Who Really Cares About FCS Division I HBCU Football?

Alcorn State helped Southern Mississippi (C-USA) set attendance record of 36,232 at Carlisle-Faulkner Field at Roberts Stadium on Sept. 5, 2009. The Braves were defeated 52-0 by the Golden Eagles. Alcorn State ranks #68 in the latest NCAA Accumulated Attendance Report averaging 5,425 in 3 home contests, 24.11 accumulated percent of capacity. Only 3,774 came to Jack Spinks Stadium to watch the home team Braves fall to SWAC leader Prairie View (7-1, 6-0) 34-14 on Saturday.

If attendance numbers are the real measure of how most feel about college football at HBCU campuses, then why do we have stadiums that keep a vacancy rate of empty seats in the range of 17.96 (2008/09 MEAC Champions South Carolina State) to 83.31 (Alabama State) percent on college game day? Secondly, how are we maintaining Division I status, with little income being earned from gate receipts, parking and concessions? Are we supporting the entire programs on student generated fees and a few alumni donations? Just a few questions you may want to ask your university administrators and athletic directors.

We are not saying ALL programs are doing poorly in accumulated attendance at the FCS level but some are in financial trouble. For example, Florida A&M University athletic department has been struggling to retire a -$4.2 million accumulated deficit from its proposed move up to Division I-A football and athletic department mis-management. The Rattlers budget is still reeling from this ill-advised move and the highly paid athletic directors that followed have had no real solutions to address the financial mess.

However, it's unclear how long the FAMU athletics department has been operating in the red. An independent audit covering from July 2007 to June 30, 2008, shows Rattler athletics made nearly $8.1 million during that time. But department expenses exceeded $9.7 million, creating nearly a $1.7 million deficit. That deficit only added to the $2.61 million deficit detailed in the audit report that covered July 2006 to June 2007.

The Florida Classic continues to be the savior for both FAMU and its cross-state rival, Bethune Cookman. This game is important for millions of reasons -- and millions of dollars. Without this game and the combined $3 million (combined) it puts into the coffers of both schools, the cash-strapped athletic departments of FAMU and Bethune would shrivel up and blow away. Each are expected to pocket $1.5 million next weekend, if attendance continue to hold in the 62,000 - 69,000 range.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that FAMU was in discussions with the University of Georgia for a game in Athens in the near future. We are not privy to the financial negotiations, but Louisiana-Lafayette will get $875,000 to open next season in Athens and New Mexico State will get $925,000 for a game in Nov. 2011. The Rattlers earned $600,000 from its money game with the University of Miami this season and possibly, $325,000 more from the Atlanta Football Classic with rival Tennessee State University.

The Ratters are scheduled to open the 2010 season at Miami, playing the same Hurricanes for another $600,000 check. So, why is a premier program built by legendary coach Jake Gaither in financial trouble today?

Simply, to complete at the FCS Division I level--it takes money, lots of money--millions of dollars that general admission tickets and a $200,000 annual contribution from the local booster club does not cover. HBCU fans need a reality check--ticket sales, parking and concession fees at a 10,000 -20,000 seat facility does not pay the bills. FAMU fans also need a reality check--12,490 average attendance (49,960 accumulated attendance) to four home games in 2009 doesn't cut it for a $10 million athletic department budget. Bragg Memorial Stadium holds 25,500 but hasn't seen a sell-out since the Coach Billy Joe era.

If you think attendance is based upon wins and losses, go check the attendance figures. For the past decade, FAMU and Southern have been ranked in the Top 10 in home attendance. But the Rattlers and Jaguars have been replaced by an upstart program like Old Dominion, ranked #4 in attendance averaging 19,782 in 7 home games in its first season of football and North Dakota State, ranked #8, averaging 17,069 in 4 home contests. North Carolina A&T was the doormats of the MEAC over the past several years, but the Aggies are now ranked #7 in home attendance--averaging 17,219 with an 80.09 accumulated percent of capacity in Aggie Stadium.

FCS 2008 National Champion, University of Richmond operates a CAA championship football program on more than the gate receipts generated from four home games which averages 8,737 in attendance. The Spiders are only filling the home stadium to 40.98 percent of accumulated capacity in 2009. Richmond played one 1-A money game--defeating Atlantic Coast Conference, Duke University 24-16 in Durham, N.C. in the season opener before 33,311 at Wallace Wade Stadium. This was Duke's largest crowd since 2001.

For small schools in conferences like the MEAC, SWAC and OVC, there are great paydays awaiting in road trips to major Division I programs. Delaware State earned $550,000 playing at 106,000 seat Michigan; Western Kentucky got $700,000 to play at Tennessee; Montana State received $650,000 playing at Michigan State; Charleston Southern was paid $450,000 for playing at defending national champion Florida and Liberty earned $365,000 at West Virginia.

Looking ahead to 2010, the going rate for top tier programs to "buy a guaranteed win" will range from $750,000 to $950,000 for lower tier Division I programs and $450,000 to $650,000 for money straped MEAC programs such as FAMU. With the upper tier BCS programs earning $3.8 million to $4.5 million per home contest, the future for MEAC and SWAC programs are to sign on for the lucrative pay days with the BCS conferences and limit themselves to 3 home contests during the season. At some point, the conference leadership will have to move to 8 conference game schedules and 3-4 out of league contests that can be sold to the highest bidders to pay the bills. Tradition will soon be a thing of the past as scheduling will be based on potential payouts.

South Carolina State dive into the Division I money pool started with games versus South Carolina, Central Florida, Air Force and Clemson. Although the Bulldogs have not realized the $450,000+ pay days like FAMU, Norfolk State and Howard, they have improved their recruiting, moved to #5 ranking in home stadium attendance--averaging 18,050 in four home contests-- and become the conference powerhouse. Not bad for a school located in the smallest market in the MEAC by population and business base.

Below are the game scores, attendance numbers and team records for Week 11 at the FCS Division I HBCU programs. You may draw your own conclusions on how your favorite university is maintaining its Division I football program with sub-par attendance and dwindling revenue in 2009. Classics, one D-I money game and a Thursday night television game check from ESPNU may pay some of the bills, but it does not build sustainable home stadium fan support and championship football programs.

You may want to blame the weather, the economy and the lack of an aggressive athletic marketing & PR program--but the outcome are programs on the verge of bankruptcy or with $2-$4 million in red ink as a carryover to the next fiscal year. No business is sustainable when the income cannot cover the expenses, especially in Division I college football. Who Really Cares About FCS Division I HBCU Football and who will help it survive and thrive? The answers are within you.

1. North Carolina Central 18, Winston Salem State 10 11,232 @ Bowman-Gray Stadium, Winston Salem, N.C. Records: NCCU 3-7; WSSU 1-9.

2. South Carolina State 37, Morgan State 13 10,542 @ Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, S.C. Records: SCSU 9-1, 7-0 MEAC; MSU 5-5, 3-4 MEAC.

3. Southern University 34, Alabama State 24 8,459 @ Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL Records: SU 6-3, 3-2 SWAC; ASU 4-6, 1-6 SWAC.

4. Austin Peay State 24, Tennessee State 21 6,968 @ Governors Stadium, Clarksville, TN Records: APSU 4-6, 3-4 OVC; TSU 3-7, 2-4 OVC.

5. Alabama A&M 13, Jackson State 5 5,402 @ Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville, AL Records: AAMU 6-4, 3-3 SWAC; JSU 3-6, 3-3 SWAC.

6. Norfolk State 21, Delaware State 16 4,127 @ Alumni Stadium, Dover, DE Records: NSU 6-4, 5-3 MEAC; DSU 3-6, 2-4 MEAC.

7. Prairie View A&M 34, Alcorn State 3,774 @ Jack Spinks Stadium, Lorman, MS Records: PVAMU 7-1, 6-0 SWAC; Alcorn State 2-6, 2-4 SWAC.

8. Grambling State 47, Texas Southern 33 3,549 @ Robinson Stadium, Grambling, LA Records: GSU 6-5, 4-3 SWAC; Tex So 4-5, 3-2 SWAC.

8. Webber International 35, Savannah State 20 1,956 @ Ted Wright Stadium, Savannah, Georgia Records: Webber Intern'l. 4-6 NAIA Savannah State 2-7 NCAA Div. I Indep.

9. Hampton University 25, Florida A&M 0 1,931 @ Armstrong Stadium, Hampton, VA Records: HU 5-5, 3-4 MEAC; FAMU 7-3, 5-2 MEAC.

10. Bethune Cookman 21, Howard University 10 541@ Greene Stadium, Washington, D.C. Records: BCU 5-5, 4-3 MEAC; HU 2-8, 0-7 MEAC.

11. Mississippi Valley State 16, Lincoln (MO) 6 503 @ Rice-Totten Stadium, Itta Bena, MS Records: MVSU 3-7, 1-5 SWAC; Lincoln University of Missouri 0-11 NCAA Division II.

by: beepbeep 11/16/09