NCAA Attendance letters go out to 13 schools

[MeanGreen61]

Posted by Space Raider on the Sun Belt board.

13 DI-A institutions received letters from the NCAA because they were below 15K last year. They were warned of possible sanctions if they are below 15K again this year...

WAC - Utah State, San Jose State, New Mexico State

MAC - Bowling Green, Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Ball State, and associate member Temple

C-USA - Rice, Tulane

Sun Belt - UL-Monroe

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C...92321%2C00.html

[Bearclaw]

Is that tickets sold or attendence? There is no way that SMU is getting 15k.

[VideoEagle]

That is reported attendance. As I understand it, the “butts in seats” rule and the “must audit the attendance” rule both went away. Season ticket holders count even if the tickets go unused.

And SMU hired that guy who back in the 90’s counted people at the Million Man March in DC.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

Well there is no doubt that the Sun Belt sucks, but it doesn't look like the WAC is treating Utah State and New Mexico State very well. So much for the "big names" in the WAC coming in and increasing attendance.

[Arkstfan]

That is reported attendance. As I understand it, the “butts in seats” rule and the “must audit the attendance” rule both went away. Season ticket holders count even if the tickets go unused.

And SMU hired that guy who back in the 90’s counted people at the Million Man March in DC.

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Butts in seats can be replaced by tickets sold.

Audit requirements remain.

[NT80]

Well there is no doubt that the Sun Belt sucks, but it doesn't look like the WAC is treating Utah State and New Mexico State very well. So much for the "big names" in the WAC coming in and increasing attendance.

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I think NMSU going 0-12 and Utah St going 3-9 had something to do with their attendance. An 0-12 UNT may have attendance trouble too; let's hope we don't find out this year.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---The MAC was really impressive... and some say they are a better conference than the Belt.... They have had some good teams but no one watches them apparently.

---It appears that SMU may be cheating as is their tradition...just on attendence numbers now.

Edited August 11, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

I think NMSU going 0-12 and Utah St going 3-9 had something to do with their attendance.  An 0-12 UNT may have attendance trouble too; let's hope we don't find out this year.

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You do know that UNT went 2-9 last season, don't you?

[redallover]

SMU had some big attendance games last year, namely Baylor and TCU. Baylor was around 30K and TCU was probably about 28K.

The UTEP game was well attended as well because the Miners probably brought 6-8K fans.

[KingDL1]

You do know that UNT went 2-9 last season, don't you?

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I had the feeling that was his fear of this year's record.

[NT80]

You do know that UNT went 2-9 last season, don't you?

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duh. And if we start 0-6 watch the attendance drop and the calling for heads to begin, if not before!

Edited August 12, 2006 by NT80

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

duh.  And if we start 0-6 watch the attendance drop and the calling for heads to begin, if not before!

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After the first game there will be people calling for heads. But that isn't what we are talking about. The point was that the "big names" from the WAC don't translate into increased attendance.

[GMoney]

You've gotta be kidding me? They actually sent an attendance letter to Tulane! Did they forget what Tulane went through last year?

NCAA = No Clue About Athletics

[Arkstfan]

You've gotta be kidding me?  They actually sent an attendance letter to Tulane!  Did they forget what Tulane went through last year?

More importantly did they forget that they exempted Tulane from the membership standards for four years.

[GMoney]

More importantly did they forget that they exempted Tulane from the membership standards for four years.

That's right! I forgot all about that. They can't even remember their own rules.

Also, Go PC!

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

According to the NCAA, Middle Tennessee should have received a letter. They averaged 14,526 and if Bowling Green gets one for missing it by 71, so should they. Not a slam against MTSU; just the facts. I believe that with their new coach and a renewed interest, they won't be under 15K for a while, especially if they're winning.

Now what about FAU and FIU? If I remember correctly, FIU did average just over 15,000 while FAU fell a little over a thousand short. Since they are "reclassifying" teams, will that have any bearing on their being declared Division 1A?

[MeanGreen61]

According to the NCAA, Middle Tennessee should have received a letter.  They averaged 14,526 and if Bowling Green gets one for missing it by 71, so should they.  Not a slam against MTSU; just the facts.  I believe that with their new coach and a renewed interest, they won't be under 15K for a while, especially if they're winning.

Now what about FAU and FIU?  If I remember correctly, FIU did average just over 15,000 while FAU fell a little over a thousand short.  Since they are "reclassifying" teams, will that have any bearing on their being declared Division 1A?

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Muts made it according to the amended and I assume final stats that are up now on the NCAA board. Heres' the conference totals

Troy - 19425

Arkansas State - 18,381

UL-Lafayette - 17,591

North Texas - 16,446

Middle Tennessee - 15,241

UL-Monroe - 14,617

Reclassified/provisional

Florida International - 15,477

Florida Atlantic - 11,476

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Muts made it according to the amended and I assume final stats that are up now on the NCAA board. Heres' the conference totals

Troy - 19425

Arkansas State - 18,381

UL-Lafayette - 17,591

North Texas - 16,446

Middle Tennessee - 15,241

UL-Monroe - 14,617

Reclassified/provisional

Florida International - 15,477

Florida Atlantic - 11,476

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http://www.ncaa.org/stats/football/attenda..._attendance.pdf

The figures that I say were also from NCAA online and all agree except the Muts figure. I guess that they must have made an amendment to the original report.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Anyway, does that mean that FIU is now a bona fide member of Division 1A while FAU is still a provisional member?

[Arkstfan]

As I have stated repeatedy, the numbers the NCAA releases on its web site for attendance are NOT official.

Those are basically box score numbers and can be tickets sold, tickets used, or the first number that popped into the SID's head. The official numbers are not submitted until February and the NCAA has consistently refused to release those to the public since at least the early 80's.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

As I have stated repeatedy, the numbers the NCAA releases on its web site for attendance are NOT official.

Those are basically box score numbers and can be tickets sold, tickets used, or the first number that popped into the SID's head. The official numbers are not submitted until February and the NCAA has consistently refused to release those to the public since at least the early 80's.

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I understand what you are saying but why then would the Deseret News use those figures in their article knowing that they are bogus? Do you think that thirteen letters actually went out to those with attendance below 15K? If they did, we know that Tulane should not have been included so would there have been only twelve or was MTSU the 13th?

As to the other part of the question, when will there be a decision on FAU and FIU?

[Spaceraider]

I made a post on the Sun Belt board back in April concerning MT's revised attendance figure: MT's 2005 FB home game attendance average

The final MT combined final statistics for 2005 (as of Feb. 20, 2006) can be found here: 2005 Final Middle Tennessee Statistics

The revised figures gives MT a total attendance for its five home games of 76203 which divided by five works out to be 15240.6 which was rounded up to 15241. Hope you north texas fans won't begrudge MT the .4 on rounding up.

GO BLUE RAIDERS!

GoMiddle.com message boards

[gksmith]

Notice that the schools that are listed are ones that are NOT part of the Big 6 BCS conferences.

This makes for a hard time to maintain conference integrity. While CUSA is so large that they should survive if they lose a team, conferences like Sun Belt, WAC, MAC, could be down the tubes losing one or more teams.