UNI visits Eck Stadium this weekend for an MVC series between the teams tied for first place. The Panthers are playing while rumors about disbanding the program circulate.
In my mind, WSU would be thrilled if UNI dropped the sport. It’s a long road trip to play in a bad stadium on a field that is poorly maintained and borderline dangerous.
Outside of Creighton and Missouri State, MVC teams are going to RPI-killers in many seasons. I would think freeing up another weekend would help the Shockers schedule a top non-conference opponent for a three-game series. In recent seasons, we’ve seen Fullerton and Southern Cal come to Wichita in May for a series. Another series in that vein would be quite attractive.
Athletic directors in cold-weather schools have a tough decision. Baseball at those schools will rarely draw crowds because of weather. They will never host the MVC Tournament or an NCAA regional. They will rarely host capacity crowds. Why invest?