hofstra cuts football

[UA'08]

Shakes up caa even more

[danefan]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/source-hofstra-to-cancel-its-football-program-1.1635404

[danefan]

We could probably fill our signing class with kids from Hofstra and Northeastern!

[Dane96]

INTERESTING STUFF-- So how is Stony Brook paying for their 21mm athletic budget. BTW, at least we are equal to Hofstra in Season Ticket basketball holders....actually, I think we are slightly above that. I think we would have close to 1000 season ticket holders for football...just my hunch...if we had a Stadium.

 

President's Letter:

 

http://www.hofstra.edu/home/News/new...te_120309.html

 

Press Release:

 

http://www.hofstra.edu/home/News/Pre..._football.html

 

FAQ:

 

http://www.hofstra.edu/home/News/news_faq_120309.html

 

From the FAQ:

 

The net cost of football is approximately $4.5 million per year, including scholarships. The total net athletic budget, excluding football, is about $18 million annually.

 

The Board of Trustees reviewed all athletic spending, and has determined that there will be no further cuts to our sports program.

 

In 2009 ... the football program sold 172 season tickets, compared to 750 season tickets for mens basketball. While student attendance at the average football game is about 500, basketball games draw an average of 900 students. We could not continue to justify the expense of football, compared to the benefits it brought to the University.

[danefan]

Jesus those #'s are horrible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GreatDanes06]

stuff like this scares me for our football program. While I don't think it would happen, but with the stadium issue, you just wonder that one day they may say "forget it, lets move on and shutter down." IT scares me when you see SUNY taking a cut in the DRP that was passed yesterday and knowing that more SUNY cuts are coming.

[Dane96]

I dont think we are dropping the program as long as Ford is ornary enought to whoop some ass.

[danefan]

One thing that is consistent is that the schools dropping football are private schools.

 

I don't think a public school hasn't dropped DI football in a long time (since the Cal schools did it in the 80's).

 

We aren't in trouble. You can mark my words on that one.

[Dane96]

East Tennessee State...and Lamar. 2003 and 1989.

 

However, I agree wtih you!

[danefan]

I forgot about ETSU.

 

Lamar was the last I was thinking of, and they are actually bringing football back starting next year.

 

 

[WCDBvoiceofUA]

URI will drop football, its only a matter of time.

[Michigan_Dane]

Ultimately our competitors dropping football is a boost for Albany. There will be so few colleges in the Northeast that offer football that we will have a real competitive advantage. Colleges are struggling to attract male students and it's only getting harder with every year. A lot of prospective male students want the excitement and name recognition that come with a university offering a football program. Thousands of schools offer BAs but only a few in the northeast will be able to offer a football program, pageantry and excitement. We will be in an elite club that can compete for those kids.

 

The Yankee conference will be back. We will join our peers UMass, Maine, New Hampshire etc. Travel costs are too high otherwise. URI would be stupid to drop their program before this happens. If so, let them be penny wise and pound foolish though. When this financial crisis passes (and it will pass) Hofstra, Northeastern and others will be kicking themselves for their knee jerk reactions but it will be too late. As economists like to say the "barriers to entry" will be too high. They can use their stadiums as a symbol of missed opportunity.

 

Albany will be standing tall.

[B9j2j6s]

URI will drop football, its only a matter of time.

 

 

I doubt that, northeastern and hofstra were both private schools. URI is the flagship state school so they have more money to play with. They also a few years ago built a whole new section to their football stadium. I was there this weekend for the PC vs URI game it looks great. I think the more likely scenario is dropping out of the CAA and into either a more travel friendly conference. I know some of you see the glory in moving up to the CAA for football but its not worth it, just ask former Northeastern and Hofstra football players.

[Michigan_Dane]

I haven't heard anyone mention Wagner or St Francis as the next possible victims. How is this possible? A small private college in the northeast. How are they different from Hofsra, Iona, etc? Is it that the NEC is so low cost?

[danefan]

I haven't heard anyone mention Wagner or St Francis as the next possible victims. How is this possible? A small private college in the northeast. How are they different from Hofsra, Iona, etc? Is it that the NEC is so low cost?

 

 

St. Francis is a real possibility, but I think they woud move to the PFL for football before dropping. They just fired their coach, so if they were going to drop this would be the time, IMO.

 

Wagner has an investment in football and a strong tradition, which includes a Division III national championship.

 

But the answer to your question I believe is yes, the NEC provides a low-cost option.

 

The NU and Hofstra decisions weren't really made because the costs of running the football program were too high. Northeastern indicated that it couldn't afford to keep up with the facility rat-race currently occuring in the CAA. Hofstra said it just didn't see the return on investment and decided to invest the $4.5 million elsewhere. Its not like they didn't have the money, they just decided to spend it elsewhere.

 

Either one of those teams could have downgraded their programs if they wanted to. They would have been welcome additons to the PFL or NEC as football affiliates. The schools likely didn't even pursue that option though.