UNI Fans: Tell me this guy is crazy

[Thunderstruck84]

Regent, UNI Debate Scholarship Football (http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20091029/SPORTS020702/910300345/1003/go4Ajax)

Northern Iowa officials need to examine the financial viability of continuing the school's scholarship football program, a member of the State Board of Regents suggested Thursday.

"Sooner or later, UNI is going to have to address scholarship football," Michael Gartner, told Ben Allen, school president, during a discussion of the school's proposed budget cuts for the current academic year.


WTF?!? Isn't UNI football one of the biggest moneymakers for the university? It would seem asinine to drop to non-scholly considering the success of the program. Is the wonk from the State Board of Regents just cuckoo or are the issues with athletic funding at UNI that serious?

[DOME]

I would say that given the recent expenditures for athletic programs, new turf this year, McLeod Center and athletic training center. They are just cookoo, this is the first I've heard of UNI having money trouble.
That being said it is a state school. And this goes to show how UNI football is viewed by the majority of Iowans. They don't see the Panthers as a top level nationally competitive program, its just another small school and its neat when they do well but still not worthy of getting excited about.

[UNIFanSince1983]

It is actually the biggest money loser. The biggest money maker would be Mens basketball. I do think he is crazy, but with money problems and big cut backs in state it wouldn't surprise me if they look into it.

However, we did just get an unrestricted gift of 2 million dollars for athletics to go towards scholarships from an outside donor. It doesn't make me happy, but it is looking more and more like there will be many programs cut sooner rather than later.

[Jackman]

This is my only problem with FCS. Outsiders see no value in it and will always come after our football programs with forks and knives, excluding places like Montana and Delaware where it's a genuine money maker.

[Uncle Buck]

Very scary indeed. Our last President was a football alum and a huge supporter of the program. The one that came in is not a football guy at all and that has had a lot of us worried. With the financial woes going on around the country, this notion of lowering or dropping programs down has a lot of us worried.

[Herdman]

The problem with some people on the ISBOR is that they get confused when they see Iowa with a "self" funded athletic department due to their contrect with the Big Ten Network so they think ISU and UNI should also be self funded as well.

It also has to do with the extremely liberal bias that is overtaking the State of Iowa right now and the thinking that farming and athletics are outdated activities of the past that are no longer important to the overall good of the State of Iowa.

[KUlawJack]

It also has to do with the extremely liberal bias that is overtaking the State of Iowa right now and the thinking that farming and athletics are outdated activities of the past that are no longer important to the overall good of the State of Iowa.

Really? . . . . Really? xrolleyesx

How in the hell did you just manage to throw out a claim of liberal bias against farming and athletics? Are farming and athletics closely related and liberals in Iowa hate both? That is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on a message board.

EDIT: I know a lot of farmers in Iowa and I am pretty sure they don't think the liberals are trying to steal their football . . . .wow.

[Mn_Moose]

Yes he's a bit misconstrued. Gartner was the president of NBC until a controversy forced his retirement.
He resigned from NBC in 1993 as a result of controversy over the show "Dateline NBC." The show reported on dangers of GM pickup trucks, but did not state that it had staged the explosion of a truck for broadcast.
I believe he may be pushing the university execs to think outside the box. I don't trust anyone that wears a bow tie.
http://www.iastate.edu/Inside/05/0722/img/gartner.jpg

[Houndawg]

Yes he's a bit misconstrued. Gartner was the president of NBC until a controversy forced his retirement.
He resigned from NBC in 1993 as a result of controversy over the show "Dateline NBC." The show reported on dangers of GM pickup trucks, but did not state that it had staged the explosion of a truck for broadcast.
I believe he may be pushing the university execs to think outside the box. I don't trust anyone that wears a bow tie.
http://www.iastate.edu/Inside/05/0722/img/gartner.jpg

He wears it to hold the foreskin back.xnodx

[4N6]

I would say that given the recent expenditures for athletic programs, new turf this year, McLeod Center and athletic training center. They are just cookoo, this is the first I've heard of UNI having money trouble.
That being said it is a state school. And this goes to show how UNI football is viewed by the majority of Iowans. They don't see the Panthers as a top level nationally competitive program, its just another small school and its neat when they do well but still not worthy of getting excited about.

I've been a Panther fan for over thirty years, now residing in the state of Florida. The number of UNI football and men's basketball games I missed over the past thirty years could be counted on two hands. I grew up in Cedar Falls. I'm 56 years old. In the early years of my career (34 years with the same employer) I was THE ONLY Panther fan. As the years went on, more and more Panther fans came on board. I witnessed the tremendous benefits of the UNI Dome to the community and entire state. Was proud that the university could finally put together the TREMENDOUS new basketball arena. I witnessed many, many great coaches come through the doors of employment at the university. (Including those now on board.)

Why am I saying all this? Because I want to let the readers know that I speak from experience, and from the heart. So ... here is my opinion ...

What DOME said is true. Many, many people in the state of Iowa still see UNI as that cute little school that does well in the classroom and on the athletic fields. But, outside Northeast Iowa, and aside from die-hard sport fans, UNI athletics doesn't get many people in Iowa too excited.

Don't get mad after reading this ... it's true.

[doolittledog]

Going non-scholarship really wouldn't save money. I have heard Drake lost $600,000 with their non-scholarship football team last year.

I think this might be the regents way of trying to light a fire underneath the UNI supporters to try to get more fundraising going on there.

[NDB]

It is actually the biggest money loser. The biggest money maker would be Mens basketball. I do think he is crazy, but with money problems and big cut backs in state it wouldn't surprise me if they look into it.

However, we did just get an unrestricted gift of 2 million dollars for athletics to go towards scholarships from an outside donor. It doesn't make me happy, but it is looking more and more like there will be many programs cut sooner rather than later.

MBB is UNI's only money maker, like almost all DI schools.

Not to turn this into smack, but there was a little debate here over which school had the best program. Well, UNI's is being paid for by ma and pa kettle in davenport by force of law and threat of imprisonment.

State funding is down 25% this year (23.1 million), there are people losing their jobs; there will be more layoffs, furloughs and higher tuition. Yet there has been little talk about athletics except for Gartner (who in my opinion is little 'off, but is also the head of the board of regents).

NDSU is the most well-funded 1-7 team in the country.

[Big Al]

I think the regents would find that dropping scholarship football wouldn't save the athletics department a dime. While, yes, the FB program doesn't make money it helps act as a magnet for donations. I think Newsy is right in that UNI needs to figure out how to cash in on basketball excellence since that program does make money.

[Big Al]

Not to turn this into smack, but there was a little debate here over which school had the best program. Well, UNI's is being paid for by ma and pa kettle in davenport by force of law and threat of imprisonment.

xrolleyesxxrolleyesx Spend much time in the hyperbolic chamber?


funding is down 25% this year (23.1 million), there are people losing their jobs; there will be more layoffs, furloughs and higher tuition. Yet there has been little talk about athletics except for Gartner (who in my opinion is little 'off, but is also the head of the board of regents).

Actually, he is the former head of the board of regents. Gartner didn't ask for another term as president of the board because, quite frankly if he had there would have been hell to pay from many quarters. He has been more than a little controversial with all 3 universities and even before his talk of dropping football I haven't been a fan of his judgement or leadership. Iowa had to suffer through his meddling when searching for a new president and ended up with a botched search. On the second try they ended up with Sally Mason, who has yet to impress.


NDSU is the most well-funded 1-7 team in the country.

Well, we can agree on that one, at least.

[NDB]

Thanks for the correction on Gartner no longer being the head (used old references).

That being said, The State of Iowa is sending $4.8 million/year to UNI, which the University is sending over to the athletic department.

In good times, that's a chunk of change, with Iowa's budget being the way it is, that's borderline indefensible. Employees are going to start being sent home a day a week others will be asked to pack up for good. Students are being asked to chip in more next semester and again in the fall of 2010.

This isn't an anti-UNI thing. I'm a big college sports fan and also a university employee. It's often difficult to defend sports/higher education, it's even tougher during hard times, likes the one we're currently experiencing. NDSU uses about $1 million of state funds for athletics and that isn't easy to defend. The difference is that this is 10% as opposed to 50% of the athletic budget and North Dakota is flush with cash while things are tough right now pretty much everywhere else.

If I was at UNI or was still a resident of the State of Iowa, I'd make a hell of a stink. But I'm not, so I'll leave this to you corn detasslers to deal with.

[Thunderstruck84]

NDSU is the most well-funded 1-7 team in the country.
xlolx

[Big Al]

This isn't an anti-UNI thing. I'm a big college sports fan and also a university employee. It's often difficult to defend sports/higher education, it's even tougher during hard times, likes the one we're currently experiencing. NDSU uses about $1 million of state funds for athletics and that isn't easy to defend. The difference is that this is 10% as opposed to 50% of the athletic budget and North Dakota is flush with cash while things are tough right now pretty much everywhere else.

Fair points. I guess the point I would make is what does dropping scholarship football cure? Not much, if anything. There would still be a significant deficit, and when you consider in the likely drop in contributions, it may even stay the same w/o football. Football isn't the only reason UNI is operating at a deficit and the question has to be raised as to whether the Olympic sports can do more to cut/cover their costs, as well.

Cutting scholarship football is a long-term solution to a short-term problem.

Without a doubt, the AD needs to start pulling more cash from outside sources. He's got a long row to hoe, that's for sure.

[Mn_Moose]

make is what does dropping scholarship football cure?

What it would do is have a reverse affect on women's scholarships. I doubt the title nine proponents considered that.