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In Need Of A Change of Approach
Amid all the fellowship of this past weekend, the post game tailgate conversations turned to what is needed to turn things with A&T football. I had an idea that I kicked around with some of our friends on the message broad here and some with some influence- or at least an ear inside the university administration and hierarchy, or more importantly the new one that hopefully will take over after Christmas. Money seems to be the driving issue for A&T's athletic department. No one wants to increase student fees for athletics, which is commendable but not realistic given the evidence of rising costs. After looking at last weekend's crowd and the bucks that were being spent and tossed around during homecoming, I would propose a couple of initiatives to help A&T maximize its fan base and alumni participation. These initiatives take into account the history of A&T alumni giving and the reluctance many people secretly harbor inside themselves but would never admit to publicly. Option 1 - Initiate a payroll deduction system based upon the model used by the United Way, allowing folks to contribute year-round on a 12-month basis at a minimum of $25 per month to the A&T athletic Department - specifically to the football program. Rationale - This is a minimal amount of money for anyone, no matter their age or career status. Impossible to get, say, 4,000 black folk to give up $25 per month, you think? Most Aggies spend in upwards to that much inside of a week just in fast food, movies, and other forms of entertainment. I saw more outfits, hairdos, food, and all types of libations being enjoyed by most of the 22,000 plus in attendance this weekend that would dwarf that $25 figure ten fold. Twenty five dollars per month over a year equals out to $300 per year. With even a modest marketing campaign, I believe we can easily convince 4,000 Aggies to sign up for such a denotation if we can show how beneficial it would be to the university football program, given the current state of affairs, and that it would specifically be directed toward sustaining scholarships and recruiting. Just remember that we have led the MEAC in basketball attendance for four straight years with a team that has won a total of 12 games in that span despite being at or new the bottom of the conference. With 4,000 participants at a paltry $25 per month would give the Athletic Department $1.2 million in additional revenue on a yearly basis. This gets A&T away from the outdated mindset of writing a single check or passing the hat for whatever you can get. The building fund mentality has got end in 2007. A payroll deduction is the most painless method imaginable to raise funds since most people view it like FICA. You don't miss it if you never see it. In this era of electronic bank transfers, one would simply need to fill out the appropriate form with their employer, or they could use a secure internet website and create the deduction either from payroll or by credit card. The numbers of people willing to do that could easily go over that 4,000 mark. That number is based upon your hardcore fan base that will show up at Aggie Stadium even if we were the worst of the worst - say, like at the Morgan State game in the rain and cold three weeks ago. The A&T fan base is still extremely strong, even at 0-7. This move also would help keep us out of the “prostitution games” that a lot of 1-AAs are being forced to play against Division 1-A powerhouses for their 12th game. We could then look for the real classics or another Vegas match-up that actually pay you before you get on the plane and you don’t have to wait three years or end up litigating a settlement. It couldn't be easier, either way. We need to finally enter the 21st century and find ways to make it easier for people to donate money to the cause, not harder. It does not take a bunch of paid accountants, or "directors" or "administrative personnel" added to the payroll to get it done like some organizations do. Accounting and payroll software is awfully cheap these days. Option 2 - The Aggie Club should set a target of increasing membership to 1,000 members by July 1, 2007. Dues should go to mandatory $250 per year which would include a parking permit, monthly meeting with the coaches and AD, and a 15 percent discount on season tickets if purchased by August 1 and all the other privileges that go with membership currently. Rationale - There are 600 members now giving an average of $250 per person based on the $150,000 check presented this past Saturday at homecoming. Now keep in mind there are maybe a 100 members who give the minimum of $100. If you can up their giving level along with adding another 400 new members through a strong membership drive, your estimated new revenue increase would roughly equal additional $115,000 for a projected Aggie Club giving total of $265,000 to the general athletic fund by the end of 2008. Now there would be considerable resistance to the idea of doing away with the $100 membership rule because the argument would be you shouldn’t turn away any dollars, no matter the amount. That may have been true 20 years ago but in the real economic world of rising costs and increased competition, I believe, as a member of the Aggie Club, it time for us to stop looking at how change would affect me as an individual and look how the group as whole can continue to be the major stakeholder and contributing body in the future to Aggie athletics. Our budget hasn’t moved much, if any, since 1999 and not much will be moved unless we make up our minds to do something new, innovative, and more inclusive of the support of our alumni, fans and the Greensboro community. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MEAC got a breath of fresh air handed to them and the whole league in general with South Carolina State knocking off Hampton last weekend, 13-6, last weekend that really puts the Bulldogs in charge of their own destiny being tied with the Pirates but winning the head to head match up. If Coach Buddy Pough does not win the MEAC right here and now, he may never win it. On the actual game end of things, the Aggies are flying down to Daytona Beach to take on Bethune Cookman this weekend and although I can see potential in Lee Fobbs’ system and his schemes, he simply does not have the athletes at this point to deal with an Alvin Wyatt team that possesses ludicrous speed and had a week off last week to mend a number of injuries. This is a Thursday night game on ESPNU and not unlike last year’s disaster, most of the home folk can sit at home or attend one of the many organized viewing parties. This is not one of them. Prediction:
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