Definition of Insanity (we still have a facilities problem)

[chakka3421]

We can hire the best d@mm coaches in the world, but if the facilities upgrade problems continues to be a drag on recruitment and used against us by other universities, we wont see the best recruits coming to SU.

My fundamental problem with athletic fundraising, as explained by CTO, Bees and others, is that the BoT, Chancellor and AD expect the coaching staff to, in addition to coaching, also do fundraising.

The problem with this mindset is that coaching and fundraising require 2 different skill sets. So even though TGD stated that plans are in place to build a IPF (I saw the plans personally myself 4 years ago) and have football become the 2nd pillar to the Manley complex (with the Melo center being the other pillar), nothing will get done because nothing yet has changed regarding athletic fundraising for years.

The Definition of Corporate Insanity - expecting a different result doing the same things over and over and over and over and over again.

Unless the BoT, Chancellor and AD "formally support" an athletic fundraising campaign and get university fundraising resources behind the campaign, nothing will change folks. Period. End of Story. And guess what, HCSS will eventually leave us sooner rather than later just like HCDM.

 

[javadoc]

Let's see what happens. I generally agree with the tenor of your post, but the fact that Shafer just about started his presser with a call out to former players is... intriguing.

 

[AirForceOrange]

Well why dont you donate the 25+ mill it will take and they will break ground tomorrow...

Really...this again? And no i am not stalking you...but good grief dude, things take time...one thing at a time...lets get the coaching staff put together then give them some time to set up their programs.

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[hoopsupstate]

They need to have an athletic facilities campaign ONLY. They need to raise $100 million dollars. If this was the only focus, I think you might be surprised how quickly this could be done. Besides doing new facilities, they have to continue to upgrade what they already have. You can't stop. I think with Shafer just being hired, it could be the spring board to getting this done. They need to keep the momentum going. Moving to the ACC is another reason to get this going. Use the Director's Cup standing as another piece of the puzzle. Have goals along the way. When we reach $_____, we will break ground for the football practice facility. When we reach this level, $______ we begin the new field house, etc. They need to stop looking for the $5 million + donations and go to a grounds up approach where every little bit keeps adding up. The old way hasn't worked.

 

[javadoc]

They need to have an athletic facilities campaign ONLY. They need to raise $100 million dollars. If this was the only focus, I think you might be surprised how quickly this could be done. Besides doing new facilities, they have to continue to upgrade what they already have. You can't stop. I think with Shafer just being hired, it could be the spring board to getting this done. They need to keep the momentum going. Moving to the ACC is another reason to get this going. Use the Director's Cup standing as another piece of the puzzle. Have goals along the way. When we reach $_____, we will break ground for the football practice facility. When we reach this level, $______ we begin the new field house, etc. They need to stop looking for the $5 million + donations and go to a grounds up approach where every little bit keeps adding up. The old way hasn't worked.

Again, let's see what happens. Shafer's appeal to the fb alumni is very telling IMO. I also think we should be aiming for what NW is doing, something like $250M. The math favors a smaller number of large donors, but we absolutely should have videos on the boards during hoops games showing the vision, and letting the average fan know why it is important that he contributes. Pick up on the $44 campaign that has been mentioned on here a couple times.

 

[chakka3421]

Well why dont you donate the 25+ mill it will take and they will break ground tomorrow...
Really...this again? And no i am not stalking you...but good grief dude, things take time...one thing at a time...lets get the coaching staff put together then give them some time to set up their programs.
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Ok so lets be civil - lets talk strategy and tactics (and for what its worth I can give about $250 but I need to know that it will go to a football facilities campaign).

Anyway what better way to remain relevant in the new world of conference realignment than announce a fundraising campaign to upgrade and build out Manley to reallize the vision that TGD envisions as he said in a Q&A. I cannot think of a better time and place to do it than entering the ACC with a vengeance (and its money that comes with it).

Anyway, JB has said many times - "SU is a football school with a good basketball program". To me the timing cannot be any better - if you want to be a player in the world of conference realignment, you have to come out swinging in my opinion.

And dont get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the BoT, Chancellor and the AD have to do anything - they have every right to tell us once again - "Get A Life".

 

[MadNY3]

I don't think we have a facilities problem foremost. We have a raising-capital-from-private-donors-for-sports problem.

SU has never had a robust, hustling, strong fundraising capability in many areas over a sustained period of time. The Orange Pack was a bunch of ol' boys that had little sophistication. From what I can tell - and benchmarking some of the development people at some of the individual colleges - those "dedicated" to athletics are not strong, strategic fundraisers.

Hey, Floyd Little is great!...but that individual alone is not a strategy to raise capital in a tough economic climate from a unique alumni base, etc.

Time to smarten up, IMO.

 

[javadoc]

Ok so lets be civil - lets talk strategy and tactics (and for what its worth I can give about $250 but I need to know that it will go to a football facilities campaign).

Call the AD and ask specifically if there is a way for you to donate to a football-facilities goal. Seriously.

 

[rrlbees]

Ok so lets be civil - lets talk strategy and tactics (and for what its worth I can give about $250 but I need to know that it will go to a football facilities campaign).

Anyway what better way to remain relevant in the new world of conference realignment than announce a fundraising campaign to upgrade and build out Manley to reallize the vision that TGD envisions as he said in a Q&A. I cannot think of a better time and place to do it than entering the ACC with a vengeance (and its money that comes with it).

Anyway, JB has said many times - "SU is a football school with a good basketball program". To me the timing cannot be any better - if you want to be a player in the world of conference realignment, you have to come out swinging in my opinion.

And dont get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the BoT, Chancellor and the AD have to do anything - they have every right to tell us once again - "Get A Life".

You can donate your $250 to football facilities. They have a $5m campaign right now and need another $1m. Call the Orange Club. Or stop up there at Manley. The donation board with one of those thermometer looking things is right there in plain view.

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[Millhouse]

I always thought that definition of insane is insane

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[javadoc]

I always thought that definition of insane is insane

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Interesting avatar. Is Dr. Gross his Jiminy Cricket?

 

[cto]

I'm not sure why i am responding to you... Hey, didn't you bid us adieu a week ago after calling me a liar?......But this thread has raised some interesting points, so I will chime in.

You can have the most professional fund-raising campaign in the world ... but it won't be successful if your target audience does not want to give. Ironically, I was at a museum board meeting tonight where the primary subject was the feasibility of a new capital campaign. There were a lot of people there who know a lot about fund-raising, and they were not optimistic ... even though we have a great product. They cited the proliferation of capital campaigns out there (everyone seems to have one) that are all going after the same people. They also noted the economy and the uncertainties regarding tax laws and other considerations. And they kept emphasizing one salient fact: In any such campaign, 1-2 percent of the donors give 99 percent of the money. Yes, any successful campaign is about the deep-pocket folks.

In SU's case, this leads to three interesting facts: 1) The Melo Center was essentially funded by maybe 20 people. There was a $3 million gift, at least two $2 million gifts, several gifts in the $1 million area, and many in the $500,000-$1oo,ooo range. Two of the three biggest gifts were given by former players. 2) With the exception of McNabb, no former football player has given anything of substance to the FB program. And Doug Marrone did not help that situation by making former players feel they were not welcome. 3) Aside from the former football players, the biggest potential givers to a football facility... are the same people who gave to the Melo Center. In other words, they are the 1-2 percent who can give 99 percent of the total needed. But they have just given.

I post this only to point out how difficult this situation is. HCSS's reach-out to former players is a very important step. But it's not the only thing we need. We have to find other new deep-pocket donors. If you know of any such people, send their names to Chris Gedney. We need a Boone Pickens or a Phil Knight. I just don't have any idea who he/she might be.

 

[Bortukal]

We need a Boone Pickens or a Phil Knight. I just don't have any idea who he/she might be.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal?

 

[MadNY3]

CTO, you know a ton more than me on so many levels. I bow to thee...though also wonder why I used to get calls when I donated MORE to SU and then since reallocating to the academic side, have received zero calls in 30 months as to why.

Might be the same 1% (aka small, oversaturated pool issue) but I still think they are not equipped to mine the non 1% as well.

 

[Bayside44]

You can donate your $250 to football facilities. They have a $5m campaign right now and need another $1m. Call the Orange Club. Or stop up there at Manley. The donation board with one of those thermometer looking things is right there in plain view.

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Shouldn't they be calling and mailing alumni and prior donors? Because they don't.

 

[Aweart23]

Shouldn't they be calling and mailing alumni and prior donors? Because they don't.

This^^^^. I haven't heard from anyone at the University in years and years asking for money..

 

[cto]

CTO, you know a ton more than me on so many levels. I bow to thee...though also wonder why I used to get calls when I donated MORE to SU and then since reallocating to the academic side, have received zero calls in 30 months as to why.

Might be the same 1% (aka small, oversaturated pool issue) but I still think they are not equipped to mine the non 1% as well.

You are absolutely correct. They need the small donors for the program. Absolutely. I was just saying it is the big donors who are needed to build facilities. To raise $1 million, you can have one guy give $1 million... or 1000 guys give $1000 each... or 10,000 guys give $100 each. Obviously, the major emphasis in a capital campaign should be finding the guy who can give $1 million.. rather than finding 10,000 guys to give $100. I don't mean to sound elitist here. I was just pointing out a fact of capital campaigns --- not of annual fund-raising programs.

 

[rrlbees]

Shouldn't they be calling and mailing alumni and prior donors? Because they don't.

Maybe they should. Maybe they do. No idea here. They got the $4m somehow. Maybe they just don't want to call you.

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[orangenauburn]

You are absolutely correct. They need the small donors for the program. Absolutely. I was just saying it is the big donors who are needed to build facilities. To raise $1 million, you can have one guy give $1 million... or 1000 guys give $1000 each... or 10,000 guys give $100 each. Obviously, the major emphasis should be finding the guy who can give $1 million.. rather than finding 10,000 guys to give $100. I don't mean to sound elitist here. I was just pointing out a fact of capital campaigns --- not of annual fund-raising programs.

Suggestion:

Donation 'stations' or locations around the Dome (staffed by students and interns) during game-days to at least attempt to draw in a few grand 25+ times a year (hoops, lax, football)

 

[Bayside44]

You are absolutely correct. They need the small donors for the program. Absolutely. I was just saying it is the big donors who are needed to build facilities. To raise $1 million, you can have one guy give $1 million... or 1000 guys give $1000 each... or 10,000 guys give $100 each. Obviously, the major emphasis in a capital campaign should be finding the guy who can give $1 million.. rather than finding 10,000 guys to give $100. I don't mean to sound elitist here. I was just pointing out a fact of capital campaigns --- not of annual fund-raising programs.

Finding 100 guys to give 10K each shouldn't be a big deal. There are plenty of Cuse alumni that dump plenty of cash getting boxes for games, traveling and living well to do so for Cuse sports, etc. That's still a cool mil. Give some tix access and a visor, don't get why we don't do what other privates like Duke to do lock donors in early.

 

[xc84]

We still have a facilities problem? You mean it hasn't changed since last week?

 

[Chip]

Suggestion:

Donation 'stations' or locations around the Dome (staffed by students and interns) during game-days to at least attempt to draw in a few grand 25+ times a year (hoops, lax, football)

Set them up next to the beer vendors. Give them an orange bell to ring. I bet the Clemson fans alone donate $100k next year.

 

[Jeepers]

There is a thermometer thing at Manley? That tells me a lot about the effort put into fundraising. Where is the online version of that? I haven't been to Manley since I was in school. Goals--people need them.

I've never received a call about the athletic department needing money. Not even an email. I think Gross is a great big picture guy, but it's pretty clear that he needs a stellar right hand man/woman to strategize and take care of the little things.

Here's a little thing. Start with a campaign to completely erase the "get a life" thing, because it's clear that that's still bugging people (coming from a non-upstater). And you know what? Someone with a face just coming out and saying "Sorry about that, we need you" would go a LONG way.

Here, picture this simple campaign. Clips of the history of SU football on the videoboard (debuted at halftime of a game). Video fades out, people are like "yeah!", then it fades back in. Jim Brown and/or Floyd are there. And they say (whatever) "Do you love SU football? We do, too. But we need your help." etc. etc. "Go to www.blahblahblahfund.com and you can easily donate." Everytime you air the video, you show the progress at the end. Then, THEN, you go to the big shot donors. Rich people don't want to feel like they're the only one supporting things.

 

[Bortukal]

We still have a facilities problem? You mean it hasn't changed since last week?

The QB from Aquinas, John O'Korn, says in an interview up on OrangeFizz that Syracuse has "great facilities.":noidea:

 

[xc84]

The QB from Aquinas, John O'Korn, says in an interview up on OrangeFizz that Syracuse has "great facilities.":noidea:

I know the cliche is that the facilities are not good. It's oft-repeated. However, the dome ain't bad. I am sure there are some players who are still impressed with it and welcome the opportunity to play inside each home game. As a fan, I love the dome. Yeah, I know the indoor practice facility could be better...but I recently read or heard that the Denver Broncos have no indoor practice facility. If true (I am too lazy to look it up), we are one up on the Broncos.