I think a problem with this concept is that the vast majority of our rich donors never attended a sporting event while on campus and, therefore, aren’t liable to donate significantly.

I am all about this thing ascending, I just hope that it is done "right". There is no rush. Raise and bank money, apply some of it towards winning big at the FCS level while working towards the future. I love the Fresno State aspiration; stop talking about Cal/Stanford/SJSU/Sac State, there is no future there in my opinion. I think 15-18k with more stakeholders and a competitive conference schedule in the MWC is very realistic. My hope is that we don't jump then try to figure out the money. Let's figure out the money then jump.

There is no rush. — Pacifico2

One thing Davis has never done is rush. Davis has always taken measured steps, especially when it comes to the football program. Very protective.

The one thing I will say about football attendance is that at the end of the day, football is entertainment. Davis needs to do a better job at 1. Marketing the team, and 2. Making the game day experience fun. Davis lacks in both of those areas. The proactive approach would be to market from Vallejo up to Roseville and try to get families to come. Get some pyrotechnics when the team enters. Stop being scared to spend money. Get some good food options, get better music played at the games. I went to a lot of Cal and Raiders games growing up, Davis game day atmosphere is pretty boring in comparison.

Also, I will add that I would expect another boost in attendance when Davis moves up to D1 FBS. The competition will be more marketable than playing directional schools in FBS. Davis has already set school records in attendance the last couple of years.

Lastly, the reason Stanford and CAL haven’t had great attendance or football success lately has more to do with the administration not valuing football and in turn the on the field product got bad and attendance dropped. When the couldn’t get into the BIG10 (where the schools in the BIG10 wanted to add them along with USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon, mbut Fox did not want to pay to add 2 additional schools schools to the TV contract) that woke up the admins and they started making sweeping changes to elevate the program. CAL already sold out of their premium seat season tickets (first time since the stadium renovation). I would expect attendance to rise significantly for CAL and Stanford.

In conclusion, the only way for Davis to continue to elevate the program is to take proactive approach. Instead of worrying about if people will come out based on the past, the school needs to market the team to get people aware of the games, improve the game day experience so people will want to keep coming back, and work donors to increase donations. Reactivity will not breed success.

Davis needs to do a better job at 1. Marketing the team, and 2. Making the game day experience fun. Davis lacks in both of those areas. — Akiltopmack99

Agreed. Additionally, tailgating seems more difficult than in years past, and frankly not encouraged. Nothing will ever beat the tailgate lot before Biggs Field went in. Getting everyone in one spot is really fun.

Winning IS fun. Go Ags!

We had a lot of fun tailgating in that spot. 6th man, Sochorfield, Finn, Dr Mike and a lot of drop ins.

I've been pleading for them to move the Team Aggie/Champion Aggie tailgate area over to the 'Tailgate Town' on Biggs field. At least, we'd be near the rest of the folk tailgating and whoever is hosting tailgate at the Town. But, that doesn't seem like it will ever happen. Too many of the older supporters don't want to walk over from Lot 56 to Tailgate Town....even when they provide golf carts for travel to that area.

But, many of them look like Usain Bolt when they open up the halftime hospitality just below the scoreboard!

I like parking lot tailgating… reminds me of Raiders tailgates I grew up going to… but to each his own…

During the playoffs - we had a nice little general spot on the south end of Biggs Field. Everybody could park where they were parking, and you could mobilize your tables and covers and kegs and food and grills right there...all were welcome. Let's keep that tradition going I think. Loved that. Bring some consumables for the cause if you show too.

The tailgate scene at Biggs is probably the best option to expand and develop the community and scene. I agree with about the feel of being in a paved parking lot, but Biggs is super convenient for merriment to the last possible minute. It isn't the easiest spot to shlep all your stuff to-and-from your truck (unlike a parking lot), but it seemed to work well the times I stopped by.

I’m with Dr. Mike on moving the Champion Aggie tailgate hospitality over by Biggs field. Bring everybody in close proximity. We can all enjoy the band and cheerleaders pregame entertainment.

I believe that as of this weekend the Big West days are behind us, with the possible exception of an associate membership in a sport or two. Women’s water polo may still be a member.

During the last alumni Zoom, someone asked about the future move to the Mountain West. Plough is cautious -> doesn't want to jump ahead if we don't have the resources to compete long-term. There was money issues that I hadn't fully appreciated. Beside the $5M entry fee (FCS->FBS), the MWC required a minimum staff payroll of $3.5M (about $2.5M more than our current), and NIL commitment of something like $2.5M ($2M or so more than our current). So, we either have to boast revenue SIGNIFICANTLY, or get a big financial commitment from central campus.

Looks like we’ll have to wait to see how much 1. MW revenue share would look like (I’m guessing this would be the biggest part of the budget)
2. How much they can make from new stadium renovations.

I’m not too worried about $5mm a year bc if they can’t figure out a way to do that, they were never serious about competing in FBS in the first place. UC Davis isn’t some of these small universities. If there is a will there is a way.

Makes you wonder how sacst is paying for all of this.. not like they're rolling in it. or anything other than a pile of dung for that matter

Also, requiring NIL commitment seems suspect. I'd bet this comes down with the higher rev generating programs leaving the MWC like Boise, SDSU etc.

It seems to me the 2.5 million requirement would be revenue sharing rather than NIL. Name, image and likeness payments have to have a reasonable correlation with the market value of an athletes association with the product. It’s now not run by consortiums but by the school, and auditable by the NCAA, steps motivated to avoid it being used to evade the revenue sharing limit. Revenue sharing is going to be the standard way to pay players, can be distributed any way they want, but the program has to have revenue.

you are right. It seems like the terms NIL and revenue sharing get interchanged quite a bit.

The distinction is meaningful. An established player may have endorsement value, may be able to sell his name to youth sport camps, or to a car dealership. If so the school doesn’t even have to be involved. With rare exceptions that are unlikely to be found in the Mountain West incoming freshmen endorsement value is near zero.

The house settlement sets a cap of rev share at $20mm per school. This is not NIL funds. I’m sure Davis can figure out how to boost staff payroll and the house settlement. I understand why they want to expand the stadium, as they need a way to capitalize and offset the cost of paying coaches and players. But better competition (and committing to being competitive) will bring more fans and donors.

Another note is NDSU isn’t getting any media share from the MW for the fist six years. Idk how much Davis would get as they are a member in all sports except for football, so adding football to the MW would make them a full member. I EXTREMELY doubt Davis would get a full member distribution. Most likely a reduced share like they are already getting.

I have to wonder the benefit of becoming a "full member" if you don't earn "full member" distributions.. I'd rather stay FCS than pay other MWC teams to grow their resource divide. One day these conference will learn they exist to serve the teams in the conference, not the other way around.

The current MW media package (just announced this year) was negotiated with the TV networks without UC Davis (or NDSU) included in the conference as a football member. The other schools are not going to reduce their share to add Davis in. Davis gets a share of other sports media distributions. It is better to be in FBS than not. Have to think long term.

+1

Agreed, but I get this weird sense, and I think the staff does too, that a couple more conference shake ups are on the horizon. In which case, PAC12 moonshot lets do it

UC Davis will most likely just join the mountain west, then move to P4 status if they can. Most likely the SMU route. Maybe Big 12. That’s a long ways away. Davis needs to focus on these things first.
1. Expanding the stadium. Needs to be around 30-40k seats. Needs good amenities too. Updated food, luxury seats (on both sides). Probably around 25k seats after first remodel (first phase new press/ luxury seats that have already been announced + expanding seats on other sides have not been announced)
2. A vast improvement on Marketing and fundraising. (My big gripe of this message board are too many posters are scared to grow and are complacent with remaining stagnant) Davis is not a small time school. They can budget for more advertising. They can do a better job at fundraising. Look at Cal and Stanford. Cal is pushing hard with donors. Stanford just had KPop concerts at their stadium. They are pushing to make money. Yes, they are bigger brand names, but Davis can push hard as well. You have to start to make momentum. They can pay for coaching salaries and pay revenue shares to players. Davis isn’t a broke school. If they were, we wouldn’t see so much construction and new buildings. They also wouldn’t have announced $250mm+ in sport facilities renovations. ( Side note, the renovations are going to put Davis at the top of G6 facilities. Wouldn’t be surprised if P4 was the end goal in around 15 years.)
3. Davis has to get into FBS. This should be the number one goal. Football is BY FAR the number one revenue driver in college sports. Being a competitive football team will boost the UNIVERSITY’S brand by a long shot. Not just in athletics. Sports are advertising for universities. And while many universities are struggling with enrollment (the major colleges in CA are not…for now, not worried about Davis as it’s a top public school in the country) it will be wise to get ahead of the curve. Davis is on the rise and the accession must continue…

sounds like a big part of Davis moving to FBS is having the money to bridge over the years they will not receive media rights money. the current media rights deal for MWC expires 2031-2032.