Re: On the subject of football, what's the value of playing football to an AE school?all? -- America East Forum

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Date Posted: 16:26:18 05/02/03 Fri
Author: UNH_Alum_In_CT
Subject: Re: On the subject of football, what's the value of playing football to an AE school?all?
In reply to: Urban Barrister 's message, "On the subject of football, what's the value of playing football to an AE school?all?" on 15:30:22 05/02/03 Fri

>Picking up on my last message about the CC standings,
>why would an AE school want football in the first
>place? While I can understand why a school that has
>had football for a hundred years (UNH or Maine?) is
>reluctant to give it up, it still doesn't seem like a
>very good investment for the AE schools that field
>teams. I mean, what are the odds that football at
>those schools will ever be anything more than a fun
>way for students (and, perhaps on Homecoming, alums)
>to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon.
>Even the worst DI programs cost loads of money (see
>Buffalo, for example), and unless you're in the unique
>position of possibly being able to move up to D-IA AND
>land your team in a great conference (like UConn may,
>depending upon how things shake out), at best, you're
>going to have a good team in a mediocre D-IAA league
>that gets little if any ANY regional or national
>exposure.
>
>I mean, how many people -- other than students of
>member schools -- can name last season's champ in the
>Sunbelt Conference? Or the Mid-American? Or the
>Pioneer? Bing grad, I probably couldn't even tell you
>the names of every AE team that has football, not to
>mention what league they're in and how they did last
>year. (Maybe it's different if you live in Portland
>or Burlington as opposed to NYC?)
>
>For that reason, tt seems to me that BU made the right
>choice when it dropped football (though it'd be great
>to hear if BU folks feel otherwise). Personally, I
>doubt anyone was choosing to attend BU because of its
>football team (I know when I was in HS, no one did),
>and it must've been a huge drain on their resources.
>And for similar reasons, I don't understand why Albany
>and SBU are so keen on dumping money into their
>programs, given the same issues plus a lack of any
>real history or success in the sport. What's their
>ultimate goal? Do they really think that someday
>they're going to have a Top 20 D-IA program that
>competes for bowl game invites? If not, then what's
>the point?
>
>By contrast, throwing money into basketball, as many
>AE schools -- like BU and Bing are doing, seems like a
>much better investment. The teams play more games at
>home, the programs cost much less to operate, and if
>win the automatic berth, you get great national
>exposure -- exposure you wouldn't be able to get for a
>football program unless you were a Top 20 team AND
>received a bid to a decent bowl game. (Heck, I bet
>Bing gets more national exposure this year through the
>success of its golf and tennis teams than any football
>school in the AE has gotten through its football team
>over the past ten years.)
>
>Let's hear it from all those football fans.

I know I go back and forth on the issue of dropping football in order to have more resources for other sports. But in my own mind, I keep swaying toward keeping football and hence doing it right at the 1-AA level. For one, I don't have any faith that the UNH football budget would be spread around the other sports or lead to the return of baseball, softball, lacrosse, golf, etc. While some $$$ might be given to other sports, my guess is that cutting football would be used as an excuse just to cut expenses.

The arguments that keep me on the pro football side though are that over the years, a football game has hands down been the event that can get the most people on campus. Until recent times, UNH used to average almost 10K at football games, significantly higher than 6.5K at hockey games, and often had over 12K for big games (Homecoming, UMass, etc.). In addition I think that the football followers have a VERY high donation history to the university.

The same side of me that is furious that UNH doesn't play America's Pastime (baseball) also wants football because it seems un-American for one of the 50 state universities to not play football. I readily admit that is an emotional factor rather than a pragmatic one!

Another factor for me is that UNH has had a wonderful winning tradition. Before the past five years or so, I think UNH had winning seasons in 23 of 25 seasons, won a few Yankee Conference Championships, I think an A-10 Championship or two (or tied), made the national playoffs multiple times, etc. And over the years it was one sport that we competed on an equal level with our big brothers to the South -- UConn and UMass. That sure hasn't been the case with basketball. And A-10 participation has seen a competitive interaction with some schools with rich football tradition (Delaware, Richmond, Villanova, William & Mary, etc.). In a way I think it keeps UNH striving to keep athletics at a level one would expect of the flagship state university. Sometimes I think the bean counters would be happier if we were playing UMass-Lowell, UMass-Dartmouth, UMass-Boston, Keene State, Plymouth State, Lyndon State (VT), Southern ME, etc. I think kind of like Albany, SBU and Bing stepping up from Oswego, Plattsburg, Purchase, New Paltz, Potsdam, and all those smaller SUNY branches.

I don't know the tangible results of the exposure gained during NFL games or the national exposure from A-10/1-AA football compared to that gained by hockey. But I've got to tell you that I heard UNH mentioned more this past season on national TV than I ever have in my lifetime. The reason was Jerry Azumah starting cornerback for the Chicago Bears, Jason Ball starting center for the San Diego Chargers and Dan Kreider starting fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers! I know all the research done at our schools and other academic achievements are way more important, but sports can bring some real significant pubilicity your way.

But all the practical and tangible reasons aside, I think my bottom line is that I like to watch football and A-10 football is a real good product. Getting together with friends on a gorgeous Fall Saturday to tailgate and watch a game is a pretty fine way to spend a day! Even freezing your butt off with friends at that last game in November is memorable. I admit that I'm old school, but to me football really adds a quality experience to the college scene.

My brain is fried after my league re-alignment post so that's all I can muster at this time and I hope it makes some sense. Don't know if it's enough to justify the expense or not!

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[> Re: On the subject of football, what's the value of playing football to an AE school?all? -- Bainsey, 17:25:31 05/02/03 Fri

>Picking up on my last message about the CC standings,
>why would an AE school want football in the first
>place?

You're joking, right?

>at best, you're
>going to have a good team in a mediocre D-IAA league
>that gets little if any ANY regional or national
>exposure.

You're way off base on this one. Maine, UNH, and NU all play in the Atlantic 10, which, according to RPI and other numerical factors, is the STRONGEST I-AA conference in the nation.

>I mean, how many people -- other than students of
>member schools -- can name last season's champ in the
>Sunbelt Conference? Or the Mid-American? Or the
>Pioneer?

Why would we? Our school isn't in those conferences.

>Personally, I
>doubt anyone was choosing to attend BU because of its
>football team....

If you choose a university based upon the prowess of its athletic teams (assuming you're not an athlete, of course), then you're not making the best selection for yourself. D-I athletics is a wonderful thing, but it shouldn't be a basis for your academic or career decisions.

>Do they really think that someday
>they're going to have a Top 20 D-IA program that
>competes for bowl game invites? If not, then what's
>the point?

What's the point of the bowl games, anyway? At least we at the I-AA level settle the national score correctly. (I know; that's another topic.)

>Heck, I bet
>Bing gets more national exposure this year through the
>success of its golf and tennis teams than any football
>school in the AE has gotten through its football team
>over the past ten years.

Again, you're kidding, right? You forget that ESPN and Headline News scroll scores from ALL Division I teams. That's exposure that college golf and tennis never get, and D-I football schools get it every autumn weekend.

As for the "no damn soccer" comment from UAalum72, last time I checked, that was played in the fall, too.

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[> [> Re: On the subject of football, what's the value of playing football to an AE school?all? -- UAalum72, 18:11:32 05/02/03 Fri

>As for the "no damn soccer" comment from UAalum72,
>last time I checked, that was played in the fall, too.

I was trying to write that with a redneck drawl, but anyway, yes soccer is played in the fall, but does anyone watch?

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