SLU Athletics/NIL

[slu92]

Before I make my point please hear me out. What should fans/donors expect to move program forward that is realistic?

Look at the picture of Travis begging for NIL dollars…look at that half empty room, same old donors (thank you seriously) in the brand new champions center. Picture sums up where we are now perfectly. While CC is very nice, it’s basically mbb, wbb, soccer offices, a cafeteria really just for mbb/wbb and that’s it! Not saying it isn’t awesome, but was it essential? No. Chris May knew about NIL before one shove went into the ground for the CC. Instead of asking donors to put millions into NIL he sold them on office buildings and a cafeteria basically. Zero strategy, zero vision. Chris May paid this coach $2.5 million convinced donors to invest. Year 8 now. Travis couldn’t get hired at Chaminade now if it was open. More waste and more stupidity. Look at that picture. Travis looks like he’s speaking about time shares at Branson to the Ladue rotary club. My wish is get an AD that will run department more like a business than a parish rectory. A person that has vision, is charismatic, is optimistic and makes people want to be a part of something special and fun. It’s not hard. Current AD inspires me to buy Tinactin spray. 
 

Again this isn’t a knock to any donors or the group running the BVF. Jordan Belfort couldn’t raise money for this program currently. Easier job would be selling LA Rams season tix in St. Louis than trust May and Ford to change. It’s over. Start fresh. Time to embrace NIL and get creative asap. Not wait 10/15 years and copy Xavier or Dayton like SLU did with CC. Money goes to NIL team wins, then build something. Very short sighted. 

 

 

[thetorch]

1 minute ago, slu92 said:

Before I make my point please hear me out. What should fans/donors expect to move program forward that is realistic?

Look at the picture of Travis begging for NIL dollars…look at that half empty room, same old donors (thank you seriously) in the brand new champions center. Picture sums up where we are now perfectly. While CC is very nice, it’s basically mbb, wbb, soccer offices, a cafeteria really just for mbb/wbb and that’s it! Not saying it isn’t awesome, but was it essential? No. Chris May knew about NIL before one shove went into the ground for the CC. Instead of asking donors to put millions into NIL he sold them on office buildings and a cafeteria basically. Zero strategy, zero vision. Chris May paid this coach $2.5 million convinced donors to invest. Year 8 now. Travis couldn’t get hired at Chaminade now if it was open. More waste and more stupidity. Look at that picture. Travis looks like he’s speaking about time shares at Branson to the Ladue rotary club. My wish is get an AD that will run department more like a business than a parish rectory. A person that has vision, is charismatic, is optimistic and makes people want to be a part of something special and fun. It’s not hard. Current AD inspires me to buy Tinactin spray. 
 

Again this isn’t a knock to any donors or the group running the BVF. Jordan Belfort couldn’t raise money for this program currently. Easier job would be selling LA Rams season tix in St. Louis than trust May and Ford to change. It’s over. Start fresh. Time to embrace NIL and get creative asap. Not wait 10/15 years and copy Xavier or Dayton like SLU did with CC. Money goes to NIL team wins, then build something. Very short sighted. 

 

 

But the President of the Board of Trustees said that picture only showed half the room and that it was for high money donors only.

[johnbj14]

I’ll never understand the reluctance to appeal to more than a small group of donors. Eventually the core group they tap on now won’t be around. Future versions of this BVF event should be 75 dollars, and open it up to try and draw a big crowd. You can still work the big fish for more money once they’re there. 

[slu92]

We never did see that picture, did we? Point is they hammer same donors non stop, grateful they are around but you can only ask so many times. SLU has no NIL money, fact. NIL will help your program more than CC will in 2023 and moving forward. Zero vision or strategy by AD. Zero. Plus, ask BoT prez next time you are around 114 at a home game if CC is completely paid for…it’s not. So proof again we only have so many “big” donors. I’m sure OLaughin and others would’ve been happy giving millions to build roster through NIL over a $20 million smoothie bar/office space, that most decent other programs have had for years and years now. It’s not their fault, they probably had no idea what NIL was or what it would look like 2/3 years ago….but you know who should’ve? The guy hired to run department, who goes to NCAA meetings, who serves on NCAA boards….Chris May. 

[cheeseman]

2 minutes ago, slu92 said:

We never did see that picture, did we? Point is they hammer same donors non stop, grateful they are around but you can only ask so many times. SLU has no NIL money, fact. NIL will help your program more than CC will. Zero vision or strategy by AD. Zero. Plus, ask BoT prez next time you are around 114 at a home game if CC is completely paid for…it’s not. So we only have so many “big” donors. I’m sure OLaughin would’ve been happy giving millions to build roster through NIL over a $20 million smoothie bar/office space, that most decent other programs have had for years and years now. All I’m saying. 

Yes it is not paid for and they were actively trying to raise money for it not long ago.  The problem is May boxed himself in - he wanted to keep Ford and have his CC.  The problem is if the building was not going to be paid for by the big donor - no blame on him - May should have not gone ahead with it until he knew he had the funding and maybe he should have been looking more big picture and not so narrow as a building.

[slu92]

Amen! May even said at announcement he had an anonymous donor who didn’t want to be named just yet or maybe at all…his name is Fred Pestello. If the guys lips are moving he’s lying. I’m telling you. Great point! 

[TheA_Bomb]

The problem is the program is ran by C students.  People with no vision or direction are in charge. We need a change and with that change we need alignment in the program.  Alignment in college athletics is like Dr Lopmeris' summary of Clausewitz's holy trinity of warfighting.  You must have the political will, will of the people and the military to win.  In an Athletic Department you must have the AD vision, organizational skills, the Coach that can meet that vision and the boosters that buy in and support it.   Part of that organization these days is the collective it's a hybrid fans + AD. We're lacking right now in all 3 areas. But getting the right AD, who hires the right  coach and gives us hope enough to support the program. 

[SLUMS81]

There is nothing wrong with the CC.  It is an asset to the University and to the athletes who benefit from it.  
The physical facilities box is checked. Time to focus every effort on NIL funding.   Looking forward is all we can do at this point.

[slu92]

Am I 100% bashing Chris May, I own it because it’s justified. If we have no money to buy out Ford, another example of terrible contract given out by CM, no NIL money coming in right now, then how do you trust the same guy who put program in this situation starting years ago to fix all the problems he created? Serious question, what is CM’s plan to fix mbb program, fire/keep Ford, what justified giving Travis Ford $2.5 million a year, how are you going to raise NIL $$$ and oh what’s plan to raise money to pay off CC? Just hope Fred and board write a few million off the books? Plus how many NCAA credits do we have being paid out? One? ALL of that on top of two sexual assault issues, dropping ball on BE and too many to list smaller blunders over last 10/15 years or so. What is the plan. Just tell us. He can’t because his whole strategy is based on hope. Get a serious person in that job SLU/Fred/BoT while you still have time. Otherwise drop to D2 and Chaifetz can be used as a flea market year round. 

[Lord Elrond]

2 minutes ago, SLUMS81 said:

There is nothing wrong with the CC.  It is an asset to the University and to the athletes who benefit from it.  
The physical facilities box is checked. Time to focus every effort on NIL funding.   Looking forward is all we can do at this point.

I actually think the CC was needed just to tread water. Every other D-1 school has facilities like it, maybe not all in one building, and maybe some differences, but this was just what was needed to stay relevant to the Xavier’s, Creighton’s, Marquette’s, Butler’s of the world, the schools we aspire to be. One way to put it is that the CC is part of the table stakes we needed to continue to play and try to get to their level. Next step is to bulldoze Grand Forest apartments and build a decent dorm for (mostly, can’t be exclusively per the NCAA) athletes. Again, that is table stakes if we to keep up with the others who are where we want to be, regardless of what changes are made in coach or AD.  Different issues entirely.

[slu92]

I agree nothing wrong with CC. It is awesome. The issue is SLU did not need it then and doesn’t need it now. CC did not help team it was built for yesterday at Carbondale. NIL money a year ago would’ve. CC is like a guy with no job, buying a Rolex hoping that watch gets him a big executive job. Should’ve saved his money, worked on resume, went to school, etc not buy a watch. That person is a moron, right? I wouldn’t hire him. 
 

While I am remembering….remember when Chris May said the cafeteria/nutrition center would benefit all the student athletes? Ya that was a lie. Only mbb and wbb teams eat for free there. Rest of athletes meal plans don’t transfer over to CC cafeteria. Staff and coaches pay as well.  Please double check that and confirm but I was told that by a wsoc players dad. You can’t make any of this up. Nobody believes one person can be this incompetent. I sure didn’t, but do now. 

[billikenfan05]

We needed another thread. 

[Lord Elrond]

We need NIL now for MBB, no question.  If we want to ever think about moving up to the Big East, we need facilities to play on an even field. We need to find the money for both. 
 

I wasn’t aware that only MBB and WBB athletes eat for free there, it should have been for all athletes, LIKE CHRIS MAY SAID IT WOULD BE!!!!

 

Honestly, if that’s true, that may be the single best reason to fire May I’ve heard yet.

[slu92]

9 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

I actually think the CC was needed just to tread water. Every other D-1 school has facilities like it, maybe not all in one building, and maybe some differences, but this was just what was needed to stay relevant to the Xavier’s, Creighton’s, Marquette’s, Butler’s of the world, the schools we aspire to be. One way to put it is that the CC is part of the table stakes we needed to continue to play and try to get to their level. Next step is to bulldoze Grand Forest apartments and build a decent dorm for (mostly, can’t be exclusively per the NCAA) athletes. Again, that is table stakes if we to keep up with the others who are where we want to be, regardless of what changes are made in coach or AD.  Different issues entirely.

Excellent points. I agree housing should be a priority asap. However, all those schools you listed have one thing in common that SLU doesn’t and that’s being a consistent winning program. Do you think same guy who is baffled why fans don’t think winning 20 games last five seasons, none against a top 25 ranked team, are crazy has even thought once about a future student athlete housing project? Chris May can’t pay for CC now, get a baseball stadium built, raise NIL money just for starts. Not bashing you, just saying you make too many good points, couldn’t be AD at SLU. LoL

Someone needs to 100% verify student meal plan deal at CC. If true, criminal. 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

51 minutes ago, Lord Elrond said:

We need NIL now for MBB, no question.  If we want to ever think about moving up to the Big East, we need facilities to play on an even field. We need to find the money for both. 
 

I wasn’t aware that only MBB and WBB athletes eat for free there, it should have been for all athletes, LIKE CHRIS MAY SAID IT WOULD BE!!!!

 

Honestly, if that’s true, that may be the single best reason to fire May I’ve heard yet.

Chris May is the master of screwing people that help him with a smile on his face.

[dlarry]

2 hours ago, johnbj14 said:

I’ll never understand the reluctance to appeal to more than a small group of donors. Eventually the core group they tap on now won’t be around. Future versions of this BVF event should be 75 dollars, and open it up to try and draw a big crowd. You can still work the big fish for more money once they’re there. 

It’s like he doesn’t realize 10 dollars from 100 people spends the same way as 1000 dollars from 1 person.

[willie]

1 hour ago, Lord Elrond said:

We need NIL now for MBB, no question.  If we want to ever think about moving up to the Big East, we need facilities to play on an even field. We need to find the money for both. 
 

I wasn’t aware that only MBB and WBB athletes eat for free there, it should have been for all athletes, LIKE CHRIS MAY SAID IT WOULD BE!!!!

 

Honestly, if that’s true, that may be the single best reason to fire May I’ve heard yet.

To my knowledge all athletes can eat there. That was certainly part of the sales pitch. 

[Soderball]

The 2.5mil to CTF is the elephant in the room. All the money got spent on that insane contract and is being spent there.

Utah State pays under half that, and they got a guy who brought in players.

Our program should be moving coaches every few years with the latest crop of players. VCU has been thru many coaches during the last decade and is STILL better than us, and if I recall right better every one of those years.

Travis Ford is running a serious grift on the program here.

[Soderball]

4 hours ago, slu92 said:

Excellent points. I agree housing should be a priority asap. However, all those schools you listed have one thing in common that SLU doesn’t and that’s being a consistent winning program. Do you think same guy who is baffled why fans don’t think winning 20 games last five seasons, none against a top 25 ranked team, are crazy has even thought once about a future student athlete housing project? Chris May can’t pay for CC now, get a baseball stadium built, raise NIL money just for starts. Not bashing you, just saying you make too many good points, couldn’t be AD at SLU. LoL

Someone needs to 100% verify student meal plan deal at CC. If true, criminal. 

We can win now and have before. The issue is our coaching choices.

I used to think facilities mattered more, but Spoons won here and so did Rick. The issue is that we keep bringing mediocre leadership in.

And facilities are totally irrelevant compared to just having an NIL budget. It's not that expensive to do.

Get a coach that can coach and spend 1.5mil bringing 5-6 guys that can play in and a few other roleplayers. We have a top 100 team.

[Slowry]

9 hours ago, Soderball said:

We can win now and have before. The issue is our coaching choices.

I used to think facilities mattered more, but Spoons won here and so did Rick. The issue is that we keep bringing mediocre leadership in.

And facilities are totally irrelevant compared to just having an NIL budget. It's not that expensive to do.

Get a coach that can coach and spend 1.5mil bringing 5-6 guys that can play in and a few other roleplayers. We have a top 100 team.

Totally agree.  and I’m sure most of you remember when the Arena and Savis were pretty much sold out.  Pretty sure they held a few more people than the current venue.  

[TheChosenOne]

12 hours ago, dlarry said:

It’s like he doesn’t realize 10 dollars from 100 people spends the same way as 1000 dollars from 1 person.

Part of me sometimes wonders whether the boosters like it that way as well.

I get too fired up posting about NIL and SLU, so I will stay out of the primary discussion. This season to date certainly validates some of that anger and hopefully it is waking a lot of folks up.

[TheA_Bomb]

12 hours ago, dlarry said:

It’s like he doesn’t realize 10 dollars from 100 people spends the same way as 1000 dollars from 1 person.

It's more work to get $10 from 100 people.  But you need to do it.  Doing it requires a skill this AD lacks,  marketing fan engagement.  Mid-town Madness Podcast was right on when they questioned SLU's online marketing presence. They lack engagement online.  I'm not a social media guy but I recognize the value for marketing.  The costs are low and the impact can be great.  But you have to engage in different platforms for different demographics. Each platform has it's niche. They're terrible at it.  Get online engagements up and push for micro donations. 

[cheeseman]

29 minutes ago, TheA_Bomb said:

It's more work to get $10 from 100 people.  But you need to do it.  Doing it requires a skill this AD lacks,  marketing fan engagement.  Mid-town Madness Podcast was right on when they questioned SLU's online marketing presence. They lack engagement online.  I'm not a social media guy but I recognize the value for marketing.  The costs are low and the impact can be great.  But you have to engage in different platforms for different demographics. Each platform has it's niche. They're terrible at it.  Get online engagements up and push for micro donations. 

In order to raise money you have to get people excited.  Who is excited with the program now?  You can beat the drum all you want but until excitement returns raising money will be a challenge.  Apathy is a program's worst enemy.

[TheA_Bomb]

1 hour ago, cheeseman said:

In order to raise money you have to get people excited.  Who is excited with the program now?  You can beat the drum all you want but until excitement returns raising money will be a challenge.  Apathy is a program's worst enemy.

Exactly why we must change.  They lost their base. Ford lost his team in the blowout.  Everyone saw it.  May is losing his base of support. Canceled bus to SIUC?  Anyone know of something like that happening before? No enthusiasm, no money.  No one believes in this program right now.

[Slowry]

3 hours ago, cheeseman said:

In order to raise money you have to get people excited.  Who is excited with the program now?  You can beat the drum all you want but until excitement returns raising money will be a challenge.  Apathy is a program's worst enemy.

Exactly.  Only reason I renewed my season tickets is I would never be snow to get my seats again.  I didn’t renew the 4 up top for the kids and their friends.  I would say my seats have over a 90% usage rate the last 10 plus years.  Even through the bad Crews years.  The seats have yet to be used this year.  I won’t even go through the trouble of giving them away.  I think empty seats speak volumes.  I might go to a few games.   Driving 45min each way makes it a 4hr plus commitment.  Plus spending money on parking and concessions feels like throwing good money after bad.   I still watch the games on TV when I can.  But judging by attendance I think a lot of people feel the same way.