Kevin, I don't know you from Adam and have nothing against you. I don't care to read up on your history to form an opinion on you... that's not at issue here.
I am trying to focus on exactly what is being proposed and you add other items into the debate to support the change- for example, name another sport that there are zero expectations? I'll counter that question with this- why is that really? It's because of the current set up that allows it. There are no designated XC specific scholarships. That is why there's a problem. It's not because the regional meets are all-comers meets - that fact has nothing to do with the situation at all.
Way back when coaches didn't fight to have XC specific scholarships is where the zero expectation issue comes from. It was created at that point. And now the people who don't want to change the set up have a reason to not change it.
I am not against changing the regional qualifying procedure. I am against making that change if XC doesn't have any designated scholarships. Name a D1 sport other than XC that has an NCAA championship that doesn't have it's own scholarships? But we discussed this weeks ago- I just brought it up again because you are saying I am only for the current set up and nothing else, which is not true. My back up plan is give XC it's own set of scholarship then make the change to regionals. This would be good for XC & distance running. More money into the sport means more development of the sport.
What I am against here is something which clearly reduces the amount of money that will be spent on XC and distance running. Why would anyone who supports XC and distance want that?
I recognize there are plenty of very good coaches who are for this proposal but I'd be willing to bet most of those don't so much have to worry about making it to regionals so maybe they don't see what this change will do to the other 200 or so D1 programs.
As Ben says above, it is highly highly unlikely that all of a sudden ADs are going to say, we need to spend more money on XC now because that regional meet is now super important. The opposite is far more likely. Again, as Ben points out, XC programs are already among the first to be cut. Unless an AD was a distance athlete or the program already is a big winner they do not care about XC and would rather not be forced to even think about the sport.
Finally, I get that the NCAA is a business which is why I am asking why they want to make this change. Knowing that answer is where any solution should be generated from.
Again, just a fan and just an opinion.