Originally Posted by
formerdukeathlete
And, one wonders why, because this does not make sense. That is, football makes sense, more now than it did 30 years ago. Now, because of football related conference revenue sharing Duke makes money in football even though attendance at home games is abysmal.
I recall seeing WW for the first time when visiting Duke and considering Duke among UNC-CH and UVa as well as northern schools, including several in the Ivy league. I thought, man this is unimpressive.
Re the renovations to Wade, I put removing the running track, lowering the field and bringing seats close to the field as the single most important thing we could do to get the fans and particularly student fans into the game. Unfortunately, it looks like this may be the last thing they do. It takes some foresight and leadership to see that while this would add seats at a time when we do not fill seats we already have, the quality of the fan experience is vastly improved in this fashion.
Speaking of Cal, I have been to games there. It is an old style natural bowl, but more steeply raked than Wade. You sit right up to the field. In the student section you get a view of downtown San Fran.
Cal is rolling in it because of Football and is able to fund tons of athletic scholarships for non-revs.
Duke can make a lot more money in Football with some winning and stadium improvements. This would go a long way to funding all scholies like Stanford.
Some quick thoughts on the path to winning:
1. reverse the draconian emasculation of student life under nan and dick - put Phi Delt, ATO, and other selective, by reason of choice, living groups on the main quad.
2. fix wade all the way, the right way.
3. relocate the track, and, at the same time, stake out ground where a new basketball arena will eventually be built.
4. get away from the notion of the need to lower academic requirements. With winning will come an ability to attact the better students who are otherwise (and currently) drawn to schools because of the quality of the football program.
5. make sure we have the right coach to sell Duke as appropriately configured - fixed post Nan and Brodhead.
6. pay the coach close to the going rate.
7. because we have the right coach - he might stay for a long while like K.
8. we then win more and more often.
9. the University benefits financially, and our yield versus the Ivies improves again.