Yes the money problem with the stadium sucks, but that is all on you, not SC or UCLA.
I will still buy season tickets as I have for many years, even if I am the only one there. Stop the blame game. You should have fixed your own home first.
The world of college athletics is changing fast, and the decision on Thursday of USC and UCLA to leave the Pac 12 has brought a crisis to Berkeley whose implications will be felt for decades to come.
To put this bluntly, if the opportunity for Cal to continue to grow its football revenue by playing on College Football’s biggest stage is lost, the Athletic Department and financial future for the University will be forever changed.
I urge all of you to reach out to your State Assembly and Senate Representatives as well as Chancellor Christ and Athletic Director Jim Knowlton. A template representing our viewpoint is included below if needed:
Dear Chancellor Christ,
I write to you today as a passionate supporter of Cal Athletics and the University at large. The events of last Thursday where our sister Campus at UCLA and our long-time rival USC, choose to leave the Pac-12 leave me feeling anxious and unsure about the future. I implore you and the UC Regents to do all that you can to ensure that Cal protects the invaluable revenue engine and alumni connector that is Cal Football from being marginalized within the changing College Sports landscape. An outcome whereby Cal competes in a reconfigured Pac 12 or in any way is a second-class citizen to the members of the Big 10 and the SEC will irrevocably alter my future commitment as a donor, ticket buyer, and supporter of Cal. This University offers the world including College Athletics, too much to be anything other than an equal participant alongside the very best Football Programs in the country.
Best,
XXXXXX
cchrist@berkeley.edu
jim.knowlton@berkeley.edu
Related: UCLA and USC to leave the Pac 12
I feel pretty confident in speculating that students, and alumni alike would be more excited to travel to these destinations over Tucson, Corvalis, Pullman. I'd sure make the trip.MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
Totally agree - Tennessee, Ole Miss trips fun and having been to the Big House, and Neb stadiums - its an awesome experience. If Cal can't get into the B10, Alum/fan support, donor support and overall college experience for the majority of students will decline - even if there remains a watered down Pac12.socaliganbear said:I feel pretty confident in speculating that students, and alumni alike would be more excited to travel to these destinations over Tucson, Corvalis, Pullman. I'd sure make the trip.MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
Northside91 said:MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
Are students and alums road tripping anywhere? I'm sure it would be a terrifying idea for many. Close proximity in cars/planes, mass spectator events, lodging. Seems so scary....Phobias aside, only a tiny number have enough interest in the product to attend home games, nevermind traveling across time zones.
This is many years in the (un)making. Turn off the lights and close the door. It's done.
Banzai said:
Well Cal has made no attempt at all to bring fans to Memorial Stadium. The sound system does not work, the east side is still stuck firmly in the 1930s, and for our decades long tradition you fail to field a football program that is rarely better than a .500 team, feared by no one.
Yes the money problem with the stadium sucks, but that is all on you, not SC or UCLA.
I will still buy season tickets as I have for many years, even if I am the only one there. Stop the blame game. You should have fixed your own home first.
At one time, rugby was THE contact sport. Looks like it might be again.Northside91 said:MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
Are students and alums road tripping anywhere? I'm sure it would be a terrifying idea for many. Close proximity in cars/planes, mass spectator events, lodging. Seems so scary....Phobias aside, only a tiny number have enough interest in the product to attend home games, nevermind traveling across time zones.
This is many years in the (un)making. Turn off the lights and close the door. It's done.
This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. I don't see Cal spending anywhere near the amount that would be required to challenge the major football programs in the B10, or bending academic requirements any further to admit more talent at the B10 level. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. Go with our strength. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Outcomes are not ordained. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
The problem is that Cal is so big -- our undergraduate enrollment exceeds all the Ivies put together -- and while I can see Cal fans being excited by playing the best Ivy League teams, the bad ones are pretty bad.That long trip to the Northeast -- the most southern Ivy school is in Philadelphia -- won't be any fun for travel; remember that flying east is harder on the circadian clock than flying west. Stanford, though, is a logical candidate for the Ivies, and if the Ivies want Stanford, they'll want a second West Coast school too. It might as well be us. Whatever we lose in quality of competition, we'd gain even more prestige -- and we'd be able to keep the Big Game in conference.Out Of The Past said:This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
Big Dog said:
In what universe do some of you think that the Ivy League wants to expand? And across three time zones? They refuse to participate in the FCS tourney, so as not to lose more class time. The Ivy League is comprised of 8 private schools -- yeah Cornell has a few state-supported contract colleges -- a bus-ride away from each other. They have zero desire or need to expand, nor do they want teh extra travel expense.
Where are those critical thinking skills that Cal grads are known for?
If the four-corner schools jump to the B12, which they certainly should, the Pac is done. At best, the Pac becomes a division of the Mountain West. If Cal cannot continue to compete at the "highest level", time to seriously think about going the U-Chicago route (and put the stadium debt on the Governor).
Nor do they have to, since they fund their athletic programs out of multi-billion dollar endowments. They don't rely on TV revenues.calumnus said:Big Dog said:
In what universe do some of you think that the Ivy League wants to expand? And across three time zones? They refuse to participate in the FCS tourney, so as not to lose more class time. The Ivy League is comprised of 8 private schools -- yeah Cornell has a few state-supported contract colleges -- a bus-ride away from each other. They have zero desire or need to expand, nor do they want teh extra travel expense.
Where are those critical thinking skills that Cal grads are known for?
If the four-corner schools jump to the B12, which they certainly should, the Pac is done. At best, the Pac becomes a division of the Mountain West. If Cal cannot continue to compete at the "highest level", time to seriously think about going the U-Chicago route (and put the stadium debt on the Governor).
The Ivies are not anything if not tradition. They have maintained their island while the rest of the college football world went scholarship and big money. They aren't changing their island now.
Ivy fb is terrible. Looks like glorified hs. Players are 2* and coaches are, too. I don't enjoy seeing a wr drop an easy one and hang his head as he trots back to the huddle while 2,000 fans groan. (Remember the AZ game? Hated to say it, but the truth is the truth).Out Of The Past said:This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. I don't see Cal spending anywhere near the amount that would be required to challenge the major football programs in the B10, or bending academic requirements any further to admit more talent at the B10 level. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. Go with our strength. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Outcomes are not ordained. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
Rushinbear said:Ivy fb is terrible. Looks like glorified hs. Players are 2* and coaches are, too. I don't enjoy seeing a wr drop an easy one and hang his head as he trots back to the huddle while 2,000 fans groan. (Remember the AZ game? Hated to say it, but the truth is the truth).Out Of The Past said:This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. I don't see Cal spending anywhere near the amount that would be required to challenge the major football programs in the B10, or bending academic requirements any further to admit more talent at the B10 level. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. Go with our strength. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Outcomes are not ordained. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
We're discussing the viability of a major college athletics program. That requires $$$ and the tv and in person fans who pay to see them. When you pay, you expect to get what you pay for. To old Ivy alums, that means barely watching, as you yuk it up in the stands or do business there. Most others expect a little more.concordtom said:Rushinbear said:Ivy fb is terrible. Looks like glorified hs. Players are 2* and coaches are, too. I don't enjoy seeing a wr drop an easy one and hang his head as he trots back to the huddle while 2,000 fans groan. (Remember the AZ game? Hated to say it, but the truth is the truth).Out Of The Past said:This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. I don't see Cal spending anywhere near the amount that would be required to challenge the major football programs in the B10, or bending academic requirements any further to admit more talent at the B10 level. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. Go with our strength. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Outcomes are not ordained. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
Yo, that's a BS post!
My grandmother's brothers were all Americans at Ohio State in the 30's. They weighed a buck 80.
They had packed stadiums.
There's plenty of fun to be had watching 2* athletes compete.
The whole FOMO factor here is astonishing.
it's amazing how hundreds of non power5 universities are filled with students who have a great experiences and which matriculate hundreds of thousands annually.4thGenCal said:Totally agree - Tennessee, Ole Miss trips fun and having been to the Big House, and Neb stadiums - its an awesome experience. If Cal can't get into the B10, Alum/fan support, donor support and overall college experience for the majority of students will decline - even if there remains a watered down Pac12.socaliganbear said:I feel pretty confident in speculating that students, and alumni alike would be more excited to travel to these destinations over Tucson, Corvalis, Pullman. I'd sure make the trip.MikeT said:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this. I'm a Cal alum, and I have so many great memories at Memorial Stadium, so it'd be sad to see the program wither away. On the other hand, I have to shake my head at the absurdity of this talk of demanding that Cal be in a conference with the likes of Michigan and Ohio State. At that point, we're so far removed from the original mission of college sports (recreation for the student body, as players and fans). When I was a student at Cal, a road trip to the L.A. Coliseum or up to Eugene wasn't out of the question. No Cal students are road-tripping to Ann Arbor or Columbus in the middle of October. Hell, few alumni care to do that either. This is about the money and nothing more, and to hell with the student body, the athletes and the alumni.
Rushinbear said:We're discussing the viability of a major college athletics program. That requires $$$ and the tv and in person fans who pay to see them. When you pay, you expect to get what you pay for. To old Ivy alums, that means barely watching, as you yuk it up in the stands or do business there. Most others expect a little more.concordtom said:Rushinbear said:Ivy fb is terrible. Looks like glorified hs. Players are 2* and coaches are, too. I don't enjoy seeing a wr drop an easy one and hang his head as he trots back to the huddle while 2,000 fans groan. (Remember the AZ game? Hated to say it, but the truth is the truth).Out Of The Past said:This seems the most logical extension to me as well. We already recruit some athletes that are also considering Ivy schools. I don't see Cal spending anywhere near the amount that would be required to challenge the major football programs in the B10, or bending academic requirements any further to admit more talent at the B10 level. Our academic reputation is already solid in the Ivies. From what I hear anecdotally, Cal sends a significant number of undergrads to Ivy grad schools. Go with our strength. I have attended Ivy games, found them exciting and really enjoyable. Game strategies frequently involve improvisation. Outcomes are not ordained. Watch "Harvard beats Yale 29 - 29" sometime.aowatson said:
Best route is to stop pretending. Cal's predicament is a result of half-assed commitments to football and basketball, trying to do just enough to appear to belong in the big leagues. It's been a slow decline over maybe 50 years, save a few stars like Muncie, Rodgers. I think I'd rather see a bold move to emphasize academics. Stanford, as a private school, could probably talk its way into the Ivy League. Could Cal? Harvard's basketball and swim teams aren't bad.
Yo, that's a BS post!
My grandmother's brothers were all Americans at Ohio State in the 30's. They weighed a buck 80.
They had packed stadiums.
There's plenty of fun to be had watching 2* athletes compete.
The whole FOMO factor here is astonishing.
Cal fans are old and drink too much through their eyeballs. A few Port-a-Potties only help.PaulCali said:
@Banzai
We spent hundreds of millions on a stadium renovation, but we still have Port-a-Potties for the entire east side of stadium. Kind of hilarious. People shake their heads.