New article Xavier football

[xudash]

It does seem a little odd though that its, yes we want to bring fooball back, we think it will help increase male enrollment and enrollment in general, and we could do that while building a simple stadium at much less than $20 million (supposedly given what others have done) but we only want to build a more expensive stadium that can be more multi purpose other than football, and if we don't get the $20 million donated to do so, then the whole football plan, and subsequent increasing of male enrollment is scrapped.

It seems to me, the desire to have a more expensive multi purpose stadium, is putting the whole prospects of adding football at risk.

It seems the priority isn't really on adding football and whatever that may bring. Which is fine, but different than what I feel was originally the plan or goal or whatever. Or at least what we thought it was.

We are fans that simply aren't in any position to know all the information/data and, shall we call it intrigue, that is going on behind the curtain with this opportunity.

Look at it this way: What if the glass is absolutely half full. What if they've set an ambitious, more fully scoped goal for all of this and that is what we're primarily seeing when it comes to the $20mm figure.

Politics could be involved. Perhaps there exists a block of X constituents that are very focused on bringing football back (doubtful, given that 1973 is now 50 years in the rearview mirror, and also because most Xavier fans know and understand what Xavier basketball brings to the table (i.e. the perceived issue of dilution of the flagship sport)). Nonetheless, if this is an (the) issue, then perhaps they're going through all of this as a means of creating a soft crash landing for the idea, and then they'll move on.

Do I believe these people think this way? Do I believe they would spend time and energy this way on this matter?

Hell, no.

I think they're very serious about all this and they want to get it right. So, I'm back to the idea of them thinking big about it, with no intention of setting themselves up for failure. Go big firstly. If they can't make the stretch goal, then trim it back, possibly with a plan for long-term phasing to get them where they want to go over a longer period. In other words, if they can't go big initially, then establish a beachhead - whatever that looks like - and move forward from there. They'll have the room to play around with expansion if it comes to that.

EDIT 1: I will offer that CAPACITY for new major projects could be an issue. Bringing up a new medical school that is intended to be operational in a relatively short amount of time requires bandwidth. My counter argument to this possible issue is that, in this case, Xavier is "contemplating" both an academic and an athletic project, not two academic projects. I believe they have the firepower to divide and conquer on both.

EDIT 2: I do find it mildly interesting that the video of the new weight room in the Cintas Center has a strip of astroturf that runs at least 20 yards long and what appears to be about 3 to 4 yards wide that is lined for a football sideline. Not exactly an indoor practice facility, but it's interesting that it's there.

[X-band '01]

Wasn't Welcome Stadium a middle finger to VD from the City ?

Fixed that for you.

[nickgyp]

We are fans that simply aren't in any position to know all the information/data and, shall we call it intrigue, that is going on behind the curtain with this opportunity.

Look at it this way: What if the glass is absolutely half full. What if they've set an ambitious, more fully scoped goal for all of this and that is what we're primarily seeing when it comes to the $20mm figure.

Politics could be involved. Perhaps there exists a block of X constituents that are very focused on bringing football back (doubtful, given that 1973 is now 50 years in the rearview mirror, and also because most Xavier fans know and understand what Xavier basketball brings to the table (i.e. the perceived issue of dilution of the flagship sport)). Nonetheless, if this is an (the) issue, then perhaps they're going through all of this as a means of creating a soft crash landing for the idea, and then they'll move on.

Do I believe these people think this way? Do I believe they would spend time and energy this way on this matter?

Hell, no.

I think they're very serious about all this and they want to get it right. So, I'm back to the idea of them thinking big about it, with no intention of setting themselves up for failure. Go big firstly. If they can't make the stretch goal, then trim it back, possibly with a plan for long-term phasing to get them where they want to go over a longer period. In other words, if they can't go big initially, then establish a beachhead - whatever that looks like - and move forward from there. They'll have the room to play around with expansion if it comes to that.

EDIT 1: I will offer that CAPACITY for new major projects could be an issue. Bringing up a new medical school that is intended to be operational in a relatively short amount of time requires bandwidth. My counter argument to this possible issue is that, in this case, Xavier is "contemplating" both an academic and an athletic project, not two academic projects. I believe they have the firepower to divide and conquer on both.

EDIT 2: I do find it mildly interesting that the video of the new weight room in the Cintas Center has a strip of astroturf that runs at least 20 yards long and what appears to be about 3 to 4 yards wide that is lined for a football sideline. Not exactly an indoor practice facility, but it's interesting that it's there.

Dash:

You might be right about thinking big and scaling back. If the analysis says we are reasonably sure that football would bring in a bigger enrollment but startup costs are prohibitive then it might be reasonable to see if the startup costs could be reduced to a point that can be accommodated. But you are right to think that since the school has invested time and energy to this date then basically it would make sense to stop now if the administration knows already that it just will not work.

If impossibility exists, it would seem admitting that fact immediately would be the prudent thing to do. I guess we just have to wait and see.

[nickgyp]

For consideration: Found this on internet and noted it’s less than $7 million price tag, built in less than 100 days, and allowed for track usage during construction. Aesthetic enough and functional. Rebuild on Victory Parkway with the old stadium’s east side look but in smaller dimensions? Just throwing ideas out especially in light of estimated $20 million cost. Obviously, the $6.7 million for this would now be more but certainly well under the $20 million.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...SZ1BQbes8kxoJ2

[xu9697]

If mostly donor funded, I don't care about the cost. If the concern is that "the money could be used for something else"= valid. But, if the donor(s) specifically want to fund a football stadium= great! I happen to trust our president and the board to make the right decision.

Personally, I would love to see it happen. Football, even in this form, could bring energy to campus if done right. I also believe there is value in having this facility not only for other money making events, but for student use for intramurals and other activities.

Xavier basketball going deeper in the tournament would help enrollment- a new football program might bring just a bit of excitement to also bring in a few more students (outside of those that participate). I'm all for looking at many opportunities to increase enrollment and bring additional positive energy to XU.

[X-band '01]

Nebraska Examiner - Lawmakers Pass State Budget

Bringing this up because the state of Nebraska has alloted $30M to Creighton for a new health and sciences building along with new baseball and softball stadiums. Apparently they don't like playing in cavernous Charles Schwab Field?

[paulxu]

Maybe the state of Ohio would help us with a new football stadium.

[nickgyp]

Maybe the state of Ohio would help us with a new football stadium.

Not a fan of any state funding private enterprises non-profit or for-profit as it is taxpayer dollars which usually carry other addendums or strings. But I did read that the state has offered funds to keep the ATP in Cincinnati. But if that fails and the ATP moves then maybe Xavier could play football at the Lindner Center although due to it’s dimensions, Hail Mary passes would only need 20 yards….

[xudash]

Not a fan of any state funding private enterprises non-profit or for-profit as it is taxpayer dollars which usually carry other addendums or strings. But I did read that the state has offered funds to keep the ATP in Cincinnati. But if that fails and the ATP moves then maybe Xavier could play football at the Lindner Center although due to it’s dimensions, Hail Mary passes would only need 20 yards….

It would be criminal if Cincinnati loses that tournament. It started at Xavier before the 1890’s (I believe).

That’s one benefit of being a Jesuit school in Nebraska - no or not much competition on the private entity side of things. We would have John Carrol, VD and a few others bitching were we to pull something like that off.