ASU football (Atlanta, Kennesaw, Jackson: 2015, dorms, buying)

[ugakid09]

Me and a friend were talking about how cool it would be for ASU to start up a football program. It would be something that could definitely bring in area support for the school, and also pull in more non-commuter students. What do you guys think?

[whitmans77]

As much as Id like to see that, I really dont see that happening anytime soon. Like you said ASU is a commuter campus which hurts those possibilities. Also it costs ALOT of money to start up a program and with all the other options for football in the area I dont see it thriving. Football Friday nights plus UGA, USC,Clemson, Ga Tech all within a days drive it would be hard for ASU to bring football in. But I think the hardest part would just be funding the program

[imacrazyalbino]

ASU is too busy worrying about buying The Patch during economic hardship to worry about establishing a football program.

[cyclingdawg]

I can see ASU doing this within the next 5 years. Look how far it has come since 5 years ago. In 2002, ASU was NOT a very pretty campus. Asphalt and concrete everywhere. When I walked back through there in 2007, I was amazed. Now the campus reminds me of a miniature UGA. By the way, ASU only had about 3,500 students in 2001. Now it is pushing 7,000. It is only a matter of time and the econimy to pick up and they will have a football team. 5 years ago, who would have thought they would even have dorms? ASU will push the 10,000 mark and field a football team by or before 2015.

[tckr83]

As long as Mr. Bloodworth is the head of ASU, there won't be a football team IMO as a former student of this school. Not to mention the current economy as well as the budget recquired to field a football team as opposed to any other potential college sport. College football is definitely missing in the area though and it would be something possibly to consider in the future for ASU. And it should be. They could play at Laney's fine stadium as it already serves host to the CSRA classic.

I read in the AJC today that UGA has just north of 80 scholarship players at any given time with their athletic budget around $84M/yr. Their 1-AA opponent this wknd, Idaho State, has around 55 football players on scholarship/yr with their overall athletic budget at $8.4M/yr. That's the difference between the have's and the have not's... ASU would be hard pressed to not come out upside down with their budget. UGA is paying Idaho State $525,000 to play in Athens this weekend... roughly 1/9 of their overall budget.

UGA was one of around 12 schools in all of the NCAA to turn a profit last year from their athletic department.

I wonder who/what conference ASU would play in?

[whitmans77]

I think theyd play in the Gulf South Conference, D-2 and its the only regional one that fits. As far as cost a recent USA today story stated that it costs about 200k a year to outfit a team, that breaks down to about 2,700 per player. A community college in Kansas scrapped their ideas to start a team after they estimated it would cost about 13 million to get cranked up. (Then what womens program would they start?) With all the expansion that ASU wants to do I dont see that happening soon because it would be a heavy financial burden. Being a graduate from ASU ID love to see it. But then again I love the t-shirt that says "ASU football:Undefeated since 1958"

[nortonguy]

In the next couple of years ASU could start a football team.. The population of ASU was 7,061 in August of 2010.

The golf team is D-1, and I believe the basketball team used to be D-1.

[tckr83]

Does the $2,700 per player include meal plans, dorms and medical in case of injury? Just seems a little low, ASU would be eating that on top of the free schooling... and I know it cost more than $2,700 to go to school there year round.

Do they even have a soccer team yet? That would probably come first I would think. I think they used to, before the "new" campus was even an idea there used to be a huge soccer field in the heart of campus. Maybe not, I could be wrong, probably am... It's happened before.

[whitmans77]

no that cost is just the items used by a football team (uniforms, practice gear, pads, all those goodies)so yes 83 there would be meal plans, room and board, schooling to add to that cost.

Soccer could be a viable addition because other schools in the Peach belt have programs. ASU used to be D-1 in basketball during the early 90s, i guess actually it would have been Augusta College then.
Considering they just added cross country it doesnt appear that there are too many additions on the horizon, Id like to be wrong.

Pretty cool article about Georgia States program in the chronicle today

Football transforms Georgia State University | The Augusta Chronicle

[nortonguy]

Kennasaw State in suburban Atlanta wants to start a football team in the year of 2014.
Kennesaw State Football To Kick Off In 2014 If All Goes Well - SB Nation Atlanta

ASU will continue to grow at a faster pace. The new campus (boundaries for the campus are between the Newman-Augusta Tennis Center to Jackson Road on the north side and between Damascus Road and Daniel Field on the south side) will become bigger than the orginal campus in the future.

The state is paying for a new $28 million 86,000 square feet building near Wrightsboro rd.. The building could be completed in fall of 2015.

On a side note.. I think ASU should buy the shopping center on Wrightsboro road. The shopping center is perfectly located between both of the dorm communties..