[Realist]

http://www.winthropeagles.com/default.a ... cle&id=360

[jcmanson]

Hmm. Very interesting. Seems to me they wouldn't put that up there unless there were pretty concrete plans for a team. Who knows though?

[Fumblerooskies]

SOCON...
...here you come.

[horrez]

What's football?

[Sly Fox]

I was about to remind our Eagle friends of their constant references to JV football.

It would be spectacular to have WU start up a program.

[Fumblerooskies]

It would be spectacular to have WU start up a program.

Yeah...for two years in the Big South until they bolted to the Southern Conference.

[SuperJon]

SoCon is full. They're not taking anyone else anytime soon.

Think of this as the Big South football:

Liberty
Coastal
G-W
Chuck South
VMI
Presby
Winthrop
SC State? (they want to leave the MEAC)

That's a perfect league right there in my opinion.

[horrez]

It would be nice... but don't get your hopes up. It looks like the announcement was to tell everyone that it takes a lot of money to start a football program and Winthrop doesn't have a lot of money.

So, it looks like Winthrop is open to having a football program... if someone wants to give money to start it.

[bigsmooth]

bring it on. i would love for WU to start up a program.

[ATrain]

I think with the SoCon's latest move, they're done for right now. We'll have to wait and see how things shake out with a couple of the MEAC schools and the CAA before anybody in the Big South is going anywhere.

Aside from that, Winthrop Football would be great for our league.

[ATrain]

It would be nice... but don't get your hopes up. It looks like the announcement was to tell everyone that it takes a lot of money to start a football program and Winthrop doesn't have a lot of money.

So, it looks like Winthrop is open to having a football program... if someone wants to give money to start it.

Trust me, someone is always looking to give money somewhere...you just have to find the right person.

[Realist]

The release sort of reminds me of the UNCC feasibility study....except WU seems to be open to starting one whenever, if the donors come on board. UNCC did this to "study" whether or not to move forward. WU seems ready to move forward if the donors come on board, but who knows.

[RagingTireFire]

Will they try to hire David Bennett too?

[Realist]

It would be nice... but don't get your hopes up. It looks like the announcement was to tell everyone that it takes a lot of money to start a football program and Winthrop doesn't have a lot of money.

So, it looks like Winthrop is open to having a football program... if someone wants to give money to start it.

Honestly, I don't think raising the money would be a problem. It only takes finding one guy with a lot of money who wants it, or getting some sponsorships.

[LUconn]

Knowing our luck, they'll probably be better than us within a couple of years.

[TDDance234]

[Cider Jim]

So, it looks like Winthrop is open to having a football program... if someone wants to give money to start it.

Since you are no longer paying Greg Marshall millions and buying his tailored suits, Winthrop should have plenty of money for football.

[PAmedic]

http://www.winthropeagles.com/upload/up ... imates.pdf

http://www.winthropeagles.com/upload/up ... evised.pdf

40k for the band? (EDIT: I stand corrected- that, PLUS 160k to START a band )

Their estimates:
(1.1 mil for personnel)
16.6 mil for capital expenses
1.7 mil total for 1st yr start-up/ops, excl. capital expenses

don't know what we spend annually and don't feel like looking it up...

[PAmedic]

I was about to remind our Eagle friends of their constant references to JV football.

It would be spectacular to have WU start up a program.

can imagine quite of few die-hard hoops guys being furious with this.

[Hold My Own]

Could you imagine taking that rivalry to the gridiron? That would be nuts!

[WinthropEagleFan]

This is the first time that I can remember the Winthrop admin. openly talk about football being a possibility, so it is a big step forward for the creation of a team at some point. It will all come down to the money (which has always been the obstacle, but now at least they've made it public)...I'm happy that they sound like they aren't going to touch any existing sports and that they aren't going to do it on the cheap if they do go forward with it. It'll be interesting to see what ends up happening. I know there will be a program eventually...but who knows if it will be 5 or 30 years down the road.

[Hold My Own]

Hmmm...maybe use some of that money you were going to give to Marshall....there a few extra million laying around somewhere! Thats a start!

[SuperJon]

I hope they get it. I really do. That school is good in everything they do, and there's no doubt in my mind they'd have a good team in a few years. I'd love to kill them every year, but it'd do nothing but solidify our conference.

[El Scorcho]

I agree. This can't be anything but good for the Big South and all of our members. I really hope this works out for you folks down South.

[Chantzilla]

SoCon is full. They're not taking anyone else anytime soon.

Think of this as the Big South football:

Liberty
Coastal
G-W
Chuck South
VMI
Presby
Winthrop
SC State? (they want to leave the MEAC)

That's a perfect league right there in my opinion.

Don't forget about Stony Brook, SJ.