Sac to WAC?

[Green Cookie Monster]

Playing ball with the WAC

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

Take a good look at Sacramento State this week in the three-game baseball series that opens tomorrow night at Les Murakami Stadium.

Get a nodding familiarity with the green and gold because the University of Hawai'i could someday be seeing a lot more of it.

And, not just in baseball, either, but as a sometime-in-the-not-so-distant-future Western Athletic Conference member. Say 2010 or 2012.

For the moment, Sac State is an "affiliate" member, somebody pulled in off the street to fill an empty chair at the WAC table. The Hornets provide the insurance that the WAC will have the requisite membership (6) to maintain an automatic NCAA berth in baseball in case somebody leaves or is sanctioned.

For the Hornets, this is a second go-around, following up on an earlier (1993 to '96) stay. They are also an affiliate in women's gymnastics.

But you get the feeling the Hornets, even in this stepchild limbo, like enough of what they have seen to be imagining a full-fledged future membership.

A joke? Nobody here thought much of Nevada and Boise State less than a decade ago, either. And now look at them. Boise State has won or shared the last four football titles and Nevada, which shared the 2005 football title, has won back-to-back men's basketball championships.

If the Big Sky Conference is the WAC on-deck circle, then look at who's likely warming up there now.

Officially, both Sac State and the WAC say there have been no talks, handshakes or promises. But they hardly need to when you look at the big picture. The WAC is at an awkward number (9) for scheduling. Louisiana Tech is a geographic anomaly as the conference's most far-flung continental member and will someday flee.

Ideally, of course, the WAC would entice Nevada-Las Vegas and San Diego State to return. But that isn't likely to happen anytime soon.

So, the WAC will have to look to up-and-comers that share what the membership calls the conference's "geographic footprint." With Sacramento but a bus ride from Reno, San Jose and Fresno, and a direct flight from Hawai'i, who is better situated? With more solid financial, facility and competitive footing, who knows?

The big step is getting football from Division I-AA to I-A. The Hornets already have what would be the second highest enrollment in the WAC (27,932), a budget ($9 million) in the lower tier and an ambitious building campaign to "change the face and character of Sacramento State."

Its slogan? "Destination 2010."

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/COLUMNISTS06/604270334/1142/SPORTS

Another $1.05M donation was made for the RWEC project on April 19th. That makes $26.5M in private support along with $50M from the students so far.

[grizband]

The major different between Sac St. and Nevada/Bosie St., is that the two latter teams were dominant in Big Sky football before they left. Sparing a couple of season, Sac St. hasn't even been competitive. Although, if they do leave, we could invite NDSU/SDSU to join the conference.

[dbackjon]

The major different between Sac St. and Nevada/Bosie St., is that the two latter teams were dominant in Big Sky football before they left. Sparing a couple of season, Sac St. hasn't even been competitive. Although, if they do leave, we could invite NDSU/SDSU to join the conference.

As well as selling out 20-30 thousand seat stadiums regularly.

[Mr. C]

I see this one happening when pigs fly (and I'm not talking about the Pink Floyd variety). I can't see the WAC having an interest in Sac State. Fresno State and San Jose State in particular would want nothing of that. The Hornets have had a hard enough time with I-AA football. Imagine them as one of the worst I-A teams in the country. It would be brutal.

[Stang Fever]

I dont see that coiming anytime soon...they would have to let them in without playing football...and hope that in the future they can build up enough support to do that....

If they did do that...to the GWFC they come..but then the Big Sky would just feel them up with NDSU or SDSU

[Go Bison]

Although, if they do leave, we could invite NDSU/SDSU to join the conference.

That would be great. :hurray:

[Green Cookie Monster]

If the facilities are there, who knows what Sacramento can do when a good product is provided, it's never been done before at the college level.

The Kings, Surge, Gold Miners, River Cats, Olympic Trials, Causeway Classic all have drawn consistently at near attendance capacity.

I could easily see 17-18K attendance if a consistently good product is provided in brand new facilities. We drew 11K+ on several occasions a few years ago against Poly and St. Mary's during a 7-4 Charles Roberts campaign. The Surge/Gold Miners averaged in the 18K+ when they played in the same stadium there is now. Some games over 22K.

The column said 2010 or 2012 at the earliest. Which I completely agree with, we have to rebuild the base we had a few years ago. But that would put us in the same league as Idaho, SJSU and a few other WAC schools.

Not every school can be a Texas, USC or Michigan. If the I-AA moniker is dead and all Division I teams can play each other without penalty, the main driving force of any conference is now TV money. College athletics is now a business, gotta survive the corporate profit machine or die. It's not about how many butts are in the stadium on Saturday, its about how many TV's are tuned in watching the game and ADVERTISEMENTS.

The Sacramento TV market is one of the largest media markets in the nation not served by a local Divison I football program. That's potentially big bucks for the networks and conference. Plus easy central travel.

Fresno and Boise are certainly the class of the mainland WAC, in football and facilities. Comparing 40K fans in Fresno to 18K fans in Sacramento doesn't sound equal until you factor in the 3.5M TV screens turned on in the Sac and San Quaquin valley's, or the 2.5M between SJSU or Reno.

Sacramento State just won the inaugural WAC gymnastics conference championship and are in third place in baseball, right behind Hawaii.

Football would get slaughtered at this time, give us 5 years and let's see what happens. Le'ts see what happens next year.

I think Davis could certainly do the same, except they are somewhat isolated by the Causeway and smaller community.

[The Fan]

Any conference that would take Idaho will certainly give CSUS a good look. Location and academic standards will always make Sac an attractive conference member. Leadership has always been the problem. The next five years will tell whether Sac can get their act together or if Pacific and Davis will drive the nails into the coffin.

The facilities will be an improvement, but Gonzo's continued funneling of general University gifts into the WREC campaign is shady at best.

-Eli Broad Gift -- KB Homes has several large housing developments surrounding the potential CSUS satellite campus. Eli has no affiliation to CSUS yet donated a couple million for a team center. What do you think he is getting in return?

-Soft drink sponsorship -- Pepsi is in for $12 million over 25 years. What does this have to do with the athletic department? Many schools have soft drink contracts but for Gonzo to count this money as funds raised for his $25 million promise is a major stretch. FWIW UCD has a soft drink contract worth six figures annually plus a % of sales. Furthermore, when is a 25 year contract ever a good idea? Especially at the rates that these things have been climbing.

[Green Cookie Monster]

Any conference that would take Idaho will certainly give CSUS a good look. Location and academic standards will always make Sac an attractive conference member. Leadership has always been the problem. The next five years will tell whether Sac can get their act together or if Pacific and Davis will drive the nails into the coffin.

-Eli Broad Gift -- KB Homes has several large housing developments surrounding the potential CSUS satellite campus. Eli has no affiliation to CSUS yet donated a couple million for a team center. What do you think he is getting in return?

I agree, we had Bonehead Gerth pushing the buttons for 18 years. Athletics definately languished during his reign. I don't know about UOP and Davis driving nails into a coffin, as really the only sport Davis dominates is football for now and UOP doesn't dominate Sac in any sport. I think the Pepsi contract is for 20 years, maybe the arena will be called Pepsi Arena, who knows, all I care about is getting it built.

Coincidentially, a Beazer Homes executive is on Gonzo's advisory committee. Maybe we can get into a bidding war between KB Homes and Beazer for the name of the stadium?

[Green Cookie Monster]

More stories.....

Bulldogs provide model for Sacramento State
Fresno Bee, The (CA)
March 24, 2006
Author: Andy Boogaard The Fresno Bee
Estimated printed pages: 4

Karl Benson, the Western Athletic Conference commissioner, rolled back the clock this week and made an observation that's timely:

"Twenty five years ago, Fresno State was beginning its development and growth of intercollegiate athletics. At that time, people probably thought Sacramento State would be the one to move forward. But that hasn't been because they haven't had the consistent leadership to bring their athletic program to the highest level."

This is changing. At least that's the master plan.

"The journey has begun," Hornets athletic director Terry Wanless says.

Sacramento State's baseball team will arrive at Beiden Field today carrying the WAC banner as an affiliate member. Following three terms as an independent since graduating to Division I 16 years ago, the Hornets have found a home.

"We were always outside looking in, so we're very excited about it," Sacramento State baseball coach John Smith says.

Wanless wishes the same could be said for his entire 20-sport athletic department, which is Division I except for I-AA football in the Big Sky Conference.

He manages a $9 million budget. Fresno State administers 17 sports with a $22.5 million budget.

The Big Sky has delivered Boise State, Nevada and Idaho to the WAC.

"History has shown that gravitation," Benson says. "I know Sac State has a goal to go I-A in football. If and when they make that decision, I'm sure the WAC will take a serious look at them."

Not three hours away from WAC members San Jose State, Nevada and Fresno State, Sacramento State "certainly fits the existing WAC blueprint," Benson adds.

That's the target, Wanless says, but it's one that can't be hit without major facility upgrades, specifically concerning the Hornets' rickety 21,000-seat football stadium and 1,200-seat basketball arena.

"We understand the WAC at this time has no interest in us as a full-fledged member because our facilities are not at the WAC level," Wanless says. "That's why we're working hard to change that in the future when, if the WAC is interested, at least we'll have the opportunity for a discussion that's more meaningful."

Supported by a president, Alexander Gonzalez, who's using as a model Fresno State -- where he worked 18 years -- Sacramento State has upgraded its baseball and softball facilities and has launched aggressive fundraising efforts to build a field house for football and track and field; a student recreation, health and wellness center, featuring an 8,000-seat arena; and a new football stadium.

It's part of Gonzalez's "Destination 2010," a mission to "turn Sacramento State into a destination campus for the West and a flagship" of the 23-campus California State University system.

Wanless says construction for the recreation center/arena probably will begin this summer, with a targeted completion of August 2007.

Beyond that, he doesn't commit to a timeline for any additional construction, including the replacement of the football stadium.

Fundraising will dictate growth, he says, because state money won't be involved.

He says fundraising is "going very well" and that a $10 million gift from Stockton's Spanos family has been the most generous donation to an account that is approaching $25 million.

"That certainly was a signification contribution," Wanless says, "not only financially, but also in the belief of Sacramento State."

One might call it Apathy State, for loyalty -- rather, the lack of it -- has been an inherent problem, particularly in what's supposed to be the money-maker, football.

The Hornets, in the first three years under former Fresno State assistant coach and player Steve Mooshagian, have averaged 6,846, 4,974 and 5,833 in home attendance. The school record is 11,490, averaged in 2001. Big Sky power Montana, meanwhile, averages more than 22,000.

Mooshagian lists his chief competition: the Sacramento Kings, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Stanford and Cal.

"There are many options for the entertainment dollar," he says. "So the battle is more than Fresno State, which is the only game in town. But there is a lot of potential here. I think Sacramento wants a winner, and when they get a winner, they'll support it much like the Kings."

After going 2-9, 3-8 and 2-9, and with one season remaining on his contract, the time appears now for Mooshagian to produce.

"I hope the administration has patience," he says. "There were a lot more challenges than I initially thought. We've been understaffed in a lot of areas. But every year, things have gotten better, and I think we'll turn the corner this season with the first upperclassmen dominated team I've had."

Asked about Mooshagian's job security, Wanless says: "I'm trying not to run ahead. We expect his fourth season to be better. At the end of the year, we'll evaluate it and see where we go."

Hornets' programs in better health: Women's gymnastics, also a WAC affiliate, is ranked 33rd; the women's volleyball team won its second straight Big Sky title and again advanced to the NCAA Tournament; the men's soccer team recorded its best record (9-7-2) in 13 years; and men's basketball produced its best record (15-15) since moving to Division I in 1991-92.

In baseball, Sacramento State is 11-16 one year after going 20-36-1. Smith, 784-758 in 28 seasons, says independent status hamstrung his program.

"Those years killed us, recruiting wise," he says. "Kids want a chance to get in the NCAA Tournament and, as an independent your chances are slim and none. At least in a conference, they can play for something. Our kids haven't been this fired up in years."

[ucdtim17]

Wanless says construction for the recreation center/arena probably will begin this summer, with a targeted completion of August 2007.

They don't mention how it's not actually going to be an arena, which has been shelved for the immediate future