School: Northern Arizona University
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Designated Media Market: Phoenix (#12/210) 1.802M TV Households
Undergrad Enrollment: ~19k
US News and World Report Rank: Tier 4
Endowment: #x nationally with xM as of 2005. (#x in AZ)
Current Designation: FCS (Big Sky Conference)
Proposed Destination: Division I-FBS (WAC)
Football Stadium: on campus J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
Stadium capacity: 15,000
Football Attendance: 7978 (ave. 2004-2006)
NFL competition: Phoenix Cardinals
Distance:144 miles away --- negligible
BBall Stadium: on campus J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome
BBall Capacity: 8,000
BBall Attendance: 1667 (21%) over the last 5 years
NBA competition: Phoenix suns
Distance:144 miles away --- negligible
Athletic Budget: $9.9M

Argument: This is a university that frankly needs a lot of work, but makes a world of sense in terms of the university. Moving up to FBS could spur real growth at this university allowing them to syphon off excess students from the super large ASU incoming classes.

The facilities are a problem. I'd think they would need a new 30K football stadium AND to convert the walkup to a BB only arena, but that is me making a lot of assumptions without having gone there to personally evaluate the facilities.

I think their best move might be trying to become a BB power. Getting the Alumni to get behind financing the hiring a high profile regional college power coach (like Jerry Tarkenian would have been 10 years ago) to focus the national attention on this school would help a LOT.

I have said before that a conference like the WAC would be smart to get something going with this school because it could become a win-win scenario down the road. Even if NAU stays FCS, they could help the WAC in TV terms as a non-football member. I think AZ can bear 3 FBS schools.

If you've been to or seen the Tacoma Dome, just picture the outside without the frilly dome paint. Same architects who designed the T-Dome designed the Walkup Skydome. HOWEVER, there's not nearly the same flexibility within the Skydome as there is in Tacoma.

Basketball attendance is abysmal considering their record the last few years. They are not in a good revenue position.

Mind you, there was a recently announced facilities plan.

http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/2008/1_16_08/athletics.htm

http://www4.nau.edu/insidenau/bumps/2008/1_16_08/Ath_exec_summ.pdf

They're planning a new arena (not a new stadium) near the Skydome. Total of $162 million in proposed improvements. Phase I is under way... the new turf is already laid.

Lots of work to go here... fund raising is the issue at the moment.