Subject: Does basketball offer the most hope for $$$$.
Author: Purp 1
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] Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 11:45:27am Author Host/IP: cache-dtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/205.188.116.72
I am not sure that is true anymore with the changing percentages of men/women ratio at NU. I really do think that today's college kids in many ways are more sophicticated than they used to be and that basketball is not the end all for many of them. Schools like UNC and Duke might be in a different catagory, but without a SUITABLE FACILITY to up the ante, the future for financial contributions IMO does not come via Niagara basketball and that is whether they play 6 really "up" games a year on the road or not. Neither will a one shot injection of money via a guarantee game.
The future of contributions to NU will involve itself with advancing it's educational stature (ie Golisano) and turning it's attention to females who make up the most of the student population. With a greater emphasis on education, the odds of a female becoming successful and writing a check to the school in appreciation far exceed the chance that Niagara basketball goes deep into the NCAA tournament and then sits back and waits for money to pour in.
Tell me how many of you would feel better about contributing to men's basketball more than the academia aspect of the university? Seriously.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 12:04:47pm Author Host/IP: dsl081-135-087.nyc1.dsl.speakeasy.net/64.81.135.87
Ask George Mason and Siena how their runs in the NCAA tournament helped them bring in the cash.
It's the "Flutie Effect," in which small schools gain notoriety and a TON of applicants via the success of the sports teams. More applications means more selectivity, which means higher academic ranking, which means even more applicants. All this leads to more money for a college.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 12:26:06pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
That may be true to a point and I can fully understand that, but you better look at George Mason before you use them next to Siena. Not close by any means.
Siena has two things going for them that NU does not have. One is a suitable facility for basketball that they didn't build and do not not have to pay to upkeep and schedule events into.
Secondly, because of the bloated size of NYS state government, many Siena alums can stay in the area both to support the school while holding very good paying jobs not always available in the WNY area. Other businesses, such as banking and insurance also have a sizable presence in the Albany area allowing even more to remain there. There is a reason that the Albany County unemployment rate has always been about the lowest in the State.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 12:41:12pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
I want you to know that there is nobody who would get more excited than myself should NU have decided to up the ante in basketball, build a new arena and play bigger teams. After seeing the Bellermine's, Gannon's, and St Anselm's over the years, I would love to kick somebody'd ass (just kidding) to be the first in line for tickets to a new facility...but....I don't see the numbers as being there for NU to embark on such a mission and to actually see 30-40 million on a new arena IMHO would be a complete diservice and kick in the groin to students who actually need better resources, ie library, housing, student center et all much more than a new basketball arena.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 12:46:02pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
It's the Casino now, but back when NU played there, you could not get students to move themselves about 5 miles up the road to see the games. You never saw 300-700 kids in the stands like you do at Gallagher. NU even had a bus that would take kids up there and it was a waste of time...BTW the schedule was much better then as well. One would have thought that the entire school would have turned out for the SJU game that we won over a team ranked 4th in the country but that didn't happen either.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 01:05:05pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
That's the cart before the horse, but I would rather see NU improve education/facilities first so when a prospective student visits campus, they see a place that appreciates the money it will cost them to go there by providing first class educational facilities and housing for their students as well as the overall resources that would respect their decision to attend NU over many other choices. I know kids love going to basketball games, but those games won't make you money to buy your house, raise your kids and hoping they go deep into the NCAA tournament is a real gamble to base the future on, wouldn't you say? Especially when diverting educational resources to athletic ones.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 02:13:36pm Author Host/IP: mail.triboroughlandservices.com/167.206.192.98
Purp - with all this being said, what actually is the reason for NU having a D-1 b-ball team?
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 02:37:45pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
I don't know. Maybe so they can simply get $300 extra bucks a year out of me.
I guess we could ask this question to the 90% of programs who lose money in Division 1 basketball.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 02:37:22pm Author Host/IP: NoHost/38.117.216.137
IMO, it's a long answer but in sum, successful sports programs draw prospective student interest and also foster continued interest in alma mater by alums. See also 'school spirit' for existing students, faculty and local fans.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 04:51:37pm Author Host/IP: mail.triboroughlandservices.com/167.206.192.98
Makes sense DD - But if NU Vincentians don't care about the athletics then maybe d-2 or 3 is the answer. This way they still have athletics just no need to make sure they are competetive or any standards that a d-1 program should have. I for one accept NU the way it is, but wouldn't mind a little more. But Purp you are right we as alums are going to have to buck up in order for that to happen.
Date Posted:Tuesday, June 30, 05:16:21pm Author Host/IP: cache-mtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com/64.12.116.72
Hammer, I can't say this is for sure, but I am willing to bet that for every school that has climbed up the athletic ladder, there is an active and vocal alumni association endorsing the move. It even happened at Buffalo, a school that was known only for academia and not athletics, at least not on the scope/level that they now find themselves in.
