Why do people want ISU Baseball back so much?

[cyhiphopp]

Full disclosure, I love baseball. I umpire and watch the Cubs (when they are on TV).
I also went to a few baseball games while I was at ISU in the late 90s/early 2000s.

Why does everyone want baseball back as a D1 sport at ISU? Not many showed up to support it when it did exist. The team had a hard time competing as the Northern most Big12 school. The fact that the southern Big12 teams are very good at baseball and actually support it hammers home the point to me that it really didn't matter here.

I understand that you love baseball, and you want to root for a D1 ISU Baseball team. But the economics made sense to get rid of it when they did, and the economics make even more sense NOT to bring it back now.

Not just the cost of scholarships to consider. The cost to build new facilities would be huge. They'd also have to market it so at least a few people showed up. Then there are the Title IX implications which were a big reason it was cut in the first place. You have to spend more money on women's sports to be able to add D1 baseball. And I'm a proponent of Title IX, don't get me wrong. I love that our women's sports are supported the way they should be.

If there had been a rabid fan base for baseball when it was cut it wouldn't have been so easy to cut. But as far as I know that's never been the case.

How many of you regularly went to ISU Baseball games when it existed? How many of you, honestly, would go regularly if they brought it back. Be truly honest. No one would watch it regularly on TV either unless their family member or friend was on the team.

I love baseball, but there's a reason it's gone and even more reasons it should stay that way.

 

[cyhiphopp]

And yes, I posted this because of the twitter poll from WRNL asking if you would bring back Baseball or elevate ISU hockey to D1

Full credit to WRNL for the inspiration

 

[Clonefan32]

College baseball seems like fun to me. I'm not sure how it worked at Iowa State, but at various places I've been you can find a vantage point outside the stadium and watch with a lawnchair and a 6 pack. I also think college baseball had abandoned many "unwritten rules" and just has a better product than MLB.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

College baseball is great for warmer climates but northern teams struggle to compete. Look at how dismal the B1G is.

 

[MushroomPinball]

If they served beer I would absolutely go to games.

 

[JM4CY]

As a complete hypothetical: If it got to the point where it had good chunk of solid Iowa kids playing on it, I could see that helping it gain fan traction.

 

[VeloClone]

I was sorry to see it go, but as far as I'm concerned that ship has sailed. We need to concentrate on building the programs we have left - all of them.

 

[cyhiphopp]

As a complete hypothetical: If it got to the point where it had good chunk of solid Iowa kids playing on it, I could see that helping it gain fan traction.

How many years and how much money would it take to get there?

I don't remember ISU ever being good at baseball, and in the current sports climate I think it would be even harder to go from nothing to actually good. On the off chance we had a great few seasons, would it get any more fan support than the best year of ISU Softball ever?

 

[Land Grant]

With the robust minor league "farm" system the already exists, I see little need for college baseball at ISU. We have no history of success, or attendance, or anything really.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I'd want hockey before baseball.

 

[Clonefan32]

I'm part of the problem, saying "yah, I'd go watch an Iowa State baseball game" knowing full well there's little chance of me actually driving to Ames for the sole purpose of watching a baseball game.

Great in theory, probably not as great in practice.

 

[JP4CY]

I'd want hockey before baseball.

My thoughts as well.

 

[cyhiphopp]

I was sorry to see it go, but as far as I'm concerned that ship has sailed. We need to concentrate on building the programs we have left - all of them.

Exactly. College football is an arms race right now. More and more money is being poured into every program that wants to compete. ISU will never have as much money as Texas to pay for everything we want to. We have to be smart with our money and invest whenever possible. Facilities for football and basketball have to come first or we'll never keep even close to our richer competition.
We won't ever be able to catch Texas, but we have to keep the divide small enough that it's not ridiculously obvious that we don't have enough money.

 

[JP4CY]

People want it because ISU is the only B12 school that doesn't have it.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Exactly. College football is an arms race right now. More and more money is being poured into every program that wants to compete. ISU will never have as much money as Texas to pay for everything we want to. We have to be smart with our money and invest whenever possible. Facilities for football and basketball have to come first or we'll never keep even close to our richer competition.
We won't ever be able to catch Texas, but we have to keep the divide small enough that it's not ridiculously obvious that we don't have enough money.

The only saving grace is I think there's a diminishing return at some point.

The first dollar of Texas' advantage over us is a lot more valuable than the last dollar of advantage.

 

[JM4CY]

How many years and how much money would it take to get there?

I don't remember ISU ever being good at baseball, and in the current sports climate I think it would be even harder to go from nothing to actually good. On the off chance we had a great few seasons, would it get any more fan support than the best year of ISU Softball ever?

That’s why I said as a complete hypothetical. I don’t see it ever coming back or ever working.

 

[cyhiphopp]

I'd want hockey before baseball.

Yep. We actually have a loyal fanbase for club hockey at ISU. It's a more exciting sport to watch in person and we are in the correct region of the country for winter sports.

I still wouldn't sign the check to escalate them to D1 if I was JP, but it would be way easier than paying for baseball's return.

 

[VeloClone]

Exactly. College football is an arms race right now. More and more money is being poured into every program that wants to compete. ISU will never have as much money as Texas to pay for everything we want to. We have to be smart with our money and invest whenever possible. Facilities for football and basketball have to come first or we'll never keep even close to our richer competition.
We won't ever be able to catch Texas, but we have to keep the divide small enough that it's not ridiculously obvious that we don't have enough money.

I used to wish it would be brought back in time for Gary Thompson to see it, but at this point I'm not even sure that he would wish for it.

 

[cyhiphopp]

The only saving grace is I think there's a diminishing return at some point.

The first dollar of Texas' advantage over us is a lot more valuable than the last dollar of advantage.

Yes. There's only so much money Texas can pour into their locker room before it just seems gaudy and worthless. We have GREAT facilities at ISU compared to the 90s at ISU and JP is smart enough to keep that going. Thank goodness.

 

[kingcy]

Most people didnt care about ISU baseball until it was taken away.