(03-15-2019 09:25 AM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  It wasn't really winning a game. It was a play in for a 16 seed

(03-15-2019 11:37 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  They need more than a new arena to make this happen. That's what's frustrating to me about it. They hired a guy with zero head coaching ability and paid him min salary and yet they have big plans? The two are not telling the same story to me.
"Build it and they will come" works when you have a good coach and a good team and we have neither. I do think we'll pack the arena the first few games, but that number will plummet if the product remains the same.
It would be embarrassing for JMU to have a brand new arena and nobody wants to come. That is exactly what will happen if next year isn't an epic turnaround.

(03-15-2019 11:30 AM)jmu98 Wrote:  While I agree that I'm not sure Rowe is the right guy to lead us forward, I can tell you that JMU has big plans for the basketball program and trying to get it to a point where we are a consistent winner. Based on everything I have been told and heard, I believe that Rowe has to win big time to be back after next year (a winning record and 4th place finish is not going to cut it) and that if he does not they will make the investment this time to get a coach who can do so. They are actively out there right now working to secure large gifts to add the extra finishing touches to the arena and have a stated $$$ goal that they are trying to attain to do so. Any size gift is welcome, but they are actively soliciting larger gifts at this time. Time will tell if all of this is successful, but it is clear to me that unless something drastic changes next year, Rowe is not the man to lead us into a new era.

(03-15-2019 11:37 AM)JMad03 Wrote:  They need more than a new arena to make this happen. That's what's frustrating to me about it. They hired a guy with zero head coaching ability and paid him min salary and yet they have big plans? The two are not telling the same story to me.
"Build it and they will come" works when you have a good coach and a good team and we have neither. I do think we'll pack the arena the first few games, but that number will plummet if the product remains the same.
It would be embarrassing for JMU to have a brand new arena and nobody wants to come. That is exactly what will happen if next year isn't an epic turnaround.

(03-15-2019 11:52 AM)Dukester Wrote:  

(03-15-2019 11:30 AM)jmu98 Wrote:  While I agree that I'm not sure Rowe is the right guy to lead us forward, I can tell you that JMU has big plans for the basketball program and trying to get it to a point where we are a consistent winner. Based on everything I have been told and heard, I believe that Rowe has to win big time to be back after next year (a winning record and 4th place finish is not going to cut it) and that if he does not they will make the investment this time to get a coach who can do so. They are actively out there right now working to secure large gifts to add the extra finishing touches to the arena and have a stated $$$ goal that they are trying to attain to do so. Any size gift is welcome, but they are actively soliciting larger gifts at this time. Time will tell if all of this is successful, but it is clear to me that unless something drastic changes next year, Rowe is not the man to lead us into a new era.

Kinda funny. This just backs what I and others are saying. How much easier, and how much more could you get for large gifts if you were not coming off 3 bad seasons and bringing back the same coaching staff? Start focusing on winning and the money will come back in excess.

Also that reminds me of what I used to hear for Sherm, keener, Brady, and not Rowe. The timing is/was too late for all except Keener.

Duh - we suck for a 4th year than that’s too much. How bold and proactive by the administration. Yeah right.

Hearing the same revolving comments gets old after a few decades.

(03-15-2019 11:30 AM)jmu98 Wrote:  While I agree that I'm not sure Rowe is the right guy to lead us forward, I can tell you that JMU has big plans for the basketball program and trying to get it to a point where we are a consistent winner. Based on everything I have been told and heard, I believe that Rowe has to win big time to be back after next year (a winning record and 4th place finish is not going to cut it) and that if he does not they will make the investment this time to get a coach who can do so. They are actively out there right now working to secure large gifts to add the extra finishing touches to the arena and have a stated $$$ goal that they are trying to attain to do so. Any size gift is welcome, but they are actively soliciting larger gifts at this time. Time will tell if all of this is successful, but it is clear to me that unless something drastic changes next year, Rowe is not the man to lead us into a new era.

(03-19-2019 04:06 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  

(03-15-2019 11:30 AM)jmu98 Wrote:  While I agree that I'm not sure Rowe is the right guy to lead us forward, I can tell you that JMU has big plans for the basketball program and trying to get it to a point where we are a consistent winner. Based on everything I have been told and heard, I believe that Rowe has to win big time to be back after next year (a winning record and 4th place finish is not going to cut it) and that if he does not they will make the investment this time to get a coach who can do so. They are actively out there right now working to secure large gifts to add the extra finishing touches to the arena and have a stated $$$ goal that they are trying to attain to do so. Any size gift is welcome, but they are actively soliciting larger gifts at this time. Time will tell if all of this is successful, but it is clear to me that unless something drastic changes next year, Rowe is not the man to lead us into a new era.

I hope "consistent winner" eventually includes playing decent programs for fan entertainment purposes. Was Radford the best home game this year? I know Radford beat Notre Dame and was decent this year (and we won!) but Radford as the biggest home draw? Ugh.

(03-15-2019 08:23 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Indeed. You have very little leverage to maximize fundraising when the program has regressed to a bad place in the last 3 years.
Good luck securing enough donations in the next 12 months on the back of a coach and program who has lost 2/3 of their games. Talk about handcuffing the Duke Club.

JMU98, you know the talk is cheap.
“We have big plans for the Basketball Program”
“We are okay retaining a coach who has a career 30-64 record”
Those things don’t match. Actions > words.

The fans aren’t dumb and there is a tangible penalty. Attendance has shriveled to all-time lows, long-time supporters have checked out, current students don’t care about the program. All of this leads to fewer and smaller donations.

Hoops junkies like me will still donate to the arena but certainly not at the rate I would if a good coach was in place with a winning program. Those that aren’t as invested may not donate at all because it is throwing good money after bad money. People don’t donate to what is perceived as a losing cause. Neither do corporations who we know can be difference makers in athletics fundraising.

Here is the timing problem... one year from now, the arena will be almost 100% complete. Too late to raise money and change interior designs, alter amenities etc that have already been procured and installed.
In the best case scenario of a NCAA bid next March, JMU won’t have the time to capitalize on it and enhance the arena fundraising.

Bourne must sit in the mess he has made now that the decision is final.

(03-20-2019 01:24 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Here is a good article about VCU if you want to look at the impact of NCAA basketball on donations at mid-major schools. They certainly parlayed their final 4 run into massive financial growth and now get over $5 million/year in donations.

I don't see the specifics mentioned in the article, but the additional real financial gain is in direct NCAA payouts for Tournament appearances and wins.
Each appearance and win is currently worth $270,000 annually for the next 6 years. So if you string together a run of years in the NCAA without even winning a game in the tournament, you will be cashing a progressively larger check until that 6th year courtesy of the good ol' NCAA Hoops TV fund.
This is where the conference revenue sharing policy matters. The CAA has a 50% performance excellence share where the team that actually made the appearances or won games is the one that gets more of the money. That's right, despite JMU's current drought of success they are still getting cash from the 2013 NCAA appearance and win.

all of this points to Basketball being a cash cow for mid-major programs that are successful. Relatively low expenses for a 13 scholarship team and lots of revenue streams that surpass gate receipts for strong attendance.
https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/03/18/vcu-athletics-budget-doubled-since-2011-final-four-run/

(03-20-2019 05:04 PM)Wear Purple Wrote:  North Dakota State tips off in about 30 minutes in one of the play-in games.