How would you improve the SWAC?


K

Kendrick

Well-Known Member
There are a bunch of passionate fans on this Web site who care about the future of the SWAC. If you were SWAC commissioner, how would you improve the conference?
 



I could write a detailed report on this topic with 70 suggestions and still not address the SWAC Football Championship Game. But here are two.

1. I would encourage all SWAC teams to eliminate basketball money games and schedule home-and-home matchups with other small or mid-major Division I conferences. This would improve our RPI and add home games to our schedules. I would encourage all teams to use the 7-game football mandate to add classics and home games that would make up for the loss in basketball revenue. One football money game can net 250,000 or more, while one basketball money game only nets 40 to 50,000. So eliminating the basketball money games can be done without losing revenue.

2. I would enter into a merchandising agreement with an apparel maker to start an official line of SWAC sportswear. The sportswear would be sold over the Internet on the SWAC website, which would be redesigned and updated regularly, on this website, and in stores in SWAC cities such as Jackson, Baton Rouge, Houston..etc. The profits would be divided evenly among all SWAC schools.

I will spare everyone suggestions 3 through 70. :swink:
 
Question about #1...

How do you assure yourself of getting enough schools to schedule money games with you for football? Do you only play teams willing to come to your home without a return trip? That means you limit yourself to playing D-II and lower teams most of the time, or paying nice-sized payouts to other D-1AA teams. Playing a bunch of teams that are not attractive to fans leaves you with the possibility of not making up for the basketball money games financially.

Then you have some schools that do not draw well at home anyway. They will not make up for basketball revenue games through football unless they are playing football money games and getting drubbed like the basketball teams.

#2... Crapshoot.
 
I don't think it is the SWAC Office that has a problem. The problem is getting the Presidents to support athletics. Former Commissioner came up with a plan to allow alums from each school to have an input in the decision making process of the SWAC, but it failed because of lack of cooperation from each school. At each meeting the Alumni Directors, ADs, National Alumni Presidents and Presidents were all invited to make suggestions, but only two schools showed some interest. I think we should try this approach again.
 
Mr. Tiger said:
2. I would enter into a merchandising agreement with an apparel maker to start an official line of SWAC sportswear. The sportswear would be sold over the Internet on the SWAC website, which would be redesigned and updated regularly, on this website, and in stores in SWAC cities such as Jackson, Baton Rouge, Houston..etc. The profits would be divided evenly among all SWAC schools. :swink:
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Doesn't the SWAC already have an agreement with Russell for uniforms?
 
Increase spending for basketball.
* Pay basketball head coaches more so that you can hire top assistants away from winning programs.
* Increase budget for basketball recruiting.
* Get financing(fund-raising from businesses in the community) for to upgrade weight room & training facilties.
* Extensive marketing plan to attract more fans to basketball games.
 
jag4life said:
Question about #1...

How do you assure yourself of getting enough schools to schedule money games with you for football? Do you only play teams willing to come to your home without a return trip? That means you limit yourself to playing D-II and lower teams most of the time, or paying nice-sized payouts to other D-1AA teams. Playing a bunch of teams that are not attractive to fans leaves you with the possibility of not making up for the basketball money games financially.

Then you have some schools that do not draw well at home anyway. They will not make up for basketball revenue games through football unless they are playing football money games and getting drubbed like the basketball teams.

#2... Crapshoot.
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Basketball money games only draw a net profit of $40,000 to $50,000. A home football game that draws just 6,000 fans with ticket prices at $20 would bring in $120,000 minus minor expenses. That's more than double a basketball money game and for schools like Jackson State, Southern, and Grambling it would be much more. And with the elimination of the 9-game mandate every SWAC school can replace at least two road conference matchups with a home game, classic, or game against a FBS, formerly Division I-A, opponent. Games against FBS teams, which are searching for non-conference opponents to fill their new 12 game schedules, can net profits of $250,000 to $600,000. And there are plenty of FBS teams willing to pay. There will be over 50 FBS against FCS, formerly I-AA, matchups next season. South Carolina State plays two FCS schools in 2007.

I also would like to add that a butt whipping is a butt whipping. If we have to take them I would rather take ONE in football for $250,000 to $600,000 than FIVE or SIX in basketball for the same money and then end the season with a 16 seed and guess what another butt stomp on national television.
 
Mr. Tiger said:
I could write a detailed report on this topic with 70 suggestions and still not address the SWAC Football Championship Game. But here are two.

1. I would encourage all SWAC teams to eliminate basketball money games and schedule home-and-home matchups with other small or mid-major Division I conferences. This would improve our RPI and add home games to our schedules. I would encourage all teams to use the 7-game football mandate to add classics and home games that would make up for the loss in basketball revenue. One football money game can net 250,000 or more, while one basketball money game only nets 40 to 50,000. So eliminating the basketball money games can be done without losing revenue.

2. I would enter into a merchandising agreement with an apparel maker to start an official line of SWAC sportswear. The sportswear would be sold over the Internet on the SWAC website, which would be redesigned and updated regularly, on this website, and in stores in SWAC cities such as Jackson, Baton Rouge, Houston..etc. The profits would be divided evenly among all SWAC schools.

I will spare everyone suggestions 3 through 70. :swink:
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The question is, can we get mid-majors to play us in a home-and-home? They might see it as playing down, meaning they are not likely to entertain a trip to our arenas.
 
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).

2. Encourage less classic games and more home games or away games against D1A talent. Many classic promoters are making a killing and are only paying the schools after they got their money.

3. Require all schools to get an athletic website. UAPB has to have the WORST! Penalize financially!!!

4. The SWAC needs to upgrade its website.

I would like to add that SU has the direction that all SWAC athletic departments should pattern. They have not been in a Classic Game (outside the Bayou) in a few years. The incident with UAPB a few years ago PROVED that you can tell a Promoter FU if you have HOME SUPPORT. They dropped UAPB from their schedule that year because they didn't want to agree to the terms of playing in St. Louis, had a HOME game that generated more money than what the Classic was willing to pay. That classic is probably one of the top 10 classics each year.

5. Last of all, encourage football fans to TRAVEL to support their team. If the home team has 50% of its stadium sold via season ticket sales, and another 25% of its fans WALK-UP and buy tickets, and the visiting team travels with 2500 to 5000 fans, then WE ALL BENEFIT!!! We are all within 5 to 6 hour drive of our SWAC opponents (well, most).
 
Fire Dr Wright of Prairie View A&M University FIRST and FOREMOST!

Everything STARTS @ THE TOP!!!! :read: Top supports, it <b>will</b> trickle down. :read:
 
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).

2. Encourage less classic games and more home games or away games against D1A talent. Many classic promoters are making a killing and are only paying the schools after they got their money.

3. Require all schools to get an athletic website. UAPB has to have the WORST! Penalize financially!!!

4. The SWAC needs to upgrade its website.

I would like to add that SU has the direction that all SWAC athletic departments should pattern. They have not been in a Classic Game (outside the Bayou) in a few years. The incident with UAPB a few years ago PROVED that you can tell a Promoter FU if you have HOME SUPPORT. They dropped UAPB from their schedule that year because they didn't want to agree to the terms of playing in St. Louis, had a HOME game that generated more money than what the Classic was willing to pay. That classic is probably one of the top 10 classics each year.

5. Last of all, encourage football fans to TRAVEL to support their team. If the home team has 50% of its stadium sold via season ticket sales, and another 25% of its fans WALK-UP and buy tickets, and the visiting team travels with 2500 to 5000 fans, then WE ALL BENEFIT!!! We are all within 5 to 6 hour drive of our SWAC opponents (well, most).
Click to expand...

I like some of this but #1: That depends on the fans... If a school does not sell 50% of its season tickets, making them pay a penalty equal to the amount they are under 50% stifles their budgets and makes it even harder for them to compete.

SU was in a classic last year... the thing is... we won't move a HOME game for a classic and we won't travel further for an opponent's home game that has been moved unless the extra expenses are covered.
 
pbla said:
Increase spending for basketball.
* Pay basketball head coaches more so that you can hire top assistants away from winning programs.
* Increase budget for basketball recruiting.
* Get financing(fund-raising from businesses in the community) for to upgrade weight room & training facilties.
* Extensive marketing plan to attract more fans to basketball games.
Click to expand...

Are you saying the SWAC Office should be doing this?
 



Da_Sperm said:
.

I would like to add that SU has the direction that all SWAC athletic departments should pattern.
huh?
They have not been in a Classic Game (outside the Bayou) in a few years. The incident with UAPB a few years ago PROVED that you can tell a Promoter FU if you have HOME SUPPORT. They dropped UAPB from their schedule that year because they didn't want to agree to the terms of playing in St. Louis, had a HOME game that generated more money than what the Classic was willing to pay.
Click to expand...
huh?
Sperm,
You can't be serious. I shole don't see how that act by SU should be something that all SWAC schools should seek to do. If so, there would be NO use for the SWAC, since every school would be doing whatever it wanted, with NO regard to the SWAC (thats exactly what SU did (or should I saw, was allowed to do) the year they didn't play PB)
 
mighty hornet said:
huh?
Sperm,
You can't be serious. I shole don't see how that act by SU should be something that all SWAC schools should seek to do. If so, there would be NO use for the SWAC, since every school would be doing whatever it wanted, with NO regard to the SWAC (thats exactly what SU did (or should I saw, was allowed to do) the year they didn't play PB)
Click to expand...

I think he is speaking more about not accepting any ole classic than about not playing other SWAC teams in your division. That was wrong, but not accepting the classic was not wrong.
 
jag4life said:
I like some of this but #1: That depends on the fans... If a school does not sell 50% of its season tickets, making them pay a penalty equal to the amount they are under 50% stifles their budgets and makes it even harder for them to compete.
Click to expand...

I guess my point is we (the conference in general) need to do SOMETHING to increase season ticket sales. Bowl games REQUIRE schools to sell a certain number of tickets, if not the conference is LIABLE for the remainder. Maybe this won't work in our budget strapped conference, but something has to be done to make these schools get off their azz and sell season tickets. We can't rely on WALK-UPS forever, right?

mighty hornet said:
huh?
Sperm,
You can't be serious. I shole don't see how that act by SU should be something that all SWAC schools should seek to do. If so, there would be NO use for the SWAC, since every school would be doing whatever it wanted, with NO regard to the SWAC (thats exactly what SU did (or should I saw, was allowed to do) the year they didn't play PB)
Click to expand...
MH, I'm not speaking of the member schools not playing each other, as SU/UAPB did. I'm talking about schools being able to TURN DOWN classics because THEY KNOW what they can get in a home game, mainly because they have a large % of season ticket sales.
 
jag4life said:
I think he is speaking more about not accepting any ole classic than about not playing other SWAC teams in your division. That was wrong, but not accepting the classic was not wrong.
Click to expand...

Exactly, why would I accept $200K (not that this was the payout) play in a classic in STL, when I know I can gross $350K for a home game. Not to mention, a home game brings in revenue for PARKING, concessions, hotels, vendor sales, etc. Plenty of money is being spent in the community, whereas in a classic, that same money if not more is being spent, but not in your own community.
 
Da_Sperm said:
I guess my point is we (the conference in general) need to do SOMETHING to increase season ticket sales. Bowl games REQUIRE schools to sell a certain number of tickets, if not the conference is LIABLE for the remainder. Maybe this won't work in our budget strapped conference, but something has to be done to make these schools get off their azz and sell season tickets. We can't rely on WALK-UPS forever, right?
Click to expand...

We can require schools to purchase a certain number of SCG tickets.
But then still that decreases the net payout for each school from the SCG (whatever that payout is) if the school does not sell its full allotment.
 
jag4life said:
We can require schools to purchase a certain number of SCG tickets.
But then still that decreases the net payout for each school from the SCG (whatever that payout is) if the school does not sell its full allotment.
Click to expand...

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.
 
MightyDog said:
Are you saying the SWAC Office should be doing this?
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No. Each school should take their own iniative. But I like some of DaSperm's points. Anyway I have always posted that SWAC schools should put basketball first. Look at UCONN they played D1 basketball and D1AA in football. Now they are both in D1 in basketball and football. Their football program was no doubt helped financially from the success of their basketball program. They were on TV practically every week,either CBS or ESPN. Plus the fact the other BIG EAST hoops teams were also on TV almost every week. Ironcially JSU and other SWAC schools football attendance were greater than UCONN's football attendance. But UCONN athletic revenue was probally greater than most SWAC schools just because of their appearance and their conference apperance on national TV also.
 
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