The short-sightedness of building facilities at UAlbany

[scrabbleship]

In the thread on attendance for the Homecoming game, Patch had a brutally honest if not sobering post about the state of athletic facilities at UAlbany, namely how the growth of the programs at the D-I level is seriously outpacing their facilities which were made for a school that wasn't expected to get that high. For the sake of reference, here's his post in whole.

 

We are still small players at the DI level, still in our infancy but good enough to have a #2 ranked Men's Lacrosse team playing in a new facility with no permanent seating or Press Box.

 

Our NCAA talented Volleyball team plays in an outdated, antiquated HS like gym.

 

Our great track program can't even host big meets because of a substandard track.

 

Our SEFCU arena doesn't even have a permanent concession stand or enough toilet facilities.

 

I could go on and on - UA's athletic program has a GREAT problem it's teams are achieving results that weren't expected for another 5-10 years and their is tremendous need for overall facility improvements in many areas.

 

Heck, the "Varsity Club" tent area appears not even full - for most games. Where are all the big backers who want UA to move forward????

 

The truth is the truth - we're having severe growing pains and our destiny is not in our hands but in the hands of SUNY and the State Legislature.

 

Don't get hostile with the people who are here and supporting UA where are the rest of the UA diehards??????

 

Why does it seem that UAlbany has, or in the past had a habit of, seriously underestimated things when planning athletic facilities. I know that save for Fallon Field all of them date back to the D-III era (though the 'CUE was planned with the possibility of one day going D-I), but what gives with past administrations building facilities unsuitable for a large university. Is it a relic of times past or should we have these fears even with Project probably-will-end-up-being 2013? Why all the shortsightedness in times past?

 

How do we get our destiny at least partially in our hands. I think that our peer schools--UConn, UMass, Rutgers, even UVM--hold at least some of their destiny. To quote Will Brown, "Why Not Us?"...

[Patch]

Dr McElroy has his eye on the prize - he knows what we need and he's working to get it, but the decision is not his and he cannot be blamed for the shortsightedness of those who came before him.

 

The future of athletics is in the hands of SUNY and the State Legislature, unless of course some major benefactor (s) pop up and aid us.

 

We have an extremely small alumni base who have experienced DI athletics and to me there in lies our biggest obstacle. We have DI athletics with DIII support.

[GreatDanes06]

We have DI athletics with DIII support.

 

I agree with that. However, the athletic department has worked with what it has to improve that. The key in my view is getting student support. When it comes to basketball, that isn't the issue, so lets say this pertains just to football. In many schools, not just in I-AA but in the FCS, the student body is vital. Trying to promote to the point where the student body drops what its doing to come to these events. It sounds crazy, but yesterday I saw students walking into the SEFCU Arena thinking they could play basketball...HELLO, ITS HOMECOMING AND A FOOTBALL GAME!!!

 

The main issue I see is that students on campus just don't seem to come out and watch the events. I know myself and GDG are exceptions to the rule, but it is just weird how the student body doesn't pick up. However, it isn't like the University isn't promoting it on campus. Last year I remember the football players standing out on the podium handing out tickets to students to come. The university tv stations promote the games and the ASP does as well. At the same time, there are advertisements all around campus every week for the weekly sporting events on campus, its just the students don't seem to want to bite.

 

it isn't an issue for basketball, and think the main reason was because we actually had a championship game on campus.

 

I mean they get in for free!!!! Go to tons of schools and they charge you, student or not. Heck, like I hope maybe one day, you have to join student organizations (like the RACC Rowdies) if you even wanted to get a chance to get tickets to get in, which you still had to all pay for.

[danefan]

Student support like any other support will come with the stadium. Kids don't want to go watch a game at a field that is worse than their high school field. Its just not fun unless you're a diehard football fan, which there probably isn't many of. And no playing 12 hours a day of Madden doesn't make you a diehard football fan.

 

When a stadium is built and a student section developed, you will see a great rise in attendance by students. Getting 2000 students to a game is not a long-shot IMO.

[Ruler]

Danefan hit the nail on the head. A shiny new facility will do wonders in this area. I spoke with Lee McElroy and Don Ostrom on Sat (what a view from his box) and said once the University gives off the impression of "Big time" football the crowd will no longer be an issue. Not that it was an issue Sat they had 6000 +.

 

When I played way back during the stone age that stupid bleacher on the hill was not there and the fence was gone. Students used to flock to the games during the good weather. Yes the drinkling age was 18 and they had tons of beer but they were there.

[scrabbleship]

Danefan hit the nail on the head. A shiny new facility will do wonders in this area. I spoke with Lee McElroy and Don Ostrom on Sat and said once the University gives off the impression of "Big time" football the crowd will no longer be an issue. Not that it was an issue Sat they had 6000 +.

 

When I played way back during the stone age that stupid bleacher on the hill was not there and the fence was gone. Students used to flock to the games during the good weather. Yes the drinkling age was 18 and they had tons of beer but they were there.

 

There was also a LOT less competition from other things at the time. Those going to UA 30-40 years ago had no internet, no huge shopping mall nearby, no video games, and only four channels of TV. Between that and the shortcomings of University Field were a lot less evident in the early years of the current UA campus, the impetus to go then would be a lot more than now, yes?

 

I wonder how many students watch the TW-3 games on campus. Seeing the condition of things, I wonder how many people give their support from afar by voting to stay in their dorms and watch on TV?

[UA_MA_2000]

Student support like any other support will come with the stadium. Kids don't want to go watch a game at a field that is worse than their high school field. Its just not fun unless you're a diehard football fan, which there probably isn't many of. And no playing 12 hours a day of Madden doesn't make you a diehard football fan.

 

When a stadium is built and a student section developed, you will see a great rise in attendance by students. Getting 2000 students to a game is not a long-shot IMO.

 

 

I agree with your post, and you're comment about "12 hours a day of Madden" cracked me up -- sounds like a typical Sunday for me.

[scrabbleship]

Student support like any other support will come with the stadium. Kids don't want to go watch a game at a field that is worse than their high school field. Its just not fun unless you're a diehard football fan, which there probably isn't many of. And no playing 12 hours a day of Madden doesn't make you a diehard football fan.

 

When a stadium is built and a student section developed, you will see a great rise in attendance by students. Getting 2000 students to a game is not a long-shot IMO.

 

 

I agree with your post, and you're comment about "12 hours a day of Madden" cracked me up -- sounds like a typical Sunday for me.

 

It's funny...and it's true! I think another thing is that outside of the successes of the men's basketball team (and men's lacrosse to some degree), the school is caught in a bit of a catch 22 in terms of getting their name out there in the athletic front. There hasn't been much outside promotion of the school's teams, however promoting them now would be counterproductive given that most of the teams are playing in facilities that are either inadequate, outmoded, or both. Before March 2006, I'd be willing to put money that much of our school had no idea we were D-I in the first place.

 

It also doesn't help matters that outside of the said basketball/lacrosse teams the awareness on-campus is low. The ASP rarely seems to cover football, I remember there being no story for the Montana game and a game summary of a UA win last year was trumped by a preview of the basketball season.

[UA_MA_2000]

Student support like any other support will come with the stadium. Kids don't want to go watch a game at a field that is worse than their high school field. Its just not fun unless you're a diehard football fan, which there probably isn't many of. And no playing 12 hours a day of Madden doesn't make you a diehard football fan.

 

When a stadium is built and a student section developed, you will see a great rise in attendance by students. Getting 2000 students to a game is not a long-shot IMO.

 

 

I agree with your post, and you're comment about "12 hours a day of Madden" cracked me up -- sounds like a typical Sunday for me.

 

It's funny...and it's true! I think another thing is that outside of the successes of the men's basketball team (and men's lacrosse to some degree), the school is caught in a bit of a catch 22 in terms of getting their name out there in the athletic front. There hasn't been much outside promotion of the school's teams, however promoting them now would be counterproductive given that most of the teams are playing in facilities that are either inadequate, outmoded, or both. Before March 2006, I'd be willing to put money that much of our school had no idea we were D-I in the first place.

 

It also doesn't help matters that outside of the said basketball/lacrosse teams the awareness on-campus is low. The ASP rarely seems to cover football, I remember there being no story for the Montana game and a game summary of a UA win last year was trumped by a preview of the basketball season.

 

 

Scrabby,

I think you make an important point about inreasing awareness of our program. One focus might be to reach out to alumni who aren't very connected but who might have interest in the athletic happenings on campus if they were connected. And I'm sure the school makes exactly these sorts of efforts. By way of example, I have a friend (UA alumnus) from Manhattan who had no idea about our LAX team from last Spring or anything else going on with our athletics program beyond basketball. He was suprised to hear of our LAX win over Hopkins, etc. He is genuinely interested in our athletic program and supports the program, but he asked me why he hadn't heard about anything beyond basketball. Thinking to myself, part of my response is that he's probably trapped in NYC's self-created "NYC Bubble" (i.e., NYC is the center, and only part, of the universe), but I also wondered how we could reach out to fans and alumni (especially those who live downstate, of which I am sure there are many) who don't know about this website or who aren't subscribed to the various alumni and/or sports newsletters.

 

I suppose the question I am left with is whether there are mass mailings sent out to alumni and former students who have not taken the first step in initiating contact with the school after they graduate. Of course, if one goes to the UAlbany website, signs up for newsletters, or joins the Alumni Association, such individuals will be well informed. But what about the former students who don't take the first step?

[GODANESGO]

Tell your friend to add www.ualbanysports.com to the 'favorites' on their internet browser of choice and simply click on that link once a day..or even once a week.

 

I'm all for spreading the word of our school, and athletics specifically, but people are adults and there are plenty of vehicles (especially with the internet) for anyone to find info out about anything. Some like to blame the school/athletics for not doing enough to inform average Joe alum and suggest we send out regular mailings, for example (how often is enough to keep people updated..once a month, twice a month?) to alums yet are frustrated that we don't have the resources to upgrade facilities and make other improvements for the program.

 

The University/Athletics paid for a brand new website with up-to-date athletics info with more information than the average fan would ever want to know..just one or two clicks of a mouse to get there.

 

Too many people like to call themselves fans or supporters but then claim that it's others that aren't doing enough for x or y, when they really just don't care to be engaged. While we should always work to improve every single aspect of promotion, there is some truth to the cliche that you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink. A serious enagaged alum or fan knows that it's that core base of support that will help and allow our University and Athletics Dept. grow to where we all want it to be. That's why everyone on this board is here..at least I hope!

[scrabbleship]

I have a friend (UA alumnus) from Manhattan who had no idea about our LAX team from last Spring or anything else going on with our athletics program beyond basketball. He was suprised to hear of our LAX win over Hopkins, etc. He is genuinely interested in our athletic program and supports the program, but he asked me why he hadn't heard about anything beyond basketball... he's probably trapped in NYC's self-created "NYC Bubble" (i.e., NYC is the center, and only part, of the universe)

 

I think it isn't just the "NYC Bubble", it's that college sports are a very low priority in the NYC area. Between its sheer size and the pro-heavy nature sports of the market, college teams are mostly under the radar save for the biggest successes (basketball at St. John's and Seton Hall, football at Rutgers, and Fordham and Hofstra to some degree). The mid-major schools there can't even get play outside of the local print media, imagine how hard it'd be for a us 150 miles away even with our alumni base there.

 

but I also wondered how we could reach out to fans and alumni (especially those who live downstate, of which I am sure there are many) who don't know about this website or who aren't subscribed to the various alumni and/or sports newsletters.

Why the America East doesn't enter a deal with one of the RSN's and air the AE-TV package of games there is interesting. Imagine if instead of local stations the AE-TV feeds were cleared on SNY a la their carriage on NESN in New England. People all over the state would have access to games which now go either uncleared or, here in Albany, are a no-go to those without Time Warner. It wouldn't just help UA's exposure throughout the state, but it'd also help that of Stony and Bing.

 

I suppose the question I am left with is whether there are mass mailings sent out to alumni and former students who have not taken the first step in initiating contact with the school after they graduate. Of course, if one goes to the UAlbany website, signs up for newsletters, or joins the Alumni Association, such individuals will be well informed. But what about the former students who don't take the first step?

 

With Alumni Association membership now free and open to all students and alumni, it looks like they're finding us before we find them. I got my first issue of UAlbany magazine in the mail not too long ago and I hadn't sent anything for it. The dynamics might be changing in this era of Facebook and such where it's less hard to lose contact than in the past though.

[ATL_DANE]

I spoke with Lee McElroy and Don Ostrom on Sat (what a view from his box) and said once the University gives off the impression of "Big time" football the crowd will no longer be an issue. Not that it was an issue Sat they had 6000 +.

 

Did you ask if they were confident they could git r done this year? Did they express any concerns the stadium approval might slide?

[GreatDanes06]

I have been wanting the AE on SNY since SNY was created. Look at the map:

 

 

four of the major universities in the conference fall into their territory. NESN basically controls Boston's territory, so that would mean 5 of the 9 universities on major regional networks. Maine, Vermont and UNH also get strong coverage on NESN and Comcast as well as state owned networks. I think if the AE had connection with the two major Northeast Television Networks, the conference would be golden. I only wonder if SNY is asking for to much money.

[danefan]

I don't think the AEast would pay SNY a fee. I think if any money were to change hands, SNY would have to pay AEast. SNY would make money from the advertising.

 

Isn't that how it works in the broadcast industry? I don't know, I'm just asking. I don't think UA pays TW3 to cover football games.

[UAalum72]

I don't think the AEast would pay SNY a fee. I think if any money were to change hands, SNY would have to pay AEast. SNY would make money from the advertising.

 

Isn't that how it works in the broadcast industry? I don't know, I'm just asking. I don't think UA pays TW3 to cover football games.

It depends on whether SNY thinks they can sell enough advertising to cover the production costs. If they assume the ratings would be very low, they could ask AE to make up the difference, or else they could switch to infomercials.