New Conference Sports

[GiddyUp]

Who cares if sports are profitable. Is the meadows museum net profit? Div-I athletics are are campus experience upgrade not a business.

We'll see how that works as schools struggle to survive, we had a 1 man ticket team - that worked great!

[Longtime]

Lacrosse is only growing in affluent areas. While that may work to SMU's benefit in some ways, lacrosse has only a tiny fraction of the popularity of baseball.

It's just mind-boggling that we're a major school in Texas looking to increase its athletic profile and we don't play baseball.

Build a nice ballpark like the ones at TCU and Baylor, and baseball can help pay the bills, too.

[EastStang]

Last night I went to a Capitals game, during one of the intermissions, they announced it was Katie Ledecky's 16th birthday to which she got a standing ovation. She was the 15 year old who won gold in the summer Olympics. (To be honest her uncle owns a part of the team). Swimming is a sport which engenders a national pride. And look, we had a several athletes swimming in the Olympics this year. That's a source of school pride. When we watch the PGA, we're cheering for Colt, Kelly and Hank, just like we cheered for Payne. Again, school pride. Baseball is a great sport, dare say, my favorite sport, but to have it we have to add 1.5 women's sports and that is economically infeasible (unless we finally crack the BCS $$$$ bubble). Lacrosse is a nice popular niche sport, but is it being played much in Texas high schools? Unlike soccer which is very popular in DFW and Texas in general, lacrosse is still learning. And there are Div. III schools like Johns Hopkins which focus solely on lacrosse. Our new conference mates have teams, but most of the good lacrosse schools are leaving, Syracuse, Georgetown. In soccer however, UConn, USF, UCF all have decent programs. Add in the SEC teams of SC and KY and you have a decent soccer conference, dare say a top 3 conference.

[PonySnob]

Given the lack of conference revenue, it's hard to see SMU ever adding any sports..........

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Our new conference mates have teams, but most of the good lacrosse schools are leaving, Syracuse, Georgetown. In soccer however, UConn, USF, UCF all have decent programs. Add in the SEC teams of SC and KY and you have a decent soccer conference, dare say a top 3 conference.

Jealous you got to Rock the Red last night...

I would assume the lacrosse and field hockey teams at UConn, USF, and Temple are a bit nervous right now. Hopefully, they will find a good place for an affiliation. I can't imagine the new conference sponsoring those sports initially.

Good point on South Carolina and Kentucky too. I had assumed they would have to affiliate elsewhere, but with the Catholic 7 leaving there is plenty of room for them in the new conference. That is going to be one awesome men's soccer conference.

[MustangFan]

Like I 've said before, bringing back track is a no-brainer as it goes hand in hand with football. It would be nice to add baseball, especially since we are in Texas. Lacrosse does nothing for SMU. Soccer doesn't do much either, but we already have it and have been successful so I see no reason to drop it.

Exactly. I can't imagine anything will be added for years, but if anything is added, it has to be track because we already have a great coaching staff and because football will benefit greatly. Whether that's fair or not is irrelevant, because with the new conference TV contract and the suites going into GJFord Stadium, successful football clearly remains a top priority.

[PonySnob]

Like I 've said before, bringing back track is a no-brainer as it goes hand in hand with football. It would be nice to add baseball, especially since we are in Texas. Lacrosse does nothing for SMU. Soccer doesn't do much either, but we already have it and have been successful so I see no reason to drop it.

Exactly. I can't imagine anything will be added for years, but if anything is added, it has to be track because we already have a great coaching staff and because football will benefit greatly. Whether that's fair or not is irrelevant, because with the new conference TV contract and the suites going into GJFord Stadium, successful football clearly remains a top priority.

Hopefully we don't consider 6-6 "successful"............

[gostangs]

The schools that play lacrosse are 100 pct aligned with where we want to recruit the best and brightest students. In Dallas - Esd, HP, st marks and even suburban schools like coppell. In houston kincaid and st johns. Out of state lacrosse is huge where we want to be - long island, Maryland, Virginia, and all the right places in California. It only takes 12 scholarships to be competitive - you can give 24 half scholarships and the rest are walk ons. We would be nationally competitive in 2 yrs. It's a no brainer and would draw our students better than baseball. It is also a hell of a lot more interesting than baseball to watch. Bring it on.

[SMU_Alumni11]

Lacrosse is only growing in affluent areas. While that may work to SMU's benefit in some ways, lacrosse has only a tiny fraction of the popularity of baseball.

It's just mind-boggling that we're a major school in Texas looking to increase its athletic profile and we don't play baseball.

Build a nice ballpark like the ones at TCU and Baylor, and baseball can help pay the bills, too.

I couldn't agree more. It blows my mind that we would have a preference over super fratty sport: lacrosse over past time American sport: baseball. Plus Dallas has become baseball focus since the rangers got popular... All I can say is that there are two sports that I will watch: baseball and football. If they ever get a baseball team, they can consider me their first season tickets holder.

[stc9]

The schools that play lacrosse are 100 pct aligned with where we want to recruit the best and brightest students. In Dallas - Esd, HP, st marks and even suburban schools like coppell. In houston kincaid and st johns. Out of state lacrosse is huge where we want to be - long island, Maryland, Virginia, and all the right places in California. It only takes 12 scholarships to be competitive - you can give 24 half scholarships and the rest are walk ons. We would be nationally competitive in 2 yrs. It's a no brainer and would draw our students better than baseball. It is also a hell of a lot more interesting than baseball to watch. Bring it on.

I will admit a huge bias towards lacrosse and would love to see SMU build a team. There are problems with building a men's team at SMU compared to Baseball. They are not insurmountable, but they will take more planning than baseball.

First baseball and lacrosse have the same number of Scholarships (as mandated by the NCAA), but a Division I lacrosse program will have more than 35 players on the roster. This means from a title IX perspective that baseball is easier to maintain compliance.

Second, though lacrosse is growing rapidly in Texas, Texas is more of a baseball state. After initial capital costs (building a stadium), fund raising will be easier and operational budgets will be lower - more local teams to fill in the non conference schedule and fewer scouting trips to Cali, MD and NY.

Third, the C-7, Syracuse and Rutgers were the lacrosse schools in the BE. The remaining schools and the new additions are not lacrosse schools. So SMU would need to find another conference to play in for lacrosse. The best case is joining up with the C-7 schools or the ACC as lax only.

I would prefer to see lacrosse over baseball every day of the week. I just don't know if now is the time for SMU to jump in. Further, how many alum donors are going to be vocal opposition against this when it means that we don't get/delay for a new natorium, IPF or there are cuts to already existing programs.

[PoconoPony]

Ok, wasnt aware of minimums - Ncaa should rethink this b/c nobody is sustainable other than 20 or so AD depts. i would dump swimming all together, i dont care about getting flamed by water pony. Too much wasted space and scholarships - and i have swimmer friends too..

No flame. Division III may be appealing. We get to reset the role of Athletics. Intramurals does include flag football and club sports like lacrosse can play in Ford, along with Men's and Women's Soccer. Dropping sports and all scholarships sounds like a plan to me.

Most, if not all, of the men's swimming scholarships are fully endowed and are not a liability to the Athletic Department. Hall of Fame coach George McMillion was responsible for securing these endowments.

[ponyboy]

If they ever get a baseball team, they can consider me their first season tickets holder.

Man, me too.

[Water Pony]

The schools that play lacrosse are 100 pct aligned with where we want to recruit the best and brightest students. In Dallas - Esd, HP, st marks and even suburban schools like coppell. In houston kincaid and st johns. Out of state lacrosse is huge where we want to be - long island, Maryland, Virginia, and all the right places in California. It only takes 12 scholarships to be competitive - you can give 24 half scholarships and the rest are walk ons. We would be nationally competitive in 2 yrs. It's a no brainer and would draw our students better than baseball. It is also a hell of a lot more interesting than baseball to watch. Bring it on.

I will admit a huge bias towards lacrosse and would love to see SMU build a team. There are problems with building a men's team at SMU compared to Baseball. They are not insurmountable, but they will take more planning than baseball.

First baseball and lacrosse have the same number of Scholarships (as mandated by the NCAA), but a Division I lacrosse program will have more than 35 players on the roster. This means from a title IX perspective that baseball is easier to maintain compliance.

Second, though lacrosse is growing rapidly in Texas, Texas is more of a baseball state. After initial capital costs (building a stadium), fund raising will be easier and operational budgets will be lower - more local teams to fill in the non conference schedule and fewer scouting trips to Cali, MD and NY.

Third, the C-7, Syracuse and Rutgers were the lacrosse schools in the BE. The remaining schools and the new additions are not lacrosse schools. So SMU would need to find another conference to play in for lacrosse. The best case is joining up with the C-7 schools or the ACC as lax only.

I would prefer to see lacrosse over baseball every day of the week. I just don't know if now is the time for SMU to jump in. Further, how many alum donors are going to be vocal opposition against this when it means that we don't get/delay for a new natorium, IPF or there are cuts to already existing programs.

stc9, I agree with you preference for LAX as well as the conlusion that this is an unlikely outcome. Despite having a new natatorium as my primary capital investment, I love lacrosse. In addition, it may be one of the best spectator games to watch. The action is non-stop (like hockey on grass), high scoring and limited understanding of the rules is not a barrier to enjoyment.

[SMU_Alumni11]

I don't know how people figure LAX being more fun to watch and would draw a bigger crowd. Rangers and mavs (which seem to be in decline) will be number 1 or 2 most popular in the area. I have had more people come up to me (when wearing my rangers short) and they will be asking how they played today even though I didn't go to that particular game. I don't have anything against LAX, but it's not a sport that I would be interested in along with pretty much most the sports SMU offers. I also think people associate LAX with rich snobby frat guys (whether that's a true stereotype idk) but that will lower attendance and keep it focus really in the HP/SMU area. Whereas baseball (should have been a core sport anyways like they are in high school) can draw a wider fan base and be treated like the ft worth cats only for Dallas. I think with so many factors baseball really should be the main focus when adding a sport. The only drawback I can understand is where do you put the stadium and how invest for that. Like I said, ill be a season ticket holder for football and baseball if they ever add it.

[PonyKai]

For goodness sakes, just get us flipping something to cheer about during the Spring. It's embarrassing going around half the year w/o anything worth a sh*t to root for.