Spot on by DeCourcy

No way in hell spending $70 million on that facility is in no way justifiable. That would be another in a long line of horrible decisions by facilities team.

Nothing screams "mid-major" like playing in a stadium where it isn't your logo in the center, your name in the endzone, or your tradition hanging from the rafters. Nothing gets a fanbase fired up like a college game with no college atmosphere played before a crowd that's making Mike Brown money instead of the University of Cincinnati. College football in NFL venues doesn't work. There's a reason why very few teams do it, why even fewer are successful doing it, and why EVERY program (given the option) would move back to campus in a heartbeat.

The small-minded thinking at the University is infuriating -- someone else hit the nail dead on the head: this program is being handcuffed by buildings that don't generate a dime of revenue. I'm glad the baseball stadium is nice -- but why was the suggestion never made to play the games in Florence or at GABP? If we're going to share venues, why not share venues for non-revenue sports and let the revenue sports have dedicated facilities?

The excuse "we don't have the money" is getting tired too. Find the money. There are a quarter million living alums of UC. Start a capital campaign. Sell naming rights for every urinal cake in the mens rooms. The time has never been better to finance projects -- construction costs are at an all-time low, interest rates are at an all time low.

I posted earlier about the fans stepping to the plate -- it's time for UC to step to the plate too. Ono and Babcock need to look hard in the mirror and ask themselves where this university is going to be, athletically, in 2022. If the goal is to be playing on ESPN in prime time games that have prime time implications, then RIGHT NOW is the time to get serious about making that future a reality.

(11-30-2012 02:30 PM)#41 Wrote:  Nothing screams "mid-major" like playing in a stadium where it isn't your logo in the center, your name in the endzone, or your tradition hanging from the rafters. Nothing gets a fanbase fired up like a college game with no college atmosphere played before a crowd that's making Mike Brown money instead of the University of Cincinnati. College football in NFL venues doesn't work. There's a reason why very few teams do it, why even fewer are successful doing it, and why EVERY program (given the option) would move back to campus in a heartbeat.

The small-minded thinking at the University is infuriating -- someone else hit the nail dead on the head: this program is being handcuffed by buildings that don't generate a dime of revenue. I'm glad the baseball stadium is nice -- but why was the suggestion never made to play the games in Florence or at GABP? If we're going to share venues, why not share venues for non-revenue sports and let the revenue sports have dedicated facilities?

The excuse "we don't have the money" is getting tired too. Find the money. There are a quarter million living alums of UC. Start a capital campaign. Sell naming rights for every urinal cake in the mens rooms. The time has never been better to finance projects -- construction costs are at an all-time low, interest rates are at an all time low.

I posted earlier about the fans stepping to the plate -- it's time for UC to step to the plate too. Ono and Babcock need to look hard in the mirror and ask themselves where this university is going to be, athletically, in 2022. If the goal is to be playing on ESPN in prime time games that have prime time implications, then RIGHT NOW is the time to get serious about making that future a reality.

Please feel free to write a check to the university.

(11-30-2012 02:39 PM)QSECOFR Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 02:30 PM)#41 Wrote:  Nothing screams "mid-major" like playing in a stadium where it isn't your logo in the center, your name in the endzone, or your tradition hanging from the rafters. Nothing gets a fanbase fired up like a college game with no college atmosphere played before a crowd that's making Mike Brown money instead of the University of Cincinnati. College football in NFL venues doesn't work. There's a reason why very few teams do it, why even fewer are successful doing it, and why EVERY program (given the option) would move back to campus in a heartbeat.

The small-minded thinking at the University is infuriating -- someone else hit the nail dead on the head: this program is being handcuffed by buildings that don't generate a dime of revenue. I'm glad the baseball stadium is nice -- but why was the suggestion never made to play the games in Florence or at GABP? If we're going to share venues, why not share venues for non-revenue sports and let the revenue sports have dedicated facilities?

The excuse "we don't have the money" is getting tired too. Find the money. There are a quarter million living alums of UC. Start a capital campaign. Sell naming rights for every urinal cake in the mens rooms. The time has never been better to finance projects -- construction costs are at an all-time low, interest rates are at an all time low.

I posted earlier about the fans stepping to the plate -- it's time for UC to step to the plate too. Ono and Babcock need to look hard in the mirror and ask themselves where this university is going to be, athletically, in 2022. If the goal is to be playing on ESPN in prime time games that have prime time implications, then RIGHT NOW is the time to get serious about making that future a reality.

Please feel free to write a check to the university.

Productive comment. Well done.

It is always far too easy to spend "other people's money". If you believe so strongly, you would have no problem spending 50% of what you would have spent on Chrismas presents and give it to UC.

I'd donate if there was any sort of plan in place.

(11-30-2012 02:50 PM)QSECOFR Wrote:  It is always far too easy to spend "other people's money". If you believe so strongly, you would have no problem spending 50% of what you would have spent on Chrismas presents and give it to UC.

Look, there's no reason for us to be going at each others' throats. I get your point, but it's silly to think a guy should put a university athletic fund in front of his kids or other family. He started this thread for crying out loud: http://csnbbs.com/showthread.php?tid=603704

It's a message board. People will vent, often irrationally.

(11-30-2012 02:52 PM)#41 Wrote:  I'd donate if there was any sort of plan in place.

Of course you would. Oh wait, there is a plan that was the entire reason for this thread. Just need the $170 mil.

And there are graphics for PBS that actually make it look quite like the Bearcats' stadium on gameday. I love Nippert, but the excuses against PBS, considering the circumstances, are tired.

A lot of the people on this message board are the people buying the tickets, concessions, parking, team wear, etc and donating to UCATS. The people on this message board can't do it all.

Over the last four years (two football season tickets 3 years, one season ticket this year, bought BCS game tickets from UC both games and travelled to both games, parking, clothing, etc, donated to the Sheakley complex, went to some basketball and baseball games) I'd estimate I've spent $1500-2000 at least.

I'm not a rich guy - I can't write UC a check for $5000, but I've still spent a lot of money supporting them. And that does not include what I paid for my education and my youngest daughter's education (currently attending).

(11-30-2012 02:58 PM)lazyeyep22 Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 02:52 PM)#41 Wrote:  I'd donate if there was any sort of plan in place.

Of course you would. Oh wait, there is a plan that was the entire reason for this thread. Just need the $170 mil.

And there are graphics for PBS that actually make it look quite like the Bearcats' stadium on gameday. I love Nippert, but the excuses against PBS, considering the circumstances, are tired.

I think you could generate more donations if you had clear drawings of 2 new arenas and a goal meter that we could keep track of. A clear donor campaign specifically aimed at tangible goals.

(11-30-2012 03:05 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  I think you could generate more donations if you had clear drawings of 2 new arenas and a goal meter that we could keep track of. A clear donor campaign specifically aimed at tangible goals.

Ditto. Has the plan actually been "chosen", are they final? It seems like all they've done is get some estimates. Has Whit actually come out and said here are our plans, here are the costs, we're moving forward with this plan please begin your donations.

You have to ensure you will actually be able to meet your goal before you announce a fundraising campaign.

(11-30-2012 03:39 PM)subflea Wrote:  You have to ensure you will actually be able to meet your goal before you announce a fundraising campaign.

You expect people to donate without knowing what they are donating for?

we need our T Boone Pickens...now

When they came out with the plan for the practice bubble. I sent in my donation, three separate times.

When they come up with a definite plan that will be implemented for renovating the Shoe or Nippert, I will find money after my daughter's tuition and room/board are paid fort that too.

Problem is, my check for a couple of hundred dollars isn't going to get the job done. We need tens of thousands of such donations.

I donated to the practice bubble...if they come out with a new request for all this I will donate

Ditto!

If I new the money I was donating was going towards a brand new basketball arena, then I would donate again.

(11-30-2012 04:10 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  When they came out with the plan for the practice bubble. I sent in my donation, three separate times.

When they come up with a definite plan that will be implemented for renovating the Shoe or Nippert, I will find money after my daughter's tuition and room/board are paid fort that too.

Problem is, my check for a couple of hundred dollars isn't going to get the job done. We need tens of thousands of such donations.

If our alumni pool is roughly 250k, this plan (190M) will require about $760 from each alumnus. As someone else said, we're gonna need our T. Boone Pickens.

(11-30-2012 03:53 PM)BeerCat Wrote:  

(11-30-2012 03:39 PM)subflea Wrote:  You have to ensure you will actually be able to meet your goal before you announce a fundraising campaign.

You expect people to donate without knowing what they are donating for?

That is not what I said at all. What I am saying is you have to make sure your donors/corporate sponsors are capable of reaching your goal. The last thing you want to do is announce a huge fundraising plan and then not be able to actually meet that goal. So until you are confident that the number needed can be reached, you don't announce a capital campaign of this size.