Newest Kool Aid recruiting thread

[dorp]

Why would adding a men's lacrosse team add to the athletic department's donations?

I once asked a member of the women's lacrosse team what could be done to improve the team and promote the sport. She said it would help to add a men's team. The only fans of the women's team were guys who had played in high school. Women might come watch the men's team and become fans of the game. The men and women fans would go the home matches of both teams. The women's team discussed this on road trips and this was their best solution short of fully funding women's lacrosse. (This conversation was in the late 1990s.)

In school, we had an ongoing conversation about recruiting fast male swimmers. The conclusion reached was that we first needed to recruit attractive female swimmers. And vice versa.

[slowcat95]

Why would adding a men's lacrosse team add to the athletic department's donations?

I once asked a member of the women's lacrosse team what could be done to improve the team and promote the sport. She said it would help to add a men's team. The only fans of the women's team were guys who had played in high school. Women might come watch the men's team and become fans of the game. The men and women fans would go the home matches of both teams. The women's team discussed this on road trips and this was their best solution short of fully funding women's lacrosse. (This conversation was in the late 1990s.)

I was on the women's lacrosse team in that era. I have other hypotheses as to why the team was so underwhelming back then. One of those hypotheses was tested a few years after I left the team; another one is beginning to be tested this year. Evidence strongly supported my first hypothesis. I suspect the same will be true for the 2nd.

[collegecoach8502]

Because we are $90 million dollars away from funding the teams we have. And to add men's lacrosse and scholarship them appropriately it would cost an additional $28.8 million.

[DCA06]

I guess you would have to look to programs like Denver University and others who started at 0 and built national champion caliber teams quickly - recruiting heavily from a pool of Northeast and Mid-Atlantic as well as now Pacific region players. While I agree funding scholarships is intensive and an added strain - it is much easier to build a profitable lacrosse program for the school relative to other sports like Football. While football seems to be enjoying a renaissance, it is not a cheap sport for the school - even at D1AA. That being said, the large pool of players becoming alums have seen several become large, active donators following graduation. I think lacrosse would have a similar dynamic. Further, as discussed, the pool of players would probably see some active parents involved while their children were in school which might provide some ease of funding the team relative to other teams.
I agree we should be focused on making our existing platform profitable and funded first - but back to basketball recruiting!

[BDL]

I’m confused as to why we are discussing addding teams when we can barely fund the ones we have at the moment. If anything we should just focus on elevating our flagship programs (Basketball and Baseball) rather than venturing into Lacrosse.

[wildcatspride]

Because we are $90 million dollars away from funding the teams we have. And to add men's lacrosse and scholarship them appropriately it would cost an additional $28.8 million.

Yes, in fully scholarshipped, 100% endowed teams for both men and women.

However, in lacrosse, you don't need full scholarships to be nationally competitive (like Colgate) and you do not need to endow the scholarships to award them. Also, ESPN nationally televises 40 games a year, ACC network televises 30 more and ESPN3 has more than 100 games on the site. All with only 70 Division I mens teams.

I'm not saying this to advocate more teams at Davidson. We probably have more sports than our size permits. However, in the ratio of Money spent/visibility and impact as high.

Also, in my experience in both fundraising and lacrosse, I will echo others in the thought that fundraising for mens lacrosse is relatively easier than most sports. However, fundraising for anything is never easy.

I think the University of Denver has gone an interesting route by investing their smaller athletic budget by targeting more niche sports like ice hockey and men's lacrosse. You won't see them in a bowl game or at the sweet sixteen but they have 9 national championships (not including their 24 skiing national championships which are more niche than niche)

And, realizing I'm contributing to the derailment of this thread... How about that David Kristensen right?

[wildforthecats]

"How about that David Kristensen right?"

Think Jake Cohen here.

[collegecoach8502]

Because we are $90 million dollars away from funding the teams we have. And to add men's lacrosse and scholarship them appropriately it would cost an additional $28.8 million.

Yes, in fully scholarshipped, 100% endowed teams for both men and women.

However, in lacrosse, you don't need full scholarships to be nationally competitive (like Colgate) and you do not need to endow the scholarships to award them. Also, ESPN nationally televises 40 games a year, ACC network televises 30 more and ESPN3 has more than 100 games on the site. All with only 70 Division I mens teams.

I'm not saying this to advocate more teams at Davidson. We probably have more sports than our size permits. However, in the ratio of Money spent/visibility and impact as high.

Also, in my experience in both fundraising and lacrosse, I will echo others in the thought that fundraising for mens lacrosse is relatively easier than most sports. However, fundraising for anything is never easy.

I think the University of Denver has gone an interesting route by investing their smaller athletic budget by targeting more niche sports like ice hockey and men's lacrosse. You won't see them in a bowl game or at the sweet sixteen but they have 9 national championships (not including their 24 skiing national championships which are more niche than niche)

And, realizing I'm contributing to the derailment of this thread... How about that David Kristensen right?

True, they are 75% funded and packaging the rest with non-institutional grant money

[DCA06]

Steph out with a piece in the Players Tribune that hopefully is positive to us.
If you're listening, COME TO DAVIDSON

[BDL]

Steph out with a piece in the Players Tribune that hopefully is positive to us.
If you're listening, COME TO DAVIDSON

It is more than positive.

[raptorcat]

What did Steph say? Is there a link?

[Derek Smith]

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us ... underrated

[rbarney]

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us ... underrated

[raptorcat]

Fantastic article. Steph Curry for President!

[wildforthecats]

Fantastic article. Steph Curry for President!

I agree. Have to wait until the 2024 election though.