06-29-2006, 07:06 AM
...but this was in yesterday's editorial pages of my local paper (The Oak Ridger). Just passing it along.
The Oak Ridger, Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Story last updated at 12:52 p.m. on June 28, 2006
Decision needed on ETSU football
Another View
Johnson City Press
Has anything changed in the last three years that would now make football a viable sports program at East Tennessee State University?
That's the question ETSU President Paul Stanton has asked a 10-member task force to answer.
The final chapter in the 80-year history of Buccaneer football appeared to have been written in 2003. Months before the season started, Stanton announced it would be the last for the university's football program. Football was losing nearly $1 million a year, draining limited state dollars from the university's other sports and academic programs.
In addition to running a deficit, football was in desperate need of as much as $400,000 in additional funding to make the program competitive with other Southern Conference schools and another $400,000 to cover Title IX gender equity requirements for additional athletic programs and scholarships for women. At least $2 million in new annual private donations would have been needed to save the program.
The decision to drop football was not popular either among former players or the fans who regularly attended ETSU home games. The demise of football forced ETSU to leave the Southern Conference - a move that hasn't been embraced by fans of the university's basketball program.
The Buccaneer Football & Friends Foundation was organized in an attempt to bring football back to the university. Stanton listened to the group's pleas, and announced earlier this month he would appoint a task force to examine the possibility of the university resurrecting the football program.
As encouraging as that might sound to football fans, it is far from a guarantee that football will return to ETSU. Many of the financial and infrastructure problems that plagued the program in 2003 remain today.
These are just a few of the many issues the task force must address. Barring a financial miracle, it looks to be a long offseason for ETSU football.
The Oak Ridger, Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Story last updated at 12:52 p.m. on June 28, 2006
Decision needed on ETSU football
Another View
Johnson City Press
Has anything changed in the last three years that would now make football a viable sports program at East Tennessee State University?
That's the question ETSU President Paul Stanton has asked a 10-member task force to answer.
The final chapter in the 80-year history of Buccaneer football appeared to have been written in 2003. Months before the season started, Stanton announced it would be the last for the university's football program. Football was losing nearly $1 million a year, draining limited state dollars from the university's other sports and academic programs.
In addition to running a deficit, football was in desperate need of as much as $400,000 in additional funding to make the program competitive with other Southern Conference schools and another $400,000 to cover Title IX gender equity requirements for additional athletic programs and scholarships for women. At least $2 million in new annual private donations would have been needed to save the program.
The decision to drop football was not popular either among former players or the fans who regularly attended ETSU home games. The demise of football forced ETSU to leave the Southern Conference - a move that hasn't been embraced by fans of the university's basketball program.
The Buccaneer Football & Friends Foundation was organized in an attempt to bring football back to the university. Stanton listened to the group's pleas, and announced earlier this month he would appoint a task force to examine the possibility of the university resurrecting the football program.
As encouraging as that might sound to football fans, it is far from a guarantee that football will return to ETSU. Many of the financial and infrastructure problems that plagued the program in 2003 remain today.
These are just a few of the many issues the task force must address. Barring a financial miracle, it looks to be a long offseason for ETSU football.