Let me address a couple of things here:
First attendance: The minimum attendance for FBS is 15,000 per year average. Technically we could already do that because the stadium seats 15,700 but it will be expanded initially to 25,000 and then a second time to 33,000. We already have better attendance on average that Rice, when they don't play UT in Houston to pad their home average, and are close to UNT and SMU. We sold out three games in 2005, and one in 2006. When the team wins the stadium is filled. You also have to figure that the crouds will go up when we are playing teams that people know at home like Houston and SMU for example.
The reason this is being pushed now: Simply because of UTSA's creation of a football program. UTSA will start FCS with the goal of moving up to FBS two to three years after. If Texas State is sandwiched between two FBS programs we wouldn't be able to complete for recruits and a UTSA FBS program would severely hurt Texas State's ability to recruit San Antonio and South Texas which is our strongest recruiting area right now. For those of you that haven't seen the UTSA plan they would play at the Alamodome which is a huge advantage that UTSA has over Texas State at this point.
The need to succeed: This is more than just a move up in football ranking, this is about improvement in all sports. To become attractive to another conference Texas State must compete and win and draw crowds in all sports, not just football. That's why the first facility built will be a new baseball/softball complex. Bobcat stadium will be expanded as mentioned earlier and in a few years Strahan Colleseum will also be expanded to seat a little over 10,000 (right now it holds 7,600).
For those of you that have talked recruiting let me say that this years class compares very well with schools like SMU, Houston, UTEP and other CUSA schools (I would give us the edge over Rice). The difference is they have more scholorships to offer and there is also a prestige factor in playing for an FBS team over an FCS team (yes even if your school is in the Sunbelt). There is also an issue of getting more teams into conference tournaments in other sports. Right now even the Sunbelt can place multiple teams in Volleyball, Basketball and Baseball and the Southland doesn't, usually only the automatic bid to the conference champion gets in.
Sorry for the book, hope that answers a few questions.