FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[faunch]

While my inside info at UST has diminished slightly over the last several years particularly as it would relate to hockey, I do have a contact with the city of St. Paul that happened to mention to me that they will be taking down the water towers and reservoir with plans to build another ice arena. The size and scope of the project was not clarified but it was mentioned that they were seeking a "partner" for this endeavor.

Water towers/reservoir on Snelling Ave. Between Highland Pkwy and Ford Pkwy.

It would need to be built on the south end of the current parking lot and then maybe a ramp put in on the north along Highland Parkway...and even then it would be a tight fit. So 4,000+ new residents in at the old Ford plant and a 2,550+ seat arena on Snelling and Ford Parkway? Living right in the middle and with property taxes out of control it might be time to contact my real estate agent!

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9171951,-93.1673357,650m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Hold tight my Johnny friend! We'll have valuable property when this happens.

I think that could be debated.

[sjusection105]

@ johnnie_esq,
It was good to see your brother on the Johnnie sideline as Dr. It comes full circle. Thanks to him & all the other Dr.s that give of their time to high school & small college athletics.

[MiacMan]

While my inside info at UST has diminished slightly over the last several years particularly as it would relate to hockey, I do have a contact with the city of St. Paul that happened to mention to me that they will be taking down the water towers and reservoir with plans to build another ice arena. The size and scope of the project was not clarified but it was mentioned that they were seeking a "partner" for this endeavor.

Water towers/reservoir on Snelling Ave. Between Highland Pkwy and Ford Pkwy.

It would need to be built on the south end of the current parking lot and then maybe a ramp put in on the north along Highland Parkway...and even then it would be a tight fit. So 4,000+ new residents in at the old Ford plant and a 2,550+ seat arena on Snelling and Ford Parkway? Living right in the middle and with property taxes out of control it might be time to contact my real estate agent!

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9171951,-93.1673357,650m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Hold tight my Johnny friend! We'll have valuable property when this happens.

I think that could be debated.

Have you seen what it costs to either rent or own in uptown? Now add an Edina flair to it. The only noise I can hear coming from it is cha-ching cha-ching!

[MiacMan]

Under consideration: I had this conversation with someone that "potentially" has  some inside information. He said UST is considering a jump (all in attitude) directly to the  MVFC because they feel their best appeal might be now, rather than after 4-5 bad to mediocre years  in the Pioneer league.

[formerd3db]

Under consideration: I had this conversation with someone that "potentially" has  some inside information. He said UST is considering a jump (all in attitude) directly to the  MVFC because they feel their best appeal might be now, rather than after 4-5 bad to mediocre years  in the Pioneer league.

Good point. Do you go the route of the Pioneer League, which would obviously be the easier to start out with, then try to get in to the MVFC, which might be, as you say, more difficult after some medicire years in the Pioneer? The latter scenario is not impossible, but would be more of a challenge. As I mentioned before, IMO, St. Thomas would likely do "okay" in the Pioneer League.

So if you were the one who had the authority to make the football, decision, which route would you choose to pursue first (assuming that there is an equal potential chance for pursuing either).

[MiacMan]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

[Retired Old Rat]

What will UST do about head coaches? 

[jamtod]

What will UST do about head coaches?

I wouldn't expect any immediate changes although the culture and pressures for success are certainly different at the D1 level than D3. I imagine additional coaches and coordinators will come aboard for football and basketball and with attrition, we could bring in a different caliber of assistant coach.

[formerd3db]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

I am the same as you. I would go the Pioneer League route first, absolutely. That also saves on scholarships, at least for a while.

[jamtod]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

I am the same as you. I would go the Pioneer League route first, absolutely. That also saves on scholarships, at least for a while.

Seems like a safer transition, build from there, have some success, and then move up if that's in the plans.
My fear with going right to MVFC is we struggle hard early, fail to build up the football support, and then it's difficult to build from that foundation.

[formerd3db]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

I am the same as you. I would go the Pioneer League route first, absolutely. That also saves on scholarships, at least for a while.

Seems like a safer transition, build from there, have some success, and then move up if that's in the plans.
My fear with going right to MVFC is we struggle hard early, fail to build up the football support, and then it's difficult to build from that foundation.

👍

[sjujohnnie]

The new poll is out! Bethel moved up to 6th & St Thomas jumped three spots to 11th. St John's is going to have two season defining weeks!

[AO]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

I am the same as you. I would go the Pioneer League route first, absolutely. That also saves on scholarships, at least for a while.

Seems like a safer transition, build from there, have some success, and then move up if that's in the plans.
My fear with going right to MVFC is we struggle hard early, fail to build up the football support, and then it's difficult to build from that foundation.

I think you've already got Pioneer level football support.  Your football budget is already bigger than Butler's or Drake's.  They're happy to get 3000 fans to homecoming and get worked by 50 in a non-conference game at a Missouri Valley team.  You're not going to start building the program meaningfully until you start offering scholarships. All that said, I'd still go with the Pioneer unless I was very confident in the finances.  That would certainly be awesome to see the Tommies play in the MVFC and maybe even find a FBS guarantee game or two that they can win.

[formerd3db]

I'm not risk taker whatsoever. Pioneer league all the way. If it takes longer than expected so be it. However, I do understand the thought process.

I am the same as you. I would go the Pioneer League route first, absolutely. That also saves on scholarships, at least for a while.

Seems like a safer transition, build from there, have some success, and then move up if that's in the plans.
My fear with going right to MVFC is we struggle hard early, fail to build up the football support, and then it's difficult to build from that foundation.

I think you've already got Pioneer level football support.  Your football budget is already bigger than Butler's or Drake's.  They're happy to get 3000 fans to homecoming and get worked by 50 in a non-conference game at a Missouri Valley team.  You're not going to start building the program meaningfully until you start offering scholarships. All that said, I'd still go with the Pioneer unless I was very confident in the finances.  That would certainly be awesome to see the Tommies play in the MVFC and maybe even find a FBS guarantee game or two that they can win.

Legit points also. Just FWIW (and this had been discussed elsewhere previously), even some FCS scholarship programs don't even draw the attendance that some of the better DIII and DII programs (and even some of the middle tier programs.)

[TheChucker]

Under consideration: I had this conversation with someone that "potentially" has  some inside information. He said UST is considering a jump (all in attitude) directly to the  MVFC because they feel their best appeal might be now, rather than after 4-5 bad to mediocre years  in the Pioneer league.

Whoa. The MVFC would be a huge step. Even NDSU and SDSU joined some other lower level FCS schools to create the Great West Conference for a few years before they joined other football schools for the Missouri Valley. That said, if UST wants to transition straight to scholarship football (sounds like the Pioneer isn't much of a move up), the MVFC is pretty much their only option geographically. This assumes the FCS landscape doesn't change in the Midwest soon.