https://www.pe.com/2020/09/03/uc-riversi...ed-budget/

If they cut sports would Cal Baptist fill their spot in the Big West or does the Big West do nothing?

(09-04-2020 11:17 AM)46566 Wrote:  https://www.pe.com/2020/09/03/uc-riversi...ed-budget/

If they cut sports would Cal Baptist fill their spot in the Big West or does the Big West do nothing?

Cutting sports is an extreme measure, but all options are on the table during this time.

I can't see the Big West letting a private school into their conference. They are made up of UC and Cal State schools, plus Hawaii.

(09-04-2020 11:36 AM)johnintx Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 11:17 AM)46566 Wrote:  https://www.pe.com/2020/09/03/uc-riversi...ed-budget/

If they cut sports would Cal Baptist fill their spot in the Big West or does the Big West do nothing?

Cutting sports is an extreme measure, but all options are on the table during this time.

I can't see the Big West letting a private school into their conference. They are made up of UC and Cal State schools, plus Hawaii.

Shutting the school down altogether is probably the best option.

(09-04-2020 11:36 AM)johnintx Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 11:17 AM)46566 Wrote:  https://www.pe.com/2020/09/03/uc-riversi...ed-budget/

If they cut sports would Cal Baptist fill their spot in the Big West or does the Big West do nothing?

Cutting sports is an extreme measure, but all options are on the table during this time.

I can't see the Big West letting a private school into their conference. They are made up of UC and Cal State schools, plus Hawaii.

Pacific is private and was a member from 1969-2013. With them gone, though, they may hold out unless and until UC Santa Cruz is can make the jump. If they can't, then who knows. The UC schools will be outnumbered which may not be acceptable.

If UC Riverside pulls the plug on sports I doubt UC Santa Cruz is lining up for their spot—they barely spend anything on sports.

I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

(09-04-2020 04:07 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

I don't think what happens with UCR has any bearing on that. The Big West would jump at the chance to add SDSU whether it had 9, 10 or 11 members.

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

(09-04-2020 04:24 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:07 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

I don't think what happens with UCR has any bearing on that. The Big West would jump at the chance to add SDSU whether it had 9, 10 or 11 members.

not with UCSD in the conference now

(09-04-2020 04:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

which might put football in jeopardy. Unless they can convince the Big West that after 20 years, it's time to bring football back.

IF UC Riverside drops athletics entirely, then either...

A. As Mongoose stated: remain at 10 members, Cal State - UC balance be damned. No offense to Cal Baptist or Sac State but there's nobody left in California worth adding.

B. Putting on my NoDak cap. Go to 12 with Sac State AND Portland State. Sac State would only join if their football program has a home. In this scenario the Big West chooses to sponsor football again with an FCS core of Cal Poly, UC Davis, Sac State and Portland State. Give Dixie State and Tarleton State fb-only memberships and viola. Everyone's happy.

(09-04-2020 04:07 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

Wrong former member. I hear Nevada is facing a $10 million+ deficit, though...

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

I agree, but there are some bad vibes out of UCR. The men’s head basketball coach, David Patrick, resigned two months ago, taking an Associate head coaching position at Arkansas. Patrick led UCR to a 17-15 record and road wins last season at Nebraska, Fresno State, San Jose State and Hawaii. They named an assistant as the interim head coach and there has been silence ever since.

UCR averaged 580 fans per home game last season in basketball. They need to invest in facilities and that does not look like it will happen anytime soon. This kind of story should have been squelched right away, but UCR is kind of silent. The AD stating that, “We clearly want athletics to be here,” is not what I would want to hear. She needed to say, “It will not happen.” Because if it does, they will never get sports back and she will never work as an AD again.

Schools with D1 programs don’t drop athletics. They rarely ever drop down. The Inland Empire, with 4 million people, only has two D1 schools. Louisiana, with 4.6 million people, has 12 D1 schools. The IE area can definitely support two D1 schools. It would be monumentally stupid for them to drop athletics. But they just might do it.

(09-04-2020 05:25 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

which might put football in jeopardy. Unless they can convince the Big West that after 20 years, it's time to bring football back.

IF UC Riverside drops athletics entirely, then either...

A. As Mongoose stated: remain at 10 members, Cal State - UC balance be damned. No offense to Cal Baptist or Sac State but there's nobody left in California worth adding.

B. Putting on my NoDak cap. Go to 12 with Sac State AND Portland State. Sac State would only join if their football program has a home. In this scenario the Big West chooses to sponsor football again with an FCS core of Cal Poly, UC Davis, Sac State and Portland State. Give Dixie State and Tarleton State fb-only memberships and viola. Everyone's happy.

I could see option B happening. Much better travel for Sac State and Portland State, an easier path for both to the FCS playoffs, and a step up for both in terms of the academic prestige of their conference peers (which doesn’t matter to fans but does to university presidents). From the Big West perspective the conference’s profile would be raised by sponsoring football again, even if it were FCS football. I’d be on board with it if Sac State committed to build a decent basketball facility, comparable to Portland State’s nicely-renovated arena.

(09-04-2020 06:52 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 05:25 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

which might put football in jeopardy. Unless they can convince the Big West that after 20 years, it's time to bring football back.

IF UC Riverside drops athletics entirely, then either...

A. As Mongoose stated: remain at 10 members, Cal State - UC balance be damned. No offense to Cal Baptist or Sac State but there's nobody left in California worth adding.

B. Putting on my NoDak cap. Go to 12 with Sac State AND Portland State. Sac State would only join if their football program has a home. In this scenario the Big West chooses to sponsor football again with an FCS core of Cal Poly, UC Davis, Sac State and Portland State. Give Dixie State and Tarleton State fb-only memberships and viola. Everyone's happy.

I could see option B happening. Much better travel for Sac State and Portland State, an easier path for both to the FCS playoffs, and a step up for both in terms of the academic prestige of their conference peers (which doesn’t matter to fans but does to university presidents). From the Big West perspective the conference’s profile would be raised by sponsoring football again, even if it were FCS football. I’d be on board with it if Sac State committed to build a decent basketball facility, comparable to Portland State’s nicely-renovated arena.

Growing to 12 has the added bonus of reducing Hawaii's annual travel subsidies by setting up divisions. Some years it'd potentially fall by nearly 40% for basketball and volleyball.

BW North: Portland State-Sac State, UCD-CSUB, Cal Poly-UCSB

South: Long Beach State-CSUN, Cal State Fullerton-UCI, UCSD-UH

While I'm not rooting for UCR to axe any sports, I do see opportunities for the conference to get stronger if it happens.

(09-04-2020 04:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

Maybe Sac to the BW, with football to the WAC.

What a shame the California schools could never get their crap together with football imagine if:

CSUN
Sac St
UC Davis
Cal Poly
Long Beach St
Cal St Fullerton
Pacific

would have gotten together for football in the Big West. They probably could have lured Southern Utah and Northern Arizona into their fold.

(09-04-2020 05:15 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:24 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:07 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

I don't think what happens with UCR has any bearing on that. The Big West would jump at the chance to add SDSU whether it had 9, 10 or 11 members.

not with UCSD in the conference now

There is another issue if UCR were to drop athletics. There would be 5 Cal State schools and 4 UC schools. The reason for adding Cal State Bakersfield was to keep balance between the Cal State schools and the UC schools. What happens to that, if UCR drops athletics?

(09-04-2020 07:15 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 06:52 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 05:25 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:27 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

Maybe Sac St. wants to cut travel expense.

which might put football in jeopardy. Unless they can convince the Big West that after 20 years, it's time to bring football back.

IF UC Riverside drops athletics entirely, then either...

A. As Mongoose stated: remain at 10 members, Cal State - UC balance be damned. No offense to Cal Baptist or Sac State but there's nobody left in California worth adding.

B. Putting on my NoDak cap. Go to 12 with Sac State AND Portland State. Sac State would only join if their football program has a home. In this scenario the Big West chooses to sponsor football again with an FCS core of Cal Poly, UC Davis, Sac State and Portland State. Give Dixie State and Tarleton State fb-only memberships and viola. Everyone's happy.

I could see option B happening. Much better travel for Sac State and Portland State, an easier path for both to the FCS playoffs, and a step up for both in terms of the academic prestige of their conference peers (which doesn’t matter to fans but does to university presidents). From the Big West perspective the conference’s profile would be raised by sponsoring football again, even if it were FCS football. I’d be on board with it if Sac State committed to build a decent basketball facility, comparable to Portland State’s nicely-renovated arena.

Growing to 12 has the added bonus of reducing Hawaii's annual travel subsidies by setting up divisions. Some years it'd potentially fall by nearly 40% for basketball and volleyball.

BW North: Portland State-Sac State, UCD-CSUB, Cal Poly-UCSB

South: Long Beach State-CSUN, Cal State Fullerton-UCI, UCSD-UH

While I'm not rooting for UCR to axe any sports, I do see opportunities for the conference to get stronger if it happens.

Fun facts that most people don’t realize: Honolulu is actually closer to Portland (2,593 miles) than San Diego (2,607 miles), and closer to Sacramento (2,458 miles) than Los Angeles (2,558 miles). It’s because of the way the California coastline turns eastward as you move from north to south. So it actually makes sense to put UH in the hypothetical northern division:

BW North: Portland State-UH, Sac State-UCD, Cal Poly-CSUB

BW South: UCSB-CSUN, LBSU-Cal State Fullerton, UCI-UCSD

(09-04-2020 08:48 PM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 05:15 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:24 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 04:07 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(09-04-2020 03:59 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  I think the likelihood of the entire program being cut is minimal. But if it were to happen I would expect the Big West to stand pat with 10 members instead of 11. The conference has done fine with just 9 for the past several years and there's no realistic replacement for UCR that fits the institutional profile of a Big West member.

SDSU? Football to the AAC?

I don't think what happens with UCR has any bearing on that. The Big West would jump at the chance to add SDSU whether it had 9, 10 or 11 members.

not with UCSD in the conference now

There is another issue if UCR were to drop athletics. There would be 5 Cal State schools and 4 UC schools. The reason for adding Cal State Bakersfield was to keep balance between the Cal State schools and the UC schools. What happens to that, if UCR drops athletics?

Then equal balance goes out the window and the league likely stays put at 10, waiting to see if a Nevada or Boise falls in their laps.

Unless there is a push to revive football - even with Sac State, you still need a Portland State or Northern Arizona type - there is nobody left in California worth adding. That's how the cookie crumbles.