What a shame

[EvanJ]

Does anyone know the average spent per CAA Football team? How does that compare to if there was $6 million in revenue, plus possibly more from the CAA and/or TV. Keep in mind that to start a team, you need coaches to recruit a whole roster, and you need marketing that continuing Football teams don't need. The team could operate at a profit but still take years to have a cumulative profit because of the starting expenses. With Army and Columbia having special demands, Hofstra would be competing locally with Stony Brook, Wagner, LIU, and Fordham. In last year's Sagarin, Stony Brook was 4 spots below Rutgers, and Stony Brook is the best FCS school in the area. If Hofstra plays Football in the CAA, that's a much better conference than the Patriot (which has Fordham for Football) and NEC (Wagner and LIU). If Hofstra plays Football without scholarships in the Pioneer, that's the worst FCS conference, not to mention longer travel. Marist is the only Pioneer team in the northeast or New England. Butler, Davidson, and Dayton are known by casual fans because of Men's Basketball. Jacksonville, Stetson (in FL), Morehead State (in KY), Drake (in IA), Valparaiso (in IN), and San Diego wouldn't be good for attendance.

[The Shadow]

I am very surprised by the negativity about the possible return of the football program. My question is how are other eastern private colleges like Monmouth, Marist, LIU, Wagner, Sacred Heart, and others affording their football programs? The costs of their football programs cannot be that different than HU. Do these colleges and others have that much more in endowments, interest, and donations? Do these various colleges have different students and alumni than HU? I understand all the arguments on why the program should not return, but, how are these other athletic programs accomplishing what HU had ten years ago? Do any of these colleges have answers that I am not seeing? The attendance for possible HU football, as with any of our athletic programs, always starts with our HU community. This is why I believe, just as HUSID74 has mentioned many times, that you have to start with the present students and alumni. Knowing just how to schedule the possible games will always improve attendance.

[stuball888]

I think the cost of the program 10 years ago was 4.3 millon that included 60 schlorships atabout 45 grand a piece todayit would be about 6 mil Howdoes Bryant with 3,500 students afford football?

[The Shadow]

To stuball888, That is my point! How are these private colleges in the New York area have the finances to afford a 1AA team? How does Marist pay for the extended Pioneer League travel?

[HUSID74]

Shadow, its because the other schools understand the value a football program brings to the University. Schools like Sacred Heart started the program to attract male students; which it did.

The cost of the program was pegged by the Hofstra administration at about $5 million; including the cost of 63 scholarships but the real cost of those scholarships was much lower than what was quoted because many of the players received significant outside aid.

I would peg the REAL cost of the program to be in the $4 million range, certainly affordable to a University with an annual budget close to $400 million!

[The Shadow]

To HUSID74, So I am guessing that the real answer was that the program was ended for other than monetary reasons. As you have said, the entire demeanor of the college experience has drastically changed from 2009 and before. The present students, whether at HU or another eastern area college are not that interested. There are a few exceptions such as Penn St, BC, and Syracuse or they just follow NFL football. As we have said, there must be a concerted effort to understand all the possibilities.

[HofstraHockey]

Wait, kids go to Sacred Heart now because of the football team? They average less than 1,700 people to their games, so I'm sure the atmosphere there must be ELECTRIC.

[HofstraHockey]

I am very surprised by the negativity about the possible return of the football program. My question is how are other eastern private colleges like Monmouth, Marist, LIU, Wagner, Sacred Heart, and others affording their football programs? The costs of their football programs cannot be that different than HU. Do these colleges and others have that much more in endowments, interest, and donations? Do these various colleges have different students and alumni than HU? I understand all the arguments on why the program should not return, but, how are these other athletic programs accomplishing what HU had ten years ago? Do any of these colleges have answers that I am not seeing? The attendance for possible HU football, as with any of our athletic programs, always starts with our HU community. This is why I believe, just as HUSID74 has mentioned many times, that you have to start with the present students and alumni. Knowing just how to schedule the possible games will always improve attendance.

Just remember that LIU had to combine their campuses and drop a whole bunch of teams to keep their athletics department viable. They kept football, but dozens of student athletes in other sports lost their opportunity to play.

[HUSID74]

Wait, kids go to Sacred Heart now because of the football team? They average less than 1,700 people to their games, so I'm sure the atmosphere there must be ELECTRIC.

Stop, how many go to your hockey games. Ask SH why they added football.

[The Shadow]

To HofstraHockey, Why are you so negative? As HUSID74 mentioned, what is the attendance of a club hockey team? If HU reinstates football, how does that change your club team? Football at HU was very successful, for a non 1A program, for many decades. Yes, I would like to see football games at HU again especially, with selective scheduling, as HUSID74 mentioned. I would also like to see HU start varsity men's and women's hockey. Some athletic teams do not have a high attendance or publicity. Some very established colleges have programs, for decades, that do not have large attendances. Look, NYU used to have a Division 1 athletic program that played most of their men's basketball games at MSG with a national schedule. NYU played Notre Dame as part of the first college doubleheader at MSG in1934. NYU now has a division 3 program, without very much athletic school spirit or publicity, to go along with a diverse and talented student body of approximately 30,000. I have a fear that this is the model that HU is trying to emulate. It really gets down to what the HU administration and board believes is the best direction. On this specific topic, I and other alumni greatly disagree. I get it that you might see things differently and that an attendance of 1,600 is a low football total. I have attended HU men's basketball and men's lacrosse games with a lower total. I would think that 1,600 would be a good total for men's or women's soccer, baseball, softball, fields hockey, etc. All I can say again is that the campus feels very different in 2019 than 2009. If it were not for the fellow athletic teams supporting various on campus games, attendance would be even more low. I am waiting to see what the new AD and staff does to increase basketball 2019-2020 attendance in his second year in charge. Look all that being said, I still would like to explore all the possible ideas and what is needed to start the program again. HofstrHockey and others,this is not personal at all, if you do not want to attend any possible football or other HU athletic events, that is your choice. You all do not have to get on board, just stay on the shore. Ten years is long enough! Hofstra, first and ten, again!

[joeg1]

Via Newsday.com: High school football participation on LI continues to decline (https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-sch ... 1.37526608

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[HofstraHockey]

There are WAY worse things than trying to emulate NYU.

If you gave me a $4 mil budget, I could GUARANTEE I could get more than 1600 people a game for hockey. The club team attendance is crap, but guess what, the players on that team PAY out of pocket for it. In the thousands of dollars per kid. The little money the club sports teams DO get is from the student government, which comes from activities fees, and not the university general budget. It's a very small amount. The cost of a few meals for a football team is the budget that some of these club sports get.

And let me say something- I know hundreds of alums that I played with over the years. And when we talk about school, we talk a lot more about the games we played together than the games any of us watched. To say that there's no school spirit is wrong- these guys are very proud of the fact that they were able to represent their school. Players now wear their apparel all over the place. The culture of kids now is experiential and participatory, not sitting on the sidelines watching. So to me, that's where the money should be going- make the school better, offer more scholarships and opportunities for kids to learn abroad, and give them more chances to be participants in the school.

[The Shadow]

To HofstraHockey, I agree that NYU is a wonderful college with many programs that would be great to emulate, but not the D3 athletic program. If any of the posters have listened to the podcasts from AD Cole and SID Gorchov, they mention that that first two men's basketball games in November are close to a sellout! This type of hard work seemed to be lacking during the football years. I agree that 2019-20 college students should be participants in their own activities, but you can have both. A great college atmosphere on a cool, crisp, Saturday Afternoon at Shuart Stadium is wonderful to participate with your friends. You can also be part of another sports team, sorority, fraternity, dorm floor, pep band, or whatever. It only helps promote the college by what teams are scheduled. Look, we all want the best for HU, some of us just have some different ideas as to how this might be accomplished. I just think, as I have said many times, HU was better with a football team! Let's just explore the options that can bring back the program. Let's hear the real reasons whether in favor, or against. I am not sure why some of the board posters are so against this exploration. Ten years is long enough! Hofstra, first and ten, again!

[joeg1]

To HofstraHockey, I agree that NYU is a wonderful college with many programs that would be great to emulate, but not the D3 athletic program. If any of the posters have listened to the podcasts from AD Cole and SID Gorchov, they mention that that first two men's basketball games in November are close to a sellout! This type of hard work seemed to be lacking during the football years. I agree that 2019-20 college students should be participants in their own activities, but you can have both. A great college atmosphere on a cool, crisp, Saturday Afternoon at Shuart Stadium is wonderful to participate with your friends. You can also be part of another sports team, sorority, fraternity, dorm floor, pep band, or whatever. It only helps promote the college by what teams are scheduled. Look, we all want the best for HU, some of us just have some different ideas as to how this might be accomplished. I just think, as I have said many times, HU was better with a football team! Let's just explore the options that can bring back the program. Let's hear the real reasons whether in favor, or against. I am not sure why some of the board posters are so against this exploration. Ten years is long enough! Hofstra, first and ten, again!

It's fiscally reckless. Costs too much and interest is lacking. Beyond a handful of diehards, no one cares. Better ways to spend the money for more inclusive activities.

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[garyg]

That's great if we come close to selling out our first two home games...Evan, what was Iona's average home attendance for Men's basketball during Cole's last year there ?

[HUSID74]

To HofstraHockey, I agree that NYU is a wonderful college with many programs that would be great to emulate, but not the D3 athletic program. If any of the posters have listened to the podcasts from AD Cole and SID Gorchov, they mention that that first two men's basketball games in November are close to a sellout! This type of hard work seemed to be lacking during the football years. I agree that 2019-20 college students should be participants in their own activities, but you can have both. A great college atmosphere on a cool, crisp, Saturday Afternoon at Shuart Stadium is wonderful to participate with your friends. You can also be part of another sports team, sorority, fraternity, dorm floor, pep band, or whatever. It only helps promote the college by what teams are scheduled. Look, we all want the best for HU, some of us just have some different ideas as to how this might be accomplished. I just think, as I have said many times, HU was better with a football team! Let's just explore the options that can bring back the program. Let's hear the real reasons whether in favor, or against. I am not sure why some of the board posters are so against this exploration. Ten years is long enough! Hofstra, first and ten, again!

It's fiscally reckless. Costs too much and interest is lacking. Beyond a handful of diehards, no one cares. Better ways to spend the money for more inclusive activities.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

More inclusive??? The largest crowds to attend ANYTHING AT HOFSTRA were for football games and NCAA lacrosse playoffs...properly scheduled and promoted, football games and Shuart Stadium could again become focal points for the university, alumni and the region...how much are we spending on that contrived Fall Festival, which is a poor excuse for a real Homecoming?

[HofstraHockey]

35,605 showed up for home basketball games last year. 21,325 showed up for football in 2009.

I don't care how many more games basketball played- 15 guys got 50% more people to show up than 70+. That's how you wisely spend your money.

"Focal point for the region"? Like Stony Brook has done? If by "region" you mean "central Nassau County", then maybe.

[EvanJ]

That's great if we come close to selling out our first two home games...Evan, what was Iona's average home attendance for Men's basketball during Cole's last year there ?

Iona averaged 1,638 in 2017-2018. That went down to 1,609 in 2018-2019, but 2018-2019 was arguably better because the decrease of 29 was much less than the MAAC average that decreased 156, and the MAAC was horrible in 2018-2019.

35,605 showed up for home basketball games last year. 21,325 showed up for football in 2009.

I don't care how many more games basketball played- 15 guys got 50% more people to show up than 70+. That's how you wisely spend your money.

"Focal point for the region"? Like Stony Brook has done? If by "region" you mean "central Nassau County", then maybe.

Men's Basketball is way more games. Men's Basketball hosted 16 games last season, and without checking Football they probably didn't host more than 6.

[joeg1]

https://gohofstra.com/news/2019/10/23/g ... oming.aspx

[HUSID74]

https://gohofstra.com/news/2019/10/23/g ... oming.aspx

It's about time!