FB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

Long time, long time.

The St. Thomas discussion (even if it kind of reads like 5WOL is having an internal argument) is a relevant one. On the heels of Iowa Wesleyan's closure, I'm hearing that a pair of ARC schools are also in some perilous financial straits.

Iowa Wesleyan is officially closing?  I know they were close to closing last fall, but I had heard they were remaining open.

Who in the Iowa Conference is having trouble?

BVU? 
Negatives...Have been skimming off their endowment for the better part of 20 years...enrollment on campus about half what it once was.  Virtually an entire overhaul of their coaching staffs.  Long time coaches have left to be replaced by young coaches getting their first HC experience.

Positives...at around $125million they still have a hefty endowment.

Loras?
Negatives...miniscule endowment down near $30million...areas of campus literally crumbling away with no money to fix.

Positives...have heard they have been successfully fundraising.

Wartburg?
Negatives...high debt load...shrinking enrollment...poor bond rating.

Positives...nice facilities...a local, engaged alumni base.

Simpson?
Negatives...just rumors I hear not everything is rosy in Indianola.

Positives...no really concrete news that they could have possible financial issues.

Central or NWU?  Haven't heard anything negative...haven't heard anything positive either. 

Coe, Dubuque, or Luther?  All seem to be solid from what I can gather. 

Sportsknight needs to spill the beans of what he has heard...he is a journalist after all 

[Fannosaurus Rex]

I think we should encourage St Thomas to join the ARC just to increase the traffic on our Post Patterns site.  On the other hand, I see a lot of competition to not have to be the football team that plays the last game of the season in St Paul. Brrr.

[sportsknight]

Sportsknight needs to spill the beans of what he has heard...he is a journalist after all 

Not anymore.

[doolittledog]

Sportsknight needs to spill the beans of what he has heard...he is a journalist after all 

Not anymore.

I wasn't sure if you had entirely given up the radio gig after taking the new job.  You still have info you can spill 

[hazzben]

I think what the MIAC is considering is utter stupidity. I hope it fails, but fear it looks all but inevitable at this point. Cowards prevail ...

That said, UST would be an odd geographic fit for the ARC, but after adding NWU there's precedence. It's not that bad for the ARC schools, it's only a trip north every other season (or once a season for some sports). It's much more of a travel challenge for UST. But they might not have many other options, outside of going independent or jumping to D2.

It would be a recruiting bonus for ARC schools that want inroads into MN, there's definitely exposure given how much the Twin Cities media covers UST. That might diminish if UST is not a part of the MIAC??

It would definitely reshape the power structure and competitive makeup of the conference. UST is committed to winning and competing nationally in every sport in which they compete. Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Track & Field, etc. The interesting thing is that the ARC has nationally competitive teams in every one of those sports.

For instance in football, I'd imagine the move being a net positive for Wartburg, Central, UD, etc. Probably pretty tough for Luther, Loras, BV, etc. Teams that already have aspirations of winning the conference will have to up their game. It will mean fewer conference titles, but probably more opps for Pool C bids. And those teams that do make the post-season, either by Pool A or C, will probably be primed for deeper runs. That's been the effect in the MIAC. Competition is good medicine for any school willing to take it.

I really hope it doesn't happen.

[hazzben]

One other caveat ... if UST gets the boot and goes D2 I'd expect to see more ARC vs MIAC top dogs facing off in the non-con.

With UST out and MAC in, teams like BU, SJU, Concordia, etc. will have a clearer path to a conference title. And less risk for scheduling better non-con games. As the MIAC is currently constructed, it's really too brutal at the top to justify tough games in the non-con.

I'd expect more aggressive scheduling against the ARC, CCIW, and WIAC. That'd be the only upside I can think of. I've loved non-con games against Central, Wartburg, UD, Simpson, BV, etc. But maybe I'm just biased as a kid who grew up in Iowa.

[edolee]

I found this info, which is interesting:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/schifrin/2017/08/02/2017-college-financial-grades-how-fit-is-your-school/#71dfada67d68

Here are the relevant schools:

ARC
***
Buena Vista      2.72      B
Central         2.49      B-
Coe                 1.45      C-
Loras         1.64      C
Luther         2.72      B
Nebraska Wesleyan   2.50      B-
Simpson         2.39      B-
U. of Dubuque      2.33      C+
Wartburg              2.62      B

MIAC
****
Augsburg              2.10      C
Bethel         1.85      C
Carleton              4.37      A+
Concordia              2.82      B
Gustavus Adolphus   2.43      B-
Hamline         1.59      C
Macalester              4.11      A
College of SB      2.54      B
St. Catherine U.           2.49      B-
Saint John's U.      3.49      A
St Olaf         3.71      A
U of St. Thomas      3.22      B+


Another thought...  once this is done, some schools in the MIAC will be pissed...  If St. Thomas gets the boot, they will be, maybe St. Johns, and some others.  On the other hand, if the vote to oust them fails, other schools will be mad.

Maybe the ARC should go big or go home.  Try to recruit 3 MIAC schools... go to a 12 team league with a North/South or East/West divisions depending on who leaves the MIAC. 

St. Thomas, St. Johns and Concordia maybe (the last two have wrestling).   

Pick your 3 favorite....

I think the MIAC is messing up big time.  This is exactly the sort of thing that can destroy a conference...  Sort of what happened when Texas was throwing its TV weight around and Nebraska and Missouri, Colorado, and Texas A&M left the Big 12.

Why it probably won't happen...  I did not realize how compact the MIAC is from a travel perspective until I looked at the map.   I can imagine in D3 giving that up would be a major pill to swallow.

I could also imagine some of the snootier schools (Olaf, Carleton...) going to the similarly snooty Midwest Conference if things did not break their way.... 

Will be really interesting to see what happens.

[5 Words or Less]

2016 Standard and Poor's ratings:

  AAA = Grinnell
  A = Buena Vista
  A- = Nebraska Wesleyan, Drake, St Ambrose
  BBB = Dubuque

[Alfredeneumann]

Long time, long time.

The St. Thomas discussion (even if it kind of reads like 5WOL is having an internal argument) is a relevant one. On the heels of Iowa Wesleyan's closure, I'm hearing that a pair of ARC schools are also in some perilous financial straits.

Iowa Wesleyan is officially closing?  I know they were close to closing last fall, but I had heard they were remaining open.

Doesn't sound like it, adding M + W wrestling
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/2019/05/08/iowa-wesleyan-adds-mens-womens-wrestling-college-sports-derek-zander-tigers-mount-pleasant/1146212001/

[Ralph Turner]

Changes are a'comin

https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/03/08/ncaa-amateurism-antitrust-case-ruling-conference-scholarships

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken's ruling in the grant-in-aid cap antitrust litigation has upended the NCAA's long-standing model of limiting athletic scholarships to tuition, fees, room, board, course-related books and other expenses up to the value of the full cost of attendance. The NCAA has been ordered to change its rules by February 2020, giving schools the option to offer more than a full ride—at least so long as any surplus amount reflects "non-cash education-related benefits and academic rewards." Conferences, per Judge Wilken's order, will also be able to develop policies to regulate scholarships in ways that were previously under the NCAA's power.

... There are still other possible consequences that could reshape the landscape of conferences, including NCAA division reform. In an American Bar Association article last summer, Amy Perko, the chief executive officer of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, envisioned the possibility of removing elite college football programs from the current Division I structure. These programs generate a disproportionate amount of revenue in college sports, and players in them experience college quite differently from other college athletes and students. Perhaps D-I encompasses too many college programs and sports, and an NCAA "Football Division" or something along those lines would better reflect reality.

Yikes.  Football helps fund all these other sports at the D1 level.  Separate football, and college sports (at the D1 level) falls apart.  NCAA D1 basketball pretty much funds D2 and D3.  This could seriously effect all of college athletics. 

I know all the arguments about coaches making high salaries and the lavish facilities being built on the backs of these athletes.  Still, if you allow football players getting more than the cost of education the gap between the haves and the have nots will only widen.  The Alabama's and Ohio States of the world will buy up all the talent (more than they already do).  This will be a mess. 

And all this talk makes me appreciate the D3 model even more.  Though if NCAA funding dries up it will be a whole new world of schools trying to fund cross country trips for playoff games.  There is a whole can of worms being opened up here.

Did someone say NAIA?  (...done in 5 words or less   )

[5 Words or Less]

Did someone say NAIA?  Well Done!

(...done in 5 words or less   ) Oops ... limit exceeded

[5 Words or Less]

Long time, long time.

The St. Thomas discussion (even if it kind of reads like 5WOL is having an internal argument) is a relevant one. On the heels of Iowa Wesleyan's closure, I'm hearing that a pair of ARC schools are also in some perilous financial straits.

Iowa Wesleyan is officially closing?  I know they were close to closing last fall, but I had heard they were remaining open.

Doesn't sound like it, adding M + W wrestling
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/2019/05/08/iowa-wesleyan-adds-mens-womens-wrestling-college-sports-derek-zander-tigers-mount-pleasant/1146212001/

Is IWC prepping ARC membership?

[5 Words or Less]

Commissioner's family has Methodist background

[5 Words or Less]

[doolittledog]

If Iowa Wesleyan can get their financial situation in order I would welcome them into the conference before I would a more far flung school such as William Jewell in MO or St Thomas in MN.  I would also welcome many of the NAIA schools in our state if they were ever interested.  I know the ARC commissioner mentioned they were more interested in NWU because they were already D3 and weren't all that interested in potential NAIA schools.  If a Graceland, Dordt, or Northwestern showed interest I would show interest back. 

All that said, a 9 team conference works well in my opinion.