FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[allsky7]

No football at LC for now at least.  8)

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0208/498972.html

[skoaltrain]

No football at LC for now at least.  8)

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0208/498972.html

I too saw that this morning in the News & Advance.  Or should I say the "Snooze & Regress."  I didn't know it would take that kind of coin to start a program.  Pony up Allsky.  I know you got it buried in your back yard in some old coffe cans.

[allsky7]

No football at LC for now at least.  8)

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0208/498972.html

I too saw that this morning in the News & Advance.  Or should I say the "Snooze & Regress."  I didn't know it would take that kind of coin to start a program.  Pony up Allsky.  I know you got it buried in your back yard in some old coffe cans.

     Don't tell anyone but it's actually in my mattress.    I was surprised by that figure also.  I could see that much over a period of time when you factor upgrades/additions to facilities, etc.

[BTEXPRESS]

I am sorry to hear about Lynchburg not starting a football team. That $10 million figure seems a little high to me. I have a friend and his son goes to Winthrop University. They are thinking about starting a Football team at the 1AA level. On Winthrop's main athletic site is a very concise piece on the costs of starting a team from sratch. They have estimates of $16 million. However, that figure includes building an 8,000 seat stadium $11.5 million, 24,000 ft field house, $5.1 millon, Coaches salaries, HC plus 8 assistants $473,000 and 53 scholarships $848,000. Would a Division III school spend that much to start a program??

[allsky7]

I am sorry to hear about Lynchburg not starting a football team. That $10 million figure seems a little high to me. I have a friend and his son goes to Winthrop University. They are thinking about starting a Football team at the 1AA level. On Winthrop's main athletic site is a very concise piece on the costs of starting a team from sratch. They have estimates of $16 million. However, that figure includes building an 8,000 seat stadium $11.5 million, 24,000 ft field house, $5.1 millon, Coaches salaries, HC plus 8 assistants $473,000 and 53 scholarships $848,000. Would a Division III school spend that much to start a program??

     Obviously, it doesn't cost that much to hire coaches, buy uniforms and equipment, and upgrade the locker room but I suppose depending on what other upgrades, the cost go up pretty fast. In the case of LC, I am not sure what course of action they would take. Would they play on Schnellenbarger (sp) Field, play at City Stadium, or some other venue. Schellenbarger was recently upgraded but doubtful (IMO) that it would be adequate for football. Not sure where the Prez got his numbers from but it certainly wouldn't cost 10 mil to start a program. Perhaps to sustain it over a period of 5-10 years then maybe so.  I too was disappointed....my gut said they would move forward with it.  8)

[BTEXPRESS]

Maybe they just didn't get the alumni to underwrite a portion of the costs and decided to pull the plug. Athletics appear to be pretty important to LC, so I really thought if any ODAC school would do it, it would be LC. I really think adding a Football program to a college would pay off in the end especially with school spirit, adding 100 more tuitons, alumni surport etc. I guess we will never know the real reasons for the change of heart. It would have been nice to have an 8th team in the league.

[Pat Coleman]

That is waaaaay high. Pacific is looking for $1.5M as startup for its football program.
http://catdomealumni.blogspot.com/2008/01/red-and-purple-interview-pacific.html

[BTEXPRESS]

Ok if Wintrop's figure is $16 million which includes a stadium, field house and 53 scholarships and Pacific is $1.5 million to start a Division III team, where does LC's President come up with a figure of $10 million??

[Ralph Turner]

Ok if Wintrop's figure is $16 million which includes a stadium, field house and 53 scholarships and Pacific is $1.5 million to start a Division III team, where does LC's President come up with a figure of $10 million??

"...the quality facilities the school would want."

$3.4 Million for a Stadium.
$5.1 M for the fieldhouse.
$1.5 M for the start-up costs.
$10.0 Million

[LCasid]

$10 million is not way high when you consider LC would need the following things:

1) a new stadium or a highly modified Shellenberger Field
2) a new indoor facility that would include at the bare minimum a new weight room, more athletic training space, more locker room space, more office space. I'm sure LC wouldn't settle for just that since future plans include a new student center that also will function as an indoor track/basketball/volleyball facility.
3) A new/upgraded practice field
4) The coaching staff
5) More athletic trainers
6) More sports information staff
7) A full-time equipment manager, or at least one who doesn't function as a men's lacrosse graduate assistant
8) A full-time facility manager, or at least one that doesn't function as a GA/full-time head coach
9) Increase in insurance expenses
10) Operating expenses for football (recruiting, travel, food, etc.)

The first three alone could run close to 10 millions given the stipulations on #2.

[BTEXPRESS]

Thank you for the clarification. I guess all of us messgage board types can only dream for another ODAC school to add Football. Out of all the non football playing ODAC schools I thought LC had the best chance based on their past athletic success in other sports.

[LCasid]

Thank you for the clarification. I guess all of us messgage board types can only dream for another ODAC school to add Football. Out of all the non football playing ODAC schools I thought LC had the best chance based on their past athletic success in other sports.

Oh and I forgot one thing, LC would need to add one more dormitory as well.

It sounds like LC will add it eventually based on what was recommended by the Board of Trustees. Basically, they recommended that LC gradually put in place the improvements necessary to add a football team, so I'd guess that we're looking at 10 years in the future at a minimum.

LC concluded there are other more pressing needs that needed to be addressed with 10 million dollars, which I believe is headlined by more new academic facilities and a new admissions building (which IS going to be built very soon from what I've heard). Several schools/majors are running out of space or already have run out of space, which includes psychology and the entire school of health sciences and human performance. Also on the priority list is a new student center/indoor athletic facility. The current student center is considered by most not capable of competing with other ODAC schools while the indoor track facility is over 40 years old and has not undergone one single renovation since it was built and doesn't even meet NCAA regulations so we haven't been able to host NCAA indoor track events for years now. When you consider there are current constituents who have very pressing needs, football just doesn't seem to be as important

[pakownr97]

I received an email from nfl.com about the small school prospects at the NFL combine.  It included a piece about Garcon from Mount Union.  Assuming I know how to do this correctly, here is the link:

Click here

Pat, if this breaks any rules, I apologize.  I just thought everyone would be interested in a D3 guy with a shot of being drafted.

Modified for formatting. Thanks for the link -- Ralph Turner

[abnrgr]

I hate to see no football for Lynchburg. Maybe the 2.1 million we spend a MINUTE in Iraq might help.

It still blows in Iraq.

[hasanova]

I hate to see no football for Lynchburg. Maybe the 2.1 million we spend a MINUTE in Iraq might help.

It still blows in Iraq.

Yeah, why don't y'all knock off an hour or so early and give all the ODAC schools $10-12 million each.    Be safe and I do hope you can come home soon!