Interviewed by David Brandt, Clarion Ledger
JSU's Robert Braddy, seen here accepting the SWAC baseball coach of the year award in 1999, has many goals as AD. A big one is expanding the number of season ticket holders in football.
Robert Braddy has been Jackson State's athletic director for 18 months, overseeing an approximately $5 million budget that facilitates 18 sports - including 10 for women. Before becoming athletic director, Braddy was the most successful baseball coach in Jackson State history, with more than 800 career wins, 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and five trips to the NCAA Tournament:
Q: You've constantly talked about wanting to improve revenue to help the school's athletic program become self-sufficient. What are some of the plans to accomplish that?
A: The biggest thing is our new football ticket pricing system. Before, it was one price for a general admission ticket that allowed you to sit anywhere at (Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium). Now, we'll have assigned seating that places a premium on the seats closest to the field at the 50-yard line. While ticket prices will go up in some areas, there are also some good things, like being able to charge less for children who sit in the upper deck.
Q: How has the assigned seating idea been received by fans? Some say it's not a good idea.
A: I understand that fans were used to sitting where they wanted in the stadium. But there's not a major college program in the country where you can sit where you want in the stadium without paying for a premium seat. We're trying to build into a bigger and better program and we think this is the next step.
Q: How are season ticket sales?
A: Right now we've sold about 2,000. Last season, we had about 2,500. Obviously, we'd like this season's season-ticket sales to surpass last year. Eventually, we'd love to build it up so that we had a base of about 10,000 season tickets. We feel the prices our reasonable and 10,000 is an attainable goal.
Q: What kind of expectations do you have for the football team and coach Rick Comegy this season?
A: Well, Rick spoiled us a little bit last year having so much success so fast. Last year, I'd have been happy with four wins and Rick got six. This season, I think any sort of improvement on our 6-5 record last year would be amazing.
Q: With the abolishment of the Stadium Commission, what do you expect to change as far as JSU's input in running Memorial Stadium?
A: We're not sure. There's a lot of uncertainty regarding the issue. The more control we would have the better. We'd like to be able to arrange high school games there and other events that could help bring in more revenue.
Q: First-year baseball coach Omar Johnson led Jackson State to a 33-22 record last year despite having limited time to recruit. Are you going to extend his contract?
A: We're in the midst of working on a new contract. Coach Johnson has been great for this university and he's done a superb job. We have the new stadium that looks great and I really feel like the future of our baseball program is bright.
Q: Jackson State basketball coach Tevester Anderson turned 67 years old this year as he took the team to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Have you talked to him about how much longer he would like to coach?
A: I don't think coach Anderson has any desire to be a Joe Paterno or a Bobby Bowden, but I do think he has some more very good years left. Every time I talk to him, he says his ultimate goal is to get Jackson State to the point where it's making the NCAA Tournament year after year after year. Until he gets there, I don't think he'll consider retirement.
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