There is no state of our program. it is dead.
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There is no state of our program. it is dead.
What program?
Update: Volleyball ends conference play 0-16 after losing to FSU at home tonight (they played in Lambright b/c of graduation).
WBB: 0-2
MBB: 0-2
WAC Strategic Plan for attendance:Originally Posted by Brian96
Volleyball
Each school should have at least 20% of basketball arena capacity (December 2011).
Mebbe they can play the volleyball games inside Dowling's Smokehouse and call it the "basketball arena" so we can qualify for 20% of capacity ??
THE JOAKES ON US ! ! ! ! !
jmo
www.firejimoakes.com
There are basketball goals in Lambright.WAC Strategic Plan for attendance:
Volleyball
Each school should have at least 20% of basketball arena capacity (December 2011).
Mebbe they can play the volleyball games inside Dowling's Smokehouse and call it the "basketball arena" so we can qualify for 20% of capacity ??
THE JOAKES ON US ! ! ! ! !
jmo
www.firejimoakes.com
Maybe they should play the volleyball matches in Memorial. Just have the doors open with life-size photos outside of the volleyball players (in uniform) and you should be able to get a few hundred guys to walk in on their way between the dorms and the student center.
Actually, that might not be a bad idea anyway, and use the proximity of Memorial to the dorms to get a lot of people to attend at the last minute.
\
even better,
spread some sand on the floor in Memorial and advertise it as Beach Volleyball and recruit some gals who look like those on the t.v.
season tickets would sell out in ruston for that.
jmo
has Mr Oakes responded to this?
To TECHLAX: OAKES response would be "It goes with the territory". That is what his response was when he was asked about the "Fire Jim Oakes" web site.
Brilliant!!!!!
Good perspective. I don't have a problem with him personally, I just don't think he's doing his job effectively.
WAC Adopts Major Strategic Plan
WAC plan details a noticeable move up
Rivals are leaning on each other in an effort to improve the conference's profile.
By George Hostetter / The Fresno Bee
The chief executives at the nine universities in the Western Athletic Conference have embraced a precedent-setting strategic plan that promises to transform the troubled alliance into a worthy rival to the nation's top intercollegiate powers.
But if all or a critical number of the eight presidents and one chancellor fail to follow through as promised at their universities, the result could be chaos in a conference that has seen little stability since Fresno State joined it 15 years ago.
The plan has no authority to force the schools to comply. But one of the presidents who voted for the plan in June said no such hammer is necessary — market forces will determine whether the current WAC survives.
"If you can't keep up with the competition, you stop belonging and you go somewhere else," said Joe Crowley, president at Nevada from 1978 to 2001, who recently completed a brief stint as the university's interim president.
Two years in the making, the strategic plan already is being felt at Fresno State. Athletic director Thomas Boeh said Thursday that the wrestling program was discontinued recently because it didn't fit into the overall vision of the university's athletic department or the conference.
The 479-page document is breathtaking in its ambitions.
"The WAC will be a premier Division I-A conference" in five years, the plan states in its introduction. "… All nine institutions must improve their athletic programs and take on characteristics that 'look' more like Pac-10 and Big 12 institutions."
The Pac-10 Conference is home to USC, UCLA, Stanford and Cal, among others. The Big12 Conference includes Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Denise Eby Konan, chancellor of the University of Hawaii, called the plan "historic" because the conference has never before made a public declaration of its aims and the steps necessary to achieve them. The plan is notable for four reasons:
It sets high goals (with suggested dates for meeting them) for on-field performance, academics, budgets and equity for women's sports.
The plan calls for increases in home attendance, more home games against major non conference opponents, and dramatic jumps in poll rankings for football, men's and women's basketball, and volleyball.
One thing missing is an estimated price for these improvements.
It leaves no doubt the current WAC is far from "premier."
The plan describes a conference of haves and have-nots. Fresno State's athletic budget is largest with expenditures of more than $25 million in 2004-2005 (though the universities own budget for that year lists expenditures of $22.6 million). At the bottom are Louisiana Tech and Utah State with expenditures of slightly less than $11 million.
These expenditures were compared to those at Oregon State and Washington State of the Pac-10, Iowa State and Colorado of the Big 12, Utah of the Mountain West, Memphis of Conference-USA and Toledo of the Mid-American — dubbed the "Comparative 7" in the plan. The first four were chosen because they are generally considered to be mid- or lower-level schools in their conferences, while the other three were chosen because they're considered "premier" programs in their conferences.
The Pac-10 and Big 12 schools, for example, spend considerably more than the WAC average of about $16 million: Oregon State ($36.1 million), Washington State ($27.9 million), Colorado ($36.6 million) and Iowa State ($28.2 million).
According to the plan, WAC teams also largely fail to meet NCAA-mandated academic requirements, go to bowls and postseason tournaments less often than mid-level schools in bigger conferences and generally have smaller stadiums and arenas than those other schools.
It requires WAC schools to enhance the conference's image throughout the United States.
Fresno State officials acknowledge the university — in light of recent men's basketball scandals and three pending lawsuits filed by former female employees of the athletic department — has work to do for itself in this area.
It has the full support of the most powerful person on each campus.
"This wasn't a plan created by athletic directors," Konan said. "It's a plan that calls for commitment at the highest levels — the presidents and chancellors of the universities. That will be a key part of its success."
The plan was approved unanimously by the WAC Board of Directors in June. The board's members are Konan (board president) plus the presidents of Fresno State, Boise State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State.
Fresno State already meets many of the plan's standards, particularly in on-field performance, attendance and budget. Fresno State and its fans have invested tens of millions of dollars over the past quarter-century in new athletic facilities and athletic scholarships.
This raises several questions.
Does Fresno State tie its long-term athletic future to a conference in which some programs need substantial growth just to reach the Bulldogs' current level?
Or does the university fulfill its part of the plan, but keep an eye open for a spot in a stronger conference, particularly if some WAC schools fail to make a good-faith effort to comply with the plan?
Fresno State officials said they're committed to the conference.
"At the moment, it is very important to have a strong Western Athletic Conference," Fresno State President John Welty said.
But there's talk about Division I athletics evolving into four 16-team conferences, Welty added.
"If that would occur, we want to be strong enough to be a part of that effort," he said.
-----The WAC strategic plan was born in part from desperation.-----
The conference was founded in 1962 by schools sprinkled throughout the wide-open spaces of the southwest and Rocky Mountains — New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah and Brigham Young among them.
Fresno State was invited to make it a 10-team conference in 1991, effective July 1, 1992.
But conference stability has been a problem. The WAC expanded to 16 teams in 1996, only to have eight schools bolt three years later and form the Mountain West Conference. Schools have come and gone ever since.
The WAC went through its latest realignment when a handful of schools left following the 2004-05 season and were replaced by Idaho, New Mexico State and Utah State.
The WAC board held a summit in Salt Lake City in September 2004 to determine whether the conference had a future. According to conference commissioner Karl Benson, Welty took a leading role in discussions.
"He was the only president around that table that experienced going to 16teams, watching the other schools break away, watching the creation of the Mountain West Conference, then watching the WAC go through two or three more changes," Benson said.
Welty said he made "the strong point that we have invested heavily" in Fresno State athletics and it was vital for other WAC schools to do the same with their programs.
The constant membership changes — along with modestly funded programs, limited success against "premier" conference schools and generally small television markets — combined to make the WAC a second-class citizen in the multi-billion-dollar-a-year Division I intercollegiate athletics industry.
There are six major or "premier" conferences: Pac-10, Big 12, Southeastern, Big Ten, Big East and Atlantic Coast. Everyone else (except for independent Notre Dame) hustles to catch up.
The WAC's second-class status is frustrating but not fatal in many sports because the conference has guaranteed paths to postseason playoffs or events. For example, Fresno State won the NCAA softball title in 1998.
But it has been crushing in the big-money sport — football. In theory, a WAC team can qualify for one of the five Bowl Championship Series bowls and the multimillion-dollar paydays that go with them.
In reality, it's highly unlikely. Since the Bowl Championship Series was started in the 1998 regular season, Utah is the only school from outside the six "premier" conferences (plus Notre Dame) to play in a BCS bowl. This affects recruiting, scheduling and fundraising for schools on the outside.
Bulldogs football coach Pat Hill said he's a strong WAC advocate, but added, "League affiliation is the hardest thing to overcome."
WAC officials have hesitated to make the plan public. Benson gave The Bee a copy of the 42-page executive summary, but declined to make the entire report available. He said he isn't sure it's a public document. Fresno State made available its copy to The Bee, but it doesn't contain sections on the other eight schools.
What happens if a handful of schools pay the price to get better, but the others don't?
"I don't know," Hawaii's Konan said. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Yet, this question looms over the executive summary. After all, a fundamental purpose of any conference is to give members the best showcase for their teams.
Welty acknowledged this in June 1991 when, as Fresno State's incoming president, he explained the value of the Bulldogs moving from the Big West Conference to the WAC: "It means the quality of competition will be greater."
The question also is on the minds of some WAC presidents.
If, in five or 10 years, there is "an incredible disparity" in the budgets and efforts of WAC schools, Boise State President Bob Kustra said, "I would certainly think it would cause a university to wonder if it was in the right conference."
Kustra said officials at schools in the nine-member Mountain West have told him the conference might consider expanding to 12 schools in several years. Potential candidates, he said, "certainly would be Boise State and Fresno State."
Some WAC schools already are acting on the plan: Welty said recent university decisions such as moving home volleyball matches from the North Gym to the Save Mart Center were based on the plan.
Athletic director Boeh said the decision to discontinue wrestling had many "components" — including conference affiliation and the need to finance 16 other athletic teams. Add them all up, he added, and wrestling simply didn't fit into the future of a university casting its lot with the WAC.
"Strategically, we needed to pick our spots, [to] see what it is that we could be efficient at and be competitive at," Boeh said.
Benson said the strategic plan does not mention wrestling because "it's not a WAC sport."
Kustra said Boise State is making plans to expand its football stadium from 30,000 to 45,000 seats.
Benson pointed to New Mexico State as a school getting the message. It is spending $23 million to expand the Pan American Center, the Aggies' basketball arena, and hired former Kentucky coach Hal Mumme and former NBA star Reggie Theus before the 2005-06 season to head the football and men's basketball programs, respectively.
"They have truly stepped up to the plate and made a commitment to be a player in the WAC," Benson said.
Idaho has some hurdles. It's located in one of the WAC's smallest cities — Moscow's population barely tops 20,000 — and the Vandals' football stadium is the conference's smallest, with a 16,000 capacity. The basketball arena holds only 7,000.
Idaho athletic director Rob Spear said the university is studying how to improve its facilities. Said Spear: "As long as the schools commit to getting better, the WAC will be fine."
----The strategic plan also requires each school to come up with its own plan.
Benson will travel to at least one campus each month to hold what he calls a "town hall-type" meeting at which the public and school officials discuss what they want from the athletic program.
He will be at Fresno State in May.
This meeting figures to be historic. The direction of Fresno State sports since newly hired football coach Jim Sweeney promised some 30 years ago to awaken a "sleeping giant" has never been debated in such a public setting.
Is building a "premier" athletic conference worth the time, effort and money?
It's an issue conspicuously missing from the strategic plan's executive summary.
Hawaii Chancellor Konan said athletes who excel in athletic and academic competition represent "our finest traditions."
Welty said athletics "in many ways has allowed us to connect with this region that has led to support for other parts of the university."
Hank Smith is president of the Bulldog Foundation Scholarship Fund Drive, which is projected to raise more than $8 million through donations and ticket purchases this school year.
A strong Fresno State athletic program builds regional pride, brings in more money for academics and improves the quality of life by providing top-notch sports entertainment, he said.
"Athletics have helped build Fresno State," Smith said.
Others aren't so sure.
Retired Fresno State geology professor Bob Merrill, father of former NFL safety Than Merrill, said the university's drive to compete with the nation's top athletic programs "has been a huge drain" on the university.
His suggestion: Focus on academics, not athletics.
"In the long run, that would do more to upgrade the image of the university," Merrill said.
And a 2005 study done for the NCAA by Jonathan Orszag, an economic policy consultant, and Peter Orszag, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, found no proof that more spending on big-time sports affects a university's academic performance.
The study also found "little or no robust relationship" between changes in spending on Division-IA football or basketball programs and alumni donations, whether to the sports program or the university itself.
In the end, the direction of Fresno State athletics might pivot on the ambitions of the more than 2.5 million people who live in the Bulldogs' main market, stretching from Kern County to Merced County.
Steve Chase is manager of Collectibles Zone in Fresno's Manchester Center. He said business is especially good for Fresno State items; only one bobblehead doll of former star Bulldogs quarterback David Carr, now playing with the NFL's Houston Texans, remained in stock Monday.
Chase's plan for a better WAC sounds like a recording of a Pat Hill pep talk: "You play better schools and you beat them. Then the WAC gets noticed."
Over at the Fresno State Student Union, Cheryl Niederfrank, a junior majoring in physical therapy, said she has been going to Bulldogs athletic events with her parents for 20 years.
"You go to our football games and what do you see? The Red Wave," Niederfrank said. "People from Tulare to Merced come to the games. It's the thing to do."
At the World Sports Cafe in north Fresno's River Park shopping center, Walter Olazaba said Fresno State should go full-steam ahead with its national ambitions.
Olazaba described himself as a big Bulldogs football fan: "I want to see us play Michigan and teams like that. It might cost us more money. But, in the long run, it will help the school."
A few tables away, Raquel Leal said she rarely misses a Bulldogs football or basketball game.
But Leal said she's taking a wait-and-see attitude toward Fresno State's lofty rhetoric.
Said Leal: "They need to prove themselves. Don't you think they need to do that to justify spending all that money?"
The reporter can be reached at ghostetter@fresnobee.com or (559)441-6272.
The WAC's Comparative 7
The Western Athletic Conference strategic plan compares the performance of its nine members against seven other mid-level Division I programs, dubbed the "Comparative 7."
Who they are: Colorado and Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference, Oregon State and Washington State of the Pac-10 Conference, Utah of the Mountain West Conference, Memphis of Conference-USA and Toledo of the Mid-American Conference.
Six of the Comparative 7 exceed the overall WAC average in Academic Performance Rate.
All of the Comparative 7 had higher football Bowl Championship Series rankings than the WAC average in 2003-2005.
Six of the Comparative 7 had a higher men's basketball Ratings Percentage Index than the WAC average in 2004-January 2006.
Six of the Comparative 7 had a higher women's basketball Ratings Percentage Index than the WAC average in 2004-January 2006.
Six of the Comparative 7 have a larger football stadium than the WAC average.
Six of the Comparative 7 have a larger basketball arena than the WAC average.
Six of the Comparative 7 had a larger athletic budget than the WAC average of $16.1 million in 2004-2005.
All of the Comparative 7 had a larger football budget than the WAC average of $3.9 million in 2004-2005.
Six of the Comparative 7 had a larger men's basketball budget than the WAC average of $1.3 million in 2004-2005.
All of the Comparative 7 had a larger women's basketball budget than the WAC average of $825,454 in 2004-2005.
Six of the Comparative 7 had a larger volleyball budget than the WAC average of $121,429 in 2004-2005.
Washington State and Utah played in BCS bowls between 2002-2004; no WAC team has played in a BCS bowl.
The Comparative 7 played in 14 other football bowl games between 2002-2004; WAC teams played in nine.
The Comparative 7 had seven spots in the NCAA men's basketball tournament from 2003-2005; the WAC had four spots.
WAC Strategic Plan
Highlights from the Western Athletic Conference's five-year strategic plan.
THE MISSION
The WAC "wants to be one of the premier NCAA Division IA Athletic Conferences in the United States."
The WAC's use of "premier" must be "defensible and reasonable in the minds of the sports media, sports public, other Division IA members …"
Each WAC member must improve its athletic programs "and take on characteristics that 'look' more like Pac-10 and Big 12 institutions."
The conference has four "core" sports: football, men's and women's basketball, and volleyball.
Three sports have "substantial fan/revenue potential:" baseball, softball and women's soccer.
NATIONAL STANDARDS
People will know which schools are in the conference whenever the WAC is mentioned or seen (deadline June 2009).
The WAC brand will be worth more money (June 2009).
MINIMUM SCHEDULING STANDARDS
Football
Each school should play a minimum of six home games annually, or a minimum of 11 over two years (August 2008).
Each is encouraged to sign scheduling contracts that call for a minimum of one home game for each two away games with a nonconference opponent (immediately).
Each may have one I-AA game per year; away games with I-AA opponents are discouraged (August 2008).
Men's and women's basketball
Each school should play at least half of nonconference games at home (August 2009).
Each is prohibited from playing more than two away "pay day" games in a season (August 2008).
Each is prohibited from playing non-Division I opponents, unless with a waiver or under special circumstances (August 2007).
Volleyball, baseball, softball and women's soccer
Still being researched and developed.
MINIMUM HOME ATTENDANCE STANDARDS
Football
Each school must have at least 80% of stadium capacity; conference average is 64% (December 2010).
Men's basketball
Each school should have at least 70% of arena capacity; conference average is 56% (June 2011).
Women's basketball
Each school should have at least 20% of arena capacity; conference average is 14% (June 2011).
Volleyball
Each school should have at least 20% of basketball arena capacity (December 2011).
Baseball, softball and women's soccer
Still being researched and developed.
BUDGETS
Each school should immediately aim for an overall annual growth rate of at least 4%.
The average annual athletic budget should be at least $21 million vs. current average of $16 million (June 2011).
ACADEMICS
Achieve a conference academic performance rate in the top 50% of all Division I conferences; WAC men's sports currently is last among 31 Division I conferences; women's sports is 27th.
Elevate the conference's average academic performance rate in all four "core" sports plus baseball, softball and women's soccer (2009 or 2010).
ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Average standing in Director's Cup of 100 instead of three-year average of 141 (June 2011).
Average ranking of 50 in the football Bowl Championship Series instead of 3-year average of 77 (June 2011).
Average Ratings Percentage Index of 100 for men's basketball instead of 3-year average of 146 (June 2011).
Annually place three men's basketball teams in NCAA Tournament instead of one or two (June 2011).
Average Ratings Percentage Index of 120 for women's basketball instead of 3-year average of 170 (June 2011).
Annually place two women's basketball teams in NCAA Tournament instead of one (June 2011).
Few big names to lose scholarships based on APR
ESPN.com news services
In Division I-A football, Temple (9), New Mexico State (6), Toledo (6) Hawaii (5), Middle Tennessee (5), Western Michigan (5) Buffalo (3) and Northern Illinois (2) were penalized.
"You've got to bring in kids that not only want to make it to the NFL, but also want to graduate and get their degree," first-year Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill told ESPN. "If a kid just wants to graduate and not make it to the NFL, I'm not interested. If he wants the NFL and not the degree, I'm not interested. You have to do a good job in evaluating. We're getting out of the Prop 48 business."
In Division I basketball, Cal-Poly (2), Centenary (2), East Carolina (2), Hampton (2), Jacksonville (2), Kent State (2), Maryland Eastern Shore (2), New Mexico State (2), South Carolina State (2), Texas State (2), Sacramento State (1), DePaul (1), Florida A&M (1), Lousiana Lafayette (1), Louisiana-Monroe (1), Louisiana Tech (1) and Prarie View (1) were penalized.
First-year New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus told ESPN.com that it wasn't fair that a new coach gets penalized for past transgressions. The Aggies will lose two scholarships, a decision Theus said NMSU appealed to no avail. He will have to take off the scholarships from his maximum 13 for next season.
"There's got to be some sort of grace period to see if there is improvement [for new coaches] before you get hit with a penalty," Theus said Wednesday. "We've got a new AD, a new president, new programs that we've implemented and you would think we could get at least one of those penalties rescinded. But we didn't.
"We'll survive it," Theus said. "But for new coaches it puts you behind the eight ball."
First-year Temple coach Al Golden said he hadn't considered whether it was fair or not.
"I've been dealing with the problem," Golden told ESPN. "I try to demolish the bridges behind me by moving forward and not looking back. I wasn't here, so my regime didn't affect the scores. But now, we have a chance to positively affect those scores."
Golden said his players have been in an academic "culture shock" since his arrival seven weeks ago. "Every player will attend every class," Golden said. "They will keep every tutorial and study hall appointment. They are required to sit in the front row of their classes and get to know their professors."
Coaches are involved, as well.
"We personally make sure they hand their papers in," Golden said. "Every day, our coaches have 2½ hours on their schedule to spend with the players. Our coaches are required to personally meet with the academic counselors and have copies of their players' class schedules and syllabuses. And yes, we have been personally checking classes. We're already getting the right results."
Only seven teams in the six power conferences -- Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Southeastern and Pac-10 -- were sanctioned. Four schools -- Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas of the Big 12, and Tennessee of the SEC -- had insufficient scores in baseball. West Virginia of the Big East was penalized in men's wrestling and Mississippi of the SEC was sanctioned in men's indoor track.
DePaul of the Big East was the only power conference school to be penalized in football or men's basketball. It could lose one scholarship in men's basketball.
"The rates earned by many of our sports are at, or near, a perfect score and reflect the continued academic success of DePaul student-athletes," said DePaul AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto. "Thirteen of our 15 teams exceeded the average across every class of Division I as well as private institutions as a whole. Our men's basketball APR is reflective of the student-athletes who did not persist, in large part, as a result of coaching changes in the program. Our highest priority remains the academic success of our student-athletes."
The NCAA also released a list of schools that consistently outperformed the academic standards. Among those were Brown, Harvard, Yale, Notre Dame, the three U.S. military academies and William and Mary.
One of the programs hit hardest was Florida A&M, which loses scholarships in baseball (1.07), football (8), men's basketball (1), men's swimming (0.99) and women's swimming (1.23).
The NCAA said that the loss of eight football scholarships will be separate and in addition to penalties previously leveled against Florida A&M. Charged with a lack of institutional control, Florida A&M was put on probation for four years with a loss of 30 scholarships, including 14 over the next four seasons.
Of the 99 sports teams that will lose scholarships, 90 are men's teams and 9 are women's teams. The majority are in three sports: football (23), baseball (21), and men's basketball (17).
Sacramento State in California had the most teams affected (six) and could face the loss of as many five athletes. The school could lose as many as 2.3 scholarships.
Prairie View A&M, in Texas, was among the hardest sanctioned schools. It could lose nearly 10 athletes in five sports and be penalized 5.3 scholarships in football and nearly eight altogether.
As many as 350 Division I sports teams were in danger of penalties at this time last year. "We are encouraged by the response on many campuses to academic reform," said NCAA president Myles Brand. "The goal of academic reform is to improve academic behaviors and increase graduation, not unnecessarily penalize teams."
More serious consequences, which could include limits on postseason competition and restricted membership status, await teams that continue to academically under perform.
Eight institutions have not yet completed the process for determining penalties under APR: Arizona State University; Northern Arizona University; San Diego State University; San Jose State University; Texas A&M University, College Station; University of Arizona; University of Kansas; and Tulane University.
For a team to lose a scholarship under the "contemporaneous penalty" portion of academic reform, a student-athlete must have failed academically and left the institution; and the team's APR must be below 925 (out of 1000).
The APR is calculated by measuring the academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes by team each term. Based on current data, an APR of 925 calculates to an approximate Graduation Success Rate of 60 percent.
Teams that fall below the NCAA's cutoff line would not be able to replace those scholarships when academically ineligible athletes leave school. The NCAA has limited penalties to a maximum of 10 percent of the scholarships.
There is some concern that historically black colleges and universities were affected disproportionately.
"It is an issue," Brand said. "A number of those institutions received mission exemptions, but there are a number of institutions that are still not performing as well for student-athletes as they are for the rest of the student body."
Kevin Lennon, the NCAA's vice president for membership services, said 63 teams received waivers, primarily based on mission statements. Sixteen waivers were rejected.
Brand said baseball has been hit harder because more players leave school early for professional leagues and transfer rules do permit baseball players to sit out one season before continuing their college career.
Harsher penalties will be handed out in the future.
Next year, the NCAA will begin sending warning letters to schools whose teams have historically fared poorly in academics. In 2007-08, those schools could face the loss of scholarships and in 2008-09, the penalties could include a ban from postseason tournaments.
Men's Basketball
Schools which will lose scholarships for poor scholastic performance under the terms of the Academic Progress Rates reform program:
School
No.
Cal Poly
2
Centenary
2
East Carolina
2
Hampton
2
Jacksonville
2
Kent State
2
New Mexico St.
2
S. Carolina St.
2
Texas State
2
Mary.-Eastern Shore
2
DePaul
1
Florida A&M
1
Louisiana Tech
1
Prairie View
1
La.-Lafayette
1
La.-Monroe
1
Sacramento State
1
Football
Schools (Division I-A) which will lose scholarships for poor scholastic performance under the terms of the Academic Progress Rates reform program:
School
No.
Temple
9
Toledo
6
Hawaii
5
Middle Tenn. St.
5
Western Michigan
5
Buffalo
3
New Mexico St.
2
Northern Illinois
2
Information from ESPN's Joe Schad and Andy Katz and The Associated Press was used in this report.
The Game Plan – Louisiana TechSTRATEGIC GOAL:
$2 MILLION ANNUAL NEW INVESTMENT IN TECH ATHLETICS
Fall 2007
SUMMARY
Louisiana Tech has a long history of outstanding athletic success involving national championships, conference titles and All-American achievements by exceptional student-athletes. The athletic program at Tech now offers 16NCAA Division 1-A sports - nine women's sports and seven men's sports - that all compete in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
Educational opportunities through scholarships are provided to over 250 student-athletes annually. These student-athletes learn valuable life lessons about teamwork, sacrifice, and commitment through competition at the highest NCAA level. Many of these young people would not have the opportunity to gain a college education without athletic scholarship assistance.
According to the recent NCAA Graduation Report, Louisiana Tech now graduates more student-athletes than any other Louisiana school competing in NCAA 1-A. The report also noted that 88 percent - nearly nine of every ten - of Tech's student-athletes who have completed their athletic eligibility have graduated.
Membership in the WAC has given Louisiana Tech the chance to compete on a national stage unlike any other time in the history of the athletic program. The numerous national television appearances that occur annually present enormous opportunities to put the Louisiana Tech name before millions of viewers. WAC membership provides unique opportunities for national and regional television appearances, conference championships, bowl games, and an affiliation with highly respected athletic programs.
Tech's athletic program continues to be the single greatest source of national and regional visibility for the University. During the past football season, 11 of 12 games were televised. For the third consecutive year, Tech hosted a national football broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2, and is expected to host another game in the 2005 season. The Lady Techster basketball team remains a national power that has appeared on national television more than any other Tech sport, bringing tremendous positive recognition to the University,
The challenges for the future are great because of the increased costs for maintaining a successful intercollegiate athletic program. Unless significant new funding is found for the athletic program, it will be impossible to succeed in the WAC. The athletic program at Tech has done more with less, as illustrated by its $9 million budget - the smallest in the WAC. Competition in a lesser conference will only lower revenue opportunities for the athletic department and decrease fan interest. Eliminating the athletic program completely would end athletic expenditures, but the cost to the University in image and enrollment clearly makes this option unthinkable.
The landscape in NCAA Division 1-A is continually changing - some of the change is good and some will provide additional challenges for Tech. Further change is certain to occur as schools continue to explore their conference options. In addition, there is a growing number that believe the issues that continue to trouble the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) need to be addressed
The biggest challenge for Tech Athletics is building new support from alumni and fans to meet the increased costs of maintaining a successful intercollegiate athletic program. Raising the level of support available to Tech's student-athletes and coaches will help them reach their goals and objectives. New investment that would grow the athletic budget by $2 million each year is essential for future success. An annual revenue increase of this size can only be achieved by increase in ticket sales, contributions, and corporate sponsorships.
MISSION STATEMENT
Louisiana Tech University is committed to an intercollegiate athletics program that embodies academic, athletic and financial integrity. This constancy must be manifested primarily in an athletics program which is always in concert with the overall mission of the university and complements the values and goals of higher education. As a part of the total educational process at Tech, the intercollegiate athletics program should bring pride, admiration and loyalty to the university. In this context, the Louisiana Tech University intercollegiate athletics program will benefit the student body, alumni, faculty, staff and the local community through the development of esprit de corps. The soundness of the athletics program must also be evident in a commitment to enhance the educational growth and development of student-athletes and to abide by the letter and spirit of the rules and regulations set forth by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Western Athletic Conference.
Specific goals of the Louisiana Tech University intercollegiate athletic program include the following:
1. To conduct the athletics program in harmony with the educational goals, values, practices and missions of Louisiana Tech University,
2. To look to the president of the university for authority and direction in the administration of the athletics program.
3. To seek the intellectual and vocational development of student-athletes and to enable them to meet the demands of academic competition successfully with the assistance of an academic support program.
4. To provide all student-athletes, male and female, equal opportunity to pursue academic and athletic excellence.
5. To recruit student-athletes who have demonstrated academic ability to be successful in college.
6. To allow student-athletes to participate in athletics only when they are able to demonstrate satisfactory progress toward a degree as outlined in the standards set forth by the NCAA and university academic policies.
7. To provide student-athletes the assurance that their education is of the utmost importance and to confirm that unsatisfactory academic achievement shall be neither accepted nor excused.
8. To strive for success at the conference, regional and national levels in all athletics programs whenever possible.
9. To maintain a coaching staff that represents the best in athletic instruction; that possesses the ability to motivate and inspire the student-athletes in their charge; and that is selected without regard to their race, color, creed, sex, age, handicap or national origin.
10. To always conduct the business of intercollegiate athletics in such a manner as to reflect pride and integrity for the university, alumni and community and to ensure that intercollegiate athletics will be an honorable tradition at Louisiana Tech University and in North Louisiana.
11. The athletics department envisions increased external funding, improved graduation rates for all student-athletes, increased life-skills educational opportunities for all student-athletes and the continuation of programs toward achieving gender equity.
A $2 MILLIONANNUAL INVESTMENT IN NEW REVENUE IN THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM RESULTS WHEN STRA:
Academic Advancement
The academic performance of Louisiana Tech's student-athletes has dramatically improved through the work of the Tech Athletic Academic Center and the commitment by all of the school's coaches. The graduation rate for student-athletes remains higher than the graduation rate for all Tech students - a notable achievement. Helping student-athletes gain a degree and develop valuable life skills clearly remains a high priority for the athletic program. Increasing funding byat least $50,000 annually for the Athletic Academic Center will allow for additional tutors and staff to assist student-athletes in reaching their academic potential.
Marketing and Promotions
Marketing activities are critically important to an athletic program's success because college athletics are very much a part of the entertainment industry. Creative marketing and promotions are vital to attracting consumers to athletic events, pie addition of at least $100,000 annually to the athletic budget would provide for enhanced marketing activities by a marketing director.
Salary Adjustments
More competitive salaries are needed to keep outstanding coaches for all 16 Tech sports. The average salary paid to coaches and staff should approach the average salary for comparable positions within the WAC. A plan to provide $200,000 annually in incentives for productivity would significantly affect the program's ability to attract and retain the best coaching staffs.
Increased Recruiting Funds
An increase in recruiting budgets for all 16 sports is needed for each sport to reach championship potential. Talented student-athletes must be recruited to campus in order to achieve the level of success aspired by Tech's coaches and fans. Tech coaches do an excellent job in recruiting top talent, and an increase of $I25,000 annually would allow for recruiting efforts to stretch far beyond the boundaries of North Louisiana.
Facility Improvements
Improving athletic facilities will benefit recruiting and improve the fan experience for those attending athletic contests. The cost of these improvements over a three-year period is $24 million. Special needs include:
• Artificial surface for Joe Aillet Stadium (Football and Women's Soccer) - $300.000
• Video scoreboards for Joe Aillet Stadium and the Thomas Assembly Center
(Football, Women's and Men's Basketball, and Women's Volleyball) - $1,500,000
• Tech Bowling Alley improvements (Women's Bowling) - $50,000
• Repaint Thomas Assembly Center floor (Women's and Men's Basketball) -$20,000
• Resurface Tennis Courts (Women's Tennis) - $35,000
Improvements to Jim Mize Track & Field Complex (Women's and Men's Track and
Field) - $50,000.
•New Scoreboard for the Tech Softball Field (Women's Softball) - $20.000,
• Renovations to Softball Locker Room (Women's Softball) -$10.000
• New lights at Joe Aillet Stadium (Football and Women's Soccer) - ($225,000)
•Other improvements $100,000)
Favorable Basketball Schedules
The more home games played, the better the chance for success. This is a simple rule of thumb in athletics, but one that is especially true in basketball because of ratings percentage index (RPI) used to rank teams and determine selection for post-season play. The more wins, the higher the RPI. Better stated, the more home games played (and won), the higher the RPI.
Currently, the Bulldog Basketball team plays several road guarantee games that result in much needed revenue for the basketball program. Playing just one less road guarantee game and replacing that game with a home win would have a very positive impact on the team's RPI. More favorable scheduling, eliminating the necessity of playing road guarantee games and the addition of home guarantee games would require additional funding of $75,000 per year.
The Lady Techsters have not played road guarantee games - sizable guarantees have not been paid in the women's game - and every effort has been made by the athletic department to protect the national reputation of the program. However, the Lady Techsters have played home and away contests with lesser opponents that have led to fewer home games being played.
The loss of just one or two of these games annually and the replacement with home games that are won would have a positive impact on the RPI for the Lady Techsters. The overall cost for these changes to the schedules of both the Lady Techsters and Bulldogs would be approximately $100,000.00 each year.
Favorable Football Schedules
An annual football schedule with only two guarantee road games against major Bowl Championship Series opponents should be arranged to improve the chances of bowl participation and successful seasons. These guarantee games have been an essential source of revenue that has enabled the athletic department to balance its books each year. However, playing more than two of these type games in any season makes it difficult to achieve the record needed to qualify for bowl participation. .Approximately $750,000 annually would be required to eliminate one road guarantee game and to bring a quality opponent to Ruston for a home game. Always, the emphasis has to be on quality opponents with an opportunity for success.
$2 MILLION NEW INVESTMENT
SOURCES
Champs
Champs is the name of the annual fundraising campaign that benefits Tech Athletics. Loyal supporters provide tax-deductible financial contributions that are necessary for our student-athletes to excel. Support for the Champs program comes through cash gifts, matching gifts, memorials, endowed scholarships, wills and bequests, insurance policies, and gifts-in-kind. Membership in
The Champs program must expand in order for the Tech Athletic program to meet its strategic goals.
A concerted effort must be made to expand the membership base of the Champs program, with a focus on volunteer support. The creation of a Champs Board of Directory that will operate under the direction of a strong chairman Dr. Guthrie Jarrell will allow for a more effective volunteer approach.
Continued work to create and initiate Champs chapters across Louisiana and in other parts of the country will also be important to successful fundraising. The members of these chapters must become fundraising volunteers willing to make solicitations to sell the Champs program.
The number of staff solicitations through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and direct mail must increase to sell the program and explain the importance of financial support to the athletic program.
Ticket Sales
The sale of game tickets to Tech Athletic events has increased in all but two of the past ten years, but not at the rate necessary to keep up with conference partners. The season ticket base must grow in each of Tech's revenue sports. The added revenue from increased season ticket sales is absolutely critical.
Of course, the most effective tool is selling athletic tickets is winning games. Winning has a significant impact on increasing ticket sales in all sporting endeavors. The athletic program at Tech will ultimately be judged based on the level of competitive success. Wins and losses will remain the common measuring stick for athletic success. An increased premium on winning is necessary for all Tech sports, especially the revenue-generating sports. Coaches must continue to be evaluated on a variety of factors, but winning must be at the heart of any annual review.
An automated ticketing system must be purchased to allow for a more attractive approach to customer service and improved data collection- Most new ticketing systems also allow internet sales. This technology is commonplace in collegiate and professional sports.
A well organized marketing campaign, funded through additional budget resources and directed by a full-time marketing director will greatly assist in the sale of season tickets. Most of the marketing for Tech sports has been done on a 'swap out' basis with local media outlets. A more effective approach will be to create a broad marketing campaign with adequate funding that can present a compelling reason for fans to purchase season tickets.
More promotional offers, such as the free Ryan Moats jerseys given to kids before the Tech-Nevada football game in 2004, are necessary to make game tickets more attractive to fans. These types of promotional offerings will require additional operating expenses that will be essential to an effective marketing campaign.
Just as with the Champs fundraising campaign, a strong volunteer effort is also needed to sell season tickets for the revenue sports. A core group of ticket captains must be identified and asked to serve in a structural ticket campaign.
Corporate Sponsorships. Radio and TV
The number of corporate sponsors for the Tech Athletic program has steadily increased in the past ten years. However, more must be done in this important area to create added revenue. The creation of a Bulldog Business Backer program targeted to small businesses should help in generating new support. Local businesses that contribute a certain amount annually will be given an attractive sign or display that will clearly identify them as Bulldog Backers. These businesses will be asked to offer special discounts to season holders or to Champs members as a way to give added value to season tickets and increase traffic for their business.
Increased efforts to generate additional revenue from inventory on the broadcast of Tech football and basketball games through the Louisiana Tech Sports Network will be important.
Conference Bonuses
The WAC has adopted new policies regarding football national television appearances, bowl participation, and NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament selection that can result in revenue bonuses being paid to member schools. Louisiana Tech has already benefited from this change in policy through the nationally televised football games played hosted by Tech. Future success in football and men's basketball can bring even more revenue to the athletic program through this conference bonus program.
Naming Opportunities
A program that would allow for the names of major donors or businesses to be placed on the entrance of offices and other facilities in the athletic program should be initiated. A simple plaque mentioning the name of the office or facility with the name of the donor could yield significant new income for the athletic program. The inscription on these plaques might simply name the office, Head Football Coach, followed by the words, a gift by the John Doe family.
Articles: Tech sets strategic money plan
Sunday, July 03, 2005 - 03:36 PM, (468 Reads)
Athletic department seeks an additional $2 million annually.
July 3, 2005
By Jimmy Watson
jimwatson@gannett.com
Donate to LA Tech Champs Today!
If you're still trying to figure out how you're going to spend that $2 million that you had left over from your summer vacation budget, Louisiana Tech Athletic Director Jim Oakes has a plan for you.
Tech officials are kicking off a fund-raising campaign designed to elevate the school's athletic programs and move into the next decade at a higher level. "The Game Plan," a full-color strategic plan that will be mailed to at least 10,000 Tech alumni in the next couple of weeks, seeks $2 million per year as an "investment" in Louisiana Tech athletics.
"It is critical that we generate more revenue to advance our programs because the landscape is shifting, our competitors are continuing to spend more money than us," Oakes said. "We have to do a better job of selling tickets, raising money through our Champs organization and finding more corporate sponsorships."
The money will be used for facilities improvements, including an artificial playing surface at Joe Aillet Stadium, guarantees for more home men's basketball games, elimination of a road guarantee football game, more tutors for student-athletes, increased marketing and promotions, an increase in the recruiting budget and salary adjustments for coaches.
Funding would come from donations to Champs, the fund-raising arm of Tech athletics, increased season ticket sales, additional corporate sponsorships, WAC bonuses and from the selling spots for donor names above various offices and facilities at the school.
It's a grand plan, but Oakes said its success is vital if Tech is to become a consistent winner in the WAC.
"We obviously are hoping to receive a positive response to the initiative," Oakes said. "We need to generate $2 million to fill the needs of our 16 NCAA Division I-A sports."
The Game Plan cites a number of positives that have occurred in Tech athletics over the past few years, including the graduation rate of student-athletes.
According to the recent NCAA Graduation Report, 88 percent of Tech's student-athletes who have completed their athletic eligibility have graduated --more than any Louisiana school competing in Division I-A.
The report also noted that 11 of Tech's 12 football games last season were televised and the Lady Techsters' basketball team continues to bring national recognition to the school.
"The challenges for the future are great because of the increased costs for maintaining a successful intercollegiate athletic program," the report said. "Unless significant new funding is found for the athletic program, it will be impossible to succeed in the WAC. The athletic program at Tech has done more with less, as illustrated by its $9 million budget -- the smallest in the WAC."
In addition to a new surface for Joe Aillet Stadium ($300,000), new video scoreboards for the football stadium and in Thomas Assembly Center ($1.5 million) as well as new lights for the stadium ($100,000) are in the plan.
The new money would allow the men's basketball team to play at least one less road guarantee game, which could improve the team's Ratings Percentage Index ranking. Approximately $75,000 in funding is needed to make that a reality.
The athletic department would also like to eliminate one road guarantee football game and bring in one quality opponent to Ruston each season and $750,000 is needed to accomplish that goal.
"Playing more than two of these type games (where Tech is paid to play at BCS schools) in any season makes it difficult to achieve the record needed to qualify for bowl participation," the report said. "Always, the emphasis has to be on quality opponents with an opportunity for success."
Although Tech student-athletes are graduating at a higher rate than the rate for the Tech student body as a whole, $50,000 annually is needed for additional tutors and staff to assist the athletes according to the report.
The strategic plan is also seeking $125,000 each year to allow Tech coaches to expand their recruiting base and allow them to reach "championship potential."
"Having great facilities is a big inducement for bringing top caliber student-athletes to our school," Oakes said. "Having Hawaii as a WAC member is also something our coaches have used as a recruiting tool."
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Last edited by 9701Dawg; 05-08-2007 at 10:50 AM.
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