FAMU gives up black tradition to pursue green

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Posted by TSU Tiger Fan on the MEACFANS site

FAMU gives up black tradition to pursue green

Commentary by JOE BIDDLE
Staff Writer

http://tennessean.com/sports/columnists/biddle/archives/03/07/36563778.shtml?Element_ID=36563778

Florida A&M is the latest university with Division I money, pie-in- the-sky football dreams.

It's destined to be the school's worst nightmare.

What separates FAMU from a Middle Tennessee State or Marshall jumping from Division I-AA to I-A is that FAMU is a historically black institution of higher learning. It will now have to scrap history and the thrilling rivalries that transformed a football game into a can't-miss event.

The NCAA made it official Monday. The Rattlers now have two years to prove they have the right stuff.

Needless to say, the move has been met with pointed passion on both sides.

Critics claim FAMU has sold out black college football.

''As FAMU became one of the premier historically black universities in athletics, other historically black universities looked up to FAMU with envy and pride ? sort of a David versus Goliath attitude. Now with FAMU's 'white flight ? move to the suburbs' mentality, what will these schools think of us?'' asks one former Tallahassee resident who was born on FAMU's campus and graduated there, according to an e-mail sent to the Tallahassee Democrat website.

''I would prefer to tailgate and converse with SWAC schools than fans from Troy State or Central Florida.''

It's imperative that FAMU join a Division I conference. The Sun Belt Conference is a likely target for the Rattlers.

Unless you are Notre Dame, it's impossible to survive without a conference affiliation.

Scheduling under Division I-A rules will be difficult. A minimum of five D-I home games must be adhered to. Or, you can play four D-I home games and be allowed another D-I game at a neutral site.

If FAMU joins a D-I conference, what happens to its rival games? Many, if not all, of their rival games are against I-AA schools. These rival games are big money games for the black schools. With a full conference schedule, FAMU won't be able to fit everyone in.

They are also going to be hard-pressed to satisfy minimum home attendance numbers to remain in Division I-A. Look at the vast difference in attendance for Tennessee State games when it plays against rival historically black colleges and when it plays an OVC team.

TSU has been the only historically black college in the OVC for some time now.

Yet ask any TSU fan/alum who he or she wants to beat the worst, it will be other historically black college teams.

TSU just hasn't developed any rival games inside the OVC. Hard to get excited about UT-Martin coming to town.

Another detriment FAMU faces is that recent football seasons have not been ones to remember. When Marshall, MTSU and Georgia Southern made the move, they had established winning programs and were winning at the time they left Division I-AA.

FAMU lost to cross-state rival Bethune-Cookman last year, and don't think for a minute that is easy for a Rattler fan to swallow.

FAMU has a Division I band. It is going to take a ton of money and commitment to bring the football program up to Division I standards.

Joe Biddle is a Tennessean sports columnist. He can be reached at 259-8255 or e-mail jbiddle@tennessean.com

 

[Suge]

It is sad that no matter what we do, we have to make everything a racial issue. Even when we as individuals or as a group of people want to try and expand and grow we are still labeled. It is bad enough that we have to fight external racism, but the internal racism has always cut much deeper.

A school wants to improve itself. Not just in football, but they are smart enough to see that football is its biggest money maker. And smart enough to try and use that tool to improve the school as a whole. Yet we tear them down and yell how they are selling out the race.

I guess FAMU just "ain't" keppin it real enough for some of you huh?

 

[Dr. Sweet NUPE]

I call this article....
HATING.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Suge,

It is sad that no matter what we do, we have to make everything a racial issue. Even when we as individuals or as a group of people want to try and expand and grow we are still labeled. It is bad enough that we have to fight external racism, but the internal racism has always cut much deeper.

A school wants to improve itself. Not just in football, but they are smart enough to see that football is its biggest money maker. And smart enough to try and use that tool to improve the school as a whole. Yet we tear them down and yell how they are selling out the race.

I guess FAMU just "ain't" keppin it real enough for some of you huh?

I am not sure whom you are refering to when you make your comments of "we" in your statement. But one point of reference. The gentleman Joe Biddle, whom wrote the article is European American. I am not sure if that matters are not in reference to your comments.

First of all several incorrect statements are made in the article. Georgia Southern University is still a NCAA Division I AA program.

Although, I do not agree with the article. I think it is an interesting parrallel between leaving a HBCU conference at the NCAA Division I AA level and moving the program to NCAA Division I A level where there currently do not exist another HBCU program that may provide a rivalry. First of all, it is not neccessary a bad thing.

It isn't written anywhere that in a year or two or maybe five that another or several HBCU programs will not join them by making the same move to operate their football program at the NCAA Division I A. If this is case, then many rivalries will not be lost for good on a short period of time.

Although basketball is not as big as football among several of our traditional strong HBCU football programs, this maybe an opportunity to grow some of our basketball rivalries.

Since, all the HBCU Division I AA football programs that Florida A & M University had rivalries with are Division I and there is many opportunities for non-conference basketball games prior to the conference schedule.

There is still an opportunity for many of the former football rivalries to exist on the basketball court.

Consider many of the great rivalries between NAIA Division I programs with out football and CIAA Division II programs in basketball as well as many examples of strong basketball rivalries between non-conference opponents, or between Div I-AA or Division IAAA vs. Division I-A football programs participating in basketball games.

Again I believe this an opportunity to grow the strength of basketball rivalries and an additional way to generate revenue for basketball programs, as well as the athletic department.

 

[Fiyah]

Originally posted by Jafus (Thinker)
Posted by TSU Tiger Fan on the MEACFANS site

FAMU gives up black tradition to pursue green

Commentary by JOE BIDDLE
Staff Writer

http://tennessean.com/sports/columnists/biddle/archives/03/07/36563778.shtml?Element_ID=36563778

Florida A&M is the latest university with Division I money, pie-in- the-sky football dreams.

It's destined to be the school's worst nightmare.

What separates FAMU from a Middle Tennessee State or Marshall jumping from Division I-AA to I-A is that FAMU is a historically black institution of higher learning. It will now have to scrap history and the thrilling rivalries that transformed a football game into a can't-miss event.

The NCAA made it official Monday. The Rattlers now have two years to prove they have the right stuff.

Needless to say, the move has been met with pointed passion on both sides.

Critics claim FAMU has sold out black college football.

''As FAMU became one of the premier historically black universities in athletics, other historically black universities looked up to FAMU with envy and pride ? sort of a David versus Goliath attitude. Now with FAMU's 'white flight ? move to the suburbs' mentality, what will these schools think of us?'' asks one former Tallahassee resident who was born on FAMU's campus and graduated there, according to an e-mail sent to the Tallahassee Democrat website.

''I would prefer to tailgate and converse with SWAC schools than fans from Troy State or Central Florida.''

It's imperative that FAMU join a Division I conference. The Sun Belt Conference is a likely target for the Rattlers.

Unless you are Notre Dame, it's impossible to survive without a conference affiliation.

Scheduling under Division I-A rules will be difficult. A minimum of five D-I home games must be adhered to. Or, you can play four D-I home games and be allowed another D-I game at a neutral site.

If FAMU joins a D-I conference, what happens to its rival games? Many, if not all, of their rival games are against I-AA schools. These rival games are big money games for the black schools. With a full conference schedule, FAMU won't be able to fit everyone in.

They are also going to be hard-pressed to satisfy minimum home attendance numbers to remain in Division I-A. Look at the vast difference in attendance for Tennessee State games when it plays against rival historically black colleges and when it plays an OVC team.

TSU has been the only historically black college in the OVC for some time now.

Yet ask any TSU fan/alum who he or she wants to beat the worst, it will be other historically black college teams.

TSU just hasn't developed any rival games inside the OVC. Hard to get excited about UT-Martin coming to town.

Another detriment FAMU faces is that recent football seasons have not been ones to remember. When Marshall, MTSU and Georgia Southern made the move, they had established winning programs and were winning at the time they left Division I-AA.

FAMU lost to cross-state rival Bethune-Cookman last year, and don't think for a minute that is easy for a Rattler fan to swallow.

FAMU has a Division I band. It is going to take a ton of money and commitment to bring the football program up to Division I standards.

Joe Biddle is a Tennessean sports columnist. He can be reached at 259-8255 or e-mail jbiddle@tennessean.com

Suge
It is sad that no matter what we do, we have to make everything a racial issue. Even when we as individuals or as a group of people want to try and expand and grow we are still labeled. It is bad enough that we have to fight external racism, but the internal racism has always cut much deeper.

Black - 7
White- 1

 

[pbla]

Originally posted by Jafus (Thinker)


........
There is still an opportunity for many of the former football rivalries to exist on the basketball court.

Consider many of the great rivalries between NAIA Division I programs with out football and CIAA Division II programs in basketball as well as many examples of strong basketball rivalries between non-conference opponents, or between Div I-AA or Division IAAA vs. Division I-A football programs participating in basketball games.

Again I believe this an opportunity to grow the strength of basketball rivalries and an additional way to generate revenue for basketball programs, as well as the athletic department.

Still it does not have the excitement of a football rivalry, for example what's more exciting The State Fair Classic in Dallas between Grambling and Prairie View or a basketball game between these same two schools. Where is the attendance record that shows where a Grambling and Prairie View basketball game had over 15,000 fans for the game?

I still wish FAMU luck, though only time will tell.

 

[bluedog]

I think he made some valid points and some not so valid,I also think that to pretend that the history of the school is not going to come into play is to selectively stick your head up your @ss.

That being said, IMHO where most of the hate is going to come from are the lower level schools and the d1aa PWC's as shown by some of their comments,for the simple fact they think they have trible rights there and quite frankly I believe some are afraid of being up stage.

 

[JROCK]

Originally posted by bluedog


That being said, IMHO where most of the hate is going to come from are the lower level schools and the d1aa PWC's as shown by some of their comments,for the simple fact they think they have trible rights there and quite frankly I believe some are afraid of being up stage.

GOTNAMMIT.......This is exactly what I see!

 

[Donald K. Willi]

I don't care what others may think,I'm wishing FAMU the very best that life has to offer.To hell with all of the hate!!!:redhot:

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

PBLA,

Still it does not have the excitement of a football rivalry, for example what's more exciting The State Fair Classic in Dallas between Grambling and Prairie View or a basketball game between these same two schools. Where is the attendance record that shows where a Grambling and Prairie View basketball game had over 15,000 fans for the game?

I still wish FAMU luck, though only time will tell.

This is true. But, it should be pointed out that the State Fair Classic just did not happen by accident and it was not created over night. It was elevated to the success that you see today based on leadership that developed strategic planning and creative marketing.

I am only suggesting that a similar situation could be done for basketball if an effort and energy were a focus point of achieving this goal. I do not believe there is a focus on creating a scenario to grow the basketball in terms of attendance. I am only stating that the situation above may place a focus on it, in such away to allow it to happen.

There are examples where this is the case. The CIAA Basketball Tournament, 20K and the third largest regardless of classification, the Legacy Classic 12K, and The HBCU Classic between Xavier University vs. Dilliard University, 8K to name a few have shown that it can be done when there is an effort put forth to create an environment that may allow it to happen.

Further more, right now you could ask any Texas Southern University (HP&E 9K capacity sale out), Prairie View A & M University (BabyDome 5.5K capacity sale out) fan or anybody associated with either program for that matter that the basketball games between the two far outweigh the excitement of a the Labor Day Classic or the State Fair Classic this past year and that is without any strategic plan to market the two games.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Bluedog,

I wholeheartedly agree!

 

[blownup]

We are so quick to suggest that a poster has hate when he/she gives their opinion. We shall all see 5 years from now the impact whether negative or postive, of the FAMU move. We tend to forget who actually has a say in the success or faliure of any program. I don't believe anyone recieves x amount of dollars for just being classified as 1A,however the fans dictate the success of said program.Now if the FAMU faithful get tired of seeing their team lose to these mid-level 1A teams then they may choose to stay away. As for my opinion I wish them the very best and hope that they perform at the top of their game day in day out;however I do believe that the luster of their once strong rivalries we be lost. And let's say that other noteable HBCU's follow suit and establish their own 1A conference. Outside of restoring those lost rivalries,what else do you have. I don't see the lower echelon teams that made the move to 1A on the tube every Saturday. No I don't think FAMU sold anybody out,they're doing what the perceive to be in the best interest of the University, but ultimately the FAMU fans will have the last word.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Blownup,

You make several valid point.

Now if the FAMU faithful get tired of seeing their team lose to these mid-level 1A teams then they may choose to stay away.

One question. What will happen if Florida A & M does not lose the mid-level Division I A any more regular than they have lost to conference and non-conference programs over the history of their program?

 

[EB]

Indeed some of his facts are incorrect. While Middle Tennessee is or was a 1-A school and Marshall has been one since Randy Moss' second year, Georgia Southern is and has been a 1-AA school since it started (or re-started) football. I did not know that the guy was so concerned about HBCU football.

I read the budget numbers for FAMU but do not remember them right now. Nevertheless, I hope they did at least a couple of things. First, I hope they have an estimate on how much money they will need to have a 1-A program. (I am sure they did that.) Second, I hope that they will have an estimate for how much money they will need for a successful program. (Someone else came up with those points a few weeks ago.) For success I am talking about an average of over seven wins a season. If they want serious bowl consideration, they will probably have to win 10-11 games. Needless to say, if a team wants behinds in the seats ($$$$), they need to win.

How will the success of their football program be different than the general HBCU success in basketball against the big schools, men and women? I sure hope it will be much better. Sure, we have won a few against the big schools. But what was once a 20-30 point loss at a big school has become too often a 50-75 point loss. Sure, the school makes some some money. But a 50-75 point loss is a 50-75 point loss.

When they go to a bowl game, how many people will they take? How much will it cost? Even when the big schools go to the BCS bowls, they are talking paying out a lot of money. Some (maybe many) lose money when they go to bowl games. Look. I love winning. But realize that schools need to at least break even.

I am not the biggest fan of schools moving to 1-A right now. For starters it looks like the big schools will try to corner the market on getting the big dollars. I sure do not want to see FAMU fall on its face. But like the others, I will wait and see.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

EB,

According to the Tallahassee Democrat newspaper

FAMU's PLAN OF ACTION
2003-2004
$9.1 million projected budget

* Request bond dollars for new field house and stadium upgrades

* Budget scholarship dollars for each sport to award their maximum equivalency grants-in-aid

* Budget for expanded personnel and salary increases

* Construction on 11,000-seat, teaching gymnasium and multipurpose center

* Media and marketing campaign to promote move to Division I-A

* Begin making initial contact with prospective conferences

2004-2005
$11 million projected budget

* Begin scheduling process for 2005-2006 season

* Begin marketing NCAA Division I-A kickoff in 2004

* Apply fir membership to an NCAA Division I-A conference in 2004 to be effective for the 2005 season

* Budget for an additional 22 scholarships for the 2004-2005 football program

* Budget for increased personnel

* Provide three additional assistant coaches and two more graduate assistants for the football program

* Create new administrative positions as determined by the athletic director based on need.

2005-2006
$13.5 million projected budget

* Play first full Division I-A football schedule

* Open new field house and renovated stadium

* Play five home games with an average attendance of 15,000 per game

* Budget for increased travel exprenses

* Budget for increased recruiting expenses

* Budget for increased administrative personnel

Revenue from ticket sales

2002 $2.7 million (actual)
2003 $4 million (projected)
2004 $6 million (projected)

 

[EB]

Jafus, thanks.

 

[unknown]

How do you go from 2.7 to 6 million in ticket revenue over a year? They must plan to raise the ticket prices a whole lot.

 

[bernard]

Since FAMU will be a member of Division 1-A in 2004, will they pay Division 1-AA members a large guarantee to play them at home like other Division 1-A members?

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Unknown1,

How do you go from 2.7 to 6 million in ticket revenue over a year? They must plan to raise the ticket prices a whole lot.

Good Question. What is your definition of a whole lot in terms of dollars per ticket increase.

I do not think it would be a whole lot.

Just Curious!

ASU,

Since FAMU will be a member of Division 1-A in 2004, will they pay Division 1-AA members a large guarantee to play them at home like other Division 1-A members?

I would think that would increase their payout to NCAA Division I-AA teams they play at home to the same rate most mid-major NCAA Division I A programs payout to NCAA Division I-AA programs that they play at home for their homes games.

 

[unknown]

Well....to go from 2.7 to 6 it seems to me that they would have to double the price plus a little bit. Would that 6 also not include the FC and ATL Classic?

 

[Robber]

Originally posted by unknown1
How do you go from 2.7 to 6 million in ticket revenue over a year? They must plan to raise the ticket prices a whole lot.

Just a guess, but they might be taking into account the expansion of Bragg Stadium in figuring the increase in ticket revenue. They are supposed to add about 15,000 seats or so.

 

[Jafus (Thinker)]

Unknown1,

Well....to go from 2.7 to 6 it seems to me that they would have to double the price plus a little bit. Would that 6 also not include the FC and ATL Classic?

Again good question. I agree that to from $2.7M to $4M to $6M would mean either doubling tickets prices or a combination of increasing ticket prices and increasing attendance numbers.

I think the $4M and $6M yearly increase in ticket sales would include the Florida Classic and Atlanta Classic when the games where designated as home games for Florida A & M.

The reason I say that. I am not sure you could get to the 2003 actual home ticket sales of 2.7 Million without including at least one of either the Atlanta Classic or the Florida Classic to account for that $2.7 Million. See figure calculated below:

I respectfully would not call it "a whole lot".

The reason I can say that this. Our season ticket prices at Prairie View A & M University essentially double this year, but it is directly related to the increase in scholarships and quality coaches to help the program becomes competitive.

But after viewing the product of the basketball program last year. I can see that it is directly proportional to the product on the field and the difference it can make. I thought that maybe a interesting and intriguing side note.

I do think the current ticket prices are reflective of the product we are entertained by and I suppose I have the resources to pay for it. But, I could absolutely see where you or anybody else for that matter would consider a double in price to be "a whole lot".

One thing is for sure the fans will let us know what they think by the attendance numbers shown in the next couple of years.

Robber,

Just a guess, but they might be taking into account the expansion of Bragg Stadium in figuring the increase in ticket revenue. They are supposed to add about 15,000 seats or so.

I would agree with that assumption.

Here is a breakdown because I love mathematics and numbers. Some may find it boring. But it may be interesting to others. Tell me what you think (Robber & Unknown1).

Revenue from ticket sales

2002 $2.7 million (actual)
2003 $4 million (projected)
2004 $6 million (projected)

That is actually over two years.

2002-2003 = 1st year
2003-2004 = 2nd year

That is an average of $1.65 million a year over the two-year period. That is 149% average increase per ticket purchase of each ticket (18,000) buyer over the two years. That is 148% percent increase over the first year and a 150% percent increase from the first year to the second year.

That may sound huge. But for $25 dollar ticket it would increase to a $37 at 148% for the first year and it would go to $56 at 150% increase in the second year. But remember you are evaluating this over a five game home schedule versus a three game home schedule during this two-year period and have not increased the attendance for the 2004 season projection.

This is a different way to look at it. It was said that Florida A & M University has the highest price of Black College Season ticket packages for Black College football at an average of $45 dollars a home game day ticket.

To keep it simple I will provide a break down based on season tickets package and not complicate it with both season ticket packages and tickets purchased day of game.

Example of a breakdown:

Average 18,000 fans a game divide buy $2.7 Million in actual tickets sales = $150.00 for season tickets package. That is $150 in season ticket packages divided by 3 games. This would give you a $50 a game ticket for reserve seating. Remember this does not take in account ticket breakdown for the Atlanta Classic or Florida Classic.

($50 a game ticket does not sound right to me, so I am not sure where they got the 2.7 Million in actual ticket sales. But for the sake of discussion let's see what we get) Example: $150/5 = $30 a ticket or $20 for 3 homes games and $45 dollars a ticket for both the Atlanta Classic and the Florida Classic

Even if keep it at $50 for playing Division I A ball. That is $50 a game ticket for reserve seating. Remember the must play a minimum of 5 home games. So multiply that $50 a ticket by 5 games = $250. $250 x 18,000 = $4.5 Million.

So, an average 18,000 fans a game divide buy $4 Million in actual tickets sales = $222.22 for season tickets package. That is $222.22 in season ticket packages divided by 5 games. This would give you a $44 a game ticket for reserve seating. Actually cheaper than current $50 ticket rate. In this example

Increase tickets by $15 for the first official Division I A ball. That is $65 a game ticket for reserve seating. Again remember the must play a minimum of 5 home games. So multiply that $65 a ticket by 5 games = $325. $325 x 18,500 = $6 Million. $325 x 18,000 = $5.85 Million

So, an average 18,000 fans a game divide buy $6 Million in actual tickets sales = $333.33 for season tickets package. That is $333.33 in season ticket packages divided by 5 games. This would give you a $67 a game ticket for reserve seating. That is a $17 dollar increase.

Remember this does not take into account an increase in attendance.

If that is too crude for you, then check this breakdown out.

Let?s say the average game day ticket is $40 versus the current $25 rate. Which is not a huge rate jump as you alluded too, in my opinion. Considering your getting a Division I-A product and 5 home games. $40 x 5 games = $200. So that is $200 a ticket times 13,000 (Average of 18,000 minus 5,000 season ticket holders) $2.6 Million.

Average (2,000 The FAMU Booster Club) 5,000 season ticket fans, which do not include the Atlanta Classic and the Florida Classic. So that is a $35 tickets for season ticket holders times 5 games = $175. 5,000 times $175 = $875,000

This is a total of $3.475 Million

Again this does not take into account the Classic games of either the Florida Classic or Atlanta Classic where they could be consider the home team on opposite years.

A minimum of five D-I home games must be adhered to. Or, you can play four D-I home games and be allowed another D-I game at a neutral site.

They are increasing the Stadium size. So it is obvious in their evaluation they are planning on increasing their attendance numbers. Let say they planning on increasing their average attendance to 23,000 a season and 8,000 season ticket fan base and they increase ticket prices for the inaugural NCAA Division I A season to $45.

A $20 dollar ticket raise, from the current ticket prices.

Let?s say the average game day ticket is now $45 versus the current $25 rate. $45 x 5 games = $225. So that is $225 a ticket times 15,000 (Average of 23,000 minus 8,000 season ticket holders) $3,375 Million.

Average (2,000 The FAMU Booster Club) 8,000 season ticket fans, which do not include the Atlanta Classic and the Florida Classic. So that is a $40 tickets for season ticket holders times 5 games = $200. 8,000 times $200 = $1.6 Million

This is a total of $4.975 Million

Again this does not take into account the Classic games of either the Florida Classic or Atlanta Classic where they could be consider the home team on opposite years.

I think it is obtainable. But it would include doubling tickets prices or a combination of increasing ticket prices and increasing attendance numbers.

Just to give you a crude breakdown.