Follow up to will Siena Football Survive?

[Albany Fan]

I'm not a grad of UAlbany but just an area sportsfan. I remember Siena throwing 1AA tag on football program just to protect basketball from being ousted from D-1. I would also hate to see RPI hockey program suffer because of not having other D-1 sports, even though they would be smokescreen programs just to keep high level hockey as would not be that concerned about following in other sports. My point was not that I care less if UAlbany football program goes away, I was just saying as an area sportsfan (selfish or not) that basketball program is only program to me that could have major impact on sports scene in area. UMass, Villanova being a great football program at current level may affect people affiliated w/ college but basketball is what put that college on the map for its sports identity. It would be great for UAlbany to be major 1AA football program but feel it would not increase the quality of local sports scene all that much. I'm sure alumni could care less about the area residents but to bring them in you have to be in national spotlight of some sort. I'm a broken record, but look at Siena when they play a big boy at the Pepsi Arena. They become the toast of the town. I would just love to see UAlbany doing the same thing in the near future. I may be out of place on this board as not alumni but just want Albany to get monkey off their back as negative supporter of area teams. I'm also one of the fans that ran to Pepsi Arena to see UAlbany play Syracuse as other local fans I spoke to would not pay the price as considered it a lopsided affair. I tried to remind them as they run to Siena games against big boys that given time UAlbany will be able to hold their own as Siena developed into respectable program which seemed like a longshot. I just hope UAlbany basketball will go to that next level (as don't expect Big East but at least maybe the A-10). Hofstra football looks sharp on television but don't read or hear much about them in sports publications, etc. I also think it's great to see such passion on posted messages.

[Ruler]

I actually respect your opinion in this area because you are a local fan and have made som valid points. True, Villanova and UMASS are basketball first and football second schools. And as Dane 96 alluded too that crowds at UMASS football are not that impressive. If they go D1 in football and are playing the likes of BC or Virginia Tech or a natural rivalry with UCONN will develope...people will go to the stadium to see this .

 

Now to our situation. When a stadium is built and IF Albany manages to advance to the upper tier of 1AA scholarship football the crowds will come. I will tell you why. Albany played Brown this year at home and it was one of the biggest crowds they had in a few years. Why? Is it because Brown is a football power? No, (Brown is awful and Albany layed an egg)its because it is a famous school. If You have a few matchups every year with schools Georgia Southern, Montana, Harvard, U Penn(Al Bagnoli of Union fame), GEORGETOWN(basketball recognition), or any well known school, the crowds are going to come consistently, especially in a beautiful place to play. Just look to Stony Brook, they are awful, but have a beautiful place to play. They have never had good crowds, now they average like 7K every home game. ALBANY football at the full scholarship level is not to be confused with Michigan/Ohio State at the "Big Horseshoe." A sucess for Albany at this level will be to average about 7k a week and 10k when the big boys come to town.

 

"Build it and they will come"....as long as Fordie puts a winner on the field relativly quickly.