FB: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

was BSCs game against LaGrange against their JV?

and 12,000 people were at that game?  if they are drawing that then I dont see them staying DIII for very long.  Too much money to be made.

KentATM,

There were about "5 reams" of discussion on BSC's move to D-III from non-football D1 in May 2006 when it was announced.

http://www.d3football.com/dailydose/2006/05/26/birmingham-southern-welcome-to-d-iii/



You can google Birmingham Southern College on D3football to get more references.  Please go to the front page for that search location.

[Major Rev]

KentATM, yes, the BSC game against LaGrange was against the LaGrange JV according to the BSC web site, as was the game against Mississippi College.

But 12,000 in attendance at the first homecoming since football was reinstituted will not be taking them out of D3 to which they have just started a transition, after a short 8 year run in D1.  The board of trustees decided that they just didn't fit.  They had come out of NAIA around 1999 after having won recent national championships in baseball and basketball.  BSC was the third smallest D1 school behind Centenary and Wofford before beginning the transition.

The D3 attendance record, I understand, for any athletic event, was set by Millsaps and Mississippi College when their rivalry was reintituted several years ago.  The attendance? Over 12,000.  Can someone help me out there?

[KentATM]

thanks Ralph.  that helps out quite a bit.  does anyone know if they charge $$$ to get into their games?  do any SCAC schools?

[Josh Bowerman]

I don't disagree with the general direction you're coming from, Kent, but like the fact that the games are free of charge.  I'm afraid that, at this point, we'd have even fewer fans than we already do if we were to charge, and the gate receipts wouldn't be generating more than a thousand or two at the most anyway.   

[Major Rev]

Millsaps -- $10 per game for season ticket reserved chairback seats
$5 general admission
average attendance this year about 1800

[INQBScout]

and 12,000 people were at that game?  if they are drawing that then I dont see them staying DIII for very long.  Too much money to be made.

That's WHY they made the move to DIII---they were losing their shirts on DI athletics...I think the school only has about 1,600 students...I think they are on the right track...

[Gray Fox]

thanks Ralph.  that helps out quite a bit.  does anyone know if they charge $$$ to get into their games?  do any SCAC schools?

My latest experience, as I recall.

Austin  2007 - none
Trinity   2006 - none
Colorado College  - 2001  Small amount.

[oldmoose]

KentATM, yes, the BSC game against LaGrange was against the LaGrange JV according to the BSC web site, as was the game against Mississippi College.

But 12,000 in attendance at the first homecoming since football was reinstituted will not be taking them out of D3 to which they have just started a transition, after a short 8 year run in D1.  The board of trustees decided that they just didn't fit.  They had come out of NAIA around 1999 after having won recent national championships in baseball and basketball.  BSC was the third smallest D1 school behind Centenary and Wofford before beginning the transition.

The D3 attendance record, I understand, for any athletic event, was set by Millsaps and Mississippi College when their rivalry was reintituted several years ago.  The attendance? Over 12,000.  Can someone help me out there?

The official stats show an attendance of 3412.  From the crowd I sat in, I'd say that's about right.  I don't know where the B'ham news got 12000.  That's nuts.  There will be 12000 at Regions Park this weekend though.  Vestavia Hills plays Hoover.

[KentATM]

I don't disagree with the general direction you're coming from, Kent, but like the fact that the games are free of charge.  I'm afraid that, at this point, we'd have even fewer fans than we already do if we were to charge, and the gate receipts wouldn't be generating more than a thousand or two at the most anyway.   

oh I definitely have no problem with the games being free, but w/just a little effort, they could make a decent amount selling snacks.  Right now I think our only options for purchase are hot dogs, school lunch size bag chips, a couple different candy bars, prepackaged nachos, M&Ms, water and coke.   I just wonder what all it would take to bring in things like personal sized pizzas, burgers, more than one soda choice etc etc etc.


but besides that, I wonder which of our facilities need upgrades.  Our tennis courts are getting moved and redone and the baseball field FINALLY is no longer a joke.  I guess the soccer fields could use some stands but I don't know how everyone else does it.  I kinda want to get our LAX program moved up to varsity from club and am trying to get a bunch of my buddies that played (i was merely their team heckler) to get some money together but right now thats just a pipe dream.

[Gray Fox]

I don't disagree with the general direction you're coming from, Kent, but like the fact that the games are free of charge.  I'm afraid that, at this point, we'd have even fewer fans than we already do if we were to charge, and the gate receipts wouldn't be generating more than a thousand or two at the most anyway.   

oh I definitely have no problem with the games being free, but w/just a little effort, they could make a decent amount selling snacks.  Right now I think our only options for purchase are hot dogs, school lunch size bag chips, a couple different candy bars, prepackaged nachos, M&Ms, water and coke.   I just wonder what all it would take to bring in things like personal sized pizzas, burgers, more than one soda choice etc etc etc.


but besides that, I wonder which of our facilities need upgrades.  Our tennis courts are getting moved and redone and the baseball field FINALLY is no longer a joke.  I guess the soccer fields could use some stands but I don't know how everyone else does it.  I kinda want to get our LAX program moved up to varsity from club and am trying to get a bunch of my buddies that played (i was merely their team heckler) to get some money together but right now thats just a pipe dream.

I'm sure anything you donate to athletics will be appreciated.

[Josh Bowerman]

We can talk about that, Kent!  Just so happens that I know one or two people in the AC development office.... 8)

[Ron Boerger]

actually, what are the average attendances at SCAC (and I guess DIII at large)?

Perhaps my perception is skewed by bad attendance AC games have had since the team has been in the dregs the last 15 years.

It drives me batty the amount of money they could be making for the school (or the charities they choose) w/simple things like upgrading the concession stands options.  (although I'm sure nobody would go if we had to pay anything to get into the games.)

Basically, I'd like to know where the AC athlete department stands vs other SCAC schools.  What do we need to improve?

SCAC attendance ranges 500-2000 with a few games above that range. 

With re better facilities meaning more money - unlikely.  The financial ROI on athletic facilities, unless you are adding sports in an attempt to add more students, is almost universally negative.  You may be able to get "better" student-athletes, or more.  Most upgrades come when rich alums/donors want to leave their name on campus and drop big money for new facilities.   

Re wanting to upgrade LAX - seems unlikely unless the SCAC decides to sponsor it as a sport.  There's been some speculation (mostly by me) that LAX will be the next sport the conference adds due to the number of schools that either have it as a team (non-club) sport or have announced plans to do so. 

BTW I know that BSC charges $10 for their football tickets and I think $5 for bball.  Their fans are used to paying, tho, since they used to be D1 in all the other sports.  Kind of interesting to watch their non-FB teams play since some are now a mix of scholarship and non-scholarship students; the 'old' SCAC teams find themselves going up against some BSC teams that still have athletes who were all-conference in their D1 days.  That's why they are provisional D3 status and will be until the scholarship kids graduate. 

[cush]

Yeah, the scac has got some good football programs on the rise, really a mini version of the sec/big 12 for d3. As for BSC  they do seem to be  filling the niche of a d3 football program in the south faster than anticipated. Than again, their is a huge void of d3 programs in alabama and other southern states for that matter, ie just compare most southern states having one-two comparable academic d3 football school's to ohio, so a school like bsc can load up on the local talent. I would think flordia would be a prime market for a school making a jump like bsc, maybe rollins? Another school, i always thought to be perfect for d3 is wofford, they are pretty much cut from the same cloth as scac school's but playing 1-aa, even playing u of scar, that's alot to bite off for such a small school.

[Pat Coleman]

Yeah, the scac has got some good football programs on the rise, really a mini version of the sec/big 12 for d3.

Whoa. Let's win a playoff game sometime in the past four years first.

[Josh Bowerman]

LOL.