Has Marquette ever considered starting a football program again?

[CrimsonNCrean]

I think this would be very good for the school.....   anyone know if it has been considered?

[MU B2002]

Yes.  Except in an attempt to fit in with today's kids the games will be played on PS3.

[Litehouse]

The question comes up all the time.  My recollection is that the administration has said it would take some astronomical figure, like $100 Million, to start up a football program again.  Also, most people around here would not want to sacrafice resources from basketball to fund a football program that would struggle for the forseeable future.

[2TimeWarrior]

I think this would be very good for the school.....   anyone know if it has been considered?

Gosh, what a great idea.  I can't believe this hasn't been thought of yet.  I would suggest you get the process started by suggesting this to the administation.  I'm sure they'd be so amazed at this creative idea that you might even land yourself a position on the staff!

[Brewtown Andy]

The question comes up all the time.  My recollection is that the administration has said it would take some astronomical figure, like $100 Million, to start up a football program again.  Also, most people around here would not want to sacrafice resources from basketball to fund a football program that would struggle for the forseeable future.

More like $200 million.  You forgot the stadium.

[GGGG]

Gosh, what a great idea.  I can't believe this hasn't been thought of yet.  I would suggest you get the process started by suggesting this to the administation.  I'm sure they'd be so amazed at this creative idea that you might even land yourself a position on the staff!

Actually, I think hockey would be better!  I played it back in middle school, and I know about a dozen guys who would buy season tickets!!!!

[chapman]

If we raised $200M we should just throw it into basketball and get up to 7 or 8 different uniforms or just put up some more buildings on campus.  If we ever got to D1 in football we wouldn't make the two team tournament to play for anything meaningful anyway.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

A football club was started in the late 60s. The stands were drunker than Camp Randall's "Fifth Quarter"  I remember carrying guys out of the seats. Don't know what happened to that but it was thought to gauge interest in possiblly building a program again. I guess it didn't survive

[ErickJD08]

More like $200 million.  You forgot the stadium.

So if a stadium cost 100 million, how does a program cost another 100 million?  Coach, (elite) 5 million a year, all the travel costs maybe another 2-3 million... I can probably come up with another 10 million in costs.  Not sure if it costs 100 million to run a football program.

[pillardean]

Next

[Ari Gold]

So if a stadium cost 100 million, how does a program cost another 100 million?  Coach, (elite) 5 million a year, all the travel costs maybe another 2-3 million... I can probably come up with another 10 million in costs.  Not sure if it costs 100 million to run a football program.

We'll have to pay the Hostesses. which means MU will have to reconsider it's application process, and the school will have to admit more than two dozen hot chicks every year.  That'll drive costs up

[bma725]

So if a stadium cost 100 million, how does a program cost another 100 million?  Coach, (elite) 5 million a year, all the travel costs maybe another 2-3 million... I can probably come up with another 10 million in costs.  Not sure if it costs 100 million to run a football program.

Lot's of other costs to consider.  

Remember, any time you add mens sports, you have to add womens sports because of Title IX.  Any donation is going to have to cover the scholarships for all the men on the football team plus whatever women's sports they add.  That's 170 scholarships total, at approximately $40k total when you factor in room and board.  That's nearly 7mil right there for just one year.  No way MU does it for only one year, they're going to require funding that extends several years to see if the program is viable and makes enough money to eventually stay afloat on it's own.  So we're talking probably 6-7 years at that cost, which is more than $40 million total.  Then you have to factor in that there's simply no way that MU would start those new women's sports without the funding necessary for their facilities, equipment etc.  That's going to make it go up even higher.

$200 Million may be high, but it's not exactly out of the question.

[T-Bone]

Not knowing the rules of NCAA eligibility - would we be allowed to "step-down" as it were to offer a particular sport at D-III, even though everything else is at D-I?  I know there's a bunch of places that "step-up" for a particular sport (hockey is a big one), but I do not know any that step down.

If it is how I'm guessing:
Club to D-III (whom they compete against from time to time, as well as JCs), D-II, and eventually D-I. 
I think if they move to D-III anytime in the future, this will get brought up again.

Background on the ending of the football program: http://www.marquetteclubfootball.com/about.html

[MUBurrow]

Actually, I think hockey would be better!  I played it back in middle school, and I know about a dozen guys who would buy season tickets!!!!

See, I think this is just misguided. Hockey can definitely succeed in Milwaukee.  Look at the Admirals, they do very well.  Hell the Bradley was originally built FOR hockey, hence all the unsatisfactory results for basketball seating.  Hockey would not pack the Bradley, but the best programs in the country don't get that many fans for games.  I'm not saying its the right move right now, fiscally speaking, but I definitely think that hockey could succeed at MU -- especially compared to what it would take to get a football team off the ground.

[Zombie45]

The University needs financial resources to go to other places (finishing the Law School and funding the Engineering Complex as well as helping stay competitive with finacial aid scholarships to get excellent students). There is no way that the University will consider a football program for the future unless something dramatic happened (freakishly huge donation, stadium gets built for a different team and we can use it, etc)
In the mean time, the University supports a club football team and if you have interest in that the website is as follows:
http://marquetteclubfootball.shutterfly.com/
I played on the team for 3 years and had a lot of fun doing it, but it is basically 30-35 students who love football and went to Marquette becuase the loved the school rather then playing and attending a DIII school.

[GGGG]

Not knowing the rules of NCAA eligibility - would we be allowed to "step-down" as it were to offer a particular sport at D-III, even though everything else is at D-I?  I know there's a bunch of places that "step-up" for a particular sport (hockey is a big one), but I do not know any that step down.

No, football teams are no longer allowed to step down to DIII.  There is a non-scholarship D1 football conference called the Pioneer League, but they don't compete for the FCS championship and the quality of play is about the level of a mediocre DIII conference.  (I kind of wonder what the point is honestly.)

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

If MU is going to do football...they are going to have to commit the resources.  Something like the Pioneer League would be a half-assed way to go about it.

[HoopsMalone]

Could this Marquette football team play at Miller Park?

I think we'd be doormats for many years.  We would probably have to go play Wisco and ND at their place in a buy-out type of game for the first few years.

It would be fun to start a team.  It would add 6 or 7 fun Saturdays each fall for the students.  We just don't have the cash for it.

[Ari Gold]

No, football teams are no longer allowed to step down to DIII.  There is a non-scholarship D1 football conference called the Pioneer League, but they don't compete for the FCS championship and the quality of play is about the level of a mediocre DIII conference.  (I kind of wonder what the point is honestly.)

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

If MU is going to do football...they are going to have to commit the resources.  Something like the Pioneer League would be a half-assed way to go about it.

The fact that all of those teams except Morehead (hahaha) state are small enrollment, private schools may have extended this argument beyond it's usual ending point. In this scenario MU might be a logical fit for this league. MU could join the pioneer league, and then work up through that league while building facilities for a more competitive team and a title IX womens team. This option gives MU a cushion to build up some capital before committing to the long term future of the program by jumping to a legit FCS (and eventual FBS) conference.

I think the real problem with Football at MU isn't directly money. It's more about the logical location of football stadium that will attract students and fans and has room for expansion... isn't too far of a walk, yet doesnt cost too much...room to expand but isn't too far from major roads...

hahahaha More-Head

....boobs

[Big Papi]

If MU is going to do football...they are going to have to commit the resources.  Something like the Pioneer League would be a half-assed way to go about it.

I don't know if it is a half assed way to go about it.  Didn't UConn have lower division football team and just recently elevated its program.  Also, most of the rest of the Big East non-football division 1 schools still have a football team.  What happens when we have the major conference shake-up everyone is predicting.  Is Georgetown and Villanova at a greater advantage for having a football team/club?  Could they be the next UConn and make that leap?  Will that force us into a basketball conference of Dayton and St. Louis instead of a Xavier and Villanova?  Would that make us happy?

I don't have the answers to these questions as I haven't done any real research on this but I would think that with all of this instability, that MU would at least take a long serious long at what is the likely outcome of all of this.  I personally would love to have something similar to what Villanova has.  If they can do it, why can't we.  

[ErickJD08]

Lot's of other costs to consider.  

Remember, any time you add mens sports, you have to add womens sports because of Title IX.  Any donation is going to have to cover the scholarships for all the men on the football team plus whatever women's sports they add.  That's 170 scholarships total, at approximately $40k total when you factor in room and board.  That's nearly 7mil right there for just one year.  No way MU does it for only one year, they're going to require funding that extends several years to see if the program is viable and makes enough money to eventually stay afloat on it's own.  So we're talking probably 6-7 years at that cost, which is more than $40 million total.  Then you have to factor in that there's simply no way that MU would start those new women's sports without the funding necessary for their facilities, equipment etc.  That's going to make it go up even higher.

$200 Million may be high, but it's not exactly out of the question.

I understand that 200 million is the cost when you project 4 or 5 years down the line BUT, football would bring in tons of money too.  I am not saying we would profit right away, but it would soften the loss.  And it could be very profitable to be the only football team of significance in Milwaukee.  I highly doubt Duke puts over 9 figures into their football program.

Truthfully, I could care less if MU gets a team but I think the potiental to be very profitable is huge.  Not sure why they don't have one.  I think its more of a matter than the administration does not care to have one.  All the hurdles mean squat.  If the administration really wanted one, it would happen.

[goodgreatgrand]

You are comparing a state school (UConn) to two private schools (Nova and GTown). The state of Conn contributed something to the tune of $100 MM for their stadium. Nova and GTown? Where are they going to get that kind of money? That's their problem.

[MerrittsMustache]

I think its more of a matter than the administration does not care to have one.  All the hurdles mean squat.  If the administration really wanted one, it would happen.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

[mu-rara]

I hate the off-season.

[ErickJD08]

Ding! Ding! Ding!

I just know why they don't though.... HA, maybe it would just mean more work for them. 

[GGGG]

I understand that 200 million is the cost when you project 4 or 5 years down the line BUT, football would bring in tons of money too.  I am not saying we would profit right away, but it would soften the loss.  And it could be very profitable to be the only football team of significance in Milwaukee.  I highly doubt Duke puts over 9 figures into their football program.

Truthfully, I could care less if MU gets a team but I think the potiental to be very profitable is huge.  Not sure why they don't have one.  I think its more of a matter than the administration does not care to have one.  All the hurdles mean squat.  If the administration really wanted one, it would happen.

Only the largest state schools, in the largest of conferences make money on football.  (Yeah, I know there are exceptions like ND and USC.)  They are generally loss leaders for most athletic programs.  I am fairly certain that football at Nova is a money loser.

[BrewCity83]

Could this Marquette football team play at Miller Park?

I think we'd be doormats for many years.  We would probably have to go play Wisco and ND at their place in a buy-out type of game for the first few years.

It would be fun to start a team.  It would add 6 or 7 fun Saturdays each fall for the students.  We just don't have the cash for it.

Miller Park was built specifically for baseball.  I think I remnember hearing that a football field would have to have a corner cut off in order to fit in the park.

[Litehouse]

The football field at Valley Fields could probably be configured with a stadium to seat 30,000.  Not sure where all those people would park, but the good folks at Potawatomi might be willing to help accommodate that many visitors to the neighborhood with some additional parking ramps.

[thatman32]

I think this would be very good for the school.....   anyone know if it has been considered?

Hi, I'm reality have we met . . . I can be quite inconvenient!  Apparently you never read the NCAA handbook about Title 9.  The short Answer is NO not at all and probably NEVER. 

[bma725]

I understand that 200 million is the cost when you project 4 or 5 years down the line BUT, football would bring in tons of money too.  I am not saying we would profit right away, but it would soften the loss.  And it could be very profitable to be the only football team of significance in Milwaukee.  I highly doubt Duke puts over 9 figures into their football program.

Tons of money is an overstatement.  The fanbase simply doesn't exist in this area to support.  MU isn't a large school, it doesn't have a ton of alums around here.  Any stadium it's going to build will be small and not a money maker because it can't support a big one.  No matter what this is still a pro football state and a pro football city.  Badger football comes after that, even in Milwaukee.  MU would not be a draw.

Truthfully, I could care less if MU gets a team but I think the potiental to be very profitable is huge.  Not sure why they don't have one.  I think its more of a matter than the administration does not care to have one.  All the hurdles mean squat.  If the administration really wanted one, it would happen.

Actually the chances that it's a huge money loser are huge, the chances it's profitable are incredibly slim.  There's a reason very very few private religious institutions have football.  It's a money loser for schools like them.  Duke for example lost $7 million dollars on their football program last year.  

And no, the administration wanting it wouldn't change anything.  DiUlio was interested in it for a little while, but when he put out feelers about getting the money, the donors not only weren't willing to pony up the cash, some that are big time b-ball spenders threatened to pull out completely.  MU doesn't have the money to do it on their own, they need someone with a lot of money to pay and then get away of the way.  Very few people are willing to do that.  

[flash]

Having a football team at Marquette would be awesome, I know it will probably never happen, and if we did ever get a football team we would most likeley be awful for the first few years.  With that said, I would much rather have a good basketball team. 

[Litehouse]

Duke for example lost $7 million dollars on their football program last year.

That's probably the best description of why it would never happen, since Duke's situation would probably be our best case scenario.  Nobody is willing to dump $7M down the drain every year, even after all the other related costs (Stadium, additional women's sports) are accounted for.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I think this would be very good for the school.....   anyone know if it has been considered?

I dunno....has Indiana considered fielding a football team either?

[ErickJD08]

Only the largest state schools, in the largest of conferences make money on football.  (Yeah, I know there are exceptions like ND and USC.)  They are generally loss leaders for most athletic programs.  I am fairly certain that football at Nova is a money loser.

You're right...
http://www.zimbio.com/NCAA+Football/articles/17/Idiocy+Funding+College+Football

I am fine with the way things are.  I'll keep on cheering for my team that will not be mentioned.

[Cooby Snacks]

I dunno....has Indiana considered fielding a football team either?

I can't believe it took 30 replies before someone gave this response.

[thanooj]

hahahaha More-Head

....boobs

Kudos to you.  This is my favorite quote in a long time.  Awesome.


... boobs.  Hahaha

[Marquette84]

The 500 pound gorilla in the room is the possibility of a NCAA/BCS split.

If it never happens, fine, then all the arguments listed above against football make perfect sense.

If it does happen, and we don't have a football program, then we are SCREWED.  We will be in a DII-like world for the rest of time.

Don't count on sticking with the other Big East basketball schools.  If this split occurs, I would fully expect that Villanova and Georgetown--schools with a current Division I (formerly 1AA) football program--would upgrade their football to BCS status.  If for no other reason for the benefit of their basketball programs and compete with UConn and Syracuse and Pitt. 

Some people would say don't worry--the BCS will invite the stronger basketball-only schools to participate. I think this is wishful thinking--a school like MU would add little to nothing in terms of a national TV contract.  Think of it this way--if MU wasn't part of the NCAA or dropped to D2 as was rumored during the Dukiet years, how much less would CBS's $545million/year contract be reduced?   

The incremental coverage that MU would add to a combined Football/Basketball package would be nearly invisible. The BCS would already have the Milwaukee market, for example, based on the presence of Wisconsin football/basketball.   

The time to start planning for this possibility--some would say this eventuality--is now.  We should start planning to implement a Georgetown/Villanova-level football program, and be prepared to upgrade if the need arises.   I don't see a way to start from scratch if we wait until its too late.


 

[ChicosBailBonds]

The 500 pound gorilla in the room is the possibility of a NCAA/BCS split.

If it never happens, fine, then all the arguments listed above against football make perfect sense.

If it does happen, and we don't have a football program, then we are SCREWED.  We will be in a DII-like world for the rest of time.

Don't count on sticking with the other Big East basketball schools.  If this split occurs, I would fully expect that Villanova and Georgetown--schools with a current Division I (formerly 1AA) football program--would upgrade their football to BCS status.  If for no other reason for the benefit of their basketball programs and compete with UConn and Syracuse and Pitt. 

Some people would say don't worry--the BCS will invite the stronger basketball-only schools to participate. I think this is wishful thinking--a school like MU would add little to nothing in terms of a national TV contract.  Think of it this way--if MU wasn't part of the NCAA or dropped to D2 as was rumored during the Dukiet years, how much less would CBS's $545million/year contract be reduced?   

The incremental coverage that MU would add to a combined Football/Basketball package would be nearly invisible. The BCS would already have the Milwaukee market, for example, based on the presence of Wisconsin football/basketball.   

The time to start planning for this possibility--some would say this eventuality--is now.  We should start planning to implement a Georgetown/Villanova-level football program, and be prepared to upgrade if the need arises.   I don't see a way to start from scratch if we wait until its too late.

I worry greatly about this very thing happening as well.  This is also why I want the 96 team expansion ASAP and locked into a long term television contract.  If that happens, then even a split as you describe would leave room for the non-football schools.  Essentially it guarantees a seat at the table.  Without that expansion, very problematic for schools like Gonzaga and Marquette.

[mu72warrior]

maybe they could play in Wrigley Field as no other team plays there!

[MerrittsMustache]

maybe they could play in Wrigley Field as no other team plays there!

Huh? If it wasn't for the non-sensical Top Ten list posted the other day, this might have been the worst attempt at humor I've seen on here in a long, long time.

[bma725]

The 500 pound gorilla in the room is the possibility of a NCAA/BCS split.

If it never happens, fine, then all the arguments listed above against football make perfect sense.

If it does happen, and we don't have a football program, then we are SCREWED.  We will be in a DII-like world for the rest of time.

Don't count on sticking with the other Big East basketball schools.  If this split occurs, I would fully expect that Villanova and Georgetown--schools with a current Division I (formerly 1AA) football program--would upgrade their football to BCS status.  If for no other reason for the benefit of their basketball programs and compete with UConn and Syracuse and Pitt. 

Some people would say don't worry--the BCS will invite the stronger basketball-only schools to participate. I think this is wishful thinking--a school like MU would add little to nothing in terms of a national TV contract.  Think of it this way--if MU wasn't part of the NCAA or dropped to D2 as was rumored during the Dukiet years, how much less would CBS's $545million/year contract be reduced?   

The incremental coverage that MU would add to a combined Football/Basketball package would be nearly invisible. The BCS would already have the Milwaukee market, for example, based on the presence of Wisconsin football/basketball.   

The time to start planning for this possibility--some would say this eventuality--is now.  We should start planning to implement a Georgetown/Villanova-level football program, and be prepared to upgrade if the need arises.   I don't see a way to start from scratch if we wait until its too late.

I don't disagree that you need football to be in the position to stay on the top level.  I just have my doubts that the BCS people are going to want to include anyone at the table that wasn't already there.  A bunch of them don't like the fact that they had to open up to USF, Cincy and Louisville....so not adding a Nova, GTown or MU would be no skin of their back.  In fact I wouldn't be shocked to see a split that doesn't take those teams with them.

[GGGG]

I don't disagree that you need football to be in the position to stay on the top level.  I just have my doubts that the BCS people are going to want to include anyone at the table that wasn't already there.  A bunch of them don't like the fact that they had to open up to USF, Cincy and Louisville....so not adding a Nova, GTown or MU would be no skin of their back.  In fact I wouldn't be shocked to see a split that doesn't take those teams with them.

+1

Georgetown and Nova would be on the outside looking in.

[Litehouse]

Even if there was a split, would it be worth losing $7M/year on a mediocre football team to keep our basketball at the highest level?  I don't know, that's a tough call for an institution like MU.

[groove]

would settle for lacrosse or men's volleyball

[CrimsonNCrean]

I dunno....has Indiana considered fielding a football team either?

we try......   

[HouWarrior]

http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=16601&change_well_id=2
u of minn is most recent football stadium---near mu, seats 50k...and it cost 250mil
add the startup costs of program, practice fields etc and if mu wants to be a div1-a /bcs (BE) football school it should plan on 300 mil
annual div programs av outlay(excl of infrastructure costs is 16 mil)

note  u of minn and all new div programs have had public$/BOND DEBT BACKING-
this just isnt even in the realm of a possibility

[Tugg Speedman]

I believe their are only three private schools that have football teams that make money ... TCU, USC and ND (as noted earlier Duke loses money).  ND and USC need 80 years of tradition and excellence to stay in the game (and some think ND is on its way out).  Why do we think that MU would be the fourth?  Because we played in the 1938 Cotton Bowl?  Get real

It is a colossal waste of resources to field a money losing program.  Wanna bet G-Town and 'Nova drop their programs in the next 5 years?

The only way it happens is if alumni/interested parties write a check for $100 to $200 million to start one.  Even then the administration would try and tell them to fund a new dorm and/or building(s) with that money instead ... and they should.

All those posters that think its a good idea, the administration will send you a bill for $1,000.  Let see how many send money back.  We are all good at spending other peoples money.

[wildbill sb]

I believe their are only three private schools that have football teams that make money ... TCU, USC and ND (as noted earlier Duke loses money).  ND and USC need 80 years of tradition and excellence to stay in the game (and some think ND is on its way out).  Why do we think that MU would be the fourth?  Because we played in the 1938 Cotton Bowl?  Get real

It is a colossal waste of resources to field a money losing program.  Wanna bet G-Town and 'Nova drop their programs in the next 5 years?

The only way it happens is if alumni/interested parties write a check for $100 to $200 million to start one.  Even then the administration would try and tell them to fund a new dorm and/or building(s) with that money instead ... and they should.

All those posters that think its a good idea, the administration will send you a bill for $1,000.  Let see how many send money back.  We are all good at spending other peoples money.

Boston College?  Tulane?  Brigham Young?  Pitt?  Syracuse?

[Tugg Speedman]

Boston College?  Tulane?  Brigham Young?  Pitt?  Syracuse?

You sure they all make money?

[Marquette84]

if mu wants to be a div1-a /bcs (BE) football school it should plan on 300 mil
annual div programs av outlay(excl of infrastructure costs is 16 mil)

Who says we need a stadium like Minnesota's?  Two other BCS football stadiums have opened recently:

Akron (capacity 30,000):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoCision_Stadium_%E2%80%93_Summa_Field
Completed in 2009 for $61.6 million.  

Central Florida (capacity 45,000):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_House_Networks_Stadium
Completed in 2007 for $55 Million

Its a nice straw man to pick out the most expensive new college football stadium of the last decade--perhaps ever--then casually suggest that we should "plan on" spending $25 to $50 million more.

In reality, we would build a more modest facility that is a) similar to Akron's or UCF's and b) will be dual-use, incorporating the Soccer facility we're already planning to build.

[SacWarrior]

I'm an optimist so I'll try to look at the situation from a "best possible scenario" mindset.

The best possible scenario involves Marquette overnight transforming into THE catholic school in the Midwest. How this is achieved I haven't the faintest clue, maybe somehow every Catholic, not to mention ESPN, realizes how criminally overrated and obnoxious that one college in that one Indiana town is, then they lose their entire undergraduate population and decide to sport gold and blue (God forbid this day ever occurs for obvious reasons)

Marquette's new enormous fanbase isn't enough though, overnight we would have to expand into downtown Milwaukee a few blocks. We would probably need to buy the MPL, the Wisconsin club and a few more buildings for both academic and student housing services. Then we would relax our standards and allow just any applicant up until 75% (we're not Arizona State for God's sake) are admitted. With our new huge campus and giant undergrad population in the 30,000s we can build a new football field.

We then buy Potawotomi, demolish it, convert it into parking, then demolish the train yards and build a modest 40,000 seat stadium.

Then what? We probably start (if we're lucky) in DII like Villanova. Then maybe one day we go to the Football Championship Subdivision, then a few decades later we maybe get in the FBS. Even then we're still hemorrhaging money. Wisconsin, which sells out every single game of their 70,000 seat stadium, not to mention sells more apparel and gear to fans than most other schools, still loses a good deal of cash each year on football. And they're a "successful" team both on the field and in the boardroom.

It's not happening. And to be completely honest I don't want it to ever happen. It's a shame that college football, which controls division realignment and the pocketbooks of ADs everywhere, guides decisionmaking, because it's killing college basketball.

[reinko]

So you're telling me there's chance.

[GGGG]

Actually SacWarrior, the best scenario is for some MU scientist to genetically develop a pink unicorn that craps money.  That's got about as much chance as happening as your suggestion.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

You can put I4 down for about a 100 grand.

[HouWarrior]

Who says we need a stadium like Minnesota's?  Two other BCS football stadiums have opened recently:

Akron (capacity 30,000):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InfoCision_Stadium_%E2%80%93_Summa_Field
Completed in 2009 for $61.6 million.  

Central Florida (capacity 45,000):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_House_Networks_Stadium
Completed in 2007 for $55 Million

Its a nice straw man to pick out the most expensive new college football stadium of the last decade--perhaps ever--then casually suggest that we should "plan on" spending $25 to $50 million more.

In reality, we would build a more modest facility that is a) similar to Akron's or UCF's and b) will be dual-use, incorporating the Soccer facility we're already planning to build.

You confuse NCAA div 1 w bcs
The BE is a bcs conf and minn in big ten in is a bcs conf. neither akron, nor ucf are in bcs conf. its not a straw man its apples to apples
there is a big divide  in scope/cost of football below bcs. If MU wanted div 2 football such could be done-- but at great sacrfice risk to MU in BE for BB. few if any schools operate in div 2 in football and div 1 in bb. No BCS conf has any div 2 programs

[GGGG]

You confuse NCAA div 1 w bcs
The BE is a bcs conf and minn in big ten in is a bcs conf. neither akron, nor ucf are in bcs conf. its not a straw man its apples to apples
there is a big divide  in scope/cost of football below bcs. If MU wanted div 2 football such could be done-- but at great sacrfice risk to MU in BE for BB. few if any schools operate in div 2 in football and div 1 in bb. No BCS conf has any div 2 programs

MU could not be D2 in football.  They would have to play FCS (old D1A) either scholarship or non-scholarship.

[Marquette84]

You confuse NCAA div 1 w bcs
The BE is a bcs conf and minn in big ten in is a bcs conf. neither akron, nor ucf are in bcs conf. its not a straw man its apples to apples
there is a big divide  in scope/cost of football below bcs. If MU wanted div 2 football such could be done-- but at great sacrfice risk to MU in BE for BB. few if any schools operate in div 2 in football and div 1 in bb. No BCS conf has any div 2 programs

Sorry, but you are the one who is mistaken.

Check out www.bcsfootball.org.
http://www.bcsfootball.org/news/story?id=4809755

Akron is the the MAC. UCF is in CUSA  Both are in BCS conferences (although neither is in an automatically qualifying conference).

I would also suggest that you check out the NCAA site for the FBS list BCS teams)
http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship?sortOrder=0&division=1A&sport=MFB

You'll note that Akron, UCF and Minnesota are all on this list.




 

[Litehouse]

Boston College?  Tulane?  Brigham Young?  Pitt?  Syracuse?

Pitt is public.

Tulane probably loses more money than Duke each year.  I don't know specifics, but I would guess Syracuse and BYU lose money also, and BC might be close to break-even.

[Brewtown Andy]

I can't believe this thread is still going with legitimate discussions.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I can't believe this thread is still going with legitimate discussions.

I'd only support football if they changed the name back to warriors and let a fan throw a tomahawk through the uprights at half time.

[Avenue Commons]

More like $200 million.  You forgot the stadium.

The number is $100 million.

It is not going to happen. Not to name drop, but Cottingham and Cords have each personally told me it is simply not going to happen.

[mu72warrior]

Huh? If it wasn't for the non-sensical Top Ten list posted the other day, this might have been the worst attempt at humor I've seen on here in a long, long time.