Football restart goes to vote
Published: Sunday, January 27, 2013
Updated: Sunday, January 27, 2013 23:01
East Tennessee State University’s Student Government Association will vote Tuesday on whether to support restarting the football program.
Student Government Association President Iqra Ahmad and Vice President Leah Tilson co-authored a resolution to show SGA’s support for the addition of a football program to the university’s athletic programs.
“After Leah [Tilson] got to serve on the ETSU athletics task force we learned that we could possibly bring back football,” Ahmad said. “It was an idea we both thought was important to be discussed since having a team could possibly bring school pride for the students.”
Ahmad thinks the vote will have a great impact on the university, she said.
“If the legislation passes, the school can propose the idea of the football team to the Tennessee Board of Regents,” Ahmad said. “If it [football legislation] gets voted down, then from what my understanding is, it will not go through.”
Ahmad said it is her understanding that the university requires approval from the SGA in order to move forward with reinstating football.
The legislation calls for a $125 per semester increase in student fees to fund the program.
Sen. Jayke Hamill said he doesn’t believe football is in the practical vision of the institution.
“There are surely more effective ways to encourage student involvement on campus … than spending a gold mine to bring back a former institutional money pit,” Hamill said. “I think that we should invest further in what we already have as opposed to spreading our lacking resources even further on programs we’ve seen fail before.”
The SGA will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Culp University Center’s Forum Room.
19 comments
HiHiYikas
"Sen. Hamill, I would like to see how much money the other sports are losing too....I bet the softball, baseball, and tennis matches are sellout crowds! We have the money to sink in new stadiums for them, but not football...which is one of the most popular, if not the most popular sport in America?! This makes no sense. Bring Back Buc Football!!!!!!!"I can give you an perspective from right across the border at App State (where a lot of fans are excited at the possibility of the rivalry starting back up, by the way). All sports last year lost money except for football and baseball (and baseball only made profit because of a particularly good season getting people more excited). Football kept the entire athletics program afloat. Fact is, football is, by leaps and bounds, the most widely attended college sport. ETSU's problem back in '03 was just a horrible AD.
Anonymous
It is beyond disbelief that any SGA Senator would even think about voting this down. $125/semester is a tiny price to pay for the benefits football will bring: school pride, excitement on campus, increased alumni financial support and participation, and a more diverse student body. FACT: Sadly, not having a football program DOES affect undergraduate admissions and the type of students who come to ETSU. FACT: Our alumni participation in homecoming in the fall is abysmal because there isn't a major event worth coming back for. FACT: In the South, football is king. FACT: ETSU will never be considered anything more than a glorified community college by the community, state, and peer institutions without a football program.
Brian R. B.S. '10
People out in the real world don't understand that not having a football team affects how people who are not familiar with the university perceive it. The first thing that comes to a lot of people's mind when they think of ETSU is "Is that the school without a football team?" It is time to right this wrong and join the ranks of our peer schools and bring football back.
Kelly Sours BBA 97 and MBA 99
A big slogan for many years is ETSU PRIDE. Football being back would liven up our school! Alumni would return for at least the homecoming weekend and contributions would increase to the college. People always say no one cared. But in 96 or 97 we played against Marshall and it was the biggest football game in 25 years in the dome. The dome was sold out! I remember that the administration would not give students tickets that week till the day of the game and it was on a first come first serve basis. Students camped out so they could get a ticket for the big game. The dome was full and it was the loudest that I ever heard. My voice was gone after that game. But I can tell you for sure there was ETSU PRIDE at that game! We can get that excitement again if we do things the right way. But it takes a willingness from everyone! From students to alumni to the current ETSU Administration. I want a reason to come to ETSU. I want my university to be a recognized entity in the country athletically and educationally. I hope students can get behind footballs return. Remember, there was no vote to end football and if it would have happened it would have failed. Lets fix the mistakes of the past and do things the right way. I totally believe President Noland will make sure things are done the right way for ETSU. Lets support him and give him a chance to put us back on the map! One last thing, whether you are for or against football be respectful to others.
Anonymous
Surely we aren't allowing people like 6 year senior Jake not "Jayke" Hamill have influence over such an important decision. It's hipsters like this we do not want having any say in any matters that go on at ETSU. Doing so will make us an afterthought always for the best students, athletes, and so on for years to come.
Anonymous
It would not help ETSU to have football again. I do not think the earlier time "destroyed" it as someone said, but I do know it did not receive enough support. For the one after that, to you I say NEWSFLASH: No, neither Stanton or any other former president nor the athletic director were responsible for the loss of football. They were realist who saw that football was causing more harm than good. ETSU football never was much anyway and personally, I would rather root for our baseball or basketball players than for football.
Anonymous
Sen. Ahmad is sadly mistaken, it doesn't matter what the SGA votes, the decision is up to Dr. Noland, period. The SGA decided to have this vote on their own and they are welcome to it but it was not ask for or endorsed by Dr. Noland and nowhere has he said this vote will have a bearing on the final decision to bring back football. Sorry but the SGA is not important enough to be involved in something this important.
Anonymous
"People wanted those other sports. That is because there were no outcries. The future of the university will not be benefitted by a money guzzling attempt to bring back what almost destroyed ETSU in the first place. Much of the community is Veterans and the medical care facility of whom are not interested."
NEWSFLASH: FOOTBALL WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING ALMOST BEING DESTROYED AT ETSU, LET ALONG ETSU....THAT WOULD BE YOUR FORMER PRESIDENT AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
NEWSFLASH: FOOTBALL WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING ALMOST BEING DESTROYED AT ETSU, LET ALONG ETSU....THAT WOULD BE YOUR FORMER PRESIDENT AND ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Anonymous
Why are the posts that state we do not want football deleted?
Anonymous
Leave football out of here!
Anonymous
BRING BACK FOOTBALL
Anonymous
It's a $150 increase in a tuition that costs $6000 per year. Get real students. Football would be the best thing to happen to Johnson City and ETSU in years. The SGA at ETSU is a joke anyway.
BucFan
Quit giving people false hope. Many know firsthand that football will not be back.
Anonymous
What I want to know is why isn't the WHOLE student body not having a say about this? It is unfair that the SGA is pushing this WITHOUT asking the students themselves!
BUC Fan
I not only look forward to having football back on the ETSU campus but also having a formal marching band back at ETSU.The Music department will benefit tremendously. It would also help liven up the basketball games having a real band that practices year round for games.
Anonymous
People wanted those other sports. That is because there were no outcries. The future of the university will not be benefitted by a money guzzling attempt to bring back what almost destroyed ETSU in the first place. Much of the community is Veterans and the medical care facility of whom are not interested.
Anonymous
Where was the student outcry and anger when the CPA, new baseball stadium, new softball stadium, new soccer stadium, and new tennis stadium were being built? It's funny how the students only want to speak out against football but nothing else. Also, this decision should be made with the future of university and the community in mind as well, not just the students.
Anonymous
Only a very small handful want football while the majority do not ( as will be evidenced in the upcoming poll). But I am sure those that want it will find a way around it. ETSU is not defined by football and many will be angry if they have to p at a fee for something they clearly do not want. Also how many other colleges will have to rearrange their own programs to accommodate the selfish wants of the few that want football? The campus is landlocked and there is no place to put a stadium. It is also a waste of funds to put any more money toward sports that have very little support here as it is. No to football. We have an awesome team at UT.
Anonymous
"Sen. Jayke Hamill said he doesn't believe football is in the practical vision of the institution."There are surely more effective ways to encourage student involvement on campus ... than spending a gold mine to bring back a former institutional money pit," Hamill said. "I think that we should invest further in what we already have as opposed to spreading our lacking resources even further on programs we've seen fail before."Sen. Hamill, I would like to see how much money the other sports are losing too....I bet the softball, baseball, and tennis matches are sellout crowds! We have the money to sink in new stadiums for them, but not football...which is one of the most popular, if not the most popular sport in America?! This makes no sense. Bring Back Buc Football!!!!!!!
is a member of the 
