NOTE: The comments section of the blog is opening up again and I'm particularly interested, in these challenging economic times, to hear your take on the quote from the Northeastern football coach. (Please remember that comments are moderated.)
With Northeastern and Hofstra pulling the plug on their football programs, Maine's Portland Press Herald has a story about the challenges faced by the New England schools that play in the Colonial Athletic Association. There's a lot of interesting stuff in the story including this quote from Rocky Hager, the Northeastern coach:
"To place a dollar and cents value upon the game of football, I personally don't think that's the way it should be looked at. There is a value placed upon being involved with a team, being able to pick yourself up, dust yourself off after defeat and be humble with success. Take a look at the Ivy League. Tell me those folks make money? Heavens no. I doubt there's a single one who'd consider not having the game of football.A couple of other thoughts from the Press Herald story, which points out that the CAA's only teams north of Philadelphia are from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island:
"This is America. And in the fall, not to belittle any other sport, that is what people come back to campus for. There's so much more to it."
Last spring, Maine cut men's soccer and volleyball to make up for an $871,000 department shortfall, part of an $8.8 million deficit at the school.UNH Athletic Director Marty Scarano:
That decision was painful, said (Maine Athletic Director Blake) James, but he doesn't foresee anything so drastic on the way.
Football at UMaine costs approximately $3 million a year. The team also brings in about $1 million by playing a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent annually for a large guarantee. Maine football also has some well-known private donors.
He cited football's value going well beyond its financial burden, noting the diversity of the athletes, the alumni support it rallies and the impact on the community.
"I don't fear for UNH, frankly, but the four of us, from my perspective? Our situation is that we all need to kind of hold hands and create value around Northeast football."The Columbia Spectator has a column about whether there's a chance the Lions would ever join with Hofstra and Northeastern and drop football. The author of the piece doesn't think so because the program ...
... is not hemorrhaging money like programs at some other schools.And because ...
... the school needs to keep up with the rest of the Ivy League. It would be a terrible decision for the University as a whole to discontinue football because that would give an edge to every other Ivy school in terms of recruiting students. A lack of a football team could also drive current and/or potential donors away, which actually hurts present and future students.And finally, because...
While these two reasons might be the main ones for why I believe Columbia football isn’t going anywhere, it doesn’t hurt that there’s hope for the future. Of course, a 4-6 record wasn’t what the team or its fans envisioned at the start of the season, but three Ivy wins and a strong corps of returning talent bodes well for next year.While some schools are dropping football, for-profit Post University is adding SPRINT football as this story from Inside Higher Ed notes. From the story:
Post University, which was purchased by a private equity firm and became a commercially operated institution in 2004, will join the Collegiate Sprint Football League, a tradition-rich athletic association whose members include three Ivy League universities and two military service academies.In October this blog had a note about Dartmouth alum Emily Daly '09 trying to raise money for an Olympic bid as a hammer thrower. Daly's quest was the subject of a story in the Metrowest Daily News. For Daly's web page and sponsorship information, click here.
Speaking of Dartmouth athletes from other sports, Baseball Prospectus has a revealing Q&A with Jim Beattie, the former Dartmouth baseball and basketball star who went on to pitch in the big leagues for nine years and later served as general manager of the Montreal Expos as well as assistant GM of the Baltimore Orioles. Beattie was a very interesting candidate for the Dartmouth athletic director the last time it opened up. Thanks to a regular reader for the link.
No comments:
Post a Comment