Here is what President Watts says the ultimate issue with football & athletics going forward is:
Quote:•It is unrealistic that enough philanthropic support could be generated to sustain competitive football. We have studied this carefully, and current and past support and current interest were considered. There is simply too wide a gap between where we are and where we need to be.
◦To put this in perspective — philanthropic support for UAB Athletics was $2 million in the last fiscal year. At least $400,000 of that came from UAB entities.
◦We would need private donations that are eight to nine times greater than our current base of private support, and we would need at least that much every single year in perpetuity.
I think there is one good point to take away from the otherwise horrible disaster of a decision Dr. Watts made. It points out one key area that UAB athletics has struggled with: financial support.
We have several generous donors that foot the bill for a lot of what the athletic department needs. Furthermore, some of our biggest sponsors are UAB entities (School of Nursing, UAB Medicine, VIVA Health, etc.) and that has to change at some point.
So, what are some things that would make
you donate more/spend more (and don't say "win more", "fire Ray Watts", or "bring back football"... these are all givens)...
Just some of my ideas:
-Crowdfunding. Set up a donors site similar to a crowdfunding site like
http://www.gofundme.com where individual scholarships or capital projects could be placed for the general public to see. It would provide immediate gratification for donors as well as potentially draw in donations from casual supporters & other outside entities. UAB could see donations all year long, not just at ticket or donation renewal times.
-Online donation, with all available options. The simpler you make donating & the more options you offer, the more donations you will receive. That's a fact. I guarantee UAB has missed out on donations because people simply don't want to talk to the telemarketer that calls them every year. Plus, with a simple online donation portal, your internet savvy fanbase can easily solicit donations for you, free of charge.
-Pre-game meal packages. Tulsa offers pre-game meals for football and basketball games that are separate from their club/VIP rooms. Another option would be the option to purchase access to reserved seating at partner restaurants before games in a designated "Blazer Fan Section"... limited availability would make something like this sell fast & at a premium if restaurants were named prior to purchase.
Just some thoughts... you have any?