The WAC may be missing a golden opportunity to rebuild. There are efforts at several schools, mostly through alumni drives, to bring football back to former Big West Conference campuses. This is too bad, because there is serious talk of bringing back Big West Conference Football at the FCS level. This could also be also be a threat (?) to the current state of the Big Sky Conference as Cal Poly and UC Davis are full-time members of the Big West Conference in their non-football sports. Cal Poly and UC Davis could drop their football affiliation in a heartbeat should the more travel friendly Big West Conference bring back football.
Here is an update on the efforts in these campuses to return to the gridiron...
Cal State University Fullerton
The spring saw a petition drive among the student body in Fullerton to bring back football. So far, the petition drive to bring the idea of bringing back football has not resulted in an election. Efforts are ongoing. If they were to bring back football, there is an on-campus stadium that seats 10,000, but it would be easy enough and cost effective enough to double the size.
http://www.bringbacktitanfootball.com/
Long Beach State
There is a vote pending before the student body in Long Beach to bring back football, but they do not have a stadium...which the athletic director admits would be the biggest obstacle. The 49ers used to play at Anaheim Stadium with the Rams. But that stadium has now been converted into baseball-only Edison Field and is likely not an option any longer. A recent student body referendum failed by just a few votes, but supporters are trying to get another vote together. The "Bring Back 49er Football" Facebook page is about to be archived.
http://bringback49erfootball.blogspot.com/2011/02/bring-back-49er-football-campaign.html
Pacific
Right now, the efforts in Stockton are not as far along as the efforts in Long Beach or Fullerton, but they are still active.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-Tiger-Football-UOP/195665077125241?sk=wall
Cal State Northridge (Former Big Sky Conference Member)
There will be a vote on campus this fall to bring football back to Northridge. CS Northridge is the only school on this list that was never an FBS program. They were members of the Big Sky Conference. The others were members of the Big West Conference until the early 90s.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-Tiger-Football-UOP/195665077125241?sk=wall
UC Irvine
The efforts to bring back football are not all that active..but I did find a website.
http://www.wix.com/chips315/anteaters#!
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara is one of the few non-football schools that turns an athletic profit. Their men's soccer program is very popular. Efforts to bring football back are only just beginning, but football at UC Santa Barbara is probably more realistic than at any other California school because they would have a place to play right away.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-Tiger-Football-UOP/195665077125241?sk=wall
UC Riverside
The Athletic director at UC Riverside says that there will never be football again on this campus, unless a "sugar daddy" provided some substantial "seed money".
http://www.athletics.ucr.edu/askstan/askstan5502.html
(Non-California School)
Wichita State
There is an on-line petition drive to bring back football to Wichita State, but they are well short of their goals.
http://www.bringbackshockerfootball.com/frequently-asked-questions.php
My opinion is if the WAC is not considering any of these programs should they bring back football, they are doing the future of the conference a disservice. All of these schools are in good markets and would be good additions to the WAC, and probably better additions than current FCS programs. If Karl Benson is a smart man, he would show his face on campus the minute any of these programs agree to bring back football. Long Beach State could bring back football very soon. Who knows if the some of the other Big West Schools could follow.
Do you think that bringing any of these programs into the WAC, once they bring back football is a good idea? Please post a comment. As a suggestion, if you like the idea, contact the supporters of these drives through the links that are provided and pledge a dollar or two.
Big West Conference members that already have football...
Hawaii will join the Big West in 2012, their football program will participate in the MWC.
UC Davis and Cal Poly compete at the FCS level and will join the Big Sky Conference for football in 2012. Both have reportedly rebuffed the WAC. Could they be holding out hope that football returns to the Big West?
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