Where should UGA’s sports facility dollars be spent?
Construction on the nearly $40 million renovation and expansion of the Butts-Mehre facility in Athens is due to get under way July 10, and as is usually the case when UGA’s athletic association undertakes another capital project, you hear fans asking the perennial question, “What about the indoor practice facility for football?”
Loading ...But when presented by his bosses with the choice between the expansion of Butts-Mehre — including a new 12,000-foot strength and conditioning area, an 8,500-square-foot training room, new football coaches’ offices and a multipurpose room with a turf field for football drills and walk-throughs (as well as receptions and other functions) — Richt caved. “I had to decide as a head coach what is more important,” he said.
In the meantime, the indoor practice facility has slid down the list of priorities, UGA President Michael Adams said back in May, with improvements to facilities for other other sports, including for the basketball team, ranking ahead of it.
With UGA’s athletics program one of the healthiest in the country financially even before all that CBS-ESPN and ISP Sports money started rolling in, you’ve got to figure that those other projects won’t be that far down the road.
While the $30 million basketball practice facility ended any serious talk of a unneeded new arena being built (thank goodness), the Steg could use some sprucing up. Plans reportedly call for expanding the concourses. New restrooms would be good. And the lighting inside the arena definitely could do with an upgrade.
And for the second straight year, the Diamond Dogs set school records for total attendance and average attendance at Foley Field. A couple of different options are under consideration — either expanding the current baseball stadium or rebuilding it completely.
So what do you think should be UGA’s spending priorities in terms of sports facilities in the next few years? Stegeman Coliseum? Foley Field? Or would you rather see them reverse course from what Adams said and put the indoor practice facility in the works?
Feel free to comment, vote in the poll or both.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2009 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
96 comments Add your comment
Basketball wise...
July 1st, 2009
7:30 am
…The Steg does need updating, and it would not take a lot. Widening the concourses is a no-brainer that would be relatively inexpensive since the room to expand them outward is already there. Moving the court to the center of the arena also needs to be done. Taking out the first two rows of the upper level to widen the inside parapet is also doable, and the lost seats would be recouped by the moving of the court to the center, thus giving the additional seats on the end opposite the current students endzone section. That would allow all students to be on either end of the floor, and down out of the upper decks.
Baseball wise, renovation of Foley also needs doing; building a new facility is out of the question since they would have no place to play while the new construction is ongoing. Building a new one in a new area is out of the question,, so renovations could be accomplished without too much problem or interruption of the team practices.
Football wise, Sanford Stadium needs significant updating aestetically, but how do you widen corridors in a place like that, when there is limited room? We need some siginficant engineering recommendations, and my simple mind cannot envision this.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
8:15 am
We need an indoor football facility (using the gym in the ramsey center is very bootleg) We are supposed to be an elite SEC program. As far as basketball, i think seg-a-saurus could use some more updating (i actually graduated in there as an undergrad) it a very underwhelming environment. But I think the priorities should be placed on who draws the most fans and who generates money. Therefore I say indoor football facility,Foley field remodel, then the steg in that order.
Robert
July 1st, 2009
8:22 am
Expand Sanford, wrapping the 600’s (upper deck) around to the sky boxes. Make it huge and intimidating! It’s not like we wouldn’t still sell the place out every time and it would give more fans an opportunity to go to the games. I understand East Campus Rd. would then have to go through the stadium, but that would be cool I think and could be dealt with appropriately security-wise.
Hell, Bama is expanding Bryant Denny.
Robert
July 1st, 2009
8:25 am
Yes, priority should always be given to football projects. This is where the money comes from and will keep coming from. And yes, we are supposed to be an elite SEC program, but no indoor facility? Outrageous.
RAMBLE ON!!!
July 1st, 2009
8:30 am
Sprinkle UGA ashes all around him
tom
July 1st, 2009
8:36 am
I agree with coachdawg2000, whoever brings in the most revenue should get the most upgrades and perks. Also maybe having an indoor practice facility will make our players appreciate UGA more so they will actually stick around the entire time and finish their degree. I would be more at ease knowing that Stafford and Knowshon were suiting up this fall.
bali
July 1st, 2009
8:42 am
i f georgia is ever going to be able to compete on a state or national level in basketball stegman needs to be blown up……….. way past time that cow palace was put out to pasture,,,,,,,,,, but it will probably never happen
hoops at uga exsist?
July 1st, 2009
8:42 am
come on, an indoor practice facility over a real basketball facility. really? auburn even updated their falicity. we built ours to hold the pistol pete crowds….don’t you think it is time or do we just keep firing coaches and blaming them?
The Grinch
July 1st, 2009
8:46 am
To RAMBLE ON!!
Classless posts. How’s that Roddy White man-crush thing going?? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
UGA89
July 1st, 2009
8:47 am
This is too easy. Use a portion of the $$$’s to set up a bail bonds fund so athlete’s who run afoul with the law @ UGA won’t have to sit it out as long waiting to get bailed out.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
8:56 am
Georgia basketball can not accept some “field of dreams” ideology of if we build it they will come (basketball recruits or fans). We are behind alot of the other major colleges in not having an indoor practice facility. How many sellouts does stegman have every year. How many kids are going to choose UGA to play basketball over Kentucky, Duke, UNC, etc. None of those schools get very many top flight football guys. Should they all build 100,000 seat football stadiums? No because their fan base won’t support it because they are pretty good ocassionally and they are BASKETBALL schools. Why don’t we expand the softball complex, at least they have been consistently good for about 4 or 5 years. Basketball at Georgia hasn’t been relevant for an any extended amount of time since the early to mid 80’s. We are a football, gymnastics,baseball,women’s basketball, and softball school. Men’s basketball is what it is. Philips Arena is a nice facility but the team inside is a train wreck, if we dump money into the steg it would an egregious error financial stewardship.
UGA Undergrad
July 1st, 2009
8:58 am
1. Expand Foley Field (It was packed for any decent series this season) 2. Renovate Stegeman-It’s old and UGA should be able to attract Atlanta talent with both its facilities and programs.
3. Indoor Football field- I find it hard to believe that it would be that expensive to put up a huge tent and grade off an area for artificial turf off South Milledge near the softball/soccer complex. UGA already owns a large amount of land for the club sports complex out there, they coould use some of it for the indoor practice facility.
Old Dawg
July 1st, 2009
8:59 am
I like what’s happening for expanded weight and training facitlties, but an indoor facility is a must. Bottom line, football pays for everything so it should be a priority.
After that, fixing up the Steg would bring it into the 21st Century.
Saint Simons
July 1st, 2009
9:06 am
The jail!!! 45-42!!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Why, coachdawg 2000...
July 1st, 2009
9:06 am
…are you saying that a indoor football practice field is more important than an updated basketball arena. Costs are about the same, yet the basketball arena COULD generate more revenue, while the indoor football field will continually cost money to operate, while not bringing in any revenue. Plus, you only need the indoor facility about 10 days a year, so it is really NOT cost effective – even CMR has put it down his list of “wants”, instead focusing on updates that will really benefit the team everyday. Talk about an egregious error of financial stewardship – do you even know what that means?
JJ
July 1st, 2009
9:15 am
Screw the indoor practice facility. Last time I checked, florida didn’t have one and they’re making out just fine. The Steg is in major need of a facelift (at the very least) and Foley desparately needs to be expanded. I’d priortize it as a new baseball facility, then upgrades to the Steg, and then a practice facility.
I mean, the most recent project announced already has an indoor area for the football team. It isn’t large enough for a full scale practice but it’s big enough for walk throughs and stuff like that.
Foley field HAS to be the priority followed closely by upgrades to the Steg.
NCDawg
July 1st, 2009
9:18 am
How about start some more sports at UGA. It is sad we don’t have as many sports as schools like UNC, Texas, or others that we stride to compete with. Hire a men’s soccer coach, hire a women’s field hockey coach, hire some lacrosse coaches and start fielding some more teams.
Otto
July 1st, 2009
9:18 am
The money should be spent on the indoor football facility. UGA has a program that is knocking on the door of elite. If given the advantages of the other top programs UGA can continue to get top talent and win BCS bowls.
2nd Foley field or whatever else the baseball team needs such as a copetitive pay for the coaching staff. UGA again has a competitive team with a little help they could be a power.
Basketball? who cares? as long as they win a SEC game or 2 and stay off the NCAA’s radar.
I agree with Old Dawg football pays for alot of other things and should be priority. Basketball has been nothing but a problem.
Matt from Suwanee
July 1st, 2009
9:22 am
To those of you that claim that UGA can’t compete as an elite program without an indoor practice facility, I will point you to the University of Florida. They are the only other SEC school without an indoor facility. It doesn’t seem to be holding them back.
Let’s be logical. Most “UGA fans” are only UGA football fans. The reason basketball and baseball don’t make $ is their current facilities do not allow for it. Let’s pony up the cash and expand/renovate Foley so that it can be a respectable SEC baseball facility that can actually make a revenue. Then, let’s update the Steg so that our basketball team can begin to dream of competing on a higher level.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
9:24 am
How many sell outs does Men’s basketball produce. Maybe vs. florida? The money we should have spent on UGA basketball would have been on a high profile coach (no offense to Coach Fox but who knew who he was).Some magnificent basketball arena is not going to sway an elite player away from the pwers of college basketball, but a “Name” coach might have. As far the use utility of an indoor facility (10 days a year?) Are you nuts? Do you live in Georgia? The fall and spring are rainy quite often and its use would pay for itself were a mostly empty arena would just be waste of cash(a.k.a.an egregious error of financial stewardship). i think my analogy of duke building a 100,000 seat football stadium because it will make them better on the field is very appropriate. A new/ renovated coliseum will lead to success on the court or better recruiting. Success on the court on a consistent basis will maybe lead a few upper echelon kids to consider us.Georgia basketball is very similar to Atlanta Falcons football a nice little story ocassionally but nothing to be concerned with on a regular basis.
SickandTired
July 1st, 2009
9:26 am
Oh my goodness, where do I begin. The indoor practice facility is a luxury that is not needed. Florida doesn’t have one, and they are in the middle of a state where it rains every afternoon for god’s sakes. So to say we need to be competitive with other schools facility wise is just a joke that Mark Richt wants perpetuated. $40 million to renovate Butts-Mehre…..wow, why don’t we just have the Fur Bus pick the players and coaches up everyday and shuttle them around campus. That would be cheaper….I’ve been all over the Butts-Mehre, everywhere, there’s nothing wrong with the locker rooms, training rooms, weight rooms or coaches offices that a top flite program shouldn’t be proud of and accepting of. The Stegasaurus was buillt to show cows and play a little basketball in, it’s still a cow palace and always will be because of the design of it’s bones….let’s not get all crazy and give the basketball team a facility that IS actually competitive with other schools around the SEC. That might take away from some of the things Saint Mark wants for the boys. One artificial turf field wouldn’t do so he got two. Here’s an idea, hey Mark, win a national championship or two like Urban Meyer and we’ll give ya a whole buncha stuff and more cash for Rodney’s satchel as well. But shut up about the indoor practice facility until something is done to build a new home for basketball…..he’s a fine Christian man so I’m sure in the spirit of what God is telling him he’ll want to help a brotha out with the round ball.
GW
July 1st, 2009
9:28 am
1.) indoor football practice building….an absolute must
2.) expand/rebuild Foley Field….maybe consider building a new baseball stadium in area of softball stadium then build football facilty on site of current Foley
3.) simply doctor Stegeman…I don’t get the argument that wider concourses will attract recruits, winning games will attract fans no matter the concourses, you are there only 2 hours
4.) no more additions to Sanford, too many people and cars already on a tight campus, forget trying to outnumber the SEC, Bama will build to 200,000
5.) think lifetime with facilities, not just 5, 10, 20 years down the road
TommyP
July 1st, 2009
9:33 am
Steg should be #1. The indoor practice facility is way overblown as evidence by Richt voting for the current plan of spending.
I know a lot of you aren’t big on basketball but after football, basketball is the only moneymaker. (I believe I read we break even when we’re not doing well, make a little when the crowds are there….i.e. Tubby’s tenure)
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
9:34 am
I had a cousin who has a screw-up (trouble/poor grades/under achiever)his parent didn’t go out and buy him a shiny new car and think we spent money on him now he will be a great kid.You basketball people need to recognize that UGA is FOOTBALL school. My dad got the best seats (head of dinner table/lazyboy in the den) because he paid for everything. UGA Men;s basketball has been an embarrasment since Tubby left. We are a stepping stone job for good basketball coaches and a destination for rogues(Harrick) and mid-major wannabes (Felton).
John
July 1st, 2009
9:38 am
What about spending some of the money on the school (academics, not athletics)?
Otto
July 1st, 2009
9:43 am
Again I agree with CoachDawg. A coach would get more palyers than an arena. If Fox starts building a winner then we’ll see about the stadium.
UF does not have an indoorfacility and they are the class of the SEC. Well first they are in Florida with all of the climate advantages, 2nd the state is one of the most talent rich in the country and 3rd they have a program that has won BCS title recently of course palyer will want to go there. UGA does have plenty of bad weather days in the fall and spring where an indoor facility could really be used on top of the recruiting advantages.
Expanding Sanford does make sense as the tix would sell and it would generate more revenue. Foley field improvements are logical too. I see know reason the baseball can not turn a profit and bring home titles.
Bsketball again is a long way off from being even a conf. title contender. I like Fox more and more as I hear about him but a big name would get more recruits. If the Football team and Baseball team make more cash then UGA can reinvest in other sports.
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
9:43 am
Saint Simons, you need to come clean. You represent this Island horribly and you need to abdicate your “name”. Have you ever seen Breakers beach the GA/FL Friday or checked the college inventory at any local shops? You seriously rub, dude.
YoungDawg
July 1st, 2009
9:44 am
1. Indoor Practice Facility! It’s been over 10 years now, just get something done on this even if it’s a temporary solution for now.
2. Tough call here but football drives the economic engines of UGA athletics so next on the priority list should be to upgrade Sanford’s concourses & finishing out the upper deck.
3. Upgrade Stegeman. I think this can be done in phases or over one off season. Since the roof is a separate structure remove it & reuse it somewhere else on campus. Then gut the area down to the bowl & rebuild it in the same architectural style as the basketball practice facility. If that’s not feasible then upgrade the Stegeorious by making the changes suggested by “Basketball wise…”
4. Foley Field – Living in Gwinnett county & having recently been to a G-Braves game I was amazaed how quickly they built such a nice facility. That shows you if we’re ready to move dirt as soon as the baseball season is over Foley Field could be torn down & rebuilt in one offseason. We may not need a facility as grandiose as the G-Braves have to start off with so that would make the process faster. Tear down the current Foley Field then build the basic field level seating with a press box & some box seats. As a part of future planning it should be built so that it’s ready for expansion when needed or when funding becomes available. This could be done by using many of the techniques used when the 1996 Olympic Stadium was built. This also would be easier because we’d only be preparing to extend the structure.
Before you say tearing facilities down & rebuilding them in one offseason is not possible. Stanford did it with their football stadium & look at how quick the Gwinnet Braves stadium got built. For Stegeman it if can’t be done before the seasons start then it would be worth playing at Gwinnet Arena until it was ready. Now let’s see Damon DO SOMETHING! I’m tired of all the talk! He’s done a great job in some areas now let’s see him step up on facilities & work locking up key assistant coaches.
Legend of Len Barker
July 1st, 2009
9:45 am
We’ve made it 107 years without an indoor football practice facility. Not having one is not going to give us any more wins.
The Steg wasn’t built for Maravich. It came along when the Pistol was still in high school and was an upgrade over Woodruff Hall. Then again, a cardboard shoebox was an upgrade over Woodruff. It leaked and sat a mere 2,500. Georgia was pretty much an SEC pioneer in having a then state-of-the-art facility. Only Kentucky had a better gym then. LSU played pretty much in a real barn, Auburn played in an aircraft hangar (yes, really), Florida was a gym with high school style bleachers, and Mississippi State might have still been in the “Tin Can.”
The Steg is no longer a dual-purpose rodeo arena and yet, very little has changed since then.
Most colleges got sick of being solely football schools by the mid-1970s. We still haven’t.
That’s why it was somewhat of a shock that we hired Fox to coach to the team. You know, Red Lawson’s ghost was probably available for the job and much cheaper.
YoungDawg
July 1st, 2009
9:47 am
John, by GA state law the athletic department is a serpent financial entity & must be pay for itself. Damon has already committed to giving some money to the school was the right thing to do. The last thing we need is Adams having access to the money generated by the athletic department!
Yes, coachdawg 2000...
July 1st, 2009
9:48 am
…I am from GA – played HS football here, though I did play college in NC and coached in college in NC, too. And, yes, 10 days per year is about all you need an indoor facility for in GA, FL, AL, NC, SC, MS, AR and KY.
Northern schools may need it for more due to the cold (especially around spring practice time) but around here, if it rains, just wait a little while and it will change. Check with the football office and see how many times they had to practice in Ramsey the last 5 years.
Legend of Len Barker
July 1st, 2009
9:48 am
Blast it. Sentence two should read:
“[b]Having[/b] one is not going to give us any more wins.”
Clarke County Authorities
July 1st, 2009
9:50 am
Better set aside a lot of that money for Bail. You’re gonna need it. Just like you do every off season.
JB
July 1st, 2009
9:51 am
How about spend 1.5 mil a year and hire the best defensive coach in the country……..Money that will pay for itself quickly………
Robert
July 1st, 2009
9:53 am
GW,
Yes there are already a lot of cars and people on campus during game days and that will not change, but half of those people (maybe more) aren’t able to go to the games. They’re just there to enjoy a Saturday in Athens. Expanding Sanford will not necessarily bring more people to campus or make it more crowded, it will just allow more people to actually attend the games, which is great and a win-win situation all around.
WRAP THE 600’s AROUND TO THE SKYBOXES! Sanford would be more incredible than it already is.
HH
July 1st, 2009
9:55 am
As Vince always said, “Football is the goose that lays the ‘golden egg’.” The greatest portion should be spent on the football program. After all, it foots the bill for all the parasite programs. 2nd priority…. men’s basketball.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
9:55 am
JB-
Are going to go into the daily bash Willie Martinez discussion again???
JB
July 1st, 2009
9:59 am
By the way, those of you who will blast me for spending big on the best defensive coach in the country,
Then Ray Goff should still be our coach…….better yet, Shula still at Bama. Boys, if you don’t think coaching makes a difference, you are sadly mistaken……………..
Robert
July 1st, 2009
9:59 am
UGA should get Croom for DC.
JB
July 1st, 2009
10:01 am
Yes coach, until he proves me wrong…..and I hope it’s this year………
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
10:02 am
No, no. The view up Baxter Hill and from Sanford Drive is extremely unique for SEC satdiums (BTW, attended them all) I mean it’s kinda cool feeling like there’s no outside world like in pancake-flat Tuscaloosa or Gainesville or valley K’Ville, but no I love the openness of Sanford and hope that never changes
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
10:05 am
It is hilarious that David Perno truned our baseball program around with 12 scolarships and antiquated facilities but suddnely the embarrassmnet of UGA (men’s basketball) needs a new house to be successful. I support all UGA athletics now and supported them when i was an undergrad. And I saw many virtually empty lower bowls of the steg on a regular basis. In the last 15 years i can count on one hand the number of NCAA toiurnament appearances we’ve made. But I can remember quite well the whole Tony cole deal, getting spanked by virtually everybody in the conference on a regular basis, and every year players bolting becuase of mis management of the program. Since 1996 the only good thing was 4 days in the spring of 2008 and other than that it has been all bad.Indoor football, baseball becuse they actually deserve it, basketball only because of the Lady Dogs.
Robert
July 1st, 2009
10:10 am
Island Dawg,
I think what we are thinking is closing in the opposite side of the stadium. Wrap the upper deck around that side to the skyboxes. Probably add around 10,000 or so seats. I agree, leave the sanford bridge side open. The view up baxter from the new addition would be quite stunning.
goalinestalker
July 1st, 2009
10:12 am
Here’s a thought? Lets go back the last 7 yrs and and buy our players rings for beating tech?
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:14 am
Matt from Suwanee –
Excellent post. I can’t stand these damn “football only fans”. An indoor practice facility SHOULD be so far down the list that it never gets discussed. I mean, damn, don’t you FOFs want to excell in ALL sports?? Foley field is sold out for nearly all weekend series and the Steg is in DESPERATE need of an overhaul. Hell, I’d expand Sanford and increase the parking situation around campus before I’d spend a dime on an indoor facility.
Florida has HOTTER weather and MORE RAIN than Athens does and they get by JUST FINE without one. Meanwhile we’ve got a basketball team playing in a dump of an arena and fans turned away from baseball games for lack of seating.
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
10:15 am
Sorry, Robert I thought you were recommending full enclosure. Losing the view of the chemistry/bio buildings would be no loss for sure.
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
10:17 am
JJ, agree totally. I mean outside of bowls and SECCG’s how many games are played indoors?
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
10:18 am
JJ how many softball games have you been to, or equestrian events?
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:20 am
Coachdawg –
An argument that says the Steg needs to be renovated to help UGA win is ridiculous on its face. But that doesn’t mean that Steg isn’t in need of an overhaul. You don’t renovate a facility as a “reward” for a good product. You renovate when it needs it and when it’s financially prudent to do so. Steg is a dump. It needs renovating.
It’s a multipurpose facility used by Men’s and Women’s BBall and Gymnastics (you know, the 5 time defending NATIONAL Champs), plus countless community events such as graduations. The AA has a surplus of funds and they NEED to fix the Steg.
The football team doesn’t NEED an indoor practice facility.
Will
July 1st, 2009
10:23 am
I’m sure a bunch of liberal’s are running the school. Why don’t they just fix everything then leave a huge bill for the next generation to deal with. That’s what Obama & co are doing. Or better yet, make every season ticket holder pay an additional tax for tickets because that’s the “fair” thing to do.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
10:23 am
Men’s Basketball is the shame of UGA athletics so money should go there last. We out and got an unknown coach from nowhere. Let him build a winner and then spend money. this give basketball money when they haven’t earned it is too close to an athletic welfare state.
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:23 am
Coachdawg –
Funny you should ask. The wife and I are working our way around ALL the UGA sports. Although we are only regular attenders of Football, Men’s and Women’s Bball, and Baseball. We’ve never been to Equestrian or Golf but looking forward to it.
Robert
July 1st, 2009
10:24 am
Yeah, the chemistry/bio buildings are so ugly. They should enclose that side just so we don’t have to see it.
JB
July 1st, 2009
10:25 am
hope we get a better price for those rings….word is Tech had to send the rings back and have LSU ground off and Georgia engraved………..38-3……who knew…….. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Dywer still looking for end zone………LSU’s worst team in years by the way hahahahahahahahaha
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
10:26 am
FOF’s in JJ’s nomenclature, are at minimum 95% responsible for the UGAAA’s revenue, and I am one with no apology. No way I’m driving 250 miles for a baseball or basketball game here. Still. Sounds more like a recipe for injury, lack of game actual conditioning and softness. I just don’t think an indoor astroturf facility would do much for the team
Gen Neyland
July 1st, 2009
10:29 am
coachdawg 2000 : Football is THE tool used coast to coast in athletics to bring the ching. In the realm of college athletics, that money must be shared to the other sports that don’t bring in that kind of revenue less they risk faltering instead of thriving. The cash that football racks up needs to be shared. I’d venture to say what inspires most fanatics to buy and wear a ‘G’ logo is football. Unlike the real world, student-athletes at any school are entitled to and promised the best the programs can offer and that means sharing the revenue. In essence, college athletics are the total opposite from what life in the real world should be. Mama always said, ” Pay yourself first.” Likewise for football, but…
Island Dawg
July 1st, 2009
10:32 am
Will, the fact you feel the need to put apostrophes on nouns in a futile attempt to pluralize proves you never went to college to begin. Please leave the politics off here. Also where is this with Obama taxing tix? Put your hood back on and beat it!
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:35 am
Island Dawg –
I disagree with that notion that 95% of the AA revenue comes from fans that only care about football. Yes, it comes from fans that care a great deal about football, but A LOT of those donors also care about the rest of UGA.
And I should have clarified my previous post. When I say FOFs, I’m talking about fans that only concern themselves with football. The ones that think the rest of the sports shouldn’t be given a second thought by the administration and that, because the money comes from football, they should sacrifice all the “less worthy” sports in order to prop up football.
THOSE are the fans I hate. It isn’t always about going to the games. It isn’t practical to drive from long distances to see a 2 hour bball game in the middle of the week. I get that. But as a graduate of UGA, I want to see them succeed in ALL SPORTS. Whether it’s gymnastics, women’s softball, men’s swimming and diving, or whatever.
It’s just the way of life that football is the revenue generater. But that doesn’t mean the University should neglect the other sports and pump all the extra money back into football. Thankfully, Damon Evans knows this and isn’t swayed by a bunch of FOFs.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
10:38 am
I go to all(atleast 1 time) of the uga events every year except equestrian and golf. I think that Men’s basketball that is completely undeserving of any money. What some of you are proposing is the athletics version of the banking bailout.Dooley/Damon Evans have made 1 bad hire after another. NO MORE MONEY until they(Men’s Basketball) can show that there actually is a plan to getting to point of competeing with the rest of the sec. News flash no elite basketball player wants to play at UGA!Louis Williams knew he wasn’t even going to graduate high school so of course he give verbal to UGA (he already had pretty much dropped out and ecided to go into the NBA draft by the signing day)
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:39 am
Coachdawg –
I tried to post this earlier but it wouldn’t go through. You don’t “reward” a program for success with updated facilities. You renovate facilities when they need it and when it’s financially prudent. If they have excess money, the Steg needs it. The Steg is a multiuse facility (Bball, Gymnastics, community events, etc…) and is a reflection of our University. It needs to be top notch. Not the dump that it currently is.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
10:44 am
I’m not FOF!I quit going to basketball games because they are a travesty. I go to a ton of baseball(weekend) and softball games and i think they(along with gymnastics) deserve a greater piece of the economic pie than an unattended ,under-acheiving basketball program. But the face of UGA in Athletics (because of the US culture) is Football.Basketball hasn’t produced an elite player since Dominique Wilikns
Mike A.
July 1st, 2009
10:44 am
We need more luxury suites to entertain Sonny Perdue and BOR fat cats so I can keep my million dollare plus income no matter how bad I run the university.
Ron Roberts
July 1st, 2009
10:44 am
That argument that the sport that brings in he most revenue should get the most perks is an outmoded, outdated, and asinine theory, frankly. An indoor practice facility won’t sell one extra ticket, bring in any extra revenue, and frankly, is only needed a handful of days each year. Sure, it’d be NICE to have one those few days, but the football team plays EVERY game outdoors, with the exception of the SEC Championship and any indoor bowl game they might reach.
The baseball program has shown it’s outgrown its current stadium, and Stegman Coliseum’s proposed upgrades are warranted before any indoor football facility, frankly. Title IX, by the way, basically calls for the “revenue-generating” sports (football, basketball) to be used to provide atheletic opportunities to other sports (gender equity, as well), so let’s chill on the knuckle-dragging 80s-era “screw the other sports – football makes the money’ mentality.
Gen Neyland
July 1st, 2009
10:51 am
…but it’s all about academics, isn’t it..?
JJ
July 1st, 2009
10:53 am
Ron Roberts –
Excellent post. The question should not be “what sports deserve an upgrade?” but rather “what facilities NEED to be upgraded?” It matters not where the money came from. And no one is debating whether the men’s bball team has been good or not. They suck. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Steg is a dump and NEEDS an overhaul.
Pete Nose
July 1st, 2009
10:58 am
Give slick willie a raise.
SecIsFootball
July 1st, 2009
11:01 am
“unneeded new arena “…No offense to the write of this blog but my guess is you have no watched a game in there since Pistol Pete was at LSU. That arena is hands down one of the 3 worst in the SEC and now I would say two worst since AU is building a new facility. With good facilities, UGA could be a stellar program with the talent they have in the state of GA. Just doesnt seem to be a commitment to basketball by your AD and president. I will be the first to agree that football is king and money needs to be focused there. But in doing so you cant neglect the other sports that could be serious revenue producing sports.
Natureboy809
July 1st, 2009
11:01 am
If they expand Foley Field, I just hope they keep Kudzu Hill
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
11:07 am
i’m sure they (UGAA dept.) will put a dress on the pig. But it sickens me to watch the embarrassment that is UGA men’s basketball and know that 1 penny was wasted on them.
Mike Mooney
July 1st, 2009
11:19 am
Hey guys,
I just found SAINT SIMONS. You’re still the trickster. Listen, have you ever beat up a girl in a bar before and then started on the OL for four years and then move along with your life like nothing ever happened? You can do it at Tech; I did it. It’s kinda like Joe Hamilton started for four years and then playing in Canada for a few years and then he came back to beautiful North Avenue to finish his degree and he only had two years of credits. What did he take for four years? WOW. And then I beat up the girl in the bar and nothing happens. Really WOW. I really love Tech; it’s the greatest.
JJ
July 1st, 2009
11:22 am
coachdawg –
Using your logic that money should be spent on the programs that “deserve” it and not spent on the bad programs, I guess Gymnastics (what have they won, 5 straight national titles?) and women’s bball are just screwed because they happen to share a facility with the abomination that is men’s bball??
Yeah…that makes a lot of sense. As I keep trying to tell you, it makes NO sense to renovate facilities as a “reward” for achieving programs and to hold money back from underachieving programs. You renovate or build new facilities WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED regardless of the success or lack thereof of the program using said facilities.
heinzdawg
July 1st, 2009
11:39 am
Priorities…
1. The Steg
2. The Steg
3. Baseball
Football players can practice in crappy weather… they’re football players for god sake.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
11:39 am
I’ve said over and over that steg needs work. But i think it should be limited. I’ve heard elsewhere that they want major renovations. I think Damon should be held accountable if this hire and these renovations do not lead to success on the floor by 2014. That is one recruting class for Fox. If there is not “significant improvement” the next firing should be Damon (I’m riding Mark Richt’s coattails” Evans. So touch up stegman,and re-build foley field. and let little lane continue to do what Fulmer used to do and show recruits form Georgia the 1st class football facilities at Tennessee. That will it all better for all 5 of you that actually attend basketball games.
coachdawg 2000
July 1st, 2009
11:40 am
I’m officiallly bored with this subject!
dan
July 1st, 2009
11:43 am
Stegeman needs serious attention if UGA want’s to be a force in basketball. Plus it will help women’s basketball and gynastics. And then Baseball facilities next. I personally don’t see the need for an indoor football facility. Does this really give the football team an edge in recruiting?
SoCal Dawg
July 1st, 2009
11:56 am
Coachdawg 2000 is a joke!
SoCal Dawg
July 1st, 2009
12:00 pm
Basketball can and should be relevant at UGA.
Otto
July 1st, 2009
12:02 pm
I love the fans that say they are for all sports but there is no mention of Soccer for Men or Women. The sport is one of, if not the fast growing sport in the country and Georgia has plenty of in state talent. The prgorams get very little mention as well as other programs other D1 schools ahve but UGA does not or puts very little focus on.
If the Steg is upgraded it should be to add more seats for the Gymnastics meets. I would be very interested in seeing the attendance numbers for the Gym Dawgs vs Men’s Basketball.
Otto
July 1st, 2009
12:03 pm
ugh typos from hitting the submit button by accident.
SoCal Dawg
July 1st, 2009
12:07 pm
Produce a winning basketball program and the attendance goes up. People in GA are not gonna drive 2 hours one way on a week night to see there team be a whippin’ boy.
JJ
July 1st, 2009
12:21 pm
Otto –
They already have women’s soccer. Can’t add men’s soccer without additional women’s sports to counter them via Title IX.
Otto
July 1st, 2009
12:42 pm
I know they have a Women’s soccer team but the program has been active just over 10 years with only moderate recent success. If UGA can put the focus on the gym dawgs to win 5 titles, a SEC title should be very doable in Soccer.
Gotta love the government socialist programs, can’t add a needed program because it does not fit bleeding liberal view of everything should be split even.
Dawgtime
July 1st, 2009
12:43 pm
Wow, GT fans reading a UGA blog on a daily basis and posting classless and pathetic comments. Shocker. I guess you have to consider the blogger. Don’t project your inner hatred at UGA. Take your medication. My suggestion would be for UGA to look at what makes them the money. You have to spend money to make money. I would build an indoor practice facility for the football team. I would totally remodel the basketball gym. I would build a new baseball field with all the bells and whistles. Yes, it would be very costly but the improvements would actually increase the money coming in. Go DAWGS.
Captain
July 1st, 2009
1:19 pm
About the facilities:
Indoor Football Facility – it must be a multi-purpose building which can be used by more than football. Title IX requires equal facilities for both men and women. Thus, the building would have to be accessible by the women’s soccer program. Multi-purpose? Absolutely. It must include an Indoor track, which we don’t currently have. In the meantime if having a place to practice in inclement weather is a major issue we should buy and install a “bubble”. Indoor facilities are popular not due to weather but rather to keep practices ’secret’ and out of view.
Steg – needs significant updates to meet current building codes and handicap accessibility mandates, improved lighting, seating, and overlook aesthetics need improvement. The players and coaches have ‘cushy’ lounges, locker rooms, training rooms, offices, conditioning rooms in the Practice building.
Foley Field – master plan calls for a ‘tear down’ and rebuild on the current site. The plan calls for moving the playing field and seating further from the streets and towards the parking lot and tennis center. As I recall the plan calls for an expanded indoor hitting area, lounge area, locker rooms and coach’s offices and additional seating. All are needed as the program continues to grow in national stature and college baseball increases in popularity
Many people think of seating and comforts for the fans, however of primary concern has to be the athletes who use the facilities every day. Butts-Mehre expansion is a response to changing needs and the room for improved player comforts, injury treatments, and conditioning. Foley Field will be the same just as was the Basketball-Gymnastics practice building.
Students are human
July 1st, 2009
2:06 pm
Adding additional seats to Sanford would hopefully give every student the chance to purchase football season tickets and create a more hostile enviroment for our foes.
Reality Check
July 1st, 2009
4:07 pm
Coachdawg2000 – Where do I even begin? First off, for us to be such a “football school” we sure do A LOT better in other sports. Why do you think Gymnastics and Tennis got to the elite level it is at? I’ll give you a clue, we spent a lot of time, money and effort toward them. I am as big a UGA fan as there is and its fans like you that make UGA look like a bunch of ignorant rednecks. There is a lot more to UGA sports than football and this is coming from someone who never misses a football home game. We have won two NC in football since the 1940’s so how are we such a football school? Being good at basketball or any other sport you don’t like does not take away from football. In fact I would argue it helps all of our programs nationally when one team excels.
I am very proud of our football program and I do think we are one of many top football programs but an indoor practice facility is NOT going to win us a NC. Its a luxury not a necessity.
SickandTired
July 1st, 2009
5:32 pm
Hey Coach Dawg, since Damon is riding Coach Richt’s coat tails…..i sure hope that he doesn’t look at his program and think for just a second…he’s a real nice guy, but the other day when I was at practice I noticed some of the coaches dropping F bombs and GD’s at players…hmmmm….is there even the slightest chance that he’s another Mark Sanford? And while we’re at it…if he’s doing such a nice job and he’s getting paid like the other coaches in the SEC that have actually won National Championships are we really getting our moneys worth?
UGA Women gym dawgs rocks
July 1st, 2009
6:48 pm
Money should go to the women gym dawgs because they are the only sport at UGA that can win national titles. UGA football and baseball always choke and nothing more than “hot air” every year. the other so called sports at uga is…yawn….nothing to talk about.
Mark Richt is a hypocrite
July 1st, 2009
6:52 pm
Mark Richt coaches droping the “F” bomb and cussing? say it isn’t so!
Upstate Dawg
July 1st, 2009
7:54 pm
Amen to Matt from Suwanee and SoCal Dawg
One of the great things about UGA sports is the fact that we are not only competitors but winners in almost every sport in which we field a team. After having seen the new stadiums at USC and LSU, I think an upgrade/expansion to Foley would be my first priority. Renovations to the Steg would come in a close second. Go Dawgs.
BuLLdawg
July 2nd, 2009
12:41 am
If you want to do better than Number 18 in the Directors’ Cup All-Sports Trophy, you have to build a new gym for men’s and women’s basketball, add seats to Foley Field for baseball, and have an indoor practice facility for football.
Why sit on the cash ? Do all 3.
joe
July 2nd, 2009
12:56 am
If we’re going to upgrade the Steg, then it needs to be a massive upgrade on both the interior and exterior. Everything needs to be looked at, from scoreboards, to seating, to concourses, to concessions, to bathrooms, to the lighting, locker rooms, etc. A minor upgrade would be completely pointless and achieve nothing. Stegeman is such a dump that any overhaul needs to be substantial.
We need a new baseball facility. If we can’t be a brand new state of the art facility like they did and South Carolina for God’s sake, then we need to spend massive amounts of money to upgrade Foley. I still say we chunk it and build a first class facility.
Then comes the indoor practice facility. If we build it, it needs to be among the best, if not the best in the country. I don’t believe UGA should be doing things half ass. If you don’t have the money right away, raise it.
BuLLdawg
July 2nd, 2009
2:34 am
Florida has now had 24 arrested since Urban Meyer took over at Florida in 2005.
bulldawg is a dumb ass
July 2nd, 2009
3:56 am
UGA leghumpers has now 30 arrest since Urban Meyer took over.
FL DAWG
July 2nd, 2009
8:06 am
Why does UGA need an indoor practice facility? They better learn to play in the rain. Get after it and quit complaining. Besides the new addition at the Butts seems to have room for walk throughs etc., then they probably can do alot of practicing right there. UGA Coaches are starting to become soft on the players. Not a good trend. Spend some $$$ on Foley Field and the Steg, improvement is wanted, replacement not needed.
SuperB
July 2nd, 2009
8:46 am
Can’t we do all three? Expand Sanford Stadium and use the $$ to upgrade Stegeman and Foley.