From The AD's Desk - April 2010

“From the AD’s Desk”

A monthly column from Temple University Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw

April 2010

Some statistics to consider:

Only 22 Division I schools nationwide had both their men’s and women’s basketball teams among the 2010 NCAA Tournament fields.
Of those 22 schools, 10 of them also had their football team play in a bowl game this year.
Of that group of 10, all were Bowl Championship Series (BCS) schools – except Temple.
Only six Division I schools nationwide advanced both their men’s and women’s basketball teams to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three years. Temple is one of them.
Of those six, just four schools also had a football bowl appearance over the last three years: Texas, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Temple.
Temple is the only school in the 55-year history of the Philadelphia Big 5 to have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams reach the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years.
Temple Football’s 2010 recruiting class has been ranked No. 1 in the Mid American Conference by multiple publications.

Any athletics director’s ideal scenario is that their school’s football and basketball teams – those most capable of producing the greatest revenue, media exposure and fan participation – all do well. Up until recently, our “big three” sport programs never quite achieved success simultaneously. Stats like those above were reserved for other places. What’s more, our academic and community relations performance mirrored our less-than-stellar competitive performance.

But we believed. We believed in a long-term plan centered upon conducting our affairs with integrity – the right way. We believed in investing in academic support services that would one day bear impressive results. We believed in making time – a lot of time – for community service initiatives that would provide unforgettable experiences for both our student-athletes and neighbors.

Most importantly, we believed in hiring great coaches and supporting them with competent staff and administration.

We are seeing the results – undeniable results. Competitively, we are nearing the point where our sport programs can simply reload each season, not rebuild. I’ve used these past columns to highlight the remarkable turnaround in our academic performance – one of the nation’s best.

The foundation has been laid. We have improved the scenery around us. We have changed the landscape and thus, raised the bar for future success.

But we cannot be satisfied with simply sustaining this success. We need this to go somewhere. I am reminded of the phrase: “Make hay while the sun shines.” Friends, we all know how much time it took for the sun to shine this brightly upon our program. We need to capitalize upon this moment, right now, to make more dramatic improvements in the future.

Particularly, we need to self-generate more of our own revenue. Last year, Temple Athletics only self-produced 23% of our total revenue – through ticket sales, fundraising, corporate sponsorships, media partnerships and conference revenue sharing. That means 77% of our operating revenues were subsidized by the university! Not only was this percentage among the largest among all FBS schools, it’s also not sustainable moving forward.

A quick check of the Commonwealth’s economic forecast is all you need to figure out that Temple, like other state-related universities, faces continuing budget challenges and competing priorities. Athletics is one of the few units of a university that can self-produce its own revenue. We need to do more – much more – of that.

Beginning May 3, we’ll take a drastic step in that direction. An additional five people will join our external relations staff in the creation of a Ticket Sales Center. Essentially, we are bringing a professional-sports approach to ticket sales to Temple in order to help us increase our market share and stay competitive in Philadelphia, traditionally a “pro sports town.” There’s never been a better time to roll out this strategy!

Members of the “new” ticket office will canvas the Delaware Valley and contact as many alumni, businesses, casual fans, etc. as possible to sell them on Temple Athletics. Existing ticket holders will notice an improvement in customer service as well. Our ticket reps will contact you periodically to check in, evaluate your experience at our games, and help you with adding tickets to your account, special needs, and more. It’s not lost on us that many fans’ relationships with their universities are centered upon a relationship with the ticket office. Our goal is to provide premier service and get as many people as possible inside Lincoln Financial Field and the Liacouras Center!

We must also continue the positive growth of our Owl Club, the official fundraising arm for Temple Athletics. Along with ticket sales, fundraising has been an area that we’ve lagged behind our peers. Our success this year, combined with a new business model for fundraising, has resulted in significant growth of our donor base and annual fund dollars. However, there’s much more work ahead of us. If you’re a Temple alumnus, parent or just a casual fan and still not a member of the Temple Owl Club, what more are you waiting for? Give online securely here and help us make hay while the sun shines!

As always, we are thankful for the broad participation of our alumni, fans and friends. With your continued loyalty, we shall achieve. Go Owls!

Upcoming Events

April 17: Cherry & White Day – Temple’s popular spring athletics festival again will take place on Main Campus (with the exception of soccer alumni events to be held at the Ambler Athletics Complex). This day is highlighted by the Basketball Alumni Game at 11:30 a.m. and the Football Scrimmage at 2 p.m., Xtra Point Club members and their guests are invited to watch the Spring Football Scrimmage from the Edberg-Olson Hall balcony following a private lunch and remarks by Coach Al Golden at 1 p.m.

April 19: Football Alumni & Friends Golf Outing – The warm weather is here, and so if golf season! Recap the Cherry & White game with your friends and fellow football fans at this special golf outing at Noon at Ramblewood Country Club in Mt. Laurel, N.J. The event is specially priced at $100, including lunch and dinner buffets, golf, and a special giveaway item! Registration available by contacting the Owl Club at (215) 204-CLUB. Payment the day of the event is permitted.

April 20: Temple Basketball Banquet – Alumni, fans and friends are invited to celebrate the Owls’ successful men’s and women’s basketball seasons at the Great Court in Mitten Hall at 6 p.m. Cost is only $65 adults/$45 young professionals/$30 children under 12. Register online today or contact the Temple Owl Club at (215) 204-CLUB to RSVP.

April 28: Breakfast of Champions – Have your Wheaties with the Owls! Join us for this popular tribute to Temple’s academically achieving student-athletes at 7 a.m. in the Liacouras Center. Numerous academic awards will be presented and the “Student” in student-athlete is on full display! Sponsor an individual student-athlete for $25 each or a group of 10 for just $250; all sponsorships are fully tax-deductible and are eligible for Owl Club giving credit. Contact the Owl Club at (215) 204-CLUB to sponsor the Owls today!

Make a contribution to the Temple Owl Club now!

Reserve 2010 Temple Football Season Tickets now!

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Temple University Athletics

From The AD's Desk - April 2010