D-IV or D-IIIA & D-IIIAA. Round up all the NAIA schools and let D-II and the 2 D-III's have at them.

[beamout2000]

In response to the orignal question of whether this effects Texas State because we were looking into a move up it was posted on http://www.bobcatfans.com this afternoon that Texas State is covered by the moratorium so at least a four year wait for a decision on whether to go to FBS.

[guinzone]

In my opinion, this is just going to lead to a ton of movement come 2011. Teams that were looking to move to I-A right now will then be able to get finances and such in check and prepare for a move to the I-A.

Teams that will move come 2011
TEXAS STATE
UMASS
MONTANA
YOUNGSTOWN STATE
DELAWARE
GEORGIA SOUTHERN.


I am calling those 6 programs out and will say all 6 will be ready to make the move to I-A come 2011.

[BisonBacker]

I don't see that happening. I think they will wait and see what/who transitions to FCS first. If FCS starts filling up with underfunded teams and the deterioration of FCS starts happening similar to what happened in DII then I say some will go but I see it more so as some conferences going as a whole rather then individual schools leaving. Similar to what many have said about the Gateway and the possiblity of all members going FBS.

[Fresno St. Alum]

If guinzone picks move up, Montana to the WAC(would they leave Montana St.), Youngstown St., Delaware, or UMass to the MAC (edge to YSU they could be a full member close to other members), Texas St. or Ga. Southern to the Sun Belt (GSU the better tradition Texas St. better location).

I would like to see the whole Gateway move, I think they are better than a lot of the Sun Belt and some of the MAC.

[GoBears]

I think it would be a mistake to move. FBS is a whole different ballgame, and honestly why would you? You will NEVER win another national championship, the best it will get for you is what happend to Bosie State last year, a BSC bowl bid, and a top 10 finish. And that will happen once every 5 years or so if you are really good. The move to FBS is only worth it in my humble oppinion if you get into a BCS conference, which wont happen. Maybe if FBS had a playoff or something, but as it stands now the BCS conferences control the bowls and the money. Speaking of the money, I just dont think it is there for an FCS program. For example UM's entire athletic budget is $12.7 million, by contratst CU spends $9.3 million on football alone. And CU has the third lowest budget in the the Big XII....

[Sly Fox]

I agree with Guinzone's premise. It will also allow for time for any new leagues to organize.

I would expect to see some others not listed including JMU, Appalachian St and Liberty to also be ont he move now that they have a true target date.

Of course the NCAA could extend that moratorium. But in doing so would open themselves up to some anti-trust accusations.