BB: WIAC: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[TitanBystander]

Talk about choosing between two bad options...

Add Finlandia?  22-115 since their inception in 2004.  No offense, but this sounds worse than Superior before Coach Morgan arrived.  For all you fans in P-Ville, you get to look forward to the 7 hour & 37 minute drive!  (Per Mapquest.com)

Not Add Finalndia?  Then we lose the auto-bid which would almost assure that only one WIAC team makes the post season.       



Probably beating a dead horse here, but come on LAX - and specifically Chancellor Gow! For $60K you cut TWO sports?  $60K in an athletic department like LAX is a rounding error!  Find the money somewhere.       

Here are some options to consider: 
Rather than sending the Football team to Texas for a non-conference game, have them play at home or some closer venue.  Basketball tournament in Texas?  Really necessary?
Stop the excessive travel and trim a little back on each remaining program and I'll bet you instantly save the money necessary to fund both of these teams.

To me, this simply sounds like the Chancellor throwing a hissy fit about the cutbacks from the State government and going for the political "we'll show 'em" play.  $60K out of a budget the size it takes to run a university?  Get serious! 

[badgerwarhawk]

Without adding a female sport and/or increasing the roster size of the existing female sports I don't see us increasing the baseball roster to a size necessary to field two teams.  I don't know if Oshdude is serious about that but I don't see it happening under any circumstance.

If the WIAC was willing to waive the conference afflilation requirement of fielding a football team for Superior they are never going to require EC or RF to field a baseball team.   Findlandia may be the best option though I don't know anything about their desire to do so.  

While economics appears to be the primary reason for LaCrosse dropping baseball they also bring their male/female athlete ration more into line with what Title IX is seeking.  So even if they could come up with the $60K they may not be interested in reinstating the program.

[Just Bill]

Finlandia has made it clear in the past that they desire conference affiliations wherever and whenever they can get them.  They are already going to be a WIAC affiliate in men's soccer, so that door has already been opened.  Their scheduling is so difficult that if they can join a conference and guarantee 2/3 of their schedule is done for them, they will take it.  I'm sure they have already put in a call to the WIAC to let them know they are ready if invited.

With a two-year window, the WIAC may not bring in Finlandia right away, hoping for the (IMO) slim chance that one of the full members comes back to baseball.  I doubt that will happen, but there's no harm waiting two years.

Not Add Finalndia?  Then we lose the auto-bid which would almost assure that only one WIAC team makes the post season. 

I disagree. I think being in Pool B probably gives the WIAC a better chance to get two or more teams in.  Pool B is terribly weak and is only getting smaller. Chapman has used Pool B as a defacto automatic bid for years.

Here are some options to consider: 
Rather than sending the Football team to Texas for a non-conference game, have them play at home or some closer venue.  Basketball tournament in Texas?  Really necessary?
Stop the excessive travel and trim a little back on each remaining program and I'll bet you instantly save the money necessary to fund both of these teams.

I don't think you're on the right track here.  UW-La Crosse opted to play 9-game schedules for two seasons rather than take a long expensive trip just to fill their 10th game.  I don't think you can blame this Texas trip for the loss of the baseball team.  The difficulties of WIAC teams scheduling local football games has been been documented enough on these message boards to fill volumes. One willing participant is still one short of getting a game scheduled.

In addition these long trips like the football and men's basketball trips you cited are usually funded out of the booster/foundation account.  They are specifically fundraised for that purpose. It's not likely that a large share of the program's normal operating budget is used on these trips. In fact, the basketball teams that I have been associated with have usually asked the players to pay a portion of the trip directly out of their pocket.

[hickory_cornhusker]

Right now Pool B would be an easier route for the WIAC with their 6 bids but by 2011 they will be down to 3. Even with the WIAC's 6 it will be maybe 4, maybe not. Pool B is shrinking to the point where it will be harder to get teams in that way than a Pool A bid and hope for a Pool C would. Plus with Pool B there is no advantage to getting hot through the conference tournament if you had a subpar year. If La Crosse would have won the conference tourney this year they wouldn't have gotten in.

[Just Bill]

In the immortal words of Monty Python, "We're not dead yet!"

http://www.uwlax.edu/Athletics/

Updated Message from UW-La Crosse Chancellor Gow Regarding Baseball and Men's Tennis
La Crosse, Wis. – The following is an updated message from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow regarding the Eagles' baseball and men's tennis programs:

As you know, the State's extraordinary budget reductions to UW-L have forced us to make a wide range of difficult cuts, including ending our baseball and men's tennis programs. We had planned today to formally notify the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WIAC) about the elimination of these two programs; however, at the request of numerous alumni, parents and friends of the University we are delaying notifying WIAC officials about our plans so that our coaches and potential donors can determine whether it is feasible for these two sports to be supported entirely through private funding for the coming year, and possibly on into the future. We have indicated that we can wait until September 1st to learn the donors' intentions for the coming 2009-2010 season, because at that point the baseball and men¹s tennis coaches will need to have contracts and begin being compensated for their work. 

Although fundraising for sports activities at UW-L is a longstanding tradition, we have never thought it possible or desirable to fund an entire program or programs through private donations. However, in light of the unique situation we're currently facing, we don't want to deny the coaches and the many enthusiastic supporters of our baseball and men's tennis teams the opportunity to see what might be possible. Our athletic department has determined that, based on last year's budgets and input from the coaches overseeing them, maintaining baseball for the coming 2009-2010 season will require $50,000 and continuing men's tennis for another year will require $40,000. As I've said, these funds will need to be in hand by September 1st. 

Provided adequate monies can be raised to fund the two programs for 2009-2010, donors then will need to make more challenging decisions about whether they are able to sustain baseball and men's tennis over the long term. Based on discussions with our coaches and athletic department leadership, we have determined that five years of advance funding will need to be raised before we can tell potential UW-L students these programs are stable. Because privately funded programs will not draw the student fees they now receive (a decision approved by our coaches and athletic department leadership), the annual costs of baseball and men's tennis will rise over the 2010-2015 period; thus several hundred thousand dollars will need to be raised to sustain each program for these five years. And these large funding pools would need to be raised by May 1, 2010 so that coaches, players and prospective recruits could have a realistic sense of the viability of the baseball and men's tennis programs beyond the 2009-2010 season and be able to make informed decisions about their future personal plans. 

In the days since we made the very painful announcement that UW-L is no longer able to maintain financial support for baseball and men's tennis Athletic Director Joe Baker and I have been struck by the outpouring of concern we've received via e-mail messages, telephone calls and personal conversations. But our current budget crisis gives us no choice but to ask for sacrifices from our athletic department, just as we have asked for sacrifices from every other area of the University. So it is very heartening to see so many members of the UW-L community come forward to offer their very generous support to keep Eagle baseball and men's tennis alive. To be honest, I'm not sure whether this is feasible over the long term; but the messages I've received this week suggest that it is entirely possible to sustain these programs for an additional year with private funds. Toward that end I am personally donating $1,000 to be divided between the baseball and men's tennis fundraising efforts for 2009-2010. While this is but a small contribution, I hope it inspires others to think about making similar gifts in support of these extraordinary campaigns. Should you wish to make your own donation please contact Pat Stephens at the L Club/UW-L Foundation (785-8153 or stephens.patr@uwlax.edu) and ask about the funds established by Baseball Coach Chris Schwarz and Men's Tennis Coach Bill Hehli. 

I look forward to providing you with an update about baseball and men's tennis once we hear the results of the fundraising now being done in support of them. As I've indicated, we'll know definitive information about the coming season by September 1st. In the meantime, thanks for your patience and continuing dedication to UW-L.

[Just Bill]

I think there's inherent danger in a school sponsoring a program, but having no financial investment in it.  But I suppose a non-funded program is better than no program at all.

The scary thing about these type of campaigns is what happens if the campaigns don't reach their goals.  They say they need $50,000 for baseball and $40,000 for men's tennis by September 1.  So what if we reach that day and baseball has raised $40,000 and men's tennis has raised $30,000.  Where does that money go?  Do you think they mail back the checks?  Nope, that a cool $70,000 right in the university's pocket and they didn't have to do a damn thing to get it.

Or worse, let's say the reach their goals.  What would keep the Chancellor from saying, "Yes, we've reached the goal for next year, but we've determined that it's impossible to sustain a program this way for the long term (which is likely true), so we're going to still cut it."  That could happen too.

[badgerwarhawk]

Wouldn't the donations more likely be in the form of pledges until it was determined that sufficent funds had been raised?  Either way I suspect the money would be returned to the donor as it had been specifically earmarked for either baseball or tennis.

While raising the money for a single season doesn't seem like that overwhelming of a task raising enough to sustain the programs for the five year term does.

Honestly I don't care one way or the other what happens to the tennis program but I'd like to see LaCrosse keep the baseball program alive and I commend the chancellor for at least giving them the opportunity.  Considering they just hit donors up for the new football/track facility it could be a hard sell.  But good luck, I hope they are successfull.

[Just Bill]

maintaining baseball for the coming 2009-2010 season will require $50,000 and continuing men's tennis for another year will require $40,000. As I've said, these funds will need to be in hand by September 1st.

It was this statement here that led me to believe the Chancellor wants cash, not pledges.  I could be wrong, but I don't think he's bringing the program back based on promises.

Donations almost never get sent back. I suspect those funds would go to the general foundation fund.  If you read the fine print of just about any college's foundation you'll find that they have no obligation to return donations in just about any situation.  I've seen a school raise $100,000 for a new Fine Arts building and then simply say, "Thank you for your donation, but we've decided not to postpone the construction of the building at this time."  They're still waiting for it.

Sometimes they do return donations for good P.R. (and because they might have a conscience) but they don't have to.

[badgerwarhawk]

Dott is the only WIAC player taken in the MLB draft.  #949, 31st round to Tampa Bay

[Ralph Turner]

From NCAA.org

Wisconsin La Crosse delays sport sponsorship decision

[Ralph Turner]

One comment on Pool B...

Pool B is shrinking.

Please follow my discussions on the Pool B boards.

By 2012, I think that Pool B will be Chapman, the E8, the UAA and the 6-member WIAC plus a few more.

The consolidation and growth of conferences is making the access ratio that determines Pool B even higher.

I think that it goes above 1:8.68 next season which will mean that the threshold to gain a bid becomes 9 schools for 1 bid, 18 for 2 bids, 27 for 3bids,  35 schools for 4 bids, 44 for 5 bids and 53 schools for 6.

HIckory cornhusker may be right and the WIAC watches what happens between now and late spring 2011 to consider staying in Pool A and whether to take on affiliate Finlandia.

(Affiliation agreements are taking schools out of Pool B and into Pool A.  I keep wondering when the CUNYAC and the NECC are going to sign an affiliation agreement and remove another 10 schools from Pool B.)

[badgerwarhawk]

Aaron Dott has signed a professional contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Good luck to him though I have to admit I was hoping the money wouldn't be enough, he'd elect to return for his senior season and re-enter the draft next year.  So it goes.   

[BaseballFan]

Aaron Dott has signed a professional contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Good luck to him though I have to admit I was hoping the money wouldn't be enough, he'd elect to return for his senior season and re-enter the draft next year.  So it goes.   

Im guessing the money isnt much so probably wasnt the reason

[badgerwarhawk]

I had asked a member of our staff who thought the money could be anywhere between $2K to $30K depending on how bad they wanted him.  The Rays drafted quite a few pitchers.  Of the Rays' 50 draft picks 25 were pitchers, 15 RHP and 10 LHP.  Dott was the 18th pitcher they selected and the 7th left hander.

[Dagger]

I can't see the rays even contemplating giving him more than $5K at that point in the draft!  30K is out of the picture...probably between 2-4K.  but as all who have played before know, the opportunity to move on and play professional ball is a greater motivation than money...to some!  I don't think he would have improved his draft status drastically by staying another year anyway.  He certainly would have most likely moved up a little bit on the boards...assuming he had a good year.  If he comes back and gets hurt or has a bad season, he then risks not being drafted at all and will be left hoping that he gets picked up after the draft!  I think he made the right decision to go when he did, but that's my opinion.  risking the opportunity to play pro ball because you want another couple thousand dollars isn't worth it to me.  Unless you're getting drafted on the first day, the signing bonuses don't really matter because none of them are substantial.  Just be happy you got drafted and offered anything at all.

On another note...very shocked to read about UWL, never saw them as a possibility to drop the baseball team.  Always thought stout and superior would be next.  The frustrating part too is that they always put out a decent product that on any given day could compete...and beat...the wiacs best!  That's a tough loss for the conference in many ways.  If I'm a player on that team I'm on my way out the door right now, no questions asked.  With the uncertainty surrounding the future there why would I sit around and then be told it's not happening?  Hopefully they find a quick fix to this mess, I can't believe a UW school can't find 60,000 to keep this program alive!  There are dozens of budgets that could be nipped a little bit, or eliminated all together that probably wouldn't even be missed on campus, but unfortunately it comes down to the chancellors preference!