OT: Maryland IPF

[longtimefan]

I would argue you have your priorities in order, whereas so many people with ties to the big state schools have their whole identity wrapped up with the success of the athletics programs and donate accordingly.

That's the problem with the ascendancy of the SEC--that conference has become the template for all other P5 football programs. Not a model that should be aspired to.

 

[sufandu]

That's the problem with the ascendancy of the SEC--that conference has become the template for all other P5 football programs. Not a model that should be aspired to.

Living in Knoxville, I can attest to that first hand. It's amazing the way college football is quite literally worshiped like a religion.

 

[CuseOnly]

It's true that Syracuse hasn't spent like many other Division I schools in the last 35 years.

That said, your list is a little short.

Manley hardwood court; new Manley track; outdoor track; soccer stadium; football complex; coaches' office building; Stevenson Center; Coyne renovations; football practice field renovations; softball stadium; Tennity Pavilion; athletics throwing facility; cross country course in Jamesville; Dome renovations; 2011 Manley renovations (closer to $4 million than $1).

I'm sure those total another $74 million. And that doesn't take into account a lot of nickel-dime renovations (training facilities, locker rooms) that SU has undertaken during the period.

I would be willing to bet that when those facilities were built and for what they cost they don't come to anywhere near another $74 million dollars. Manley Hardwood court? You mean the one not there anymore? NBT Bank Stadium was Built for $800K, if you think any of these other Field renovations, throwing facilities, Softball stadiums total $70+ million. I have a bridge to sell you...cheap.

So...basically what you are saying is that we spent as much over the last 34 years on all sports facilities is what UMD is going to spend in the next 4 years on football alone.

That sounds fantastic, we should be ACC football champions and NCAA champs in no time with that level of commitment.

These below are in the last few years or have been approved, some are completed:
Colorado - Stadium upgrade and Parking Garage $155 million
UMD - $155 million football facility
Cal - New Stadium $321 million now open
Washington - Plans for $281 Million stadium
Baylor - $250 million stadium now open
K State - West Stadium center $75 million
TCU - Stadium Overhaul $164 million
Kentucky - $100 million stadium renovation
Texas A&M - $450 million stadium expansion
South Carolina - $6.5 million video board and $30.5 MILLION TAILGATE AREA (I almost threw up typing that)
Tennessee - $45 million football facility
UTAH - $68 million Football and Basketball center
I could go on and on...

I would have to say that in athletic spending on facilities/upgrades we are in the bottom 20% or so of all D1 Programs over the last 15 years.

Anyone saying in any way shape or form that we are even trying to show a financial commitment to athletics is seriously kidding themselves. And anyone defending the lack of commitment shown by the lack of facilities upgrades clearly does not want to be competitive.

 

[anomander]

...to athletics, specifically. Our alums donate plenty, to academics first. My wife and I donate each year. One year we give to Maxwell(me),the next we give to VPA(her). I also give to athletics on my own, aside from tickets. My donation to the athletics department is lower than what we give to the scools. If that makes us bad people, so be it.

This is what leads me to believe the problem has been Gross. Obviously the plan he had to raise donations has been failing miserably, but he just made a change. This shouldn't come as a shock, people from Syracuse have money. It's amazing that we can't seem to raise peanuts. This is basically his main job, it's on him to find a way to get it done.

 

[rrlbees]

I would be willing to bet that when those facilities were built and for what they cost they don't come to anywhere near another $74 million dollars. Manley Hardwood court? You mean the one not there anymore? NBT Bank Stadium was Built for $800K, if you think any of these other Field renovations, throwing facilities, Softball stadiums total $70+ million. I have a bridge to sell you...cheap. So...basically what you are saying is that we spent as much over the last 34 years on all sports facilities is what UMD is going to spend in the next 4 years on football alone. That sounds fantastic, we should be ACC football champions and NCAA champs in no time with that level of commitment. These below are in the last few years or have been approved, some are completed: Colorado - Stadium upgrade and Parking Garage $155 million UMD - $155 million football facility Cal - New Stadium $321 million now open Washington - Plans for $281 Million stadium Baylor - $250 million stadium now open K State - West Stadium center $75 million TCU - Stadium Overhaul $164 million Kentucky - $100 million stadium renovation Texas A&M - $450 million stadium expansion South Carolina - $6.5 million video board and $30.5 MILLION TAILGATE AREA (I almost threw up typing that) Tennessee - $45 million football facility UTAH - $68 million Football and Basketball center I could go on and on... I would have to say that in athletic spending on facilities/upgrades we are in the bottom 20% or so of all D1 Programs over the last 15 years. Anyone saying in any way shape or form that we are even trying to show a financial commitment to athletics is seriously kidding themselves. And anyone defending the lack of commitment shown by the lack of facilities upgrades clearly does not want to be competitive.

Congrats to all those programs for having big time donors that will put up that kind of money. The schools themselves certainly didn't.

 

[Chip]

Congrats to all those programs for having big time donors that will put up that kind of money. The schools themselves certainly didn't.

If college football and politics were cancer and heart disease (and insert any other more worthy cause), we'd all live to be 100.

 

[Scooch]

If college football and politics were cancer and heart disease (and insert any other more worthy cause), we'd all live to be 100.

Big time college athletics is obscene.

I feel guilty for liking as much as I do.

 

[ClkWrkOrange]

Including the Dome, the Melo Center, the new Dome Roof, Manley renovation, etc. and the new IPF I don't think SU has spent $155 million total on athletic facilities since 1980...

IPF $17 million
Carrier Dome $27 million
New Dome Roof $14 million
Manley Field House renovations $1 million
Melo Center $15.3 million

Total $74.3 million since 1980 and working diligently on the old farmhouse strategy. Most P5 programs have spent that in the last 5-10 years to renovate the bathrooms.

SU spent $27 million for the Carrier Dome?Hmm.

 

[dollarbill44]

I would be willing to bet that when those facilities were built and for what they cost they don't come to anywhere near another $74 million dollars. Manley Hardwood court? You mean the one not there anymore? NBT Bank Stadium was Built for $800K, if you think any of these other Field renovations, throwing facilities, Softball stadiums total $70+ million.

Where did you come up with $800k for NBT Bank Stadium? If you believe that price, I will buy that bridge, plus anything else you're selling.
I get your point that a lot of others are putting more $ into their athletics facilities, but SU has put in "real" money too. It shouldn't be held against us that we already have an iconic stadium without needing to spend what others are spending.

 

[xc84]

I would be willing to bet that when those facilities were built and for what they cost they don't come to anywhere near another $74 million dollars. Manley Hardwood court? You mean the one not there anymore? NBT Bank Stadium was Built for $800K,
.

NBT Bank Stadium cost $28M in 1997. You are a bit off .

 

[CuseOnly]

Congrats to all those programs for having big time donors that will put up that kind of money. The schools themselves certainly didn't.

We need a few fans to win the Mega and Powerball.

 

[CuseOnly]

NBT Bank Stadium cost $28M in 1997. You are a bit off .

I think I was looking at maintenance cost or some crap...whatever.

Great, lets just build 5 of those stadiums on campus for $15o million so we can say we did something close to what other schools are doing.

 

[xc84]

I think I was looking at maintenance cost or some crap...whatever.

Great, lets just build 5 of those stadiums on campus for $15o million so we can say we did something close to what other schools are doing.

It would be $41M today so we could only build 3.65 of them.

Most of the other schools have significant state backing. Hey, we almost had a $300M domed stadium built with 66% state funds and 33% private investment!

 

[OttoMets]

I would be willing to bet that when those facilities were built and for what they cost they don't come to anywhere near another $74 million dollars. Manley Hardwood court? You mean the one not there anymore? NBT Bank Stadium was Built for $800K, if you think any of these other Field renovations, throwing facilities, Softball stadiums total $70+ million. I have a bridge to sell you...cheap.

...

I know much more about Syracuse's facilities and expenditures than you do.

 

[CuseOnly]

I know much more about Syracuse's facilities and expenditures than you do.

Fantastic! Please compile that extensive information and bring it to Dr. Gross along with the Board of Trustees and tell them they are way behind the 8-Ball and need to spend about $200 mil to catch up.

Beyond that, I have a whole package of Oreo's, I will be happy to give you one.

 

[rrlbees]

Fantastic! Please compile that extensive information and bring it to Dr. Gross along with the Board of Trustees and tell them they are way behind the 8-Ball and need to spend about $200 mil to catch up.

He could do that but he'd also have to bring about $100m of donations and a plan to raise the other $100m. Why do you have a hard time understanding schools don't pay for facilities for the most part.

 

[CuseOnly]

He could do that but he'd also have to bring about $100m of donations and a plan to raise the other $100m. Why do you have a hard time understanding schools don't pay for facilities for the most part.

I don't have a hard time understanding that at all. If that strategy were working and helping SU keep up, I would say stick with it. But that way of doing things is precisely the reason we are behind.

Using the strategy of "That's the way we've always done it" is great when that strategy has been working, is sustainable long term and can be proven to stand the test of time.

You tell me, is what we are doing working? Using the current model, will SU facilities be at par anytime soon? Twenty years from now, will we still be behind?

Same thing you and others have been saying about ticket pricing structure. Needs to be scrapped and redone from top to bottom.

Maybe I am crazy but when something isn't working, you change it.

 

[rrlbees]

I don't have a hard time understanding that at all. If that strategy were working and helping SU keep up, I would say stick with it. But that way of doing things is precisely the reason we are behind. Using the strategy of "That's the way we've always done it" is great when that strategy has been working, is sustainable long term and can be proven to stand the test of time. You tell me, is what we are doing working? Using the current model, will SU facilities be at par anytime soon? Twenty years from now, will we still be behind? Same thing you and others have been saying about ticket pricing structure. Needs to be scrapped and redone from top to bottom. Maybe I am crazy but when something isn't working, you change it.

It's not just SU. It's the way every school does it. Academic institutions don't spend millions on athletic facilities. You want something to be changed? Go after the people charged with fund raising and those who don't donate said funds.

 

[MSOrange]

Kind of an interesting article showing the top boosters at the schools in the top 25 (from a poll earlier this season)

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/09/college-football-boosters-top-25

 

[rrlbees]

Kind of an interesting article showing the top boosters at the schools in the top 25 (from a poll earlier this season) http://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/09/college-football-boosters-top-25

Wish we had been top 25. Would have been interesting to see who was listed for SU. As well as fun to be top 25.

 

[CuseOnly]

It's not just SU. It's the way every school does it. Academic institutions don't spend millions on athletic facilities. You want something to be changed? Go after the people charged with fund raising and those who don't donate said funds.

It works for every other school apparently = They should keep doing it.
It doesn't work for SU = SU should try something different.

Academic institutions do spend millions on athletic institutions, they just spend other people's money. Are all the facilities figments of my imagination, are all Oregon's buildings on Phil Knight's land and the teams just visit?

When SU started it's Billion Dollar donation drive that closed in 2012, why didn't they include athletic facilities at a certain percentage of the Billion dollars. Include some athletic facilities in the plans as to what the money was going to go towards.

Better yet, why don't they mount a similar campaign and reach out to the same 65K+ donors and see if they would be willing to donate some to athletics.

http://campaign.syr.edu/about/index.html

 

[rrlbees]

It works for every other school apparently = They should keep doing it. It doesn't work for SU = SU should try something different. Academic institutions do spend millions on athletic institutions, they just spend other people's money. Are all the facilities figments of my imagination, are all Oregon's buildings on Phil Knight's land and the teams just visit? When SU started it's Billion Dollar donation drive that closed in 2012, why didn't they include athletic facilities at a certain percentage of the Billion dollars. Include some athletic facilities in the plans as to what the money was going to go towards. Better yet, why don't they mount a similar campaign and reach out to the same 65K+ donors and see if they would be willing to donate some to athletics. http://campaign.syr.edu/about/index.html

All those facilities are paid by schools via donations of others money. So Phil knight gives them money earmarked for something. They spend it on that. So I don't get your point about knight.

The billion dollar drive was not an athletic fundraiser. It was not picked as one. You realize there are probably 10x times or more the number of people that will donate to an academic institution for academic purposes than will donate for athletics?

As to other campaigns for athletics? They do that. I get emails and mailers all the time asking for money and I'm not even an alum. And I know they have reached out to big donors over and over.

If you know if a single sugar daddy, let the AD know.

 

[Macky44]

Agreed. I don't think Mahogany lockers are going to sway a kid. At some point it's a waste of money.

The smell of RICH mahogany.

 

[jorand]

http://colefieldhouse.umd.edu/

http://marylandpride.com/new-cole-field-house/

 

[CuseOnly]

All those facilities are paid by schools via donations of others money. So Phil knight gives them money earmarked for something. They spend it on that. So I don't get your point about knight.

The billion dollar drive was not an athletic fundraiser. It was not picked as one. You realize there are probably 10x times or more the number of people that will donate to an academic institution for academic purposes than will donate for athletics?

As to other campaigns for athletics? They do that. I get emails and mailers all the time asking for money and I'm not even an alum. And I know they have reached out to big donors over and over.

If you know if a single sugar daddy, let the AD know.

You said schools don't spend money on athletic facilities. The Phil Knight comment was to show you that they absolutely do, it's just not their own money they spend. "Phil didn't build those facilities on his own land"

I absolutely know that the $1 Billion dollar goal was not an athletic fundraiser. It was a question, not a statement. In the beginning, why didn't they state that 10% of the $1 Billion dollars would go to athletics unless otherwise specified by the donor. If I were an alum and owed my living to a certain department at SU where my major was, I would be more apt to donate to that department as well. That doesn't mean that athletics would be an afterthought like it is now to this and previous administrations.

I also know that they do athletic fundraising...and doing a bang up job by the looks of things.

I am pretty convinced that SU will continually be in the bottom 3rd of P5 facilities for the foreseeable future unless they try to do some things that are out of the box thinking for fundraising. Especially after seeing what really broke schools like UMD have planned to build on their state VISA card.