Athletic Donations

[TheHelgo]

Hey all. I really hate to admit this, but prior to yesterday's game I had decided that if the Clones won and we started the year with an encouraging 4-1 record, I would double my Cyclone Club donation - this was a serious internal pledge.

The way this game ended was so devastating, it really made me think that Cyclone athletics truly is cursed, and why would I pour even the initial donation in this year - let alone double it? I am of clear enough mind after sleeping on it that I still have every intention of making the original donation, but the question is still valid: Why is it that stuff like this seems to happen to the Cyclones much more frequently and with much more severity than other programs?

My internal thoughts over the last week about increasing my donation based on a victory could be a more common event than many think - not necessarily based on any particular game like mine was, but success breeds fan support and financial committment.

We keep talking about how the game at Arrowhead netted the athletic department $800K (over 2 years) versus what we would get playing at JTS (and Manhattan next year), but I seriously wonder how much the loss costs ISU in donations (increased or maintained). I say this because we easily win that game at JTS in my opinion. Many will think I am crazy for thinking this needs to be factored into the benefit of moving the game to KC, but my increased donation would have added over $1000 to the coffers. 799 more fans like me and we would have been square. Who knows if a big fish was having the same internal thoughts about donating with a promising 4-1 start.

I'm not trying to stir any pots here - I'm just putting in writing what was going through my mind in the week leading up to the game, and from the game until now.

 

[Bobber]

To base what you give on the results of one game is very short sighted.

 

[TheHelgo]

To base what you give on the results of one game is very short sighted.

short-sighted or not, I was prepared to give more on what would have made me optimistic enough to do so. It was not 1 game, it was the optimism that that game getting us to 4-1 would have provided me. Donating to ISU athletics is like an stock investment in my mind. If I own Microsoft stock and they have 3-4 excellent quarters in a row, and the outlook for further business success is promising, I am likely to buy more Microsoft stock (assuming the valuation is reasonable of course). Translated - If ISU football continues to show improvement, I am likely to buy more ISU stock. Unfortunately, ISU football just produced negative results.

 

[isuno1fan]

Do whatever suits you.

 

[Rods79]

Seriously, you and a lot of other people are putting way too much weight on one game. I understand being upset, as I am also, but part of the hard feelings are self-inflicted. Tell me, would you change your mind and make that double donation if we go and beat Kansas? We would then be 4-2, the same record as what everyone would be hoping after next week. I guess moral of the story is that there is a lot of football left to play, and all this loss did was put some grounding in. Get over it, look on to next week, and stop being so shortsighted (as mentioned before).

 

[acgclone]

No one likes to invest their money in something that will give them little or no return. I'm sure that happens all the time.

Another way if affects financials, is people who may have purchased tickets down the stretch. If we're sitting at 4-1, you're going to sell more than 3-2.

Honestly, given the historical level of success (or lack thereof) in Cyclone football, it's amazing that we have had the attendence that we've seen this year.

 

[TheHelgo]

Seriously, you and a lot of other people are putting way too much weight on one game. I understand being upset, as I am also, but part of the hard feelings are self-inflicted. Tell me, would you change your mind and make that double donation if we go and beat Kansas? We would then be 4-2, the same record as what everyone would be hoping after next week. I guess moral of the story is that there is a lot of football left to play, and all this loss did was put some grounding in. Get over it, look on to next week, and stop being so shortsighted (as mentioned before).

to answer your question regarding the game at KU, Yes I probably would. however, my optimism surrounding that outcome is a lot lower that it was yesterday at this time, and much much lower that it would have been if the inevitable wouldn't have happened and we would have made that EP and won in OT.

 

[cutshot]

I just have trouble rationalizing moving the game to KC. You make it tough on the locals to attend, plus drive up their cost of travel. You make it a neutral site vs at least 1 home game. And, you take a lot of money out of the pockets of the local businesses. And those businesses are the ones that the University looks to for support. Factor in the motel/hotel rooms that weren't booked, the meals that weren't purchased, the school garments and accessories that weren't purchased. Look at the money that wasn't speint in the local restaruants/bars, and convenience stores. I could go on, but you get the picture. I just think this game really did nothing for us.

 

[brianhos]

I just have trouble rationalizing moving the game to KC. You make it tough on the locals to attend, plus drive up their cost of travel. You make it a neutral site vs at least 1 home game. And, you take a lot of money out of the pockets of the local businesses. And those businesses are the ones that the University looks to for support. Factor in the motel/hotel rooms that weren't booked, the meals that weren't purchased, the school garments and accessories that weren't purchased. Look at the money that wasn't speint in the local restaruants/bars, and convenience stores. I could go on, but you get the picture. I just think this game really did nothing for us.

Ames is not exactly friendly to ISU events, so I am not sure why ISU would care to help the city.

 

[Tornado man]

Ames is not exactly friendly to ISU events, so I am not sure why ISU would care to help the city.

Please support this argument.
I'd be glad to take you as a guest to one of our Ames Rotary Monday luncheons, where ISU administrators, athletics or otherwise, routinely ask Ames businessmen for $$$...

 

[Mr Janny]

Ames is not exactly friendly to ISU events, so I am not sure why ISU would care to help the city.

This.

The Iowa State Athletic Department had an opportunity to make a huge amount of money on this series. With the current state of the economy, it would be stupid to turn down such a deal. As far as the city of Ames goes, ISU doesn't owe them anything. Ames makes plenty of money off of the university already.

 

[coachdags]

Posted this in another thread earlier, It is going to happen more and more with thi kind of Money being thrown around. If you want to win you need ways to find the money....

FedEx Field Will Host Penn State-Indiana Football Game in 2010 - washingtonpost.com

Indiana gets 3 million, in 2010 vs Penn State at Fed Ex field

 

[Rods79]

to answer your question regarding the game at KU, Yes I probably would. however, my optimism surrounding that outcome is a lot lower that it was yesterday at this time, and much much lower that it would have been if the inevitable wouldn't have happened and we would have made that EP and won in OT.

I understand that momentum can be important both in football and financials, and optimism can fuel a lot. But really, I'm happy we have the opportunity to do better than 3 wins this season, something I haven't felt for 2-3 years now. I know it is little in the grand scheme of things, but some things just need to be taken step by step. In times like these, look at the positives. That game could have been our last of the season and we would have to sit another year for next season to see if we could get over 3.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your money, but if I was that secure financially to make a donation like you are considering, I would do it. The question it seems like you are debating is when to do it this season, which is where you're right n holdng back until something suits you.

I hope though that people wouldn't completely hold back on their donations just because we lost a game...that isn't right. If they are waiting, fine, but to completely give up, not cool.

 

[Tornado man]

Posted this in another thread earlier, It is going to happen more and more with thi kind of Money being thrown around. If you want to win you need ways to find the money....

FedEx Field Will Host Penn State-Indiana Football Game in 2010 - washingtonpost.com

Indiana gets 3 million, in 2010 vs Penn State at Fed Ex field

Indiana's case is a lot different than ours; they have no fan support. They played on the same Thursday night that we did last month, and must have had 25,000 there. Meanwhile, JTS was packed.
Also, $3 mil is a heck of a lot more than, in effect, the $800,000 that ISU is netting...

 

[Rick]

The question is whether you donate so we will win or you donate to support. I understand the want to back a winning team but if you are supporting your team you need to do so through thick and thin. Granted more thin than most but if you are going to support then know your money is going to help student athletes better themselves for the future. Your reward is the entertainment you get from the games. It was an entertaining game, just the outcome wasnt what you wished for.

 

[coachdags]

Indiana's case is a lot different than ours; they have no fan support. They played on the same Thursday night that we did last month, and must have had 25,000 there. Meanwhile, JTS was packed.
Also, $3 mil is a heck of a lot more than, in effect, the $800,000 that ISU is netting...

Not debating individual cases... premise is the same, Schools will be doing more of this for a couple of reasons, Money and Exposure, simple fact.

 

[cutshot]

OK, there's a big difference between 1.8M and 3M. If you sell 50,000 tickets at $40 ea. that's 2M. I realize that you have some expenses against that. But you also have expenses going to KC. Meals, travel, rooms, and other ancillary items that are too numerous to mention. Sooooo, I have trouble figuring out where there is a significant amount of money made to offset not playing in Ames.

 

[Tornado man]

OK, there's a big difference between 1.8M and 3M. If you sell 50,000 tickets at $40 ea. that's 2M. I realize that you have some expenses against that. But you also have expenses going to KC. Meals, travel, rooms, and other ancillary items that are too numerous to mention. Sooooo, I have trouble figuring out where there is a significant amount of money made to offset not playing in Ames.

I agree, with your point, but don't forget that it was a much more sensible decision for Indiana to take the cash since they don't draw well anyway - they aren't giving up anywhere near the home gate $$$ that we did...

 

[coachdags]

OK, there's a big difference between 1.8M and 3M. If you sell 50,000 tickets at $40 ea. that's 2M. I realize that you have some expenses against that. But you also have expenses going to KC. Meals, travel, rooms, and other ancillary items that are too numerous to mention. Sooooo, I have trouble figuring out where there is a significant amount of money made to offset not playing in Ames.

Once again, I'm not debatng that there is a difference between the Indiana situation and ISU's.

I'm just stating that other schools are doing the same thing. Which leads me to believe that they are doing it for two reasons Money and Exposure. I trust the Universities and their Athletic departments would not be doing these type games, if the overall benifit was not a positive both financially and for the future of their programs.

 

[Cyclone06]

We needed this game for recruiting. We needed this game to get a step closer to a bowl game. You can say we even needed it for donation purposes. We needed this game to end the conferance losing streak. This game would have been huge momentum for the program imo.

Yes it was only one game, but we need to start to win games we should win now. Upcoming schedules do not appear favorable to me.