Division I-AA category isn't letter-perfect

[saint0917]

Good article in the U.S.A. Today

"The enhancments (removing restrictions on I-AA games) gives us the access (to I-A) we want and we need," says Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett. " but we have a problem with ( being known as I-AA). We're Division 1, and we're being mistaken for something less than that.

Division I-AA category (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bonus/2005-08-25-divisionaa_x.htm)

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Agreed, it's a good article. This jumped out:


Division I-A crowns a national champion outside the framework of the NCAA by using the Bowl Championship Series to match the two highest-ranked teams in one of four major bowls. I-AA's champion is determined by a 16-team playoff under the NCAA umbrella, a format Burnett would like to see more closely duplicate the energized atmosphere of a bowl game.

"We'd like to see it become more of a weeklong festival rather than a one-game situation," Burnett says. "Instead of the BCS we could call it the Playoff Championship Series."

But Poppe says the NCAA must treat I-AA football in the same manner it treats all of its championships in all divisions. The NCAA pays for the transportation, food and lodging of each school's official traveling party. Adding extras to I-AA football would open the door for every other sport to ask for the same benefits.

:rolleyes:

What would it really cost for the NCAA to do this for our championship game? One less float in the Rose Bowl parade? The cost of one night's accomodation for the school and media in the week leading up to the Fiesta Bowl?

This would be a more cogent point if the Bowl games didn't exist. All I-AA is doing is not asking for festivities equal to the Fiesta Bowl, but at least a few days of events, parties, sponsorship, job booths, maybe a parade. In all seriousness, how much could this cost?

[arkstfan]

Sad thing is that all that has been done so far is just to partially overturn the past mistakes.

20 years ago a I-A school could play however many home games it wanted and on an 11 game schedule up to four of those games (home or away) could be against I-AA schools. Every single game against I-AA's could count for bowl eligibility.

A lot of the "stigma" of I-AA came about because the NCAA deemed wins over I-AA schools to not be worthy of counting toward bowl eligibility. Then they softened it by saying only once every four years would it be worthy.

When your national organization says that beating a I-AA isn't of value.

In 1986 when Ole Miss went bowling, they didn't beat then I-AA Arkansas State, they tied. That ASU team beat I-A Memphis by 20 in Memphis, lost by 15 at Mississippi State and didn't lose another game until the I-AA finals. Mississippi State stayed at home at 6-5 (because there were fewer bowls). If the NCAA had said Miss. St. can't go to a bowl because they were only 5-5 against I-A it would have been crazy. We could fill this board with tons of examples of I-A schools that should have been dang proud of getting a win over a I-AA.

It's nice to see the trend reverse but as long as I-AA wins are treated as less than a win over a Division I opponent the name used will never matter.

[arkstfan]

What would it really cost for the NCAA to do this for our championship game? One less float in the Rose Bowl parade? The cost of one night's accomodation for the school and media in the week leading up to the Fiesta Bowl?


But the NCAA doesn't pay for ANY of those expenses.

A nice start would be a longer gap between the semis and the title game to make it easier for fans to travel. On many of the discount carriers you get normal rates on 14 advance purchase and I think some have even experimented with 10 or 7 day advance (since SW is our only local discount carrier I don't follow the others) fares. Extra time to plan and prepare for the trip would be great.

[McTailGator]

But the NCAA doesn't pay for ANY of those expenses.

A nice start would be a longer gap between the semis and the title game to make it easier for fans to travel. On many of the discount carriers you get normal rates on 14 advance purchase and I think some have even experimented with 10 or 7 day advance (since SW is our only local discount carrier I don't follow the others) fares. Extra time to plan and prepare for the trip would be great.


As ArkSt Fan stated, the NCAA does not have anything to do with bowl games.

What they need to do is gout and find a couple of big game sponsors.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

But the NCAA doesn't pay for ANY of those expenses.

A nice start would be a longer gap between the semis and the title game to make it easier for fans to travel. On many of the discount carriers you get normal rates on 14 advance purchase and I think some have even experimented with 10 or 7 day advance (since SW is our only local discount carrier I don't follow the others) fares. Extra time to plan and prepare for the trip would be great.

Does the NCAA do this for the HBCU classic games? Just curious.

I'm OK with adding a 2-week gap between the semi's and finals. These are great points. They would help the athletes a little bit as well recover from a 15-week season.

[McTailGator]

Does the NCAA do this for the HBCU classic games? Just curious.

I'm OK with adding a 2-week gap between the semi's and finals. These are great points. They would help the athletes a little bit as well recover from a 15-week season.


The HBCU Classics are also NOT in the control. Most are set up by 3rd party promoters.

[txstatebobcat]

I always thought that the I-AA game should be played on January 1st. I know the day is crowded with I-A bowls, but the ratings would sky rocket since half the nation is watching college games. Also it would allow for the teams to get some well deserved rest and fans to plan ahead.

[colgate13]

I always thought that the I-AA game should be played on January 1st. I know the day is crowded with I-A bowls, but the ratings would sky rocket since half the nation is watching college games. Also it would allow for the teams to get some well deserved rest and fans to plan ahead.

I'd rather it be not on the main day, but right around it - preferably before. Fans are salivating for football games with all the bowl hype and a Thursday or Friday night game on ESPN before the I-A bowls would fit right in. I think of it as the "Louisville" scenario: there is no way I would have watched Louisville as much as I did last year if they weren't the only game on a Thursday night and I couldn't wait for the weekend!

If that was the case and if it was possible to put the game near a BCS bowl so media and lay fans could attend, I'd be on board.

[Pen Guin]

Isn't this about the 10th time this has come up in about 1 summer? The vast majority of people I know ... don't want it. 1 week to go, let's look at football.

[McTailGator]

Isn't this about the 10th time this has come up in about 1 summer? The vast majority of people I know ... don't want it. 1 week to go, let's look at football.

It IS going to happen. And it will be for the best.

EVERY coach in the Southland is pushing for it due to our local SubBelt coaches and fans using the 2-aa's as a reason to call us Division II (or simply infering to recruites and players that we are NOT Division I.

Prepare yourself, the NCAA DIVISION I PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES is coming to a stadium near you.


WE ARE DIVISION I
:deadhorse

[arkstfan]

Why not Jan 1?

It sure as heck doesn't interfere with classes!

Just looking at the 2006 calendar. I'm guessing the championship would be on December 15. Play the semi-finals on the 9th and everyone take a break from football for finals. Or play on the last Saturday in December which would be the 30th.

That would give fans a ton of time to booktravel.

[Retro]

If we could move the Championship game and get a real sponsor for it, it would be great to have it the day before the I-A BCS championship as long as it's not running againest another bowl game or NFL game..

Have the I-AA game on Monday night, then the I-A game on Tuesday night. I do like the idea of more travel time, but don't move it againest several new years day bowl games or NFL games because it will just get lost even more in the clutter of games and even ESPN is less likely to show it because of that.

The most important thing is that the I-AA championship have it's own night on TV be it friday or saturday, but a sponsor and better promotion and arrangement by the NCAA is a must!

[McTailGator]

How much more travel time do you need (except for fans of the particular schools)? An extra week would be geat for them. The game is Friday 12/16/2005 in Chattanooga. Be there or be square. I think more folks should come to the game regardless if their school is playing or not.

That's tough Ralph.

That Friday is usually my last day of work before I shut it down for 2 weeks during the holidays. I also sacrifice some family time and some money for the Holiday when I hit the road for Chatty. That's not tough when I'm fired up following my team to the big game. And I'll do what it takes to come up with an excuse not to go to work that last Friday before the holidays. (BTW, FRIDAY SUCKS).

But, when my team loses before we get there, I'm typically down and depressed, and not really up for the trip.

Given an extra week would allow me to recover from a loss, or get fired up about watching someone else. I'm also board by the time Christmas is over, because I've been home for 7 or 8 days, so I'm ready to get away. So something between X-mas and Ney Years would be awesome.