Very telling things about the current state of college soccer

do-college-sports-really-need-the-ncaa-1443187831
Agreed, these convos have been talked about for some time now and the mention of the 7-8 sport NCAA model has been fairly common, so maybe we will end up with a tiered (glorified club type) model.
I would also throw in consideration for a more self-sustaining business model for our sport. A model in which college programs can tie in local communities and building a youth club/camp/college hybrid model in which a lot of costs are offset. This isn't far fetched, since a ton of college coaches are already involved in this and could be fleshed out fairly quickly. One could conceive then of a 10 month model etc since it would be the soccer guys setting the framework.
What is clearer and clearer is that with NIL, TV money etc. this is driven almost entirely by $$, and even clearer is the P5 conferences are not willing to share. They continue to completely set their own agenda. Think of their veto power and just look at what the B10 has done for Ohio State FB this week. They are in charge.
To their credit the concept of conferences has morphed into a brilliant self sustaining lockout by the few at the expense of the most. Sound familiar? The 1% and the 99%....For sure now is the time for a re-write, but not sure we have the consensus nor the political leverage to be a force at the AD level or NCAA level to make it happen.

 

Dominos are falling now.

The #BigWest Board of Directors today announced that Big West fall sport competition will not be conducted in 2020-21.

RELEASE ➡️ https://t.co/cVzN6gczIM pic.twitter.com/xCQmakZzZG

— The Big West (@BigWestSports) December 11, 2020

 

What I know of fall-spring cancellations:
DI - 2 (Ivy, Big West)
DII - 2 (CCAA, PSAC)
DIII - 1 (Midwest - I think?)

I'm sure there are more, but those are ones that have happened recently or a bit ago (Ivy). Who will be next, and when? Unfortunately for these student-athletes...

 

DII- Sunshine State Conference as well

https://sunshinestateconference.com...-update-regarding-fall-and-winter-sports.aspx

 

It is unfortunate for the students, but it's probably the best decision for what we know now. Assuming that the vaccines are approved and are as efficacious as testing results are being promoted (95% for the mRNA), it's probably going to be May/June (at best) before these athletes are vaccinated. So canceling the spring season and planning a fall season may be prudent.

Just my opinion.

 

SC may cut Men’s Soccer. If a SEC school has to cut what kind of position are other athletic depts (mid-major) in?
https://www.thestate.com/sports/col...h-carolina/usc-football/article247864800.html

 

Well, now you know what I was alluding to here.

 

Mate, pretty weak to vaguely claim something big will happen, let someone else break the news, and then respond saying 'See guys, told ya so.'

 

Ok. But, this was also news back in May.

Think whatever “mate.” As I stated, I will wait until there is more public about it — which is exactly what happened.

 

It USC fits the profile. State School; Football; not in the traditional conference. It would be a shock to lose such a storied program. The end is this would not be the end of the contraction. I worry for the Sun Belt Schools. App State drops and now they are at 4.

New Mexico dropped because of gross financial malfeasance. But the other side is they have 1 game that they could drive to and no local rivals. The difference is USC could cut some costs and still make it savable, they have plenty of alumni who would help out. It is a waning shot across the bow.

Soccer will survive the contraction at the college level. On the dire side and a wild but guess is that would be 10 programs eliminated. The real problem is money and /or prestige. The money is the way the program operates, as laid out may posts prior, do we need that type of outlay for soccer? Is it we are a big school so we have to spend this type of money? Or can they tighten their preverbal belts.

I am no predictor of the future, but I am concerned that there will be more stories. Finally, if it comes to it, we all need to lobby, petition and donate to save these programs.

 

Noy many active threads to work with so I'll park this article here. It's an interview with Georgetown's Brian Wiese that covers some of the current difficulties faced by his program and others.

https://www.socceramerica.com/publi...iese-on-college-soccers-uncha.html?verified=1

 

I'm a Georgetown fan, but this is super sad no matter what team you support.

Georgetown was returning practically their entire roster from last year's championship team. Georgetown's team this year probably would have been one of the all-time great NCAA teams, but now it sounds like they will struggle to put it together this Spring (assuming there is a Spring season).

 

couldn't read the article, but I'll quibble a bit with "returning practically their entire roster".

They lost 2 MLS 1R starters (Nealis #3, Achara #25) and a few more solid contributors (Lochner (21 games/13 starts, Fischer 24 games/18 starts, Strassner 22 games/1 start). The Gtown bench was crucial for last year's success with very little drop off from the starters to bench is very hard to duplicate.

I'm not trying to take anything away from Brian. He's built a winner with players that buy-in to the team first concept - example 1 look at the GK platoon.

 

Add another one to the rumor mill, and it's already public knowledge, but UC Riverside is seriously considering cutting all athletics. Their AD is resigning too.

 

Thx - If all athletics are being cut, I don't seriously know what the Athletic Director (AD) would do?

 

Dating back to early-September when it went public, UCR had $30+ million cut from state funding. Their athletic budget ranges from $12-14 million.

They transitioned from DII during 2000-01.

Seems like not trying to “keep up with the Joneses” would have saved athletics for the institution. I would venture to say that athletics runs a big deficit there (haven’t looked it up yet). No way they bring in more than that athletically, and they don’t even have football (since 1975).

The AD resigning almost signifies that athletics is being cut and she’s hopeful to land another job.

 

As a consultant *blush* too, I should have written a longer statement. Then, I could have invoiced it.

 

https://gohighlanders.com/news/2021...arget-3dtop-view-staff-action-target-top.aspx

Looks like she landed on her feet.

 

Maybe it's a new career opportunity to close another athletic department at Kennesaw (sp) U next?

 

Some hopeful news


https://patriotleague.org/news/2021...pring-sports-scheduling-formats-for-2021.aspx

 

That sounds like what the A10 is doing for soccer. +++

 

The Big East too. Looking forward to having some games to watch this Spring.

 

WCC teams posting schedules too. mostly conference only so far, except Portland has several non-conference games including the two local-ish PAC-12 teams OS and Washington.

 

Kennesaw is trying very hard to be an up-and-coming athletic department. They only added football 5-6 years ago. They will need at least another decade before they give up on being big-time.