Northridge Makes Leap to Big West
In a move anticipated for months, Cal State Northridge on Wednesday accepted an invitation to join the Big West Conference beginning in July 2001, a decision that reduces the school’s football stature but likely will financially benefit the athletic department.
Big West officials voted unanimously to admit Northridge and UC Riverside, bringing the conference to 10 full members for the 2001-02 season. Northridge, a member of the Big Sky Conference since 1996, will compete as an independent in football, while 15 of the school’s 20 teams will compete in the Big West.
“We are delighted to accept this offer and to become a part of the Big West,” Louanne Kennedy, Northridge interim president, said at a campus news conference. “I don’t think there was any crucial reason [to switch conferences].
“There were a lot of issues. The ball went up in the air with the Big West and and we thought, ‘Are we going to catch it? They might not throw it again.’ ”
For Northridge, struggling to expand athletics while complying with gender-equity laws, moving to the Big West makes sense, mostly for financial reasons.
The Matadors will participate in all sports in which the Big West offers competition--including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, and soccer--against schools that are geographically closer than Big Sky opponents.
Northridge and Riverside join a conference that includes Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, Idaho, Pacific and Utah State.
Travel expenses for road games will decrease significantly and conference members hope rivalries will develop in a California-dominated Big West.
“I predict you are going to see attendance improve at Northridge games,” said Robert Maxson, president of Long Beach State and chairman of the board of the Big West. “I have advocated for a long time Northridge being invited to join the Big West. Frankly, I think Northridge is a perfect fit.”
Switching conferences frees Northridge of a mandate from the Big Sky to build an on-campus stadium, a criteria for Northridge’s inclusion in 1996. Despite a lack of funding, Kennedy said, Northridge still intends to build a stadium and maintain its football program. Only now the school can plot its expansion plans more carefully.
For instance, Kennedy said, Northridge might build a smaller stadium instead of a 10,000-seat venue mandated by the Big Sky. Antiquated North Campus Stadium is scheduled for demolition within the next few years.
Northridge is close to landing a deal that would make Pierce College its temporary football home. Kennedy said the Matadors possibly could play at Pierce as early as 2001.
“We weren’t comfortable with a mandate for an 8,000-, 10,000-seat stadium,” Kennedy said. “But that wasn’t the only issue. We will build a stadium. But for the short term, we have alternatives.”
Northridge will have its number of state-sponsored football scholarships reduced, forcing the school to increase fund-raising to maintain its level of scholarships.
Jeff Kearin, Northridge football coach, said he is reluctant to leave the Big Sky but recognizes the importance of Northridge joining the Big West. Northridge was 5-6 last season, fifth in the Big Sky at 4-4.
“It’s not the best thing for the football program,” Kearin said. “But football can best absorb an independent schedule.”
As an independent, Northridge won’t have the benefit of conference games, which could caused scheduling problems.
Athletic Director Dick Dull said Northridge likely will schedule football games with California schools and opponents throughout the West, including Big Sky teams.
“We have talked to a lot of people, believing this change will occur, who have contacted us,” Dull said.
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Heading West
with the addition of Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside, here’s how the Big West Conference will look in 2001:
Cal State Northridge
Cal State Fullerton
Long Beach State
Cal Poly SLO
UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
UC Riverside
Pacific
Idaho
Utah State