Baseball in the Big Sky?

It's not the latitude, but the altitude that makes weather unpredictable in the West.  The PAC-10 has Baseball, so do the MWC and the WAC.  But the Big Sky conference does not.  Many people say it is because of the weather in conference country, but the real problems are the facilities, cost, fan support and level of available talent.

Competing in the NCAA

The Sacramento State Hornets are not the only Big Sky Conference team that currently competes in the NCAA DI level in Baseball, but have a tradition.  In baseball, the Hornets are an associate member of the WAC.  They have their own on-campus facility.  But Raley Field would be a nice place for a Conference Championship.

Northern Colorado--The Bears have an on-campus facility as well.  They play baseball in the Great West Conference.

Current Baseball Clubs

These schools have baseball clubs that are non-scholarship sports.  Some have respectable places to play, while others do not.

Weber State has a baseball club that many are hoping will become a baseball team.  The Wildcats also share a facility with the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League.  Lindquist Field is a few miles from the WSU campus at the corner of 24th and Lincoln downtown.  The facility is considered by some to have the best view in all of baseball, with a view of Ben Lomond Peak, Mount Ogden and other Wasatch peaks behind the spire of the LDS Temple.  Very nice for a Rookie League/College club baseball stadium.

Montana--Shares Ogren Park with the Missoula Osprey also of the Pioneer League.  Ogren Park may be the third nicest field in the Pioneer League, behind Linquist Field in Ogden and Dehler Park in Billings.  This is just over the river from campus, therefore it is convenient.

Montana State--The club team plays at a park in Belgrade, Montana.  This is just a few miles west of Bozeman.  If the BSC sponsors baseball, the team could play in the Worthington Arena.  Many of the seats in the old dome will move and it can be configured for baseball.

Eastern Washington--I do not know where the Eagles play baseball, but was able to find out that EWU played DI baseball until the early 1990s.  There must still be some baseball facilities on or near campus.

Idaho State..There is a vacant PL stadium in Pocatello that the club Bengals call home.

Northern Arizona call the Flagstaff Recreation Center home for their baseball club.  They could play in the Walkup Skydome if the seats on one side would move completely out of the way.


No Baseball at all.

Portland State...the Lucky Beavers of Portland will have a new home, at least are working on plans for a new home in 2011.  The Vikings can share the park.  Think that it would not work?  The Utah Utes and the Salt Lake Bees share Spring Mobile Ballpark.  PSU recently dropped baseball as well and still have some alumni in the Majors.


It seems like it would be easy for four of five of the Big Sky schools to pick up baseball.  Why is there no NCAA baseball in the Big Sky Conference?

1.  Cost.  Club baseball does not have any paid coaches and no scholarships.  Many of the players pay their own way.  These costs have to be picked up by the school to compete in the NCAA.  The clubs are also not tied to a conference, so they can play a more travel friendly schedule.  Many schools that sponsor an NCAA team, also have a club team.

2,  Title IX.  The 20 or so baseball scholarships have to be balanced by women's sports.  Most schools use softball to balance football.  Gymnastics seems a logical balance for baseball?

3.  Minor League Baseball.  Let's face it.  If you are really good at baseball, you do not stop in college.  MiLB also takes away fans from the gate.  The good players that want the college experience over starting in Rookie League ball will try to pick a school that is a perennial player in Omaha.

4.  Season.  Baseball is a summer sport.  School is out during the summer.  The CWS takes place in June.  You can play baseball in 40 degree weather, but who would want to watch it?