(07-18-2016 09:44 AM)banker Wrote:  So why even offer football if it adds nothing to the college experience of those attending your school or the community your school serves? Seriously, there's nothing that says you have to have a football team and it's just a huge expense if no one cares.

This is what makes the UAB fiasco so interesting. It appeared for a long time that few cared about their football team, but the threat of losing it, then actually losing it, stirred up a lot of support that was obviously there, but silent and passive. It will be interesting to see if the whole situation ultimately propels them forward with continued increased attendance and financial support or if they just slip back where they were before all this happened. If it really does propel them forward, I think it could be a blueprint for schools in a similar situation. If things don't pick up at FIU they could put the continuation of the football program to a vote with the student body coupled with a fund raising/ticket purchase goal for donors and the community. Maybe the thought of losing the program would get people involved. If that doesn't do it, maybe you shouldn't have it.

I believe the great hairband Cinderella's "Don't know what you've got till it's gone" would make a great background track to your second paragraph.