How would you improve the SWAC?


What are member schools required to right now??? What's the yearly membership fee???

I see where Sperm is headed, but don't agree with his suggested methods. If there's a yearly membership fee, increase that. That puts the onus on the schools to generate more money by whatever method they can.
 
Robber said:
What are member schools required to right now??? What's the yearly membership fee???

I see where Sperm is headed, but don't agree with his suggested methods. If there's a yearly membership fee, increase that. That puts the onus on the schools to generate more money by whatever method they can.
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Well, the thing is I'm sure the yearly fee is PEANUTS. Probably just enough to cover the expenses of what it cost to run the SWAC office and buy a cup of soda water.

Something needs to be done to change the mindset and it needs to start financially. You won't get better coaches or recruits until you have a solid financial foundation.
 



Da_Sperm said:
Well, the thing is I'm sure the yearly fee is PEANUTS. Probably just enough to cover the expenses of what it cost to run the SWAC office and buy a cup of soda water.

Something needs to be done to change the mindset and it needs to start financially. You won't get better coaches or recruits until you have a solid financial foundation.
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I'm sure MD or Jafus knows what that fee is. I'ma call and ask. But that fee should be substantial.

Alumni has to do a much better job, as well. Just buying a ticket ain't gone cut it.
 
First and foremost, I think the SWAC needs to sit down and decide what it wants to be, a conference of HBCU's, or a conference of HBCU's with strong athletic programs. If they are serious about #2, they need to give some programs notice to shape up, or we will move forward without you. I know it's harsh, but if you want to improve the league in the future, the bar needs to be set higher than it is right now.
 
First thing JR would do is research a conference with our size that is doing well. You have to design a model for success before trying to implement any changes. So whatever research and due diligence needs to done. That may mean hiring a consulting group to help guide our no nothing presidents.

The next thing is you need to hire a good SWAC commish and he or she should have an outline on what kind of staff they will hire. Staff positions need to be scrutinized to make sure you have adequate help. Positions that would include Marketing, Corporate Sponsorship, Community relationship, Each sport would need someone to be working with the SWAC schools just for that sport. Basically staff the office approriately and adequately. Not too many folks and not to lean either. There also has to be some accountability for all positions in the office. The commish would have ultimate control on most issues and the presidents would have to agree to that. Only certain issues would require the council of presidents approval.

The SWAC office and ADs would need to work more closely than they do now. Rules need to be put in place to maintain some consitency across the board and they need to be enforced. I don't know how the SWAC would be able to do it......but they would need to hold each school accountable for their facilities. This would obviously involve the council of Presidents. None of our schools should have a football stadium less than 15k. The SWAC should set some criteria for membership and if it can't be met........those schools would be asked to leave. I know that sounds harsh. But everybody is going to have to pull there own weight if the conference is to move forward.

I also think the SWAC office need each school to nominate an influential alum with business acumen to sit on a business board with the SWAC commish and maybe the presidents to advise the SWAC on business moves. Not only should there be alumni representation on this board. But there should be a few non SWAC alums involved to give a neutral prospecttive. This board would look at the SWAC and continue to develop business plans to grow the conference. Our Presidents are not able to do that. Most of them are academics and have no business sense.

I would also look at playing the SCG in one West City and one East City on a rotational basis. It would only be 2 cities involved. Maybe for 2 years it is in Birmingham and then rotates to Shreveport or Texas for 2 years. That gives each of the cities time to plan and promote with the SWAC help of course. Basketball does not have to be in the same 2 cities. It could be somewhere else. I think New Orleans could be a place where basketball could flourish. Obviously the facility is there. The only thing would be the cost. Baseball needs to be where folks embrace it. So that would be Jackson , Baton Rouge and maybe Houston. It could rotate. Those are just some ideas.

Lastly I would make Mighty Dog the commish so I can bribe him with some Lone Star Beer. LOL.


Seriously, the leadership of the SWAC is the real issue. So the change would have to start there and getting the presidents to add an advisory board to help them make better athletic decisions for the conference. It would be nice if they just let a commish do his job and not try to have all the say in the matter.
 
Does anybody see the SWAC possibly expanding to maybe 12 teams in the future? With the MEAC becoming flooded, this maybe a good way for us to expand our market possibly into Florida or Georgia. Maybe with some new competition and a new and expanded fan base, it may bring some new energy into the conference. Maybe if we added for instance, FAMU and BCC (its financially more efficient for them to play in the SWAC anyway due to locality), that would definitely bring more interesting rivalries into the conference and spark more interest among our existing fan base. Just a thought.
 
Da_Sperm said:
Improving the SWAC.

1. Require that schools sell a certain percentage of season tickets (something like 50% of the stadium capacity). The penalty for every dollar amount under your season ticket sales would be added to your school's fee for being a SWAC member. (Just football).
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While I agree with this, with all of us not having the same size stadium, how fair is it to make a J-State sell 30,000 seats and MVSU 5,000. Plus, name one SWAC school that has done this other than Southern or Jackson. The penalties for some would make the football programs worse than they are now.
 
Da_Sperm said:
Not really. If each school has a certain % of season ticket sales, then requiring each non-participating school to buy 500 tickets to the SCG would increase the revenue by $80K (4,000 tickets @ $20 each). That would not set back each school because the work done to sell season tickets covers the small amount of SCG tickets.
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This one, I love.
 
SWAC West -- Alcorn, Southern, UAPB, Grambling, Texas Southern, and Prairie View

SWAC East -- Jackson, MVSU, Bama State, Bama A&M, Florida A&M, and BCC

Definite help in football even though the two MEAC schools hold strong to the playoffs. Five regular divisional games and three games against the other division that rotates every two years, leaving three games for OOC.

Basketball gets help too even though the two MEAC schools might look at it as a step down.

Baseball is the big winner, putting some strength in the East other than JSU and MVSU, recently.
 
SU Jag 79 said:
SWAC West -- Alcorn, Southern, UAPB, Grambling, Texas Southern, and Prairie View

SWAC East -- Jackson, MVSU, Bama State, Bama A&M, Florida A&M, and BCC

Definite help in football even though the two MEAC schools hold strong to the playoffs. Five regular divisional games and three games against the other division that rotates every two years, leaving three games for OOC.

Basketball gets help too even though the two MEAC schools might look at it as a step down.

Baseball is the big winner, putting some strength in the East other than JSU and MVSU, recently.
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This would make for some very interesting matchups. I definitely think it would be a good thing for getting fans back into it. Imagine SU/FAMU in the SCG!! Man!!!
 
Long Term Plan:
Have our presidents formulate a plan to forge a solid relationship with the school districts throughout the south and into some of the larger cities, NY, Detroit, Chicago, L.A. Denver, St. Louis, etc. Have the presidents drastically improve our education programs to include cutting edge techniques in educating inner city youth at each university and strategically place our students in those districts. Also have current athletes who have an interest in becoming teachers or coaches, placed within those districts. Train, educate and expose these children (our future) and they will either want to come to SWAC schools or they?ll be going to somebody?s college.

We can still exist and thrive as a conference of HBCU?s, but we won?t be able to do that if there are no black children who can meet our admission standards. Address the issues of the school systems in the inner cities across the country, but especially within the cities of these institutions and the talent pool will increase. Everyone can?t go LSU, Florida or USC, but as long as the blue chippers and academically qualified are going to those schools, it makes it harder for SWAC schools to compete for the second and third-tier athletes. If 90% of the youth were involved in athletics and are qualified academically, the talent pool increases and with our coaches and teachers influence, those kids will want to be a part of the SWAC experience.

Believe me, if the talent is there, the money will follow. (That?s how the PWC?s have made their money.)
 
SU Jag 79 said:
While I agree with this, with all of us not having the same size stadium, how fair is it to make a J-State sell 30,000 seats and MVSU 5,000. Plus, name one SWAC school that has done this other than Southern or Jackson. The penalties for some would make the football programs worse than they are now.
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Well, that is something to consider, you can't hold JSU to 30K season ticket sales based on the stadium size, however so attainable number. I just got an e-mail of UAPB's 2007 schedule. We have 3 home games. That makes season tickets range from $36 to $150 for club seats. Now, if the marketing department can't sell 50% of those $36 general admission seats, then we have a problem.

I just think it starts with season ticket sales. I'm not in the business of marketing, but if I'm a potential corporate sponsor, I feel more comfortable about a sponsorship IF I know butts are going to be in the seats on gameday.

On adding MEAC teams, travel would be almost the same problem that those Florida teams are facing now (16 to 20 bus rides).
 
Things to consider
1 We change ADs often
2.We change Presidents often
3.SWAC Membership Fees to what I was told is based on Student population
4.SWAC Office has ten supervisors and everyone is an expert on athletics.
5.The blame should not be aimed at the SWAC Office, but at the Presidents.
6.All schools have to supplement their programs to what they want them to be
7.Does your school pay the bills for the SWAC Championships in B'ham?
8.If no money was raised by the SWAC Office, do you think your school could afford to pay a fee for all those that are employed by the SWAC Office and host the two championships?
9.Paying for team luncheons and other things like championship rings.

In spite of all the things I read about the SWAC Office, we are not as bad as some of us believe. From the days of Dr. Franks to now we are not doing bad. In fact, I see nothing but a great future for the SWAC. The other fact is that I predict more blue chippers will be enrolling in our schools in the future. In addition, we are going to see more non qualifiers at the Div 1A level trying to attend our schools, and we need to have the funds available to enroll them in school.

WE are not doing bad as a conference, but on the other hand there are a lot of people that are not aware of what is going on.
 
Comparing performance, results in competition to other larger conference schools and talent-wise (excluding a handful of programs) The SWAC is at an all-time low. What evidence do you have to support that more blue chippers will be returning to SWAC schools when the competition is at the lowest level of collegiate athletics.

Because a few more buildings are improved or built around these campuses will not ensure that more students will be coming. It won?t happen without a plan to improve the primary and secondary educational systems of our talent base.

I have read so many things on this board that translates to a quick fix. Small-term planning and wishful thinking is what got us into this position now.
 
Have all regular season football games end on the weekend of Nov 10 by cutting out an open date and play the SWAC Championship game on the weekend of Nov 15th with the winner going to the playoffs or whatever they can come up with after that.

Market this conference better by actually developing product's that supporters want.

Example:
Put a camera on each team and edit each after the season end, (Basketball, Football, Baseball, Golf, Band, etc), and sell them as season reviews.
Each school get's 50 percent of their schools dvd profits with 30 percent of each going to the SWAC general fund and 20 percent going back into production expenses.
Apply that to any marketing scheme.

CUT OUT MOST CLASSICS................Play as many games at home as you can.

OK.....................Ya'll can rip into my arse now. :goof:
 



staggalee83 said:
Have all regular season football games end on the weekend of Nov 10 by cutting out an open date and play the SWAC Championship game on the weekend of Nov 15th with the winner going to the playoffs or whatever they can come up with after that.
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There is NO WAY this could happen unless every team agreed to give up a regular season game... and play 10 game seasons.
 
jag4life said:
There is NO WAY this could happen unless every team agreed to give up a regular season game... and play 10 game seasons.
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Then do like the Major conferences.:idea:
Start your season with your out of conference tune up game the last weekend of August.
There's your 11th game.

Problem solved. :)
 
staggalee83 said:
Then do like the Major conferences.:idea:
Start your season with your out of conference tune up game the last weekend of August.
There's your 11th game.

Problem solved. :)
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You have to get special clearance from the NCAA for that. D-II starts games that weekend, though.

The other issue is, the SCG would basically be a REGULAR season game since you can only play ONE post season game/event if the conference has under 12 members. The playoffs count as 1 event.

So still you'd have to do like the CIAA and play 10 games and HOPE to get to the SCG for an 11th.
 
again..your putting decisions in the hands of folks who aren't involved with athletics on a day-to-day basis.....that will be our biggest hurdle...

remember...we had a president who let an AD run to the media and say Cynthia Cooper isn't worth the trouble and in return they hire a coach who came at the recommendation of some politicians who ain't ever stepping foot on campus for an athletic event

We may need to study other leagues on how to shift the balance of power
 
jag4life said:
You have to get special clearance from the NCAA for that. D-II starts games that weekend, though.

The other issue is, the SCG would basically be a REGULAR season game since you can only play ONE post season game/event if the conference has under 12 members. The playoffs count as 1 event.

So still you'd have to do like the CIAA and play 10 games and HOPE to get to the SCG for an 11th.
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So what this shapes out to be is there is basically no way you can have a Conference Championship Game in 1AA like conferences in 1A because of the playoff's if you want to participate.

It's one or the other since there is no way the game can be scheduled any earlier.
So....................Bottom line is we either do away with the SCG completely and let the regular season determine the championship or keep it and let that be our only goal.

Back to stuck in a hard place.:goof:
 
staggalee83 said:
So....................Bottom line is we either do away with the SCG completely and let the regular season determine the championship or keep it and let that be our only goal.

Back to stuck in a hard place.:goof:
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Back to what I have said for YEARS. If the SCG is our only goal, then you are basically TYING the hands of coaches when it comes to recruiting. If I recruit for a non-SWAC school, I'm playing DIRTY. A kid tells me he is considering a SWAC school, I'm saying "All you got to look for is a SWAC championship out of your collegiate career. We compete against the best in the playoffs every year."
 
Da_Sperm said:
Back to what I have said for YEARS. If the SCG is our only goal, then you are basically TYING the hands of coaches when it comes to recruiting. If I recruit for a non-SWAC school, I'm playing DIRTY. A kid tells me he is considering a SWAC school, I'm saying "All you got to look for is a SWAC championship out of your collegiate career. We compete against the best in the playoffs every year."
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Basically...................I was not trying to prove that point but it was proven to me just by that simple convo with JAG4LIFE.:swink:
 
Da_Sperm said:
Back to what I have said for YEARS. If the SCG is our only goal, then you are basically TYING the hands of coaches when it comes to recruiting. If I recruit for a non-SWAC school, I'm playing DIRTY. A kid tells me he is considering a SWAC school, I'm saying "All you got to look for is a SWAC championship out of your collegiate career. We compete against the best in the playoffs every year."
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Well explain what a D-1A non-BCS school says to a recruit to stel them from us?
 
Da_Sperm said:
If I recruit for a non-SWAC school, I'm playing DIRTY. A kid tells me he is considering a SWAC school, I'm saying "All you got to look for is a SWAC championship out of your collegiate career. We compete against the best in the playoffs every year."
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But a SWAC coach can extol the virtues of the HBCU experience too.

"A collegiate career" is much more than having a shot at the playoffs.
 
jag4life said:
Well explain what a D-1A non-BCS school says to a recruit to stel them from us?
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If you Bosie State..................You say we can beat these guy's and crash the party.:nod:
At least WE got the chance to do that.

They have proved it 2 straight years even though last year was the only BCS bowl Bosie got into.
 
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