What will it take to salvage this program

[Knight]

IMO the 2 main reasons kids go to a school are the coach/staff, and the compensation. Yes there are other factors that come in to play(geography, facilities, etc), but I believe those are the 2 biggest. Since we claim to be a school that doesn't pay kids and never paid kids, then the NIL should be helping us by leveling the playing field as far as compensating kids. In fact, being in NYC, and with the wealth of opportunities, it should be giving us an advantage over most schools. So, at the end of the day, the right coach offering the right kind of incentives(NIL) will turn this program around in no time. As for those who use our poor facilities as the main excuse, you do know that Arkansas has some of the finest facilities in the country, and last I  checked, CMA's Ark teams only danced 3 times in 8 years. 

Please explain how being in a borough of NYC gives an NIL advantage over Villanova, Georgetown, UCONN, etc.

“We are New York’s Team!”

 

[monte]

IMO the 2 main reasons kids go to a school are the coach/staff, and the compensation. Yes there are other factors that come in to play(geography, facilities, etc), but I believe those are the 2 biggest. Since we claim to be a school that doesn't pay kids and never paid kids, then the NIL should be helping us by leveling the playing field as far as compensating kids. In fact, being in NYC, and with the wealth of opportunities, it should be giving us an advantage over most schools. So, at the end of the day, the right coach offering the right kind of incentives(NIL) will turn this program around in no time. As for those who use our poor facilities as the main excuse, you do know that Arkansas has some of the finest facilities in the country, and last I  checked, CMA's Ark teams only danced 3 times in 8 years. 

Please explain how being in a borough of NYC gives an NIL advantage over Villanova, Georgetown, UCONN, etc.

You know damn well I ain't explaining shit to you. I'm here to discuss/debate, you're here to incite/pontificate. So about you start ignoring my posts like I do to yours? See, I could care less what you think and I really wish you'd hold me in as little regard as I hold you. 

 

[otis]

Let me explain to you how NIL will work.

You are wrong if you believe that random car dealerships and local merchants will provide the bulk of funding to “student athletes” at P5 schools.

The boosters, not the P5 schools, but with the cooperation of the schools will cause charitable foundations to be created to be funded with tax deductible donations.  The foundations will distribute the funds among not for profits who then pay the athlete.  

Based upon the above model it really doesn’t matter who has the car dealers and local merchants to pay the athlete, but rather it is more important who has the boosters to fund the foundation to back channel the guest appearances to the athlete to participate in a clinic or other activity at the not for profit.

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Let me explain to you how NIL will work.

You are wrong if you believe that random car dealerships and local merchants will provide the bulk of funding to “student athletes” at P5 schools.

The boosters, not the P5 schools, but with the cooperation of the schools will cause charitable foundations to be created to be funded with tax deductible donations.  The foundations will distribute the funds among not for profits who then pay the athlete.  

Based upon the above model it really doesn’t matter who has the car dealers and local merchants to pay the athlete, but rather it is more important who has the boosters to fund the foundation to back channel the guest appearances to the athlete to participate in a clinic or other activity at the not for profit.

Which in your example, makes being located in New York City irrelevant as to inherent advantage or disadvantage.

 

[otis]

Which in your example, makes being located in New York City irrelevant as to inherent advantage or disadvantage.

—-

consider my above post to be a case in point, not a hypothetical.

it is likely that Oklahoma State, located in Stillwater Oklahoma will have more NIL opportunities for its “student athletes” than any of the Big East programs located in major East Coast cities.


.

 

[monte]

So, to summarize;

-we have a pathetic fan base who don't attend enough games and who don't donate nearly enough. 
-we have 2nd rate facilities which are in desperate need of an overhaul (in spite of the fact that 30 Mil was already spent to overhaul them) 
-we have no major donor(s) who are willing to jump start a fundraising campaign(or maybe we do, but the school wants nothing to do with them) for new facilities, but;
-even if we got a big donor(s) like the other SJU did, we'd still need our pathetic fanbase to contribute generously. Which ain't gonna happen because our fan base is pathetic. 
-without  upgraded facilities we will never again be a successful program. 

So basically, the way I see it,  we're  doomed for all eternity. Maybe even longer. 



 

 

[Knight]

Exorcism?

 

[beast of the east]

Athletic facilities will be improved.   It's going to happen and the one likelihood is that if a major donor emerges soon it won't be the one name that gets repeated here every few days.   To be clear though, that person alienated himself from the university, not the other way around.

There is a strong major donor base to the athletic department that has bee, expanded by Cragg and are committed to the university's continued growth and excellence.    

Over the course of just a few games, efforts to engage students have been ramped up tremendously with promotions and giveaways supported by a single significant donor match.

In addition to a promotional giveaway of Villanovs tix to students as part of the providence game promotion, more than 500 additional students bought tickets to the villanova game, which allowed student sections behind each basket to be heavily populated. 

The goal is to continue to invest in student attendance that helps to create a real home court advantags.  The mid range goal is  to convert graduating seniors to new season ticket holders.

There was good attendance at the Providence and villanova games overall but our season ticket subscribers must be expanded also.

Donor base is built by engaging graduates immediately.   For many existing donors but far from all, attendance at games is their major physical presence onthe university campus.

How much the donor base can be expanded will determine the extent of improvements in a priority order. 

A winning men's basketball programpras our marquee sport helps brand the university and is important to the growth in the university at large.   Any coach that will succeed Anderson when his tenure ends here sometime over the next 10 years will evaluate the potential for success.   Facilities have been correctly identified by Shanley. Cragg, and Anderson who all have been part of more successful universities and more successful basketball programs.

Immediate support is essential to success since capital improvements are required.   Obviously it's not essential that to be considered a fan of the program you must provide material support in terms of tickets and donations.  Also obviously the universities with the capacity to spend the most on athletic success are in the best position to win.  Not surprisingly the best universities overall are supported by the strongest donor bases.

Are we doomed?  It's a laughable proposition because this university is moving forward quickly in academics.  Ate we doomed in terms of our basketball program?  Ridiculously as well since our leadership also knows the ability to create sustainable winning goes far beyond an investment solely in a coaching staff. 

Finally, investments creates winning.   Winning perpetuates and expands investments and helps create a basis for a sustainably winning program.

It's not a chicken and egg.  Businesses seeded by investment ascend more rapidly than those bootstrapped with little investment where growth requires reinvest of revenue.    

 

[ctstorm]

Athletic facilities will be improved.   It's going to happen and the one likelihood is that if a major donor emerges soon it won't be the one name that gets repeated here every few days.   To be clear though, that person alienated himself from the university, not the other way around.

There is a strong major donor base to the athletic department that has bee, expanded by Cragg and are committed to the university's continued growth and excellence.    

Over the course of just a few games, efforts to engage students have been ramped up tremendously with promotions and giveaways supported by a single significant donor match.

In addition to a promotional giveaway of Villanovs tix to students as part of the providence game promotion, more than 500 additional students bought tickets to the villanova game, which allowed student sections behind each basket to be heavily populated. 

The goal is to continue to invest in student attendance that helps to create a real home court advantags.  The mid range goal is  to convert graduating seniors to new season ticket holders.

There was good attendance at the Providence and villanova games overall but our season ticket subscribers must be expanded also.

Donor base is built by engaging graduates immediately.   For many existing donors but far from all, attendance at games is their major physical presence onthe university campus.

How much the donor base can be expanded will determine the extent of improvements in a priority order. 

A winning men's basketball programpras our marquee sport helps brand the university and is important to the growth in the university at large.   Any coach that will succeed Anderson when his tenure ends here sometime over the next 10 years will evaluate the potential for success.   Facilities have been correctly identified by Shanley. Cragg, and Anderson who all have been part of more successful universities and more successful basketball programs.

Immediate support is essential to success since capital improvements are required.   Obviously it's not essential that to be considered a fan of the program you must provide material support in terms of tickets and donations.  Also obviously the universities with the capacity to spend the most on athletic success are in the best position to win.  Not surprisingly the best universities overall are supported by the strongest donor bases.

Are we doomed?  It's a laughable proposition because this university is moving forward quickly in academics.  Ate we doomed in terms of our basketball program?  Ridiculously as well since our leadership also knows the ability to create sustainable winning goes far beyond an investment solely in a coaching staff. 

Finally, investments creates winning.   Winning perpetuates and expands investments and helps create a basis for a sustainably winning program.

It's not a chicken and egg.  Businesses seeded by investment ascend more rapidly than those bootstrapped with little investment where growth requires reinvest of revenue.   

 

Beast - I love your passion and commitment to the University, but these are hardly earth-shaking approaches. They have been talked about here and elsewhere for years (decades?). My sincere and not argumentative question is why, in the immortal works of Bullwinkle J, Moose, do you think "this time for sure"?

 

[RedStormNC]

Beast -  your posts are great but the area you are most vague about is if these capital improvent needs will be funded and fronted out of university existing budgets or other institutional income or only if/when enough incremental alumni donations are raised to support the work.

Let's assume we need the $25M, and in addition to existing athletic program donations that just keep the lights on, a major donor comes up with $2M and they get another $3M extra from everyone else....We'd still be $20M short.

Do you see the meaty, most needed infrastructure (not a new CA, but basketball & player facilities) capital projects being funded and started in advance of coming solely from donations?


And on student attendance...

Agree its needed, and nice to see promotions to attract but they are short lived if all you do are gimmicky promotions...it gets stale quickly.

I also think it's almost criminal that any additional students are paying for tickets at this point, even at a discount.  We should be paying them in the form of incentives tied to early registration, priority dorm selection, parking or other off campus incentives we partner with. Until we are close to point that we sell out and don't even have half or more empty sections. plus season ticket holders selling their good seats or not showing up at all any empty seats that are most visible, students should not be charged.  This is not Duke or other high demand operation.

For the die hard, young students who show up consistently and then graduate, offer them two PSL type seating at really low prices and build base and fill seats from there. 

They few bucks they collect from current students willing to pay is shameful.

 

 

[beast of the east]

Athletic facilities will be improved.   It's going to happen and the one likelihood is that if a major donor emerges soon it won't be the one name that gets repeated here every few days.   To be clear though, that person alienated himself from the university, not the other way around.

There is a strong major donor base to the athletic department that has bee, expanded by Cragg and are committed to the university's continued growth and excellence.    

Over the course of just a few games, efforts to engage students have been ramped up tremendously with promotions and giveaways supported by a single significant donor match.

In addition to a promotional giveaway of Villanovs tix to students as part of the providence game promotion, more than 500 additional students bought tickets to the villanova game, which allowed student sections behind each basket to be heavily populated. 

The goal is to continue to invest in student attendance that helps to create a real home court advantags.  The mid range goal is  to convert graduating seniors to new season ticket holders.

There was good attendance at the Providence and villanova games overall but our season ticket subscribers must be expanded also.

Donor base is built by engaging graduates immediately.   For many existing donors but far from all, attendance at games is their major physical presence onthe university campus.

How much the donor base can be expanded will determine the extent of improvements in a priority order. 

A winning men's basketball programpras our marquee sport helps brand the university and is important to the growth in the university at large.   Any coach that will succeed Anderson when his tenure ends here sometime over the next 10 years will evaluate the potential for success.   Facilities have been correctly identified by Shanley. Cragg, and Anderson who all have been part of more successful universities and more successful basketball programs.

Immediate support is essential to success since capital improvements are required.   Obviously it's not essential that to be considered a fan of the program you must provide material support in terms of tickets and donations.  Also obviously the universities with the capacity to spend the most on athletic success are in the best position to win.  Not surprisingly the best universities overall are supported by the strongest donor bases.

Are we doomed?  It's a laughable proposition because this university is moving forward quickly in academics.  Ate we doomed in terms of our basketball program?  Ridiculously as well since our leadership also knows the ability to create sustainable winning goes far beyond an investment solely in a coaching staff. 

Finally, investments creates winning.   Winning perpetuates and expands investments and helps create a basis for a sustainably winning program.

It's not a chicken and egg.  Businesses seeded by investment ascend more rapidly than those bootstrapped with little investment where growth requires reinvest of revenue.   


 

Beast - I love your passion and commitment to the University, but these are hardly earth-shaking approaches. They have been talked about here and elsewhere for years (decades?). My sincere and not argumentative question is why, in the immortal works of Bullwinkle J, Moose, do you think "this time for sure"?

I think the difference is the talent and commitment at the top, and the agreement from the university president that this would happen.    I'm not even certain when the last strategic plan for athletics was created.    I don't think there has been an effort over 40 years to improve facilities, and has been detailed by AJ Hidell, the construction of Taffner cut corners in areas of use that limits its functionality.   

I am aware of a large donor who is contemplating investment who is extremely detail oriented and will not sink his donation into something that is executed poorly.   He will find out what needs to be done to make it an excellent upgrade, and decide to donate accordingly.   

Asfar as I can see, just over the past 2 years, the number of RW donors at what was the highest giving levels has doubled, and two higher levels created.    I was at the golf outing dinner, and the place was absolutely mobbed.    I was scheduled to go to a sold out basketball dinner, but canceled same day due to the Omecron outbreak.

Cragg is an experienced fundraiser and spends much of his day meeting with and speaking with potential donors.   He is tireless and one of those types of individuals who loves his job so much, he is never off duty.    He is light years ahead of his recent predecessors, and certainly nothing about his approach is "mom and pop".   His experience is at one of the premier athletic departments in the US,, and it shows.

They may not be earth shaking approaches, but consider that in about 7 days we went from the usual 100 or so students who've been attending games to 1200 for the providence game, and about 1000 on a school night at the garden for Villanova.   Students responding in this manner to attempts to attract their interest is unprecedented.   This isn't a top 25 program we are talking about, and he is proving that students will come out for a team lie ours.

The real question is how far we can move the ball downfield.    You spent your career at UCONN.  you arrived before the national championships, and even now they have trouble attracting students to the Hartford Civic Center despite being nationally ranked.  The types of engagements that Mike Cragg and his staff have initiated is a rinse and repeat deal.  Until the pump is primed, student engagement will be a chore, but one with a solid ROI.

In my experience, which is limited to my experience, Monasch was dour and not engaging (but still attends all of our MSG games), and Goff was enhusiastic but way over his head.   Harrington was really not a sports fan or willing to make a whatever it takes investment in athletics, something he really didn't understand.   Gempeshaw was really tight with a buck as he guided the school through a difficult financial crisis.

So, to me, the cards and stars are all aligned.   This time around we have a president and Athletic director whose last jobs were long term engagements with universities on a steep ascent. Many fans of our program here are not convinced, and that's ok.   I've spoken with Chris Vaupel that our fund raising efforts must be more focused and targeted, not unlike drone strikes.    To do that you have to know who your alumni are, what they do for a living, their potential to donate, etc.   This is what Google and Facebook does as their prime revenue raising activities - collects data on internet users at all times, and not just when their platforms are being used.  

That's why.

 

[beast of the east]

Beast -  your posts are great but the area you are most vague about is if these capital improvent needs will be funded and fronted out of university existing budgets or other institutional income or only if/when enough incremental alumni donations are raised to support the work.

Let's assume we need the $25M, and in addition to existing athletic program donations that just keep the lights on, a major donor comes up with $2M and they get another $3M extra from everyone else....We'd still be $20M short.

Do you see the meaty, most needed infrastructure (not a new CA, but basketball & player facilities) capital projects being funded and started in advance of coming solely from donations?


And on student attendance...

Agree its needed, and nice to see promotions to attract but they are short lived if all you do are gimmicky promotions...it gets stale quickly.

I also think it's almost criminal that any additional students are paying for tickets at this point, even at a discount.  We should be paying them in the form of incentives tied to early registration, priority dorm selection, parking or other off campus incentives we partner with. Until we are close to point that we sell out and don't even have half or more empty sections. plus season ticket holders selling their good seats or not showing up at all any empty seats that are most visible, students should not be charged.  This is not Duke or other high demand operation.

For the die hard, young students who show up consistently and then graduate, offer them two PSL type seating at really low prices and build base and fill seats from there. 

They few bucks they collect from current students willing to pay is shameful.



 

You are a great fan, and like all of us struggle to remain positive, but I know you really want to support the good things that are going on.

In my career, if I knew how steep the climb was when I began, I would never have attempted anything.  As it is, I look back and think it was ridiculously naive for me to try to do some of the things I was ultimately successful with.    Maybe as a course in what not to do, I've been asked to speak to pharmacy students and their mentors next month about the market sector and career opportunities within health care in that subsector.

In nearly every conversation, I'm reminded by the athletic department leaders that our current situation is the result of neglecting certain things for 40 years.   If you used the facilities in the gym as a student, return to campus one day and go below ground to the locker rooms and other rooms that exist.   It's almost a time warp, with no investment below ground, including those facilities student athletes use.  

You are right about donations that may not reach the goal sufficient to do what is needed.   That's why I am urging as many fans as possible to get on board.   In every area of the university that I'm involved, my attitude has always been "How can I help?"   There are so many people that do so much more in terms of what they donate, it's easy to think what I do is insignificant.   That is really the trap of charitable acts.   The first is, "my $xxx donation is insignificant".   The second is "The wealthy donors should/will do it." The third is "I'll donate when the entity proves worthy of it."

I hope you are wrong about engaging students.   It's never been done at SJU to this extent before, and it has yielded a healthy immediate bump in attendance.   The goal is to create such a fun event for them in addition to the game that they just love being there.   If you look at how happy students are by simply getting on camera during a game at MSG, you can tell they are having a great time.   Engaging students is building that kind of culture.  

Students are not charged at CA, but that wasn't enough to attract them in large numbers.   What they pay at MSG is probably less than a movie theatre.   In sales, there is a value proposition that is offered to consumers.   MSG tickets is a good value - give them away for free, and consumers of that will actually have a lower opinion of the value that it offers and be inclined to stay home.

But all of these things do cost money, and donations, no matter how small, help to pay for the things that willl grow a new and enthusiastic fan base.

We will see when the board of trustees votes on the university strategic plan, but my guess is that it will proceed as a major capital project before all the necessary funds are raised.

 

[Notanalum]

COVID kept a lot of people away from campus and MSG this year. I personally know approx 20 tickets weren’t renewed because of mandates and concerns over covid. That’s gotta hit the university in the pocket pretty hard over the course of a season. 

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

 

Beast - I love your passion and commitment to the University, but these are hardly earth-shaking approaches. They have been talked about here and elsewhere for years (decades?). My sincere and not argumentative question is why, in the immortal works of Bullwinkle J, Moose, do you think "this time for sure"?

Didnt he say it above? Because now we have the best President and AD that we have had in decades, both of whom have been part of better programs than ours, to lead the way. 

 

[beast of the east]

 

Beast - I love your passion and commitment to the University, but these are hardly earth-shaking approaches. They have been talked about here and elsewhere for years (decades?). My sincere and not argumentative question is why, in the immortal works of Bullwinkle J, Moose, do you think "this time for sure"?

Didnt he say it above? Because now we have the best President and AD that we have had in decades, both of whom have been part of better programs than ours, to lead the way. 

Proud Alum,

Just so you are aware, Ctstorm is one is one of our transfers that hurt the most, to UCONN.   He was a highly regarded young pharmacology teacher at SJU who the students loved, but I speculate UCONN made him an offer he couldn't refuse.   He has been recognized as an outstanding faculty member there, but thankfully hasn't forgotten his SJU roots and is one of our most ardent fans. 

For the rest of you, Proud Alum is a double grad of SJU and an attorney who has worked at one of the most prominent law firms in the country, almost certainly because of his academic and career success.   He also has been active helping Tobin, and is a strong supporter of the school.   He has done a lot for the school.

 

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Beast -  your posts are great but the area you are most vague about is if these capital improvent needs will be funded and fronted out of university existing budgets or other institutional income or only if/when enough incremental alumni donations are raised to support the work.

Let's assume we need the $25M, and in addition to existing athletic program donations that just keep the lights on, a major donor comes up with $2M and they get another $3M extra from everyone else....We'd still be $20M short.

Do you see the meaty, most needed infrastructure (not a new CA, but basketball & player facilities) capital projects being funded and started in advance of coming solely from donations?


And on student attendance...

Agree its needed, and nice to see promotions to attract but they are short lived if all you do are gimmicky promotions...it gets stale quickly.

I also think it's almost criminal that any additional students are paying for tickets at this point, even at a discount.  We should be paying them in the form of incentives tied to early registration, priority dorm selection, parking or other off campus incentives we partner with. Until we are close to point that we sell out and don't even have half or more empty sections. plus season ticket holders selling their good seats or not showing up at all any empty seats that are most visible, students should not be charged.  This is not Duke or other high demand operation.

For the die hard, young students who show up consistently and then graduate, offer them two PSL type seating at really low prices and build base and fill seats from there. 

They few bucks they collect from current students willing to pay is shameful.




 

You are a great fan, and like all of us struggle to remain positive, but I know you really want to support the good things that are going on.

In my career, if I knew how steep the climb was when I began, I would never have attempted anything.  As it is, I look back and think it was ridiculously naive for me to try to do some of the things I was ultimately successful with.    Maybe as a course in what not to do, I've been asked to speak to pharmacy students and their mentors next month about the market sector and career opportunities within health care in that subsector.

In nearly every conversation, I'm reminded by the athletic department leaders that our current situation is the result of neglecting certain things for 40 years.   If you used the facilities in the gym as a student, return to campus one day and go below ground to the locker rooms and other rooms that exist.   It's almost a time warp, with no investment below ground, including those facilities student athletes use.  

You are right about donations that may not reach the goal sufficient to do what is needed.   That's why I am urging as many fans as possible to get on board.   In every area of the university that I'm involved, my attitude has always been "How can I help?"   There are so many people that do so much more in terms of what they donate, it's easy to think what I do is insignificant.   That is really the trap of charitable acts.   The first is, "my $xxx donation is insignificant".   The second is "The wealthy donors should/will do it." The third is "I'll donate when the entity proves worthy of it."

I hope you are wrong about engaging students.   It's never been done at SJU to this extent before, and it has yielded a healthy immediate bump in attendance.   The goal is to create such a fun event for them in addition to the game that they just love being there.   If you look at how happy students are by simply getting on camera during a game at MSG, you can tell they are having a great time.   Engaging students is building that kind of culture.  

Students are not charged at CA, but that wasn't enough to attract them in large numbers.   What they pay at MSG is probably less than a movie theatre.   In sales, there is a value proposition that is offered to consumers.   MSG tickets is a good value - give them away for free, and consumers of that will actually have a lower opinion of the value that it offers and be inclined to stay home.

But all of these things do cost money, and donations, no matter how small, help to pay for the things that willl grow a new and enthusiastic fan base.

We will see when the board of trustees votes on the university strategic plan, but my guess is that it will proceed as a major capital project before all the necessary funds are raised.

Just because of Beast of the East's commitment and dedication, I am going to add another $500 to my donation this year toward athletics.

 

[SJU Double Alumn]

Beast -  your posts are great but the area you are most vague about is if these capital improvent needs will be funded and fronted out of university existing budgets or other institutional income or only if/when enough incremental alumni donations are raised to support the work.

Let's assume we need the $25M, and in addition to existing athletic program donations that just keep the lights on, a major donor comes up with $2M and they get another $3M extra from everyone else....We'd still be $20M short.

Do you see the meaty, most needed infrastructure (not a new CA, but basketball & player facilities) capital projects being funded and started in advance of coming solely from donations?




 

Like other major capital projects by the University (D'Angelo building, the new Health Sciences building, etc.), and like other major capital projects at other schools, the donations are a minority percentage of the total funding, with debt or loans playing a big part as well as reserve spending from operating budgets and other sources, but the donations are crucial to cost and leverage containment. 

 

[Alumni Hall]

It will be interesting to see what plan is proposed to the Board of Trustees. A $25-30 million addition to the present Taffner facility where the Lapchick statue presently stands with an interior remodel of the team rooms and coaches offices OR the larger $200-250 million complete overhaul of ALL the athletic facilities which was being proposed to the University Board prior to Covid which was designed by the outside architects, and dramatically improves the student athlete experience of all our athletes and department staff.
My bet is only the $25 mil plan…especially with the 2-3 year financial outlook for the economy with the 7.5% inflation rate and rising costs of borrowing as 10 year bonds are rising again over 2%. That is what happened with the original Taffner…they forgot to include certain things in the design plan, as they never consulted with 3 important athletic department staff members in the design planning stage, then when they found out they were needed, it  prompted a 12 month delay to redesign all the plans…construction costs rose in that 1 year delay ABOUT 10-15%. Hence smaller facility and not what was planned in the beginning. As they say…WE ARE St. JOHNS. But if anyone can pull it off, it is Cragg. Mike has vision for both near and long term changes from his time at Duke. As others have stated, he is the best we have had as an AD in a long time.

 

[beast of the east]

It will be interesting to see what plan is proposed to the Board of Trustees. A $25-30 million addition to the present Taffner facility where the Lapchick statue presently stands with an interior remodel of the team rooms and coaches offices OR the larger $200-250 million complete overhaul of ALL the athletic facilities which was being proposed to the University Board prior to Covid which was designed by the outside architects, and dramatically improves the student athlete experience of all our athletes and department staff.
My bet is only the $25 mil plan…especially with the 2-3 year financial outlook for the economy with the 7.5% inflation rate and rising costs of borrowing as 10 year bonds are rising again over 2%. That is what happened with the original Taffner…they forgot to include certain things in the design plan, as they never consulted with 3 important athletic department staff members in the design planning stage, then when they found out they were needed, it  prompted a 12 month delay to redesign all the plans…construction costs rose in that 1 year delay ABOUT 10-15%. Hence smaller facility and not what was planned in the beginning. As they say…WE ARE St. JOHNS. But if anyone can pull it off, it is Cragg. Mike has vision for both near and long term changes from his time at Duke. As others have stated, he is the best we have had as an AD in a long time.

AJ great post as usual, and your assessment if Cragg is dead on accurate and important to state.

If I had to bet I would be stunned if there was a $250 million plan, unless Elon Musk is a new secret donor.

Going to guess whatever is done will we a well spent amount likely less than $25 million in phase 1.

If they build where the statue of Lapchick is I hope they bring it where it belongs. Inside near Looie. At night the shadows from that statue scares the crap out of me like an Anne Rice vampire.

 

[Johnny Rapper]

One thing it will surely take to salvage the program is an athletic director and coach who understands the importance of a challenging out of conference schedule. All the upgrades in facilities imaginable won’t make of for key members of an organization (Anderson and Cragg), who don’t seem to grasp the nuances of a successful post season run. It happened last season and again this season. 

Come on now, do you really believe in these times a prettier weight room or other facilities will make a difference? You already have a hone court of MSG which in my opinion has never really been leveraged by most of our former  coaches, except for maybe Lavin. And to be Frank, if a smaller then state program like St. John’s wants to attract 5 star kids, put together an organization that will find lucrative NIL deals for these kids, then they won’t care if they play in a High School gym.