American Athletic Conference

[WUpigsooie]

A large in state population to recruit from is not there, true enough. On the other hand, we would have one of the best junior college conferences in the nation to draw from.

I hear that as a selling point a lot. However, (and this is not a knock on these guys its just true) There is a reason most of them go to JC. You can fill gaps with diamonds in the rough from JC but you can't build a program on it. Plus, the guys who do end up hitting it big at JC, be it in Kansas or not, get recruited by the same power players I mentioned earlier, so you are back at square 1.

To offer an alternative, I really like the idea of adding Men's and Women's Soccer. Roughly the same season as football, could sell it to recruits as being THE show in the fall term.

[wusphlash]

I hear that as a selling point a lot. However, (and this is not a knock on these guys its just true) There is a reason most of them go to JC. You can fill gaps with diamonds in the rough from JC but you can't build a program on it. Plus, the guys who do end up hitting it big at JC, be it in Kansas or not, get recruited by the same power players I mentioned earlier, so you are back at square 1.

To offer an alternative, I really like the idea of adding Men's and Women's Soccer. Roughly the same season as football, could sell it to recruits as being THE show in the fall term.

And what kind of attendance figures would you expect for men's soccer?

[Kel Varnsen]

And what kind of attendance figures would you expect for men's soccer?

My guess is no one's counting on it being a revenue sport. The difference is the much lower cost associated with men's and women's soccer, and lower necessity of additional space/real estate.

Soccer's growing popularity would definitely be a plus. It obviously wouldn't be near the draw that football is in the fall, but it requires significantly less capital.

[WstateU]

And what kind of attendance figures would you expect for men's soccer?

[Kel Varnsen]

FTR, I would love both soccer and football (although I'm not sure how we'd have adequate space for both at this time). I just think soccer is a much more realistic possibility.

And the "no one cares about soccer" jokes are always original.

[wusphlash]

My guess is no one's counting on it being a revenue sport. The difference is the much lower cost associated with men's and women's soccer, and lower necessity of additional space/real estate.

Soccer's growing popularity would definitely be a plus. It obviously wouldn't be near the draw that football is in the fall, but it requires significantly less capital.

My only point is that it would not be a "rally the students and alumni" type of event.

[1972Shocker]

Don't knock it till you've tried it..... I mean... Yeah I agree 100% with this statement.

If you try it, don't you have to knock it?

[Kel Varnsen]

My only point is that it would not be a "rally the students and alumni" type of event.

No, you're absolutely right, it's not. But in the absence of football, I would definitely be behind soccer as something to do/watch on campus in the fall.

[WstateU]

Sorry, one more soccer cliché...

[Kung Wu]

That's me in the red.

[Kung Wu]

And what kind of attendance figures would you expect for men's soccer?

For mens? 5k to 7k if we are decent at all. More if we are really good.

[Kung Wu]

Take down the steel structure and leave the old Veterans field seats. Keep the track and the field will be the new home to the championship soccer team at Kung Wu field. Annex Fairmount park and raze some of the less desirable homes surrounding the park and build the new Innovative Stadium.

Damn straight. I'm sitting on the bench if we get soccer going, one way or the other. Even if that means handing out water.

[KraRam]

FYI , cost to start up soccer per Previous AD ES
750k per men's and women with no Title 9 issues and does not include cost of stadium.
Cost for Football 13M + from what I have seen to do it "right", you will have title 9 issues and more for stadium.

[_kai_]

FYI , cost to start up soccer per Previous AD ES
750k per men's and women with no Title 9 issues and does not include cost of stadium.
Cost for Football 13M + from what I have seen to do it "right", you will have title 9 issues and more for stadium.

Is 13m start up cost? Because they raised 15m for the Cessna Stadium / Koch Arena renovation coming up. So I kind of find it hard to believe that 15m just to renovate those facilities with expanded weight rooms, classrooms, and track facilities is 2m more than what it would cost to start football. That seems extremely low.

[Maynard]

$13 mil. was the cost to maintain a D1 football program annualy? I think that's what the article referenced. Could be wrong.