ExecutiveSummary

WhileVirginiaCommonwealthUniversitymockstobe“Undefeated”infootball,manystudentsandalumnicontinuetowonderthetruepossibilitiesofafootballteam.Manyobjectivescometomindinthesubject.Thepropositionispossiblyimplementable.Yetbeforewecanpassorgolongwiththisfootballinitiativewemustevaluatetheexpectationsandvalidambitions.

IntroductionAfter19yearsasVCU’spresidentTraniiscreditedwithspearheading$2.2billionininvestment(1).VCUhasinvestedinexpansionsthatincludeanewbusinessschool,additionsoftheengineeringbuilding,dorms,parkingdecks,andaconferencecenter.VCUathleticshasnotbeenspeciPiedfundsforanytypeofexpansion.TheissueformostisthatasPineasthisinstitutionmaybewithitsnationallyranked;art,masscommunications(Brandcenter),socialwork,healthadministration,andmedicaldegreeprograms,afootballteamisstillemphasizedasaneedtomakeitcomplete.

AnewfootballprogramforVirginiaCommonwealthUniversityhasmorphedfromasenseofhopeintoaderisionideal.Theidealseemslogicaltothestudentbodyofover30,000makingitoneofthelargeststateschools.It’sprimelocationinthestatecapitalandit’snationallyknownathleticreveriessuchasVirginiaTech,NorfolkState,UniversityofVirginiaandOldDominionUniversitiesformulateforagreatfootballMecca.

TeamsinProgress

TheVCUathleticdepartmentsupportsmenandwoman’s’sportsteamsbaseball,basketball,tennis,cross‐country,hockey,golf,soccer,track,andvolleyball.Thedepartmentsupports14varsityteams.Themen’sbaseballteamwontheColonialAthleticAssociation(CAA)titlein2008.ThetennisteamhasalsoshowedrigorousefforteveryyearbycompetitingintheNationalCollegiateAthleticAssociation(NCAA)competition.Thewomen’sbasketballteamalsowonthe2009NCAAtournament.MostimportantlyisVCU’sprideandjoy,themen’sbasketballteam.Theyhavebecomethemainsportsfocus.TheyhaveonethathonorbywinningtheNCAAtournamentthreetimeswithinthepastsixyears.VCUalsohasstudentranteams,notsponsoredbytheuniversityincluderugby,hockey,lacrosse,andcycling.

Spirit

Manystudentsattheuniversityhaveanonchalantattitudeaboutthesportsdepartment.Theyclaimtowantafootballteambutthereisagiantlackofsupportforthecurrentteams.EventheVCUschoolnewspaper,TheCommonwealthTime'scurrentsportseditorhasmadethepointnumeroustimesthatVCUstudentsdon'tattendthesportswehavealready.Eventhesuccessfulteams,suchasourCAAbaseballteamandourvictoriousmen'sbasketballteam,don'treceivefullattendance.Moststudentsdonotbecomeattachedtothespiritoftheuniversity.Asgraduatestheywalkacrossthestagetogettheirdiplomatocontinueneverlookingback.Asalumnitheydonotcontributetothefutureoftheiruniversity.Somearguethatthecurrentvarsityteamsareboringandstudentsarenotinterested.

“VCUstudentsdon'ta/endthesportswehavealready.Eventhesuccessfulteams,suchasourCAAbaseballteamandourvictorious(unAlrecently)men'sbasketballteam,don'treceivefulla/endance.”…….

VCUinvestsgenerouslytowardtheirsportsteams.Theyspend13.5millionontotalathleticsoutoftheuniversity’stotalbudgetof$815million(2).Therefore16%ofitstotalbudgetgoestosports.Thisincludesticketsales,promotions,andcoaches’salaries.Themen’sbasketballteamreceives7%ofthe16%oftheathleticdepartment’sfundingoutof14universitysupportedvarsityteams.

Unfortunatelyprioritieshavetobereprioritizedbecauseofthecurrenteconomicrecessionthestatehadtoreduceitsoverallfundingduetothestatewide1.2billiondollarbudgetdePicit.VCU’sshareofthosecutsis5%,whichwillcosttheuniversity$10.1million.TheVCUBoardofVisitorshasmettoconsiderafewoptions:fewercourseofferings,largerclasssizes,removalofsomemajors,eliminationofsomefacultypositions,andhighertuitionfees.Thesecutswillnotbaretherightconditionsforanymulti‐milliondollarinvestmentsespeciallyafootballteam.

VCU'sAthleAcDirectorNorwoodTeaguesaysVCUisnotreadyfinanciallytoaddafootballteam."Iknowthefinancesoffootballandatthe1AAlevelyouhavetobereallysuccessfultomakemoneyortoevenbreakeven,"Teaguesaid."Rightnowweneedtoconcentrateontheteamswedohaveandnotworryaboutfootball.”…

Conclusion

Thereisatimeandplaceforeverything.Nowisthetimetoinvestmentfundsforafootballteam.ThefootballteamisabusinessthatwouldbeagreatinvestmentforVCU.Asfarasthestadiumissue,somehavesuggestedVCUshouldshareCityStadium,nearCarytown,withtheRichmondKickers.Footballisclaimedtobringouttheschoolspiritoutofanypersonality.Footballbringsalumniandcurrentstudents’familyandfriendsaswellasalargerPlowofalumnicontributions.Theprideof30,000plusstudentscheeringinblackandgoldcandePinitelyimpacttheschoolspirit.Thepotentialofincreasedpridegeneratesenrollmentdemandcausingmoreselectiveenrollment.TheoverallschoolwouldneedtoincreaseitsGPArequirements.Theschoolwouldbemorerecognizablenationallyforathleticsinadditiontoacademics.ItalsocouldpurrmillionsintostrugglingRichmondeconomy.

References:

1TheTimeisNowforVCUFootball,RichGrist,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

2VCU:TuitionandFeesandUniversityBudgetPlan,pg.8‐16,(2008‐2009)

3TitleIXfactsheet,KarenZittlemanwithsomemodiPicationbySueKleinandKimKirn10‐1‐07,www.feminist.org/education