Xavier FCS Football???

[D-West & PO-Z]

If it is being done to attract 100 more male students who want to play football in college, that makes sense. Attracting 100 more students doesnt seem like a huge impact to me on its face, but maybe it is given Xavier's current enrollment numbers, and the fact that these kids still pay tuition.

Being a draw for non football playing students? Not sure I see that.

Don't have a dog in the fight either way, however.

[Mel Cooley XU'81]

Responses:

1. . . . . But what if they pull it off well? What if Xavier ends up putting a program in place that attracts a following and creates some fun on campus on Saturday afternoons in the fall?

Isn't that the rugby team's job?

[xudash]

Isn't that the rugby team's job?

Ha! Okay. White flag. No football tailgate is EVER going to compete with a post-game rugby party.

[paulxu]

We have another fall sport that in most other countries would fill the void till basketball.

Football by another name.

[Seven Eighths]

Xavier has expanded greatly since I graduated and now being in the Big East with an on campus arena, the school and basketball program are in good shape.

Xavier would be smart to at least look into starting lower level non scholarship football to add another facet to campus and campus life. I imagine that tearing down Schmitt, the Armory and the O’Connor sports center and “redoing” or rebuilding that side of campus is part of their larger plans. Having a football team to potentially attract 3000 attendees for 5 games per year would help.

I don’t see much of a downside to it.

[noteggs]

Honestly don’t know if football will help or hurt. With that said, we have come such a long way as a university since 1973 as others have pointed out.

We are loosely a national brand (in basketball) and actually have students from all 50 states. Think about it, we barely got mentions from the local media back in the day. Boy have times changed.

[MHettel]

in the fewest amount of words possible, I simply dont see how the benefits of adding a football program could outweigh the costs.

Not sure why administration would even spend any time on this.

[xu82]

Ha! Okay. White flag. No football tailgate is EVER going to compete with a post-game rugby party.

A few seasons in I had a neck injury. That is when I discovered the party had been starting without me with kegs in the stands! Post-game is great, and even better if you get an early start!


BTW - living in Cincinnati in the summer wearing a neck brace in a house with no AC and the windows painted shut is no treat!

[xu82]

in the fewest amount of words possible, I simply dont see how the benefits of adding a football program could outweigh the costs.

Not sure why administration would even spend any time on this.

I’m not sure who this would actually appeal to. My son could have played college football with a scholarship at some smaller schools. It was a Groucho Marx thing, he was not impressed by the schools that were impressed with him. College was paid for, so there was no compelling reason to play. He was ready to start his adult life.

Are there really kids who love it so much you can build a team of them? If that is a yes, good for them. I just don’t see the draw, but what do I know?

.

[xubrew]

in the fewest amount of words possible, I simply dont see how the benefits of adding a football program could outweigh the costs.

Not sure why administration would even spend any time on this.

Just curious, how much do you think it generally costs?? Remember, this is the Pioneer Football League.