Yosef Update

[ASUGoose]

first Daphne, thank you so much for the update, and all the hard work you, and others do for the Yosef club, it is much appreciated. Now, a couple things stand out after reading your post, first, funding 20 programs for a mid major school, in this economy where revenues have hit a ceiling, but expenses keep going up, is too much. I appreciate our University trying to keep all these programs going, but, we are stretched too thin, I believe the time has come, to take a hard look at the total number and make the tough decision to cut 2 or 3 programs. Doesn't have to be done immediately, but within the next 3-5 years, if nothing changes for us financially, ie: dramatic revenue increases, then tough decisions need to be made.

This. For a G5 football school 20 teams is asking a lot to support. I'd be in favor of cutting multiple teams to get into the 17 total teams range going forward.

So which programs do we cut? We can lop off men's golf and men's tennis and men's cross country, and that'll get us only a fraction of the way to where we can fund all of our athletic scholarships. The reality is, we will need to ax all or some combination of wrestling, men's soccer and baseball. Personally, I think that's a mistake. I'm in favor of a well-rounded athletics program that offers a wide variety of athletic disciplines.

I wouldn't necessarily cut programs like men's golf or tennis to your point as I don't think those are fully funded anyway and their travel costs are substantially lower as they compete in "meets" or "tournaments" that for the most part are regional.

Any removal of teams is a tough decision and will certainly not be accepted by all. I'd first look at the impact of removing Men's Soccer and Field Hockey initially. If further cuts would be needed then I'd look at Baseball. Wrestling would defy my above comment about a sport with lower travel costs, but with them being in the SoCon and Sun Belt not sponsoring the sport, you could look in that direction as well.

[DaphneUrquhart]

My family, unfortunately, is looking like it's dropping the two Yosef memberships we've had previous.... Affordability is a big deal to us (two teachers) and doubling the cost of where we sit and the kid prices jumping ended up being too much.

I'm sorry that's a decision you're having to make. I appreciate your being part of Yosef when you can. Hopefully, you'll be able to make at least one game - Yosef or not.

[HighlandsApp]

My family, unfortunately, is looking like it's dropping the two Yosef memberships we've had previous.... Affordability is a big deal to us (two teachers) and doubling the cost of where we sit and the kid prices jumping ended up being too much.

I absolutely hate it, but the economics just aren't working out. Out of the 8 people that came to the games we have six that can't do Thursday nights, four that can't do bad weather, two kids that just got expensive, and two that only made a few games last year anyway.

It's disheartening to see how the process has made it harder for young families to enjoy the games. (Including a really bad experience with a green-shirt and our baby's stroller)..

Been to every single home game since 1997... It sucks... but life happens.

Thank you for your loyal years of support!

It is a shame that the current NC Legislature and Governor think so little of teacher and our once great state's future.

Go #AppState

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

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after-hours astronomy program.

Astronomy is never after-hours, but always on time and at an appropriate time.

[Goapps15]

Honestly our biggest issue for costs in the athletics department is the total number of programs we offer. We are top 5-10 in number of programs offered in the G5. This includes the likes of San Diego State, UConn, Cincy, etc.

Like others have previously said we need to cut 4-5 sports. All things being equal, I would cut Field Hockey (travel costs), mens golf, mens and womens tennis and potentially men's soccer.

15-16 total sports would be much more affordable and would allow us to increase the budget for sports that we can be competitive in. Just my .02.

[hapapp]

The longest trip FH made was to PA. They are no longer in the conference that expanded to the west coast. I would be surprised if FH were cut. It has a new facility and while it has not had much success, it is the oldest female sport on campus.

I'm not taking a position one way or another, just stating I would be surprised to see it go.

[Saint3333]

I'd like to keep the sports we have to give more opportunities for student athletes. However, if sports were cut the first ones to go would be the ones the SBC doesn't sponsor.

[ASUGoose]

The longest trip FH made was to PA. They are no longer in the conference that expanded to the west coast. I would be surprised if FH were cut. It has a new facility and while it has not had much success, it is the oldest female sport on campus.

I'm not taking a position one way or another, just stating I would be surprised to see it go.

Just my opinion here but I wouldn't put too much stock into FH being safe just because a new facility was built. I'd be shock if what was built couldn't be re-purposed for another sport if so desired, possibly even for T&F related activities.

[hapapp]

Have you been to the FH facility?

[ASUGoose]

Have you been to the FH facility?

Never seen it in person, only pictures on the App State sports website.

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... M_ID=21500

[T-Dog]

After hearing we're closer to the goal of fully-funding athletics scholarships, the notion is brought up to bring the goal closer to us, rather than the other way around.

Having 20 varsity sports is hard. However, cutting sports now is a bad idea, especially right after moving to FBS. It would be a very bad look.

Golf might be the easiest to cut, but it wouldn't free up that much money. Same with tennis.

You'd have to go through a wall of alums to cut wrestling and men's soccer. Wrestling in particular started charging admission this season and got a five-figure donation from an alum. And cutting men's soccer is not an option due to the Sun Belt having the bare number of members.

Field Hockey is interesting. They have the best students out of any varsity sport, but doesn't have a conference and have to bus several hours north for most away matches. However the facility was built with help from a six-figure donation by an alum. To turn that around and make it a lacrosse facility would be a very bad decision. And they're still building add-ons to the facility to make it more of a home.

If T&F gets their own outdoor facility like is planned to happen, then they could charge teams for home meets and help self-fund themselves.

[ASUGoose]

Agree that timing for cuts might not be ideal since we have just finished our transition to FBS.

I would hope our administration accesses the full picture of costs (both initial and on-going) in comparison to donations specific to a particular team. It is phenomenal to receive 5 or 6 figure donations along those lines but would be short sided of the administration to disregard the cutting of such teams due to those donations. Teams that cannot fully fund themselves via specific team donations or other means (tickets, concessions, etc.) absolutely should be assessed for cuts within the entirety of athletics budget.

[NewApp]

first Daphne, thank you so much for the update, and all the hard work you, and others do for the Yosef club, it is much appreciated. Now, a couple things stand out after reading your post, first, funding 20 programs for a mid major school, in this economy where revenues have hit a ceiling, but expenses keep going up, is too much. I appreciate our University trying to keep all these programs going, but, we are stretched too thin, I believe the time has come, to take a hard look at the total number and make the tough decision to cut 2 or 3 programs. Doesn't have to be done immediately, but within the next 3-5 years, if nothing changes for us financially, ie: dramatic revenue increases, then tough decisions need to be made.

This. For a G5 football school 20 teams is asking a lot to support. I'd be in favor of cutting multiple teams to get into the 17 total teams range going forward.

So which programs do we cut? We can lop off men's golf and men's tennis and men's cross country, and that'll get us only a fraction of the way to where we can fund all of our athletic scholarships. The reality is, we will need to ax all or some combination of wrestling, men's soccer and baseball.Personally, I think that's a mistake. I'm in favor of a well-rounded athletics program that offers a wide variety of athletic disciplines.

Same here, Charlie. Cutting non-revenue sports was one of my initial qualms when we started talking about moving up. I suppose I am the only one one, but I would rather see cuts to football or make it self sustaining than decreasing non-revenue sports.

[Nugget49]

Nobody has mentioned Title IX implications. I would think if you must cut sports you would look at 1) Title IX (because that is just a reality), 2) does the Sun Belt offer the sport, 3) will cutting it hurt you in future conference realignment, and finally 4) are you attached to it. Wrestling seems like a perfect example of a sport that you may be attached to, but unless you move your campus to Iowa nobody else cares very much. Baseball on the other hand is big in conferences in the South, and not having it could certainly impact you in future moves.

Sports like wrestling could become club sports. Charlotte has a Men's Hockey club team that plays against a lot of ACC competition, but there are no plans to move it to a varsity sport because it would be stand-alone in this part of the country and would require adding and funding a corresponding women's sport.

Just a few thoughts.

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

The longest trip FH made was to PA. They are no longer in the conference that expanded to the west coast. I would be surprised if FH were cut. It has a new facility and while it has not had much success, it is the oldest female sport on campus.

I'm not taking a position one way or another, just stating I would be surprised to see it go.

The longest trip FH made was to PA. They are no longer in the conference that expanded to the west coast. I would be surprised if FH were cut. It has a new facility and while it has not had much success, it is the oldest female sport on campus.

I'm not taking a position one way or another, just stating I would be surprised to see it go.

And even then the FH never really traveled to the west coast much, maybe for the conference tournament. Basically they traveled and played in their NorPac division and only played teams from the west coast in the playoffs (and that did not happen often due to their low division standing many years.)

All of this was not true every year but it was the general trend the last few years of the NorPac.

[appbio91]

My family, unfortunately, is looking like it's dropping the two Yosef memberships we've had previous.... Affordability is a big deal to us (two teachers) and doubling the cost of where we sit and the kid prices jumping ended up being too much.

I absolutely hate it, but the economics just aren't working out. Out of the 8 people that came to the games we have six that can't do Thursday nights, four that can't do bad weather, two kids that just got expensive, and two that only made a few games last year anyway.

It's disheartening to see how the process has made it harder for young families to enjoy the games. (Including a really bad experience with a green-shirt and our baby's stroller)..

Been to every single home game since 1997... It sucks... but life happens.

Thank you for your loyal years of support!

It is a shame that the current NC Legislature and Governor think so little of teacher and our once great state's future.

Go #AppState

Taking a hard left here but...eventually hopefully people will start paying attention. Basically our legislature is trying to get the state out of education hence transferring so much cash to the private, oh I mean, charter school system. What you are seeing is state sanctioned segregation. The mobile move the immobile/poor and special needs have to stay. Make no mistake these guys can do anything they want and will not be held accountable. All they have to do is wave the abortion, gun, gay flag and the troops line up.

Hijack!!!!!!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

[T-Dog]

Teams that cannot fully fund themselves via specific team donations or other means (tickets, concessions, etc.) absolutely should be assessed for cuts within the entirety of athletics budget.

So all of them?

[WVAPPeer]

I'd like to keep the sports we have to give more opportunities for student athletes. However, if sports were cut the first ones to go would be the ones the SBC doesn't sponsor.

Saint - don't remember exactly where you stand on moving to another conference once an opportunity presents itself but would it be short-sighted to eliminate sports that the SunBelt doesn't support - sports that more desirable conferences might offer? ---

[ASUGoose]

Teams that cannot fully fund themselves via specific team donations or other means (tickets, concessions, etc.) absolutely should be assessed for cuts within the entirety of athletics budget.

So all of them?

All of them should be accessed, not necessarily cut.

[MtnDevil95]

I am not in favor of cutting any sports, and believe that a grass root campaign to broaden the base of the Yosef Club can help attain the goal for scholarships. I also think that national recognition comes from more than our football program (though it certainly leads the charge). Other programs can help everyone along (basketball I'm looking at you) by getting to the +.500 and better.

I know that are many Yosef Club members who donate for their sport and don't follow or even care much about the rest of the athletic department. That's just not me. I donate as much as I can to App State with a little left over for my post graduate university. I donate to both universities and their respective athletics departments entirely, and follow other sports. Sure I follow the high profile sports much more closely (recruiting, off season activities, etc.) but I check scores and updates for golf, baseball, lacrosse, wrestling (anyone else see that App State wrestling defeated the #25 team in the nation a short bit ago?) as well as other sports.

Our football program is symbiotic with our athletic department. We've made the move to FBS, if we have visions of moving from G5 to P5, we'll need more than a bunch of wins on the football field. We'll need wins on the courts, the pitches, the matts, and the diamonds as well.