Annual Plea for SLU Football

[For-DaLove]

Skip the Club team. Just go straight to non-scholarship FCS. I don't know how those are funded usually but it seems to be the most logical way to start then maybe 5-10 years later, provide scholarships. Then after 20 years you could have a competitive team that can handle a small stadium and a good fan base.

Here is an interesting blog article on college football attendance stats.

http://harvardsportsanalysis.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/the-2010-college-football-attendance-rankings/

BC has about the same number of students as us and brings in nearly 40,000 per game. I don't think we could ever achieve that but if after a long time of developing the program I think getting more than 10,000 per game is very reasonable and would maintain enough financial support so that it wouldn't be a "drain".

Sorry, but if we can only get about 10,000 fans per game it WILL be a financial drain. And if we don't think we can ever get 40,000 I see no point in attempting to build a program.

[jbizzle09]

Same blog, similar article:

http://harvardsportsanalysis.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/what-factors-contribute-to-attendance-in-college-football/

What Factors Contribute to Attendance in College Football? ...

The article also mentions another article about college football profits

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/30/the-most-profitable-colle_n_802810.html#s217317&title=University_of_Texas

If Biondi had 20 years left in him at SLU, I think it would be enough to convince him to start a program, but it's a long term investment.

I don't really understand what you are driving at with linking to these two articles. One shows that of the schools that draw the most profits from college football, all but one of them are in the BCS conferences and are huge, public universities. The other one, Notre Dame, has had football forever and happens to have its own TV deal with a major network.

The other article points out 5 things that drive college attendance and SLU doesn't fit any of them. SLU is a private university that resides in a large metro area with existing pro franchises, has a relatively small undergrad populatio and has no winning tradition. It also has no hope of ever being in a BCS conference.

Thus, by linking to these two articles, I think you've proven the point that it isn't in SLU's best interests to try to get a football program off of the ground.

[Bay Area Billiken]

I don't really understand what you are driving at with linking to these two articles. One shows that of the schools that draw the most profits from college football, all but one of them are in the BCS conferences and are huge, public universities. The other one, Notre Dame, has had football forever and happens to have its own TV deal with a major network.

The other article points out 5 things that drive college attendance and SLU doesn't fit any of them. SLU is a private university that resides in a large metro area with existing pro franchises, has a relatively small undergrad populatio and has no winning tradition. It also has no hope of ever being in a BCS conference.

Thus, by linking to these two articles, I think you've proven the point that it isn't in SLU's best interests to try to get a football program off of the ground.

Point in all this- It could be done. Peer institutions are proving it. Just look at the list of D-1 private schools playing football, both D-1 and FCS. Are private football schools that are similar to SLU making money on football, as in the accounting bottom line? Or do they see football as a marketing and visibility tool for the school, as part of the college experience, as a unifier to bring the alumni back to campus, who contribute to the endowment? These categories provide an economic benefit to a school, not reflected directly in an accounting bottom line. But can there be any doubt that they have an effect on the revenue line above?

Does SLU make money from the non-revenue sports, as in a black bottom line? The answer is of course not.

Look across Forest Park. Is Wash U making a bottom line accounting profit from having a football team? Why does Wash U have a football team?

This is not as simple as a bottom line accounting number, in black or red ink. If that was the sole criterion, a number of the private schools still playing football would not be fielding teams.

[billiken_roy]

question for you dreamers:

where are the gridiron billikens gonna practice and play?

[Bay Area Billiken]

question for you dreamers:

where are the gridiron billikens gonna practice and play?

There are multiple options for both:

Practice- the new field at the Medical Center and/or Hermann Stadium.

Games- Hermann Stadium for non-scholarship Pioneer League level; Hermann Stadium or Busch Stadium for scholarship FCS. If we really want to dream FBS, Busch Stadium or Edward Jones Dome.

Comparable re the lower level, non-scholarship or even scholarship FCS: Fordham plays at 7,500 bleacher seat Jack Coffey Field, which has bleachers on only the west side of the field. Fordham football shares that field with the Fordham men's and women's soccer teams, and the football field is left field of the adjacent Houlihan Park, the baseball park.

The venue would seem to be among the least of the issues. Where there is a will, there is a way.

[Billboy1]

As I recall SLU had a very good "club" football program in the late 60s, maybe early 70's, even went undefeated one year. Attendance wasn't bad and there was a lot of discussion to make the program bigger but then the hockey program moved in and the interest died. So it's not like SLU never tried the football thing before.

[bk18]

question for you dreamers:

where are the gridiron billikens gonna practice and play?

I was thinking of the Armory being converted to a 18k cap. open air arena. Keep the original walls knock down the ceiling.

[WUH]

This should be one of the first 10 items of new business upon the departure of Fr. Biondi and the arrival of a new University president.

I'm just waiting for the white smoke out of DuBourg Hall.

I talked to one of our top admissions reps last night at an alumni event in Dallas, and he said that Fr. Biondi's goal after leaving Loyola was to be a University president for 25 years. He is approaching that Silver Anniversary, so maybe we will see a changing of the guard soon.

Reinert was president for exactly 25 years, then became "chancellor" and "chancellor emeritus" during the later years of his life. Perhaps that would be a great advisory role for Biondi to do when he steps down from being our CEO.

I think the consensus position on Fr. Biondi is that he has no plans to match Reinert's legacy, but rather he wants to outlive it altogether. Fr. Reinert retired 20 years ago and passed away 10 years ago. Biondi is about 70 years old, so time is not on his side, but I doubt he retires soon.

[WUH]

Look across Forest Park. Is Wash U making a bottom line accounting profit from having a football team? Why does Wash U have a football team?

For many Universities, it is not about recruitment but is instead about recruiting males. This is part of the equation for WashU.

[slufan13]

Also, if we had a football team and our enrollment increased, we would need to add more housing. There's another massive expense that we would have to deal with.

I'm 100% against it pretty much for all the reasons people have stated on here.

If SLU would this, they better do it right. You can't just try and see what happens.

[Box and Won]

There are multiple options for both:

Practice- the new field at the Medical Center and/or Hermann Stadium.

Games- Hermann Stadium for non-scholarship Pioneer League level; Hermann Stadium or Busch Stadium for scholarship FCS. If we really want to dream FBS, Busch Stadium or Edward Jones Dome.

Comparable re the lower level, non-scholarship or even scholarship FCS: Fordham plays at 7,500 bleacher seat Jack Coffey Field, which has bleachers on only the west side of the field. Fordham football shares that field with the Fordham men's and women's soccer teams, and the football field is left field of the adjacent Houlihan Park, the baseball park.

The venue would seem to be among the least of the issues. Where there is a will, there is a way.

A club team could even play/practice in its early days at Cardinal Ritter, which is just a couple blocks north of campus.

[ACE]

I can't believe this thread has gone five pages. Let's keep it going. The one good thing about college football is more cheerleaders. Hey Jimbo, it's Friday!

[b.hayes]

A club team could even play/practice in its early days at Cardinal Ritter, which is just a couple blocks north of campus.

Our NCAA Division 1 Scholarship Track & Field practiced there before getting the new track built on the Med Campus this year, often with 1-3 other high school track teams practicing at the same time. Talk about a clusterfouck. That occasionally became dangerous when people were chucking javelins and the like around. I think one the SLU coaches almost got speared once.

[Clock_Tower]

There are multiple options for both:

Practice- the new field at the Medical Center and/or Hermann Stadium.

Games- Hermann Stadium for non-scholarship Pioneer League level; Hermann Stadium or Busch Stadium for scholarship FCS. If we really want to dream FBS, Busch Stadium or Edward Jones Dome.

Comparable re the lower level, non-scholarship or even scholarship FCS: Fordham plays at 7,500 bleacher seat Jack Coffey Field, which has bleachers on only the west side of the field. Fordham football shares that field with the Fordham men's and women's soccer teams, and the football field is left field of the adjacent Houlihan Park, the baseball park.

The venue would seem to be among the least of the issues. Where there is a will, there is a way.

No way. One week of football would destroy the field at Hermann Stadium.

[Bay Area Billiken]

No way. One week of football would destroy the field at Hermann Stadium.

Other schools are able to work out these things- field turf.

If not Hermann Stadium for games, how about Busch Stadium, Cardinal Ritter, SLUH? Practice could be at the new Medical campus field.

When SLU fielded a varsity football team, the games were at Walsh Stadium, which is long gone. SLU was an annual opponent on Notre Dame's football schedule. Imagine that.

[billikenfan05]

Other schools are able to work out these things- field turf.

If not Hermann Stadium for games, how about Busch Stadium, Cardinal Ritter, SLUH? Practice could be at the new Medical campus field.

When SLU fielded a varsity football team, the games were at Walsh Stadium, which is long gone. SLU was an annual opponent on Notre Dame's football schedule. Imagine that.

You are wasting your time and energy posting about this. It will NEVER happen. I'd enjoy it if it did but I've come to terms with it.

[MB73]

Well, that's not entirely true. SLU started a hockey program in large part because the Salomons tried to use it as a jump-start for interest in the expansion Blues. Sometime during the final 2-5 seasons, the Salomons started charging rent, which totally changed the already-shaky financial situation of the SLU program. The basketball team wasn't exactly setting attendance or performance records (at least not positive ones) in those days, and if you think Father Biondi "doesn't support" athletics, you should have known Father O'Connell. (Not "you," as in MB73, whom I believe did know Father Dan. "You" as in the global billikens.com "you.")

Yes, to my point.

A 2nd yr business student at SLU would have made sure that the contract was long term so that the Solomans could not stick it to SLU.

Bring in top coach, 20 Junior A players from Canada, start a D-1 program, skates, equip, The Arena, all that.

OH. Now we have to pay rent.

Good job, Jesuits and athletic department.

Again, and some of you think SLU can start a football program?

[jbizzle09]

Other schools are able to work out these things- field turf.

If not Hermann Stadium for games, how about Busch Stadium, Cardinal Ritter, SLUH? Practice could be at the new Medical campus field.

When SLU fielded a varsity football team, the games were at Walsh Stadium, which is long gone. SLU was an annual opponent on Notre Dame's football schedule. Imagine that.

The landscape of college football was extremely different back in the '20s and '30s as opposed to today. I think you know that. You are getting a little Pollyana like now with your SLU football dreams.

[Bay Area Billiken]

The landscape of college football was extremely different back in the '20s and '30s as opposed to today. I think you know that. You are getting a little Pollyana like now with your SLU football dreams.

Notre Dame, the school of Knute Rockne, the Four Horsemen, when the landscape was allegedly "extremeley different," ... Notre Dame, once a football opponent of SLU, currently a football opponent of fellow Jesuit school Boston College.

SLU Football Billikens- Inventors of the forward pass. Undefeated since 1949.

That's all folks, ... until perhaps next year.

[billiken_roy]

Other schools are able to work out these things- field turf.

If not Hermann Stadium for games, how about Busch Stadium, Cardinal Ritter, SLUH? Practice could be at the new Medical campus field.

When SLU fielded a varsity football team, the games were at Walsh Stadium, which is long gone. SLU was an annual opponent on Notre Dame's football schedule. Imagine that.

field turf - collinsville high school just did turf for their high school field and the cost was over $1 million dollars.

if not herman we incur the cost of renting for practice and games. you also then run into scheduling issues since the field would then be shared.

i havent viewed the medical campus field yet, no idea how it is set up to include a viable fan viewing, fan paying, fan rest rooms, fan concessions, etc. all again additional costs.

i would assume a football field would fit into the infield of a normal track, so at least you would have that going for you.

the point is all the ideas for practice and game facilities bring more and more costs to the table that either severely injure our already up and running athletic programs or require one hell of a sugar daddy to emerge.

note: while i truly am thankful and greatly appreciative of Dr Chaifetz and all he has done for the arena and the ongoing concern of the Billikens Athletic Department, the truth is the level Dr Chaifetz is reported to have given for the arena wouldnt even come close to being the needed funding for these gridiron dreams in my opinion. you better find a pickens or knight like benefactor to even talk about it.

[Bay Area Billiken]

field turf - collinsville high school just did turf for their high school field and the cost was over $1 million dollars.

if not herman we incur the cost of renting for practice and games. you also then run into scheduling issues since the field would then be shared.

i havent viewed the medical campus field yet, no idea how it is set up to include a viable fan viewing, fan paying, fan rest rooms, fan concessions, etc. all again additional costs.

i would assume a football field would fit into the infield of a normal track, so at least you would have that going for you.

the point is all the ideas for practice and game facilities bring more and more costs to the table that either severely injure our already up and running athletic programs or require one hell of a sugar daddy to emerge.

note: while i truly am thankful and greatly appreciative of Dr Chaifetz and all he has done for the arena and the ongoing concern of the Billikens Athletic Department, the truth is the level Dr Chaifetz is reported to have given for the arena wouldnt even come close to being the needed funding for these gridiron dreams in my opinion. you better find a pickens or knight like benefactor to even talk about it.

Please indulge one more response:

The Quincy Public School District just incurred a charge of about $800,000 for field turf at Flinn Stadium, of which $75,000 is being paid by Quincy University. Along with that investment in the field, QU is paying $500 per game to play its home football games at Flinn Stadium.

How to defer costs? Arkansas State reportedly was to be paid $850,000 for playing at Illinois. Even at Quincy's level, Quincy has played at Indiana State (and actually won there a couple of years ago) and at SIUC, for guarantees.

[billiken_roy]

Please indulge one more response:

The Quincy Public School District just incurred a charge of about $800,000 for field turf at Flinn Stadium, of which $75,000 is being paid by Quincy University. Along with that investment in the field, QU is paying $500 per game to play its home football games at Flinn Stadium.

How to defer costs? Arkansas State reportedly was to be paid $850,000 for playing at Illinois. Even at Quincy's level, Quincy has played at Indiana State (and actually won there a couple of years ago) and at SIUC, for guarantees.

$75,000 and $500 per game. congratulations you probably just eliminated men and women's track and cross country from the athletic budget. unfortunately we then wouldnt have enough sports to be considered D1.

i.e. still comes down to needing money and lots of it.

[Box and Won]

If these guys can do it, so can we:

http://www.xavier.edu/clubsports/football/index.cfm

http://www.siueclubfootball.com/

http://www.marquetteclubfootball.com/about.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Institutions_with_club_football_teams

[bonwich]

If these guys can do it, so can we:

http://www.xavier.edu/clubsports/football/index.cfm

The Xavier Football team was back to back MCFC champions in '07 and '08. In 2009 we finished 5-4 and 2010 we finished 2-2. We regretfully had to cancel half of the 2010 season due to the small roster and injuries making it too risky to field such a small team and risk more injuries. We will be back for 2011. We are made up of a bunch of guys who love to play the game and work hard to be the best. If you have any interest in playing or finding out more about the Musketeer Football team please email us at [email protected] or check us out on facebook.

That said (and as I believe someone else asked): Didn't we have a club football team not too long ago?

[bk18]

If these guys can do it, so can we:

http://www.xavier.edu/clubsports/football/index.cfm

http://www.siueclubfootball.com/

http://www.marquetteclubfootball.com/about.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Institutions_with_club_football_teams

+1.

Watch 5-10 years from now when the conferences shake up, SLU will be left in the dust. Marquette, Xavier, etc. may not have D1 programs but they are at least in position where they could more easily start one if it means a ticket into the conference that they want.

There is a correlation between good conferences and those with football.