Status of New Haven and Augustana

[jajfitz]

Are these schools moving up to FCS? Still thinking about it ? Given up? Somewhere in between?

[Laker]

The guy who was really pushing Augie to move up just resigned from Sanford Health after getting into trouble with him saying he didn't need to wear a mask because he already had Covid. If that didn't kill the move after St Thomas was accepted into the Summit and not them, then it sure moved them to the critical list.

Haven't heard anything on New Haven, maybe someone from that area can comment. Years ago when they were an independent MSU-Mankato went there for a mid-season game. Not long after, NH dropped football. I was glad that they brought it back.

The guy who predicted that Upper Iowa (D2, NSIC in Fayetteville, IA- a town of about a thousand people) would go D1 has now predicted that Columbus and Augusta State in Georgia were looking at doing the same. It seems to be a weekly effort of throwing darts at a map and calling out whatever it landed on. I've heard that several Texas D2 schools might be looking to move up- West Texas A&M gets talked about the most- to join the WAC who would like to restart football. Now- I assume that would be a FCS football conference. But rumors are always swirling and some people puke things out to keep them going.

[Baron Sardonicus]

The guy who was really pushing Augie to move up just resigned from Sanford Health after getting into trouble with him saying he didn't need to wear a mask because he already had Covid. If that didn't kill the move after St Thomas was accepted into the Summit and not them, then it sure moved them to the critical list.


I don't know anything about your guy, but Augustana's president definitely supports going to D-I.

When I was first running for Congress, having gone to school out east, at Georgetown, I was so proud to be a South Dakotan but didn’t really like the fact that we didn’t have a Division I team. ...Then when I was at Raven Industries as an executive and living and raising my family in Sioux Falls, I started feeling the same way, that Sioux Falls needs a Division I university. I’m convinced after being here for two years this is the right move for Augustana – long term. We can do it because of who we are, the success, our strategic partners, being in Sioux Falls, and I believe we have to do it, because there is so much disruption in higher education these days that we need to maximize that opportunity and take advantage of it now and go after it now. There's no guarantee that we’ll succeed in all these aspirational goals, but I’m convinced if we pursue them with vigor and execute a plan with excellence, opportunities we don’t even know of will present themselves. If Division I wasn’t part of this plan, I think a lot of people would be asking why not.

https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/college/augustana-university/2019/07/26/augustana-university-division-1-ncaa-summit-league-stephanie-herseth-sandlin/1745108001/

[clenz]

I don't know anything about your guy, but Augustana's president definitely supports going to D-I.

When I was first running for Congress, having gone to school out east, at Georgetown, I was so proud to be a South Dakotan but didn’t really like the fact that we didn’t have a Division I team. ...Then when I was at Raven Industries as an executive and living and raising my family in Sioux Falls, I started feeling the same way, that Sioux Falls needs a Division I university. I’m convinced after being here for two years this is the right move for Augustana – long term. We can do it because of who we are, the success, our strategic partners, being in Sioux Falls, and I believe we have to do it, because there is so much disruption in higher education these days that we need to maximize that opportunity and take advantage of it now and go after it now. There's no guarantee that we’ll succeed in all these aspirational goals, but I’m convinced if we pursue them with vigor and execute a plan with excellence, opportunities we don’t even know of will present themselves. If Division I wasn’t part of this plan, I think a lot of people would be asking why not.

https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/college/augustana-university/2019/07/26/augustana-university-division-1-ncaa-summit-league-stephanie-herseth-sandlin/1745108001/
The guy Laker is talking about is Denny Sanford, now former, CEO of Sanford Health Sytems

Multi billionaire that has single handedly taken over the upper Midwest medical field and has his name on a dozens of massive arena/stadium/training/etc. complexes in ND, SD, and MN.

Sanford is Sioux Falls based. Augustana's #1 major is also healthcare related.

It's not hard to see why his support was pushing like it was.

That article is also from July. Denny Sanford retiring a year before it was planed - pushed out - just happened within the last week or so.

[Baron Sardonicus]

Are you saying that Augustana no longer wants to join D-I?

[Laker]

Are you saying that Augustana no longer wants to join D-I?

They may still want to but the #1 supporter is gone. I was in the Taylor Center the night that Krabbenhoft gave 5 million to MSU-Mankato to try to get them to go along with Augie to D1.

Sanford himself has been involved in controversy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Denny_Sanford

https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/sanford-healths-5-million-gift-to-msu-athletics-is-a-game-changer/article_af99d1e6-be84-11e6-9f94-9f500b24fabf.html


https://www.twincities.com/2020/11/24/kelby-krabbenhoft-out-as-sanford-health-ceo-after-furor-over-coronavirus-statements/

[Hammerhead]

It was the Sanford CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft who said he wasn't wearing a mask and then both sides "mutually decided" to part ways a few days later.



The guy Laker is talking about is Denny Sanford, now former, CEO of Sanford Health Sytems

Multi billionaire that has single handedly taken over the upper Midwest medical field and has his name on a dozens of massive arena/stadium/training/etc. complexes in ND, SD, and MN.

Sanford is Sioux Falls based. Augustana's #1 major is also healthcare related.

It's not hard to see why his support was pushing like it was.

That article is also from July. Denny Sanford retiring a year before it was planed - pushed out - just happened within the last week or so.

[DFW HOYA]

I don't know anything about your guy, but Augustana's president definitely supports going to D-I.

When I was first running for Congress, having gone to school out east, at Georgetown, I was so proud to be a South Dakotan but didn’t really like the fact that we didn’t have a Division I team. ...Then when I was at Raven Industries as an executive and living and raising my family in Sioux Falls, I started feeling the same way, that Sioux Falls needs a Division I university. I’m convinced after being here for two years this is the right move for Augustana – long term. We can do it because of who we are, the success, our strategic partners, being in Sioux Falls, and I believe we have to do it, because there is so much disruption in higher education these days that we need to maximize that opportunity and take advantage of it now and go after it now. There's no guarantee that we’ll succeed in all these aspirational goals, but I’m convinced if we pursue them with vigor and execute a plan with excellence, opportunities we don’t even know of will present themselves. If Division I wasn’t part of this plan, I think a lot of people would be asking why not.
https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/college/augustana-university/2019/07/26/augustana-university-division-1-ncaa-summit-league-stephanie-herseth-sandlin/1745108001/


If it can work at Georgetown, it certainly can work at Augustana.

[Baron Sardonicus]

If it can work at Georgetown, it certainly can work at Augustana.


Right on.

Mr. Sanford's support would be welcome, but not required. They already have D-I facilities. Their 11-year old stadium would be perfect for the Pioneer. Just need a dadgum basketball conference.

[KPSUL]

the "little" UNH, Univ. of New Haven, is still talking about FCS football, but I don't believe they have a path to moving up yet. I just looked at their cancelled 2020 schedule and they planned to play a Div 2 schedule with one exception, they had Dartmouth on the schedule. Their 2019 starting QB was a former New Hampshire back-up, Christian Lupoli who had some meaningful playing time in 2017.

[caribbeanhen]

New Haven is the pitts.... no thanks

[NY Crusader 2010]

No thanks on New Haven. No need for an 8th Division I school in the tiny state of CT.

[KPSUL]

No thanks on New Haven. No need for an 8th Division I school in the tiny state of CT.
UConn, Central CT, Sacred Heart, Yale, who are the other 3? I'd guess you are not just talking football.

[NY Crusader 2010]

UCONN, CCSU, SHU, Yale, Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Hartford

[OhioHen]

UConn, Central CT, Sacred Heart, Yale, who are the other 3? I'd guess you are not just talking football.

Hartford, Fairfield, Quinnipiac

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

They may still want to but the #1 supporter is gone. I was in the Taylor Center the night that Krabbenhoft gave 5 million to MSU-Mankato to try to get them to go along with Augie to D1.

Sanford himself has been involved in controversy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._Denny_Sanford

https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/sanford-healths-5-million-gift-to-msu-athletics-is-a-game-changer/article_af99d1e6-be84-11e6-9f94-9f500b24fabf.html


https://www.twincities.com/2020/11/24/kelby-krabbenhoft-out-as-sanford-health-ceo-after-furor-over-coronavirus-statements/



Augie is a tiny school with a tiny alum base. Having one entity trying to fund the whole "D1 move and budget" is not going to happen IMO.

IMO, Augie will never be a D1 school in the near future....probably ever.

[Laker]

Augie is a tiny school with a tiny alum base. Having one entity trying to fund the whole "D1 move and budget" is not going to happen IMO.

IMO, Augie will never be a D1 school in the near future....probably ever.

USD & SDSU are against them coming in. UND & NDSU probably don't want them. Now that UST is in I can only see them going to the Summit if there are defections- WIU, Denver, ORU.......

[Libertine]

Hartford, Providence, Quinnipiac

Providence is in Rhode Island.
Which is like Connecticut but with waaaaay more trailer parks.

[OhioHen]

Providence is in Rhode Island.
Which is like Connecticut but with waaaaay more trailer parks.

facepalm time

Swap out Providence and add Fairfield.

[KPSUL]

UCONN, CCSU, SHU, Yale, Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Hartford

As I pointed, 4 Division 1 NCAA FOOTBALL Teams in CT. The other 3 schools are not Football relevant.

[Redbird 4th & short]

Little related sidebar on New Haven.

ISUr AD Lyons just retired, so we are conducting AD search. As it happens, Sheahon Zenger is the new New Haven AD since 2019. He just left (pushed out ?) Kansas, where he'd been AD since 2011. But from 2005-10, he was the ISUr AD and was very highly thought of at ISUr. He was viewed as a real strong visionary and execution type, also great with donors and alumni.

He was responsible for bringing Spack on in 2009. He was responsible for the Hancock renovation plans, which were finally pushed thru at a fraction of his original plans - scaled back to 25m due to lack of support once he left, paid for only because another bond had expired, and we redirected those funds.

There was also a tragic plane crash, that killed 7 ISUr admin people, one of which was Zenger's right hand man in charge of fund raising during and after Zenger left. These 2 losses probably killed any chance of Plan A for our stadium project, so we dialed it way back and did stage 1 only (25m home side replacement only).

But Zenger was very well respected by alumni and donor base, as well as, everyone in sports department. He and prior President Bowman were always on same page, and were most responsible for laying the foundation for our unprecedented success in football during the last decade: 2010-20. If you knew ISUr football track record prior to Spack, this was a very big deal. This is why Kansas poached him from us.

AD Lyons was just never viewed in this way. In fact, he inherited the spot from Zenger's original replacement, which didn't work out .. so we next went with safe choice and promoted the Asst AD Lyons. He did ok, but has taken a lot of heat over his tenure.

Rumor is Zenger may be interested in the ISUr AD job ... he would likely be very warmly welcomed back and I believe would be the top candidate for the job if he was interested in leaving New Haven after just over a year. Part of his reason for taking the New Haven job had to do with his daughter working there. My sense is he was just dialing his career down a bit for family. He's only like 54.

But the possibility of Zenger coming back to ISUr as AD would be big news for us. Especially dealing with all of the challenges in college football. Spack would no doubt love if he were back at the AD helm.

sorry for carrying on .. but we're excited about this possibility.

[SDFS]

Augie is a tiny school with a tiny alum base. Having one entity trying to fund the whole "D1 move and budget" is not going to happen IMO.

IMO, Augie will never be a D1 school in the near future....probably ever.

I think that Augie would be very successful if they moved up and it would be good for all the schools along I29. It would tighten the foot print for the conference and if you win Sioux Falls will support them.

[NY Crusader 2010]

I think that Augie would be very successful if they moved up and it would be good for all the schools along I29. It would tighten the foot print for the conference and if you win Sioux Falls will support them.

Doesn't Sioux Falls already have two other in-state teams to support?

[SDFS]

Sioux Falls loves Sioux Falls.. but yes, SDSU and USD both rely on alum in the SF market. I think that Augie moving up may move the needle a bit more in the SF market for the Summit League in general.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I think that Augie would be very successful if they moved up and it would be good for all the schools along I29. It would tighten the foot print for the conference and if you win Sioux Falls will support them.

I do not agree.

How is it "a good thing for all the schools along I29"....? For one, St Thomas is a much better school and is in the Twin Cities market. There will be 5 FCS schools in the region now. Plenty.

Augie is where they need to be....D2.

[NY Crusader 2010]

I do not agree.

How is it "a good thing for all the schools along I29"....? For one, St Thomas is a much better school and is in the Twin Cities market. There will be 5 FCS schools in the region now. Plenty.

Augie is where they need to be....D2.

I tend to agree with you. Not a perfect analogy but isn't expecting Sioux Falls to embrace Augie as it's local college team (with USD and SDSU just an hour or two away) sort of like expecting the city of Syracuse to support a LeMoyne D-I move-up when SU is already there? Or Worcester to support Assumption in addition to Holy Cross and UMass.

[NY Crusader 2010]

Honestly, if we're at the point where schools like Augustana and New Haven are serious candidates to move up to D-I, it might be time for the NCAA to just go with the hockey model for all sports and just have two divisions. In hockey, there's just D-I and D-III. So if you're a D-II school, you can either play D-I or D-III. Schools like Ferris State, Bemidji State, Merrimack until they moved up, Minnesota State, Mercyhurst, Bentley, AIC and Lake Superior State are all examples of D-II schools who have prominent D-I Hockey programs. On the other hand, St. Anselm and Assumption also are D-II schools that sponsor hockey but instead play D-III -- but they are ineligible for D-III NCAA Tournament because they're D-II schools. I'm guessing these schools don't move up to D-I hockey because they a) can't get invited to a conference, b) have no interest in playing as an independent or c) don't want to make the financial commitment.

If everyone with a pulse in Division II moves up, within 20 years we'll be at the point where we might as well go back to having the "university division" and "college division" again.

Not trying to knock aspirational schools looking to move up, it's just at a certain point you need to draw a line. St. Thomas joining the Summit to become the 2nd D-I school (excluding hockey) in the state of Minnesota is a different beast than small schools trying to launch D-I athletic departments in already-saturated markets.

[SDFS]

I think the transition to D-I sports for the two states North Dakota and South Dakota has been very different. In North Dakota you have NDSU and UND in two (Fargo and Grand Forks) of the three major metro areas of the State. And you have seen both schools capture large fans bases (NDSU – football and UND – hockey) that have been the foundation of the two schools’ athletic departments.

In South Dakota it has been much different. SDSU (Brookings) and USD (Vermillion) are not in the major metro (Sioux Falls) area of the state and they have both had to rely on a strong alumni base for attendance versus capturing a large local market. So, the major city in South Dakota has been relatively untapped by the DI move up by USD/SDSU. The one event that has been brought to Sioux Falls by the move up by the schools has been Summit League tournament which by all accounts has been a major success story.

I just believe that there is a lot more opportunity in the Sioux Falls market that has not been tapped by USD or SDSU and I don’t think it will be tapped by either school. They have tried multiple events to create excitement for the schools in Sioux Falls. I don't think they have been very successful. I think Sioux Falls will need a local school to reach that portion of the Sioux Falls sport entertainment market. If Augie can find a conference and decides to dedicate the resources. They will be very successful. Sioux Falls will support them.

As for the comparison of St. Thomas vs. Augie, I think most people agree. Many people think St. Thomas looks at the Summit League as a stepping stone toward MVC or Big East(I include Big East because the local media has mentioned the conference when talking about St. Thomas). Augie views the Summit League a destination - big difference.

[Baron Sardonicus]

With four Southland schools leaving for the WAC, might there be an opening for a replacement in the Southland? Could Oral Roberts be that replacement, thereby creating a chance for the Summit League to reconsider Augustana's candidacy?

Oral Roberts has joined the Southland before.
October, 2011 (https://www.southland.org/news/2011/10/25/82567.aspx#:~:text=FRISCO%2C%20Texas%20%2D%20The%2 0Southland%20Conference,The%20Tulsa%2C%20Okla.&text=Baker%20Pattillo%2C%20Southland%20Board%20Cha irman%20and%20the%20president%20at%20Stephen%20F.) : "Our number one consideration in this and all decisions is the well being of our student-athletes. We look forward to being a competitive member of such an excellent conference right here in our own neighborhood," Rutland, the ORU president, said. "This change in geography that the Southland Conference provides us will greatly benefit our athletes."

But then...
December 2013 (https://www.yankton.net/sports/article_5ff78b52-5e32-11e3-bdd0-0019bb2963f4.html):
“When the Southland Conference expanded to 14 teams, some of our primary objectives in joining the Southland, such as improving travel costs and developing rivalries with selected schools, are no longer possible to achieve,” said ORU AD Mike Carter. “With these changes in circumstances, we believe that returning to The Summit League is in the best interest of our programs and student-athletes. We look forward to returning to The Summit League and renewing the rivalries we developed there during our 15 year membership.”

Let's look at those ORU-Summit League rivalries.

--Oakland, IUPUI, etc. They were indeed Oral Roberts' rivals when the Summit was called the Mid-Continent Conference. Now those schools have moved to the Horizon League.
--Valparaiso. Also went to the Horizon. However, because Clenz likes them so much, the Crusaders have since moved to the Missouri Valley.
--NDSU. In the same conference with ORU for what, seven years? While not an insignificant amount of time, I don't know if anyone considers them to be an ORU rival.
--UMKC. Sort of a rival. More known for being the only other school than ORU to join the Mid-Con/Summit, leave, then rejoin.

If the Southland shrinks back to a manageable size, would a reunion with ORU be possible? That stuff about "right here in our own neighborhood" makes sense. Grand Forks may only be about twice as far from Tulsa as Tulsa is from Houston, but it seems farther away than that.

[NY Crusader 2010]

With four Southland schools leaving for the WAC, might there be an opening for a replacement in the Southland? Could Oral Roberts be that replacement, thereby creating a chance for the Summit League to reconsider Augustana's candidacy?

Oral Roberts has joined the Southland before.
October, 2011 (https://www.southland.org/news/2011/10/25/82567.aspx#:~:text=FRISCO%2C%20Texas%20%2D%20The%2 0Southland%20Conference,The%20Tulsa%2C%20Okla.&text=Baker%20Pattillo%2C%20Southland%20Board%20Cha irman%20and%20the%20president%20at%20Stephen%20F.) : "Our number one consideration in this and all decisions is the well being of our student-athletes. We look forward to being a competitive member of such an excellent conference right here in our own neighborhood," Rutland, the ORU president, said. "This change in geography that the Southland Conference provides us will greatly benefit our athletes."

But then...
December 2013 (https://www.yankton.net/sports/article_5ff78b52-5e32-11e3-bdd0-0019bb2963f4.html):
“When the Southland Conference expanded to 14 teams, some of our primary objectives in joining the Southland, such as improving travel costs and developing rivalries with selected schools, are no longer possible to achieve,” said ORU AD Mike Carter. “With these changes in circumstances, we believe that returning to The Summit League is in the best interest of our programs and student-athletes. We look forward to returning to The Summit League and renewing the rivalries we developed there during our 15 year membership.”

Let's look at those ORU-Summit League rivalries.

--Oakland, IUPUI, etc. They were indeed Oral Roberts' rivals when the Summit was called the Mid-Continent Conference. Now those schools have moved to the Horizon League.
--Valparaiso. Also went to the Horizon. However, because Clenz likes them so much, the Crusaders have since moved to the Missouri Valley.
--NDSU. In the same conference with ORU for what, seven years? While not an insignificant amount of time, I don't know if anyone considers them to be an ORU rival.
--UMKC. Sort of a rival. More known for being the only other school than ORU to join the Mid-Con/Summit, leave, then rejoin.

If the Southland shrinks back to a manageable size, would a reunion with ORU be possible? That stuff about "right here in our own neighborhood" makes sense. Grand Forks may only be about twice as far from Tulsa as Tulsa is from Houston, but it seems farther away than that.









I didn't realize it was quite that bad but a poster from SHSU earlier wrote that the Southland is currently the worst D-I basketball conference outside of the MEAC and SWAC. If that's the case, why would Oral Roberts have any interest in joining the Southland? ORU is a basketball school. Unless they're considering starting up FCS football, that doesn't make sense to me.

[NY Crusader 2010]

I think the transition to D-I sports for the two states North Dakota and South Dakota has been very different. In North Dakota you have NDSU and UND in two (Fargo and Grand Forks) of the three major metro areas of the State. And you have seen both schools capture large fans bases (NDSU – football and UND – hockey) that have been the foundation of the two schools’ athletic departments.

In South Dakota it has been much different. SDSU (Brookings) and USD (Vermillion) are not in the major metro (Sioux Falls) area of the state and they have both had to rely on a strong alumni base for attendance versus capturing a large local market. So, the major city in South Dakota has been relatively untapped by the DI move up by USD/SDSU. The one event that has been brought to Sioux Falls by the move up by the schools has been Summit League tournament which by all accounts has been a major success story.

I just believe that there is a lot more opportunity in the Sioux Falls market that has not been tapped by USD or SDSU and I don’t think it will be tapped by either school. They have tried multiple events to create excitement for the schools in Sioux Falls. I don't think they have been very successful. I think Sioux Falls will need a local school to reach that portion of the Sioux Falls sport entertainment market. If Augie can find a conference and decides to dedicate the resources. They will be very successful. Sioux Falls will support them.

As for the comparison of St. Thomas vs. Augie, I think most people agree. Many people think St. Thomas looks at the Summit League as a stepping stone toward MVC or Big East(I include Big East because the local media has mentioned the conference when talking about St. Thomas). Augie views the Summit League a destination - big difference.

I'm not an expert on South Dakota geography other than the fact that I know both state schools are along the MN border, I-29. I figured both were probably within an hour or two drive of Sioux Falls. When I drove threw Sioux Falls on I-90 on a cross country trip a few years back, I did see billboards everywhere advertising the USD basketball teams.

It's kind of funny how when it comes to college athletics, state schools in many cases don't wind up being located in places ideal for capturing a local sports market. Two examples I can think of are the University of Maine and UMASS. Obviously this stems from the "land grant" days when schools were built where it made the most sense for Aggie programs.

[Baron Sardonicus]

I didn't realize it was quite that bad but a poster from SHSU earlier wrote that the Southland is currently the worst D-I basketball conference outside of the MEAC and SWAC. If that's the case, why would Oral Roberts have any interest in joining the Southland? ORU is a basketball school. Unless they're considering starting up FCS football, that doesn't make sense to me.

As of today, the Southland has the 12th best RPI (https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/rpi-ranking/rpi-rating-by-conf), out of 32 D-I conferences. That's behind the Summit, but nowhere close to "worst." Considering that both the Summit and Southland tend to be one bid conferences, ORU might see an easier path to the top as a plus. From ORU's comments, I doubt conference basketball ranking is on their mind, either way.

[ST_Lawson]

As of today, the Southland has the 12th best RPI (https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/rpi-ranking/rpi-rating-by-conf), out of 32 D-I conferences. That's behind the Summit, but nowhere close to "worst." Considering that both the Summit and Southland tend to be one bid conferences, ORU might see an easier path to the top as a plus. From ORU's comments, I doubt conference basketball ranking is on their mind, either way.

They're also big in baseball, in which the Southland is a much better conference.

[NY Crusader 2010]

As of today, the Southland has the 12th best RPI (https://www.teamrankings.com/ncaa-basketball/rpi-ranking/rpi-rating-by-conf), out of 32 D-I conferences. That's behind the Summit, but nowhere close to "worst." Considering that both the Summit and Southland tend to be one bid conferences, ORU might see an easier path to the top as a plus. From ORU's comments, I doubt conference basketball ranking is on their mind, either way.

Sample size is quite a bit small this season, especially since some conferences either aren't playing or are significantly limiting out of conference games.

In 2019-2020, the Southland indeed finished ranked 31st out of 33 Division I Men's Basketball conferences. The Southland has had a few colossal upsets that have at least raised the profile of the league over the years but I guess through and through it's pretty mush as the SHSU poster correctly pointed out. I remember watching #14 Northwestern State knock off #3 Iowa in 2006 as well of course as the SFA buzzer-beating layup to beat top-ranked Duke during the regular season last year.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I think the transition to D-I sports for the two states North Dakota and South Dakota has been very different. In North Dakota you have NDSU and UND in two (Fargo and Grand Forks) of the three major metro areas of the State. And you have seen both schools capture large fans bases (NDSU – football and UND – hockey) that have been the foundation of the two schools’ athletic departments.

In South Dakota it has been much different. SDSU (Brookings) and USD (Vermillion) are not in the major metro (Sioux Falls) area of the state and they have both had to rely on a strong alumni base for attendance versus capturing a large local market. So, the major city in South Dakota has been relatively untapped by the DI move up by USD/SDSU. The one event that has been brought to Sioux Falls by the move up by the schools has been Summit League tournament which by all accounts has been a major success story.

I just believe that there is a lot more opportunity in the Sioux Falls market that has not been tapped by USD or SDSU and I don’t think it will be tapped by either school. They have tried multiple events to create excitement for the schools in Sioux Falls. I don't think they have been very successful. I think Sioux Falls will need a local school to reach that portion of the Sioux Falls sport entertainment market. If Augie can find a conference and decides to dedicate the resources. They will be very successful. Sioux Falls will support them.

As for the comparison of St. Thomas vs. Augie, I think most people agree. Many people think St. Thomas looks at the Summit League as a stepping stone toward MVC or Big East(I include Big East because the local media has mentioned the conference when talking about St. Thomas). Augie views the Summit League a destination - big difference.


Well, agree to disagree.

Augie is relying on one sole source of revenue for their potential move......Sanford. Got a good business model. Now if they were a school that had an enrollment of 15K or more then I would probably have a different outlook. It has barely 2K if that IIRC. IMO, they never move up because they cannot afford it and are in the right division now.