Idaho State University has embarked on a "facilities review," to culminate in a plan due the coming spring.

http://isubengals.collegesports.com/genrel/110205aaf.html

Background: ISU has the "domed" Holt Arena that is used for football, and tends to be used by a lot of outside interests outside football season (plus HS football in season). They used to play basketball in there also, but after Boise State and Idaho left the Big Sky, and as costs to heat Holt in the winter got out of hand, basketball was moved back to Reed Gym, which looks more like a slightly oversized HS gym.

There has been much talk in Pocatello about replacing Reed with a new arena. There had more recently been discussions about a need for a weight room and other facilities to support the football program. You'll note that the link I provided isn't specific on what the plans will be (it starts as a review, after all).

However, Paul Bubb went on the radio in Boise and all but exclaimed that he's thinking about a new football stadium. He couldn't help but talk about luxury suites and club seats, improved facilities within the stadium, and 15,000 seats. Since he also discussed the issues with the cost of major renovation versus expansion, I'm left to think that he wants to actually build anew. There's a possible side benefit in subsequently retrofitting Holt instead of building a basketball arena IMO, but we'll have to wait to see what the final plan looks like.

Oh, BTW, Bubb would prefer an indoor stadium.

An ISU forum was actually pointed out to me recently... just in advance of Portland State's visit on Saturday, which I drove over to watch. Heartbreaking finish for Portland State after coming back to take the lead... well, 5 lead changes in the 4th.

http://thebengalden.proboards34.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1131068052

Now, larger context... Weber State put a LOT of work into selling out two games this year. Montana State has record attendance if I'm reading correctly, and have their own expansion plans on the shelf. Eastern Washington finished an expansion/partial renovation last year, Montana is Montana, and even Portland State has a basketball arena plan in the mixer. Sacramento State plans have been well exposed in CSI. Now this with ISU, where I thought (and, to some degree, still think) that they're locked in without a lot of funding and to a stadium that can't expand. Maybe there's something to Doug Fullerton's comments about wanting to move the entire conference up. Perhaps this places pressure on potential expansion options to upgrade before they are considered.

Great insight Pounder.

And if some or all the Big Sky moves up to 1-A, that may be a place where some of the remnant WAC teams go to if there are defectors to the MWC and/or CUSA/Sun Belt. That or the Big Sky name is dropped and the WAC continues to use its name.

Sorry to hear about PSU. I saw the changing leads on the ESPN ticker this Saturday and thought you were rooting them on.

I had heard rumblings about moving the conference up en masse.

What is involved ? The differences between 1-A and 1-AA relate to football only + the total number of athletic scholarships, is that correct ?

Or are there requirements to sponsor (as a conference) a greater number of sports ?

I'm trying to understand the strategic thinking. Perhaps the Big Sky fears being "cherry-picked" by the WAC, and figure they can pre-empt that by moving to the same level.

Who would have a tough time with such a move ? Can all the Big Sky schools sustain football at the 1-A level ?

I think this may be a contingency plan in case the MWC goes to 12. The MWC would likely invite Boise St., Fresno St., and another WAC team or UTEP.
The WAC (currently 9) will likely lose Louisiana Tech long term, and will be down to 5 or 6. So then a tug-of-war would ensue over the Montana schools and who else ? (Sacramento State ?)

If Fullerton is in position to announce the big move on short notice, he might gain the upper hand, and could be in position to take in Idaho, Utah State, and maybe San Jose State / Nevada (going to 12).... thus cannibalizing the WAC.

New Mexico State and Hawaii might be left in the lurch if this all went down. Unless somehow the PAC-10 was compelled to expand to 12, and another cascade began.

What could set all this in motion, is IF the MWC concludes that adding Boise St. and Fresno St. elevates their FB ranking criteria enough to get them an automatic BCS slot for the confernce champ. Some info on another thread indicated that this looks entirely possible, and it would be hard to imagine the MWC expanding to 11.

If the BSC wants 1AA, then why add No. Colorado?

New Mexico State could rejoin the Sun Belt. Its geography isn't too extreme for that conference, with UNT about 800+ miles away. Also, if there are teams that drop, such as Tulane and Rice and maybe and UTEP goes to the MWC, then perhaps that would open a 3rd CUSA spot to NMSU, after UNT and La Tech join CUSA. NMSU isn't as extreme as Idaho and Utah State and Nevada or even Hawaii for CUSA or the Sun Belt.

As far as Northern Colorado or another team in the current 9-team Big Sky, there may be a team or two that can't move up from the current BSC-9. Thus, a Big Sky/WAC merger could happen. Also, they may consider a 13 to 14 team affiliation, if it means to eat instead of being eaten (meaning the Big Sky eats the WAC instead of the WAC eating the Big Sky). And of course it makes geographical sense too, and adheres to minimizing travel costs by keeping what would be former WAC schools in the west with other western schools instead of Upper Midwest/Great Plains, souther/southeastern schools.

Here are my predictions between the Big Sky Conference and the Mid-Continent Conference:

If Southern Utah leaves the Mid-Con (joined with NDSU, SDSU and Northern Colorado):

Big Sky - North Division

North Dakota State
South Dakota State
Montana State
Montana
Eastern Washington
Portland State (or Oregon State-Portland)

Big Sky - South Division

Northern Arizona
Weber State (or Utah State-Weber [at Ogden])
California State-Sacramento
Idaho State
Northern Colorado
Southern Utah

If Southern Utah leaves the Mid-Con (but NDSU, SDSU, Denver and IUPU-FW join)

Mid-Con - East Division

Centenary
IUPU-Indianapolis
Valparaiso
IUPU-Fort Wayne
Chicago State (or Illinois State-Chicago)
Western Illinois

Mid-Con - West Division

Missouri-Kansas City
Oakland
Oral Roberts
Denver
South Dakota State
North Dakota State

If Southern Utah stays the Mid-Con (but NDSU, SDSU and Denver join)

Mid-Con - East Division

Centenary
IUPU-Indianapolis
Valparaiso
Oakland
Chicago State (or Illinois State-Chicago)
Western Illinois

Mid-Con - West Division

Missouri-Kansas City
Oral Roberts
Southern Utah
Denver
South Dakota State
North Dakota State

_________________
Florida State Seminole fan for life (mostly on football, basketball and baseball)!

As far as football goes, it really doesn't matter if the Great West schools get into any auto bid IAA conference. They're going to be scheduling all the same Big Sky, Gateway, and Southland schools.

But for basketball, NDSU and SDSU definately need a conference. For now, I'd say the Big Sky is out. But the Mid Con looks like a good option with IPFW!

TMan, at least you're analyzing my point there thus far.

_________________
Florida State Seminole fan for life (mostly on football, basketball and baseball)!

I don't see Denver joining the MidCon, though. I think they're looking for something better.

Why not just add NDSU, SDSU, IPFW and keep Southern Utah? SUU is probably not going anywhere else.

These ideas are terrible. They will never happen.

No your idea that Akron and Buffalo should be in the Big East is the worst idea ever.

Here is just what you predicted, TMam:

If Southern Utah stays the Mid-Con (but NDSU, SDSU and IUPU-FW join)

Mid-Con - East Division

Centenary
IUPU-Indianapolis
Valparaiso
IUPU-Fort Wayne
Chicago State (or Illinois State-Chicago)
Western Illinois

Mid-Con - West Division

Missouri-Kansas City
Oral Roberts
Southern Utah
Oakland
South Dakota State
North Dakota State

_________________
Florida State Seminole fan for life (mostly on football, basketball and baseball)!

Oakland is in Michigan.

Centenary (Louisiana) would be better in the West, Oakland in the East. Granted, Centenary isn't that close to anybody, they are south, rather than east OR west, but Oakland definitely fits in the East.

If you say so, Dave; well all right. Even better.

P.S.: About Denver, which conferences will be eligible for the Pioneers. For example, if they leave the Sun Belt someday, they have to find an athletic conference that "fits" in its area, otherwise the Pioneers would have to return to D2 and re-join in the RMAC.

_________________
Florida State Seminole fan for life (mostly on football, basketball and baseball)!

Cenetary is in Shreveport which it isn't all that far from Tulsa.

Why would Denver have to return to D2 if they leave the Sun Belt? They could be indepedent if they wanted.