Commentary: TSU AD has stamp of a winner

TSU AD McClelland boosts wins, graduations

Texas Southern's success on the football field reflects a larger feel-good story, and that story includes someone who hasn't made a tackle or called a play this season. Charles McClelland is the school's 38-year-old athletic director, hired by TSU president Dr. John Rudley 21/2 years ago to clean up a program smothered in scandal and red ink.

As TSU tries to win its first Southwestern Athletic Conference football championship in 42 years on Saturday, there are plenty of other reasons for optimism.

"Dr. Rudley laid out a vision and a philosophy," McClelland said. "He wants to use our athletic program to help build the reputation of our entire university."

Soccer stadium/TSU football stadium, a done deal for Dynamo and Tigers

Texas Southern University, which will play its football games at the new stadium, is expected to contribute $1.5 million toward construction.

The Dynamo have agreed to pay $76 million to build a professional soccer stadium in downtown Houston and then lease it from the city and county for $65,000 a year.

The board of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, a joint city-county agency that acts as a pro sports stadium landlord, unanimously approved the deal Thursday morning. While the Dynamo will pay most of the cost of construction, the city and county will own the stadium.

Thursday's (Dec. 2, 2010) approval sets the stage for construction to begin as early as next month just across U.S. 59 from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

"It's an absolute win situation for not only Harris County but for the residents of Houston that for no expense to them — basically, no cost - we're getting a stadium," board member Tom Sprague said before the vote.

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Note: TSU currently pays $40,000 per game for use of the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium for home games.  The Tigers also rent Reliant Stadium at a cost $115,000 (2010 rate)  for the Labor Day Classic with Prairie View A&M University. TSU on-campus Delmar stadium seats only 4,500, too small for most SWAC football contests.

The Tigers are expected to sign a 20-year lease as consideration for the $1.5M (prepaid rent) towards stadium construction, and receive in return:  --  a private TSU locker room, 100% income from all TSU merchandise sales, 50% income from concession sales on all  its games and no per game rent for the entire lease period. 

From our view, this is a great deal for a $91 million-state-of-art stadium with luxury boxes in the 10th largest television market in the United States. Texas Southern football should become in short order, one of the premier brands and a hot destination point for the Labor Day Classic within five years. Mr. McClelland and TSU president Dr. John Rudley are clearly on an upward path with an economic engine (Dynamo Stadium) that will generate dollars comparable to other highly successful mid-major Division I FBC programs.

The question is, who's laughing now? Congratulation's TSU....Go Tigers!!
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