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Thursday, September 18, 2008

Keegan

Keegan: Sellout makes statement

By Tom Keegan

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Wednesday's announcement that Kansas University athletic director Lew Perkins topped the public-voting standings in Time Magazine's look at the top sports executives of the world is no shocker. The Kansas fan base is a passionate one and went to bat successfully for the boss of the athletic department.

The more interesting news came later in the day and for Perkins should be an even greater source of pride. Four hours and 19 minutes after KU publicists released the news of Perkins winning the election came the stunning announcement that Saturday's football game against Sam Houston State is a sellout.

Repeat: The Sam Houston State game is a sellout.

Not Ohio State. Not Penn State. Not Kansas State. Not Florida State. Not Oklahoma State. Not even Fresno State or Boise State. The outcome in all of those games wouldn't be a foregone conclusion. A blowout wouldn't be in the forecast.

Sam Houston State, even with ex-Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar at the controls, clearly isn't the draw here.

Kansas football fans didn't pony up here to see a great game. They did it because they are jacked about this team, especially this team's quarterback, junior Todd Reesing. The public knows missing one of Reesing's games could mean being left out of the conversation Monday morning at the office.

The sellout is a loud statement that Kansas has arrived as a football school, one of Perkins' chief goals when he left UConn to take the job at a perennial national basketball power and anonymous football program.

Sure, two key components that set the foundation for reaching the day KU could sell out a Sam Houston State game were put in place by Perkins' predecessor, Al Bohl, who brought back tailgating in 2001 by allowing alcohol in the parking lots for the first time in 10 years and hired Mark Mangino to head a foundering football program.

It has been proven Perkins was the right guy to move the chains forward from there. For one thing, Perkins had the wisdom to avoid the temptation so many athletic directors in college athletics and general managers in professional sports succumb to when they get blinded by their hire-my-own-guy egos. Second, he didn't balk when Mangino asked for a state-of-the-art football complex. Instead, he went to work and put tree-shaker extraordinaire John Hadl to work. The $31 million project not only helps recruiting and developing players, it gives fans the feel of backing a big-time football program.

The luxurious trappings of the complex don't sit well with some concerned about structures elsewhere throughout the university badly in need of repair. Here's what's wrong with comparing the two: The money Kansas Athletics, Inc., uses to build buildings and pay coaches comes from private contributions. Perkins, as did Monte Johnson in his days in charge of the athletic department, knows how to raise money. That can rub some people the wrong way. So what?

Sports beyond football and basketball, which have gone a combined 51-5 since the uniforms started sporting the Trajan font, continue to struggle as a whole, but with facilities upgrades under way, the excuses for failing are disappearing one at a time.

Comments

  1. FlaHawk (anonymous) says…

    Lew has a plan and he works his plan. KU is NOT competitive outside FB and MBB, but these are big revenue sports and the $$$ will spill over eventually.KU is and wIll never be a NU, OU or UT. KU should attempt to pass MU, OSU and TTech and aTm first. CU, Baylor, KSU andISU we are already ahed of!I predict in 5 years KU will have the 3rd or 4th best sports program in the Big XII.Lew is great, but the woman's programs are sadly lacking and a drag on AD. They will get their, but it will take 5 years due to the woman's programs shape that Lew inherited.

  2. dagger108 (anonymous) says…

    Fla - You're short-sighted. NU, OU & UT may have sports programs with bigger budgets/results than mu, osu, ..., ksu, isu, and us, but that is to be expected. They have a few decades head start on us with respect to developing a sports tradition. There is no reason that a winning FB tradition can't be developed at KU - FB is the $ source for an AD. It won't happen because of a winning season, and KSU even indicates that it takes more than a decade of winning, but then NU, OU & UT didn't get there in just a year or decade either. There are multiple generations worth of tradition for NU, OU & UT, and we're working on our first. Anyway, it is all part of a process, and selling out NC games is a great beginning. There is no reason we can't become one of the best programs in the nation.Keep sawin' - Rock Chalk!

  3. hawkfan20 (anonymous) says…

    Anyone that thinks KU can't catch NU or OU financially is an idiot. We're not very far behind right now. Our bball program generates so much cash that it gives KU a huge advantage. Now that KU's starting to generate some demand for football, the amount of revenue we're going to achieve there is going to shoot up. KU has a tremendous opportunity in football given our population base, which is larger than either NU or OU.

  4. ohioburg (anonymous) says…

    This is a move up from the 10th spot two years earlier....Big 12 Athletic Budgets, 2005-06 school year Revenue ExpensesTexas $97,756,777 $83,600,249Texas A&M $70,923,550 $61,419,534Oklahoma $64,521,972 $64,322,580Nebraska $64,110,157 $63,695,479Kansas $62,985,486 $47,554,572Oklahoma State $53,641,925 $44,061,812Texas Tech $53,337,766 $53,337,766Colorado $46,871,796 $45,731,542Missouri $45,184,835 $45,184,835Kansas State $43,411,343 $34,834,467Iowa State $32,541,235 $32,541,235Baylor $32,228,960 $36,228,960Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education

  5. KU (anonymous) says…

    hawkfan20.....I appreciate your positive attitude, and you are right, KU basketball generates quite a bit of money.......for a basketball program. But there is no basketball program in the country that can generate as much revenue as a perennial Top 10 football program. (Especially a top football program with an 80,000 to 100,000 seat stadium.) Now, if we could have BOTH, we could challenge the big-time programs in the Big 12 in terms of an ALL-sport athletic program.If we can average 8 or 9 wins per year over the next 5 years, KU athletics can ride the wave of financial success a big-time football program can create.

  6. guscornhawk (anonymous) says…

    I agree with the above comment. I live in Lincoln Nebraska (don't worry fans, Kansan by birth, Jayhawk by the grace of God) and do you know what drives $'s at NU? It's not a National Championship vollyball team or a CWS baseball team, a top 5 wom. soccer team or even a crappy basketball team.....it's football. Always has been, always will be. Lets look at the facts.297 consecutive sellouts, a 85K+ capacity stadium, a ginormous video board, and oh yeah, that 30+ years of 9 win seasons all combine (despite its first losing season since before Christ) to make NU football "big time" The backing of Warren Buffet helps a little too. (sarcasm intended)Believe me, there is nothing I would like better than to see KU reach those heights, and I believe we will. But it's going to take more than one year. We are on the right path. What I saw 2 weeks ago on campus was nothing like it was back in the early 90's. As a student, when I went to football games, we could sit pretty much wherever we wanted to and parking around the neighborhood was free. I'd say we've come a long way baby! Rock Chalk Jayhawk and GOOO KU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. guscornhawk (anonymous) says…

    Sorry, this is so long but found this in UNL report. The effects of a "big time" football program, just think how this kind of money could impact Lawrence! Maybe The Wheel could find a way to upgrade their toilets?The Nebraska football program alone had an economic impact on the Lincoln area of:¢ $87.1 million in output (including $35.4 million from fan spending),¢ $31.2 million in worker income,¢ 2,130 jobs (one-third being concession or event worker jobs), and¢ $498,000 in direct sales tax revenue for the City of Lincoln.

  8. KUdude101 (anonymous) says…

    KU, To ride on your point, if we averaged 8-9 wins for 5 years, we would have to consider building a new/major renovations to Memorial Stadium. We already have in place the plans lower the playing field and getting rid of the track, which a major start. Think of the possibilities. I don't want to get ahead of myself but we need to win 8-9 games a year for 5 years first.

  9. chuckberry32 (anonymous) says…

    KU is right, bball, no matter how good, can never generate the revenue that a decent football team can. This is why Prekins is so determined to get us in the game if you will.

  10. Nutflush21 (anonymous) says…

    Tom that statement is "Band/Family day brings a boat load of people"

  11. 5DecadeHawk (anonymous) says…

    It's about time Keegan finally recognized that KU FB has arrived.Most everyone else recognized it last year when we beat OSU and aTm on the road. Some folks are just slow, I guess.Now that he's admitted KU FB has arrived, does this mean we'll be getting improved coverage from the LJW now?(I'm not holding my breath. I expect to see him taking pot shots at us again within the week.)

  12. bmcmich1 (anonymous) says…

    I consider myself one of the biggest fans of Kansas Football out there, but the skeptic in me has to wonder how much of this sellout has to do with the basketball team being honored. To say the sellout is solely due to fans wanting to see the football game may be a little misleading. I could be wrong and that very well may be the case, but at this point I'm not entirely sure. In any event, a sellout is a sellout, and for whatever reason selling all the seats for an opponent like Sam Hous. St. is impressive.In years past this game most definitely would NOT have sold out, ring ceremony or no, so there is a definite improvement in fan interest.This is just another step in justifying the removal of the track and adding seats -- the question is: should this improvement keep building over time, when do you think the track actually goes? My guess is over the next 2-3 years. What do you all think? Sooner than that? Later than that?

  13. txrockchalk (anonymous) says…

    bmcmich1 ~ According to the following article, the timing may depend on financing via fund raising. My guess is if the track removal hinges on enough funds being in place to build a new track facility, the track folks may receive some benevolence from the football fans in order to speed the process along if we have another successful season.http://www2.kusports.com/news/2008/jul/15/kansas_relays_ending_run_memorial_stadium_or_it/

  14. railer1122 (anonymous) says…

    http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/... just hope we aren't like this. Stay classy, KU fans, at games. This is ridiculous.

  15. jayhawkintx73 (anonymous) says…

    KU has a good chance of overtaking Nebraska, OU, and A&M. In case you haven't noticed, we have now beaten Nebraska 2 of 3 and went to A&M and won. There are new seats in the South Endzone, add another Deck to the North End and maybe even a full new set of seats above the luxury boxes in the South Endzone, 20,000 more seats or so, and Memorial Stadium could become a premier College Football Stadium. It beats K-States stadium already, and is already louder than arrowhead when the Raiders are in town. 20,000 seats at $30/ticket. And then you figure in the revenues in merchandise sales, which btw, ku already leads this out of all Colleges! And then a couple more big bowl games, and watch out Texas! Lew Perkins has done a fantastic job.

  16. txrockchalk (anonymous) says…

    railer1122 ~ Wow. I didn't know it was like that at the game for our fans. Some of the USF fans' actions make attending a game in Columbia seem like a church service. 64 ejections and 9 arrests speak volumes. I know a lot schools, when they are successful, have fans that never attended the school climb on their bandwagon, and they are often the most verbally abusive fans in the stadium. Sad.

  17. Mr_Sandman (anonymous) says…

    I don't think that KU will be playing USF again. We don't need to go play in a stadium full of drunk morons all the way down in Florida; not when we already have Manhattan and Columbia.

  18. railer1122 (anonymous) says…

    Yes I agree. This series, I'm sure, is over. Total disrespect towards KU and their fans. Honestly, who yells at the cheerleaders. And Leavitt, their coach, hasn't said a word about it.

  19. dagger108 (anonymous) says…

    I was surprised to read in the USF article that Grothe didn't say anything when he heard the abuse. I realize that he's getting ready for the game, but when it happens repeatedly and you're a leader of the team, you need to do more than throw passes.I recall times when someone in the fieldhouse would throw something on the floor or something equally stupid and Roy would take the mic and chastise the crowd. The Tampa article also talks about one woman not ignoring the abuse, and getting support from the people around her, which motivated the jerk to go away.It's not terribly different than a flight I was on several years ago (post 9-11), and one lady was getting all arrogant from the back of the plane about having to wait for the others in front of her like everyone else. Fortunately, the rest of the passaengers stood up to her ignorance and arrogance as well.The comments that it is football, or it happens everywhere are just ignorant excuses. It doesn't happen everywhere, and it doesn't need to happen anywhere. Will jerks be eradicated from KU or anywhere else, no, but they'll only increase if we don't stand up for what is good.It is called leadership, and it needs to come from all of us.

  20. dagger108 (anonymous) says…

    It is great to hear of another sellout, which is definitely a step in the right direction for the program - FB and athletic.As a former runner at KU, it is sad to think of not running at the stadium. In getting a bit of the bigger picture of building a new facility to current stds near the indoor facilities, it would probably benefit both programs. It is also interesting to hear some of the projections for removing the track. One estimates seats being 12" wide and 70 yards around the horseshoe (the inside lane is 110 yards, and you're about 10 yards long per lane = 200 yds), and there are all sorts of napkin extrapolations for widths & depths without any real knowledge of what the dimensions and controling limitations are.Regardless of conjecture on increased seating, it won't happen until the new facility is built. If they continue to sell out, maybe they could fast track (sorry) it for completion in '09. That would really be pushing from an overall construction to operation standpoint, but we really don't know what the AD has already as far as plans.Regardless, removing the track and adding seats won't happen for the '09 season, but if they began immediately after the season, they could realistically be ready for '10.A good reality check tho is to realize that we have had a bunch of mediocre seasons and one great season followed by 2 cupcakes and a loss. In some ways, we aren't much better on the field than we were with Mason. In the big picture, I think we're much farther along, and will continue to improve. We aren't there yet.

  21. OmahaKUAlum (anonymous) says…

    Wow, I had no idea that our fans were treated so badly at USF. That is absolutely unexceptable...I can't even imagine what that would be like. I used to think Mizzou fans were the worst fans on the face of the earth, but apparently someone else has taken that title. I hope Lew Perkins is aware of this and will not schedule anymore games there. I also find it interesting that the QB spoke up about it after the game, but the coach has said nothing. That's pretty pathetic.

  22. jhawk4life1976 (anonymous) says…

    Why would you expect an apology from Jim Leavitt? After all he is a MIZZOU grad!

  23. guscornhawk (anonymous) says…

    I'm sorry for this, I'm sure I'm going to be blasted. But what makes USF any different than us? The mutually disguting "rip his F@#*ing head off" after we kick off is tolerable? I have been to 2 home games this year and have seen plenty of "drunk morons" to quote Sandman. Listen, it happens everywhere, Florida, Columbia, Boulder, and yes, even in Lawrence. I have taken many non-KU people to these games and they are equally disgusted at this post kick off chant. Lets eliminate that, then we can talk about how disgusting Misery and Manhappenin are.

  24. bmcmich1 (anonymous) says…

    Ways USF is different than us:1) 64 ejections, 9 arrests - this alone should be enough2) Yelling sexual obscenities at opposing teams' cheerleaders3) Verbally accosting a woman in KU gear in the parking lot, again using sexual slurs4) Antagonizing KU fans to fight in the concourses5) Screaming obscenities at KU fans driving to/from the parking lotThat was just 5 ways -- I'm sure there are many more. Those were all directed with malice at individual fans, too - not just a chant with a single obscenity taken from a movie and not directed at any one individual. I'm not completely defending the post-kickoff chant we have -- I'm not particularly a fan of it myself -- but comparing it to the boorish behavior of USF fans may be the dumbest, most asanine comparison I have ever seen. You are comparing ONE chant with MANY deplorable acts. Weak sauce, guscornhawk -- I understand you don't care for our chant, but don't you dare compare it to what USF fans did. By all accounts, there is lightyears difference between the two.

  25. jayhawkjim80 (anonymous) says…

    I have been one of the minority who has attended KU football games regularly for many years, and I am thrilled that we are not only successful on the field, but filling the stands as well. My opinion on this subject is very well known.I am also excited about the possibilities of a bigger stadium someday. However, some points need to be addressed on this, because you may note that I didn't necessarily say a bigger Memorial Stadium.For starters, we need a place to seat a minimum of 60K and probably closer to 70K to start competing with the big boys. ut, ou, nu, a&m are all over 80K. MU & OSU are over 60K. If we have an expansion plan in place, which would be better - expanding the place we have, or build a new stadium?I know most people would say that we have one of the most beautiful settings for an on-campus stadium anywhere and that is very true. If we go the expansion route, where are we going to park all these people? They have moved us around with that as much as they have the seats the past few years, especially with the added practice fields. Added traffic in the middle of town will also be a concern. If we go to 60-70K, this will definitely be an issue. Residents close to the stadium would likely have issues with this as well.The flip side is if we build a new stadium, where would we go with it? To have that big of a place mentioned earlier, you would almost need a place on either the outside part of town, or along a major road or highway. This would help with the earlier traffic concern. Moving the stadium off campus could possibly hurt student attendance, and we need a large student turnout for these games. Going with this option would most likely entail a large fund raising operation, as I doubt KU would just do it on its own.There are a lot of possibilities and a lot of possible answers for this issue. We definitely have to look ahead on this, and hopefully something will happen sooner rather than later.

  26. JFHawk (anonymous) says…

    We don't need to build a new stadium. The location is great and I agree parking can be a problem, but that is a problem at nearly every sporting facility. I think that we need to sellout a few more games in a row before this even becomes a serious decision. As for the USF fans vs. the kickoff chant. I agree with the above comments about about there being absolutely no comparison. I doubt that the opposing team or the fans felt threatened by the chant and I know of 0 ejections or arrests resulting from the the chant. I understand that people have an issue with the profanity, but isn't it exciting to have a student section that is large enough for you to hear the chant on television. That chant has been going on or least 3 yrs, maybe longer, and I don't recall seeing this many complaints about it until this season. I would guess that either the people that are complaining now weren't fans, at least game attending fans, three years ago or that the increased attendance is bringing the attention. Just a thought.