Utsa Wants Into Fbs As An Independent

[UNTflyer]

According to UTSA's Message board, UTSA will open 2013 at home in the Alamodome against Kansas St. on ESPN and will also play Oklahoma St. and Houston. They don't seem to have a hard time finding teams to play that in San Antonio.

http://spurstalk.com...t=145988&page=2

HA, ok. Let's see if this really happens. K-State tried to get out of our contract because they didn't want to play out of conference on the road. If they play FCS UTSA on the road, even if it is in the Alamo Dome, I'll eat my hat.

[Chrisattsu]

HA, ok. Let's see if this really happens. K-State tried to get out of our contract because they didn't want to play out of conference on the road. If they play FCS UTSA on the road, even if it is in the Alamo Dome, I'll eat my hat.

In theory, 2013 would be their first year as an transitioning-FBS team. They will play their first two years as an FCS indy in 2011, 2012 and if they wanted to make the jump they would need 5 FBS games at home.

[stebo]

In theory, 2013 would be their first year as an transitioning-FBS team. They will play their first two years as an FCS indy in 2011, 2012 and if they wanted to make the jump they would need 5 FBS games at home.

They need 10 FBS games at home, 5 in year one and 5 in year 2 of transition. No way that Big 12 teams honor those contracts. They will let the roadrunner "run" on into town and then conveniently decide to not return the trip. They might get one or two of them to honor the deals but it is going to really tough to meet the 5 home game requirement (for 2 consecutive years) withot a conference. If just one school backs out, the timeline starts over - the 10 home games against FBS have to be in consecutive years.

[NT80]

In theory, 2013 would be their first year as an transitioning-FBS team. They will play their first two years as an FCS indy in 2011, 2012 and if they wanted to make the jump they would need 5 FBS games at home.

They would also need NCAA approval since there is no FBS admissions at this time. Also, I really doubt the NCAA would allow them to make this move if they had no FBS conference affiliation. The one door they don't want to open is a bunch of FCS schools moving to FBS as Independents and unprepared financially.

[UNTflyer]

I agree. I get that you want to create the buzz among fans in order to make your case for moving up, but the UTSA fans are acting like this is a done deal. Transition to FBS, joining C-USA.... They have never played football and somehow they are going to go to the head of line for admission to FBS?

[Chrisattsu]

They would also need NCAA approval since there is no FBS admissions at this time. Also, I really doubt the NCAA would allow them to make this move if they had no FBS conference affiliation. The one door they don't want to open is a bunch of FCS schools moving to FBS as Independents and unprepared financially.

I know that this is what Texas State is looking at. Both schools are acting like their mascots. UTSA is being brash --They are moving like a roadrunner towards FBS with assumption that the moratorium will be up, and they will meet whatever criteria is put in place. Meanwhile, we are methodically positioning ourselves, like a Bobcat, for an opportunity to strike by upgrading our facilities and remaining eligible for the for Conference titles and playoff berths.

I guess I should tie this thing together by saying that the Eagle is watching both schools from above, waiting to see what happens before they go in for the kill.

[aztecskin]

I know that this is what Texas State is looking at. Both schools are acting like their mascots. UTSA is being brash --They are moving like a roadrunner towards FBS with assumption that the moratorium will be up, and they will meet whatever criteria is put in place. Meanwhile, we are methodically positioning ourselves, like a Bobcat, for an opportunity to strike by upgrading our facilities and remaining eligible for the for Conference titles and playoff berths.

I guess I should tie this thing together by saying that the Eagle is watching both schools from above, waiting to see what happens before they go in for the kill.

Kind of a stretch but u get an E for effort.

[NT80]

Two things UTSA definately has working for them is football facility (Alamodome) and tourist destination (San Antonio). Most FCS schools start with a lot less. I'm sure coach Larry Coker has some strings to pull too with influential people.

[stebo]

Two things UTSA definately has working for them is football facility (Alamodome) and tourist destination (San Antonio). Most FCS schools start with a lot less. I'm sure coach Larry Coker has some strings to pull too with influential people.

The Dome is pretty far from the UTSA campus. About as far as Texas Stadium was to us. Was that an advantage for us? How did that build school spirit? The one good thing about playing games in an outside venue is the ability to sell beer. The downside is that tailgating will be non-existent, students can't "stumble" to and from the game, pep rallies won't be very effective, etc. If they can get the community behind them and not rely on the students, they might be able to hit their 15K attendance each year. South Alabama is doing it. If they start losing after the 1st year of prep schools an NAIA teams, it could get ugly. Certainly will be interesting to watch. If you go to their one fansite, utsatailgaters - it shows the timeline for the last three or four years. Plan A was to raise $15 million. Plan B was to hire a coach and staff, and so on... facilities were in Plan C, scheduling came next. They have accomplished hiring the coach. Over the last four years, they have raised about $2 million, not even close to the goal. Now, they do have student fees and that will help tremendously. I think that the Indy announcement/press piece was a recruiting ploy. Those kids are all asking the same thing - when will we be FBS? Coker wants to sell them that he can get them there by their Junior or Senior year so that they were a part of building something from the ground up. I just don't think that is a realistic timeline. Like their other timelines, it is too aggresive and not realistic. They haven't hit any of their othr goals but they seem determined to get to FBS. So with all that said, I believe that they will eventually get there, probably just not by 2013. If they do pull it off, they will have lightning in a bottle and the Belt would be lucky to have them. We shall see!

[NT80]

The Dome is pretty far from the UTSA campus. About as far as Texas Stadium was to us. Was that an advantage for us?

As far as scheduling big-name programs, yes! We would not have hosted Mississippi State, Texas A$M, Kansas, BYU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, etc. without Texas Stadium or the Cotton Bowl....and we haven't since.

Edited February 7, 2010 by NT80

[UNTflyer]

The one good thing about playing games in an outside venue is the ability to sell beer.

Any team can sell beer in their stadium if they want. There is no NCAA ban on alcohol sales at football games, only at NCAA championship events.

[stebo]

Any team can sell beer in their stadium if they want. There is no NCAA ban on alcohol sales at football games, only at NCAA championship events.

I understand beer law bud. That is all I did for the first 10 years of my career. We don't do it because A) Cost, it is too expensive to have a regular license and insurance (mostly insurance) for that place when it is only open 5 or 6 times a year... Possible kickback from the community (as it is we are pushing it by having the stadium look like one big beer billboard)... and C) it encourages people to join the private club that is Mean Green Club to get their drink on - where no insurance is needed because we are not (in theory) selling any alcohol, just charging a "storage" fee to hold the member's beer and keep it cold. I put a bid in to the AD way back in the day when State Club let their contract expire.. it is definitely legal but the concessions contractor would have to pay the dram shop insurance and that is based on square footage. When I shopped around, the lowest priced option made it nearly impossible to even break even on beer sales. The Alamodome obviously has their license for other events so it makes sense. This is a Texas thing, other states don't have this problem. If we had a big money lobby machine, we would get the law changed like the race track did (the property of the race track is split between two counties and the state had no way of issuing a license for a property in two counties before they changed the law).

So I understand the law - just clarifiying why teams playing at pro stadiums and arenas hae a slight edge in the state of Texas. Thank you sir.

[cwb]

Well, if they do build their own stadium, it probably won't be sponored by Acme Rockets. Those stupid things never work right.

[Arkstfan]

Hey try selling beer in Arkansas where you have dry counties and dry townships inside dry counties but have private clubs in dry areas. Throw in a dose of illegal to sell alcohol on state property (but its OK if the property is leased to a non-state party) and it all gets crazy.

[UNTFan23]

Hey try selling beer in Arkansas where you have dry counties and dry townships inside dry counties but have private clubs in dry areas. Throw in a dose of illegal to sell alcohol on state property (but its OK if the property is leased to a non-state party) and it all gets crazy.

I hated living in Benton county cause it was a dry county. Jane, Missouri ended up with a lot of extra tax revenue as many Bentonites went north for a lot of reasons.

[Chrisattsu]

Hey try selling beer in Arkansas where you have dry counties and dry townships inside dry counties but have private clubs in dry areas. Throw in a dose of illegal to sell alcohol on state property (but its OK if the property is leased to a non-state party) and it all gets crazy.

Texas still has quite a few counties. It was not until last year, that the people of Stephenville (Erath County) could buy beer in town. I can't tell you how many beer runs to Proctor Lake (23 miles each way) I made when I was in college. The best part is that the bars are still considered private clubs which require you to buy a $10 annual membership to even get in the door.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Chrisattsu

[cwb]

Well, if they do build their own stadium, it probably won't be sponored by Acme Rockets. Those stupid things never work right.

Or fake tunnel paint.

[cwb]

Or fake tunnel paint.

Not to mention their skates. Why in Hades would you ever buy their skates?