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College going from Division II to Division I -- good or bad?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Claws for Concern, Jul 17, 2006.

  1. Claws for Concern

    Claws for Concern Active Member

    California State University, Bakersfield, with a sports program that has won numerous national championships -- at the Division II level -- is currently in heavy fundraising mode to be able to go to Division I sports across the board (wrestling has been a D-I sport for several years with individual success).

    My question is how tough is it for a college to go from D-II to D-I? I know CSUB has to add baseball because it is likely trying to get in the Big West Conference. Any thoughts out there?

    Bakersfield, by the way, has a small enrollment (among the lowest of all in the Cal State University system).
     
  2. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    IIRC, CSU-Bakersfield is like Kentucky Wesylan in that it's a D-II school that picks up a lot of head case D-I studs. If they time it right, CSU-Bakersfield could be very successful very early.

    Of course, KWU just landed three years in the NCAA slammer. Hope they're more ethical in Bakersfield.
     
  3. Bubbler

    Bubbler Well-Known Member

    If they have a decent fundraising base, facilities, and access to a decent pipeline of athletes, it can be done somewhat painlessly, though no one should expect NCAA tourney bids right away and there's the dicey issue of conference membership.

    If they don't pull it off? See NE Illinois, Morris Brown or Birmingham Southern for the other side of the coin.
     
  4. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    I hate Bakersfield...

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    "... AND THE SONOFABITCH DROPPED THE BALL!"
     
  6. Idaho

    Idaho Active Member

    Could be worse. There's a school in my neck of the woods that decided it would be a good idea to jump from JC all the way to Division I. No conference in sight wants them, they are in the shadows or a much more important and successful athletics school just 3 miles down the road and they have no tradition whatsoever.

    At least CSUB has a decent-sized city all to itself for support and exposure. And, it would fit in perfectly with the Big West.
     
  7. djc3317

    djc3317 Guest

    Or Savannah State, who allegedly went D1 because its president wanted to see the school's name on the sports ticker.

    I cover a d2 school here that is pretty successful at that level. they've explored the move before, but it just doesn't make sense from a financial POV. you have to field a certain number of teams (probably adding lots of schollys), add additional support staff, step up your compliance work and often make significantly more lengthy road trips. it's no small monetary step.

    our school doesn't have the student activity fees or the fundraising capability of such a move. there are a lot of schools in their league who are trying to make the move as well -- and it's absolutely retarded. they can't afford it.
     
  8. farmerjerome

    farmerjerome Active Member

    See Buffalo, University of. At least their football program. Hoops are doing okay though.
     
  9. Lester Bangs

    Lester Bangs Active Member

    Nothing worse than watching a team that should be nowhere near D-I try to play up a level ... but it starts to get fun to cover.

    Sitting on press row one night as a team I was covering was getting just horsewhipped by one of the established powers in its new league. They were down 40 by halftime. I was a newbie on the beat and the guys who had been there for years were just riffing and cracking me up. I tried to stay in character, but at one point I started laughing so hard I actually had to put my head down on the table. Felt like the guys in "Porkys" when Ms. Ballbreaker is suggesting the penis inspection. That's when the prick of a coach made eye contact with me. I felt bad, and he called me out on it later, but what's a guy to do? You can only cover so many ass-kickings and not start to find the humor in it.

    These teams that move up can be painful to watch, but they aren't boring to cover.
     
  10. westcoastvol

    westcoastvol Active Member

    See State University, Middle Tennessee.

    Stepped up to D1A. Expanded their football stadium to great consternation on-campus and even greater indifference off-campus.

    They had to pay a shitload of moolah to bring in Big Boi from Outkast to put on a *ahem* free concert after one of the games to make their attendance numbers so they wouldn't get bumped down to D1AA.

    Today, they enjoy an existence of being SunBelt powerhouses, kicking Vandy's ass for good measure (because Fulmer can't, even in his own house) and being the occasional homecoming doormat for perennial top-10 programs like F$U.
     
  11. 2underpar

    2underpar Active Member

    Troy University (formerly troy state) has done Ok -- made the ncaas a couple of years ago and went to a bad bowl game in San Francisco. baseball team was in the regional this year.
    Jacksonville State (Ala.) has done OK in baseball -- also made the regional this year -- and has pretty good golf. in football, it's I-AA and makes the playoffs on a yearly basis. Financially, though, I'm not sure if it's worth it.
     
  12. Ledbetter

    Ledbetter Active Member

    Damn, that's good work.
     
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