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Quote:Eastern Michigan University should drop out of Division I football and find a different league for its other sports, all in order to save students money, a new report issued by the university's faculty and students says.

Quote:Division I is now split into two divisions – Football Bowl Subdivision (where EMU is) and Football Championship Subdivision (the next step down). The report supports dropping out completely from Division I

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/mi.../83493156/

Dear okgc,
First of all this is not a recommendation of the Board of Regents, the President of the university, the Athletic Director, or anyone who is involved in the athletic program. It carries no weight. The article does not mention how much may be added to student tuition costs, so how much would students save if football or any other sport is eliminated?This is just scapegoating at its worst.

Quote:The study was commissioned and conducted by the faculty union and the student government. The 30-page report analyzed historical and current budget figures from the university.

Duh.. Of course it was not "written" by the athletic department.
The EMU Board DOES however HAVE an OBLIGATION to listen to what the faculty and STUDENTS think is important and what changes (IF ANY) those groups request.

UAB dropped football with only a $20 million annual shortfall and private donations in the $millions funded the return after only one year. Now might be time to see if similar private millions are available from EMU fans & alumni.

I met a former EMU athlete who has been an executive for a couple decades now. He loves him some scUM. Maybe he'd throw in a couple bucks though.

(04-25-2016 07:55 PM)okgc Wrote:  UAB dropped football with only a $20 million annual shortfall and private donations in the $millions funded the return after only one year. Now might be time to see if similar private millions are available from EMU fans & alumni.

UAB football is back? News to me.

(04-25-2016 09:47 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 07:55 PM)okgc Wrote:  UAB dropped football with only a $20 million annual shortfall and private donations in the $millions funded the return after only one year. Now might be time to see if similar private millions are available from EMU fans & alumni.

UAB football is back? News to me.

Yeah it didn't take long, but it was too late for them to play this past season. Bear Jr got raked over the coals after it happened.

I'm a huge fan of a 3 tiered D1 structure.

1-A - Roughly 75-80 teams, mainly the P5 schools plus a few more. (Increase the scholarship level to 90-95)
1-AA- The rest of the current FBS plus around 25 takers from FCS (Decrease the scholarship level to 80)
1-AAA-The rest of FCS and I assume some D2's would be interested in the jump in this scenario. (55ish scholarship level)

Allow for a hybrid bowl/tourney system, where 1-AA's can't compete in the 1-A tournament regardless of record, but can be included in the bowl system as needed. 1-AA will have it's own tournament of 8-16 teams, teams that miss the tourney are allowed to compete in bowl games as needed. 1-AAA basically assumes the role of FCS, having it's own 16 team tourney.

(04-25-2016 09:47 PM)Charm City Bronco Wrote:  

(04-25-2016 07:55 PM)okgc Wrote:  UAB dropped football with only a $20 million annual shortfall and private donations in the $millions funded the return after only one year. Now might be time to see if similar private millions are available from EMU fans & alumni.

UAB football is back? News to me.

I actually thought they had games in fall 2016. ESPN shows 2017.
http://espn.go.com/college-football/stor...ogram-2017

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/eastern-mic...ncaaf.html

Good response from EMU athletics:
http://emueagles.com/news/2016/4/26/gene...orter.aspx

Idaho is dropping to FCS in two years.

Vandals and New Mexico State were voted out of Sun Belt conference.

Idaho's other sports teams play in Big Sky conference.

And so it begins...

I wonder what New Mexico State is going to do. I doubt MWC wants them.

(04-28-2016 08:14 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  I wonder what New Mexico State is going to do. I doubt MWC wants them.

They may have no choice but to go Independent (again), which is obviously not a good option.

I think the MAC is a much stronger conference than you give it credit for... I believe its probably one of the more well managed conferences from a compliance and money management stand point than some of the other non-P5 conferences. There is NO way the MAC is going to start shedding teams to remain relevant in the near future. So I think we can watch this all go down with a sense of comfort for now...

I like the stability of the MAC. The administration seems to recognize how we fit into the puzzle. I hope all of these shake-ups pass us by.

(04-28-2016 08:43 AM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  I like the stability of the MAC. The administration seems to recognize how we fit into the puzzle. I hope all of these shake-ups pass us by.

No offense, but I would love to see the MAC shed EMU, as they resemble no other college in the conference. Commuter college with no tradition.

The MAC is a good, very competitive, multi-sport conference, which manages to keep sight of the fact that colleges are still supposed to be about academics, and that athletics are a secondary or extracurricular benefit of the whole experience. MAC schools do compete at the highest levels, even if not at the same weekly levels of most BCS schools, but we do it within a reasonable budget which is but a fraction of what big conference colleges spend. The quality of competition is excellent in all of the MAC sports. Its every bit as entertaining as any other conference.

The MAC should serve as the model for conferences by the NCAA. I am extremely proud to be a MAC school alum. I hope EMU gets it together, as the league is better if EMU can become competitive in football.

IF EMU was getting the NCAA mandated 15,000 attendance this all would be a none issue. As it is they are not remotely close.

UMass was told so why not EMU
NCAA: UMass football must average 15,000 in attendance

Dear okgc,
It's the old bugaboo of tickets sold versus butts in the seats. Until, or unless changes be made, that are specific, nothing changes. You jump all over Eastern, but fail to mention schools like Kent or Akron that are in the same predicament as Eastern.