EddieCrowder
Well-Known Member
The ability to shine G. Solich's shoes can't hurt, or take out his trash, mow his lawn, etc. etc.
If your narrow focus only includes football and basketball, hey, whatever. Baseball, wrestling, and track are sports that are popular in Colorado high schools and could stir interest in CU athletics in general, which in turn might well produce more butts in the seats for the bigger spectator sports. Either way, just having the sports we do now is a bit of an embarrassment next to most Pac12 schools.This extreme baseball want is really weird
If your narrow focus only includes football and basketball, hey, whatever. Baseball, wrestling, and track are sports that are popular in Colorado high schools and could stir interest in CU athletics in general, which in turn might well produce more butts in the seats for the bigger spectator sports. Either way, just having the sports we do now is a bit of an embarrassment next to most Pac12 schools.
1. As it was said earlier, baseball is declining in popularity. If you want to talk about sports with growing popularity in Colorado then look at men's lacrosseIf your narrow focus only includes football and basketball, hey, whatever. Baseball, wrestling, and track are sports that are popular in Colorado high schools and could stir interest in CU athletics in general, which in turn might well produce more butts in the seats for the bigger spectator sports. Either way, just having the sports we do now is a bit of an embarrassment next to most Pac12 schools.
My list of priorities is as follows:
1. Make sure the lines of communication are open with Tad Boyle. Don't screw up the one good thing we have going.
2. Get the facilities upgrades funded and built ASAP.
3. enhance the football game day experience. Stop messing with tailgaters. No more damn bike racks in tailgating spots. That stuff doesn't happen at Alabama, Michigan, Texas, etc. the fact that it happened here and nobody seemed to care is very telling.
4. Start figuring out what the next project will be after this one. Realize that there will ALWAYS be a new project that needs to be worked on.
5. Meet with the major donors. Make sure they're comfortable with your vision for the AD.
1. As it was said earlier, baseball is declining in popularity. If you want to talk about sports with growing popularity in Colorado then look at men's lacrosse
2. Baseball has large start up costs. Where are they going to play? Where are they going to practice?
3. Let's get the sport that drives the bus on the right track before we talk about adding sports
That is true, lacrosse will never be at the same level as baseball (overall, I'd say college baseball isn't very popular) but lacrosse has a lower start up cost, lower running costs, etc. than baseball which means it will lose less money.First, I don't think there is a chance in hell that baseball is added anytime soon. Second, I agree that lacrosse is gaining in popularity. Third, I understand that adding lacrosse is probably much more feasible than adding baseball. Fourth, I'll concede that baseball might be declining in popularity.
Fifth, nobody in their right mind could possibly think that lacrosse could ever come close and kiss the dirt of baseball's popularity. Baseball is infinitely more popular than lacrosse, so don't pretend like they are interchangeable sports popularity-wise, as they are in completely different ballparks.
First, I don't think there is a chance in hell that baseball is added anytime soon. Second, I agree that lacrosse is gaining in popularity. Third, I understand that adding lacrosse is probably much more feasible than adding baseball. Fourth, I'll concede that baseball might be declining in popularity.
Fifth, nobody in their right mind could possibly think that lacrosse could ever come close and kiss the dirt of baseball's popularity. Baseball is infinitely more popular than lacrosse, so don't pretend like they are interchangeable sports popularity-wise, as they are in completely different ballparks.
:wtf:CU already has track & field. Completely understand that Potts is an embarrassment (I ran on better tracks in HS) but we do have a T&F team. I think either CU will bring back men's tennis or add men's lacrosse and/or soccer before ever adding baseball.
I was at the WSU game last year, and there were maybe 40 CU fans in the entire stadium, at a game that we all knew was likely our only chance for a win (yes, I acknowledge that Pullman ain't easy to get to
It must be incredibly difficult to fundraise at CU, given the relative apathy of Boulder residents and alumni to traditional sports. I've always said if CU was 30 minutes further from Denver, we'd draw 15,000 fans at best for football games. If we were the proximity of say, WSU or OSU or even UA from their respective metro areas, we'd be a lower tier Mountain West team in terms of fan support. Even when I went to CU in the early 90s, at the absolute peak of Buff football, its not like the town or campus on fire with football fever like you see at every middling SEC and Big 10 team even in their worst years. The majority of Boulder hippies don't care, and then they graduate and care even less when we need them to donate. I was at the WSU game last year, and there were maybe 40 CU fans in the entire stadium, at a game that we all knew was likely our only chance for a win (yes, I acknowledge that Pullman ain't easy to get to). But even the UW game the previous year was pretty lean on CU folks and Seattle has lots of Colorado ex-pats. Sure, there's a very vocal fan base of a few thousand Buff fans, but nowhere near the size it takes to compete with schools that truly care in large numbers.
What does the next AD have to do to be successful?
That is true, lacrosse will never be at the same level as baseball (overall, I'd say college baseball isn't very popular) but lacrosse has a lower start up cost, lower running costs, etc. than baseball which means it will lose less money.
Lacrosse would be a great next men's sport to add because like you said, it would be much cheaper to start up than baseball mainly because they wouldn't have to build a new venue. And while it has been a sport that has predominantly existed only in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region, the popularity is growing with the recent success of DU and their trip to the Final Four last weekend will help exposure out West particularly in Colorado.
Doubt men's lacrosse will get more attendance and/or revenue than baseball. Soccer is also growing like it supposedly has been for the past 30 years, why not add that?1. As it was said earlier, baseball is declining in popularity. If you want to talk about sports with growing popularity in Colorado then look at men's lacrosse
2. Baseball has large start up costs. Where are they going to play? Where are they going to practice?
3. Let's get the sport that drives the bus on the right track before we talk about adding sports
Being from Maryland, lax is as popular here as any part of the country. Let me know when Major League Lacrosse has real TV contract, players are making big dollars, etc. Baseball's demise is greatly exaggerated. When a team can go for $2 billion I find it hard to say it's "struggling."I want to see my revenue stream maximized before I start to add more expense. If I add a non revenue sport, it just complicates my administration of staffing, scholarships, title IX, etc... Right now the AD needs to do two things as relates sports. 1.) Keep Tad Happy, and the B Ball side making money. 2.) Make sure football starts to win and is a positive fan experience start to finish. (This is complicated).
The third part of his or her job is related to number 2. It is to make sure the facilities are such that football can win and is a positive fan experience from start to finish. Until those things take place, I don't want to hear about money going to stuff not related to numbers 1 & 2.
Finally, as a baseball coach I see lacrosse passing by baseball in popularity. Of course I am just seeing this through my own local myopic vision. I know that coaches in Denver say the same whenever they come out. Base ball is having a hard time getting teams to youth tournaments. Lacrosse is literally having to turn teams away because of too much interest.
A very odd correlation after allIt was more like 300-400. But your point stands.
Winning tends to bring out more fans.
Being from Maryland, lax is as popular here as any part of the country. Let me know when Major League Lacrosse has real TV contract, players are making big dollars, etc. Baseball's demise is greatly exaggerated. When a team can go for $2 billion I find it hard to say it's "struggling."
You're more talking about participation, sort of the justification for soccer being so "popular" because everyone plays it.There's a big difference between popularity on the professional level, and popularity on the HS/College level. The latter is what CU should care about, not how much pro players are making.
You're more talking about participation, sort of the justification for soccer being so "popular" because everyone plays it.
I read this comment by Coach Mac in today's DP. A little worrisome to me. I hope it's not Ceal Berry
"So when the new guy or the new woman that comes in, I'll need to build a relationship with and everything takes time to build relationships."
Definitely do not need to read that much into this comment. However, I wouldn't put it past DiStephano to fire Bohn and hire Ceal. It is so damn scary having someone like DiStephano in charge of hiring the new AD.I read this comment by Coach Mac in today's DP. A little worrisome to me. I hope it's not Ceal Berry
"So when the new guy or the new woman that comes in, I'll need to build a relationship with and everything takes time to build relationships."
What's your point -- do you think more people are going to go to lacrosse than baseball games? Hows Major League Lacrosse doing compared to Major League Baseball. Participation doesn't mean it's going to lead to more revenue. A college baseball team is more likely to have a surplus than a college lacrosse team. It just means more people are playing it. Youth soccer "popularity" hasn't lead to an outbreak of MLS success. That league has been doing on for 20 years right now, gets little interest compared to the major sports.Semantics. If everyone plays youth soccer then yes I would consider youth soccer to be popular. Just as if high school and college athletes prefer lacrosse to baseball then I would consider it more popular. Not sure what the point of your post was?