Doug Fullerton Interview.

Image via WikipediaThis is an interview that someone posted over on Sioux Sports and it's worth a look; its a Sacramento State Sports Question and Answer session with Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton. [click to read the whole article]

There has been a lot of controversy surround one of the new members, North Dakota. Some of it has involved you. What do you think about North Dakota’s logo controversy?

That’s a tough one because they didn’t have the controversy when we got them in the league. They already had signed on. I think our presidents have a real concern about the action taken by the (North Dakota) legislature (to keep the Fighting Sioux logo). We did not and will not get into the fight. I know they tried to get us into the fight. Whether or not the logo is appropriate or inappropriate – what we worry about is the NCAA had a deal with them and now they were forced to back out of that deal. If they are in violation and the NCAA sanctions remain in place, we’re afraid of what the outcome of those sanctions will create at the University of North Dakota in two ways. No. 1, the pure NCAA sanctions of not being able to host a postseason event will really hurt their ability to be successful in football. That’s one of the things that we really think is important. But more important, as long as the NCAA has those sanctions, we’re starting to see a grass roots protest against the University of North Dakota. We know that they’ve lost scheduled games. We know there have been mini demonstrations when they travel. If those kind of things grow, then their use to us as a solid Division I program in the Big Sky begins to diminish. At that point in time, then it could affect if we want them as members. People try to drag us into this fight whether the Sioux nickname is appropriate or not appropriate. That’s the not where our presidents are. They are engaged in the second part of that conversation.