(04-09-2017 08:11 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  There's no way anyone can be worse than aggie fans....

whoa. aggie fans may be enthusiastic and do all those goofy cheers and movements at games but of all the road games I've been to, the hog fans have always seemed the rudest and meanest to me. I remember years ago tcu decided not to take their band again after the hog fans threw stuff at them entering and leaving the stadium. at basketball games they will throw stuff at and yell in the face of visiting fans and it doesnt stop after the game is over until you get out of the parking area and away from the place. just my own experience.

If there's any fire to this smoke, then this puts a damper on Little Rock to the MVC - unless if the plan is to start FCS football and join the MVC and MVFC.

Student petition does give me some hope here. Not much, but some.

First off, seeing the students involved is the biggest plus. Getting 1,000 students to do anything is no small task. I'm sure there's quite a few that just signed their name and don't really care, but that's still a significant percentage of the student enrollment all asking for the same thing, so this can't just be ignored.

If memory serves me correct, there's some sort of law saying they can't have football for 99 years though. I've seen that mentioned in a few other threads so I'm not really sure how feasible this petition is even without getting into the money part of it.

Ah, the money part - this seems to be the biggest obstacle. Even if they can get enough to start a football program, you've got to start probably 2 different women's sports as well (maybe even 3) to be compliant with Title IX. Those extra sports are all going to lose money every year, I don't know of any that make money outside of maybe a couple of northern hockey programs, and UConn's basketball. Getting the University of Arkansas system to allow these programs seems like a pretty big uphill battle.

If either of the two schools were to start football, Arlington seems like the much better bet. They're already starting women's golf, and would only need to add one more women's sport to be compliant, as they are nearing being out of compliance now in favor of the women's sports with the addition of golf. There is of course precedent within the University of Texas system as well, as UT-SA started their program and went to FBS just a few years ago, and UT-EP has been playing FBS for quite some time. There shouldn't be any issues getting the system board to approve starting the program.

If either school does start the sport, could they be successful? That, of course, is a big question. Arlington would be competing with not just TCU, SMU, and UNT - but also with the mighty Cowboys who play in their back yard. And of course there's the other neutral site games that get played like UT-OU, A&M-Ark, and the yearly opening week game at the Cowboys stadium. Little Rock doesn't have the same local competition, but do have a long way to go to climb out from under the Razorbacks shadow. Getting decent attendance at either program could be difficult.

I'm hoping both schools can get it going, but it won't be easy. Starting the programs would almost certainly be reliant on the programs allowed to join the SB after 2 years of FCS independence. Neither would start football with plans of staying in FCS.

(04-12-2017 07:26 AM)Phlipper33 Wrote:  Student petition does give me some hope here. Not much, but some.

First off, seeing the students involved is the biggest plus. Getting 1,000 students to do anything is no small task. I'm sure there's quite a few that just signed their name and don't really care, but that's still a significant percentage of the student enrollment all asking for the same thing, so this can't just be ignored.

If memory serves me correct, there's some sort of law saying they can't have football for 99 years though. I've seen that mentioned in a few other threads so I'm not really sure how feasible this petition is even without getting into the money part of it.

Ah, the money part - this seems to be the biggest obstacle. Even if they can get enough to start a football program, you've got to start probably 2 different women's sports as well (maybe even 3) to be compliant with Title IX. Those extra sports are all going to lose money every year, I don't know of any that make money outside of maybe a couple of northern hockey programs, and UConn's basketball. Getting the University of Arkansas system to allow these programs seems like a pretty big uphill battle.

If either of the two schools were to start football, Arlington seems like the much better bet. They're already starting women's golf, and would only need to add one more women's sport to be compliant, as they are nearing being out of compliance now in favor of the women's sports with the addition of golf. There is of course precedent within the University of Texas system as well, as UT-SA started their program and went to FBS just a few years ago, and UT-EP has been playing FBS for quite some time. There shouldn't be any issues getting the system board to approve starting the program.

If either school does start the sport, could they be successful? That, of course, is a big question. Arlington would be competing with not just TCU, SMU, and UNT - but also with the mighty Cowboys who play in their back yard. And of course there's the other neutral site games that get played like UT-OU, A&M-Ark, and the yearly opening week game at the Cowboys stadium. Little Rock doesn't have the same local competition, but do have a long way to go to climb out from under the Razorbacks shadow. Getting decent attendance at either program could be difficult.

I'm hoping both schools can get it going, but it won't be easy. Starting the programs would almost certainly be reliant on the programs allowed to join the SB after 2 years of FCS independence. Neither would start football with plans of staying in FCS.

dfw area fans are spoiled and there are many options for the local sports fans. you can only count on a portion of students to attend games and to get the locals to come out you need to provide a pretty good product. if uta was a 41,000 student school 100 miles from dfw, they would be the only game in town and might be successful. we would have big crowds for cross town rival games against tcu and smu and untexas but not so much for conference games against any sbc schools except maybe txst or stAte or ulaf..you cant run a successful program with just a couple of good crowds per season. INMHO

One oddity I noticed in the article though - Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola said "Of the 12 conferences that we have in the country, D1 conferences, there’s 122 schools and there’s only two that do not have a football team” - There are 23 Division 1 conferences that sponsor football. I'm sure he meant FBS conferences - but then there are only 10 of those. From those 10 conferences you have 124-127* schools (depending on if you count Notre Dame, Hawaii, or Navy when counting schools in the conferences) and of course you are also now getting an additional school that won't play football with Wichita State joining the AAC next year.

I know its easy to mess up things like the number of conferences and calling FBS division 1 - Lord knows I've made mistakes like that in the past - but I feel like a mayor pushing for his local school should get the numbers right.

(04-12-2017 07:38 AM)runamuck Wrote:  

(04-12-2017 07:26 AM)Phlipper33 Wrote:  Student petition does give me some hope here. Not much, but some.

First off, seeing the students involved is the biggest plus. Getting 1,000 students to do anything is no small task. I'm sure there's quite a few that just signed their name and don't really care, but that's still a significant percentage of the student enrollment all asking for the same thing, so this can't just be ignored.

If memory serves me correct, there's some sort of law saying they can't have football for 99 years though. I've seen that mentioned in a few other threads so I'm not really sure how feasible this petition is even without getting into the money part of it.

Ah, the money part - this seems to be the biggest obstacle. Even if they can get enough to start a football program, you've got to start probably 2 different women's sports as well (maybe even 3) to be compliant with Title IX. Those extra sports are all going to lose money every year, I don't know of any that make money outside of maybe a couple of northern hockey programs, and UConn's basketball. Getting the University of Arkansas system to allow these programs seems like a pretty big uphill battle.

If either of the two schools were to start football, Arlington seems like the much better bet. They're already starting women's golf, and would only need to add one more women's sport to be compliant, as they are nearing being out of compliance now in favor of the women's sports with the addition of golf. There is of course precedent within the University of Texas system as well, as UT-SA started their program and went to FBS just a few years ago, and UT-EP has been playing FBS for quite some time. There shouldn't be any issues getting the system board to approve starting the program.

If either school does start the sport, could they be successful? That, of course, is a big question. Arlington would be competing with not just TCU, SMU, and UNT - but also with the mighty Cowboys who play in their back yard. And of course there's the other neutral site games that get played like UT-OU, A&M-Ark, and the yearly opening week game at the Cowboys stadium. Little Rock doesn't have the same local competition, but do have a long way to go to climb out from under the Razorbacks shadow. Getting decent attendance at either program could be difficult.

I'm hoping both schools can get it going, but it won't be easy. Starting the programs would almost certainly be reliant on the programs allowed to join the SB after 2 years of FCS independence. Neither would start football with plans of staying in FCS.

dfw area fans are spoiled and there are many options for the local sports fans. you can only count on a portion of students to attend games and to get the locals to come out you need to provide a pretty good product. if uta was a 41,000 student school 100 miles from dfw, they would be the only game in town and might be successful. we would have big crowds for cross town rival games against tcu and smu and untexas but not so much for conference games against any sbc schools except maybe txst or stAte or ulaf..you cant run a successful program with just a couple of good crowds per season. INMHO

If only Tarleton State and UTA could swap locations. Although I think Tarleton is still within 100 miles

(04-12-2017 07:44 AM)Phlipper33 Wrote:  

(04-12-2017 07:38 AM)runamuck Wrote:  

(04-12-2017 07:26 AM)Phlipper33 Wrote:  Student petition does give me some hope here. Not much, but some.

First off, seeing the students involved is the biggest plus. Getting 1,000 students to do anything is no small task. I'm sure there's quite a few that just signed their name and don't really care, but that's still a significant percentage of the student enrollment all asking for the same thing, so this can't just be ignored.

If memory serves me correct, there's some sort of law saying they can't have football for 99 years though. I've seen that mentioned in a few other threads so I'm not really sure how feasible this petition is even without getting into the money part of it.

Ah, the money part - this seems to be the biggest obstacle. Even if they can get enough to start a football program, you've got to start probably 2 different women's sports as well (maybe even 3) to be compliant with Title IX. Those extra sports are all going to lose money every year, I don't know of any that make money outside of maybe a couple of northern hockey programs, and UConn's basketball. Getting the University of Arkansas system to allow these programs seems like a pretty big uphill battle.

If either of the two schools were to start football, Arlington seems like the much better bet. They're already starting women's golf, and would only need to add one more women's sport to be compliant, as they are nearing being out of compliance now in favor of the women's sports with the addition of golf. There is of course precedent within the University of Texas system as well, as UT-SA started their program and went to FBS just a few years ago, and UT-EP has been playing FBS for quite some time. There shouldn't be any issues getting the system board to approve starting the program.

If either school does start the sport, could they be successful? That, of course, is a big question. Arlington would be competing with not just TCU, SMU, and UNT - but also with the mighty Cowboys who play in their back yard. And of course there's the other neutral site games that get played like UT-OU, A&M-Ark, and the yearly opening week game at the Cowboys stadium. Little Rock doesn't have the same local competition, but do have a long way to go to climb out from under the Razorbacks shadow. Getting decent attendance at either program could be difficult.

I'm hoping both schools can get it going, but it won't be easy. Starting the programs would almost certainly be reliant on the programs allowed to join the SB after 2 years of FCS independence. Neither would start football with plans of staying in FCS.

dfw area fans are spoiled and there are many options for the local sports fans. you can only count on a portion of students to attend games and to get the locals to come out you need to provide a pretty good product. if uta was a 41,000 student school 100 miles from dfw, they would be the only game in town and might be successful. we would have big crowds for cross town rival games against tcu and smu and untexas but not so much for conference games against any sbc schools except maybe txst or stAte or ulaf..you cant run a successful program with just a couple of good crowds per season. INMHO

If only Tarleton State and UTA could swap locations. Although I think Tarleton is still within 100 miles

uta would have to add a rodeo team if they moved to stephenville

(04-10-2017 10:47 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  There is a MASSIVE difference between USA and LR.
South Alabama is governed by a board that has nothing to do with the University of Alabama or Auburn University. They were able to do things without the artificial barriers that were erected over the years for the UAB program.

UAB "snuck" in. They started Division III football when multi-division play was still permitted. Then when it was abolished UAB was moved to FCS by NCAA rule. Once they got their FCS ducks in a row they were able to show that playing FBS wasn't going to cost all that much more than FCS (of course that was before FBS salaries got crazy and before cost of attendance).

In between UAB has had a contract with Jimbo Fisher rejected by the board. They had multiple stadium plans rejected. Got the plug pulled on football and when it was restored it was a dangling axe that bars UAB from any using any more in school funds than they currently use and some threads holding that axe up have popped with CUSA losing TV revenue.

That's what UALR faces, not a USA situation. Remember also USA began a season ticket pledge campaign that fell flat and they had to regroup and start over, under the UA board, that first flop probably ends the whole thing.

I think ArkStFan's analogy is right on. Little Rock starting football would be like UAB starting from scratch right now. Although, I think Little Rock having a football team would be interesting, there's NO FRIGGIN WAY the U of Arkansas is letting them start a football team.