Future ISU Conference & The Regents

**agcy68** · 05-03-2010, 11:41 AM

With all the talk of conference re-alignment, should the Regents be looking out for ISU's interest? I don't want to start bashing the Regents (Lord knows we could do that without end), but look at what the State of Texas did for Baylor. I really hope that our Regents are taking care of all of our Universities and are getting involved for the benefit of ISU. They should have some leverage with UofI already being in the Big Ten.

(Again, please no bashing of the Regents here.)

**wxman1** · 05-03-2010, 11:42 AM

I think fans are making this a bigger deal and thinking it's going to happen sooner than it is...I may be wrong but it kind of seems like it.

**jdoggivjc** · 05-03-2010, 11:46 AM

I dunno - do the regents have anyone but Iowa's best interest in mind? Aren't they the ones insisting that UNI fall back to "non-scholarship" FCS football even when the numbers show that such a move at best would have a negligible impact on the overall financial status of their athletic department, at least in the short term?

My guess is if the regents helping ISU doesn't directly benefit the U of I, they're not going to give two *****, despite the fact we are already oh so close to financially supporting ourselves right now.

**Trice** · 05-03-2010, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by agcy68

With all the talk of conference re-alignment, should the Regents be looking out for ISU's interest? I don't want to start bashing the Regents (Lord knows we could do that without end), but look at what the State of Texas did for Baylor. I really hope that our Regents are taking care of all of our Universities and are getting involved for the benefit of ISU. They should have some leverage with UofI already being in the Big Ten.

(Again, please no bashing of the Regents here.)

I've wondered this very thing myself. Where are the Regents? Where is the Legislature? I can only hope that athletics officials and the ISU administration are applying some pressure behind the scenes.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't happening. First, the university's top priority - like the rest of the government's - is to get through the budget crisis. So even if this is very much on the university's radar, they may not find an audience with the government.

Second, my guess is that the Regents or Legislature are probably not interested in doing anything that would rock the boat for Iowa in the Big 10.

But my biggest fear is that the Big 12 takes huge hits from attrition and we've got nobody to stand up for us. Imagine if those rumors of Nebraska AND Missouri were true. We would truly be on an island in the middle of Big 10 country.

**alarson** · 05-03-2010, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

My guess is if the regents helping ISU doesn't directly benefit the U of I, they're not going to give two *****, despite the fact we are already oh so close to financially supporting ourselves right now.

Yep. Pretty much it.

Should they be helping? For sure. As ISU ending up out of a major conference would be devastating to the university far beyond athletics.

**Legend12** · 05-03-2010, 12:12 PM

What kind of pressure do you think the Regents can apply?

**acrozier22** · 05-03-2010, 12:14 PM

A move to the Big Ten means we can definitely self support our program. That's enough interest along for the rejects. I mean regents.

**alarson** · 05-03-2010, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Legend12

What kind of pressure do you think the Regents can apply?

An iowa vote against a nebraska-missouri join without ISU

**jdoggivjc** · 05-03-2010, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by acrozier22

A move to the Big Ten means we can definitely self support our program. That should be enough interest along for the rejects. I mean regents.

Fixed for accuracy. However, you know it won't be...

**LeSchmick** · 05-03-2010, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Trice

I've wondered this very thing myself. Where are the Regents? Where is the Legislature? I can only hope that athletics officials and the ISU administration are applying some pressure behind the scenes.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't happening. First, the university's top priority - like the rest of the government's - is to get through the budget crisis. So even if this is very much on the university's radar, they may not find an audience with the government.

Second, my guess is that the Regents or Legislature are probably not interested in doing anything that would rock the boat for Iowa in the Big 10.

But my biggest fear is that the Big 12 takes huge hits from attrition and we've got nobody to stand up for us. Imagine if those rumors of Nebraska AND Missouri were true. We would truly be on an island in the middle of Big 10 country.

I would rather the government not get involved. Too much government involvement in sports these days.

**jbhtexas** · 05-03-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by Legend12

What kind of pressure do you think the Regents can apply?

University of Iowa to Big Ten: Our State Board of Regents informed us that we might just have to leave the conference if you don't add Iowa State during the upcoming expansion.

Big Ten to University of Iowa: Ok then. It's been a blast for these past 100+ years, but the number of TV sets in your state is kind of puny, so...buh bye...

**flander1649** · 05-03-2010, 12:28 PM

With the way this whole thing is going I really think ISU needs to work with KU,KSU, NU, & MU and go to the big 10 and talk to them about joining the big 10 together. That would take care of most of the old Big 8 OU and OSU would be fine with the Texas schools. If those five schools worked together to make this push it would work the best for all of the schools. This way it would also save most of the main rivialry's for the schools. One of the bad things in that is KSU not on the same level academically with the other 4 schools.

Mizzou and the Big Ten: Academically Speaking | Campus Corner

A Big-12 breakup could hurt KU and K-State the most - KansasCity.com

**crash_zone** · 05-03-2010, 12:32 PM

I wonder if the Kansas Regents are taking any steps to protect KSU if KU looks to jump? I really don't see the benifit to the state if ISU gets dropped to a smaller conference - may benifit UofI, but not the state. Granted, the Hawks that I know are gitty at the demise of anything ISU. A bit surprised they can't take a step back and look at what is better for the state. If ISU improves, I don't see that hurting UofI much.

**jbhtexas** · 05-03-2010, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by flander1649

With the way this whole thing is going I really think ISU needs to work with KU,KSU, NU, & MU and go to the big 10 and talk to them about joining the big 10 together.

Adding 5 schools to bring in the #21 and #31 TV markets...I thinking that this is not exactly what the Big Ten is after...

http://www.stationindex.com/tv/tv-markets

**VeloClone** · 05-03-2010, 12:34 PM

From what I heard Baylor to the Big 12 had everything to do with Ann Richards being a Baylor grad rather than the board of regents doing something for a Texas institution. I heard she was threatening to torpedo the whole deal if Baylor wasn't invited to the party.

EDIT: FYI - Chet Culver = Virginia Polytech and Drake