(12-24-2017 04:05 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote: (12-24-2017 03:46 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote: (12-24-2017 02:48 PM)asuwon Wrote: (12-24-2017 01:23 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote: How do people shut out from State athletics benefit for their almost 1 grand per student per year subsidy of millions of dollars in football coaching salaries, or from tens of millions in football scholarships ,from which they are effectively excluded?
How do people benefit from having the military use taxpayer money to pay for gender reassignment surgeries for members of our military?
In the US, we are ALL often forced to pay for things which do not benefit us.
That's the way our country works.
Get used to it, or get out.
There's a difference between size and scope here. First of all, healthcare is considered part of the deal for our Veterans. And a military is considered essential spending. Our military veterans EARNED that payment through their contributions to our defense, which is shared by us all. We all share in that benefit.
FBS football is a luxury and its benefits don't ever trickle down to the international students, LGBT kids, and to the overwhelming majority of non-Christians. You'd be wise to remember that. There's absolutely no reason why someone should be forced to pay up to 12% extra for a completely superfluous activity in order to attend their public state university. The only way you'll keep that subsidy long term is to respect those who are paying it and make it relevant to the people paying it. There is no benefit to FBS football for many of your students. They aren't being hired as coaches and they're locked out of the scholarships too. Why fund it at all, much less at 4 grand per undergraduate degree.
I think your Athletic Department gets it better than most in the conference.
The only students that benefit from FBS football are the football players themselves. I'm a straight Christian and FBS football doesn't benefit me at all. It's entertainment. Do I gain from it? No. Do I whine about it. No.
I guess I should be outraged though right?
Incorrect.
FBS Football is a marketing godsend for universities. Arkansas State gets immense benefits in-state being mentioned each night on state sports broadcasts...SAU, for example, does not get that benefit and the difference shows. Many in-state A-State students would not have even looked into A-State without that name recognition.
FBS gameday has a huge economic benefit to the City of Jonesboro. Hotels, shopping, restaurants, fuel purchases, etc. A lot of those are the main providers of student jobs during their college years.
At Arkansas State the indoor practice facility is used by any student organization that needs a large indoor area for a variety of purposes. Marching band, intramurals, student organizations, clubs, etc. This facility would not exist without FBS football.
FBS football provides lots of opportunities for local businesses to advertise through the university. This creates a relationship between local businesses that advertise and the university that would not otherwise exist. For example the sports advertising relationship between Centennial Bank and A-State led directly to Centennial Bank funding the construction of the Campus Welcome Center. Something that probably would not have happened without the the relationship already established through sports sponsorship.
I have 3 vehicles with Arkansas State tags. The revenue from those plates goes directly to A-State scholarships. I have those plates to support the football program. I most likely would not have them if not for the football program, and I suspect that applies to others.
There are a host of benefits associated with having an FBS football program. There are less than 150 of them in the entire nation and there are many universities and cities that would die to have one.
