Here is a good, recent article about chartering flights in MWC basketball. I was surprised to learn it's not as common as I thought. Also, Dutcher is a good dude. I liked his comments.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sp ... ntain-west

AggieDad wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:11 pm

Here is a good, recent article about chartering flights in MWC basketball. I was surprised to learn it's not as common as I thought. Also, Dutcher is a good dude. I liked his comments.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sp ... ntain-west

Does anyone else hit a paywall when following the link?

Worked for me. I don't think the article is completely accurate because it said USU charters for half of its flights. I don't think that is correct.

It did not for me and I do not have a subscription. In any event, SDSU did not chart a flight until just a few weeks ago. It costs 25k for a commercial road trip and 50k to charter. Dutcher wondered if it was worth that extra money to save a couple of hours given all the needs in an athletic department. Also, if the men do it, the women are entitled to it, as well. Accordingly, a 500k charter budget becomes one million. Colorado State, Wyoming and Utah State are an hour-plus drive from a major airport, and Boise, Albuquerque and Reno don’t have regular connections to all Mountain West cities like San Diego does. UNLV, New Mexico, Boise State, Colorado State and Wyoming charter most, if not all, road trips. Nevada and Utah State do roughly half. The three California State University schools — SDSU, Fresno State and San Jose State — mostly fly commercial. (Air Force has an airport on campus, but it flies commercial when it can’t get a military transport.)

Another question is whether teams who charter to a USU road trip fly into SLC or Logan?

GUS wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:20 pm

Worked for me. I don't think the article is completely accurate because it said USU charters for half of its flights. I don't think that is correct.

Last time this came up someone said that we did have quite a few charters available but we used all but 1 on OOC play.

Dang, Dutcher is a good interview. Imagine seeing LeDee on a Southwest trip, middle seat

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:33 pm

GUS wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:20 pm

Worked for me. I don't think the article is completely accurate because it said USU charters for half of its flights. I don't think that is correct.

Last time this came up someone said that we did have quite a few charters available but we used all but 1 on OOC play.

I'm fairly certain we chartered Bradley, St. Louis, Santa Clara and one early MW game (Air Force possibly?). So four out of 14 trips. Feels a bit low.

I don't think its a necessary expense to charter every trip, but especially being in Logan I do think it makes sense to take as many or more charters than most MW schools. Feels silly to use them for non-conference one-off games though then have none left when you're playing back-to-back in Laramie and Ft. Collins.

I know that one of the limitations to chartering that was mentioned last time this came up is that with Title IX you have to charter the Women the same number of flights so that double's the expense. This article mentioned that outside of the AD paid for charter flights boosters can provide a charter flight and it doesn't sound like that has to balance with Title IX. If we wanted more charters could we have one of our boosters just move some of their donation to paying directly for charter flights? That would get the men's team more chartered flights without having to double cost.

Dkdavis wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:12 pm

AggieDad wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:11 pm

Here is a good, recent article about chartering flights in MWC basketball. I was surprised to learn it's not as common as I thought. Also, Dutcher is a good dude. I liked his comments.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sp ... ntain-west

Does anyone else hit a paywall when following the link?

I did, then I did a "open incognito" and was able to read it.

trevordude wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:22 pm

Dang, Dutcher is a good interview. Imagine seeing LeDee on a Southwest trip, middle seat

and more respect from him -where he commented a few times on acknowledging that the rest of the SDS teams have needs too, and he's aware that there's not unlimited funds.
He seems to be a solid guy

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:32 pm

I know that one of the limitations to chartering that was mentioned last time this came up is that with Title IX you have to charter the Women the same number of flights so that double's the expense. This article mentioned that outside of the AD paid for charter flights boosters can provide a charter flight and it doesn't sound like that has to balance with Title IX. If we wanted more charters could we have one of our boosters just move some of their donation to paying directly for charter flights? That would get the men's team more chartered flights without having to double cost.

As always it seems the fix is more money.

That is an interesting article, though I'm not sure where he got his numbers on how much other MW teams are chartering. Because 4 out of 14 is definitely not "roughly half"

He does make a really good point about off days though. Chartering home from games is often essentially the difference between players getting actual off days during the season or having "off days" full of travel where they get home at 6 or 7 pm. I think that goes a long ways.

AGinNEIowa wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:43 pm

trevordude wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:22 pm

Dang, Dutcher is a good interview. Imagine seeing LeDee on a Southwest trip, middle seat

and more respect from him -where he commented a few times on acknowledging that the rest of the SDS teams have needs too, and he's aware that there's not unlimited funds.
He seems to be a solid guy

I really like him. Honestly, other than "The Show" Twitter account and a few obnoxious fans online, I really don't mind SDSU at all and wish them well in the NCAAT.

Intermeddler wrote:

AGinNEIowa wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:43 pm

trevordude wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:22 pm

Dang, Dutcher is a good interview. Imagine seeing LeDee on a Southwest trip, middle seat

and more respect from him -where he commented a few times on acknowledging that the rest of the SDS teams have needs too, and he's aware that there's not unlimited funds.
He seems to be a solid guy

I really like him. Honestly, other than "The Show" Twitter account and a few obnoxious fans online, I really don't mind SDSU at all and wish them well in the NCAAT.

Dutcher is a class act and most of their players over the years have been equally as classy. That fan base though…….yikes.


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shoresy wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:29 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:33 pm

GUS wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 12:20 pm

Worked for me. I don't think the article is completely accurate because it said USU charters for half of its flights. I don't think that is correct.

Last time this came up someone said that we did have quite a few charters available but we used all but 1 on OOC play.

I'm fairly certain we chartered Bradley, St. Louis, Santa Clara and one early MW game (Air Force possibly?). So four out of 14 trips. Feels a bit low.

I don't think its a necessary expense to charter every trip, but especially being in Logan I do think it makes sense to take as many or more charters than most MW schools. Feels silly to use them for non-conference one-off games though then have none left when you're playing back-to-back in Laramie and Ft. Collins.

It seems like the location you are going to should be considered. Chartering to Laramie and Fort Collins makes a lot of sense since there are no commercial airports really close so you have to fly to a bigger city and then bus for an hour or more. Chartering to St. Louis, San Jose, San Diego major areas where there is a commercial airport close by less make sense.

Commercial flights to the game and charter home.

Intermeddler wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 2:46 pm

AGinNEIowa wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:43 pm

trevordude wrote: ↑

March 7th, 2024, 1:22 pm

Dang, Dutcher is a good interview. Imagine seeing LeDee on a Southwest trip, middle seat

and more respect from him -where he commented a few times on acknowledging that the rest of the SDS teams have needs too, and he's aware that there's not unlimited funds.
He seems to be a solid guy

I really like him. Honestly, other than "The Show" Twitter account and a few obnoxious fans online, I really don't mind SDSU at all and wish them well in the NCAAT.

I even had some good interactions with The Show on Twitter a few years back (I've since deleted my Twitter, so I haven't seen any recent shenanigans). It was some post-season stuff when they had a football bowl game against UTSA, and we chirped back and forth amicably.

I thought I had read/heard at one time that Jim Laub was allowed to "donate" his jet for road trips.

The pitch for more NIL seems really valid. The griping about charters feels a little Odom-esque. Just looking in that article about chartering, it seems there’s little correlation between winning and chartering flights versus flying commercial. That being the case, it wouldn’t be where I would spend our limited budget. If we improve our budget, it still probably wouldn’t be high on the list.

From the UNM board

Finally. An answer to a question that I have been wondering about all season:

SKIP THE COMMERCIALS: For just the second time in Mountain West play and fourth time this season, the Lobos flew commercial to Utah on Friday. All other road trips (minus the bus ride for the annual in-state rivalry game against New Mexico State in Las Cruces) were chartered flights, which several programs around the Mountain West have made their regular mode of transportation for basketball over the last couple seasons.


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