A Conversation with Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett
As the 2010-11 academic and competitive year comes to an end, Southland Conference Commissioner Tom Burnett answered questions about the state of the Conference and its future, NCAA issues and other items of interest. Here is part one of the Q-and-A.
How is the Southland preparing for what appears to be its final year as a 12-member organization in 2011-12?
Well, it's business as usual in most respects as we remain focused on providing the best Division I collegiate athletics experience possible for our institutions, their athletic programs, and most importantly, the nearly 3,600 student-athletes that succeed athletically and academically. As always, the Board of Directors (university presidents) and Advisory Council (athletic directors, faculty representatives and senior woman administrators) set the directives and rely on the Conference staff to administer their mandates. We certainly look forward to another exciting year of athletic and academic achievements. In fact, 2011-12 will be the 49th year of the Southland Conference. Also, no one knows yet if this will be the Southland's final year as a 12-member league. You never know what the future may hold.
Before we get too far into the future, how will the league first transition UTSA and Texas State from the league next summer?
As determined by the Board of Directors last fall after the departure announcements, both UTSA and Texas State have full membership rights in most areas through 2011-12. More importantly, the Board was not interested in penalizing the student-athletes of either departing members, and granted championships access and NCAA qualification to both schools. The one championships participation exception is Texas State's football team this fall. Because of its transition to Football Bowl Subdivision that requires addition of scholarships, the team is not eligible for the NCAA Division I Football Championship, thus cannot compete for the Southland title this year. But that's really an NCAA restriction, and necessary for any transitioning school. All other sports under the Southland umbrella will be fully eligible. Also, the Southland continues to provide administrative assistance to both institutions such as compliance, financial and national letter-of-intent services through the coming year.
Discuss the departure of the two schools and the impact on the Conference.
Well, first and foremost, there is no pleasure in losing any Conference member. Both schools have been great members of the Southland for two decades or more. And, as with all members past and present, the Conference has also been very beneficial in the growth of the Texas State and UTSA athletic programs. For nearly half a century, this is a league that's fostered competitive success for all members in all sports. Because of this, and like so many other times during past membership changes, the Southland Conference will provide its members plentiful opportunities for winning and NCAA championships access.
What are your thoughts on the possibilities that other longstanding institutions leaving the Conference?
Knowing what I know today, it doesn't take up too much of my time. When you fully understand the national landscape and you're in constant contact with other Division I commissioners and athletic directors around the country, you learn what others are thinking and planning for. That being said, you have to monitor and anticipate because tomorrow is a new day and things can change. Needless to say, if one of our institutions has the opportunity to join a BCS automatic-qualifying conference, it probably shouldn't think twice about it. Anything less than that, however, and I think an institution needs to completely understand the necessary finances for real measurable success at that level. And that's not just a few million dollars more or one-time financial gifts. That's at least doubling and probably tripling your athletic budget, and requiring significantly higher levels of sustained giving that probably doesn't exist currently. And with the media rights amounts coming to the BCS AQ leagues in coming years, the financial disparity within FBS will continue to grow and it's going to take much more money in the future. And that doesn't even begin to address the current financial difficulty that most of higher education is faced with. It's a tremendous challenge to transition from FCS to FBS, and those attempting it need to do so with real thoughtfulness and effective, executable planning.
Looking ahead, what are the possibilities for membership expansion in the Southland?
Well, as I think everyone familiar with the Southland knows, issues related to league membership fall within the purview of the Board of Directors. And while the presidents have expressed interest in monitoring the Division I landscape for future possibilities, there has so far been no direction from this group to add new institutions. With an eye on what else may be out there, the Board has found comfort with a 10-member league beginning in 2012-13.
Is that reflective of not much interest from other institutions?
Oh no, there's plenty of interest in Southland membership, and some of that has been mentioned in the media recently. Additionally, people might be surprised at the number of institutions, as well as the quality of such, that we've had some level of contact with in recent months. I'd be quick to say that the presidents are interested in what they term as "value-added," something that moves the needle, so to speak. The Board looks back on the additions of Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2006 as just that. If there were similar opportunities to enhance the Conference, something that makes membership even more valuable, I think the Board would naturally be attracted to that.
Will sponsorship of football be a necessary if and when the Conference does expand?
I'd say the presidents remain very interested in football sponsorship, but that likely won't be the only standard used if expansion becomes a reality. Among many things to be considered are a well-rounded, successful athletic program with a commitment to academic success, a strong fan following, significant media market and coverage, and geographic proximity to current members.
What accomplishments do you look back on during the 2010-11 academic year?
Well, there are always many athletic achievements we can point to. A win in the NCAA tournament, five teams in the basketball postseason, a home NIT game, three men's golf teams earning NCAA berths, milestone coaching marks, an individual track and field national champion and numerous All-Americans. Lots of great stories and accomplishments in our league where again, teams and individuals have a clear opportunity for competitive success that carries over to the national level. But what's probably been the most satisfying is the academic progress our athletic departments continue to make, and how this ultimately leads to higher graduation rates for our student-athletes.
Your reference is to the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program and its Academic Progress Rate that caused a great deal of concern for the Southland a few years ago. How has the Conference dealt with APR and what's the future of this program?
It was definitely a major concern a few years ago, as the Southland's cumulative scores were nothing to brag about. Frankly, we collectively ranked at the bottom of most lists in the early years of APR data collection. But at that time, the Southland Board also made APR improvement the No. 1 priority for the Conference. Our athletic administrators and coaches responded with effective uses of their limited resources, made smarter recruiting decisions, and developed programs that assisted student-athletes toward the ultimate goal of graduation. Over the past five years, no other Division I league has improved its APR as well as the Southland Conference has. And in some of the poorer performing sports like baseball, men's basketball and football, the Conference has made dramatic improvement. In fact, in the most recent year of data collection, 2009-10, the Southland ranked 10th among the 31 Division I leagues in men's basketball APR. That's simply amazing and a million miles from where we were a few years ago. So, not only can this Conference be competitively successful, it can also be among Division I's best in the classroom. The Division I Academic Performance Program is in a state of transition, and is undergoing quite a bit of review. But, it is not going away. I expect Division I academic standards to be strengthened as the membership ensures student-athletes continue to move toward improved graduation rates. Regardless, just like we've proven in the past few years, the Southland should not only expect to meet any revised thresholds, but should also anticipate surpassing them.
The Conference and its partners in Frisco appeared to successfully play host to the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game. What was the key to that and what's ahead for the national title game?
I think we felt very good about the effort our Frisco group put into the game as well as the week's activities leading up to it. If you know anything about our community, it does everything in an organized, professional, first-class manner, and that's a common thread through everything we do, and it began with the earliest discussions we had in 2009 about possibly submitting a bid to the NCAA. And, it continues today as we plan for the 2012 event and beyond. The feedback from both teams, fans and other visitors to Frisco was very positive. We stressed a fantastic student-athlete experience for the two teams with great hotel stays, unique and fun hospitality options, a world-class stadium, and all the other options that a destination location can provide. We want the championship game experience to be remembered by the participants at the same level another student-athlete enjoys in a big bowl game or has at another NCAA national championship event. It has to be an event, not just a game, and we strongly believe our Team Frisco partners can provide exactly that. The best thing about the planning for the 2012 championship is we have 2011 behind us and are building an even better game week experience for our visitors.
Not only have you been involved with hosting the NCAA title game, but you've also been working with others on the continued enhancements of the Division I Football Championships, including the championship. Describe the FCS Summit that was held in Frisco prior to the NCAA game, and has that led to further discussions or action on the well-being of the FCS and the benefits of competition at this level?
The FCS Summit was really a "Town Hall Meeting" for the subdivision, an overdue gathering of athletic directors, commissioners, NCAA staff and other stakeholders at this level. These groups had not met on a regular basis in recent years, and it was often acknowledged that the key administrators from institutions and conferences that sponsor Division I football needed to get together in the same room. Further, it was noted that our FCS community needed to attend and support the championship game, and the new location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area could facilitate practical travel for our guests. A number of priorities were recognized during the Summit, including discussions on the future well-being of the subdivision and how it can sustain itself as a highly-competitive, fiscally-responsible level of Division I football sponsorship. Also discussed was the NCAA's administration of the 20-team championship, the possibilities of further bracket expansion in the future, and how the NCAA's television partner works to broadcast and promote the event across its various platforms. From a bigger picture perspective, attendees were quick to recognize that a single meeting such as the Summit would not do much to benefit the sport. To that end, the FCS Athletic Directors' Association will host another national roundtable event in Orlando, June 16, and it's expected that a group of FCS presidents and commissioners will convene in early August to move the discussions a bit higher up the ladder, so to speak. And, we look forward to planning for a second FCS Summit in conjunction with the 2012 NCAA Championship game in Frisco. Ultimately, many are expecting to develop an FCS business plan of sorts, a possible roadmap for continued sustainability and success in the future. More to come, that's for sure.
Part two of Commissioner Burnett's Q-and-A is coming soon. He'll discuss a number of competitive issues, including recent news about various scheduling and championship tournament formats, the Southland basketball tournament, the league's television efforts, and plans for the Southland's upcoming 50th anniversary celebration.