UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

Good stuff, Scott. You may have a future with WIS, y'know.

Saw this bit in today's Union Leader about the plans for the West Stadium football facility. Most interestingly (at least for me) was the description of how UNH plans to finance this project. They describe the need for UNH to raise the first $5MM, and then after that the University plans to fund the $20MM balance with their "savings". I'd be very interested to find out exactly how those *savings* originate, and whether there is ever at least a discussion or consideration of that going back to the general fund for, y'know, us taxpayers? At least in theory?? Don't get me wrong ... I'd love to see this happen, but (1) it all seems very much "funny money" to some degree, and (2) I'm not gonna hold my breath waiting on BS35's ability to find the first $5MM (although maybe he figured he'd kick-start that fund by, oh, let's say, *downsizing* a long-time coach with a healthy paycheck, possibly ...

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs...140209902&NL=1

The tax payers give so little to UNH and all funds from the State must go to academics. Housing and Dining cannot use State funds neither can athletics (unless something has changed in recent years).

That $20M savings account must be coming from somewhere else. My best guess is either general donations (not dedicated to anything) or capital improvement donations or tuition. If it is donations I question the use but I think in this case it is the Universities discretion. If it is from tuition how about we do something for the students

With the way the state treats the University from a funding stand point no way I think that money should go to the general fund. Depending on where that money came from I really think the State should let the University Board of Trustees do what they think is best for the University. The governor is a trustee, show up to meetings and influence at the right level.

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

I would be interested to hear what former UNH football player and State Senator, Lou D'Allesandro has to say about this project. As an alum and avid UNH football fan, I would love to see this happen. Long overdue IMO. The NH State Legislature has long been oppositional to funding for the University ever since I was a young kid in NH. This guy Chandler from the "North Country" is particularly adversarial to the University. Maybe he should head back to Maine where he came from

Can't say I am on board with this. We all agree that money is tight when it comes to UNH and that state support for the school is abysmal at best. How in good conscience can they go ahead with this project is beyond me. It is well documented that college football at the 1AA FCS level is not a money maker. Outside of North Dakota State, Montana, and a few others, schools lose money on football. And despite UNH's level of success at this level, attendance at Cowell Stadium rarely exceeds 7-8,000. At that level you just don't make money in the sport. If I were Marty I would be thinking of making the sport more cost effective by dropping out of the CAA and scheduling more schools in the Northeast, especially those from the Ivy and Patriot leagues. The travel costs to venture south every other weekend have to be enormous. Better to be in a bus league where the schools are at least familiar to the average fan. And this notion that scheduling night games will somehow bring more night life to Durham is laughable. Even if fans were predisposed to go downtown after a game, where would they go? Libby's? The Knot? I have a feeling Marty was just winging it with that comment. Guaranteed there was no market study on this topic.

Certainly willing to listen to opposing views on this subject. But I really don't think that Marty's plan is something that is "long overdue". What is really "long overdue" is a scoreboard at the Whit. We've been waitig for one for nearly 20 years now.

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

Can't say I am on board with this. We all agree that money is tight when it comes to UNH and that state support for the school is abysmal at best. How in good conscience can they go ahead with this project is beyond me. It is well documented that college football at the 1AA FCS level is not a money maker. Outside of North Dakota State, Montana, and a few others, schools lose money on football. And despite UNH's level of success at this level, attendance at Cowell Stadium rarely exceeds 7-8,000. At that level you just don't make money in the sport. If I were Marty I would be thinking of making the sport more cost effective by dropping out of the CAA and scheduling more schools in the Northeast, especially those from the Ivy and Patriot leagues. The travel costs to venture south every other weekend have to be enormous. Better to be in a bus league where the schools are at least familiar to the average fan. And this notion that scheduling night games will somehow bring more night life to Durham is laughable. Even if fans were predisposed to go downtown after a game, where would they go? Libby's? The Knot? I have a feeling Marty was just winging it with that comment. Guaranteed there was no market study on this topic.

Certainly willing to listen to opposing views on this subject. But I really don't think that Marty's plan is something that is "long overdue". What is really "long overdue" is a scoreboard at the Whit. We've been waitig for one for nearly 20 years now.

I took a quick look at attendance just for grins and low and behold Homecoming drew 18,412 (could this be a typo?) not sure but I was there and there were a lot of people in attendance. The Maine game drew 10,333. Colgate game drew over 8,000. The economics of the project itself I am not privy to. I would be interested to know the specifics but I don't think they have been made public. Some of the benefits of a new stadium like this are not quantifiable though. Obviously recruiting would benefit the football program but I bet it would help attract athletes from other sports as well. Would it also give a boost to alumni giving? Probably IMO. I do agree with you about scheduling other schools from the Ivy League and Patriot league to cut down travel costs but I think I would defer to Coach Mac on that When you talk about a new scoreboard for the Whit are referring to instant replay? We already have a center ice scoreboard.

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

I took a quick look at attendance just for grins and low and behold Homecoming drew 18,412 (could this be a typo?) not sure but I was there and there were a lot of people in attendance. The Maine game drew 10,333. Colgate game drew over 8,000. The economics of the project itself I am not privy to. I would be interested to know the specifics but I don't think they have been made public. Some of the benefits of a new stadium like this are not quantifiable though. Obviously recruiting would benefit the football program but I bet it would help attract athletes from other sports as well. Would it also give a boost to alumni giving? Probably IMO. I do agree with you about scheduling other schools from the Ivy League and Patriot league to cut down travel costs but I think I would defer to Coach Mac on that When you talk about a new scoreboard for the Whit are referring to instant replay? We already have a center ice scoreboard.

The problem, as you note, is that the benefits are not quantifiable. If I was an investor (and I guess I am in a way), I'd want to know that my bucks are going to produce economic results. My main focus would be whether all these improvements, even if they lead to better recruiting and a better record, would allow UNH to break even or make a profit on football. Since 90% or more of FCS schools don't make a profit I'm not sure that UNH would either. That really is my bottom line on this. I've never really liked the CAA schedule which became top heavy with southern teams once UMass & UConn went 1A and BU and NU dropped football. That left just 3 non Ivy, non Patriot 1AA teams in New England (UNH, Maine, and URI). Instead of retooling the schedule with the likes of Holy Cross, Ivies other than Dartmouth, we are now playing a bunch of schools that have no connection to New England.

As for the scoreboard, we were told that a state of the art one would be installed at some point. Every decent arena in Hockey East has a scoreboard better than ours. Even a dump like Alfond has a better scoreboard. If I was Marty my priority would be to enhance the one revenue producing sport at the school. And that would mean sprucing up the arena (it needs a major buffing up), installing a scoreboard, and getting up to speed on the amenities that would allow the hockey team to compete at the level it did when the Whit first opened. Instead we have this pie in the sky notion that Cowell improvements will lead us to . . . what? Marty really doesn't say. And he doesn't have the money either.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

I have to agree with you Greg...not only have we been waiting for a scoreboard at Lake Whitt but it would help revenues if they tied the online streaming into the production, as Harvard and others do. It seems short sighted that Learfield doesn't realize that online streaming is the future of college sports, not just for recruiting and current parents that can't get to Durham but as the best way to showcase UNH around the country....E.cat, from what I know, UNH Alumni give back at a 1% rate, whereas BC had a rate of 26%!! Maybe the new Cowell will help that but I doubt it....whatever happens, I hope Coach Mac won't have to be told when to hold his practices like Umile is given that UNH doesn't own the Whitt....

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

I have to agree with you Greg...not only have we been waiting for a scoreboard at Lake Whitt but it would help revenues if they tied the online streaming into the production, as Harvard and others do. It seems short sighted that Learfield doesn't realize that online streaming is the future of college sports, not just for recruiting and current parents that can't get to Durham but as the best way to showcase UNH around the country....E.cat, from what I know, UNH Alumni give back at a 1% rate, whereas BC had a rate of 26%!! Maybe the new Cowell will help that but I doubt it....whatever happens, I hope Coach Mac won't have to be told when to hold his practices like Umile is given that UNH doesn't own the Whitt....

If that's true about Umile being told when he can hold practices I'm sure he's not too happy about that but there can't be that much demand for ice. It's probably only the women's team and OR high school, right?

[Snively65]

If that's true about Umile being told when he can hold practices I'm sure he's not too happy about that but there can't be that much demand for ice. It's probably only the women's team and OR high school, right?

When did ORHS move from the Landing rink to Lake Whitt?

[Ryan422]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

given that UNH doesn't own the Whitt....

UNH owns the Whitt now. They have for the last 6-7 years I believe.

When did ORHS move from the Landing rink to Lake Whitt?

Not Sure when exactly but it's been at least 10-12 years I know for sure.

[e.cat]

When did ORHS move from the Landing rink to Lake Whitt?

See Ryan422

[sonar]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

UNH owns the Whitt now. They have for the last 6-7 years I believe.
Not Sure when exactly but it's been at least 10-12 years I know for sure.

Girls team plays home games at the Whitt beginning this year (2013-14) .... still practice at Jackson's Landing.
Boys team plays home games and practices at the Whitt.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

You guys might know better than I, but I know when I was organizing the UNH Alumni games, we had to pay for ice time and use of the lounge upstairs, using their catering rather then bidding out the food....if I'm wrong on the men's practice time then I misheard a conversation I was privy too....too many issues over there now that never get clarified......

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

Girls team plays home games at the Whitt beginning this year (2013-14) .... still practice at Jackson's Landing.
Boys team plays home games and practices at the Whitt.

Thanks for this information. Must be quid pro quo for UNH students setting fire to Main Street every time the Red Sox win or lose in the post-season?

[The Zlax45]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

Girls team plays home games at the Whitt beginning this year (2013-14) .... still practice at Jackson's Landing.
Boys team plays home games and practices at the Whitt.

Shouldn't really matter with Umile...UNH should set the schedule for when Men's and Women practice which I would guess is 2pm and 4pm while the high school gets the rink at 6pm for a practice? Intramurals gets it at 8pm?

Just a guess

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

Huddleston responds to criticism of the West Stadium construction/renovation plans:

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs...140209660&NL=1

Fair response, and interesting to see that he invokes the plans for the original financing of the Whittemore Center project in comparison to the new football stadium plans.

Having said all that ... there is no longer any question in my mind the timing of the release of stadium plans is being used (at least in part) to cover - or more likely BS35 is just using the publicity surrounding stadium plans as personal cover - for further developments in the wake of Coach McCloskey's misguided dismissal. It's almost like a mutated version of the old shell game - "hey, look right here, don't look over there", etc. I'll apologize here and now for not being more specific, but hopefully the local media are doing their jobs, asking questions and utilizing sources, and sometime soon there will be more light shed on this very disappointing scenario.

[Aerman]

Re: UNH Wildcats - Marty Scarano

If Huddleston is such a great supporter of athletics, why doesn't he get Admissions on board