I could raise 2 mil.. Wonder if we could get any of that 1 mil back from Mr Pilgrims Family unless he just ended up giving it to the University. I know Pilgrims was sold to JBS because we haul alot of Chicken on our trucks...
2018 SFA BASEBALL
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Last: 6 yr ago by nacluth
I'd hope we'd be more successful now, but same overall admin, so who knows. If you had asked me in 08 what our enrollment would be in another decade, I'd have bet on us hitting those targets as well.PurpleOut said:
And just for more on that topic. We couldn't even raise $2M to put towards the new park, I put that on the AD. And also wonder what would happen if we tried again (now).
It's a real bummer, because I think the on-campus facility would bring a lot to SFA & Nacogdoches. Outside of better facilities to recruit players, you'd have a place where most students would be able to attend a game at a true college level park. A real college baseball feel for local fans. We could host HS playoff games, a couple independent league games in the summer if teams were willing to travel, maybe some little league tourneys for the championship game.
I'm not a fan of watching baseball on TV, but catching a game at a good park in person is always cool. It'd be fun to have it on campus IMO.
We're about to launch a 100 million campaign for the 100th anniversary of the school, we're gonna find out quick if we've gotten any better at fundraising.Jacks4460 said:
I could raise 2 mil.. Wonder if we could get any of that 1 mil back from Mr Pilgrims Family unless he just ended up giving it to the University. I know Pilgrims was sold to JBS because we haul alot of Chicken on our trucks...
Dang 14 mil for a baseball park... That is alot of cash... I have to admit I kind of agree with Pattillo on this one after reading that number.. That is alot of money for a baseball field.. I just hate they promised those players that a stadium would be built...
Remembering my personal feelings at the time, I felt like the city was asked to bear the lion share of the responsibility for giving (though admittedly this was a personal feeling, not necessarily reality). Also cutting down some of the prettiest remaining in town woods was not appealing for community members - especially with the spectrum of Bo Pilgrim Park being on a major intersection. It did seem like a non-sequiter for the town. I believe that the location was the most off putting.
I believe that town members would have supported a park in the intramural field area (where our soccer field is now) but were told that no construction could be down in the flood plain.
Also, it seems crazy that the school I graduated from recently completed a $150 million campaign a few years ago. While older and probably has a higher economic level student base being private, I marvel that SFA with nearly 10 times the alumni can't raise even relatively small fundraisers from their alumni.
A selling point was a supposed economic benefit to the community. Honestly I didn't buy it then and don't today. I think it would be great for the baseball team and would support an on campus facility, but the town is never going to make a cent on it.
I believe that town members would have supported a park in the intramural field area (where our soccer field is now) but were told that no construction could be down in the flood plain.
Also, it seems crazy that the school I graduated from recently completed a $150 million campaign a few years ago. While older and probably has a higher economic level student base being private, I marvel that SFA with nearly 10 times the alumni can't raise even relatively small fundraisers from their alumni.
A selling point was a supposed economic benefit to the community. Honestly I didn't buy it then and don't today. I think it would be great for the baseball team and would support an on campus facility, but the town is never going to make a cent on it.
Ryan
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It does seem expensive for a baseball field. I assume it'd be a baseball/softball complex?Jacks4460 said:
Dang 14 mil for a baseball park... That is alot of cash... I have to admit I kind of agree with Pattillo on this one after reading that number.. That is alot of money for a baseball field.. I just hate they promised those players that a stadium would be built...
Whether or not you believe the numbers, here they are. I have posted some about the baseball/softball complex at Angelina College in Lufkin. It is used frequently and just hosted the Region 14 Juco conference tournament.
https://sfajacks.com/news/2006/11/30/Bo_Pilgrim_Park_at_SFA_to_bring_home_11_8_million_a_year_for_Nacogdoches.aspx
https://sfajacks.com/news/2006/11/30/Bo_Pilgrim_Park_at_SFA_to_bring_home_11_8_million_a_year_for_Nacogdoches.aspx
Patillo sure changed his tune from the time this article was written to the time the project was abandoned. Good read, 76.SFAJack_76 said:
Whether or not you believe the numbers, here they are. I have posted some about the baseball/softball complex at Angelina College in Lufkin. It is used frequently and just hosted the Region 14 Juco conference tournament.
https://sfajacks.com/news/2006/11/30/Bo_Pilgrim_Park_at_SFA_to_bring_home_11_8_million_a_year_for_Nacogdoches.aspx
Texas raised a 3 billion campaign, during the recession. Granted they have like 4x the number of alumni, but they also have a dedicated fundraising team who makes that kind of miracle happen. Huge chunks of that money weren't from UT alums, but from foundations looking to support similar goals to what UT was trying to accomplish. Bill Gates Foundation gave 30 million for a computer lab.nacluth said:
Remembering my personal feelings at the time, I felt like the city was asked to bear the lion share of the responsibility for giving (though admittedly this was a personal feeling, not necessarily reality). Also cutting down some of the prettiest remaining in town woods was not appealing for community members - especially with the spectrum of Bo Pilgrim Park being on a major intersection. It did seem like a non-sequiter for the town. I believe that the location was the most off putting.
I believe that town members would have supported a park in the intramural field area (where our soccer field is now) but were told that no construction could be down in the flood plain.
Also, it seems crazy that the school I graduated from recently completed a $150 million campaign a few years ago. While older and probably has a higher economic level student base being private, I marvel that SFA with nearly 10 times the alumni can't raise even relatively small fundraisers from their alumni.
A selling point was a supposed economic benefit to the community. Honestly I didn't buy it then and don't today. I think it would be great for the baseball team and would support an on campus facility, but the town is never going to make a cent on it.
Btw, SFA's 100 million campaign is actually something like 50 million in additional giving, as it includes current giving levels of 5-10 million a year.
If we could strongly outline our goals and how we're going to accomplish them, we could raise large sums of money from our alums as well as philanthropists in Texas and across the country.
But when your strategic plan says things like we'll use marketing to increase enrollment and has no further details or strategy, you're going to be pretty much out of luck.
It's estimated that SFA has 100k living alumni. To raise a 150 million campaign, you only need $1500 average per person, and that's without accounting for non alumni gifts. Now I couldn't just pony up 3k for me and the wife because of student loans and other expenses associated with being an entrepreneur trying to launch a business, but those alumni are distributed across several generations, so some could obviously give more, some less.
FWIW, when UT's version of PhoneJacks call, they always start by asking for $500. SFA always calls and asks if I can do $50.
Yeah I still have a hard time believing those numbers from a baseball park. I could see them as a total revenue impact for a baseball park in general, but I don't see that as a 11.5 mil net gain like they're selling it. I could be dead wrong, but if I had to guess, this is probably including the economic impact baseball and softball already bring to the area. I'm not arguing that there wouldn't be a gain in attendance with a new park but that we're realizing a vast amount of that impact now - just at the other park.
Also, economic impacts are notoriously hard to assess. I used to run the local PDGA tournament here in town. It brought 180 non-locals to town for at least three days. Getting more than 50% of attendees to fill out our CVB's economic impact form led to estimates of $80-100k of economic impact. Very few people noticed the event without a lot of marketing. I doubt that our tournament raised the county's per capita revenue by a dollar, but maybe it did.
Again, I support a new park and better facilities for all sports, I just wish it could be presented in a strong fundraising push through alumni then selling it as a community project. (In fairness, I'm a little miffed locals can't pass a $1 mil bond for schools that need help desperately)
Also, economic impacts are notoriously hard to assess. I used to run the local PDGA tournament here in town. It brought 180 non-locals to town for at least three days. Getting more than 50% of attendees to fill out our CVB's economic impact form led to estimates of $80-100k of economic impact. Very few people noticed the event without a lot of marketing. I doubt that our tournament raised the county's per capita revenue by a dollar, but maybe it did.
Again, I support a new park and better facilities for all sports, I just wish it could be presented in a strong fundraising push through alumni then selling it as a community project. (In fairness, I'm a little miffed locals can't pass a $1 mil bond for schools that need help desperately)
Ryan
Kinnaird Guitars
Kinnaird Guitars
SFAJack_76 said:
Whether or not you believe the numbers, here they are. I have posted some about the baseball/softball complex at Angelina College in Lufkin. It is used frequently and just hosted the Region 14 Juco conference tournament.
https://sfajacks.com/news/2006/11/30/Bo_Pilgrim_Park_at_SFA_to_bring_home_11_8_million_a_year_for_Nacogdoches.aspx
You would think with that much tax revenue this park would generate the city would of stepped up and put the othe $$ in there to get the 3.5 mil.. This is a project the City/University/School District should be in on... Tarletons 25 mil renovation to their football stadium is partnership between University and School District... You could have some type of signs now a day and turn it from a purple SFA game to a Black and gold Dragon game..
Is it possible they were adding restarting baseball into the stadium impact numbers?
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It was both for baseball and softball. Including a field house and training facilities for each. So yeah it would have been top notch for two programs.TallTexan said:It does seem expensive for a baseball field. I assume it'd be a baseball/softball complex?Jacks4460 said:
Dang 14 mil for a baseball park... That is alot of cash... I have to admit I kind of agree with Pattillo on this one after reading that number.. That is alot of money for a baseball field.. I just hate they promised those players that a stadium would be built...
Kind of sucks to say it, but it'd be a lot easier and cheaper to build just a baseball facility without softball. Probably half the cost.
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And for comparison, the new stadium that DBU built a few years ago cost $6.75M. I would flip for a park like this.
But we have walking trails....
That's an awesome park.
Is there some in between, on campus first for a smaller fee, say 2 million per, but with the capabilities to be built into something awesome like what DBU has?
Awesome facilities would be great, but could we split the difference and just not have them play at what seems like an off campus HS field?
Is there some in between, on campus first for a smaller fee, say 2 million per, but with the capabilities to be built into something awesome like what DBU has?
Awesome facilities would be great, but could we split the difference and just not have them play at what seems like an off campus HS field?
I'm detecting a correlation between DBU's playpen and their 30 wins-per-season program. I'm sure it's just a coincidence.TallTexan said:
That's an awesome park.
Is there some in between, on campus first for a smaller fee, say 2 million per, but with the capabilities to be built into something awesome like what DBU has?
Awesome facilities would be great, but could we split the difference and just not have them play at what seems like an off campus HS field?
That's part of it, but I've always heard Texas & Tech baseball fans complain that DBU gets a scholarship advantage due to having very few sports & being able to provide the other kids with academic aid.
Not 100% sure how true it is, but so long as a kid doesn't receive any athletic money, he doesn't count towards the 11.7 total.
Not 100% sure how true it is, but so long as a kid doesn't receive any athletic money, he doesn't count towards the 11.7 total.
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If we don't have the room on campus, and/or want to make everyone mad by cutting trees down for more room...why not work with the city on owning the entire little league park and build a new baseball/softball facility there?
I'd rather be on campus of course, but there's a ton of room right there if you take away those other fields. Think about it, you've already got the actual field there. Just use all of the room behind it (the smaller fields) for space for a bigger venue with a concourse, training facilities and bigger parking lot. That to me is the easiest and quickest option. I'm sure there's room somewhere else in town where we could help them build a Little League park.
I'd rather be on campus of course, but there's a ton of room right there if you take away those other fields. Think about it, you've already got the actual field there. Just use all of the room behind it (the smaller fields) for space for a bigger venue with a concourse, training facilities and bigger parking lot. That to me is the easiest and quickest option. I'm sure there's room somewhere else in town where we could help them build a Little League park.
We're Lumberjacks, aren't we supposed to cut down trees? Where exactly were we planning on putting it?PurpleOut said:
If we don't have the room on campus, and/or want to make everyone mad by cutting trees down for more room...why not work with the city on owning the entire little league park and build a new baseball/softball facility there?
I'd rather be on campus of course, but there's a ton of room right there if you take away those other fields. Think about it, you've already got the actual field there. Just use all of the room behind it (the smaller fields) for space for a bigger venue with a concourse, training facilities and bigger parking lot. That to me is the easiest and quickest option. I'm sure there's room somewhere else in town where we could help them build a Little League park.
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Weren't we thinking about across from the WRJ? Where a lot of those trees would need to come down. I may be wrong.
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Take a look at this quick, yet ugly mock up the Nacogdoches Baseball complex, if we solely made it ours. Grey is parking (same entrances on both sides), brownish is concourse, black is area for locker rooms/training facilities, purple is seating (green next to it for a berm), green on the bottom for tailgating. No trees removed here, roads in place, some parking in place, field in place.
I could see that upsetting people, that's a pretty cool set of woods for being in town.PurpleOut said:
Weren't we thinking about across from the WRJ? Where a lot of those trees would need to come down. I may be wrong.
What are the chances of adding a huge Parking garage to the commuter lot & putting a diamond there? Not sure there would be room for both complexes, and personally it would feel wrong to reward baseball over softball for being terrible.
I like the idea for budget reasons, but does it really add that much?
Like would it draw more students to the game like an on-campus one should? I never made it out to Nac Complex while I was in Nacogdoches, but it seems suboptimal at best. Lanana running through the middle of the campus sucks, makes it tough to build in the flood plain(Not sure how UT handles the same problem).
I think sports need to add two very important pieces to be viable. 1st, they should broaden the appeal & marketing of the University. A decent baseball/softball team has an okay chance to do that. Second, it should add to the campus atmosphere/school comraderie, which even with an SFA only field complex on the loop, I don't feel it adds that much.
However, if we could get away with greatly improving competitiveness with a small 2-3 million dollar investment into the current complex, it could be a good investment. For example, with your mockups, you could keep the baseball softball field for SFA & open up a lot of free space that would make a decent park, concert area, etc. It'd be more of a destination for students than a baseball diamond surrounded by little league fields.
But that's a hard pro/con list to make as to whether the investment out there would be worth it in the long run.
Like would it draw more students to the game like an on-campus one should? I never made it out to Nac Complex while I was in Nacogdoches, but it seems suboptimal at best. Lanana running through the middle of the campus sucks, makes it tough to build in the flood plain(Not sure how UT handles the same problem).
I think sports need to add two very important pieces to be viable. 1st, they should broaden the appeal & marketing of the University. A decent baseball/softball team has an okay chance to do that. Second, it should add to the campus atmosphere/school comraderie, which even with an SFA only field complex on the loop, I don't feel it adds that much.
However, if we could get away with greatly improving competitiveness with a small 2-3 million dollar investment into the current complex, it could be a good investment. For example, with your mockups, you could keep the baseball softball field for SFA & open up a lot of free space that would make a decent park, concert area, etc. It'd be more of a destination for students than a baseball diamond surrounded by little league fields.
But that's a hard pro/con list to make as to whether the investment out there would be worth it in the long run.
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I think it would. You have a ton of space for facilities, and can easily add on to the existing Jaycees field with better seating, press box, suites, with a legit entrance, concourse and outside facade. So in terms of the actual ballpark, yeah, I think it would improve everything. It would still be up to our fans to attend, which we know is a different story.TallTexan said:
I like the idea for budget reasons, but does it really add that much?
Like would it draw more students to the game like an on-campus one should? I never made it out to Nac Complex while I was in Nacogdoches, but it seems suboptimal at best. Lanana running through the middle of the campus sucks, makes it tough to build in the flood plain(Not sure how UT handles the same problem).
I think sports need to add two very important pieces to be viable. 1st, they should broaden the appeal & marketing of the University. A decent baseball/softball team has an okay chance to do that. Second, it should add to the campus atmosphere/school comraderie, which even with an SFA only field complex on the loop, I don't feel it adds that much.
However, if we could get away with greatly improving competitiveness with a small 2-3 million dollar investment into the current complex, it could be a good investment. For example, with your mockups, you could keep the baseball softball field for SFA & open up a lot of free space that would make a decent park, concert area, etc. It'd be more of a destination for students than a baseball diamond surrounded by little league fields.
But that's a hard pro/con list to make as to whether the investment out there would be worth it in the long run.
Touche. I must admit, I was one of those fans who didn't make it over to watch baseball during my tenure at SFA. But i promise that after I'm announced AD next week, I'll attend many more games.
Just out of curiosity, what do you think a build out of both baseball/softball complexes over there would look like?
Might even be enough room for a new track facility in the distant future, should we bring the football stands in.
Just out of curiosity, what do you think a build out of both baseball/softball complexes over there would look like?
Might even be enough room for a new track facility in the distant future, should we bring the football stands in.
Ugh. This Is such a painful subject.
I supported the baseball/softball complex that would have been built at the northeast corner of the Starr/University intersection. There was a deal with a major timber company to set aside and improve a wetlands area as a swap. This spring, we walked through the azalea gardens. Beautiful as usual. We then went across the street to walk through that area. I did not see much there to make me want to go back. Yes, some trees would have been lost, but not much else. Much of the faculty was not understanding of the value of a robust athletic program and Patillo was right with them, so the deal never had a chance.
We were able to attend several baseball and softball games this year. Softball was new to us. Fun team to watch with limited support beyond family and a few others. I was particularly struck at the baseball games with the little to no promotions going on even relative to what we saw a few years ago. If, other than when Hill threw out the first pitch, there was ever a member of the AD leadership at a game, I did not see them. Hill was always at basketball games. No coed support group as we had seen a couple of years ago. No gift certificates as we had seen before. No door prizes as we had seen before. Simply, nothing to promote attendance. Concessions are way over priced for what you get.
As I have said before, the university leadership and regents need to get in or get out with both baseball and softball. Status quo is not fair to players, coaches, or supporters. I want a CDC type AD. One that can raise the money of course, but also one that is there at the games and communicating with students, alumni, and supporters in person and through social media. I worry that if that person does not believe leadership support will change that we have no chance of hiring him or her.
Sam's on campus ballpark was built in 2006 for $5.5 million. They committed to the program. SFA did not.
I supported the baseball/softball complex that would have been built at the northeast corner of the Starr/University intersection. There was a deal with a major timber company to set aside and improve a wetlands area as a swap. This spring, we walked through the azalea gardens. Beautiful as usual. We then went across the street to walk through that area. I did not see much there to make me want to go back. Yes, some trees would have been lost, but not much else. Much of the faculty was not understanding of the value of a robust athletic program and Patillo was right with them, so the deal never had a chance.
We were able to attend several baseball and softball games this year. Softball was new to us. Fun team to watch with limited support beyond family and a few others. I was particularly struck at the baseball games with the little to no promotions going on even relative to what we saw a few years ago. If, other than when Hill threw out the first pitch, there was ever a member of the AD leadership at a game, I did not see them. Hill was always at basketball games. No coed support group as we had seen a couple of years ago. No gift certificates as we had seen before. No door prizes as we had seen before. Simply, nothing to promote attendance. Concessions are way over priced for what you get.
As I have said before, the university leadership and regents need to get in or get out with both baseball and softball. Status quo is not fair to players, coaches, or supporters. I want a CDC type AD. One that can raise the money of course, but also one that is there at the games and communicating with students, alumni, and supporters in person and through social media. I worry that if that person does not believe leadership support will change that we have no chance of hiring him or her.
Sam's on campus ballpark was built in 2006 for $5.5 million. They committed to the program. SFA did not.
Thanks,it's good to have the insight of a fan who regularly attends, but I'm with you, either we go all in or get out.
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There seems to be very little excitement about the program, definitely less than just 4-5 years ago. I think obviously not winning is a big piece, but I love college baseball and would love even more if we could at least have a competitive program.
I miss my trips to Nac. For those that weren't on the old board, my friends and I would take a trip to Nac when baseball and hoops both had home weekend games. I rented a Uhaul and parked in right center field and sat on top. Lots of drinks out there and the best view in the park. We'd then manage to get over to the WRJ for a hoops game. Maybe next year we'll run it back.
I miss my trips to Nac. For those that weren't on the old board, my friends and I would take a trip to Nac when baseball and hoops both had home weekend games. I rented a Uhaul and parked in right center field and sat on top. Lots of drinks out there and the best view in the park. We'd then manage to get over to the WRJ for a hoops game. Maybe next year we'll run it back.
I like it Purple... On campus would be awsome but if the $$ isnt there then this is already almost half way done..Atleast I would assume the infrastructure is there..Purple let me know about next year I will sit up there with you on the Uhaul... I want to see a competitive team like yourself. If it is too much of a gamble to to spend the $$$ on a stadium on campus then lets improve what we got.. I am sure the city wouldnt mind us making their ballpark look so much better.. Then we just lease the field back from the city on a long term deal...PurpleOut said:
Take a look at this quick, yet ugly mock up the Nacogdoches Baseball complex, if we solely made it ours. Grey is parking (same entrances on both sides), brownish is concourse, black is area for locker rooms/training facilities, purple is seating (green next to it for a berm), green on the bottom for tailgating. No trees removed here, roads in place, some parking in place, field in place.
I have trouble watching baseball if it's not in person, but a nice park in Nac would make that easier. It doesn't have to look like Disch-Falk or anything, but something would be nice.PurpleOut said:
There seems to be very little excitement about the program, definitely less than just 4-5 years ago. I think obviously not winning is a big piece, but I love college baseball and would love even more if we could at least have a competitive program.
I miss my trips to Nac. For those that weren't on the old board, my friends and I would take a trip to Nac when baseball and hoops both had home weekend games. I rented a Uhaul and parked in right center field and sat on top. Lots of drinks out there and the best view in the park. We'd then manage to get over to the WRJ for a hoops game. Maybe next year we'll run it back.
But how long can we support a team without any enthusiasm? What was the reasoning behind killing the program in the first place?
Jarrod didn't make the semi finals but he did find out he will be the 1st SFA baseball player to play in The Cape Cod League. He will be playing for the Brewster Whitecaps. It's the challenge he's been waiting for and a big honor. 1st game June 12th
Great! I assume you've already rented a place up there for the summer?Chuber said:
Jarrod didn't make the semi finals but he did find out he will be the 1st SFA baseball player to play in The Cape Cod League. He will be playing for the Brewster Whitecaps. It's the challenge he's been waiting for and a big honor. 1st game June 12th
Congratulations to Jarrod and family! Is Cape Cod a wood bat league?Chuber said:
Jarrod didn't make the semi finals but he did find out he will be the 1st SFA baseball player to play in The Cape Cod League. He will be playing for the Brewster Whitecaps. It's the challenge he's been waiting for and a big honor. 1st game June 12th
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