Executive Summary
While Virginia Commonwealth University mocks to be “Undefeated” in football, many students and alumni continue to wonder the true possibilities of a football team. Many objectives come to mind in the subject. The proposition is possibly implementable. Yet before we can pass or go long with this football initiative we must evaluate the expectations and valid ambitions.
Introduction After 19 years as VCU’s president Trani is credited with spearheading $2.2 billion in investment (1). VCU has invested in expansions that include a new business school, additions of the engineering building, dorms, parking decks, and a conference center. VCU athletics has not been speciPied funds for any type of expansion. The issue for most is that as Pine as this institution may be with its nationally ranked; art, mass communications (Brandcenter), social work, health administration, and medical degree programs, a football team is still emphasized as a need to make it complete. A new football program for Virginia Commonwealth University has morphed from a sense of hope into a derision ideal. The ideal seems logical to the student body of over 30,000 making it one of the largest state schools. It’s prime location in the state capital and it’s nationally known athletic reveries such as Virginia Tech, Norfolk State, University of Virginia and Old Dominion Universities formulate for a great football Mecca.
Teams in Progress The VCU athletic department supports men and woman’s’ sports teams baseball, basketball, tennis, cross‐country, hockey, golf, soccer, track, and volleyball. The department supports 14 varsity teams. The men’s baseball team won the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title in 2008. The tennis team has also showed rigorous effort every year by competiting in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition. The women’s basketball team also won the 2009 NCAA tournament. Most importantly is VCU’s pride and joy, the men’s basketball team. They have become the main sports focus. They have one that honor by winning the NCAA tournament three times within the past six years. VCU also has student ran teams, not sponsored by the university include rugby, hockey, lacrosse, and cycling.
Spirit “VCU students don't a/end the sports we have already. Even the successful teams, such as our CAA baseball team and our victorious (unAl recently) men's basketball team, don't receive full a/endance.”…….
Many students at the university have a nonchalant attitude about the sports department. They claim to want a football team but there is a giant lack of support for the current teams. Even the VCU school newspaper, The Commonwealth Time's current sports editor has made the point numerous times that VCU students don't attend the sports we have already. Even the successful teams, such as our CAA baseball team and our victorious men's basketball team, don't receive full attendance. Most students do not become attached to the spirit of the university. As graduates they walk across the stage to get their diploma to continue never looking back. As alumni they do not contribute to the future of their university. Some argue that the current varsity teams are boring and students are not interested.
VCU's AthleAc Director Norwood Teague says VCU is not ready financially to add a football team. "I know the finances of football and at the 1AA level you have to be really successful to make money or to even break even," Teague said. "Right now we need to concentrate on the teams we do have and not worry about football.”…
VCU invests generously toward their sports teams. They spend 13.5 million on total athletics out of the university’s total budget of $ 815 million (2). Therefore 16% of its total budget goes to sports. This includes ticket sales, promotions, and coaches’ salaries. The men’s basketball team receives 7% of the 16% of the athletic department’s funding out of 14 university supported varsity teams.
Unfortunately priorities have to be reprioritized because of the current economic recession the state had to reduce its overall funding due to the statewide 1.2 billion dollar budget dePicit. VCU’s share of those cuts is 5%, which will cost the university $10.1 million. The VCU Board of Visitors has met to consider a few options: fewer course offerings, larger class sizes, removal of some majors, elimination of some faculty positions, and higher tuition fees. These cuts will not bare the right conditions for any multi‐million dollar investments especially a football team.
Conclusion There is a time and place for everything. Now is the time to investment funds for a football team. The football team is a business that would be a great investment for VCU. As far as the stadium issue, some have suggested VCU should share City Stadium, near Carytown, with the Richmond Kickers. Football is claimed to bring out the school spirit out of any personality. Football brings alumni and current students’ family and friends as well as a larger Plow of alumni contributions. The pride of 30,000 plus students cheering in black and gold can dePinitely impact the school spirit. The potential of increased pride generates enrollment demand causing more selective enrollment. The overall school would need to increase its GPA requirements. The school would be more recognizable nationally for athletics in addition to academics. It also could purr millions into struggling Richmond economy.
References: 1 The Time is Now for VCU Football, Rich Grist, pg. 1, (2007) http://media.www.commonwealthtimes.com/media/ storage/paper634/news/2008/03/24/Opinion/The‐ Time.Is.Now.For.Vcu.Football‐3280079.shtml? reffeature=htmlemailedition 2 VCU: Tuition and Fees and University Budget Plan, pg. 8‐16,(2008‐2009) 3 Title IX fact sheet, Karen Zittleman with some modiPication by Sue Klein and Kim Kirn 10‐1‐07, www.feminist.org/education