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Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Dukester - 10-01-2020 12:08 PM
Don't see were this was posted today, so here it is...
We broke - send money!
JMU Nation,
Often my correspondence paints a pleasant picture about the state of JMU Athletics and what lies ahead. To be clear, yes, we have bright days ahead, but I want to be more direct in this message about the uncertainty of our future.
COVID-19 continues to take its toll on our department. First, we lost Spring 2020 competition, which was followed by the postponement of Fall 2020 competition to Spring 2021. Now basketball has been delayed by two weeks and the number of games modified. We are still building schedules and trying to optimize what remains of those seasons. We paused all workouts for 15 of our 18 sport programs in September due to positive cases on our campus. The continued uncertainty on our student-athletes and staff have taken a mental and emotional toll as well.
All that said, our fortitude is strong and we continue to approach each day with resolve and purpose. It is with this sense of strength that we call upon all Dukes to Unite and Play Your Part to ensure the short-term and long-term vitality of JMU Athletics.
The Dukes Unite fundraising campaign for JMU Athletics launches October 1 and runs five weeks to November 7, which would have been Homecoming Weekend. We currently face a budget shortfall in excess of $5 million, which could grow larger.
The following items contribute to 2020-2021 JMU Athletics revenue shortfalls:
- Lost football ticket revenue (refunds, deferrals, lost sales, donor seat contributions
- Lost $500,000 guarantee to play North Carolina (game moved to 2028)
- Duke Club “Proud and True” Fund giving shortfall
- COVID-19 testing and safety protocols
- Scholarship expenses for Spring 2020 student-athletes who returned due to eligibility relief
- Additional future impact of NCAA edict to provide 2020-21 scholarship relief for all Fall student-athletes
- Anticipated ticket shortfalls for basketball, included reduced exposure and excitement for a “full” opening of the Atlantic Union Bank Center
- Loss of other revenue-generating events in the Atlantic Union Bank Center, such as concerts, which have been delayed due to safety limitations
- Lost sponsorship revenue that was tied to quantity and nature of home athletics contests
- Possibility and/or uncertainty of refunds to JMU students for the comprehensive fee in light of an online learning environment
The implications of such shortfalls could reverberate for a long time in the department. The impact will or could include: salary reductions, frozen open positions, budget spending freezes, reduced team travel, lowered number of competitions, limits on recruiting travel, cuts to professional development for coaches and staff, and more. While we are committed to our student-athletes and their experience at James Madison in the form of scholarships and support services, there is a pronounced reality to our inability to maintain these other expenses in light of our shortfalls.
Particularly unfortunate, with spectator and participant safety in mind, we will not be able to maximize the first season of the Atlantic Union Bank Center, as we had hoped. Optimism remains about the impact of this facility on our campus, but expectations have been tempered by the reality of the impact of COVID-19. Rest assured, we will still do what we can to take advantage of our new home in 2020-2021, and we will still benefit from the gains of this new facility for years to come.
So how can JMU Athletics overcome dire circumstances to achieve short-term and long-term success? Our culture has always set us apart from our peers. There is a special tie that binds JMU Nation, a purple-and-gold spirit that runs through each of us. When a foe stands before us, Dukes Unite to conquer the day.
In addition to addressing shortages, we have an opportunity to recalibrate the fundraising culture at JMU for years to come. JMU enjoys alumni satisfaction far superior to most peer institutions. Affinity for JMU is off the charts, yet less than 10% of alumni give back. Mary Lou and I played our part, and we call upon all Dukes to Play Your Part and keep JMU Athletics well-positioned in the national college athletics landscape. Your gift truly makes a difference!
Dukes Unite!
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - ShadyP - 10-01-2020 12:09 PM
ugh, yet another fundraising campaign
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - JMUsince89 - 10-01-2020 12:18 PM
This one hurts Duke's, it's just not Athletics' this time the whole University is under the gun for budget reduction.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Hart Foundation - 10-01-2020 01:18 PM
LOL. He mentions the pain of losing $500k by not playing UNC 2 weeks ago. That was a JMU choice to renege on the Fall season.
Really bad form to ask for athletics money when you recently turned down half a million that was already contracted.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - ShadyP - 10-01-2020 01:33 PM
(10-01-2020 01:18 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote: LOL. He mentions the pain of losing $500k by not playing UNC 2 weeks ago. That was a JMU choice to renege on the Fall season.
Really bad form to ask for athletics money when you recently turned down half a million that was already contracted.
Totally agree quite a few of these incurred losses were based on a very conservative/overly cautious approach made by JMU leadership and one that 'Little' Jonny Alger needs to own.
It is true that Covid impacted them but then they chose the approach to deal with the issue.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Dukester - 10-01-2020 01:53 PM
It seems like the savings of not paying the bonds for the next two years would exceed the costs listed on the letter. I will guess travel was greatly reduced in the fall.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Dukesfan71 - 10-01-2020 01:54 PM
The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Dukester - 10-01-2020 02:24 PM
(10-01-2020 01:54 PM)Dukesfan71 Wrote: The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
You're preaching to the choir on here....
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - jmu98 - 10-01-2020 02:25 PM
(10-01-2020 01:54 PM)Dukesfan71 Wrote: The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
I think it about getting people back on campus. You'd be surprised with how many JMU alums I meet who loved the school, but you ask them if they have been back and the answer is never or not since just after graduating. They lose that tie to the school and generally the people who give are the ones that have stayed engaged which is probably about 10% of alumni. I think the correlation of who comes back to campus for events would correlate highly to who gives back.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - ShadyP - 10-01-2020 03:03 PM
(10-01-2020 02:25 PM)jmu98 Wrote:(10-01-2020 01:54 PM)Dukesfan71 Wrote: The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
I think it about getting people back on campus. You'd be surprised with how many JMU alums I meet who loved the school, but you ask them if they have been back and the answer is never or not since just after graduating. They lose that tie to the school and generally the people who give are the ones that have stayed engaged which is probably about 10% of alumni. I think the correlation of who comes back to campus for events would correlate highly to who gives back.
I agree 100% and the #1 way to get folks back on campus is you guessed it ATHLETICS and the 2 most important would be:
- FBS football
- Men's Basketball
Everyone on this board is pretty hardcore so we appreciate FCS football but that is NOT the case for any kind of casual fan.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Potomac - 10-01-2020 03:11 PM
(10-01-2020 01:54 PM)Dukesfan71 Wrote: The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
This is an improvement, as it was 7% just a handful of years ago. Discussed ad nauseum on this very discussion board.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Dukester - 10-01-2020 03:26 PM
Is it endowment talk time?
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Deez Nuts - 10-01-2020 05:20 PM
Heard there would be an athletics campaign push throughout the month of October. The revenue streams for JMU [athletics] have slowed or stopped while the bills keep coming in. Hopefully those of us who have been fortunate enough to keep our personal revenue coming in during the pandemic will give generously to causes like this who need more support.
Go Dukes!
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Purplehazed - 10-01-2020 05:57 PM
(10-01-2020 03:03 PM)ShadyP Wrote:(10-01-2020 02:25 PM)jmu98 Wrote:(10-01-2020 01:54 PM)Dukesfan71 Wrote: The fact that less than 10% of JMU Alumni give back is sad. Students love going there, it’s such a happy and beautiful place, they get jobs in great fields of employment, they love going back etc etc.
Just give a little bit.
I think it about getting people back on campus. You'd be surprised with how many JMU alums I meet who loved the school, but you ask them if they have been back and the answer is never or not since just after graduating. They lose that tie to the school and generally the people who give are the ones that have stayed engaged which is probably about 10% of alumni. I think the correlation of who comes back to campus for events would correlate highly to who gives back.
I agree 100% and the #1 way to get folks back on campus is you guessed it ATHLETICS and the 2 most important would be:
- FBS football
- Men's Basketball
Everyone on this board is pretty hardcore so we appreciate FCS football but that is NOT the case for any kind of casual fan.
This, get alum on campus, get donations...this is accomplished via 1A football and men's basketball.
Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - jmu-fan-1981 - 10-01-2020 07:33 PM
Give or it may affect our coaches and staff. We do not need furloughed coaches or reduced scholarship money
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RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Purplehazed - 10-02-2020 04:30 AM
Those saying the overall percentage of giving would improve via better football and basketball scheduling realize that b/c of covid-19 we need to give now.
The 1A responses are in response to the historically low giving percentage mentioned.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - jmu98 - 10-08-2020 10:42 AM
Just donated my normal amount for Proud and True fund this morning. This is about supporting student athletes at its core and that is why I give.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - ShadyP - 10-08-2020 01:54 PM
(10-08-2020 10:42 AM)jmu98 Wrote: Just donated my normal amount for Proud and True fund this morning. This is about supporting student athletes at its core and that is why I give.
eh, i already gave my standard donation in Feb/March........already done my part.
Not digging deeper in my pocket when there is literally nothing to see.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - jmu98 - 10-08-2020 09:10 PM
(10-08-2020 01:54 PM)ShadyP Wrote:(10-08-2020 10:42 AM)jmu98 Wrote: Just donated my normal amount for Proud and True fund this morning. This is about supporting student athletes at its core and that is why I give.
eh, i already gave my standard donation in Feb/March........already done my part.
Not digging deeper in my pocket when there is literally nothing to see.
Can totally understand that and I always give later in the year since I live to far to be a season ticket holder.
The problem is that many people are not giving at their normal levels right now because there is nothing to see. In my mind this is shortsighted as this is the time we need to support to get through these hard times. Totally understand people who are having financial hardships pulling back.
For me this may be a year where I actually invest more in the program if needed. If people don't there could be long term repercussions to overall athletics program.
Just my 2 cents.
RE: Bourne Dialogue - Dukes Unite - Polish Hammer - 10-08-2020 10:24 PM
Good points, I’ll double down on those $.02 and on my contributions this year.