Another University announces plans to start a football program

[Detfan23]

This time it is Georgia State.  I really wish Marquette would commit to this.  I would love to see us bring it back.  I know it isn't going to happen, but one can dream.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3351919

[Tugg Speedman]

Could Miller park be re-configured for football?  Otherwise, where would they play?

Also, given title IX, adding 95 football scholarships means a lot of bloodletting in other men's sports.  No track, soccer, xc, baseball etc.

[mwbauer7]

Could Miller park be re-configured for football?  Otherwise, where would they play?

Also, given title IX, adding 95 football scholarships means a lot of bloodletting in other men's sports.  No track, soccer, xc, baseball etc.

Or adding several women's sports...

[BrewCity83]

Also, given title IX, adding 95 football scholarships means a lot of bloodletting in other men's sports.  No track, soccer, xc, baseball etc.

We don't have Varsity baseball.   

[spiral97]

so start a women's football team too.. make the field plenty muddy

[MUSF]

This time it is Georgia State.  I really wish Marquette would commit to this.  I would love to see us bring it back.  I know it isn't going to happen, but one can dream.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3351919

The key word here is Georgia STATE.

[augoman]

great effort was made in late '60's-early 70's..., resulted in formation of club football, but that was extent of success.  ASMU president led effort-(Gus Sandroni from New York- a super guy).  Very expensive sport to run, and as mentioned the title IX implications are devastating;  caused UWatMadison to drop baseball, fencing, rowing, boxing, and several other sports for men.  (still travel one of the largest marching bands supported by taxpayers I've ever seen).  That's one of the reasons I am so impressed by Northwestern;  smallest and only private school in big 10-NO tax money, still has baseball, golf, football, crew, fencing, track, etc!  I just wish they were as good in the major sports as they once were.  (I used to love taking friends to watch the little 7,000 enrollment wildcats whip the baaajrs in football).  It wouldn't happen w/out HUGE private donation.

[Tugg Speedman]

Or adding several women's sports...

That would mean doubling or tripling the athletic budget.  I believe it is $15 to $20 million now.  You have a few hundred million to donate to the endowment that will throw off the extra $15 to $25 million a year for these new programs?

This is even a lot for Dick Strong

[Tugg Speedman]

smallest and only private school in big 10-NO tax money, still has baseball, golf, football, crew, fencing, track, etc!

I agree with you about NW.  But, they dropped track for the reasons you cite.  Only big-10 school without a track program.

[reinko]

I would much rather be a school with one major top 25 program, than have 2 programs that are mediocre.  I think UMass is a great example.  They used to be a beast of a college basketball program, but wanted to become D-1 A or AA in football, have been trying to for years and the basketball program suffered a ton. 

As much fun as college football games are, investing ten of millions of dollars to watch MU football slowly climb from D-3 to D-2 to D-1 AA, then MAYBE one day become D-1, then wait for them to actually be decent would be really painful and expensive.


I say...PASS

[Norm]

I'd rather start a hockey program for both men and women.

[OneMadWarrior]

Why don't they start a non scholarship team then in D-1AA, They could compete in the pioneer league. Then there woudlnt' be any issues with matching scholarships. They could compete and see if the program has any staying power or ability to generate a bit of revenue. I am sure there are quite a few kids playing at the d3 Level in wisconsin that have the talent to play D-1AA.

[tower912]

Until somebody ponies up 9 figures, it is nothing but a pipe dream at MU.

[OneMadWarrior]

Until somebody ponies up 9 figures, it is nothing but a pipe dream at MU.

Don't worry I am working on it. When it happens it iwll be awesome. j/k

[muwarrior87]

our women's crew team should be varsity.  They consistently compete at the top national races and are a contender in them.  Rated top 10 in the country by one ranking! some of that team is a little bitter about being so good and not being acknowledged by the athletic dept at all.  my g/f being one of those.

[mu_hilltopper]

They should spiff up their wiki site .. maybe provide some pictures of the women crewers.  Yeah, for educational purposes only.

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/coed_rowing/crew

[romey]

My son goes to school at GSU.  The student fee was raised to $600 (higher than Georgia Tech and UGA) and there are 50,000 students.  They will be playing their games in the Georgia Dome initially.  It's funny UMass was mentioned in this thread, because they are in the same conference.  They mentioned in the Atlanta paper that most of the schools in this conference average less than 10,000 in attendance.  If MU were to field a team, I imagine they could play in any number of high school stadiums in the Milwaukee area.  What about the new soccer stadium?  GSU won't field a team until 2010.

[🏀]

our women's crew team should be varsity.  They consistently compete at the top national races and are a contender in them.  Rated top 10 in the country by one ranking! some of that team is a little bitter about being so good and not being acknowledged by the athletic dept at all.  my gb/f being one of those.

[Eye]

I think I say this every time a thread on this topic is started, but MU should add varsity baseball and softball.

[Ahoya06]

I think I say this every time a thread on this topic is started, but MU should add varsity baseball and softball.

+1

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

I'd also add hockey to that list...we'd have a facility to use (the BC), we play in a part of the country that could draw hockey players, we would have natural rivals (Wisconsin, ND, Minnesota).  Granted, I don't know about the costs and the insurance issues, but we could be competitive a la ND (made the NCAA title game this year). 

Also, hockey is a sport that appeals the affluent, and considering the socio-economic base of many Marquette students, iit's realistic that we would be able to draw some good hockey talent from that base.  It's a long shot, but it might be worth a look.

[jce]

Why don't they start a non scholarship team then in D-1AA, They could compete in the pioneer league. Then there woudlnt' be any issues with matching scholarships. They could compete and see if the program has any staying power or ability to generate a bit of revenue. I am sure there are quite a few kids playing at the d3 Level in wisconsin that have the talent to play D-1AA.

Non-scholarship D1 football is just like D3.  The best players are still going to choose the WIAC schools because they are cheaper to attend.  The Pioneer League schools just aren't competitive, and I'm afraid attendance and support would be dismal.