SWAC as FBS


tierre

Well-Known Member
I know this is a long term goal and we about 10 years from this happening. I did my own research about the schools in the SWAC and what I feel they would need to become FBS programs. I graded all 12 schools and gave my opinion on what I felt they are doing good and what need to be improved upon.


11. UAPB - Stadium holds 16,000 and looks nice. Even though I am not a fan of aluminum stadiums in college, I feel theirs was done nicely and that fieldhouse looks good, If they was to expand I would expand that visitor side. I was shocked at UAPB enrollment being as low as it is at 2,666. UAPB is the only public HBCU in Arkansas and is less than a 45 minute drive from Little Rock. That enrollment would have to increase by 3 times what it is now. The latest athletic budget that I have on UAPB is 6.6 million. That would have to increase by 2.5 times what it is. Also with an attendance of 7,191 I feel that the it needs to double.
UAPB Rating D

12. MVSU - Rice Totten Stadium is not bad. Have been there numerous times. Home side will have to expanded big time as the stadium only holds 10,000 and the visitor side is twice as big as the home side. MVSU athletic budget needs to increase big time as MVSU has the lowest budget in FCS spending 900,000 in football and having an athletic budget of $4.3 million. That budget would have to increase by almost 4 times what it is. Also MVSU have the smallest enrollment in the SWAC at 2,406. MVSU enrollment would have to increase by 3.5 times what it is to have the infrastructure to be in FBS. With an average attendance of 4,416 the attendance need to increase about 2.5 times what it is now. Of all the schools MVSU have the largest climb to get there.
MVSU rating F+
 
9. Alcorn - Alcorn latest upgrade is that big scoreboard that looks very nice. Feel that Jack Spinks visitor side need to be expanded and the stadium needs to be updated. A fieldhouse would be nice. With an enrollment of 3,754 that number would need to be improved by 2.25 times. Alcorn athletic budget is $6.7 million is low and would need to be 2.25 times bigger. With an attendance of 13,196 would only need a slight improvement. Better OOC opponents would help instead of scheduling D3 and NAIA schools.
Alcorn grade C-

10. BCU - Bethune-Cookman will need its own stadium. Bethune-Cookman will have one of the highest athletic budgets in the SWAC at $15.1 million and a football budget of $5.5 million but one of the lowest enrollments at 3,773. I feel that enrollment needs to improve by 2,000. Bethune-Cookman have an average attendance of 6,660. That attendance would need to double but they would need a bigger stadium to do that.
BCU grade C-
 
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A number of bottom tier MAC schools like Kent State get dwarfed in attendance by schools like JSU. They play those Tuesday and Wednesday nights for a reason. As said in the other thread, they only have the FBS status over us and most of us have beat them out for some 2-3 stars on some recruits
 
A number of bottom tier MAC schools like Kent State get dwarfed in attendance by schools like JSU. They play those Tuesday and Wednesday nights for a reason. As said in the other thread, they only have the FBS status over us and most of us have beat them out for some 2-3 stars on some recruits

If the SWAC played the same amount of games as the MAC (69 total) did in 2019 ... and kept that 15,266/game average ... the SWAC would've added 259,522 in overall attendance and would've had 1,053,357 with it's 10-school membership. As you saw in @JROCK graphic, the SWAC nearly had 800K in total attendance with just 10 schools and 52 total games.
 
No such thing as a budget in the SWAC...unless you Valley and just aint got it. The rest of us try to do the best we can with the little we have. We WANT the budget low.
 
I never see JSU's, or AAMU's financial numbers. What's up with that? With JSU averaging 34,000 fans per home game, one could assume that its athletic revenue is off the chain, e.g. upwards of $25M. As for PV, what is the source of its $19.1M in revenue generated?
 
I posted these numbers as a point of reference for readers as Tierre finish posting his commentary....not as an opinion one way or the other. I am looking forward to the completion as he has done the research and has an interesting perspective. I am not saying I agree or disagree but am interested in reading more of his assessment. One other thing, if you want more information, please do your own research as opposed to waiting and getting spoon-fed.
 
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Regarding a SWAC/FBS transition, the results wouldn't be too much different than now. We'd still be playing money games but now for more money, and teams that go 6-6 or better will go to a bowl game (12 game schedules, approx. 8 game conference schedules).

Most important part to keep in mind is we would still be playing together with each other instead of 1 or 2 schools trying to move up and into unfamiliar and unfriendly conferences.
 
7. Grambling -Eddie Robison stadium is pretty good with an recent upgrade to install turf and a new scoreboard. No need for Grambling to expand right now because it is a good size. If Grambling does expand though that endzone with the scoreboard would be nice. Grambling has the national name that wouldn't be hindered by being in FCS. Bigger name than 75% of the schools in G5 right now. Grambling has an enrollment of 5,232. I feel that Grambling enrollment needs to be improved by 50%. Grambling has an athletic budget of $9.3 million. Grambling average attendance is 10,396. Feel that Grambling needs to improve by 50%. I like that Grambling fanbase shows up for Classics but I feel that those fans need to show up in Grambling. That is where your school makes that $$$ That is surprising especially that Grambling has the same advantage as Alcorn and Prairie View being that you are the only show in town.
Grambling Rating B-

8. AAMU - Louis Crews stadium is a ok stadium to me The major turnoff is the fact that is has a track around it. Having a tract around a stadium makes fans feel so far way from the game. The latest athletic budget I have on AAMU is $9.1 million. Enrollment would need to come up by 2,000 but their enrollment situation is not as dire as Alcorn, BCU, UAPB, and MVSU. AAMU have an attendance of 8,132 I feel that it needs to be improved by 80%. AAMU fans shows up for homecoming and MCC but need to help out by showing up for regular season games.
AAMU Rating C+
 
7. Grambling -Eddie Robison stadium is pretty good with an recent upgrade to install turf and a new scoreboard. No need for Grambling to expand right now because it is a good size. If Grambling does expand though that endzone with the scoreboard would be nice. Grambling has the national name that wouldn't be hindered by being in FCS. Bigger name than 75% of the schools in G5 right now. Grambling has an enrollment of 5,232. I feel that Grambling enrollment needs to be improved by 50%. Grambling has an athletic budget of $9.3 million. Grambling average attendance is 10,396. Feel that Grambling needs to improve by 50%. I like that Grambling fanbase shows up for Classics but I feel that those fans need to show up in Grambling. That is where your school makes that $$$ That is surprising especially that Grambling has the same advantage as Alcorn and Prairie View being that you are the only show in town.
Grambling Rating B-

8. AAMU - Louis Crews stadium is a ok stadium to me The major turnoff is the fact that is has a track around it. Having a tract around a stadium makes fans feel so far way from the game. The latest athletic budget I have on AAMU is $9.1 million. Enrollment would need to come up by 2,000 but their enrollment situation is not as dire as Alcorn, BCU, UAPB, and MVSU. AAMU have an attendance of 8,132 I feel that it needs to be improved by 80%. AAMU fans shows up for homecoming and MCC but need to help out by showing up for regular season games.
AAMU Rating C+

We were at 13M last year.
 
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