Since this article broke in the UNCP newspaper, a good friend of mine who is a student there has confirmed that UNCP will have a football team. Here is the link:
http://www.uncp.edu/pineneedle/news/2004-0âŚCP_football.htm
Unbelievably low cost for students ($60-$80 per semester)! They have 4700 students! We have 3 times that many - so at my calculations that would be for us an extra $20 per Semester!!!
They are adding womens golf and BOWLING!!
Hey guys, when we decide weâre serious about pushing for a football team, letâs make this a coordinated effort.
Not just one email here and one phone call here. Letâs push for it together, all the way.
Iâm ready.
2 semesters * $80 * 5000 students = $800,000 a year for them. 20,000 students makes the yearly total $3,200,000 for us. Add more for the summer sessions.
They want a D2 team. Iâd say most of us want D1. Does anyone know the scholarship limit for Division 2 football? I know itâs less than D1-AA.
These amounts are far less than the amounts we have been quoted.
I would love to have a team but $3200000 will not pay for 80 D1 scholarships (even more when you includeTitle IX), coaches, equipment, a stadium, travel, etc. Weâd have to sell lots of tickets, receive more contributions, & eventually depend on TV to help subsidize the cost.
C-49er is right. Maybe some of you students can get together & start drumming up support and also get an understanding of what it will take. Then get the alumni involved as well.
B)
[i]Originally posted by Hooligan[/i]@Oct 6 2004, 10:20 PM [b] Unbelievably low cost for students ($60-$80 per semester)! They have 4700 students! We have 3 times that many - so at my calculations that would be for us an extra $20 per Semester!!! [/b]It doesn't work that way Hooligan. I wish it was that simple though.
Iâve got to put in my .02 on the football issue again. I want to see it as much as anyone does but the simple economics of this prevent it occurring any time in the near future, regardless of what plans are made now.
- UNC Charlotte is a Division I program, at the lowest level the 49ers could only begin participation in is Division I-AA, not Division II.
- State funding is not provided to support university athletic programs in North Carolina.
- Student fees would cover many, if not most, of the expenses and they are ridiculously high now. Iâm not sure there would be widespread support for an additional $150-200 yearly.
- We are not fully scholarship funding the sports we have now, regardless of gender (see below). If you add football scholarships (and equal numbers for Title IX), thatâs going to be more scholarships than are provided now for the entire athletic department.
2004-05 Charlotte 49ers Scholarship Numbers
Menâs Baseball â 10.98 scholarships, 11.8 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs Basketball â 13 scholarships, 13 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs Golf â 3.69 scholarships, 4.5 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs Soccer â 9.8 scholarships, 9.9 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs Tennis â 3.51 scholarships, 4.5 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs Track â 9.18 scholarships, 12.7 allowed by the NCAA
Menâs TOTALS â 50.16 scholarships, 56.4 allowed by the NCAA (88.94%)
Womenâs Basketball â 15 scholarships, 15 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs Soccer â 11.19 scholarships, 12 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs Softball â 7.33 scholarships, 12 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs Tennis â 6.05 scholarships, 8 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs Track â 12.07 scholarships, 18 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs Volleyball â 12 scholarships, 12 allowed by the NCAA
Womenâs TOTALS â 63.64 scholarships, 77 allowed by the NCAA (82.65%)
Department TOTALS â 113.8 scholarships, 133.4 allowed by the NCAA (85.31%)
Overall, the department is ONLY funding 85.31% of the allowable scholarships. Are you going to eliminate, for example menâs golf and tennis and womenâs softball and tennis to scholarship one-fourth of a football team? We barely are giving enough money to provide scholarships for a football team as it is. Student fees would go for facilities and running a program, not for any scholarships.
I want it, but I canât envision it, Iâd rather see a truly world-class university with plenty of class space and resources for its students.
[b]I want it, but I can't envision it, I'd rather see a truly world-class university with plenty of class space and resources for its students. [/b]
Why canât we have both? If schools like UNC-P on a DII level, and South Florida on a DI level can make it work, SO CAN WE. Iâm so tired of people saying itâs too expensive. Why canât we put a committee together to try and figure this thing out financially. You canât keep telling me that itâs not economically feasible!!
I agree. Football could be a reality. People have talked about it for yearsâŚ
As everyone has mentioned yet again. We need to coordinate a voiceâŚ
Any suggestions on doing thisâŚ
Has anyone seen the report that was done up several years ago on feasability. I heard the rumor it was done⌠but can anyone out there substantiate it?
HP,
Why are we funding so many more womenâs scholarships? I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THAT!!! I am seriously going to reconsider my support of UNCC athleticâs given the lopsidedness of the scholarships. UNCC hasnât pissed me off for a long time till this. Itâs not right.
[i]Originally posted by vbniner[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 08:22 AM [b] Has anyone seen the report that was done up several years ago on feasability. I heard the rumor it was done... but can anyone out there substantiate it? [/b]The review was completed a few years ago. The findings were available online at one time. I believe the cost would be something like 10 million to gear up and 3 million annually.
The push will come from wealthy supporters of the University. Then the Athletic department, then the Chancellor, then the students, then the Alumni and it will have to be passed by the Board of Trustees and then the UNC Board of Governors.
Title IX stipulates that distribution of athletic scholarships should reflect the makeup of the overall student body. Since females outnumber males at UNCC 55% to 45%, then that should be reflected on the athletic side of things. If you read the numbers again, you will see that the men actually are actually getting more scholarships funded than women percentage-wise â 89% to 85% as allowed by the NCAA.
Also, the study on football is not a rumor. Get in touch with Athletics or the Chancellorâs Office about getting a copy of it.
GO NINERS!
[i]Originally posted by bobblinlutz[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 08:00 AM [b][b]I want it, but I can't envision it, I'd rather see a truly world-class university with plenty of class space and resources for its students. [/b]Why canât we have both? If schools like UNC-P on a DII level, and South Florida on a DI level can make it work, SO CAN WE. Iâm so tired of people saying itâs too expensive. Why canât we put a committee together to try and figure this thing out financially. You canât keep telling me that itâs not economically feasible!! [/b]
USF is the largest school in Florida. As I understand it, they have a LOT more people than we do. It lowers the cost of having a football team significantly.
NinerFan, look at the numbers I provided again. It has to do with the number of scholarships allowed per sport by the NCAA, not what the athletic department is necessarily choosing to fund.
Letâs try to compare it this way:
- baseball, 93.1% funding vs. softball, 61.1% funding allowed; the NCAA approves 11.8 for baseball and 12 for softball
- menâs soccer, 99.0% funding vs. womenâs soccer, 93.5% funding allowed; the NCAA approves 4.5 for men and 8 for women (big difference there)
- menâs track, 72.3% funding vs. womenâs track, 67.1% funding allowed, the NCAA approves 12.7 for men and 18 for women (another big difference)
- menâs tennis, 78.0% funding vs. 75.6% funding allowed; the NCAA approves 4.5 for men and 8 for women (more of the same)
- golf, 82.0% funding, the NCAA approves 4.5 for men
- volleyball is fully scholarshipped at 12 (+7.5 over golf, both basketball squads are fully scholarshipped, 13 for men and 15 for women (another difference)
The NCAA doesnât give equal numbers of scholarships per sport. You are correct to say more women are getting scholarships, 63.64 vs. 50.16 but when done by the percentage allowed by the NCAA, men are getting 88.94% vs. 82.65%. The minor sports at Charlotte for the most part would likely be considered to be the most inexpensive to fund as well (ie. field hockey, lacrosse compared to golf, tennis).
Bottom line, the 49er Club is only providing for [SIZE=3]85.31%[/SIZE] of the allowed scholarships for our athletes. Thatâs simply not good enough!
[i]Originally posted by Powerbait[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 10:16 AM [b] USF is the largest school in Florida. As I understand it, they have a LOT more people than we do. It lowers the cost of having a football team significantly. [/b]USF numbers for 2204: 41,571 total enrollment; 32,486 undergraduate enrollment; 7,173 graduate enrollment; 4,203 Fall 2004 freshman class...
Athletic programs also receive some state funding in Florida. The State of North Carolina provides NO funding for athletics in the UNC system directly. The money must come from student fees and ticket sales.
[i]Originally posted by LeftyNiner[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 09:46 AM [b] The review was completed a few years ago. The findings were available online at one time. I believe the cost would be something like 10 million to gear up and 3 million annually. [/b]What level of competition were these numbers for?
Our current administration doesnât have the right mindset when it comes to starting a football team. You canât expect to start a high level D1 team right away. Start small with a non-scholarship team in 1-AA, playing in the Pioneer Conference. Play at Memorial Stadium. Upgrade the team over time when resources are available.
At the least, UNCC would have to be a Division I-AA or Division I (LOL) when it begins a football program. They can no longer start one at D-II or D-III and move up in a few seasons as USF did.
[i]Originally posted by HP49er[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 09:21 AM [b] [b]Bottom line, the 49er Club is only providing for [SIZE=3][u]85.31%[/u][/SIZE] of the allowed scholarships for our athletes. That's simply not good enough![/b] [/b]HP, one thing about the current giving. I think people would give more if we had football. I doubt it would be enough to cover the costs of football and fund the other scholarships 100%, though.
If any of you have ever been to UNCP and realized they have a football team you would pretty much become sick on your stomach when you realize why Charlotte doesnt have one. HAHA money is obviously not a problem for Us because as i recall we have a 10billion dollar building project going on right now⌠Really i think Charlotte will never have a fball team because it would have already happened by now⌠Just a big dream i guess
GO NINERS
Letâs hurry and get a football team so we can be just like ECUâŚA LAUGHING STOCK! What conference would we be in? Donât kid yourself to think that we would be in anything close to a decent conference. Who could we possibly get to coach us? ECU, which has a great tradition, get some no name from Florida who is stinking up the joint!
I have said it before and I will say it again. Our fans and students wonât even show up for basketballâŚthe one sport where we have a tradition!!! The average fan will not come see us play just to see someone play. If they want, they can drive to Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Columbia, Winston, Clemson, to see a better game than us with more people.
It would bankrupt our sports programs with no big boosters not to mention having to add all the womenâs sports to comply with Title IX.
We need to concentrate on filling up Halton Arena for every game. Football is a huge money losing proposition!
[i]Originally posted by 49erkiger[/i]@Oct 7 2004, 10:49 AM [b] HAHA money is obviously not a problem for Us because as i recall we have a 10billion dollar building project going on right now [/b]Hardly 10 billion. All of that building money comes from the State. Athletic money CANNOT come from the state. It has to come from private contributions and student fees.
I agree with you Lefty, I think more would contribute. I donât necessarily think there would be a huge amount made on ticket revenues for football though.
And kiger⌠money is the problem, a 20,000 member student body that is struggling for more classroom space and a state legislature that pimps old campuses in Chapel Hill and Raleigh. There are plenty of more important needs on the campus than a football program. It is after all, a facility for higher education and research first, athletics is a bonus.