Committee unanimously approves fee increases in support of football @ Georgia State

[ChooChoo]

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwexa/news/archive/general/07_1019-football.htm
October 19, 2007

CONTACT:
DeAnna Hines, 404/413-1350
University Relations

Committee unanimously approves fee increases in support of football and student activities at Georgia State University

ATLANTA - The Georgia State University Mandatory Student Fee Committee today (Oct. 19) unanimously approved a proposal from the Athletics Department for an $85 per semester increase to support football, additional women’s sports and a marching band program. The committee also unanimously approved a $35 increase request from the Student Activity Fee Committee that would increase funding for student organizations, fine arts programming and a lecture and concert series.

Douglass Covey, vice president for student affairs, said the committee vote brings closer to reality the possibility of an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team at the university.

The next step, following consideration by a university senate committee, will be for Georgia State President Carl Patton to make a recommendation to the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

“For many years, the Georgia State student body has been extremely positive in voicing its desire for the university to field a football team,” Patton said. “I’m delighted that the students have supported the increase.”

Last April, Georgia State hired former Atlanta Falcons coach Dan Reeves as a consultant to examine the feasibility of adding football at the university. If football does become the 17th NCAA Division I sport at the university, the earliest it could field a team would be 2010, according to Athletic Director Mary McElroy.

As a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Georgia State would become the eighth member of the league to have football. Currently, Delaware, James Madison, Hofstra, Northeastern, Towson, William & Mary field teams, with Old Dominion slated to begin in 2009. Other teams who are playing football as associate members of the CAA are Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond and Villanova.

[AppMan]

Bet the SoCon Commish is already on the phone. Can't wait to get into that Atlanta Market!

[Thumper250]

You can bet that once this program is up and running, they will have some success. A good GA State program will probably wind up negatively affecting the recruiting efforts of a ton of schools.

I know G-W has a ton of kids from that area every year. So does Coastal Carolina in our conference and Charleston Southern at times. App has a few (Dexter Jackson) as well as Chattanooga. Obviously Georgia Southern too.

Who do you think a successful GA State program in downtown Atlanta will affect negatively in recruiting? Obviously some kids like to get away from home, and Atlanta's huge. Maybe I'm wrong.

Thoughts?

[Syntax Error]

You can bet that once this program is up and running, they will have some success. A good GA State program will probably wind up negatively affecting the recruiting efforts of a ton of schools.

I know G-W has a ton of kids from that area every year. So does Coastal Carolina in our conference and Charleston Southern at times. App has a few (Dexter Jackson) as well as Chattanooga. Obviously Georgia Southern too.

Who do you think a successful GA State program in downtown Atlanta will affect negatively in recruiting? Obviously some kids like to get away from home, and Atlanta's huge. Maybe I'm wrong.

Thoughts?Not exactly "huge" but in the top 50:
Size rank City 7/1/2005
1 New York, N.Y. 8,143,197
2 Los Angeles, Calif. 3,844,829
3 Chicago, Ill. 2,842,518
4 Houston, Tex. 2,016,582
5 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,463,281
6 Phoenix, Ariz. 1,461,575
7 San Antonio, Tex. 1,256,509
8 San Diego, Calif. 1,255,540
9 Dallas, Tex. 1,213,825
10 San Jose, Calif. 912,332
11 Detroit, Mich. 886,671
12 Indianapolis, Ind. 784,118
13 Jacksonville, Fla. 782,623
14 San Francisco, Calif. 739,426
15 Columbus, Ohio 730,657
16 Austin, Tex. 690,252
17 Memphis, Tenn. 672,277
18 Baltimore, Md. 635,815
19 Fort Worth, Tex. 624,067
20 Charlotte, N.C. 610,949
21 El Paso, Tex. 598,590
22 Milwaukee, Wis. 578,887
23 Seattle, Wash. 573,911
24 Boston, Mass. 559,034
25 Denver, Colo. 557,917
26 Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.1 556,429
27 Washington, DC 550,521
28 Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.2 549,110
29 Las Vegas, Nev. 545,147
30 Portland, Ore. 533,427
31 Oklahoma City, Okla. 531,324
32 Tucson, Ariz. 515,526
33 Albuquerque, N.M. 494,236
34 Long Beach, Calif. 474,014
35 Atlanta, Ga. 470,688

[UNHWildCats]

Not exactly "huge" but in the top 50:
Size rank City 7/1/2005
1 New York, N.Y. 8,143,197
2 Los Angeles, Calif. 3,844,829
3 Chicago, Ill. 2,842,518
4 Houston, Tex. 2,016,582
5 Philadelphia, Pa. 1,463,281
6 Phoenix, Ariz. 1,461,575
7 San Antonio, Tex. 1,256,509
8 San Diego, Calif. 1,255,540
9 Dallas, Tex. 1,213,825
10 San Jose, Calif. 912,332
11 Detroit, Mich. 886,671
12 Indianapolis, Ind. 784,118
13 Jacksonville, Fla. 782,623
14 San Francisco, Calif. 739,426
15 Columbus, Ohio 730,657
16 Austin, Tex. 690,252
17 Memphis, Tenn. 672,277
18 Baltimore, Md. 635,815
19 Fort Worth, Tex. 624,067
20 Charlotte, N.C. 610,949
21 El Paso, Tex. 598,590
22 Milwaukee, Wis. 578,887
23 Seattle, Wash. 573,911
24 Boston, Mass. 559,034
25 Denver, Colo. 557,917
26 Louisville-Jefferson County, Ky.1 556,429
27 Washington, DC 550,521
28 Nashville-Davidson, Tenn.2 549,110
29 Las Vegas, Nev. 545,147
30 Portland, Ore. 533,427
31 Oklahoma City, Okla. 531,324
32 Tucson, Ariz. 515,526
33 Albuquerque, N.M. 494,236
34 Long Beach, Calif. 474,014
35 Atlanta, Ga. 470,688

but its the 9th largest metropolitan area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_metropolitan_areas

[blur2005]

Bet the SoCon Commish is already on the phone. Can't wait to get into that Atlanta Market!
Uh, no. Georgia State is in the CAA for all other sports and will be playing CAA football if they do indeed get a football team, which is looking more and more likely.

[Syntax Error]

Uh, no. Georgia State is in the CAA for all other sports and will be playing CAA football if they do indeed get a football team, which is looking more and more likely.But they are more in the SoCon footprint than the CAA's. Hey, the SoCon will try.

[blur2005]

But they are more in the SoCon footprint than the CAA's. Hey, the SoCon will try.
They can "try" but there's no way Georgia State is ditching the CAA. The whole reason for them to start football is because they are a member of a legitimate football conference already, making it easier, like Old Dominion. I don't foresee Georgia State leaving a conference it joined only in 2005.

Not that the SoCon isn't a legitimate football conference, btw.

[Saint3333]

Thanks blur, I'm not sure there isn't anyone that doesn't think the SoCon is a legit football conference.

With Georgia State and ODU starting programs that adds to the list of FCS programs Delaware through Georgia that could move to FBS.

[Syntax Error]

The Big South will try too.

[blur2005]

The Big South will try too.
That's a clever joke. I'm sure Georgia State would sacrifice a place in the CAA to join the Big South.

[TexasTerror]

This is exciting...love hearing that different schools are overcoming the various hurdles in the way of adding FCS football...

Any updates from Kennessaw State?

[bkrownd]

Uh, no. Georgia State is in the CAA for all other sports and will be playing CAA football if they do indeed get a football team, which is looking more and more likely.

Will we get a much-needed football conference split, then? Yankee Conference and Confederate Athletic Association? xwhistlex

[Syntax Error]

That's a clever joke. I'm sure Georgia State would sacrifice a place in the CAA to join the Big South.Why not? xconfusedx Isn't the Big South better in many sports (Men's Basketball, Baseball, etc.)?

[blukeys]

Why not? xconfusedx Isn't the Big South better in many sports (Men's Basketball, Baseball, etc.)?

Men's Basketball???? When was the last time a Big South team made it to the Final 4 ???

[whitey]

Why not? xconfusedx Isn't the Big South better in many sports (Men's Basketball, Baseball, etc.)?

I don't think so....Coastal Carolina Baseball has been pretty good but I'm pretty sure if you compare CAA to Big South baseball as a whole the CAA would rank better. I could be wrong, I'll have to look it up.

Basketball isn't even close though, CAA is much better.


Edit: After some quick RPI (yes...I'm sure there are flaws) calculations it appears the Big South had the better baseball conference this past year (I can't find 2006 data). However, comparing the last two years average RPI ranking for each basketball conference proves that the Big South isn't close to the CAA.

[whitey]

Anyway......this is great news for Georgia State. I can't wait to see them and ODU on the field.

[Longhorn]

Will we get a much-needed football conference split, then? Yankee Conference and Confederate Athletic Association? xwhistlex


A split is likely after ODU joins league play...the addition of GSU would only make it more likely...and if anything, the CAA would look to invite a SoCon team (like ASU) on the way to establishing a FBS conference.