Big Sky Expansion

[Hambone]

If the invite info is accurate, maybe SUU will be all sports and the UXD's will be football. Also, maybe Montana is going to stay, and that would put the Sky at 14 football playing members with a couple 7 team divisions.

With that said, I won't believe invites have been made until I see something official.....

[webfan]

I don't understand that argument. I see a lot of support for your inclusion in the BSC. I think you may be overestimating the naysayers. Anyway, I hope the rumor is true, but I'll wait till its official before congrats.

[EWURanger]

If the invite info is accurate, maybe SUU will be all sports and the UXD's will be football. Also, maybe Montana is going to stay, and that would put the Sky at 14 football playing members with a couple 7 team divisions.

With that said, I won't believe invites have been made until I see something official.....

I think SUU is probably a lock. But I'm with you on the Dakota's - I'll believe it when I see it. And I still don't think Montana is sticking around, judging from all the rhetoric coming out of their Athletic Department, fans, etc.

Adding the Dakota's would sort of make sense if the BSC were going to go to a 14 team football format, though. So who knows.

[TbrdsFN10]

I don't understand that argument. I see a lot of support for your inclusion in the BSC. I think you may be overestimating the naysayers. Anyway, I hope the rumor is true, but I'll wait till its official before congrats.

Your probably right. There are a lot more people for it than agaisnt it. I just wonder why those naysayers do not like SUU. oh well, it will just be one of those unsolved mysteries..

[webfan]

I don't understand that argument. I see a lot of support for your inclusion in the BSC. I think you may be overestimating the naysayers. Anyway, I hope the rumor is true, but I'll wait till its official before congrats.

Your probably right. There are a lot more people for it than agaisnt it. I just wonder why those naysayers do not like SUU. oh well, it will just be one of those unsolved mysteries..

Who cares what the few think don't worry about it!

[JBB]

If the rumors are true and only 1 all sports invite is being made, is the BSC signaling that only Montana is going to the WAC? Also, if the rumors are true is Faison so out of touch he thought he was only talking to them about an all sports invite?

[webfan]

Who knows, its just rumor and speculation at this point. Remember the source of all this is eGriz!

[AZGrizFan]

Who knows, its just rumor and speculation at this point. Remember the source of all this is eGriz!

You know, they used to laugh when TMZ broke a story. I'm just sayin'.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

How the fuck does SuperHornet survive on a day to day basis?

[SUUTbird]

When it comes up to the issue over at E-Griz about SUU joining it really is just one or two guys that dont like the idea and frankly their arguments are quite entertaining to read. I am really hoping that the rumor is true and that maybe SUU will finally get a full ride membership to the Big Sky. Hell id be happy with football only to.

[grizzaholic]

When it comes up to the issue over at E-Griz about SUU joining it really is just one or two guys that dont like the idea and frankly their arguments are quite entertaining to read. I am really hoping that the rumor is true and that maybe SUU will finally get a full ride membership to the Big Sky. Hell id be happy with football only to.

[AZGrizFan]

When it comes up to the issue over at E-Griz about SUU joining it really is just one or two guys that dont like the idea and frankly their arguments are quite entertaining to read. I am really hoping that the rumor is true and that maybe SUU will finally get a full ride membership to the Big Sky. Hell id be happy with football only to.

[grizzaholic]

Copycat.

[AZGrizFan]

Copycat.

Exactly.

[BigSkyBears]

How the **** does SuperHornet survive on a day to day basis?

LOL. I wonder the same thing sometimes.

[T-Dog]

I think the Griz AND Bobcats will be moving up.

SUU as an all-sports member, Cal Poly, UC-Davis, North and South Dakota as football members and the Montanas leave.

Then your back at 12 football members and 8 full members.

[Wildcat Ryan]

If both Dakotas join, This is just an if, but.....

I wonder if the Big Sky will do what they already do for the Montana schools, in football to save money each team in the Big Sky (excluding the Montana schools of course) would play at and home to one of the Montana schools. I wonder if they will do that for the Dakotas, each team playing at one of the Dakotas and home to one of the Dakotas

An example would be

This year Weber plays home to Montana, but plays at Montana State

So it would be like
Weber @ UND
USD @ Weber

[bincitysioux]

Well, as a North Dakota fan I hope this rumor turns out to be true, preferably for full membership.

IF nobody leaves the conference, is it possible that adding all 3 schools could cut travel costs for all sports by going to a divisional format for not only football, but also basketball and other sports?

Adding all three would give 12 full sports members, so you could have two six team divisions for basketball and such. You'd have 10 home-and-home divisional conference games, and 6 non divisional conference games for a total of 16, which is the same number of games the Big Sky plays now. This would leave teams free to schedule non-conference games against more regional schools i.e. Big West schools for the West coast teams, Summit schools for the eastern fringe, and WAC or MWC schools for the central Big Sky schools.

Assuming a similar format for two 7 team football divisions, would an arrangement like this actually keep travel costs similar to or perhaps even less than they currently are for Big Sky schools?

[JBB]

Its all nice but its looking like it was decided some time ago. If the rumor is substantiated its football only for the Dakota schools. There is nothing to be saved by anyone in the conference coming to the Dakotas from the west coast with a basketball team. I wish you luck in your dream but I think we saw Faison simply out of touch and not really knowing what was coming down. This is about stability for FCS football in the west some people are willing to help you you but cant expect them to bend over backwards.

If the rumor is true Montana goes to the WAC, SUU to the BSC, UND to the Summit and BSC football with USD.

So UND fans get ready for the degrading experience of joining one of the worst leagues UND fans can imagine:

ON TO THE SUMMIT UND!!

[JBB]

This report is showing up:

SUU President Michael Benson has indicated the scheduling of a "special announcement" in the Centrum Arena for Wednesday at 2PM (MT). He further states that it is an "announcement that will be pretty exciting for our institution... that's all I can say right now."

Any similar news out of other schools?

This talk from Fullerton is far more encouraging than anything the Mighty Land Grants heard during their quest for membership into the BSC:

“The presidents’ discussions involving the University of North Dakota were extremely positive,” Fullerton said. “That discussion is ongoing. There’s no offer and nothing to report. A lot of it is really going to depend on what the University of North Dakota wants to do. Some of it depends on (UND president Robert Kelley) and ‘what’s your vision of you and your future?’”

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/a ... /homepage/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[leeshajo]

just going to say, went and talked to our sports guys here at the paper and they have heard NOTHING about USD going to the big sky. Trust me if this is true.. it is THE best kept secret ever in Verm.

[Yote53]

News like this would have to be kept tight to the vest around here. We have other considerations (the Summit) we have to worry about. If there is an offer on the table it is going to be kept a very tight secret with only a few at USD even knowing about it. I would say that circle is limited to Pres Abbott, AD Saylor, Assoc AD Herbster, a few select others and that is it.

The leaks are coming from other institutions.

[GeauxSioux]

Two articles on Big Sky Expansion. The first from the Grand Forks Herald.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/a ... id/180812/

The second from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.... http://www.argusleader.com/article/2010 ... 002/SPORTS

Both pieces place the ball in the UXD's court.

[Wildcat Ryan]

This report is showing up:

SUU President Michael Benson has indicated the scheduling of a "special announcement" in the Centrum Arena for Wednesday at 2PM (MT). He further states that it is an "announcement that will be pretty exciting for our institution... that's all I can say right now."

Any similar news out of other schools?

This talk from Fullerton is far more encouraging than anything the Mighty Land Grants heard during their quest for membership into the BSC:

“The presidents’ discussions involving the University of North Dakota were extremely positive,” Fullerton said. “That discussion is ongoing. There’s no offer and nothing to report. A lot of it is really going to depend on what the University of North Dakota wants to do. Some of it depends on (UND president Robert Kelley) and ‘what’s your vision of you and your future?’”

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/a ... /homepage/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So we should know (if the "announcement" is about SUU moving to the Sky) If SUU is a future member by about 2:30?

[JBB]

2.30 Wednesday yea.

Bison Media Blog is reporting SUU has accepted full membership.

Its also reported USD and UND have been offered full sports only. No football only option so the pressure is on USD.

Its clear the league has put the decision in the hands of the two presidents.

UND is not a Summit member. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose if they join. USD is another story.

USD has a good basketball and minor sports relationship with the Summit. Its a dream deal for them while the BSC is a cost nightmare. Football is the problem. I like USD in the Summit. Losing three leaves the Summit at 7 which is ok but 8 looks better. I hope the Summit intervenes with the MVFC on USDs behalf. 10 would be ok. That leaves MVFC teams with two OOC games which is good enough.