NCAA Division I governance to be examined

[FargoBison]

The NCAA will look this summer at retooling its Division I governance structure amid what some officials say is growing sentiment to further split its top football-playing schools.

Association President Mark Emmert said Sunday he'll appoint a working group to examine the issue, stressing it will focus on "the way in which Division I is organized for the purposes of making decisions" - and not on a competitive format that now groups football programs into bowl and lower-tier championship subdivisions.

Among other things, Emmert said in response to questions from USA TODAY about the division's future, the panel will look at the makeup of the board of directors and ensuring that non-football schools and those in the championship subdivision are properly represented. The action was requested by the Division I board at the NCAA convention earlier this month.

"There are inherent tensions in the structure, and always have been," Emmert said.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/2012-01-29/ncaa-division-I-structure-football/52875162/1

[DFW HOYA]

"Association President Mark Emmert said Sunday he'll appoint a working group to examine the issue, stressing it will focus on "the way in which Division I is organized for the purposes of making decisions" - and not on a competitive format that now groups football programs into bowl and lower-tier championship subdivisions.


Current:
1. I-A/FBS (roughly 120)
2. I-AA/FCS (125)

What he's talking about:
1. BCS Conferences + ND, BYU, and the academies (the Super 70)
2. C-USA, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt and WAC (50)
3. Everyone else

[Redbirdz]

The presidents of Jacksonville State and Ap State are currently on the NCAA executive committee representing FCS. Is that right?

[TheBisonator]

Current:
1. I-A/FBS (roughly 120)
2. I-AA/FCS (125)

What he's talking about:
1. BCS Conferences + ND, BYU, and the academies (the Super 70)
2. C-USA, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt and WAC (50)
3. Everyone else

I would group 2 and 3 from your bottom list together.

[Go...gate]

Agree with TheBisonator. FCS figures to get a bit bigger.

[HailSzczur]

Agree with TheBisonator. FCS figures to get a bit bigger.

Yeah I can't imagine some of the schools playing at the Mid Major level hanging around in limbo like that.

[UAalum72]

Also curious what they'll do with the 100 non-football Division I colleges.

[MplsBison]

I would group 2 and 3 from your bottom list together.

Of course you would - your team would be at the top of group 3 and licking their lips at the thought of joining group 2.

But how about those teams that would be in group 2 and have already made the investment to be there? They're just going to roll over and accept being grouped with the Pioneer League?

That's scoffable.

[darell1976]

Of course you would - your team would be at the top of group 3 and licking their lips at the thought of joining group 2.

But how about those teams that would be in group 2 and have already made the investment to be there? They're just going to roll over and accept being grouped with the Pioneer League?

That's scoffable.

So you got:
DI-A (BCS etc)
DI-AA (everyone else in the FBS)
DI-AAA (FCS)
DI-AAAA (non-Schollie FCS)

Looks like high school football classes.xlolx

[henfan]

As history has shown, no matter what happens in NCAA board rooms will ultimately not be good news for the FCS.

[darell1976]

As history has shown, no matter what happens in NCAA board rooms will ultimately not be good news for the FCS.

Probably not.

[DetroitFlyer]

NDSU is fortunate to be in the same classification as the PFL.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The NCAA will look this summer at retooling its Division I governance structure amid what some officials say is growing sentiment to further split its top football-playing schools.

Association President Mark Emmert said Sunday he'll appoint a working group to examine the issue, stressing it will focus on "the way in which Division I is organized for the purposes of making decisions" - and not on a competitive format that now groups football programs into bowl and lower-tier championship subdivisions.

Among other things, Emmert said in response to questions from USA TODAY about the division's future, the panel will look at the makeup of the board of directors and ensuring that non-football schools and those in the championship subdivision are properly represented. The action was requested by the Division I board at the NCAA convention earlier this month.

"There are inherent tensions in the structure, and always have been," Emmert said.

This release definitely sets off a red flag to me. It begs future questions to the NCAA.

[darell1976]

This release definitely sets off a red flag to me. It begs future questions to the NCAA.

I wonder if it has to do with the crappy BCS Title game rating. Maybe now we can get a playoff in the FBS.

[MplsBison]

I wonder if it has to do with the crappy BCS Title game rating. Maybe now we can get a playoff in the FBS.

The way they're going to fix that is to go back to playing bowl games like before the BCS.

No more auto bids, no more BCS game being a 5th bowl.

Then they'll re-rank the teams after the bowl games are played and the title game will pit #1 vs. #2.

[MplsBison]

NDSU is fortunate to be in the same classification as the PFL.

Dayton pays maybe 25% of its football player's costs with instutitional money. That's DIII.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Current:
1. I-A/FBS (roughly 120)
2. I-AA/FCS (125)

What he's talking about:
1. BCS Conferences + ND, BYU, and the academies (the Super 70)
2. C-USA, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt and WAC (50)
3. Everyone else

I think maybe 25 or 30 schools from current FCS go to that middle tier.

[Twentysix]

I think maybe 25 or 30 schools from current FCS go to that middle tier.

Depends what the hypothetical teirs truely mean.

It could mean the teir 1 is 100 schollys teir 2 is 85 like they are now, which would be unaffordable to most FCS schools.

Or it could mean teir 1 is 85 schollys and teir 2 is relegated down to FCS levels or maybe 70 schollys.

[HailSzczur]

Current:
1. I-A/FBS (roughly 120)
2. I-AA/FCS (125)

What he's talking about:
1. BCS Conferences + ND, BYU, and the academies (the Super 70)
2. C-USA, MWC, MAC, Sun Belt and WAC (50) +CAA, SOCON, MVFC, and Big Sky
3. Everyone else

I wouldn't mind a separation like this. Make Tier 2 a playoff system.

[darell1976]

I wouldn't mind a separation like this. Make Tier 2 a playoff system.

Except half of the BSC teams would have to drop out of the conference if they still had that 15,000 attendance rule.

[TheBisonator]

Except half of the BSC teams would have to drop out of the conference if they still had that 15,000 attendance rule.

I don't think 15,000 would be enforced at that point. Maybe a minimum like 5,000?? The Big Sky would be the only of the 4 FCS conferences that would have teams that have to worry about that.

[TheBisonator]

NDSU is not fortunate to be in the same classification as the PFL.

FIFY

[darell1976]

I don't think 15,000 would be enforced at that point. Maybe a minimum like 5,000?? The Big Sky would be the only of the 4 FCS conferences that would have teams that have to worry about that.

Only Northern Colorado didn't hit 5000 in attendance average in 2011..they had 3905. (If you are referring to UND they averaged (7841 ranked 60th out of 120 teams)

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I'm starting to look at this in the following way:

NCAA: You will adopt the $2,000 stipend that Jim Delany wants and helped ram through our normally-sclerotic approval process, adding millions of dollars to your athletic budgets for no new benefits.

300+ Athletic Departments and Presidents: Make us. We wont ratify it. There is absolutely nothing in it for us.

NCAA: Fine, you will adopt a reduction in scholarships to pay for it. You will!

FBS Non-BCS Athletic Departments and Presidents: Uh, not exactly. We won't lose even more ground to Alabama and Ohio State.

Non-Football and Division I FCS Athletic Departments and Presidents: Hello, we're still here! Don't include us in your food fight! This doesn't concern us!

NCAA: Fine, we'll plug all of you people who are saying "no" into another subdivision.

[Bogus Megapardus]

An institution's participation in FBS, and certainly in the BCS, probably is the most patent violation of Title IX regulations I can think of.

[darell1976]

An institution's participation in FBS, and certainly in the BCS, probably is the most patent violation of Title IX regulations I can think of.

Why?

[MplsBison]

Depends what the hypothetical teirs truely mean.

It could mean the teir 1 is 100 schollys teir 2 is 85 like they are now, which would be unaffordable to most FCS schools.

Or it could mean teir 1 is 85 schollys and teir 2 is relegated down to FCS levels or maybe 70 schollys.

I think it's also going to tie in with how much each scholarship can be worth to the player, IE how much "extra money" they can give them each semester.

[MplsBison]

An institution's participation in FBS, and certainly in the BCS, probably is the most patent violation of Title IX regulations I can think of.

There is no equivalent female participation opportunity to a BCS football program.

Not that they didn't try - there just isn't. People (rightly) don't care to watch females sports.

[citdog]

There is no equivalent female participation opportunity to a BCS football program.

Not that they didn't try - there just isn't. People (rightly) don't care to watch females sports.


THEY loves him some SIRENS!!

[AppMan]

I would group 2 and 3 from your bottom list together.

Never happen. Don't see the NCAA lumping schools with 30-50,000 seat stadiums (ECU, AF, Navy, So Miss ect) averaging 25-40,00 per game in with schools 6-12,000 seat stadiums averaging 3-6,000 per game. I can buy the top 10-12 FCS schools being included, but that's about it.

I can see a day where attendance is based on the total for the conference. In reality if a school can't draw 30,000 per game they've got no business in the top level, but there is no way the NCAA tells the ACC to get rid of a school like Duke that brings in millions in basketball. In reality the second level should require a minimum of 20,000 per game and as you know that would discount the vast majority of FCS schools.

[Twentysix]

Never happen. Don't see the NCAA lumping schools with 30-50,000 seat stadiums (ECU, AF, Navy, So Miss ect) averaging 25-40,00 per game in with schools 6-12,000 seat stadiums averaging 3-6,000 per game. I can buy the top 10-12 FCS schools being included, but that's about it.

I can see a day where attendance is based on the total for the conference. In reality if a school can't draw 30,000 per game they've got no business in the top level, but there is no way the NCAA tells the ACC to get rid of a school like Duke that brings in millions in basketball. In reality the second level should require a minimum of 20,000 per game and as you know that would discount the vast majority of FCS schools.

The first post lumping teirs, clearly indicates the academies would be with the BCS.

[AppMan]

The first post lumping teirs, clearly indicates the academies would be with the BCS.

Those I listed were just a quick sampling. Did not think it was necessary to take the time to list all of the 30 or so programs that fall into the catagory you said should be lumped in with FCS.

[MplsBison]

Never happen. Don't see the NCAA lumping schools with 30-50,000 seat stadiums (ECU, AF, Navy, So Miss ect) averaging 25-40,00 per game in with schools 6-12,000 seat stadiums averaging 3-6,000 per game. I can buy the top 10-12 FCS schools being included, but that's about it.

I can see a day where attendance is based on the total for the conference. In reality if a school can't draw 30,000 per game they've got no business in the top level, but there is no way the NCAA tells the ACC to get rid of a school like Duke that brings in millions in basketball. In reality the second level should require a minimum of 20,000 per game and as you know that would discount the vast majority of FCS schools.

You know the other day I was thinking to myself "what's the lowest program in a BCS conference?" I did arrive at Duke.

And then I thought to myself, if a NC high school player has a true full scholarship offer in his hand from Duke and from App St, with all other things being equal - is it still an automatic pick for Duke?

My ultimate answer is: yes, it should be. It's still the ACC. It's still a budget twice the size in a stadium twice the size (even if it's never full), on a national stage and playing at other stadiums that are big time (Fla St, Clemson, GT, VT, etc.)


There just is no comparison at the BCS level to the FCS.

[Dane96]

Not to mention...it's a diploma from Duke.

Game over.

[MplsBison]

Not to mention...it's a diploma from Duke.

Game over.

Whoops...yeah that's a unfair advantage.


OK - say it was Wake Forest. And pretend that an incoming freshman could only realistically expect 10 wins in a 4 year playing career with probably 4-6 conf wins. Same 25k-30k home crowds, though Wake's stadium is obviously nicer (track alone kills App).

I still say on principle alone, the HS recruit always picks Wake because it's the ACC and everything that goes with it.

[AppMan]

You know the other day I was thinking to myself "what's the lowest program in a BCS conference?" I did arrive at Duke.

And then I thought to myself, if a NC high school player has a true full scholarship offer in his hand from Duke and from App St, with all other things being equal - is it still an automatic pick for Duke?

My ultimate answer is: yes, it should be. It's still the ACC. It's still a budget twice the size in a stadium twice the size (even if it's never full), on a national stage and playing at other stadiums that are big time (Fla St, Clemson, GT, VT, etc.)


There just is no comparison at the BCS level to the FCS.

The only exception is if after a year or two the kid for the most part knows he is destined to be a back up and just wants to play.

[MplsBison]

The only exception is if after a year or two the kid for the most part knows he is destined to be a back up and just wants to play.

100% agreed. And it happens.

But it's laughable how many NDSU fans think that some of these 3-star players should "know this" from the git-go and choose NDSU over Big Ten schools! It's a joke.