Howard University Making Committment to Athletics

[superman7515]

Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/19/AR2011011906148.html)


Howard University President Sidney Ribeau stood before a packed conference room at Blackburn Center on Wednesday and made a pronouncement that came as welcome news to Bison fans: Ribeau pledged his commitment to athletics.

The purpose of the gathering was to formally introduce the new athletic director Skip Perkins, who took over on Dec. 6, and the new football coach Gary Harrell, who was hired earlier this month. But the message Ribeau delivered was clear: Howard, which in the past had at best ignored and at worst disdained athletics, is at long last committed to fielding competitive sports programs.

"Let me just say to you without any kind of reservation that we are committed to intercollegiate athletics at Howard University," said Ribeau who arrived on campus just 21/2 years ago. "We are committed to the student-athlete having the academic support that she or he needs to be successful, and we're committed to creating a competitive environment where success is the indicator of all that we do.

"We're not compromising anything. We're going to do both [academics and athletics], and we're going to do both really well."

[DFW HOYA]

Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/19/AR2011011906148.html)

Howard needs to define commitment.


It has cut sports, including baseball and track, and its atheltic budget is now 258th in Division I, or close to that of Marist.
Football still has 60 scholarships because Howard's tuition is federally subsidized, but there are precious few dollars available outside football. Its men's basketball budget is just $990,000.
Facilities are in the bottom half of the MEAC and that's saying something.
Howard's academic reputation alone should be able to recruit the best HBCU talent in the nation, yet it routinely struggles in recruiting across sports.

[mikebigg]

Good news... This will be my grandson's 3rd option behind Grambling (There is no #2 option)

[TheBisonator]

Howard needs to define commitment.


Its men's basketball budget is just $990,000.


That's not necessarily anything to be alarmed about. NDSU's mens basketball budget is something like $1,050,000 and we're considered to have a very committed basketball program. (Mens hoops averages 3,000-3,500 fans per game most years). So 990 grand isn't something to indicate lack of support. There are programs who spend less on mens hoops than NDSU who I bet could beat us most times at this time...

NOTE: Our basketball team plays in a total s**thole of an arena, so that effects ticket sales and other revenue.

[DFW HOYA]

That's not necessarily anything to be alarmed about. NDSU's mens basketball budget is something like $1,050,000 and we're considered to have a very committed basketball program.

Except that Howard is competing amidst better funded programs at Georgetown, Maryland, George Mason, George Washington, and American, generally located within a half hour of Howard's campus. Add in the other programs in Maryland (Towson, UMBC, etc.) and there are another half dozen to deal with, most of which devote more resources than Howard does, and recruits see this.

There is enough DC talent for Howard to be a very, very good basketball program but the Bison program do not refect this.

[gophoenix]

That's not necessarily anything to be alarmed about. NDSU's mens basketball budget is something like $1,050,000 and we're considered to have a very committed basketball program. (Mens hoops averages 3,000-3,500 fans per game most years). So 990 grand isn't something to indicate lack of support. There are programs who spend less on mens hoops than NDSU who I bet could beat us most times at this time...

NOTE: Our basketball team plays in a total s**thole of an arena, so that effects ticket sales and other revenue.

Except that figure compares Private Tuition Scholarships with your mostly in-state tuition scholarships. Howard at 17,000, NDSU in-state at 6000 and out of state at 14000.