Hall on Athletics article

[alum73]

http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stori...editorial3.html

[reeder]

I'm not clear on what Hall is saying in the article. I don't think anyone expects UA to be an Ohio State or NC State - he seems to have answered questions that weren't relevant.

 

What we need him to answer is funding for 1AA scholarships, specifics for stadium funding and timing...

 

Also he mentions a 6500 seat stadium, which makes sense to me but seems to be inconsistent with McElroy's plans.

 

Any funding for athletic facilities would be through donations and other private sources--the athletic program is running an $8 million campaign for donations--and not siphon off money for academic programs or projects like the school's critical Albany NanoTech venture, Hall said.

 

 

When are they going to start the fundraising?

Edited September 13, 2005 by reeder

[UA66]

I would hope that the current annual $8 million athletic budget would increase by at least another 50% just to keep up with like-schools such as Binghamton and Stony Brook, with whom our future should be closely linked. We are the same type of institutions and have a healthy history of rivalry.

 

UA can be competitive with big time programs in certain sports as already shown by the lacrosse, volleyball, track, and softball teams with the budget as it is now but to continue that success you have to keep putting gas in the tank so you can continue the ride. And as everyone knows, the price of gas is going to continue to rise.

 

As far as the football program is concerned, there is really is no choice. If Albany doesn't upgrade its facilities and begin offering skill-based scholarships, the program will fold because 1AA mid-major football is on its way to extinction. The goal should be 1AA ala UMass, Delaware, UNH. So, I wouldn't completely agree with Hall that the program is now at the "right" level. Also, a stadium of 10,000 to 12,000 would be about the right size if the program is continue.

[Ruler]

This article is NOT encouraging at all. No one expects 1A football (the AD @ SBU is a moron...1A football...LOL). It sounds like he is content having Albany football where it is, although a SBU type stadium in the works.

 

Who knows?