UTA to Wac - Benson

Quote:UTA dropped football in 1985....

“The day that a decision is made or would be made, we would welcome it with open arms.”
-- WAC commissioner Karl Benson on UTA potentially adding football

Translation = "If you have a pulse and breathing, we will gladly take anyone who wants to play in the WAC".

I see quotes from Benson welcoming the idea of UTA football. Did I miss ones from the UTA President or AD suggesting that would actually happen?

Its going to happen. Nobody is going to leave money on the table.

(07-20-2011 10:52 AM)panama Wrote:  Its going to happen. Nobody is going to leave money on the table.

THere has to be money on the table to begin with to leave any there. The UTA President said at some banquet in May football is not going to be considered for at least 5 years and more likely 10!

(07-20-2011 10:52 AM)panama Wrote:  Its going to happen. Nobody is going to leave money on the table.

There's no money in the WAC; the piggy bank will be dry by 2013.

UTA would only be adding costs. Cost of additional football scholarships, costs of upgrading facilities, cost of Title IX compliance, cost of APR requirements, cost of additional coaches and staff, and on and on.

Why do you think FAU will be opening with 3 'body-bags' every year into perpetuity?...to pay for their football program and new stadium.

I wish UTA luck...but it takes serious coin to start a football program. They just bit off a new basketball arena. They have no football facilities. They will have additional travel costs from their move to the WAC.

It also takes YEARS to start a program at D-1 even if you are 'quick' about it. Once the process is started, its four to five years before the school has a team ready to 'nominally' play D-1 football. And its usually more like 5-7 years.

Sure, by 2020, UTA could be playing football in the WAC.

perhaps they should contact Florida Atlantic and FIU to get the model. both took some time but each has seen success.

(07-20-2011 01:41 PM)VideoGreenEagle Wrote:  

(07-20-2011 10:52 AM)panama Wrote:  Its going to happen. Nobody is going to leave money on the table.

THere has to be money on the table to begin with to leave any there. The UTA President said at some banquet in May football is not going to be considered for at least 5 years and more likely 10!

Sounds like our ex-President...emphasis on ex.

(07-20-2011 04:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I wish UTA luck...but it takes serious coin to start a football program. They just bit off a new basketball arena. They have no football facilities. They will have additional travel costs from their move to the WAC.

It also takes YEARS to start a program at D-1 even if you are 'quick' about it. Once the process is started, its four to five years before the school has a team ready to 'nominally' play D-1 football. And its usually more like 5-7 years.

Sure, by 2020, UTA could be playing football in the WAC.

They have club football, a stadium on campus and a marching band. So they are ahead of the last few startups.

(07-20-2011 06:33 PM)panama Wrote:  

(07-20-2011 04:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  I wish UTA luck...but it takes serious coin to start a football program. They just bit off a new basketball arena. They have no football facilities. They will have additional travel costs from their move to the WAC.

It also takes YEARS to start a program at D-1 even if you are 'quick' about it. Once the process is started, its four to five years before the school has a team ready to 'nominally' play D-1 football. And its usually more like 5-7 years.

Sure, by 2020, UTA could be playing football in the WAC.

They have club football, a stadium on campus and a marching band. So they are ahead of the last few startups.

And that stadium (15k capacity) was designed to be easily expandable to 30k.