ASU is in the process of expanding the Lone Star Conference and generating revenue that will lead to building a championship-caliber school, President Dr. Joseph C. Rallo said.
An expansion would add more teams to the conference and possibly create more games and funding for the schools.
"NCAA Division II is expected to add over 200 schools in the next three or four years," Rallo said. "We've identified 16 institutions in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana that we want to approach to see how many would like to join the Lone Star Conference."
Rallo said he expects at least four or five schools will join the conference, and with that will come new rivalries and new sports culture.
The Lone Star Conference is thinking about changing their format, depending on how many teams join, Rallo said.
One idea is to make two divisions of the conference with a Lone Star East division and Lone Star West division, he said.
The Lone Star Conference currently has 11 teams, so if the expansion mixes in five more teams, the total comes to 16.
The conference could then easily be split into two divisions with eight teams each.
"They don't want to create new conferences, but have existing conferences expand," Rallo said. "We're trying to be ahead of the curve on that."
ASU has also negotiated a contract with Fox Sports Southwest as part of a strategic marketing maneuver, Rallo said.
According to the Lone Star Conference website that will broadcast the men's and women's basketball games against Incarnate Word on Feb. 18, which will generate more revenue for ASU.
"It gives the opportunity for people who don't live here to watch us for free, and they can watch this game for free," Women's Basketball Head Coach Sally Brooks said. "Maybe we'll get some more fans, and that definitely helps our recruiting."
ASU also arranged for the second Football Festival to be held in Arlington, Texas at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, which has hosted the Super Bowl and several other collegiate sporting events, Rallo said.
All Lone Star football teams will compete at that event, and ASU will face Valdosta State University from Georgia on Sep. 15.
"That's a big Division II powerhouse," Rallo said. "They've won national championships."
The Lone Star Conference has scheduled to have its basketball championships hosted in the new stadium in Allen, Texas which is, "a magnificent venue with great potential for alumni events and branding of the Lone Star and its members, including Angelo State," Rallo said.
Every move ASU has made is meant to generate revenue, which Rallo said he intends to use to improve ASU's welfare and put a good deal back into the sports programs where it can be used to bring in recruits.
"If this goes through, we're probably going to be making upwards from $400,000," Rallo said.
However, the money is only part of the equation for ASU.
"The big picture is it creates exposure for ASU," Volleyball Head Coach Chuck Waddington said. "It isn't so much the money that ASU gets, but that it exposes ASU to student athletes and makes them think this is a cool place to go to school to and that gets ASU recruits for the future."
It is not just about money with Rallo, but about winning as well.
There is a small case in Rallo's office that contains three Division II national championship rings, one as recent as 2010 when the Rambelles won the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championship.
"My goal is to have that case filled up," Rallo said.
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