Would a Football Program Benefit Seton Hall?

[CSN Log]

07-02-2009 11:23 AM

Would a Football Program Benefit Seton Hall?

The state of New Jersey is now a college football powerhouse, thanks to Rutgers.

Rutgers, a Big East Conference school, found a way to attract high school football stars from New Jersey and New York to play NCAA football in their own backyards. However, Rutgers is the only New Jersey school that has a big-time program whereas Seton Hall, another Big East Conference school from New Jersey, does not have a football program to establish.

Read more ... (http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2009/07/02/would-a-football-program-benefit-seton-h?blog=2#more5139)

[TheBisonator]

When I was a little kid in the mid to late 80's, Seton Hall was my favorite college basketball team with the bearded Grizzly Adams-like PJ Carlesimo at the helm of the Pirates. They battled Michigan tough in the 89 championship, and I hated Michigan, so there was even more reason for me to cheer for SH. They contended for a few championships in the late 80's, then fell by the wayside in men's hoops in latter years. Still, even nowadays they get 7-8,000 per basketball game at least, have a good student turnout for those games, they are a solid member of the Big East, and are a private school rolling in dough. I watched them play a game at the new Devils' Prudential Center this past season, and they have as sweet a setup for basketball as one can have. It makes one wonder why they haven't given football a try. I would think that if Georgetown can survive in the FCS world, then surely Seton Hall can. The NY metro is lacking a high-level FCS program besides the two on Long Island (SB and Hofstra), and I'm sure Rutgers would greatly enjoy an early season matchup in football with Seton Hall.

What do you think about Seton Hall and football??

[DFW HOYA]

Seton Hall had a team until 1981. Facilities were a problem, as football, men's and women's soccer, and baseball all shared one field.

http://mysite.verizon.net/charliesballparks/stadiums/shu.htm

[I-AA Fan]

Never going to happen ...wrong shaped ball for Seton Hall. NYC is all basketball, and despite the size, there is not much football talent in the area. Here are the DI Catholic schools. Just how may of these teams are known for football?

1. Villanova (26-7) - NCAA

2. Gonzaga (25-5) - NCAA

3. Xavier (25-7) - NCAA

4. Marquette (24-9) - NCAA

5. Siena (26-7) - NCAA

6. Dayton (26-7) - NCAA

7. Creighton (26-7) - NIT

8. Boston College (22-11) - NCAA

9. St. Mary’s (26-6) - NIT

10. Georgetown (16-14) - NIT

11. Niagara (26-8) - NIT

12. Notre Dame (18-14) - NIT

13. Providence (19-13) - NIT

14. Duquesne (21-12) - NIT

15. Portland (19-12) - CIT

16. Mount St. Mary’s (19-13) - CIT

17. St. John’s (16-17) - CBI

The above 17 made the post season in basketball this past year. Only 1 team on this list made the post-season in football. Here are the remaining DI Catholic schools, most of which are quite well-known for basketball. The Church simply cannot afford football on a scale as large as the did decades ago.

Fairfield, Holy Cross, LaSalle, Manhattan, Sacred Heart, Seton Hall, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph’s, and St. Louis. Canisius, DePaul, Detroit, Fordham, Iona, Loyola (IL), Loyola (MD), Marist, San Francisco, Santa Clara, St. Francis (NY), St. Francis (PA), St. Peter’s, San Diego, and Seattle Loyola-Marymount.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60928


Rutgers in all other NCAA sports is arguably Seton Hall’s biggest rival. In basketball, they play each other twice a year. In baseball, they play each other three times a year. They play each other every year in soccer and volleyball, but only a few times in history they played each other in football.

A football team was established at Seton Hall in 1882, playing their first game against Fordham. But after 100 years playing on the gridiron, their football program discontinued.

Seton Hall, since 1982, has never been able to reincarnate their football program due to a lack of funding and interest in reincarnating one. There is also not enough land in South Orange or Newark to build a football stadium. The Newark area is filled with neighborhoods and businesses that are neck and neck from each other.

The article wasn't great - there's no way on Earth that Seton Hall would play in the Big East in football - but there does seem to be some interest in starting up a team, even today.

Unless MLS comes in and builds a soccer stadium in Jersey (for the New York Red Bulls, or some other team), it seems unlikely to happen. If MLS did to that, however, the math might chance considerably. A few years ago, at least, there was talk of a MLS stadium in the Newark area.

[dgreco]

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60928



The article wasn't great - there's no way on Earth that Seton Hall would play in the Big East in football - but there does seem to be some interest in starting up a team, even today.

Unless MLS comes in and builds a soccer stadium in Jersey (for the New York Red Bulls, or some other team), it seems unlikely to happen. If MLS did to that, however, the math might chance considerably. A few years ago, at least, there was talk of a MLS stadium in the Newark area.

RedBull Field is being built broke ground in 2006 and should be finished in 2010.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/Redbullparkconstruction.JPG

[UNHWildCats]

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/4522/redbullparkconstruction.jpg

[93henfan]

Only 1 team on this list made the post-season in football.

BC, ND, and Nova all played games beyond their regular season schedule. I'd call that post-season.

[Seahawks Fan]

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60928


Unless MLS comes in and builds a soccer stadium in Jersey (for the New York Red Bulls, or some other team), it seems unlikely to happen. If MLS did to that, however, the math might chance considerably. A few years ago, at least, there was talk of a MLS stadium in the Newark area.

There is a new stadium being built in Harrison, NJ for the Red Bulls. But I doubt that Seton Hall will ever return to football. They are a basketball school, like St. Johns.

http://www.redbullarena.us/

[DFW HOYA]

They are a basketball school, like St. Johns.
http://www.redbullarena.us/

One can be a "basketball school" and be successful in many sports. Seton Hall hasn't show a lot of recent initiative in that, however.

[Seahawks Fan]

One can be a "basketball school" and be successful in many sports. Seton Hall hasn't show a lot of recent initiative in that, however.

Seton Hall does not have the financial resources to compete in football in the Big East. Their rival down the turnpike, Rutgers, would outspend them enormously. Seton Hall has found their niche in Basketball. What they need is to find another PJ to energize them.

[ngineer]

In today's economic climate, I don't see any private school shelling out the type of money needed to start a D-I football program.