@MTH posted:299 "D1" baseball programs is a ridiculous number. Everybody loves a good Cinderella story, but once you get past the top 50-60 these teams have zero chance of winning a national title. UNFORTUNATELY, players love to say they're playing "D1" ball. Parents often love saying it even more. And the Baseball Industrial Complex loves selling the illusion. So yeah, a FBS/FCS system makes a lot of sense. But, I don't see how it's gonna solve any of the money issues facing college programs. Most college presidents would scream bloody murder if they had to fund significantly more than 11.7.
Yeah, when I said "fully funded" I meant the 11.7.
What has been happening for too long is we can't do "x" because it hurts the bottom "y" teams. The vast majority of those 299 D1 programs are only in existence because at some point, the school could field a baseball team cheaply. Well, those days have come and gone. If you can't afford to field a team, then you're only hurting the sport by continuity being a roadblock.
Let's identify the schools that are willing to fully fund the 11.7, and you will have a number of teams who are committed, financially, to the game. Every other school can play "FCS" or a level they can afford.
The $$$ for college baseball is available, if the model can be adjusted. We see this with the ratings and money ESPN pays for the CWS . . . it's a ratings hit! And the Regionals and Omaha are packed with fans.
Thinking outside the box, may mean to think about big picture and not have 299 teams playing by the same rules.