Why Can't it be Done Again?

For decades, supporters of the UT Arlington Athletic Department adding a football team have heard many combinations of reasons why it can't be done. Poor attendance for current sports, poor athletic budget, poor facilities (not as much since CPC's opening), poor external support and market (in)significance were among the primary reasons. 

And to some degree, I share these concerns. But I don't believe these are detriments to the resurrection of a UTA football team. I never have. I want the basketball team to have better attendance. I don't believe that means a football team is out of the question. For much of the time in the Sun Belt, UTA was a top three men's basketball attended program, season in and out until the last couple of seasons. The other programs have successful and decently attended football programs. Neither correlate to the other, especially in the South,

That's not to say there aren't challenges, but if there's a will there's a way. It was seen in UTA's own conference with Lamar, Southeastern Louisiana and UT San Antonio. Now, an even greater example has been offered that basically says, "if they can do it, why can't we?"

Underdog Dynasty published an article about UT Rio Grande Valley's upcoming football program. Complete with numbers, it really makes it clear just how ambitious the Vaquero program is and how utterly attainable it could be here at UTA.

First, I'd always heard that UTA has some of the lowest student fees for athletics in Texas. I know we are less than half of North Texas and considerably less than Texas State. Otherwise, I just take it at face value. I can now add another school to the list.

Prior to voting for football, students at UTRGV paid $15 per credit hour. Students voted to up that to $26.25 an hour for the creation of a football team, two marching bands and a women's swimming team. Compare that to UTA's $8.50 an hour. UTA usually bested UTRGV in most sports on the field, despite nearly half the student fee. 

Numbers from the United States Department of Education show UTA's $13.8 million athletic budget was over half a million higher than UTRGV's $13.2 million budget, despite the higher fees. I'm not sure the exact reasoning, but UTA has a higher enrollment. That wouldn't account for all the difference if everything else were equal. Maybe UTRGV has fewer full-time students by percentage, maybe UTA has higher external funding, but something else is there that allows UTA to keep their fees lower.

According to the article, UTGRV has already raised two million in private funding. Let that sink in. The border isn't a place flush with money and lavish spending. There's a commentator to this blog that I've known in other capacities for decades. I need to give credit because "Duck" has been saying this forever. Announce a capital campaign with football as part of it and watch the funds come in. That may not be his direct quote, but it's pretty close.

The point is that why can they raise a significant amount of money, with football as the reason, but no one at UTA can accomplish something similar? That money raised will go to on-campus training facilities that will benefit every student athlete too. UTA already has much of that infrastructure.

UTRGV also has the problem of no on-campus facility. Yet, they have a way to overcome that with a quality professional soccer stadium nearby and a suitable facility in Brownsville. UTA wouldn't even have that problem. They are already paying maintenance expenses, so the only cost they need would be whatever renovations would be required. 

Finally, the Rio Grande Valley area is hardcore Dallas Cowboy country. People often say with that team in UTA's backyard, UTA has more of an issue for support. To that I contend the location of the Cowboys don't matter. The average UTA student could not afford to go to a game. They are likely TV watchers due to that. How's that any different than at the border? Does having a team in your backyard mean you are less likely to go to a college game and more likely to watch on TV another day? Having the ability, but not the financial capability, to go to a Cowboys game wouldn't have an impact on a Maverick squad. That fandom clearly has no impact for UTRGV starting a program.

The main difference between UTA and UTRGV is the political will. Plain and simple.

The UT Board of Regents Academic Affairs Committee has approved the proposal. It goes before the full board today, where its approval looks to be a formality. And when that happens, UTRGV will have shown UTA what it could have done. Instead, they will likely pass UTA up soon in the conference realignment game, despite the overall quality of the 15 sports offered in Arlington.