FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[miac952]

if UST drops football does that mean Caruso coached himself out of a job?

I'd hate to see football get dropped especially for the kids. I wonder if the endowment budget ratio is an issue. Seems like UST grew faster than was sustainable.

I know it might get St Olaf alums giddy to think they had an impact on 100 kids not being able to play football, after they themselves kicked and screamed after getting undressed year after year by said program, but the only planning I have heard lately is donor identification for O'Shaughnessy stadium upgrades, and when they will make their push from Pioneer to scholarship. If UST is going to go all in on hockey, it will not be on campus.

The endowment position as well as some strong commitments from Trustees and their networks position UST to drive towards their major ambitions of Division 1 athletics and a School of Health.

[OzJohnnie]

Friend of mine in St. Paul indicated that there are rumors swirling that UST is going to drop football as part of the (prospective) D1 jump and build an ice arena on the site of O-Shag Hennessy.

Developing...

[SagatagSam]

I just recieved this info:

Only SJU season ticket renewal orders received from Monday, Feb. 24-Thurs., March 5, 11 p.m. CT will receive an early access code to purchase tickets in advance for the Johnnie-Tommie football game held at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sat. Nov. 7.

Feel free to butter me up for advance ticket access. 

Do you want your butter sent by Priority Mail or FedEx?

[Walter Eagle]

Friend of mine in St. Paul indicated that there are rumors swirling that UST is going to drop football as part of the (prospective) D1 jump and build an ice arena on the site of O-Shag Hennessy.

Developing...

May be the only way to afford a move to D1. I think O'Shag would stay pretty much as is for Track and Field, Soccer and LaCrosse, as well as general students rec. usage.  And quite possibly be remodeled to allow an inflated dome in winter.

[Walter Eagle]

Friend of mine in St. Paul indicated that there are rumors swirling that UST is going to drop football as part of the (prospective) D1 jump and build an ice arena on the site of O-Shag Hennessy.

Developing...

The supreme irony would be if Caruso moves on down to Northfield and builds St. Olaf into a football juggernaut. 

[OzJohnnie]

Friend of mine in St. Paul indicated that there are rumors swirling that UST is going to drop football as part of the (prospective) D1 jump and build an ice arena on the site of O-Shag Hennessy.

Developing...

The supreme irony would be if Caruso moves on down to Northfield and builds St. Olaf into a football juggernaut. 

Ha!  That would be spectacular.  Very funny.

[Texas Ole]

if UST drops football does that mean Caruso coached himself out of a job?

I'd hate to see football get dropped especially for the kids. I wonder if the endowment budget ratio is an issue. Seems like UST grew faster than was sustainable.

I know it might get St Olaf alums giddy to think they had an impact on 100 kids not being able to play football, after they themselves kicked and screamed after getting undressed year after year by said program, but the only planning I have heard lately is donor identification for O'Shaughnessy stadium upgrades, and when they will make their push from Pioneer to scholarship. If UST is going to go all in on hockey, it will not be on campus.

The endowment position as well as some strong commitments from Trustees and their networks position UST to drive towards their major ambitions of Division 1 athletics and a School of Health.

I forgot about the sensitivity and conspiracy theorists on the board.

As for the financials the issue might be that UST has a good size endowment, but it also has a large operating budget.  You can only fund so much with the endowment.  Having a large athletic department along with expanding academics requires decisions.  The dropping of a full time MBA program is one of the results.

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

[sjusection105]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

[OzJohnnie]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I thought for sure that AAMI was the target.  One or two years at Shag and then off to AAMI.  Perhaps not.

But with Caruso coaching at STO there won't be much of a football program at UST anyways.

[miac952]

Friend of mine in St. Paul indicated that there are rumors swirling that UST is going to drop football as part of the (prospective) D1 jump and build an ice arena on the site of O-Shag Hennessy.

Developing...

The supreme irony would be if Caruso moves on down to Northfield and builds St. Olaf into a football juggernaut. 

Anything is possible. Half the UST staff that drubbed St Olaf for the better part of a decade is now down on "the hill"

[faunch]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

[OldAuggie]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Not only should we actually know the location of this new arena by now but based on the timeline, somebody should start digging/construction yesterday or earlier. 

[jamtod]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Not only should we actually know the location of this new arena by now but based on the timeline, somebody should start digging/construction yesterday or earlier.

Given that the move to D1 hasn't been confirmed and finalized yet, it's going to take some time.
And it wouldn't be uncommon to transition for a few years with either existing facilities (not ideal, but it's not like we are packing the house as is) or make use of something else.

What about the area around Schulze arena? I thought that was discussed as a possibility (here, maybe not beyond this place).

W/r/t football being dropped, I'm sure everything has been considered as this is a huge shift, but the possibility of non-scholarship Pioneer League seems to be a much less costly option. Travel will be increased over the MIAC (both for games and for recruiting, although not to a crazy extent) and there won't be a Tommie-Johnnie cash cow every few years (unless...)

[faunch]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Not only should we actually know the location of this new arena by now but based on the timeline, somebody should start digging/construction yesterday or earlier.

Given that the move to D1 hasn't been confirmed and finalized yet, it's going to take some time.
And it wouldn't be uncommon to transition for a few years with either existing facilities (not ideal, but it's not like we are packing the house as is) or make use of something else.

What about the area around Schulze arena? I thought that was discussed as a possibility (here, maybe not beyond this place).

W/r/t football being dropped, I'm sure everything has been considered as this is a huge shift, but the possibility of non-scholarship Pioneer League seems to be a much less costly option. Travel will be increased over the MIAC (both for games and for recruiting, although not to a crazy extent) and there won't be a Tommie-Johnnie cash cow every few years (unless...)

Charles M. Schultz-Highland Arena? https://www.google.com/maps/place/Charles+M.+Schulz-Highland+Arena/@44.9160044,-93.1687071,541m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x87f62bccf440c2c7:0xffcaebc7e25f8d6b!2sCharles+M.+Schulz-Highland+Arena!8m2!3d44.9172222!4d-93.1647222!3m4!1s0x87f62bccf440c2c7:0xffcaebc7e25f8d6b!8m2!3d44.9172222!4d-93.1647222

I live about 3 blocks from there...if a 3,000-9,000 seat arena is proposed for that property I will attend every city council meeting and protest along Snelling Avenue daily to stop it. There is no room for that size of property.

[SagatagSam]

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
[...]
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

105, since when do you go to swanky D.C. cocktail parties with the Rev?

Although, leave it to UST to put up the dough for the expensive trappings like playing at U.S. Bank Stadium that create the illusion of status. It's the Lamborghini of football stadiums parked illegally on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, so to speak. If you thought Tommie home games felt sparsely attended, just wait until they play a non-SJU opponent at U.S. Bank Stadium! It will make the 9-man semifinal games look like sellouts.