527 replies to this topic

[AuLukey]

I came across an article on the Charlotte Observer about the resurgence of student, alumni, and community interest in the school's lack of a league football program.

http://www.charlotte...ts/14897497.htm

In this article, it points to a website for UNCC enthusiasts that are trying to get the program a sensible representation instead of simply asking "should we get a football program?" in a poll.

http://www.charlotte49erfootball.com/

Their goals are as follows:

Quote

1. Prove that Charlotte 49er Football makes financial sense.
2. Addressing the financial issue, by increasing awareness about Charlotte 49er Football in the community
3. Address the issue of a football stadium.
4. Show that there is substantial support for Charlotte 49er Football program on campus, and in the community.

I actually believe that they have some structure behind their claims.  In a way, it's not just a plus for the school's reputation and ego, but it would also help out the community in not only UC, but also Charlotte.  Having games on a national level will both bring more TV time to our city and will have a good draw on tourism.  Heck, whenever we have the bowl game at BoA Stadium, that brings a lot of business to the area.

I was just curious on how you guys felt about this issue.  Should UNC Charlotte increase their image by sticking to research and academic promotion or by adding a football team?  Would this make economic sense for not only the school, but also the community?

And yes, I called it UNC Charlotte to avoid bringing the name game into this topic even though I am a firm supporter of changing the name as well.

[Pantherhead]

I would love for them to have a football team, but don't forget that for every dollar they spend on mens sports they have to match it  for the women's sports as well.
Every time I've heard it discussed, Judy Rose(I think that's her name) shoots it down with all the usual reasons. Like not having stadium for one thing.

[AuLukey]

Pantherhead, on Jun 27 2006, 02:38 AM, said:

I would love for them to have a football team, but don't forget that for every dollar they spend on mens sports they have to match it  for the women's sports as well.
Every time I've heard it discussed, Judy Rose(I think that's her name) shoots it down with all the usual reasons. Like not having stadium for one thing.

As much as I would love to post that entire website on here, I can't for obvious reasons.  But they have gone to the trouble of coming up with the pros and cons of every scenario and how to counter them on a realistic level.  Stadium included.  Money is the key issue, and that is why they are initiating this drive.

[Pantherhead]

aussie luke, on Jun 27 2006, 02:49 AM, said:

As much as I would love to post that entire website on here, I can't for obvious reasons.  But they have gone to the trouble of coming up with the pros and cons of every scenario and how to counter them on a realistic level.  Stadium included.  Money is the key issue, and that is why they are initiating this drive.

Cool. I hope they can find a way to make it work.

I'll make sure to check it out when I get home from work.

[dubone]

Why can't they use an existing stadium in Charlotte, like Memorial Stadium?  Or even one of the bajillion high school and college stadiums in the county.

I personally think that UNCC is considered incomplete without a football program.  I recognize that it is a silly thing, but football games are really a part of the college atmosphere, and feeling connected to your school.  It's not like half the school goes to knowledge bowl competitions or book signings to cheer for the school.  Also, I have the impression that football pays for itself, and often helps pay for academics and other sports, but that might just be at schools with more football history.

[mademan305]

Pantherhead, on Jun 27 2006, 02:38 AM, said:

I would love for them to have a football team, but don't forget that for every dollar they spend on mens sports they have to match it  for the women's sports as well.
Every time I've heard it discussed, Judy Rose(I think that's her name) shoots it down with all the usual reasons. Like not having stadium for one thing.

You might mean Bonnie Cone (Cone Center). From what I have gathered on campus she would always shoot down the idea of a football team because her son was paralyzed playing football (Never checked the story for accuracy). However, I believe it was last year that she passed away.

[mademan305]

mademan305, on Jun 27 2006, 09:17 AM, said:

You might mean Bonnie Cone (Cone Center). From what I have gathered on campus she would always shoot down the idea of a football team because her son was paralyzed playing football (Never checked the story for accuracy). However, I believe it was last year that she passed away.

Maybe your right that Judy Rose has declined the idea of a football team since I see that she is the Director of Athletics for UNCC.

[rjp212]

The lack of a football team is one of the reasons I didn't look at UNCC for college and instead chose Virginia Tech.  Nothing compares to watching a college football game in person.  It is nuts!!!

[Tower of Power]

rjp212, on Jun 27 2006, 08:42 AM, said:

The lack of a football team is one of the reasons I didn't look at UNCC for college and instead chose Virginia Tech.  Nothing compares to watching a college football game in person.  It is nuts!!!

No matter how much money UNC Charlotte puts into research, it will never be considered as a "desired" school without a football program...

[monsoon]

I disagree with spending public money to promote football.   UNCC is growing quite well without it and I would rather the state spend more money to increase capacity at the school which is the only thing holding it back.   It's a myth that most people go to college are interested in football and football games.   There are plenty of places where the minority who feel that a football team is a must have, can go to have the experience of attending a game.   Fortunately there are places like UNCC where people can go to college and not be bothered by the nonsense.

[tiblerbrit]

How is a smaller capacity holding it back? Increased selectivity would improve the reputation and quality of academic work. Increased capacity would only dilute the applicant pool.

Edited by tiblerbrit, 27 June 2006 - 09:27 AM.

[dubone]

I would agree that public money shouldn't be spent on it, and perhaps that is the basic problem here, that UNCC doesn't have enough private financial support to allow for the bells and whistles that are impractical for the state to support.

It seems that there are often discussions around what UNCC has, doesn't have, should or shouldn't have, and it all comes down to what the state would or should provide.  

To me, it is entirely possible that a major reason that UNCC's private and alumni financial support is so paltry is a result of a lack of sports such as football.  It seems to be a fact in reality (although I think it is kind of dumb about our society), that football focuses people's energies around the school, and that helps open people's and corporation's wallets for academics.

I am relatively ambivalent on the subject in general, but to me as an outside observer, the lack of football team makes the school seem less established.  I mean, even high schools have football teams.

[redjeep77]

How about i lend a couple of comments from someone on the other side.  As a former college football player, football really did make school for me.  Not just for the fact of playing the sport, but the atmosphere it created around the school and the comments we endured from the professors (whether good or bad).  UNCC could easily "create" a team, slap a head coach and some coordinators on a field and put 22 guys out there.  However, they'd have to start out non-competitevly at a level ya'll wouldn't be interested in watching.  It would be several years before the team moved to DI and was competitive with other big schools.  It'd be fun though

[AuLukey]

dubone, on Jun 27 2006, 11:31 AM, said:

I am relatively ambivalent on the subject in general, but to me as an outside observer, the lack of football team makes the school seem less established.  I mean, even high schools have football teams.

I agree completely with this point and I couldn't have said it better myself.  Why not "waste" public money on it if we are supporting hundreds, if not thousands, of high school football teams across the state.  Their stadiums didn't build themselves.

I find it odd that even though Charlotte could arguably be the biggest football city in the Carolinas, UNCC doesn't have a team and there isn't as much public outcry for it as one would expect.

[CLTfanatic]

I would love to see UNCC with a football team, and possibly a Memorial stadium reno to fit the teams needs...

[Miesian Corners]

I'd love to think that UNCC could one day get a football team...untill I realize that the stadium would end up looking like a big brick monolith with Ionic columns.

[Pantherhead]

CLTfanatic, on Jun 27 2006, 08:15 PM, said:

I would love to see UNCC with a football team, and possibly a Memorial stadium reno to fit the teams needs...

Just think how great uptown would be on saturdays with the light rail line coming from UNCC.
People could stay after the games, party, and not even have to worry about getting a DUI

[AuLukey]

Miesian Corners, on Jun 27 2006, 08:17 PM, said:

I'd love to think that UNCC could one day get a football team...untill I realize that the stadium would end up looking like a big brick monolith with Ionic columns.

Well, hopefully they would sway away from the "new look" they have fitted every building with lately.  I doubt that, if they did build a stadium on campus, that it would be near the other campus buildings.  I think the land that the school owns off of Harris would be ideal. Anybody know who owns the land on the corner of Harris and UC Blvd that is adjacent to campus?  If they built it further out that direction, the stadium would not have to match the rest of campus.

One thing of note, if UNC Pembroke can come up with funds for a football team, how on earth can Charlotte not come up with enough?

[monsoon]

aussie luke, on Jun 27 2006, 11:06 PM, said:

One thing of note, if UNC Pembroke can come up with funds for a football team, how on earth can Charlotte not come up with enough?

It's not a question of "can".   Most people in Charlotte don't see the point in building a football team at UNCC.

[Pantherhead]

monsoon, on Jun 28 2006, 07:53 AM, said:

It's not a question of "can".   Most people in Charlotte don't see the point in building a football team at UNCC.

I don't know where you get "most people" from. Do you have any polls or data showing this to be fact, or this just a gut feeling?